"It's obvious they're together." Luna said.
"But he's dating Cho and she's dating Michael." Hannah said.
"No they've been dating each other for a little over three months." Luna stated.
"Wait a minute." Ron said, "What are you talking about?"
"Cho and Michael were comforting each other because their boyfriend and girlfriend were gone." Harry said indicating himself and Ginny, "They ended up figuring out that they like each other more than they liked us. Which was fine with us since I figured out I like Ginny more than Cho."
"We all know I've always like Harry more than any other so no surprise from me." Ginny grinned.
"Do Cho and Michael know this yet?" Hermione asked.
"No." Harry grinned, "We only found out about them earlier today."
"So when did you get together?" Ron asked.
"Earlier today." Ginny answered, "It was when we found out about Peter."
"Is this what the meetings about then?" Hannah asked.
"Only partially." Harry answered, "What we really need to talk about is Voldemort. He's going to attack in three days. We need a plan of attack back."
"You need to tell Dumbledore." Hermione stood ready to run.
"He knows." Ginny shook her head, "The Orders been called and they're planning but…"
"It sucks." Harry finished, "Nothing new, all very predictable. We told them we would have some fresh ideas in three hours and we've spent almost a third of that getting to here."
"So you want to do some planning." George was rubbing his hands together.
"Yes but not for Volde yet." Harry said.
"First we need a plausible excuse for the seven of you to be absent for the next few days." Ginny said, "So here's what's happening." Ginny outlined the plan to get them out. A few questions were asked but they were covered.
"But can you do that?" Hermione asked, "That's really advanced stuff."
"We've done it before." Ginny said, "Malfoy was dealing with our poltergeist for several hours. Kingsley thought he was being controlled but in truth he was our creation that disappeared when we were done with him."
"I guess you can do this but when?" Fred asked.
"It's already in place. Lunch is in twenty." Harry instructed, "Go prepare."
The seven others jumped up and started to run off. But Ginny stopped them, "Act like nothing is going on or you'll give it away."
"Sorry right." Fred said, "Act like you're doing nothing is the first rule of pranking."
"Closely followed by don't think about what you're doing or Hermione will figure it out." George said.
Hermione smacked his arm as they left the room. Hannah and Luna went straight back to their dorms but the other four had to stagger their entrance back into the Gryffindor common room. While they were gone Harry and Ginny went to talk to Madam Pomfrey.
When the students came down to dinner nothing looked amiss. Near the end of the meal thirty students collapsed. They were levitated into the hospital by students and teachers. After a few minutes Madam Pomfrey had a diagnosis.
"A potion was put into their food. There are two that are very similar. If mixed for bad purpose they will be coming down with a very contagious flu. Otherwise they'll just feel sick today. I won't know if it's the flu for three days. They'll have to stay in a quarantined area."
"Are they contagious now?" Albus asked.
"Not yet. If they are contagious it will start in twenty four hours. But no sigh of it will show for seventy two hours." She stated, "Best to be precautious."
"Very well, I'll be in my office please let me know." Albus turned with a sigh wondering what else could happen.
Ten minutes later the order was all in the room again and they were discussing what had happened. As they talked Moody kept glancing at his watch.
"Do you have someplace to be Alastar?" Albus asked.
"Potter said he'd be back in three hours. Times almost up." Moody growled.
"What says I'm not back?" Harry voice called but no one could pin point where he had said it from.
"Stop playing games." Moody continued to grumble, "We don't have time for this."
"But we do." Ginny's voice stated, "You need to know we aren't armatures at this."
Moody went to stand up but when he was all the way up he found himself on the other side of the room.
"What? How did you do that?" he asked.
"Tricks and cleverness." Ginny giggled, "Pranks and fun."
"It's the way we get it done." Harry finished the rhyme.
"I know that sounds a bit preschool." Ginny started.
"But how do you feel about being beaten by preschoolers." Harry laughed.
"We're supposed to laugh silently Harry." Ginny admonished.
"Only most of the time." Harry replied, "It's ok because he knows we're laughing at him because he won't beat us."
On the other side of the room Bill dropped to the floor followed by Charlie who was in the middle of the room. Kingsley threw some stunners where he thought the magic to take down Bill had come from.
"Missed me, missed me now you got to kiss me." Ginny sang.
Next Tonks fell chair and all into a black hole. Percy was wrapped up in what looked like a sack of some kind.
"Percy you couldn't fight your way out of a wet paper bag." Ginny giggled as Percy was indeed doused with what looked like water.
Albus was the next one attacked. The sorting hat dropped off its shelf and over its eyes. It actually grew to cover his whole body. He was also stuck to his chair but no one else could tell that. They were all on their feet trying to stun Harry and Ginny. They didn't want to be beaten by two teenagers. Tonks was spit out of her hole and smacked the wall and stuck. Remus and Sirius were next to find themselves sucked into the hole but they fell out of a duplicate hole that was on the ceiling but instead of falling they were stuck to the ceiling. Everyone else was stunned, tied up or in some other way out of action. Moody was the only one standing.
"Ha you couldn't get me." he said shaking a fist.
"Stop playing Harry and show them what happened." Ginny scolded as she appeared sitting on the Headmaster's desk, "But let me just get Albus' eyes uncovered first."
Ginny flicked her wand at the hat and it flew back up to its shelf shrinking as it went. The part of the group that was still conscious was shocked to see the Headmaster was gagged and bound to the chair. He still had a twinkle in his eye. But a look of confusion took over his face when he saw that Moody still wasn't caught.
When the gag came off he asked, "So what did they do to you?"
"Nothing." Minerva said, "He's still standing."
"Actually Moody's over there." Moody pointed to the wall and a body wrapped in ropes and gagged was stuck to the wall, "When he disappeared he was replaced with me."
"Harry in polyjuice." Sirius called from the ceiling.
"Nope." Harry appeared by the door.
"Who then?" Minerva asked.
Ginny flicked her wand and untied McGonagall, "Go touch him and tell me what you think."
Minerva stood and walked over. She touched his arm and it felt real. She was able to make him move but when she tried to stun him nothing happened.
"It's called a solid illusion." Harry said and then flicked his wand and made it disappear, "He was programmed not to fall to any spells. But he can be spelled to do many things. My favorite is when he duplicates after a killing curse hits him. He can't throw spells though. Otherwise we could have an army of illusions fighting the death eaters."
"Can you get me down now?" Sirius asked.
" Sure." Harry and Ginny set about restoring order to the room. Moody was the last one they released.
"Finally." he grumbled.
"We held you until last for a reason." Harry stated.
"Why's that?"
"I don't trust you not to hex my back when I'm letting the others go." he replied.
"Good." Moody clumped to his seat, "I would have."
"Know your enemy." Harry said, "Or in this case the person you want to impress."
"Ok so what's your ideas." he asked, "More like this?"
"Yes and more. First we need to bring in the others." Harry said walking to the door and opening it.
Seven teens entered the room. Albus stood and said, "Harry they can't be here. They're sick."
"No, Poppy's in on it." Ginny said, "We put sleeping draught in everyone else's pumpkin juice."
"But these seven just had a light knockout spell that was remedied with a finite." Harry said, "We've left solid illusions in their place in quarantine."
"The best thing is it takes none of our magic to sustain them." Ginny grinned, hopping down from the desk and joining the others, "The ambient magic that is in Hogwarts sustains them. And since these don't need to do anything but lay there it takes very little."
"Glad to know." Albus said, "We were ready to investigate the Slytherins as they were the only ones not hurt."
"That was by the plan." Harry said, "It won't take long for the other houses to suspect them and they will begin to keep a close eye on them for us. They'll report any suspect behavior to their head of house. We'll be free to plan and fight."
"I don't think you need to be fighting." Molly said, "You are all too young."
"Mum you're going to need all the help you can get. We won't all be fighting like you most of us will be in the background setting off the pranks as needed." Ginny pointed out.
"Most of you, what about the others." Molly asked suspiciously.
"I'll be facing off with Voldemort eventually." Harry said, "And we're going to try and make that happen just as soon as possible. We don't want anything to happen to anyone. First thing we need to do is set up some defenses."
"How are we to do that if we don't want certain groups to see us?" Bill asked.
"This is the time to brew potions and practice spells." Ginny said, "Actually placing the pranks will wait until the last day. On that day Albus will come forward with evidence that a Slytherin is the culprit behind tonight's prank. The elves will attest to the fact that one of them added a potion to several jugs of pumpkin juice tonight before dinner. None of them could identify him because he was using a charm that blurs the face."
"Why would the elves say that?" Minerva asked.
"Because that's what happened." Harry said, "I followed the Slytherin and cleared away the jugs he used and put new ones with my own potion. I used the same ones he did and the elves didn't see me."
"What did he put in them?" Albus asked.
"The flu potion that Poppy told you about." Ginny answered.
"Why didn't the elves stop them or change it themselves?" Charlie asked.
"Mild confusion charm." Harry said.
"How could you tell which ones it was and are you sure you got them all?" Albus asked.
"I'm sure." Harry said, "I added a marker and antidote to his potion before he added it to any of the juice. All you have to do now is get all students to the Great Hall to reveal the culprit. While in that meeting anyone who is not old enough to stay and fight will be stunned and portkeyed to a safe location."
"Ok you have them covered. Now what are we going to do with the real problem?" Moody grumbled.
For the next several hours they went over just what would happen when Voldemort arrived. Moody was shocked at the complete plan and back up plans that Harry had been able to pull together during the meeting. All of the teens had added ideas; some of the scariest were from Hermione. The adults in the room were no slouches either and once they understood where Harry wanted to go with it they added just as many. The only one in the group not laughing when they were done was Moody.
"I hope you know what you're talking about." He grumbled.
"We took care of Umbridge, Malfoy and Pettigrew." Harry said, "They have no idea who it was. The Order has made it plain that it wasn't them."
"But what if someone takes your idea and applies it for bad?" he asked.
"That's why rule number one is so important." Harry said, "They can't learn our techniques without absolute adherence to rule one. It's the only strict rule; the others are mainly guidelines for scoring."
"Alright." Moody interrupted, "Everyone has their assignments let's go."
The day arrived and Albus called for all students to be in the Great Hall at lunch. The Head of houses did role call for each house. Anyone not in attendance was found and brought in. Only those in the hospital were allowed to not participate. As it was, the only people in the hospital were the ones who thought they might have the flue from the potion. Albus started his announcement by clapping his hands. All Slytherins and most students from fifth year down disappeared in a blue flash. The only exception was Harry's group of friends.
"What just happened?" a Ravenclaw seventh year asked.
"They were all moved to a safe location." Albus said, "Voldemort will be attacking the castle later today and you are being offered a spot to fight. If you don't want to fight you will join the rest of your housemates. Those who wish to stay and fight please stand and move to the front of the room. The rest just stay where you are and you'll be sent off."
Most of the group stayed. Of those that were leaving one asked, "Why didn't that group of fifth years go?" No answer was given as they were whisked away.
"Gather round. I have a bit of a surprise." Albus called a little louder, "Are you here?"
"We're here." a male voice sounded from above. The students looked up and saw two people clothed in black from head to toe. The only thing they could see was their eyes. They were sitting in the rafters up in the illusion of the sky. One stood on air and grabbed the hand of the other. Hand in hand the two walked down from the ceiling like they were on stairs.
"Who are they?" asked one student as they watched them walk through the air.
"The ones who will defeat Voldemort." Albus smiled warmly.
"What?" the group at large asked.
"We are trained professionals in our field." the male voice said.
"Sure we are." the girls voice sounded sarcastic. The twins chuckled.
"Don't breed panic." the male said.
"That's your job. I'm the voice of reason." She stated.
"Reason?" he asked, "When are you the voice of reason."
"In our planning." she chided, "I always keep it reasonable."
"You make grown men cry when you plan." He stated.
"That's the target. He's crying because he knows he done for when I scheme." she laughed.
"True, very true." he replied and his feet finally hit the floor.
"What's taking so long?" Moody said gruffly from the door, "We need to get this show on the road."
Albus chuckled, "Give us a few more minutes."
"You two quit with the show and get them moving." Moody almost smiled. It actually made him look even scarier than ever before, "I really can't wait to see what you have planned for him."
"Keep your pants on Moody." the male said, "We have to stage this just right."
"Hurry up."
"Fine." the female said, "First we need to clear the air. Cho, Michael congratulations I think you make a great couple. No hard feelings on my part."
"Mine either." with that the two pulled off their hoods to reveal Harry and Ginny.
"Oh." Cho and Michael said together. They glanced at each other and then back to the other two, "How long have you known?"
"A few days. But not a problem really." Harry said, "I realized I liked Ginny a few days ago and that is when we were told about you."
"You don't mind?" Cho asked.
"Nope I'm fine." Harry answered and gave Ginny a hug.
Cho grinned and turned and kissed Michael. He returned her grin and held her close for a moment. Their moment was short lived when the twins started talking.
"So Harry what do you need us to do first?" they asked in unison.
"Get the full cauldrons." Ginny instructed, "Hermione and Ron get about ten empty ones."
"Luna and Neville you guys need to get to gathering the right plants." Harry added.
"Right." they answered together.
"What about the rest of us?" Cho asked.
"You need to hear this first." Ginny smiled rubbing her hands together the way the twins do when they have a brilliant idea.
"At Christmas we were… Kidnapped by Ninja Assassins." Harry said, "They weren't trying to kill us, they were planning on training us."
"We've been training for the last four months." Ginny stated brightly, "We are the ones that chased out Umbridge."
"Really?" the group asked.
"They did." Albus answered, "I had no knowledge of what was going on."
"Did anyone?"
"Just us." Harry confirmed, "Did you read in the paper about Lucius Malfoy and Peter Pettigrew?"
"That was you?" Michael asked.
"Yes." Ginny said, "We are called the Laughing Ninja's."
"Aren't Ninja's suppose to be quiet?" asked a muggle born from Hufflepuff.
"We are quiet, most of the time." Ginny answered, "Sometimes you just have to laugh out loud."
"Now here's what t we're going to do." Harry outlined the plan that they would be part of.
