Bewitching Snowballs

Hermione had ploughed her way back to Hagrid's cabin through two feet of snow on Sunday morning. Harry and Ron wanted to go with her, but their mountain of homework had reached an alarming height again, so they remained grudgingly in the common room, Tying to ignore the gleeful shouts drifting up from the grounds outside, where students were enjoying themselves skating on the frozen lake, tobogganing and, worst of all, bewitching snowballs to zoom up to Gryffindor Tower and rap hard on the windows.

'Oi!' bellowed Ron, finally losing patience and sticking his head out of the window, 'I am a prefect and if one more snowball hits this window - OUCH!'

He withdrew his head sharply, his face covered in snow.

'It's Fred and George,' he said bitterly, slamming the window behind him. 'Gits . . .'

(Taken from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling pg no 408)

Hermione climbed inside the portrait hole just as Ron wiped the last remains of the snow off his face.

'How did you get that snow on your face?' she asked him.

'Never you mind!' said Ron curtly. 'What did Hagrid say?'

Hermione launched into the story about how she had tried to persuade Hagrid to teach them something which was less vicious but had failed. 'He just doesn't realise what Umbridge can do' she said grimly.

Before Harry or Ron could speak, the portrait hole opened once again and Fred and George came in.

'Finished your homework Ronnie? Were you able to see what you were writing with all that snow on your face?' asked Fred smirking.

'We didn't really intend to smack that bewitched snowball in your face. It zoomed slightly off course' said George

'Shut up!' said Ron, his ears turning red.

Hermione surpressed a giggle but turned serious immediately as Ron glanced at her.

'You shouldn't have done that! I mean, he is a prefect!' she said.

'Oh yeah, Prefect Ronniekins was kind enough to remind us about it some time ago' said Fred.

'Aren't we even allowed to have fun on the Hogwarts grounds when Prefects are working, Hermione? Is that some new prefect decree you have come up with?' said George.

'You were deliberately bewitching those snowballs to rap on the windows! And stop calling me Ronniekins!' snapped Ron.

'How dare you? We weren't obviously!' said Fred feigning anger.

'Yes you were! You knew Harry and I were working like house elfs here' Ron retorted but quickly looked away catching Hermione's expression.

'Even if Ron is younger than you, you ought to show Prefects some respect' said Hermione.

'Oh come on Hermione! We never showed You - Know - who any respect, do you think we would listen to Prefect Ronniekins?' said Fred.

'What do you mean?' said Ron.

'Oh don't you know that story yet? I can't believe we never told you that!' said Fred looking shocked.

'Which story?' asked Harry.

'We had bewitched snowballs to smack You - know - who in his face!' said Fred.

'Come off it! You are kidding!' said Harry laughing.

'But that's not possible! You would have been dead by now of you had really done it!' said Hermione looking alarmed.

'This is ridiculous. You really couldn't have done that, could you?' said Ron.

'Now, now you know we don't boast about the things which we haven't really done, do we George?' said Fred.

'Yeah, we are not lying' said George.

'And when did you do that? Please enlighten me' said Hermione.

'When you were in your first year, we bewitched the snowballs to attack Quirrel's turban and chase him all over the Castle grounds.' said Fred.

'But that was Professor Quirrel not You - know - who!' said Hermione.

Harry was thinking the same but suddenly he understood. He snorted. Before he could answer however, George said, 'Hermione you seem to have forgotten something. You - know - who was sticking at the the back of Quirrel's head remember?'

And the twins walked away chortling at Hermione, who looked surprised and amused at the same time.

THE END