"I'm telling you Fred," said George exasperatedly, "she's absolutely insane!"
Fred diligently polished the handle of his broom, pretending to listen to the complaints of his brother. He smiled absentmindedly as he twirled the rag around his fingers. George watched this, and easily figured that Fred was now in another world, and definitely not listening to him anymore.
"Fred!" he yelled, snapping him out of his pleasant daydream, "Are you even listening?"
George knew the answer, but he still had to catch his brother in the act.
Fred's face looked distantly euphoric, and George could only guess what he had been thinking about.
"Huh?" asked Fred aloofly, bearing a sheepish grin.
"Look if you want to just go have a snog with Angelina instead of hanging out with your own brother, then just leave..."
Fred looked like he was gladly going to oblige, but then he looked slightly taken aback.
"I...I was listening," he said very unconvincingly, "you're talking about...erm...hold on it'll come to me in a minute..."
George threw his hands up into the air, "Argh! Nevermind. It doesn't matter anymore."
"Oh don't get your wand in a knot," shushed Fred, "I'm listening now."
George gave Fred a tired eye but continued talking.
"She absolutely hates me," said George, "and thinks this whole thing is my fault."
"Well," replied Fred, "isn't it?"
George chewed on his lip for a few seconds.
"Yeah...but that's not the point!" said George in a hurry.
Fred smiled.
"George, I told you not to mess with that dungbomb without me." he said.
"Why?" inquired George, a bit indignant in his tone, "I don't need you around for everything you know...I can cause mischief all by myself if I want to..."
"Oh I can see that," replied Fred, "your extreme mischief making was what got you into this mess."
"So what do you suppose I do?" snapped George a little irritably.
"What do you mean what do you do?" said Fred, "You put up with the punishment, that's what...and maybe you could sneak something into Snape's food—"
"No! I mean with Padma, what should I do about her?"
"Padma?" repeated Fred, a little confusedly, "Oh well...I dunno..."
George groaned, "You're useless sometimes you know?"
"Well what am I supposed to tell you?"
"A solution to make her stop wanting to feed me to Jimmy."
"Jimmy?"
"He's this man-eating sack she carries around—"
George cut himself off at the sight of Fred's both bewildered and horrified face.
"Blimey," Fred said, "she's really out to get you then, isn't she?"
"The sack is just to dispose of trash...not me...but anyway, she still pretty much wants to stuff me in it from time to time. I can't put up with it anymore. I've tried reasoning with her, being mean back—I've even put on a juggling act for her!"
"You juggled for her? A girl hates you and you juggle for her? That's the best you can come up with?"
"She was crying...I didn't know what to do!"
"Why was she crying?" asked Fred curiously, "George, you weren't that mean to her, were you?"
"I didn't do anything! I just turned around and there she was—huddled up in the corner and sobbing into her hands."
"...and so you juggled for her." said Fred again.
"Ugh!" cried George, "Yes I juggled, okay! Come on Fred, I'm running out of ideas!"
"All right, all right," said Fred rubbing his chin, "hm..."
"Got anything?" asked George anxiously.
"Yes!" exclaimed Fred, "I've got just the thing! It's pure genius George, pure genius!"
"Let me hear it Fred!" said George, thrilled to hear he had come up with something.
"All right, here we go!" said Fred excitedly with a deep breath, "Why don't you apologize?"
George's face froze.
"Apolo-what?"
"You know," began Fred, "say you're sorry?"
George sat there silently and stared at his twin, who was sitting across from him looking like an omnipotent god who had just come up with the solution to save mankind from all things bad and evil. He frowned.
"But that...she won't...I can't..." George wasn't sure what he was trying to say at the moment.
"Trust me," assured his brother with a wink, "it just might work."
