Author's Note: For those of you who have read Hogwarts Respite, this is a very quick little treat—an inside look into George Weasley and Draco Malfoy's infamous "package war", written from George's POV. It's in answer to a request I had received from a very faithful reviewer (yes, I do occasionally take requests—feel free to PM me with any) to show what happened when George received the package Draco sent out in Chapter 6 of Hogwarts Respite (The Pawn). Hope you all enjoy!
George's Package
"Oi, George, this package just arrived for you," George looked up to see his younger brother Ron entering his office holding a package at arm's length and looking at it in suspicion. He placed it on the desk at a cautious distance. "It's from Malfoy," Ron said with great distrust.
George felt a wicked grin seep across his face. "Is that so? Wonder what that git's come up with this time…these Slytherins think they're so sharp…" he grumbled eagerly as he reached for the box.
Ron pushed his hand away. "Wait! George, are you nuts? He might have put some type of explosion charm in there or something!"
George gave him an incredulous look. "He would not," he said dismissively. "Then he'd have to forfeit due to lack of originality." He reached for the box once more.
Ron slapped his hand away. George gave him a thunderous look. "Did you just slap my hand?" he demanded.
"I'm doing you a favor! That Malfoy is bad news, George, I can't believe you're going to just open a box from him without even checking it first or anything!"
George rolled his eyes. "I'm not afraid of some bad-boy wannabe, Ron! He can't come up with anything that I wouldn't be able to blow out of the water."
"Oh yeah, what about that last box he sent? You know, the one that went after you like a snapping turtle and tried to bite off your—"
"Hey, Ron, enough! I stopped the blasted thing before it did any real damage, right? And I don't like your implying that Malfoy might be able to get one up on me! I know for a fact that those flobberworms I sent him last are still yodeling, and the harder he tries to silence them, the louder they'll get! Now give me that box so I can see what this bloody prat thinks actually passes for clever…"
Ron sighed in resignation and pushed the box towards him.
George unwrapped the package and slowly lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a note that read, Thought you could use this a HOLE lot.
George smirked. Malfoy was the only one around who was actually pretty good at ear-related humor, and it had a lot to do with starting this prank-mailing war that they were both embroiled in. Suddenly, the note began to tremble. Perplexed, George picked up the note to see what was causing the movement from underneath it.
Before he realized what was happening, a purple and green blur shot out of the box and began bouncing about the room. "What in the bloody hell..?" George cried. "Get it!" he shouted to Ron, who had jumped back and had picked up a large roll of packing paper and was brandishing it like a bat. The purplish-greenish blur zipped across the room and flew smack into Ron's face, hitting him squarely between the eyes. Ron staggered for a moment with the impact.
George couldn't help it, he roared with laughter at the sight of his younger brother grabbing at a nearby shelf for balance.
"Think that's funny, do you?" Ron demanded angrily. "I told you that Malfoy was a menace!"
"Pipe down, Ron, it was pretty damn funny…now, what the hell IS this thing he's sent?" George inquired, bending over to inspect the purple and green blob on the floor. Apparently, it had been stunned by its collision with Ron's face and was actually lying still for the moment.
Bugger me…it looks like…an EAR. George grimaced. That blasted Malfoy sent him a purple elf ear with green ear hair. What the hell did he think it was supposed to do, attach itself to his head and—
Just then, the ear awoke from its stupor and lunged for his head.
"BLOODY HELL! Run for it!" George hollered, as the ear jumped on his head and started tap-dancing on his skull. "Get it off, get it off!" he yelled as he dashed around the room with Ron chasing him, still holding the roll of packing paper, swinging it at the renegade ear with all his might. All he succeeded in doing was knocking George upside the head several times until George finally shouted, "Ron, stop it! STOP!"
The ear was now jumping up and down repeatedly on his head. Enough of this, George thought, whipping out his wand. Unfortunately, he couldn't see the ear to blast it because it was on the top of his head. Ron started to draw his own wand and warily point it at George's head, but George cried, "Oh no, you don't!" Ron lowered his wand with great reluctance.
"I'll figure this one out eventually…" George said in an eerily calm voice, which was in direct contrast to the chaotic ear that was still springing across the top of his head, "and then, believe me…Malfoy is going to PAY for this one. He may have won this little battle, but I'll be the one winning the war!"