HOA
Ok, so real life is honestly my only excuse. :/ I'm sorry it took so long but March, April, and May simply flew by in a blink of an eye and I have no idea where all my time went. Gah, I've been so busy.
But I do want to thank Riala, DarkFayt, SamRae59, Blodesheim, for their reviews that guilt tripped me into finding time to write this and all of my other reviewers and readers who have stuck with me even though it has been so long. You all rock.
Enjoy :)
July 26th, 4am
"No," I said slowly, my eyes widening as the flashes of images from the Cloak settled into a coherent thought.
More images rushed to my mind, and I burst out laughing, falling to the floor with my arms around my stomach. Pages of notebook paper fell on top of me as I rolled into the desk. But I didn't care if my list was now out of order.
I knew exactly how I was going to start my retribution on the Order. It was evil, and embarrassing, and EXACTLY what they all deserved.
Let it begin.
6:23am
No one was the wiser when Hedwig flew into the kitchen through the mail shaft. Without slowing her glide or even blinking, the Snowy Owl dropped the small potion vial her mistress had given her. Immediately, she looped around and soared out of the kitchen as fast as she could.
Hedwig was gone before the vial even hit the floor.
The glass shattered, the noise echoing loudly in the empty kitchen, but that was simply the beginning. The previously green liquid splashed against the floor, and splattered across the walls and cabinets. As soon as the potion made contact with the hard surfaces, it started to react. The impact had given it the energy it needed to transform.
Within moments the kitchen was overflowing with large mounds of fluorescent suds. The foam continued to grow, consuming the ancient room. Once you could barely see any of the kitchen's features, the foam shifted from its lime green and yellow color. Much like a kaleidoscope or a lavalamp, the foam started shifting through every color imaginable, changing colors to the tempo of a heartbeat.
7am
Molly was humming to herself as she wandered down the stairs towards the kitchen. Pulling open the door, she froze in shock. Her eyes widened to unimaginable sizes as she took in the sight before her. The pulsating foam was at least two feet deep, and at least seven inches thick on every surface. Her eyes started to burn at the random colors blinking in and out of existence.
She stood there in shock for a good minute and a half, before a large glob of foam fell from the ceiling - that was also coated - and landed on her face. The blob shifted from red to dark purple as Molly's face darkened into a maroon rage.
As if one cue, the foam turned a telltale emerald green, and Molly exploded in rage.
"HARRIETTE POTTER!"
6pm, Same Day
Moody growled as he stormed into the colorfully stained kitchen - the foam had stained everything it touched, including a certain red haired woman - his peg leg clanking loudly against the wooden floor. His mouth was set in a lopsided, but angry snarl, and his magical eye was spinning in rage.
"Mad-eye?" Molly asked with wide eyes as she saw the old auror slam himself into a chair.
"What's wrong?"
"Its that blasted girl!" Moody snarled, and everyone in the room froze. No one had dared mention Harriette's name after the rage Molly had flown into that morning. Everyone had been too frightened of the red haired woman to even mention her, or the purple splotch that still stained her face.
"What did she do now?" Kingsley asked slowly, wondering why he had even bothered to come to HQ today, for he had been forced to listen to Molly rant about the child all afternoon.
"If she pulled another prank again, I swear..." Molly threatened, but they all ignored her.
"Is she alright?" Hermione asked in concern, Sirius' face darkened for just a moment at the thought of his goddaughter hurt but then settled into a neutral but thoughtful look. He knew that Harriette could take care of herself.
"She's fine." Moody grunted as he took a swing from his hip flask.
"Then what happened?" Remus asked, knowing that Tonks would grill him for information later once she was off.
"I don't know how she did it, but she managed to give me the slip!" Moody exclaimed angrily, slamming his hip flask down onto the table with such fury that everyone seated there flinched.
"What?!" Ginny gasped as many of the other adults looked at each other in shock. A teenage girl had managed to escape Mad-eye?
Ron, Mione, and Sirius just shared knowing looks. If anyone could escape Mad-eye it would be Harriette. She had a tendency to do the impossible.
"She went out for a stroll, not that unusual for her, and I was following a few feet behind under my invisibility cloak. She rounds a corner the same time a car drove by and I lost sight of her for less than a second. When I turn onto the same street, she was completely gone! The car distracted my magical eye and she just vanished! I spent three hours looking for the girl, only to find a sticky note stuck to the gate of her home when I returned to the house to alert Dumbledore!"
He finished his rant with another swing from his flask, and Molly was looking furious once again. Sirius jumped in before Molly could start ranting. That woman was almost louder than his mother!
"What'd the note say?" Sirius asked his old mentor. He was happy to see the more mischievous side of his goddaughter; it showed that she wasn't letting Voldemort's return and her isolation get her down. Besides, it was amazing to watch the heir to the Marauders bloom into her inheritance.
"Read it for yourself." The retired auror grunted as he tossed a small, slightly crumpled sticky note onto the table. Faster than lighting, Hermione snatched it up. Unfolding it carefully, she read it before laughing and passing it on.
You might want to work on your stalking skills, Professor Moody - yes, yes, I know, you never actually taught a class… - otherwise you are going to loose the game. :P
E're Potter Vs The Order in: Keep Away
Rules: win the most points!
How to play: I am going to try and escape all my Order stalkers and you must either keep on my trail or find me! Points are awarded based on performance (aka: whether or not I manage to shake you and whether or not you can find me)!
Order: 0
Me: 1
Let's see who wins, shall we?
Remus read the note aloud once the note got passed to him. Apparently he got sick of listening to those who had read it laugh – or curse Harriette – while the rest of them wondered what the teenager had said.
Quite a few chuckles and laughs echoed around the room as Molly and Moody shared a look, Remus and Sirius were too happily laughing to notice.
"Well, there's no doubt that she knows about The Order now..." Molly muttered to herself, causing Moody to snort as he took another gulp from his hip flask.
"Really?" Sirius drawled, leaning back in his chair and raising an eyebrow, "I thought that was obvious with her little rhyme yesterday."
Molly's eyebrow twitched and Remus elbowed Sirius in the ribs, his friend and Molly fought enough as it was. Padfoot didn't need to make it worse.
"Hey, where are the twins?" Ron suddenly asked, sharing a glance with Ginny as the two realized that their destructive older siblings weren't in the room.
Everything suddenly rattled as the house shook with the force of an explosion.
Everyone quickly fled the kitchen as Molly's purple stained face darkened and her eyebrow twitched.
"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY!"
Unbeknownst to her, Mad-eye hadn't been the only one to receive a note from Harriette. As the twins fled the wrath of their mother, eyebrows singed and hair smoking, a slightly burnt note floated to the floor in their room.
Written in a messy scrawl, is held only three words.
Let Chaos Rein.
July 27th, 6:37am
Ginny twitched in her sleep as something soft brushed against her cheek. Her nose scrunched up for half a moment before she settled back down. Only for the same soft object to brush up against her cheek again, only for it to tickle her nose as well. With what could only be described as years' worth of instincts honed by living with Fred and George, Ginny bolted away, grabbing the offending object and flinging it away from her as far as it would go.
Which wasn't very far. As the object flew back and smacked her in her face, Ginny blinked a few more times into awareness and realized that the object she had tried to throw was in fact a large palm leaf.
She blinked again, and realized that the large palm leaf was also, in fact, connected to a large palm tree that was growing in the sand between her and Hermione's bed.
"What?" Ginny exclaimed in disbelief, now fully awake as she looked around at the sand that was covering their bedroom floor and the small beach plant life that was growing around their beds, namely a large palm tree and numerous shrubs.
"Hermione!" The young redhead exclaimed loudly, her voice hitting a pitch that the Fat Lady would've been proud of.
"Ginny!?" Mione bolted upright in bed, hair flying everywhere and wand ready in hand. There was a tense silence as Hermione looked around at their bedroom.
"What on earth…?" She said slowly, her chocolate brown eyes wide.
The two girls shared a look, but before they could continue Molly's voice echoed through the house.
"FRED AND GOERGE YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THERE'S A CRAB IN MY BED!"
The house practically shook at the power in Molly's amplified voice, and the two could faintly hear Mrs. Black beginning to screech a few floors down.
"Likelihood it was actually the twins?" Ginny said with a sigh as she ran a hand through her tangled hair and grimacing when she realized that she already had sand in it.
Hermione sighed and shrugged. "With the last few days we've had? I'd say about 15% chance."
Ginny also sighed, "Damn that girl."
The book lover hummed in agreement.
July 28th, 6:49pm
Today had been a rather peaceful day for those residing at the old Black townhouse. They had awoken that morning to see the sand, plants, and crawling critters gone, and had been very relieved. (Besides Sirius and the twins, they had enjoyed the sand and fresh crab meat.)
Molly had been so relieved that she hadn't awoken to another prank that she had actually complemented the twins on their cleaning job that day, and hadn't yelled once. Many members of the house and Order, were glad for this slight reprieve, even if it was only in the safety of their own headquarters.
For while it had been peaceful at Grimmuald place, it had been chaos elsewhere.
Since the beginning of the pranking and chaos two days before, none of E're's guards had gotten a moment of piece. Moody's shift had only been the beginning. When Lupin had been on guard duty, not only had E're shown up just to stick her tongue out at his invisible figure, but she had also sprinkled the whole street with a powder that made him sneeze and cause the wolf the in the back of his mind to be incredibly reckless. He had been short tempered and snappish when returning from his shift the day before, to the surprise of everyone who knew him, besides perhaps Sirius of course.
Tonks, Fletcher, and Kingsley, who had also all had shifts in the past forty-eight hours – Kingsley had two – had all had to deal with similar situations. Tonks had been charmed, to everyone's bewilderment, so that she wasn't able to morph her form for almost twelve hours and her hair had been spelled a bright, vivid green that had left her eye twitching for hours. Tonks had been stunned by this development, as she hadn't even seen Harriette during her shift.
On Kingsley's first shift, the one he had relieved Mad-eye from, he had briefly seen Harriette wandering down the street, and had ended up chasing what was nothing more than a shadow for over an hour. When he returned to Privet Drive, it was to discover that his previous hiding spot in the bushes had been replaced by a crude picket sign that said in large, red letters: Boys and Girls Beware, Stalkers Hide Here.
Kingsley had banished the sign immediately, but still decided to find a new location amongst the hedges to hang out.
His second shift ended up being much worse. He didn't see Harriette at all, but had managed to catch a glance of Hedwig as she flew from the Girl Who Lived's bedroom window. No sooner had he spotted her, than she dropped a vile of potion on his head, which turned Moody's cloak he had been using bright plum purple, making it useless. Using a concealment charm and a few wards, Kingsley had been determined to wait out the rest of his shift; and he would have. If he had not begun to get pelted every ten seconds with a small spit ball. The chewed wad changed directions each time, and a shield charm did nothing against it.
After two hours of dealing with the spit balls, the man finally reached his breaking point. That breaking point was when it started raining, and to make matters worse, another potion vile was drop on his head by the lovely Hedwig. Except instead of changing colors, the auror found himself changing sexes.
Safely to say, no one had seen Kingsley-ette since he bailed on his shift the day before.
As bad as some of the pranks had gotten for E're's watchers, none received the same treatment as Fletcher.
He had been giving the night shift beginning on the previous evening. The man appeared to his shift already completely drunk, and had barely been on the clock for five minutes before disaster struck.
Because he was so inebriated, he failed to notice the brightly colored spells that collided with the back of his head constantly for almost five minutes. But he definitely did notice when the spell's effects began to show themselves.
They started small, the man started to become increasingly itchy as the night wore on. Then his throat started to burn as if he was dying of dehydration, and yet nothing could quench his thirst. In fact, he quickly discovered that alcohol only made the pain in this throat worse. The hallucinations started soon after that, and he was pledged with watching large pink elephants in bright orange tutus dancing around the Dursley's yard. The moon appeared to be a disco ball handing in the night sky to the man, and not long afterwards, Fletcher found himself overtaken with the sudden urgent need to pee. He had attempted to take a leek right there in the bushes – Lupin having been successful in returning Moody's cloak to its normal color and usability – but found himself physically unable to urinate.
By this time, of which it wasn't even then ten thirty, the man was already panicking. The more Fletcher panicked, the worse the itching, burning, and need to pee became. But of course, the man didn't realize this.
He then tried to disapparate, and found that he could not. Now completely panicked, and in a high level of pain, the man threw himself from the bushes and started running down the street. All sense of purpose or awareness had left him. He was so lost in his own physical torment, that he didn't notice that he had left the cloak behind, or that he was now a startling shade of magenta, sporting a vivid orange tutu, and wearing nothing else besides matching tights and ballet slippers.
A local bobby picked him up only two blocks away and he awoke this morning still magenta, still in the tutu, tights, and slippers in a holding cell. He would also find himself missing a wand. After ranting to the police all morning, calling them stupid muggles and whimpering whenever someone glared at him, the police eventually decided that he had suffered a mental break.
Fletcher would be shipped off to a mental facility sometime within the week. E're doubted that anyone would ever hear from him again.
Not that anyone knew that, in fact, Molly was currently ranting to Arthur in the kitchen of Grimmuald place about how Fletcher had bailed on guard duty. Moody was attempting to track him down, if only to mount his head to the wall besides the house elves of old. Dumbledore had just shaken his head sadly at the news, telling the Order that the man would turn up and that he trusted the snake.
None of the other Order members had such high hopes.
July 29th, 2:45am
"I swear!" Hermione muttered to herself as she slowly trudged her way into the kitchen. Dark circles lined her eyes and her frizzy hair looked like someone had attacked her with electricity. Crookshanks was in her arms, and the bookworm was barely even capable of lifting her feet off the floor, much less pay attention to Molly screeching away a few floors above.
"If someone ever says, 'start off the day with a bang!' near me again I'll rip their bloody head off!" Hermione announced loudly to the empty stairway before stumbling the last few steps and collapsing onto the kitchen table.
Her snores were muffled slightly against the finely polished wood, though Crookshanks' purrs were not as he curled up on his mistress's back.
"Agreed." Ginny grumbled as too stumbled into the kitchen. She bumped painfully into a cabinet, as her eyes were closed, before tripping over her feet. She ended up sound asleep on the kitchen floor, half way under the kitchen table.
"Babies, the lot of them." One twin noted to the other as they leaned against the kitchen doorway.
"Totally." The other agreed as they watched the two younger girls sleep in their collapsed positions.
"Be nice." Lupin scolded halfheartedly as he shuffled into the kitchen grabbed a mug, poured a glass of milk, and then shuffled back upstairs.
"…his eyes were closed." The second twin noted.
"So they were," The first agreed, before wincing as Molly's voice hit an even higher pitch in the background.
"... I DON'T CARE ARTHUR! THAT GIRL HAS SOME NERVE TO WAKE US ALL UP AT SUCH A HORRID HOUR! AND IN SUCH AN AWFUL MANNER! WHEN SHE GETS HERE I'M PUTTING THAT CHILD OVER MY KNEE AND NO ONE WILL TELL ME OTHERWISE!"
The twins weren't able to hear their father's reply, but he must have said something wrong because it set their mother off again.
"I DON'T CARE! SHE'S AS GOOD AS MINE AND I'LL TURN HER REAR END RED UNTIL SHE TELLS ME WHO TAUGHT HER HOW TO MAKE WHATEVER THAT WAS!"
"Magic resistant fog horn." The first twin responded, scribbling the idea down in the twin's research book. "Why haven't we thought of that?"
The second one shrugged. "We probably would've eventually."
"AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMMENT! WHY ON EARTH DID YOU THINK PRESSING A BIG RED BUTTON THAT SAID "PUSH ME" WAS A GOOD IDEA?!"
"Actually, James and I did something similar to the teachers in 3rd year." Sirius commented casually as he appeared beside the twins. The two shared a pointed look behind the man's back before turning their attention back to the animagus.
"Wait, you mean James Potter?" One of the twins asked, and Sirius nodded, a small smile on his face.
"Yup, Prongs and I got into so much trouble in our Hogwarts days. Moony too of course, he may seem like an uptight fellow now but that's just because he likes pretending he's an adult."
Sirius hadn't noticed that the twins were no longer paying attention to what he was saying. They were staring at him wide eyes with their jaws reaching for the floor.
"You hung out with the Marauders?" They asked in unison. Sirius turned towards them, finally noticing their reactions, and burst out laughing.
"Kids, I didn't just hang out with them. Allow me to introduce myself," His grin was bright enough to blind someone as he bowed with a flourish. "The magnificent Padfoot at your service. Prankster extraordinaire and proud but mischievous member of the Marauders, whose name still sends shivers of fear down many a spine!"
The twins just stared at him in shock, their brilliant brains short circuiting and all coherent thought oozing out of their ears.
Sirius just grinned and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Come now, you can't be that surprised. Moony taught you DADA in your 4th year and your brother is best friends with Prongs' daughter. Surely you saw this coming."
This seemed to kick their brains into gear, for they suddenly collapsed to their knees and started bowing.
"We are not worthy!" They exclaimed, and bowed two more times before reaching forwards and latching onto Sirius' ankles.
"Teach us everything you know." They begged, looking up at Sirius with wonder and admiration in their wide eyes.
Sirius laughed, an evil grin spreading across his face as he appeared to de-age about ten years. Patting the twins on the head he knelt down beside them, a twinkle in his grey eyes.
"Oh my little protégées." He said slowly, "this is going to be so much fun!"
The three smiles that glowed in the night would've scared any sane person. As Sirius led his new pupils out of the kitchen his fist closed around the piece of paper in his pocket.
"Thank you," He thought to the sender, knowing that everything had changed with that note. The simple little note that had appeared on his night table with only five words on it. The note that would make his life so much more interesting.
Tell the twins; Mischief Managed.
July 29th, 3:45pm
After the fog alarm incident, everyone slept in. Molly was the only one awake before nine thirty, and no one else emerged from their rooms for brunch until eleven. The morning/early afternoon had been peaceful, which should've had everyone on edge, especially when Sirius and the twins walked into the kitchen grinning, but everyone was too tired to care.
Hermione and Ginny had to take pain relievers to take care of the aches of sleeping half the night on the floor/table - Molly had levitated the girls up to their rooms when she came down to make food - and only Ron was well rested. But that was simply because he had slept through the incident that morning.
Arthur had been extremely grateful that it was Saturday and therefore didn't have to go to work, for he worried that he would've fallen asleep on the job otherwise.
But by now almost everyone was awake and relaxed since they figured that the 2am wakeup call had been Harriette's prank for the day. Or rather, everyone besides Molly was relaxed. She was still seething from that morning, and Hermione was seriously starting to worry about the woman's blood pressure.
"Checkmate." Ron's voice broke the silence in the living room as he beat Ginny once again at chess. Hermione rolled her eyes behind the large book she was reading, wondering why Ginny even bothered to play against her brother anymore.
"Let's play something else." Ginny suggested, and Ron let out a sigh but nodded.
"Or you know," Hermione piped up from where she was hidden in the dusty pages of her tome "you could be productive and do your summer work."
The siblings simply shared a look before bursting out laughing.
"Yeah right." Ron snickered, causing Hermione's eyebrow to twitch before she slammed the book shut and narrowed her eyes at the boy.
She opened her mouth, but whatever she was about to say was cut off as Molly's voice echoed through the house.
"SHE DID WHAT?!"
All three of them winced, but Molly's tirade couldn't be finished as suddenly Sirius ran into the room and waved the kids forward.
"Ok, Arthur and I are implementing a shopping trip. Everyone just needs to get out of this god damned house." He announced, before glancing down the hallway, knowing that Moony's explanation as to why he was blue and furry wouldn't buy them much time.
"Summon your money bags if you must, but be at the door in thirty seconds." Sirius announced before turning into Padfoot and bounding out of the room.
There was a stunned silence in the air for barely a moment before Ginny broke it.
"I thought Sirius wasn't supposed to leave the house?" She asked and Hermione just sighed as Ron shrugged. Mione figured that Sirius would do whatever he wanted despite what Molly and Dumbledore said. She had caught him sneaking back into the house at two am only a few days before after all.
Sometimes she wondered if it was Sirius who was helping Harriette prank them. But then the bookworm would decide that she really didn't want to know and stop thinking about it.
A few quick illegal summoning charms later - Sirius had told them via the twins that underage magic couldn't be detected through the wards - and the three teenagers joined Padfoot, Arthur, and the twins at the front door.
"Alright, everyone got what you need?" Arthur asked, prompting everyone to nod in response.
"Good," Arthur said, just as a disgruntled Molly appeared at the end of the hallway with a no-longer-blue-and-furry-but-still-disgruntled Remus.
"Now kids, I want you to grab hold of someone who can apparate. Remus, can I trust you with Padfoot?" Arthur asked the werewolf who simply sighed as Padfoot trotted over and nudged his pants.
"Of course Arthur." Remus replied, and Molly's eyes narrowed as she realized that Sirius would be accompanying them out of the house. But before she could say anything, Arthur actually put his foot down and cut her off.
"We all need to get out of this house for a few hours, Molly." He said sternly, and all of his children stared at him with gob smacked expressions. It was a rare thing that Arthur put his foot down, especially to his wife.
Molly huffed, but didn't argue. Two by two, everyone vanished with pops of varying degrees of loudness until the only beings left in the hallway was the portrait of Mrs. Black, and the cockroaches under the carpet; and neither of them cared about the other.
Diagon Alley, 4:10pm
Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all sitting around a table at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, enjoying their large Sundays – of which, Hermione's was sugar free. All of them were greatly enjoying the rare summer sunshine, and the semi-fresh air. The twins had trotted off to some nook of the Alley, or perhaps even to Knockturn, and no one knew where Lupin and Padfoot had wondered off to.
Arthur had convinced Molly to let the kids wander around the Alley themselves, and as such the couple was enjoying some ice cold drinks at The Leaky Cauldron's bar. Both were content to be away from the constant chaos for a while. Or at least, as far from chaos as you can be in the wizarding world.
Back to the three teenagers eating ice cream, they weren't really discussing anything particularly interesting. Whether that had something to do with the fact that the three were echoes of their true selves in a bubble universe or simply because the ice cream was turning off their brains, it is unknown. But their pointless and boring conversation was suddenly bumped off course when a particular teen walked past the trio and into the parlor.
The teenage girl didn't catch the trio's eye because she was familiar, or even because of her black and white hair. All three of the teenager's found their eyes drawn to the figure simply because she was walking in a powerful yet jaunty gait with her nose in a book, headphones on her head, and obviously swaying in time with some tune.
Hermione's eyes widened as she caught sight of the disk player attached to the girl's hip, wondering how on earth she had gotten electronics to work around magic. Ron was wondering how she was walking straight between the book and the sway, and Ginny… she was just wondering who on earth the strange girl was.
The moment passed and our heroine vanished into the ice cream store, leaving three dumbfounded and clueless friends behind.
Another moment passed, where a spoonful of Ron's Double Chocolate Fudge rejoined the rest of the desert in the bowl with a quiet splop, and then the unnatural stillness passed.
"Who on earth was that?" Was Ginny's first coherent sentence; the other two simply shrugged.
"No idea," Ron said absently as his attention was captured by his now empty spoon. A frown flickered across his freckled face before he shrugged again and dug back into the desert.
"How did she having working electronics?" Mione asked, falling into a tirade fueled by disbelief. "It's just not possible!"
"Did you see her hair?" Ginny asked, as the brother and sister ignored the rambling bookworm. (- "…read in about ten books, there is no spell that allows electronics to function…"-) A pastime that Ron had perfected long ago and Ginny had learned earlier that summer.
"Do you think it's an enchantment or an illusion? I never knew that you could do something like that." The small redhead continued on, stirring her Strawberry Blast thoughtfully.
"Dunno." Ron mumbled, his eyes closing in chocolatey bliss.
"Hmm," Ginny said. (-"Flickwit even backed up my theory…"-) "I mean, there are color changing spells of course, but I've never heard of one that does two colors like that. And that brings up the question if the black is even real. I mean, it would take some really crafty spell work to only charm the ends like that…"
"But still!" Hermione exclaimed with even more passion, slamming her hands down onto the side and making all three bowls bounce. "The magical saturation in the Alley's air should've canceled out all of the electronic pulses! Technology run by electronics just don't work around magic!"
"Well, technically, if magic canceled out all electronic pulses than you wouldn't be sitting here questioning the wizarding reason behind the lack of technomancy in today's world. Actually, you wouldn't be questioning anything at all." All three teenager's spun around to see the black and white haired girl standing behind them, book under her arm, headphones now around her neck, and a monstrous concoction of about six different colors and flavors of ice cream all piled onto a cone in her hand.
"Electronics work just fine in magical environments once you either, a: shield against it, b: tweak it so it runs off magic instead of electricity, or c: change the operating frequency of the electronics just slightly enough so that the two energies no longer cancel each other out." E're lectured, remembering how huge those three discoveries had been in her first lifetime.
Hermione opened her mouth to comment, but E're cut her off before she even got the change. "Before you try to argue, no those three solutions aren't known, and no you will not find reference to them in any current book. In fact, you're lucking if you find the word techomancy in a book before 2009."
Hermione's mouth snapped shut, her brown eyes wide as she tried to think of a respeonce to that. Ginny was looking conflicted and awed at the same time, which just left her looking rather constipated. E're finally turned her attention towards the younger girl and answered her question as well.
"It's not an enchantment or an illusion, just bleach and coloring. I had it done in London by a mundane – muggle, I guess you would say – and the only spells on my head are a slight preservation charm so I don't have to go in every two weeks. And yes, black is my current natural hair color." E're rambled off again, twirling a longer strand of her black and white hair in-between her fingers.
"Anyway, enjoy your brief reprieve from the dark and boredom!" She said, giving the three a smile and a wave before vanishing off down the alley.
The two girls were left in a blinking stupor, while Ron was still shoveling ice cream into his mouth. Any sane person would wonder how the boy had kept from getting brain freeze. Not that they would ever get an answer, as all questions regarding Ron and food are solved, it's just chalked up to magic and left at that.
Ron, finally noticing that both girls had stopped talking, looked up and blinked through the thick metaphysical fog that had fallen upon the table.
"What just happened?" He asked, looking between his sister and friend.
The two girls shared a look, wondering the exact same thing.
Well, at least they still had their ice cream.
July 30th, 7:07 am
The tension had left the house after yesterday's outing, and considering it had been over twenty-four hours since Harriette's last pranks – as far as they knew – they all felt comfortable in their sense of safety. Perhaps she had run out of ideas.
Molly had yet to come downstairs, as her husband had felt that she needed more sleep to work off her high blood pressure and as such had slipped her a sleeping potion the night before.
Remus had tried to make breakfast, but had failed brilliantly as he proved that the longstanding bachelor could burn water on a magical stove. Thankfully for the resident werewolf, the lovely Miss Tonks not only could cook when she wasn't tripping over something, but also had quite the crush on man.
All in all, despite a few mishaps and explosions, breakfast was ready when everyone started coming down to eat. Or rather, most people, since Molly wasn't there to drag certain individuals out of bed.
Towers of toast, heaps of ham, and enormous mounds of eggs decorated the table as people started crawling out of the woodworks. Remus and Tonks were really the only two people who seemed awake at the breakfast table. Arthur was leaning on his harm, slowly stirring his tea, and Ginny had fallen back asleep, her face pillowed by her arms. The twins had yet to appear, and Hermione was slowly making her way into the room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with a book under her arm.
No one even wanted to think about getting Ron out of bed.
Small amounts of chatter passed through the air like molasses as everyone struggled to wake up with coffee, tea, and food.
Sirius also hadn't made an appearance, but that wasn't a surprise to anyone who was awake enough to notice. He had been rather antisocial as of late.
Then, the air seemed to tense as footsteps echoed down the stairs.
Everyone paused, hoping that this wasn't yet another prank from Harriette, but only a few sighed in relief as they saw that it was only Molly.
Thankfully, she didn't look angry. In fact, she looked well rested if confused. Hermione wondered if she had even caught on to what her husband had done.
"I can't believe I overslept!" Molly exclaimed as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Most of the tension faded as everyone realized that she wasn't about to start screaming.
Or it did until Molly passed through the kitchen doorway, and extremely loud music started blaring, jerking everyone awake.
I like big butts and I cannot lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung, want to pull up tough
'Cause you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearing
I'm hooked and I can't stop staring
Molly's face was pale with horror, her eyes wide. Everyone else was staring shocked. The wizards wondering what the hell was playing while Hermione and Tonks, the only two with any kind of muggle background, were just trying not to laugh.
Oh baby, I want to get wit'cha
And take your picture
My homeboys tried to warn me
But with that butt you got makes (me so horny)
"How…why…" Molly spluttered, pulling out her wand. "Silencio!"
But nothing happened.
Ooh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin
You say you want to get in my Benz?
Well, use me, use me
'Cause you ain't that average groupie
"Finite Incantatem!" Molly yelled, to no results. Remus was frown at the ceiling, as Arthur was waving his wand and 'trying' to counter the spell playing the song. Ginny was blinking sleepily at her mother, while thankfully, no one had noticed Hermione or Tonks singing along with smiles on their faces.
I've seen her dancin'
To hell with romancin'
She's sweat, wet,
Got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette
I'm tired of magazines
Sayin' flat butts are the thing
Take the average black man and ask him that
She gotta pack much back
"TURN THIS WRETCHED SONG OFF! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Molly yelled, getting quite fed up with the song.
On guard duty, Kingsley sneezed.
So, fellas (yeah) Fellas (yeah)
Has your girlfriend got the butt? (hell yeah)
Tell 'em to shake it (shake it) shake it (shake it)
Shake that healthy butt
Baby got back (L.A. fits with the Oakland booty)
The music faded, but the song didn't end there. Cause now Tonks and Hermione were carrying it themselves, having not noticed that the music had stopped.
"Baby got back," They grinned at each other, not seeing Molly's horrified face and everyone turning to stare at them.
"I like 'em round and big, and when I'm thown' a gig. I just can't help myself, I'm actin' like an animal…"
"HERMIONE GRANGER, HOW DARE YOU!" Molly's screeching voice cut both females off. The swirled towards the angry mother with wide eyes.
"Mrs. Weasley…" Tonks started, trying to save the younger girl but it was pointless.
"I will get to you next, young lady!" Molly yelled, hands now on her hips.
"It's a popular muggle song! It doesn't mean anything…." Hermione protested, the boys all looking at them like they were crazy. Muggle songs were like that?!
Molly opened her mouth to chatasize Mione more, when softer music started playing for her.
Half my life
Is books, written pages
Live and learn from fools and
From sages
You know it's true, oh
All these feelings come back to you
The music faded out much quicker that time, leaving everyone blinking in confusion and theorizing. Molly had calmed slightly at the more appropriate – in her mind – music, but was stil mad that there was yet another prank.
"So… is it activating when we talk?" Tonks asked, glancing up at the ceiling as if for confirmation, which she then received as poppy music started to play.
My loneliness is killing me (and I)
At that key, both girls jumped in again with enthusiasm and continued singing along.
I must confess, I still believe (still believe)
When I'm not with you I lose my mind
Give me a sign
Reaching out towards each other dramatically, the boys and Molly looked at the two like they were crazy. Molly also looked constipated as she tried to figure out if she approved of this song or not.
Hit me, baby, one more time
Oh, baby, baby
The reason I breathe is you
Boy, you got me blinded
Oh, baby, baby
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
It's not the way I planned it
Show me how you want it to be
Tell me, baby,
'Cause I need to know now, oh, because...
The music faded out, and the two girls pouted at each other with a sad "aw". They were actually enjoying this prank.
"Well," Remus said. "I think that would be a yes to that question.
Another song started playing right in the middle, the lyrics cauing Remus' eyes to widen.
Darken the city, night is a wire
Steam in the subway, earth is a afire
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
Woman, you want me, give me a sign
And catch my breathing even closer behind
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Straddle the line in discord and rhyme
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Mouth is alive with juices like wine
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Remus coughed, his face bright red, as the song ended. Once he saw Prongslette again, they were going to have a talk about wolf innuendo.
"Muggle music is really… diverse." Ginny commented, contemplation evident on her face. Molly huffed as yet another song snippet kept her from responding.
Shot through the heart and you're to blame
Darlin' you give love a bad name
An angel's smile is what you sell
You promise me heaven then put me through hell
Chains of love got a hold on me
When passion's a prison you can't break free
Oh! You're a loaded gun, yeah
Oh! There's nowhere to run
No one can save me
The damage is done
Shot through the heart and you're to blame
You give love a bad name
(Bad name)
I play my part and you play your game
You give love a bad name
(Bad name)
Hey, you give love a bad name
Molly spluttered some more. "That doesn't suit you at all!"
Tonks and Hemrione looked at the small ginger in thought, wondering what Harriette meant with that song for Ginny. The other two had at least made some sort of sense…
"Well, if you think about it, they would have more diverse music than we do." Arthur said, speaking up for the first time that morning. "They're a lot more of them than there are of us. Think of how many musicians they must have!"
Another song was sparked, and softer music than before started playing.
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on, and on, and on
Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlights, people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
"… I actually liked that one." Arthur said, and a few other nodded, thinking that the song fit the man rather well.
"Most of these are actually rather popular." Hermione noted. Everyone froze, waiting for a song to come on. But nothing happened.
Looks were exchanged as Ginny said, "I guess it's only one song per person?"
Everyone shrugged as Molly continued muttering under her breath.
"Hey!" A loud voice echoed through the room suddenly as Sirius appeared at the foot of the stairs and entered the kitchen. "What's going on in here?"
Hard rock started blaring.
Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long I'm glad to be back
Yes, I'm let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I've been looking at the sky
'Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse 'cause I never die
I got nine lives
Cat's eyes
Abusin' every one of them and running wild
The screeching was over almost as soon as it started, and those not used to muggle music were starring in wide eyed horror at their first taste of ACDC.
"What on earth was that?!" Ginny exclaimed.
"That was NOT music!" Molly yelled, rubbing her ears.
But Sirius simply grinned.
"Oh, I haven't heard ACDC in years!" He happily cheered, doing a little happy dance that caused everyone else to just stare at him.
"Who has a recording of Back in Black?" George's voice echoed into the room.
"And do you think you could let us borrow it?" Fred asked as they stepped into the kitchen in their PJs.
"Or any other ACDC songs you have?" George continued.
"They are fabulous for pranks." Fred finished, the two looking around the room.
Everyone just shrugged. Molly and Arthur wondered how their sons knew about some muggle band.
"Harriette must agree with you." Mione said as the twin's song started to play, causing a wide grin to stretch across her and Tonks' faces.
You remind me of the babe
What babe? babe with the power
What power? power of voodoo
Who do? you do
Do what? remind me of the babe
Tonks and Hermione finished doing to two parts with snickers. The twins looked quite pleased, especially after Remus started to explain what was going on.
"It seems like Harriette's prank for the day is that whenever someone talks for the first time, a part of a muggle song plays. It is either suiting towards the personality or ironic, or something. You never really know with Harriette I guess."
The twins shared a look, grins widening.
"We're going to have to borrow that." They said in unison, causing Molly to frown.
"Don't you dare!" She exclaimed, but they ignored her.
"So," Fred continued, "everyone else has already had their song played?"
"Well, almost." Mione admitted slowly, her eyes flickering from the group to her book, her heart clearly conflicted.
"Ron is still asleep." Ginny deadpanned in explanation as she took a large bite out of her toast.
Sirius was still humming Back in Black under his breath as he threw himself into his chair and helped himself to food.
The twins shared an even grin.
"Not for long!"
They vanished with a pop.
And reappeared with another, a barely awake Ron dangling in their arms.
"Wha…?" Ron asked sleepily, causing his song to start playing.
Tell me your troubles and doubts
Giving me everything inside and out and
Love's strange so real in the dark
Think of the tender things that we were working on
Slow change may pull us apart
When the light gets into your heart, baby
Don't You Forget About Me
Don't Don't Don't Don't
Don't You Forget About Me
"Huh," Tonks said slowly as she and Hermione stopped singing along. "I wonder what caused her to pick that one."
Everyone shrugged no one else besides the two girls familiar with the piece.
"She probably just was trying to disrupt breakfast as much as she could." Molly muttered, but everyone ignored her.
"Rather Marauder of her." Sirius noted, causing Remus to roll his eyes. "Oh come on," He whined. "You know it's true."
Remus sighed, which was as good as a confession of agreement in Sirius' book.
With that, breakfast slowly continued on as normal. Except that everyone was now much more awake, besides Ron, who had only awoken at the smell of food.
Right as everyone was finishing up, telltale clunking was heard, and Moody appeared at the doorframe.
"Is Remus here?" The retired auror grunted his face as grave and scarred as ever.
Everyone waited with baited breath – besides Molly – and no one was disappointed.
I need someone to show me the things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true happiness, I must be blind
Moody blinked once, and then twice.
In the end he simply grunted and turned swiftly on his peg leg.
"I'll come back later." He said as he vanished up the stairs.
Laughter ensued.
So um, sorry again for the wait. But look, super-duper extra-long chapter to make up for it! Twenty four pages on Microsoft Word so that should count for something. I really will try my best to get back on an updating schedule, especially now that it is summer and I am FINISHED with bloody high school.
What did you all think of the music pieces I picked? Do you have ones that you think would've worked better from that time period? Let me know!
I love you all!
Cp
