Going in With a Bang

"Mum! I've got all my stuff! Can I get on the train now? Please? Before it leaves?" Lucy begged her mother, tapping her foot while nervously glancing at the Hogwarts Express.

Percy chuckled at his daughter. She had obviously inherited her mother's attitude. "Come on, Audrey, it's nearly eleven and she's still got to find a seat."

"Yeah!" Lucy interjected, giving her father a grateful look. "Besides, Molly left ages ago!"

"Watch your attitude, young lady," said Audrey, giving Lucy a stern look. "And your sister only left earlier because she didn't nearly forget her wand this morning!"

Lucy pursed her lips in annoyance—something she'd learned from her mother. "That's because you moved it last night!"

"Because you left in on the ground!"

The two continued to bicker while Percy sighed. The pair of them always seemed to be arguing over something, despite the fact that they were extremely close.

"Merlin, Perce." Percy jumped at the voice behind him, turning around to see his younger brother George, along with his wife, Angelina, and two children, Fred and Roxanne.

"I feel terrible for you once she hits the teenage years," George continued, sending a glance over at Audrey and Lucy. "Though, I must admit, I would pay to see them when they're really at it."

Percy laughed along with George, albeit a little nervously, while Angelina shot her husband a dirty look and shook her head.

"Lucy!" Fred suddenly shouted, and Percy felt a twinge when he saw just how alike he looked to his name stake. "C'mon! James said he'd save us some seats!"

Lucy paused in the middle of the squabble, finally noticing that she and her mother had an audience. "Oh. Okay. Bye Mum, Dad!" She gave both her parents a hug and peck on the cheek before grabbing her trunk disappearing off with her cousin.

"She's bipolar, that one," George said after a moment, receiving a smack on the arm from his wife, a glare from his sister-in-law, and an eye roll from his brother. "What?" he said defensively, rubbing his arm. "I was just kidding!"

"Fred Gideon Weasley the second!" Lucy exclaimed, grabbing her cousin's arm and forcing him to tear his eyes away from the blonde haired girl he'd been ogling.

"Fred, come on!" Lucy said, yanking his arm again. "You can eyeball all the girls later, after we've gotten our compartment!"

"Oi! I'm not eyeballing anyone!" Fred said, sounding surprisingly like his Uncle Ron.

"Yeah, you are. Now, hurry up!"

"I'll go at whatever bloody speed I want to go!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes, pressing her lips in a straight line and crossing her arms: otherwise known as her pissed off look. At this sight, Fred began to backpedal; not having the last word was much more favorable than a pissed off Lucy. "I mean, I'll hurry up—we don't want to be late—James is probably waiting for us—"

"Weasley! Weasley! What're you doing? Shouldn't you be on the train already?"

Lucy and Fred both whipped around to see none other than Teddy Lupin walking over to them, his Head Boy badge gleaming on his Hufflepuff robes.

"We would, but slowpoke over there"—Lucy sent Fred a glare resulting in a sympathetic look from Ted—"won't hurry up already," she finished with a huff, her arms still crossed.

"Well, I don't care whose fault it is, you two better get on the train now before it leaves," Teddy said, obviously trying to calm Lucy down. She had a temper that rivaled her Auntie Fleur's—and that was saying something. "I'm guessing that James is saving you a seat?" Both first years nodded and Ted placed a hand on each of their shoulders, giving them both a little push. "Come on, then."

Lucy spun on her heels and went right on ahead, not bothering to check if Fred was following. He made to move, but stopped at the last moment, turning towards Teddy. "Thanks, mate. I thought I was in for it."

The older boy chuckled, running a hand through his hair—which was currently a bright aqua blue color. "To be honest, I'm surprised that work. For a second there, I thought we were both in for it."

Both boys laughed before turning towards the train.

"C'mon," Teddy said, placing a hand on Fred's shoulder and guiding him towards the Hogwarts Express. "Wouldn't want to miss the train and be at the receiving end of Lucy's wrath once we get to Hogwarts, would we?"

"Fred, my man!" James exclaimed as Fred slid into the compartment and plopped down next to James, on the seat adjacent from Lucy. "What took you so long?"

"Probably ogling at some third year," Lucy scoffed, not looking up from her copy of Witch Weekly.

Fred shot her a glare that she didn't see, turning towards James. "So, mate, you got the stuff?"

James nodded, and started to say something, only to be cut off by Lucy.

"What stuff?" she asked in her (not-so) innocent voice, finally looking up from her magazine.

Fred and James shared a look, the same question running through their heads: should we tell her?

"I said, what stuff?" Lucy repeated, her voice having a slight edge to it, as if challenging them.

"Well, you see, Luce—" Fred started, intending to tell her (in the nicest way possible, mind you) a big fat lie.

"—we're planning a prank," James finished, grinning mischievously.

"A prank?" Lucy immediately perked up, even setting her magazine down next to her. "What kind of prank?"

Fred sighed. There was no way they could get out of this now. "You promise not to tell anyone?"

Lucy scoffed. "Who do you expect me to tell?"

James blushed a bit. "Well . . . you did tell Victoire about the one time we were going to die her hair blue to match her House robe. . . ."

"That was because it wasn't going to work! Spells and potions that change a person's physical appearance don't work on Veela and part-Veela!" Lucy said, glaring at her cousins.

"Okay, okay," Fred said, breaking up the fight before it could start. He turned to James. "James, we might as well tell her. We can't really plan it in here without her knowing."

"Fine. But it you even think about telling anyone—"

"You'll skin me alive." Lucy rolled her eyes, smirking. "Now tell me how the Weasley and Potter trio's going to come into Hogwarts with a bang."

James and Fred grinned, their eyes glinting rebelliously. "Actually, you've already guessed it."

"What are you talking about?" Lucy stared at them in confusion. "I asked how we were going to come in with a bang." She frowned for a moment before it hit her. "Wait a minute . . . come in with a bang. . . . You're going set off fireworks."

James' grin widened. "You got it. We're going to set off some of Uncle George's complimentary fireworks right after the feast."

Lucy nodded, mulling over the idea. "It sounds good, but . . ."

"But what?" Fred asked. Lucy was a great prankster, maybe even better than him and James—not that he'd ever admit it. However, this was the girl who'd managed to prank his father during April Fool's Day of 2011.

"Well—don't you think it's a bit, I dunno . . . predictable?" Both boys frowned, obviously not seeing her point. "Not the fireworks, necessarily. But after the feast? First of all, it's a bit of odd timing, if you ask me, since everyone'll be so tired and full that they won't be able to fully . . . appreciate the prank. Or at least that's what Molly's always telling me. She also told me that one year, a couple fifths years—Gryffindor, I think—tried to start a food fight at the end of the feast, and got nowhere because everyone was exhausted from the Sorting and the train ride."

Both James and Fred stared at her in awe. She was right, of course. Finally, James spoke. "How . . . how do you think of this kind of stuff?"

Lucy smirked, brushing a piece of hair out of her eyes. If you looked closely, you could see the faint pink color that stained her cheeks. "My mum's an Auror, so she taught me to analyze situations, and I remember what Molly told me. It's not that hard to figure out."

James was still staring at her blankly when Fred broke the silence a minute later. "Then when do you suppose we pull the prank?"

Lucy paused for a moment, thinking. "Well, not at the beginning, that would be too hard, since we'll be getting ready to be Sorted . . . and after Professor's McGonagall's speech would too obvious. . . ."

The trio sat in silence for a moment, trying to think of the perfect moment to pull their prank.

"I got it!" Fred jumped up from his seat, startling his companions. "What about after the Sorting? It'll be perfect: not too predictable, especially from first years, and everyone else will be shocked because it's boring and they probably zone out during this part, right?"

James was nodding, his trademark 'trouble-making' grin on his face. "Yeah . . . yeah. That'll work. What do you think, Luce?"

Lucy was staring at her ginger haired cousin in disbelief. "Fred . . . that's—that's genius!" She laughed, shaking her head. "I can't believe I didn't think of that!"

Fred grinned widely and laughed along with his cousin. "I'm sure you've already got a plan for this?"

Lucy looked at him and smirked. "Fred, I've always got a plan."

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" Lucy, Fred and James all jumped at the voice of the trolley lady, quickly hiding the set of fireworks behind James, who was seated the farthest away, by the window. The old woman, who immediately recognized Lucy and Fred as Weasleys and James as a Potter, eyed the trio suspiciously.

"I'll take three Chocolate Frogs," Lucy said, sending a smirk towards Fred and James. Ever since they'd figured out that the majority of their aunts and uncles had their own Chocolate Frog, the three cousins had made a game out of seeing which of their relatives they could get the most of; so far, Uncle Harry was winning though Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron were close seconds.

"Here's another one of Uncle George and Fred!" James exclaimed a few moments later, after finishing his designated Frog. When they first thought of the game, the trio had decided that they weren't allowed to read the card until they finished their chocolate. "The Weasley twins, Fred and George, are among the most successful Wizarding entrepreneurs to start a business, particularly without receiving any NEWTS when starting their joke shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes at the age of eighteen. Fred passed in the Second Wizarding War and did not have a chance to see the store at its full height, but lives on through George, who is married with two children."

"Cool," said Lucy, who was still nibbling on her own Frog. "We haven't gotten them in awhile."

"Yeah," Fred added after swallowing his chocolate whole. "Here's mine: Oliver Wood. Commonly known as the Captain and Keeper of the Quidditch team Puddlemere United, Wood has lead the team to a total of 10 years of winning the European Cup since joining the team as Captain in 2001. He currently holds the record of the least number of goals let in during an entire season."

"You two are lucky," Lucy said as she looked over her own card. "I got boring old Godric Gryffindor."

James snorted. "He's not boring; we just don't know him personally."

Fred laughed at the sour expression on Lucy's face. "You know, Luce, maybe it's a sign."

"A sign?" Lucy furrowed her brows.

"Yeah," said James, quickly catching on, "a sign that you'll be in Gryffindor along with us!"

The rest of the train ride went by quickly, and, before they knew it, Fred, Lucy and James were in lined up, waiting to be Sorted. Lucy glanced around the Great Hall, slightly overwhelmed. She felt a little better, though, as she spotted Molly, Dominique, Louis and Victoire sitting together at the Ravenclaw table and Teddy sitting among his friends at the Hufflepuff table.

Lucy jumped a little as the Sorting Hat began to sing, and listened to its song in fascination. She'd never seen such a thing before; sure, she'd played with enchanted toys and such before, but she had never seen something of this caliber before, something so . . . lifelike.

"Alright," Neville Longbottom, the current Deputy Head, said once the Hat had completed its song. "When I call your name, you will come up here and sit on the stool. Then, I'll place the Hat on your head and you'll be Sorted. Any questions?" There was not one peep from the first years as they stared up at Professor Longbottom with wide eyes. "Good. Anderson, Nathan!"

A small, slightly scrawny boy walked up to the stool. Longbottom placed the hat on the boy's head, where it sat silently before making its decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Nathan, looking extremely relieved, rushed over to the red and gold table.

And so it continued. Lucy didn't pay too much attention to the names until 'Potter, James!' was called. She watched her dark-haired cousin stepped forward, his hazel eyes glinting nervously as Professor Longbottom gave him a reassuring look before placing the hat on the young boy's head. Unlike 'Otsego, Elizabeth,' who'd gone previously, the Sorting Hat took its time as it rested on James' head.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the hat yelled in a clear voice, "GRYFFINDOR!" Lucy couldn't help but smile and cheer loudly as James made his way over to the red and gold table as 'Vega, Alena!' stepped up to the stool, leaving just Fred and Lucy to be Sorted.

Alena Vega was quickly Sorted into Hufflepuff, and Fred followed, the hat screaming 'GRYFFINDOR' seconds after being set on the ginger's head.

"Weasley, Lucy!" called Longbottom, his voice a bit hoarse from all of the yelling. The young girl stepped forward, her palms sweaty and heartbeat racing. It was weird, she thought, because she didn't remember being nervous as she stepped into the Great Hall. She nervously sat on the stool, aware that the entire population of Hogwarts was staring at her, 'Weasley, Lucy!'—otherwise known as the only thing in between them and their food, seeing as McGonagall's speech was never very long.

Longbottom set the old hat on Lucy's head, who nearly jumped when she heard a small, soft voice in her ear.

Another Weasley? the hat asked, and Lucy fought the urge to blush. You'd think she'd be used to it by now; she'd been getting the 'another Weasley?' response for as long as she could remember. Ah, have a bit of spunk, don't you? the hat continued. Hmm . . . Hufflepuff won't do, no, no. Nor will Slytherin. Perhaps Ravenclaw, like your mother and sister? Lucy sighed, preparing to join her sister and veela-cousins for dinner.

Oh, what's this? questioned the Sorting Hat. A spark of rebellion, I see? Oh, and that bravery! I see where you need to be . . .

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted, and for half a second, Lucy sat there in shock before hopping off the stool, tossing Professor Longbottom the hat—who caught it clumsily—and nearly skipping over to the Gryffindor table and squeezing herself between her two cousin, a huge grin on her face.

"You have the stuff, right?" Lucy asked out of the side of her mouth as the surrounding Gryffindors cheered, obviously happy to have the first and last students—not to mention two Weasleys and a Potter.

James nodded, pressing a small box into her hand. Lucy didn't dare look down as the students' excitement became to calm down. Fred leaned over from her right side, speaking so quietly that she could barely hear him herself. "When I saw 'now,' tap your wand on the box three times and throw it in the air. Got it?" Lucy nodded her head slightly, keeping her eyes forward, although she couldn't keep a small grin from making its way to her lips.

"Ready?" Fred said softly, leaning over Lucy a bit so James could hear him as McGonagall stood up, preparing for her speech. "One . . . two . . . three . . . NOW!"

Lucy quickly tapped the small box three times before tossing it up in the air as hard as she could. She could feel her fellow students' eyes on her, James and Fred as the boxes floated in the air for a second before exploding with a simultaneous pop. The entire Great Hall watched in amazement as the small boxes shifted, twisting and turning while shifting to every color under the rainbow.

Lucy snuck a glance at Fred and James, whose faces were a similar mixture of awe, joy and pride. She couldn't help but grin triumphantly as she spied a few Slytherins watching the fireworks as they danced across the hall.

James nudged her, pulling her out of the trance. She met his eye and realized that Fred was grinning mischievously at something over her shoulder. Lucy turned around, and saw an enraged McGonagall making her way towards them.

The eleven year old couldn't help but grin. After this, she'd never been known as 'Percy's Weasley Daughter,' or 'Molly Weasley's Little Sister.' No, she'd be remembered as one of the three Gryffindor first years that managed to piss off McGonagall before the Welcome Feast was even over.

Turning back to her cousins, Lucy beamed at the pair. "Boys, this is the beginning of a great pranking career."

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter related.

A/N: This was written for the Next Generation Goes to Hogwarts Competition! on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum. I chose Lucy Weasley, because I love her, and have extremely strong headcannons XD If you want to, leave a review, but I won't beg.