Bat Bogey Hexes

When Ginny Weasley was seven years old, she'd gotten into a huge argument with Fred and George. So they had gone off on their own, on some exciting adventure she was sure, leaving her here to sit and stare out her bedroom window thinking up some way to get back at them.

When nothing original or inventive came to mind, she huffed and left her room. As she stormed down the stairs, sure to make everyone in the Burrow know she was upset, Percy looked out his bedroom door at her.

"Quit making such a ruckus, will you? I'm trying to study!"

Percy had already been to Hogwarts – he'd be starting his second year in September. Ginny had never been particularly close to Percy, but the truth of the matter was that all her brothers were growing up and leaving her behind. So she begrudged all her Hogwarts-attending brothers this, but at the moment she begrudged Percy most of all, because none of the others were around, because he'd brought up the subject of studying, and because the boy had got into the bizarre habit of wearing his Hogwarts robes around the house. The twins told her through snickering smirks that it was because it made him feel more important.

So she made extra care to stomp even louder as she passed his room.

By the time Ginny made it to the kitchen the entire household was well aware of her misery. With a dramatic sigh she sat down at the table and put her hand to her chin.

"There's just nothing to do around here," she said.

Her mother, who was making lunch, said, "You could help me with – "

Ginny was in no mood to cook at all (even though normally she didn't mind helping her mother prepare food), so she hurried out of the room before her mother could recruit her help.

She found Ron and Charlie playing chess in the living room. She sat down on the floor beside them, her face just level with the table so that she could see the pieces face to face. She liked being able to watch their expressions and reactions. Ron's pieces were new, and always making fun of him for stupid moves.

But before she could really enjoy the game, Ron yelled, "What are you doing here? Go away!"

"But I've got nothing to do!" she declared, careful to put in the right amount of pathetic whine that would hopefully elicit some pity.

Ron didn't care. "Go play with Fred and George," he said. She should have known Ron was incapable of any emotional sympathy.

"Ron, let her watch – " Charlie said.

"No! She always messes me up – "

"Fred and George left me here while they went out and it's not fair!" Then she remembered their row from this morning and added, "Besides they're no fun anyway."

As she said this, Charlie's eyes shifted towards the doorway to the kitchen. Percy had approached slightly, but when Charlie noticed him he retreated back into the kitchen.

"Go play with Percy, Ginny," Charlie suggested.

Ginny didn't bother wasting breath on that outrageous idea.

"What?" Charlie said, trying very hard to pretend that Percy would make a good play mate. Ginny continued to send him a look and was seriously considering asking him just how many Bludgers he'd taken to the head when Charlie yelled out.

"Hey, Perce! Ginny wants to see your new schoolbooks! She wants you to tell her all about Hogwarts!"

Percy came up to the door way and stared at Charlie suspiciously. "Why?"

"No I – " Ginny started to protest. But with a frustrated look from Ron, Charlie quickly intervened.

"Why don't you show her that book of spells you're always going on about?"

Ginny shut her mouth. Now, maybe this wasn't such a bad idea. Maybe she'd even find something useful. Sure, she didn't have a wand yet, but that hadn't stopped Fred from turning Ron's teddy bear into a spider (a situation Ginny had only heard about; having been only two at the time she had no memory of it). So Ginny put on her best 'please' face and looked up at her older brother. Percy thought for a moment about this.

"All right," he said slowly, still looking like he wasn't too sure.

Ginny happily rushed over to join Percy by the stairs. "It's much too nice out to stay inside," she babbled, as they started up the stairs. "We should bring the books out into the garden, don't you think? It's too stuffy in here, and I think a bit of fresh air could do us some good? No offense, Percy, but your room really isn't that fun to be in and…"

As she rambled on Percy wondered what he had gotten himself into. Girls, he thought. But Percy had a wild ambition that maybe he could be a good influence for his sister; since she was always hanging around Fred and George she certainly needed someone responsible around, otherwise she'd end up just as bad as them.

Ten minutes later they were in the garden, actually in a tree in the garden, because Ginny had wildly suggested so, and before allowing Percy to protest she had scrambled on up. Now Ginny was madly flipping through one of Percy's school books.

"Percy," she said after a moment. "How come there's nothing good in here?"

The boy let out an offended sound. "Nothing good? Ginny, these books are about magic! And learning! There's plenty good in them."

She crossed her arms and huffed.

"What are you looking for, then?"

Ginny bit her lip. Percy would never approve of her ulterior motives. Then she got the most wonderful, awful idea.

"Percy," she said after a moment. "I was just thinking about that time the twins spilled all your ink on that essay you had to write, that potions essay, and on your potions book, and on your school robes, too. Only it was permanent ink and Mum and Dad couldn't clean it off, and they had to take it to Madam Malkin's and she lectured you the whole time…"

Percy gripped the book he was holding a little bit tighter.

"Wasn't that really mean of them?" Ginny went on. "I don't think it was fair at all. They're always messing up other people's things. And they're always causing all kinds of mischief. I'll bet poor Ron'll be afraid of spiders forever now!"

"Well, Ron did break – "

"And then when you got back, and we had that welcome home feast for you and Charlie and Bill? Fred and George, they put ink in your pudding and your mouth was blue for a week – "

Percy's eyebrows were furrowing.

"Well I overheard them yesterday talking about something dreadfully awful they were going to do to you. They wanted me to come along with them today, but I said, no, that's not fair, you two are always picking on Percy."

Now Percy was looking at her a little bit suspiciously.

"I just thought that we'd find a spell to get back at them, is all." Ginny shrugged. "'Cause no one puts them in their place. They never listen to Mum. Someone ought to teach them a lesson, right?"

Percy mulled this over.

"Well, maybe it was a silly idea? It was, wasn't it? Well I'm sorry for bothering you, Perce – I'll just head down for lunch now – "

She started to climb down, keeping a careful watch of Percy out of the corner of her eyes.

"Well… Bill told me once about 'Bat Bogey Hexes'…"

"Oooh!" Ginny scrambled back up to her branch. "What's a Bat Bogey Hex do?"

As Percy explained the concept Ginny listened to him with rapt attention. It was true that Percy wasn't used to people – especially his siblings – listening to him for so long. He suspected Ginny had ulterior motives, but he didn't really mind, because for once his sister wasn't ignoring him.

"So can you do one?" Ginny asked eagerly when he was done.

Percy hesitated. "Well, I don't really know how," he was forced to admit, "they don't exactly teach hexes to first-years or anything…"

"Percy!" she exclaimed. "What good will it do if I can't use it on Fred and George?"

"Well…" then he paused. "If you can't use it…?"

"I mean, uh, I mean us! You! What good if you can't…"

"Right, Ginevra. You're angry because you rowed with Fred and George and because they left you here in the house, aren't you?"

"No!"

Percy looked over his glasses are her.

"Well… maybe just a little…" She squirmed. "But I was going to watch Ron play chess 'cause the pieces make funny faces at him! I didn't want to play with you, but then – " Her eyes widened as she realized what she'd said. "I mean, I didn't want to bother you…"

Percy gathered his books and put them in his bag. Without a word to Ginny he started climbing down the tree.

"But Percy, I – "

She reached out to grab his shirt, but he was already too far down. She reached out a little more anyway, because he still looked close enough – and then she reached out too far, and with a startled scream she fell from the branch.

Percy's hand flashed out to catch her; he dropped his bag but his hand caught Ginny's. He pulled her up and set her on the branch beside him, closer to the trunk.

"You okay?" he asked.

She stared at him.

"Ginny?"

Her eyes were wide. "But you were mad at me…"

Percy snorted with disbelief. "You're still my sister! I'm not going to let you get hurt."

She bit her lip.

"Come on, let's go get you lunch," he said. His heart was still pounding, and he didn't know when it had started, but all this time it thumped loudly in his chest.

At the bottom of the tree all of Percy's school books were spilled out on the ground; the ink had splashed onto his potions book (again). But Ginny was shaking slightly so he said, "I'll pick these up later."

As they walked into the house, Percy said, "Hey, Gin, I promise when I learn how to do it, I'll teach you the Bat Bogey Hex."

Ginny looked up at him thoughtfully, then said, "I'll hold you to that."