What Happened When…..
George fell in love.
Disclaimer: It isn't mine, none of the characters are, they belong to the lucky JK Rowling. The plot is mine though. Enjoy
Prologue
"So what are we going to do?"
"Something."
"Well, duh."
The glowing embers of the fire lit up the three speakers as they sat thinking.
"All I know is that if he makes one more comment about Hermione I'm gonna deck him."
"Ditto, only with Ginny."
"Angelina." he paused, "I have an idea. A love potion. It'll wear off in three days but that gives us plenty of time."
"Brilliant. Let the punishment fit the crime. But who?"
"I know."
***
"Professor McGonagall could I have some help please." George asked politely, gazing up at his teacher.
"Certainly George. What is it?"
"There's something not quite right about this." he said, gesturing towards his cutlery.
"The design on the end looks like a feather." his teacher informed him.
"Oh yeah. How do you get it right the first time? I mean, is it visualisation? Cos I do all that."
"Which wand movement are you using?" she inquired. George demonstrated swiftly.
"I think that's it." she told him, "Use this one." Professor McGonagall showed him a complicated movement which George attempted to copy.
"No. it looks like this." his teacher put her hand over his and moved his wand. The cutlery vanished and a shower of roses hit the table. Professor McGonagall hid a smile.
"I'm sorry Professor, I don't know what I was thinking of." George said rather breathlessly.
"It's OK Weasley. Concentrate next time." She picked up one of the roses and inspected it. "They are very good though. she added as she walked away.
George picked up the rose she had praised and surreptitiously slipped it into his bag. He glanced up to see his twin smirking at him.
Now we'll see how he likes it. thought Fred.
***
At lunch time George was very quiet, he was sat staring into space. Harry nudged Ron. Now it was time to go on the offensive.
"George?" Ron said.
"Huh?" His brother replied, startled out of his reverie.
"What are you staring at McGonagall for?"
"I wasn't. Why would I?" George replied defensively.
"You were, you know." Harry put in.
"Hey Hermione! What we got next?" Ron called to her.
"Transfiguration. You know that." she replied puzzledly.
"Oh yeah. I must have forgotten." Ron said airily. George looked mildly shocked.
"Well." Fred said, "You can only be thankful its not Divination. She was in a foul mood earlier, I'm surprised George got out of there alive."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well. My brother was having a little trouble and asked for help. McGonagall showed him this new wand movement that he couldn't do so she demonstrated with him. He wasn't concentrating and turned the cutlery into a heap of roses." Fred informed them. Harry and Ron winced.
"So when's your detention? What did the old bat give you?" Ron said with a sly smile at Fred.
"She didn't." George replied haughtily, "And Professor McGonagall is not an old bat. She is an extremely intelligent, kind, thoughtful and....." George trailed off and went a fetching crimson as the witch in question walked past. Fred, Ron and Harry grinned identical, evil smiles.
***
Later that afternoon the Gryffindor Quidditch team were waiting impatiently in their Common Room for the seventh member of the team to appear. Oliver Wood was pacing anxiously on the carpet. The portrait hole opened and George Weasley strolled in, slightly pink and with a silly smile on his face.
"Where were you?" Oliver Wood roared, "You were supposed to be here half an hour ago. We've got a match in two weeks. This is not the time to go walkies."
"Sorry, but I had to speak to Professor McGonagall about my Transfiguration homework." he replied. Fred looked bemused.
"We don't have any homework." he said.
"I asked for some extra work. This is a very important year. We've got our O.W.Ls in June." George told him pompously.
"Whatever. Next time be on time. Now come on." Oliver marched off, distinctly annoyed with George.
The team were on exceptional form that practice. There moves all came together; the three Chasers passed smoothly; Wood saved nearly every shot; the Weasley twins kept the bludgers away from their team mates; and Harry caught the snitch in record time. That is, until Professor McGonagall came out to watch the practice.
"Oi George! McGonagall's here." Fred called to his twin. George twisted round on his broom to check and consequently didn't see the bludger heading straight for him.
"George, look out." Alicia called urgently. He spun round and barrel rolled to avoid being knocked off his broom. Still upside down he zoomed after the bludger and hit it out of the Chasers' way. Upright once more, he decided to do some fancy flying moves, just to let out some excess energy. Coming out of a Wronski Feint he was feeling very pleased with himself. Glancing to check that his teacher was still watching he completely overlooked the bludger that was zooming straight towards him.
"Oof" The bludger hit him with full force in his stomach and this time he plummeted towards the earth at a sickening speed. He hit the ground with a heavy thud. The rest of the team landed in time to see his attempts to get up.
"Out of the way please Miss Spinnet." Professor McGonagall shouldered her way through the cluster of concerned team mates.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes, Professor. I'm fine." George stood up and gingerly tested his weight on his ankles. He gave a small grimace of pain as his left ankle gave way.
"Come on Weasley. Let's get you up to Madam Pomfrey. The rest of you keep at it. Excellent flying."
She slung his arm around her shoulders and they slowly made their way of the Quidditch pitch and up to the castle.
Excellent. Fred thought. What a stroke of luck.
***
At breakfast the next day George looked fairly sleepy.
"What's up George? Did McGonagall keep you up all night?" asked Harry. Hermione gasped as George flushed a vivid crimson.
"Harry!" she cried in dismay, "That is totally inappropriate. Professor McGonagall would never do anything that would jeopardise her career. Anyway, haven't you heard the rumour about her?"
"What rumour?" George and Harry asked simultaneously.
"Well, everyone is saying that she and..." she paused for dramatic effect "Professor Sprout are....well, you know what I mean." Hermione risked a small glance at Ron who winked at her.
"No, what do you mean?" asked George innocently.
"They are...very good friends." Hermione said with the air of one explaining it to a very slow witted child.
"Well, of course they are. I mean, she's friends with all the faculty. She is a very friendly person." George said slightly hysterically in a high-pitched voice. The rest of breakfast continued normally, with George staring absentmindedly into space. His gaze just happened to land on the staff table a couple of times. Ron nudged Fred and gestured at his brother.
"Hey, George. Do we have Quidditch this evening?"
"I don't know. I can't remember anything anymore. What's my name again? I love you." (AN Roz stylee) George sighed.
"Yeah, okay. Good. Erm....okay." Fred turned towards Ron. "You'd better get the jumpers. This calls for drastic action."
Fred edged away from his twin and waited for his brother to return. Ron ran into the Great Hall clutching some blue jumpers. He dumped them onto the table and slumped panting in his seat. Fred picked one up and showed it to his twin.
"George," Fred began, "my dearest, only twin. This jumper has a 'G' on it. Now, what do you think this 'G' stands for?"
"Gorgeous," George replied, a little breathlessly.
"No," Fred said slowly, "this 'G' stands for your name. George. Wear this jumper so that you don't forget it."
He thrust the jumper at George, who nodded vaguely and pulled it on, back to front.
Fred held up a second jumper, this one had a large yellow 'F' on it.
"Now George. This jumper has an 'F' on it. Can you guess what the 'F' is for?"
"Flowers?" George said.
"No. Let me give you a little clue." Fred pulled the jumper over his ginger hair (the right way round).
"Any ideas?" he prompted.
"Fantastic?" George replied dreamily.
"Well, yes...but that wasn't quite what I was looking for really. How about...uh..." he feigned thoughtfulness, "Fred!" he exclaimed triumphantly.
"Yeah, that fits too." George told his brother while staring vacantly into space. His twin sighed and returned to his breakfast.
***
George walked into the courtyard at break time to find his brothers, Harry and their girlfriends stood huddled in a corner, giggling hysterically about something. The minute he walked up the laughter stopped abruptly.
"Hi." he said casually.
"Oh, hi George." Angelina said.
"What were you laughing about?" he asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing." Harry said a little too swiftly. Hermione stifled a snigger.
"It's not about you." Hermione said kindly, "Its just, well.. Harry and Ron were crystal gazing last lesson and they saw.." she broke off into fresh peals of giggles.
"The Grim?" George hazarded a guess.
"No, that was Trelawney. Again." Ron informed him.
"Harry saw Professor McGonagall and somebody..together." Hermione resumed speaking.
"Who?" George asked eagerly.
"I couldn't tell, "Harry told him, "At least not at first. It was McGonagall and. No, its best you don't know."
"Who was it? Damn you Harry, just tell me!!!" Even Fred was startled by the vehemency of his reaction.
"All right, all right. Keep you hair on. It was Snape. At first. Then it was......Percy."
"Percy?" George hollered, "Eeeeuuuww."
***
That evening the Gryffindors were engaged in their usual pursuits. Ron and Hermione were having a friendly game of chess which Ron was losing, probably because Hermione was distracting him by playing footsie. Harry and Ginny were curled up on a big pile of cushions in front of the fire chatting about several little things. Fred and Angelina were playing exploding snap with Oliver Wood and Seamus Finnegan. George was sat in a corner, scribbling something or other. The floor around him was littered with screwed up bits of parchment. It was into this noisy room that Professor McGonagall entered.
"Listen up please everyone. I have something to say to you all. Is everyone in here? Okay. Please keep it up with all the house points, we're doing fairly well but Slytherin are slowly catching up with us. We don't want to lose that winning streak, do we? Professor Dumbledore asked me to remind you to be extra careful in Hogsmeade and not to wander around in groups of less than about four or so. I think that's everything." Professor McGonagall finished her short speech and wandered over to where Oliver Wood was sitting.
"I wonder if I could have a quick word with you, maybe tomorrow evening, in my office?" she said.
"It'll have to be the day after I'm afraid. I don't want to miss another Quidditch practice" Wood replied.
"Okay. About seven, the day after tomorrow." she walked briskly over to the portrait hole and climbed out, unaware of George's eyes on her back. He was seized by another bout of inspiration and began scribbling furiously. He wandered casually over to his brother and said insouciantly
"So what did McGonagall want then?"
Fred could not resist the perfect opportunity to bait his brother.
"She was arranging a meeting with Wood. The day after tomorrow, seven p.m.. It sounds like more of an assignation to me." Fred said slyly. George gave him a look which told his brother just how pathetic he was being, and returned to his scribblings.
***
The following morning George wandered down to breakfast a little later than his brothers. Ron pushed the coffee pot towards him wordlessly and resumed his conversation with Hermione. He was touching her hair at every possible opportunity. Normally this would have been his cue to make a sarcastic or teasing comment but for some reason he didn't want to. In fact he was somewhat jealous of his little brother. Not because he fancied Hermione. It was probably because he would never be able to do that kind of thing with Minerva he thought jealously.
He slumped in his seat and stared at the table. There was a knot in the wood that reminded him of the feathers he had been transfiguring that day. He gave a deep audible sigh.
"Hey George. What's up?" Fred asked concernedly.
"Nothing. It's just. Oh you wouldn't understand."
he said tiredly.
"Try me." Fred said kindly.
"Not here. Can we go for a walk or something. See the squid." George asked.
"Yeah, okay. But eat some toast. You need your wits about you this morning. It's Potions next." Fred replied as he stood up.
As the pair were exiting the Great Hall they nearly walked slap bang into Professor McGonagall.
"Morning boys," she said cheerfully, "Are you feeling okay George? You look a wee bit tired."
"Yeah, I'm fine thanks Professor." he told her, not looking directly at her. The pair hurried in the opposite direction over towards the lake.
They ambled along the edge of it, George feeding the unwanted toast to the giant squid.
"So what's wrong?" Fred asked again. George sighed.
"I really like someone. But I know I haven't got a chance."
"Professor McGonagall?" Fred prompted.
"You knew?" George asked in surprise.
"When she's around you have a slight tendency to walk into things, blush, be unable to speak, that kinda thing." Fred replied.
"I thought you must have noticed that I liked someone. You haven't stopped teasing me for the past two days." George said. Fred stayed silent. They wandered on for a little bit.
"I know it's stupid but I can't stop thinking about her. What should I do?" he asked desperately.
"I'd wait a bit, it may just be a temporary thing." Fred said, his ears turning slightly pink. George appeared not to notice.
"Yeah, but what if it isn't?" he cried, "I'm a fool." George picked up some stones and began trying to skim them across the lake.
"Leave it for a couple of days. See how you feel then." his brother advised, his neck beginning to colour.
"Yeah, you're right, we'd best get to Potions."
***
Fred and George were very nearly late for Potions, arriving half a second before Professor Snape.
"We were lucky." Fred muttered to George.
"Yeah, another second and we'd be facing his own particular brand of punishment."
"I wonder what it'll be this time. We've already disembowelled, cleaned, scrubbed, crushed and scraped all the disgusting things in the world." Fred mused.
"You've forgotten mushed, squished and squeezed with our bare hands." George informed his brother.
"He must have way too much spare time on his hands." Fred replied.
"Or a book. "One thousand and one detentions." Guaranteed to turn the most horrendous, uncouth and lazy student into a gibbering wreck." George quipped.
"He should try and get his money back." The twins sat at the back of the classroom sniggering and inventing fatuous titles while Professor Snape enumerated the possibilities of no-heat potions. George began idly doodling on a scrap of parchment, not noticing Snape's eye flicker towards him several times. Fred elbowed George.
"Put that away," he hissed "Before Snape notices." It was too late.
Professor Snape strode over to the twins, his cloak billowing dramatically, nearly smashing several bottles on the desks nearby.
"What have we here?" Professor Snape leaned towards the pair. Fred whisked the parchment under the table.
"Give me that, Weasley." he demanded, holding out his hand for the parchment. Silently Fred placed a screwed up bit of parchment in his hand. Snape unfolded it and read it quietly.
"Dear me, passing notes in class. That will be detention for both of you and twenty points from Gryffindor."
George breathed a sigh of relief. His twin had substituted it for one of the emergency notes they had prepared for these occasions. If Snape had read what I had written. He turned cold at the thought. When Professor Snape's attention was elsewhere he nudged his brother.
"Give me it back." he signed in the secret language the two had mastered over the years.
"No way!" came Fred's emphatic reply.
***
At break time George walked into the Gryffindor Common Room and was immediately accosted by his brother Ron.
"I think that this is really sweet." he said.
"What is?" George asked, feigning puzzlement. Ron merely smiled as Harry walked up to the pair.
"We've got Transfiguration next. Want me to put in a good word for you, see how she feels?" he said grinning.
"Aww, leave the poor lad alone," Hermione told them as she walked over, "Now, come on George. A woman likes to feel cared for. Flowers and chocolates are all very well but something from the heart is better. Poetry, a painting, a song. Name your broom after her." Hermione led George into a quiet corner of the room and continued to lecture him on what and what not to do.
Harry and Ron rejoined Fred, Angelina and Ginny.
"You know, Hermione's given me an idea. A poem." Ron said. Fred faced cracked into an evil grin.
"Excellent. We'll make a Weasley of you yet young Ron."
"Ginny is a genius at writing poetry." Harry added.
"Are you going to send a poem to or from Professor McGonagall?" asked Angelina.
"Why not both?" Ginny added, "It'll serve him right."
"We'll do that then." Fred said decisively, "We'd better move fast, we've only got until nine o' clock tonight to utterly humiliate him."
***
There was a folded piece of parchment lying on George's place at lunchtime. He slipped it under the table and opened it.
Gorgeous
Exuberant
Ooooh
Rowdy
Ginger
Entirely mine
It was signed with a question mark. George slid the note towards his twin who read it and slipped it back.
"Who do you think it's from?" Fred muttered.
"I dunno." George replied.
Ron leaned across George and read the poem.
"You don't reckon McGonagall sent it do you?" he asked curiously.
"Sent what?" inquired Ginny and Hermione simultaneously. In reply Fred passed them the poem.
"That is so sweet." Ginny sighed, "I wish Harry would write me a poem."
"All Ron does is say I look nice every now and then. This really shows that they care." Hermione added.
"Whoever it is must really like you." Angelina added.
"Do you think I should write one?" George asked hesitantly. The three girls went into transports of delight.
"Why am I going out with Fred?" Angelina sighed, "His twin is identical and is so much more mature and caring."
"It is so nice to see a lad in touch with his feminine side." Hermione put in, "You've got competition, Angelina."
"It is such a shame that he's my brother." Ginny added. They broke into hysterical giggles which lasted for about five minutes. Fred and Ron used this as a cover for their conversation.
"I don't remember them saying that they would slag us off." Fred muttered disgruntledly.
"You just can't trust them." added Ron.
When the laughter had died down enough, George asked Hermione
"Will you give me a hand? I'm not much good at this kind of thing."
"Of course I will. Come on." Hermione and Ginny stood up.
"There's no time like the present" Ginny informed her startled brother as they walked towards Gryffindor Tower.
***
After half an hour of frantic scribbling and furious debate, the little group in the corner of the Common Room decided they were happy with their work. The floor around them was littered with scrumpled bits of parchment and George was splattered with ink.
He carried the final copy of the poem over to his brothers.
Minerva.
You move with feminine, feline grace
Queen of your lands.
You see al that happens in this place
Omniscient
You are calm within this whirling world
Tower of strength.
To me you are all these and much more
You still teach me
Every day I see a new facet
Like a diamond
In days long gone you'd be called my muse
You inspire me.
You have incomparable beauty
You have incomparable wisdom
You have incomparable kindness
You have incomparable bravery
My love, you are incomparable
I am enchanted and always yours.
"Well, what do you think?" George asked uncertainly.
"Yeah its....indescribable. I never knew you had it in you." Fred said, his voice a couple of tones higher than usual.
"Hadn't you better go and leave in on her desk? Ginny's got Transfiguration next, she'll tell you how she reacted." Harry said hurriedly.
George walked out of the portrait hole, muttering to himself and taking several deep breaths. The minute he was out of earshot they broke into peals of mildly hysterical laughter.
"How did you two keep straight faces?" inquired Ron between splutters.
"I really don't know." Ginny replied.
"Do you think he suspected anything? Angelina asked worriedly.
"Nah," said Fred, slipping his hand around her waist, "He wouldn't notice if the school burned down."
Angelina stood up.
"We'll see you later. Make sure you pay attention Ginny." She and Fred walked off hand in hand.
"We'd better get to class as well." Hermione remarked.
"I don't think that they were going to class, Hermione." Ron told her gently.
"Oh, where were they going then?" she responded archly.
"I'll show you." Ron volunteered.
"Why, Mr. Weasley. I thought you'd never ask."
Hermione giggled as they crossed the room.
"Finally. I thought they'd never go." Ginny sighed.
"I know what you mean. I can't even hold your
hand without Fred, George and Ron glaring at me. They reckon I'm going to jump on you the minute their backs are turned."
"Oh, aren't you?" Ginny feigned disappointment.
"Well, yes, but that's not the point." Harry
replied.
***
After dinner that night Fred, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Angelina were sat chatting quietly in a corner.
"You all know what you have to do?" Fred checked for the hundredth time.
"Yes." they chorused wearily.
"Places everybody. Here he comes." Angelina hissed. A Wizard's Chess board was hurriedly placed on the table. Hermione and Ginny hurried upstairs to their room. Fred and Angelina curled up on a sofa and began whispering lovingly into each others ears. Ron and Harry began their game of chess.
"Hi, guys," George said as he walked up to them. He glanced around, "Where's Ginny?"
"She and Hermione are in their room, probably talking about make up. Did you want her?" Harry casually informed him.
"What? Er..no." George replied hurriedly. He began to pace around the room. Ron and Harry grinned in triumph.
Ginny and Hermione silently descended the stairs and signalled to Angelina.
"I'd better go, Fred," she said, "I promised I'd meet Katie in the library."
"Right." said Fred, as she walked away. He sat back on the sofa and smiled.
"What are you grinning at?" his twin asked mulishly.
"I can't believe how lucky I am." said Fred expansively.
"It's nice to know that at least one of you boys appreciates us." Hermione said as she joined the group. She and Ginny stretched out calmly in two armchairs. Fred risked a glance at his watch.
"So, what's up George?" asked Ginny.
"Are you going to tell me what happened in Transfiguration?" he snapped.
"Well, I ended up making several weird slippers. I'll sell you a pair if you want, but they don't match." she informed him impishly. George glared at her.
"Okay, I'll get to the point." Ginny described in great detail McGonagall's reaction to the poem, omitting the bit where she laughed and threw it in the bin.
"Wow." sighed George at the end of her recital, "She must really like it. Do you think she knows who it's from?" Ginny shrugged in reply.
"You like her a lot, don't you?" Fred asked sympathetically, with a quick look at the time. It was ten to nine.
"It's more than that. She's beautiful, amazing but I can see past that. She is so kind and generous. I think that there is a connection of the minds as well." he paused for breath. "I've never told anyone this before. I love her so much but she can never be mine."
"George, even if she loved you too she could never go out with you. She'd lose her job."
"I know. That's the worst of it." he said bitterly. "I love her so much....." he paused. The clock struck nine. "What was I saying?" George asked curiously.
"You were declaring your undying love for Minerva McGonagall." Ron informed him.
"I said I fancied........Oh sh..ugar." George said.
"It's all on here." Ginny declared brightly as Hermione waved a tape recorder under his nose.
"Give me that?" George made a furious grab for it.
"Oh, no. You have made our lives misery for the past couple of months. We thought it was time to pay you back." Fred said gleefully.
"How?" George asked shakily.
"A love potion." Ron informed him. He gazed at Hermione and put his arm around her, "We couldn't have done it without you." he told her.
"Look, I promise I won't tease you about having girlfriends. Now will you give me that tape?" George demanded.
"No way." Harry said, grinning, "We've worked bloody hard to get all this. We're not giving it back."
"Copies of the poems as well?" George asked brokenly. They nodded, "I should tell McGonagall about this." he continued angrily.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Hermione said sweetly.
"You're blackmailing me." he said.
"Nah, just...warning you." Fred called over his shoulder as they walked off.
I suppose one good thing's come of it. George thought, They thought it was all done by the potion.
***THE END***
George fell in love.
Disclaimer: It isn't mine, none of the characters are, they belong to the lucky JK Rowling. The plot is mine though. Enjoy
Prologue
"So what are we going to do?"
"Something."
"Well, duh."
The glowing embers of the fire lit up the three speakers as they sat thinking.
"All I know is that if he makes one more comment about Hermione I'm gonna deck him."
"Ditto, only with Ginny."
"Angelina." he paused, "I have an idea. A love potion. It'll wear off in three days but that gives us plenty of time."
"Brilliant. Let the punishment fit the crime. But who?"
"I know."
***
"Professor McGonagall could I have some help please." George asked politely, gazing up at his teacher.
"Certainly George. What is it?"
"There's something not quite right about this." he said, gesturing towards his cutlery.
"The design on the end looks like a feather." his teacher informed him.
"Oh yeah. How do you get it right the first time? I mean, is it visualisation? Cos I do all that."
"Which wand movement are you using?" she inquired. George demonstrated swiftly.
"I think that's it." she told him, "Use this one." Professor McGonagall showed him a complicated movement which George attempted to copy.
"No. it looks like this." his teacher put her hand over his and moved his wand. The cutlery vanished and a shower of roses hit the table. Professor McGonagall hid a smile.
"I'm sorry Professor, I don't know what I was thinking of." George said rather breathlessly.
"It's OK Weasley. Concentrate next time." She picked up one of the roses and inspected it. "They are very good though. she added as she walked away.
George picked up the rose she had praised and surreptitiously slipped it into his bag. He glanced up to see his twin smirking at him.
Now we'll see how he likes it. thought Fred.
***
At lunch time George was very quiet, he was sat staring into space. Harry nudged Ron. Now it was time to go on the offensive.
"George?" Ron said.
"Huh?" His brother replied, startled out of his reverie.
"What are you staring at McGonagall for?"
"I wasn't. Why would I?" George replied defensively.
"You were, you know." Harry put in.
"Hey Hermione! What we got next?" Ron called to her.
"Transfiguration. You know that." she replied puzzledly.
"Oh yeah. I must have forgotten." Ron said airily. George looked mildly shocked.
"Well." Fred said, "You can only be thankful its not Divination. She was in a foul mood earlier, I'm surprised George got out of there alive."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well. My brother was having a little trouble and asked for help. McGonagall showed him this new wand movement that he couldn't do so she demonstrated with him. He wasn't concentrating and turned the cutlery into a heap of roses." Fred informed them. Harry and Ron winced.
"So when's your detention? What did the old bat give you?" Ron said with a sly smile at Fred.
"She didn't." George replied haughtily, "And Professor McGonagall is not an old bat. She is an extremely intelligent, kind, thoughtful and....." George trailed off and went a fetching crimson as the witch in question walked past. Fred, Ron and Harry grinned identical, evil smiles.
***
Later that afternoon the Gryffindor Quidditch team were waiting impatiently in their Common Room for the seventh member of the team to appear. Oliver Wood was pacing anxiously on the carpet. The portrait hole opened and George Weasley strolled in, slightly pink and with a silly smile on his face.
"Where were you?" Oliver Wood roared, "You were supposed to be here half an hour ago. We've got a match in two weeks. This is not the time to go walkies."
"Sorry, but I had to speak to Professor McGonagall about my Transfiguration homework." he replied. Fred looked bemused.
"We don't have any homework." he said.
"I asked for some extra work. This is a very important year. We've got our O.W.Ls in June." George told him pompously.
"Whatever. Next time be on time. Now come on." Oliver marched off, distinctly annoyed with George.
The team were on exceptional form that practice. There moves all came together; the three Chasers passed smoothly; Wood saved nearly every shot; the Weasley twins kept the bludgers away from their team mates; and Harry caught the snitch in record time. That is, until Professor McGonagall came out to watch the practice.
"Oi George! McGonagall's here." Fred called to his twin. George twisted round on his broom to check and consequently didn't see the bludger heading straight for him.
"George, look out." Alicia called urgently. He spun round and barrel rolled to avoid being knocked off his broom. Still upside down he zoomed after the bludger and hit it out of the Chasers' way. Upright once more, he decided to do some fancy flying moves, just to let out some excess energy. Coming out of a Wronski Feint he was feeling very pleased with himself. Glancing to check that his teacher was still watching he completely overlooked the bludger that was zooming straight towards him.
"Oof" The bludger hit him with full force in his stomach and this time he plummeted towards the earth at a sickening speed. He hit the ground with a heavy thud. The rest of the team landed in time to see his attempts to get up.
"Out of the way please Miss Spinnet." Professor McGonagall shouldered her way through the cluster of concerned team mates.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes, Professor. I'm fine." George stood up and gingerly tested his weight on his ankles. He gave a small grimace of pain as his left ankle gave way.
"Come on Weasley. Let's get you up to Madam Pomfrey. The rest of you keep at it. Excellent flying."
She slung his arm around her shoulders and they slowly made their way of the Quidditch pitch and up to the castle.
Excellent. Fred thought. What a stroke of luck.
***
At breakfast the next day George looked fairly sleepy.
"What's up George? Did McGonagall keep you up all night?" asked Harry. Hermione gasped as George flushed a vivid crimson.
"Harry!" she cried in dismay, "That is totally inappropriate. Professor McGonagall would never do anything that would jeopardise her career. Anyway, haven't you heard the rumour about her?"
"What rumour?" George and Harry asked simultaneously.
"Well, everyone is saying that she and..." she paused for dramatic effect "Professor Sprout are....well, you know what I mean." Hermione risked a small glance at Ron who winked at her.
"No, what do you mean?" asked George innocently.
"They are...very good friends." Hermione said with the air of one explaining it to a very slow witted child.
"Well, of course they are. I mean, she's friends with all the faculty. She is a very friendly person." George said slightly hysterically in a high-pitched voice. The rest of breakfast continued normally, with George staring absentmindedly into space. His gaze just happened to land on the staff table a couple of times. Ron nudged Fred and gestured at his brother.
"Hey, George. Do we have Quidditch this evening?"
"I don't know. I can't remember anything anymore. What's my name again? I love you." (AN Roz stylee) George sighed.
"Yeah, okay. Good. Erm....okay." Fred turned towards Ron. "You'd better get the jumpers. This calls for drastic action."
Fred edged away from his twin and waited for his brother to return. Ron ran into the Great Hall clutching some blue jumpers. He dumped them onto the table and slumped panting in his seat. Fred picked one up and showed it to his twin.
"George," Fred began, "my dearest, only twin. This jumper has a 'G' on it. Now, what do you think this 'G' stands for?"
"Gorgeous," George replied, a little breathlessly.
"No," Fred said slowly, "this 'G' stands for your name. George. Wear this jumper so that you don't forget it."
He thrust the jumper at George, who nodded vaguely and pulled it on, back to front.
Fred held up a second jumper, this one had a large yellow 'F' on it.
"Now George. This jumper has an 'F' on it. Can you guess what the 'F' is for?"
"Flowers?" George said.
"No. Let me give you a little clue." Fred pulled the jumper over his ginger hair (the right way round).
"Any ideas?" he prompted.
"Fantastic?" George replied dreamily.
"Well, yes...but that wasn't quite what I was looking for really. How about...uh..." he feigned thoughtfulness, "Fred!" he exclaimed triumphantly.
"Yeah, that fits too." George told his brother while staring vacantly into space. His twin sighed and returned to his breakfast.
***
George walked into the courtyard at break time to find his brothers, Harry and their girlfriends stood huddled in a corner, giggling hysterically about something. The minute he walked up the laughter stopped abruptly.
"Hi." he said casually.
"Oh, hi George." Angelina said.
"What were you laughing about?" he asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing." Harry said a little too swiftly. Hermione stifled a snigger.
"It's not about you." Hermione said kindly, "Its just, well.. Harry and Ron were crystal gazing last lesson and they saw.." she broke off into fresh peals of giggles.
"The Grim?" George hazarded a guess.
"No, that was Trelawney. Again." Ron informed him.
"Harry saw Professor McGonagall and somebody..together." Hermione resumed speaking.
"Who?" George asked eagerly.
"I couldn't tell, "Harry told him, "At least not at first. It was McGonagall and. No, its best you don't know."
"Who was it? Damn you Harry, just tell me!!!" Even Fred was startled by the vehemency of his reaction.
"All right, all right. Keep you hair on. It was Snape. At first. Then it was......Percy."
"Percy?" George hollered, "Eeeeuuuww."
***
That evening the Gryffindors were engaged in their usual pursuits. Ron and Hermione were having a friendly game of chess which Ron was losing, probably because Hermione was distracting him by playing footsie. Harry and Ginny were curled up on a big pile of cushions in front of the fire chatting about several little things. Fred and Angelina were playing exploding snap with Oliver Wood and Seamus Finnegan. George was sat in a corner, scribbling something or other. The floor around him was littered with screwed up bits of parchment. It was into this noisy room that Professor McGonagall entered.
"Listen up please everyone. I have something to say to you all. Is everyone in here? Okay. Please keep it up with all the house points, we're doing fairly well but Slytherin are slowly catching up with us. We don't want to lose that winning streak, do we? Professor Dumbledore asked me to remind you to be extra careful in Hogsmeade and not to wander around in groups of less than about four or so. I think that's everything." Professor McGonagall finished her short speech and wandered over to where Oliver Wood was sitting.
"I wonder if I could have a quick word with you, maybe tomorrow evening, in my office?" she said.
"It'll have to be the day after I'm afraid. I don't want to miss another Quidditch practice" Wood replied.
"Okay. About seven, the day after tomorrow." she walked briskly over to the portrait hole and climbed out, unaware of George's eyes on her back. He was seized by another bout of inspiration and began scribbling furiously. He wandered casually over to his brother and said insouciantly
"So what did McGonagall want then?"
Fred could not resist the perfect opportunity to bait his brother.
"She was arranging a meeting with Wood. The day after tomorrow, seven p.m.. It sounds like more of an assignation to me." Fred said slyly. George gave him a look which told his brother just how pathetic he was being, and returned to his scribblings.
***
The following morning George wandered down to breakfast a little later than his brothers. Ron pushed the coffee pot towards him wordlessly and resumed his conversation with Hermione. He was touching her hair at every possible opportunity. Normally this would have been his cue to make a sarcastic or teasing comment but for some reason he didn't want to. In fact he was somewhat jealous of his little brother. Not because he fancied Hermione. It was probably because he would never be able to do that kind of thing with Minerva he thought jealously.
He slumped in his seat and stared at the table. There was a knot in the wood that reminded him of the feathers he had been transfiguring that day. He gave a deep audible sigh.
"Hey George. What's up?" Fred asked concernedly.
"Nothing. It's just. Oh you wouldn't understand."
he said tiredly.
"Try me." Fred said kindly.
"Not here. Can we go for a walk or something. See the squid." George asked.
"Yeah, okay. But eat some toast. You need your wits about you this morning. It's Potions next." Fred replied as he stood up.
As the pair were exiting the Great Hall they nearly walked slap bang into Professor McGonagall.
"Morning boys," she said cheerfully, "Are you feeling okay George? You look a wee bit tired."
"Yeah, I'm fine thanks Professor." he told her, not looking directly at her. The pair hurried in the opposite direction over towards the lake.
They ambled along the edge of it, George feeding the unwanted toast to the giant squid.
"So what's wrong?" Fred asked again. George sighed.
"I really like someone. But I know I haven't got a chance."
"Professor McGonagall?" Fred prompted.
"You knew?" George asked in surprise.
"When she's around you have a slight tendency to walk into things, blush, be unable to speak, that kinda thing." Fred replied.
"I thought you must have noticed that I liked someone. You haven't stopped teasing me for the past two days." George said. Fred stayed silent. They wandered on for a little bit.
"I know it's stupid but I can't stop thinking about her. What should I do?" he asked desperately.
"I'd wait a bit, it may just be a temporary thing." Fred said, his ears turning slightly pink. George appeared not to notice.
"Yeah, but what if it isn't?" he cried, "I'm a fool." George picked up some stones and began trying to skim them across the lake.
"Leave it for a couple of days. See how you feel then." his brother advised, his neck beginning to colour.
"Yeah, you're right, we'd best get to Potions."
***
Fred and George were very nearly late for Potions, arriving half a second before Professor Snape.
"We were lucky." Fred muttered to George.
"Yeah, another second and we'd be facing his own particular brand of punishment."
"I wonder what it'll be this time. We've already disembowelled, cleaned, scrubbed, crushed and scraped all the disgusting things in the world." Fred mused.
"You've forgotten mushed, squished and squeezed with our bare hands." George informed his brother.
"He must have way too much spare time on his hands." Fred replied.
"Or a book. "One thousand and one detentions." Guaranteed to turn the most horrendous, uncouth and lazy student into a gibbering wreck." George quipped.
"He should try and get his money back." The twins sat at the back of the classroom sniggering and inventing fatuous titles while Professor Snape enumerated the possibilities of no-heat potions. George began idly doodling on a scrap of parchment, not noticing Snape's eye flicker towards him several times. Fred elbowed George.
"Put that away," he hissed "Before Snape notices." It was too late.
Professor Snape strode over to the twins, his cloak billowing dramatically, nearly smashing several bottles on the desks nearby.
"What have we here?" Professor Snape leaned towards the pair. Fred whisked the parchment under the table.
"Give me that, Weasley." he demanded, holding out his hand for the parchment. Silently Fred placed a screwed up bit of parchment in his hand. Snape unfolded it and read it quietly.
"Dear me, passing notes in class. That will be detention for both of you and twenty points from Gryffindor."
George breathed a sigh of relief. His twin had substituted it for one of the emergency notes they had prepared for these occasions. If Snape had read what I had written. He turned cold at the thought. When Professor Snape's attention was elsewhere he nudged his brother.
"Give me it back." he signed in the secret language the two had mastered over the years.
"No way!" came Fred's emphatic reply.
***
At break time George walked into the Gryffindor Common Room and was immediately accosted by his brother Ron.
"I think that this is really sweet." he said.
"What is?" George asked, feigning puzzlement. Ron merely smiled as Harry walked up to the pair.
"We've got Transfiguration next. Want me to put in a good word for you, see how she feels?" he said grinning.
"Aww, leave the poor lad alone," Hermione told them as she walked over, "Now, come on George. A woman likes to feel cared for. Flowers and chocolates are all very well but something from the heart is better. Poetry, a painting, a song. Name your broom after her." Hermione led George into a quiet corner of the room and continued to lecture him on what and what not to do.
Harry and Ron rejoined Fred, Angelina and Ginny.
"You know, Hermione's given me an idea. A poem." Ron said. Fred faced cracked into an evil grin.
"Excellent. We'll make a Weasley of you yet young Ron."
"Ginny is a genius at writing poetry." Harry added.
"Are you going to send a poem to or from Professor McGonagall?" asked Angelina.
"Why not both?" Ginny added, "It'll serve him right."
"We'll do that then." Fred said decisively, "We'd better move fast, we've only got until nine o' clock tonight to utterly humiliate him."
***
There was a folded piece of parchment lying on George's place at lunchtime. He slipped it under the table and opened it.
Gorgeous
Exuberant
Ooooh
Rowdy
Ginger
Entirely mine
It was signed with a question mark. George slid the note towards his twin who read it and slipped it back.
"Who do you think it's from?" Fred muttered.
"I dunno." George replied.
Ron leaned across George and read the poem.
"You don't reckon McGonagall sent it do you?" he asked curiously.
"Sent what?" inquired Ginny and Hermione simultaneously. In reply Fred passed them the poem.
"That is so sweet." Ginny sighed, "I wish Harry would write me a poem."
"All Ron does is say I look nice every now and then. This really shows that they care." Hermione added.
"Whoever it is must really like you." Angelina added.
"Do you think I should write one?" George asked hesitantly. The three girls went into transports of delight.
"Why am I going out with Fred?" Angelina sighed, "His twin is identical and is so much more mature and caring."
"It is so nice to see a lad in touch with his feminine side." Hermione put in, "You've got competition, Angelina."
"It is such a shame that he's my brother." Ginny added. They broke into hysterical giggles which lasted for about five minutes. Fred and Ron used this as a cover for their conversation.
"I don't remember them saying that they would slag us off." Fred muttered disgruntledly.
"You just can't trust them." added Ron.
When the laughter had died down enough, George asked Hermione
"Will you give me a hand? I'm not much good at this kind of thing."
"Of course I will. Come on." Hermione and Ginny stood up.
"There's no time like the present" Ginny informed her startled brother as they walked towards Gryffindor Tower.
***
After half an hour of frantic scribbling and furious debate, the little group in the corner of the Common Room decided they were happy with their work. The floor around them was littered with scrumpled bits of parchment and George was splattered with ink.
He carried the final copy of the poem over to his brothers.
Minerva.
You move with feminine, feline grace
Queen of your lands.
You see al that happens in this place
Omniscient
You are calm within this whirling world
Tower of strength.
To me you are all these and much more
You still teach me
Every day I see a new facet
Like a diamond
In days long gone you'd be called my muse
You inspire me.
You have incomparable beauty
You have incomparable wisdom
You have incomparable kindness
You have incomparable bravery
My love, you are incomparable
I am enchanted and always yours.
"Well, what do you think?" George asked uncertainly.
"Yeah its....indescribable. I never knew you had it in you." Fred said, his voice a couple of tones higher than usual.
"Hadn't you better go and leave in on her desk? Ginny's got Transfiguration next, she'll tell you how she reacted." Harry said hurriedly.
George walked out of the portrait hole, muttering to himself and taking several deep breaths. The minute he was out of earshot they broke into peals of mildly hysterical laughter.
"How did you two keep straight faces?" inquired Ron between splutters.
"I really don't know." Ginny replied.
"Do you think he suspected anything? Angelina asked worriedly.
"Nah," said Fred, slipping his hand around her waist, "He wouldn't notice if the school burned down."
Angelina stood up.
"We'll see you later. Make sure you pay attention Ginny." She and Fred walked off hand in hand.
"We'd better get to class as well." Hermione remarked.
"I don't think that they were going to class, Hermione." Ron told her gently.
"Oh, where were they going then?" she responded archly.
"I'll show you." Ron volunteered.
"Why, Mr. Weasley. I thought you'd never ask."
Hermione giggled as they crossed the room.
"Finally. I thought they'd never go." Ginny sighed.
"I know what you mean. I can't even hold your
hand without Fred, George and Ron glaring at me. They reckon I'm going to jump on you the minute their backs are turned."
"Oh, aren't you?" Ginny feigned disappointment.
"Well, yes, but that's not the point." Harry
replied.
***
After dinner that night Fred, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Angelina were sat chatting quietly in a corner.
"You all know what you have to do?" Fred checked for the hundredth time.
"Yes." they chorused wearily.
"Places everybody. Here he comes." Angelina hissed. A Wizard's Chess board was hurriedly placed on the table. Hermione and Ginny hurried upstairs to their room. Fred and Angelina curled up on a sofa and began whispering lovingly into each others ears. Ron and Harry began their game of chess.
"Hi, guys," George said as he walked up to them. He glanced around, "Where's Ginny?"
"She and Hermione are in their room, probably talking about make up. Did you want her?" Harry casually informed him.
"What? Er..no." George replied hurriedly. He began to pace around the room. Ron and Harry grinned in triumph.
Ginny and Hermione silently descended the stairs and signalled to Angelina.
"I'd better go, Fred," she said, "I promised I'd meet Katie in the library."
"Right." said Fred, as she walked away. He sat back on the sofa and smiled.
"What are you grinning at?" his twin asked mulishly.
"I can't believe how lucky I am." said Fred expansively.
"It's nice to know that at least one of you boys appreciates us." Hermione said as she joined the group. She and Ginny stretched out calmly in two armchairs. Fred risked a glance at his watch.
"So, what's up George?" asked Ginny.
"Are you going to tell me what happened in Transfiguration?" he snapped.
"Well, I ended up making several weird slippers. I'll sell you a pair if you want, but they don't match." she informed him impishly. George glared at her.
"Okay, I'll get to the point." Ginny described in great detail McGonagall's reaction to the poem, omitting the bit where she laughed and threw it in the bin.
"Wow." sighed George at the end of her recital, "She must really like it. Do you think she knows who it's from?" Ginny shrugged in reply.
"You like her a lot, don't you?" Fred asked sympathetically, with a quick look at the time. It was ten to nine.
"It's more than that. She's beautiful, amazing but I can see past that. She is so kind and generous. I think that there is a connection of the minds as well." he paused for breath. "I've never told anyone this before. I love her so much but she can never be mine."
"George, even if she loved you too she could never go out with you. She'd lose her job."
"I know. That's the worst of it." he said bitterly. "I love her so much....." he paused. The clock struck nine. "What was I saying?" George asked curiously.
"You were declaring your undying love for Minerva McGonagall." Ron informed him.
"I said I fancied........Oh sh..ugar." George said.
"It's all on here." Ginny declared brightly as Hermione waved a tape recorder under his nose.
"Give me that?" George made a furious grab for it.
"Oh, no. You have made our lives misery for the past couple of months. We thought it was time to pay you back." Fred said gleefully.
"How?" George asked shakily.
"A love potion." Ron informed him. He gazed at Hermione and put his arm around her, "We couldn't have done it without you." he told her.
"Look, I promise I won't tease you about having girlfriends. Now will you give me that tape?" George demanded.
"No way." Harry said, grinning, "We've worked bloody hard to get all this. We're not giving it back."
"Copies of the poems as well?" George asked brokenly. They nodded, "I should tell McGonagall about this." he continued angrily.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Hermione said sweetly.
"You're blackmailing me." he said.
"Nah, just...warning you." Fred called over his shoulder as they walked off.
I suppose one good thing's come of it. George thought, They thought it was all done by the potion.
***THE END***