Chapter Eleven

A New Committee and Purple Hair

Adelaide groaned outwardly. Her stomach was throbbing, her knee ached when she moved it and some really intense light was blinding her eyes behind her closed eyelids. All in all, she wasn't a happy chap.

Finally deciding to face the day, Adelaide's eyes snapped open. She placed her hands defensively in front of her naked eyes to block the stream of sunlight spilling through the open window. She felt hot and sticky under the bed sheets and pulled them off once her eyes got used to the light.

The Hospital Wing was completely devoid of students except for the bed next to her. The sheets had enclosed the occupier entirely except for a tuft of scraggly black hair, which indeed belonged to Harry.

Adelaide grinned and swung her legs over the bedside, ignoring the pain that gnawed at her injuries. She precariously put her wait on her good leg and found that it held her quite fine. She then charily put her other leg on the cool floor and let out a strangled cry of pain. She then regretted trying to get out of bed.

"Miss Weller!" Madam Pomfrey said in a throttled whisper. "You must not put any pressure on your leg for at least twenty four hours! And any over-activeness will damage your stomach even further! Now back into bed. I'll go fetch breakfast for you."

The matron buzzed over to Adelaide and firmly but gently helped her back to bed, despite the pleas to walk from the teenager. She then bustled out of the room to fetch some food.

"I see you've felt the wrath of Madam Pomfrey," Harry said, appearing from under the covers wearing an amused smile.

"You are so funny," Adelaide answered dryly, scowling at nothing in particular.

"Glad you think so. At least I've got some longer-lasting company," Harry added. "I usually don't get anyone staying in here with me. Only visitors."

"You come here often?" Adelaide asked sceptically.

"You could say that. I don't come here regularly, but when I do come I stay here for a while," Harry said, laughing. "I once lost all the bones in my arm!"

"And how did you manage that?!"

"Oh, you know… Big headed professors, Quidditch matches and broken arms…"

"Care to elaborate?" Adelaide said intolerantly.

Harry then launched into a second year story about when he lost his bones in his arm when Madam Pomfrey zoomed back in carrying two trays.

"Ah, I thought you were going to be up, Mr Potter, so I brought you too some breakfast. I'm just going into my office and neither of you are to step one foot out of your beds, do you hear me?!"

Harry and Adelaide sighed, exchanged glances and managed to have a conversation between bites of toast.

"What are you doing?"

Adelaide grinned sheepishly as she emerged from the little wooden cabinet to look at Harry, who was staring at her in a confused manner.

"Haven't you ever wondered what lie in the depths of the mysterious cabinets beside every single bed in the Hospital Wing? Or have you been to afraid of getting caught?"

"Well, what's in there?" Harry asked, making sure Madam Pomfrey was lurking behind any corners before joining Adelaide alongside the little wooden dresser between their beds.

"For starters, there's normal stuff that students could use, you know? Parchment, quills, ink, no doubt belonging to the school to solve sickly people boredom problems," Adelaide began, moving aside to let Harry have a peek. "Then there's space to put your own belongings. But there's this other little compartment that's locked. I can't open it either."

Harry peered in the cabinet that had fascinated Adelaide so. The bottom shelf was neatly stacked with a few rolls of parchment. Two quills sat unused a dusty in a slot of their own. Two inkwells of black were also covered in dust and filled up to the brim. The middle shelf was magically expanded to hold a larger amount than what it seemed from the outside. Nobody had used it in a while and it was grimy and made him sneeze. The top bit was most interesting though. It was almost like a drawer, but a rusting silver padlock guarded it.

Harry pulled out his wand, which he still kept in his pocket, despite the fact that he had to lay in bed all day long.

"Alohomora," he whispered, tapping the lock with his wand.

The lock remained as it was.

"Damn," Adelaide said, punching the mattress aimlessly. "Maybe I can get Hermione to fetch me a book on enchanted locks when they come visit, if they visit."

As if on cue, Madam Pomfrey rushed in, tutting disapprovingly at her two patients sitting on the floor, with Hermione, Ron, Kristen, Bryce, Ginny and Tahnee trailing along behind her with boxes of sweets.

"What in the world are you doing on the freezing cold floor?! You'll catch the flu down there! And you're already both sick for Merlins sake! You're lucky I let these people visit you. You need rest, rest and rest!" Madam Pomfrey argued, giving them each a glare as Harry and Adelaide climbed back into their beds guiltily.

"When are you allowed to leave?" Ron said, automatically sitting on the end of Harry's bed.

"Soon I hope. I think we're lucky we're allowed to breathe!" Adelaide joked, opening the box Chocolate Frogs Tahnee handed to her. "Care for some chocolate?"

Everyone nodded and accepted the delish treat.

"What were you two doing on the floor anyway?" Hermione said inquisitively. "Because Madam Pomfrey is right to say you'd catch a bad dose of the flu down there."

"Adelaide decided to nose around the little cabinet. There's this compartment that's locked. We tried to open it but it didn't work," Harry explained.

"Did you try Alohomora?" Ginny said, fiddling with her Chocolate Frog Card.

"Yeah. Harry did that. So, Hermione, could you please, please, pretty please get us a book on magical locks from the library? Madam Pomfrey would kill us before we left this place without her permission," Adelaide implored, doing a perfect impression of the puppy face look.

"I don't know," Hermione replied doubtfully. "If you open that lock, you're most likely to be asking for a month of detention…"

"Oh go on, Hermione. It's them getting detention, not you," Ron urged.

"I don't want them to get detention, Ron!"

"Well, they do. Well, at least Adelaide does. So you'll be doing at the very least her a favour, if not both of them," Tahnee said logically, her tone sugar sweet.

"Tahnee!" Adelaide hissed in protest. "Please, Hermione, get us the book."

"I suppose," she gave in. Then adding hastily, "Even if I don't, you're probably going to trick someone else into!"

"So, anything interesting going on in here?" Bryce said, trying hard to keep his face straight.

Adelaide rolled her eyes. "Yes," she said mockingly. "We have so much fun. And it's all thanks to the darling Madam Pomfrey. She makes days in the Hospital Wing so bearable."

Kristen looked alone looked surprised. "Really? I would have thought that being in the Hospital Wing would have been a drag, you know."

Adelaide, Harry, Tahnee, Ron, Hermione and Bryce burst into laughter and Kristen looked at them with puzzlement.

"What? I don't get? What's the joke?" he erupted, fretting about.

"I was being sarcastic when I said that is was great in here. Everybody saw through it but you," Adelaide said, still giggly.

"Out! They've been in here long enough!" Madam Pomfrey said, shooing the visitors away.

"Are visits always that short?" Adelaide said grumpily.

"Yep," Harry responded. "Wonder when we'll get that book?"

"Soon, I hope. I'm dying of boredom."

Adelaide sighed huffily, thought for a minute, then dived out of bed, searching through the cupboard again.

"What are you doing now?" Harry inquired, gazing at the ceiling.

"I've the got the greatest idea! It's pure genius!" Adelaide said eagerly, fetching a roll of parchment, a quill and an inkwell from the cabinet and sitting on her bed before Madam Pomfrey hurried in.

"Do I want to know?" Harry said warily, eyeing her with laughter.

"I don't know. It's the greatest prank mankind has come across! I don't know how I never thought of it before. But I'll need help. What do you think?"

Harry squinted in thought. "Can I know what it is first?"

"No. But it's the wickedest thing ever."

"A clue?"

"Okay… It involves a change of décor."

"Anything else?"

"Slytherins…"

"I'm in," Harry answered instantly.

"Great. Now here's the plan…"

"Whoa. That's big. Are you sure we won't get caught?" Harry said anxiously.

"No. But there's millions of Invisibility Charms. I'm sure we can learn one. Once that's done, all we gotta do is follow someone to their Common Room and find out the password," Adelaide replied, the quill hovering an inch over the parchment.

"It's kinda risky, but I'll do it. Anything to get the Slytherins back. Ron will do it most definitely," Harry said. "I don't know about the others' though. Are you going to ask Fred or George?"

"No. This is a fifth year assignment. Except for Ginny. We'll need a code name too if anyone eavesdrops," Adelaide said, drawing little hearts on the parchment that was sitting on her knee.

"Think of that later. What stuff are we going to do?" Harry said hastily.

"Red and gold for the Slytherin Common Room. You know, Gryffindor colours. Then just go crazy for the other two."

"Are you writing it all down?" Harry reminded her.

"Oops. Now I am."

Adelaide began scribbling words on the parchment when there was a polite knock at the Hospital Wing door. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office in a huff, muttering about unwanted visitors.

"I hope you two aren't causing trouble," she said disdainfully, eyeing them with suspicion as Adelaide looked up from writing.

"Oh no, Madam Pomfrey. We wouldn't dare. We're just making a short story together," Adelaide lied, smiling innocently.

The dishevelled matron just looked darkly at her only two patients, opening the door.

"You're all back again!" Madam Pomfrey exploded, watching Kristen, Bryce, Tahnee, Ginny, Hermione and Ron race to Harry and Adelaide before they could be stopped. "I thought I kicked you all out!"

"We're awfully sorry, Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said honestly, clutching a thick leather book. "But we promised to bring back some things for their research."

"Research indeed! Next thing you know, they'll be announced Head Boy and Girl! Really!" the matron murmured to herself as she went back towards her office. "Five minutes only!"

"I feel really bad lying to her," Hermione said sadly. "I got the book."

She handed the leather book over. There was no title or author or anything.

"Thanks, Hermione," Adelaide said gratefully, flicking through the worn pages.

"Oh, don't worry about looking through it. I already read a bit. It said that some locks are guarded by a certain type of spell. They're usually simple ones," Hermione said smartly.

"Thanks again. You're so great."

"Are we going to tell them about You-Know-What?" Harry asked.

"Okay. Anyone who doesn't want to break rules while getting back Slytherins, hide under the bed and block your ears," Adelaide grinned.

"I'm in," Ron said automatically.

"Really! Fifth years are supposed to set a good example!" Hermione scolded. "Not break rules to get back at childish people!"

"No, Hermione. Prefects set a good example, not fifth years," Ron corrected.

"Ron Weasley!"

"Hermione Granger!"

"Shut up, Ron! You're just jealous."

"Jealous! Jealous of you being a Prefect and me not?! You've gotta be kidding!"

"Shut up both of you!" Ginny said, glaring at them both. "You're gonna get us kicked out again!"

"So are you in?"

"I am," Tahnee said.

In the end, they were all going to take part in the disastrous prank. Even Hermione. But she claimed that she was going to make sure the others' didn't walk into even more trouble. Deciding that it was a prank for all Gryffindors, they resolved into asking certain people to help.

"I'm so glad to be out of that place!" Adelaide said joyously, skipping alongside Harry.

"Yeah."

It was about an hour before dinner would begin, and Madam Pomfrey had finally let them go back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Wonder if they've asked the people about it?" Harry mused, stepping through the portrait hole.

"Probably. We've arranged a meeting for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare tonight," Adelaide said smugly.

Hermione's S.P.E.W. was the code name for their prank to avoid nosy people.

"There you two are!" Hermione exclaimed, coming down the girls' dormitories staircase. "We're having the meeting straight after dinner. We were afraid that you wouldn't be able to come incase Madam Pomfrey insisted you stay. And you're the roots of the project."

"Well, we're here and we having the plans. Now can we go to dinner now? I'm starved," Adelaide said, brandishing around two rolls of parchment.

"Fine. Besides, it's better if we get to the meeting first too. To set up and all," Hermione agreed, speaking in a professional manner.

"How are we going to get the decorations?" Adelaide pondered out loud, spearing a roast potato.

"We'll bring up that fact in the meeting, Adela," Tahnee said adeptly, mimicking Hermione's tone.

"We'll have to do our Common Room too," Harry said." To avoid suspicion of it being someone in Gryffindor. Coz if we don't, the professors will be like boom! The baddie is in Gryffindor!"

Everyone laughed at Harry's use of words, but agreed at what he was saying.

At the end of dinner, Harry and Adelaide followed Hermione to the place where she had suggested the meeting be held. Even though Hermione was a Prefect and didn't really like going behind the teachers' back, she seemed to be really enjoying the experience.

"Here it is," she proclaimed, facing a blank stone wall.

"Where is this room, Hermione?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

She sighed heavily. "I found it coming back from Study of Ancient Runes about a week ago. I didn't tell anybody, but it would be perfect for the meetings. You just push this stone here."

Hermione gently shoved a particularly dirty stone about the level of her stomach. It moved in about an inch, but that was it.

"What's supposed to happen?" Adelaide said cautiously.

"Just wait."

Hermione was right. A few seconds later, a rusty steel door appeared out of nowhere.

"It doesn't exactly look inviting," Harry admitted.

"I know. But I cleaned the room up from then and I've been using it every now and then for peace and quiet," Hermione confessed, turning the handle.

Inside was indeed much more appealing. The walls were painted a lovely sky blue. Nice thick carpet of jade green that sort of had a magical bounce to it when you stepped on it. There was an enormous varnished bookcase filled with books, all marked with 'Property of Hermione Granger' in Hermione's neat cursive writing. A little table sat in the corner and was piled with more books. There was a chair and a beanbag as well.

"You've done a great job!" Adelaide praised, impressed. "How'd you do it all?"

Hermione flushed pink, but smiled nervously.

"I just transfigured the beanbag and carpet. The chair, table and bookcase were already there, but needed a bit of polishing. I charmed the walls. That's about it. We'll have to transfigure some more chairs though. I've got some nuts we can use."

Hermione dug in her book bag and produced fifteen walnuts that she had fetched from the house-elves.

"Great. We'd better get to work before the rest of the S.P.E.W. committee turns up," Harry said, laughing.

They set to work at transfiguring the nuts into chairs. All Hermione's were perfect, but Harry's and Adelaide's were a little dodgy. One of Adelaide's was still made of the rough, light wood of a walnut. None of them could get it right so they had to leave it.

Hermione was on the last nut when the stone wall where the entrance was materialised into the rusty door. It opened and Ron, Tahnee, Kristen and Bryce walked in dragging a blackboard along with them.

"Stole it from a classroom," Ron stated, then adding towards Hermione, "We'll return it when we're done."

They wheeled the board to the front and Tahnee and Kristen were sent outside to direct the members to the room.

"Do you like doing this type of stuff?" Harry said to Hermione as they waited for people to turn up.

Hermione blushed. "Well, yes and no. Yes because it's kinda exciting and fun. No because I hate going behind the teachers' backs and breaking rules."

Ron just stared at her with wide eyes.

Over the next few minutes, Ginny, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Parvati, Lavender, Ashleigh, Alli and Colin arrived, full of enthusiasm to get the Slytherins back. They all sat around on the chairs talking excitedly about the idea.

"Attention!" Hermione shouted.

She was standing on her chair at the front of the room beside the blackboard trying to call the room to order.

"ATTENTION!"

The room quieted and everybody turned to face her.

"Thank you. Now, we're to discuss the redecorating of the Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Common Rooms. We all know that they are in need of a new theme," Hermione clarified, unable to hide a little smile.

"Why are we doing all of the Common Rooms?" Ashleigh Garcia asked. "Why not do all except Gryffindor?"

"Because it'll look slightly suspicious for the Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff Common Rooms and not the Gryffindor one. The professors will think that the troublemaker will be a Gryffindor, in which they'll be correct," Hermione rationed patiently.

"We've decided that the Slytherin Common Room should be redone in scarlet and gold, in honour of us Gryffindors," Adelaide said from her seat next to Hermione. "So if there are no objections, we'd like to keep it that way."

Thankfully, no one disagreed. So Harry scribbled the decision on the blackboard with some chalk.

"Any ideas for the other rooms?" Hermione prompted efficiently.

The discussion broke out again and Hermione had to warn them for the noise.

"ATTENTION!" Hermione hollered. "Any ideas?"

"Dungbombs," Seamus said. "Except Gryffindor. Can't have us smelling."

"If that's going to happen, us not smelling, we'll have to have a theme that doesn't smell," Ron said.

"I hate pink?" Dean suggested, scrunching up his nose.

The boys agreed and the girls giggled.

"I've always wanted to do an underwater theme," Lavender confessed dreamily.

"That's a good one," Tahnee said. "How about a vote to whether the… Hufflepuff Common Room will be that."

"Okay, Tahnee. It's a vote," Hermione said proficiently. "Those who vote for redecorating the Hufflepuff Common Room with an underwater theme, raise their hands! Harry, record this please."

Harry nodded and counted the hands and wrote an answer down.

"Those who vote against the idea, raise your hands."

The meeting went for an hour until all the members of G.O.S.T. (their new name, Gryffindor Occupants Spruce up Team) left and departed for their own Common Room. They were pretty much all set except for getting the things they needed for the redecorating. The Slytherin Common Room was having a Gryffindor theme, the Ravenclaw Common Room was a rainbow and teddy bear theme, Hufflepuff was underwater, and Gryffindor was pink and flowers theme, so they wouldn't have to use Dungbombs.

Harry and Ron were going to follow a member from each house to find the Common Room and password the very next day. Adelaide, Tahnee, Harry and Ron were going to sneak into Hogsmeade to get any supplies for G.O.S.T. Hermione was going to be a look out for them, claiming that she was on Prefect Patrol if she got caught.

"I bet Fred and George never did anything as bad as this!" Ron said happily on their way to Transfiguration.

Ron and Harry had already found out the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff passwords and locations yesterday. They were going to find out the Slytherin password (they already knew the location) that night.

"I'm pretty glad they haven't," Hermione said sceptically. "But then, they have blown up seven toilets so far and sent the seats to teachers' engraved with messages."

Everybody laughed.

"Well, at least we know gost is purely original. They haven't gotten a team of decorators together to get the Slytherins back," Ron said.

Hermione tutted. "It's not gost, it's G-O-S-T! G.O.S.T.!"

They waited patiently for McGonagall to turn up chatting away the minutes. Neville said that he was extremely excited about G.O.S.T. Everyone beamed at that comment. Neville usually never said anything like that.

"Enter and be seated please," McGonagall demanded, ushering them into the class.

Hermione dragged the group to the front of the class, but they came very reluctantly. She placed her books on her desk and promptly faced the blackboard-or wall in this case.

"Ron," Hermione muttered under her breath. "Which classroom did you fetch the blackboard from?"

Ron went red to the tips of his ears.

"This one I think," he said guiltily.

The whole entire class tried to stifle their sniggers as McGonagall went to the empty wall where the blackboard should have been, looking puzzledly at the stone wall.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said, beadily looking at her, "do you perhaps know the whereabouts of the blackboard? It's quite an essential part of this lesson."

Ron snorted. "Yeah. Note taking. How very essential."

Adelaide cupped her mouth to try and stop the flow of crazy laughter bursting to escape.

Hermione tried to look McGonagall in the eye and answered, "No, Professor, I haven't."

"Has anyone else seen the blackboard?" McGonagall asked, raising her voice.

That was certainly the last straw. A ringing laugh escaped Dean's mouth and everybody copied immediately. Even Hermione couldn't smother her light snickers. McGonagall looked perplexed combined with livid anger.

"What is going on?!" she demanded to know, glowering at them all, still laughing. "Miss Granger?"

Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Well, er, you see, Professor."

Hermione stared blankly at her desk as McGonagall looked expectantly down at her. As if struck by sudden inspiration, Hermione gazed up into the professor's face.

"Well, Professor, we all saw Peeves dragging the board off towards somewhere before breakfast. We didn't know whether to mention it or not."

McGonagall sighed. "Peeves, you say. Well, I assure you that you can tell me anything regarding my classes. You're all dismissed until tomorrow's lesson. You can thank Peeves for that."

"Wow! Thanks, Hermione!" Ron said gleefully, skipping out of the class.

"I can't believe I did that! I lied to a teacher because of a prank! What is going to happen to me?!" Hermione cried, burying her head in her hands.

"Don't worry, Hermione," Harry said comfortingly, patting her on the back.

"Yeah, Hermione. It'll all be worth the effort in the end," Adelaide assured.

They strolled nonchalantly to the Great Hall for lunch, not in any hurry. When they arrived, lunch hadn't been served so they chose seats and talked casually until Dumbledore entered the room with a stout little man carrying a bowlers hat and was flanked by two wizards that were gigantic compared to the little man.

Dumbledore continued to walk towards the staff table, which only now they noticed had three extra seats, with the other three following. None of the four noticed all the Gryffindor fifth years sitting at their house table.

"Who are they?" Tahnee said quietly, trying not to be heard.

Harry, Ron and Hermione scowled.

"That man with the bowlers hat is the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge," Hermione said.

"What's so bad about him? He seems kinda ok," Bryce asked inquisitively, watching Harry, Ron and Hermione glare at him.

"He doesn't believe Voldemort's back," Harry frowned. "He doesn't trust Dumbledore."

"And he reckons Harry's dangerous," Ron added menacingly.

Adelaide, Tahnee, Bryce and Kristen snorted in disbelief.

"Harry couldn't hurt a fly!" Adelaide exclaimed. "And look at him! Who would think a scrawny little dude like Harry could become the next crazed murderer?!"

Dumbledore, Fudge and the two guards heard her. They all spun round, the guards with raised wands.

Adelaide almost laughed at the scene. She put up her hands in surrender.

"I'm innocent, I swear," she hoaxed in a begging tone of voice.

Fudge didn't look at all pleased with their company.

"What are they doing out of class, Dumbledore?" he inquired.

"Ah, my dear, Mr Fudge. Why not ask them yourself."

Dumbledore smiled kindly behind the Minister's back.

"You there!" Fudge said roughly, gesturing to Seamus, "What are you doing out of class?"

Seamus gulped.

"Ah, Pr-Professor McGonagall dismissed us early because we- I mean Peeves took the blackboard from class," he answered nervously.

"Very well. Dumbledore, why are there more students than last year?"

Dumbledore smiled again.

"Mr Fudge, may I remind you that Hogwarts School agreed to participate in the Australian Academy of Sorcery and Magic's annual fifth year exchange program."

"Oh, right, I remember now."

With a last friendly nod, Dumbledore led Fudge to the staff table where they sat down and began talking in hushed voices.

"He's very rude," Tahnee said, scrunching up her nose.

"I don't like him. And I want to do something," Adelaide said flatly, stroking her wand affectionately.

"What are you going to him?" Bryce requested, leaning in.

"Just something that's hardly harmful. But I'll need a distraction…"

"I'll do it. I'll just say something about my dad. He works at the Ministry," Ron put in.

Hermione looked at them both disapprovingly.

"You do realise that this is the Minister of Magic we're talking about?"

"Yes," they all said in unison with a tone of innocence.

Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "There's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise?"

"No."

She groaned and banged her head on the table.

"Don't worry, Hermione," Ron cooed. "You'll get used to it."

With a last pat on the back, he ran over to the staff table and Adelaide darted out the Great Hall to find a way to end up behind the Minister.

Adelaide knew where she had to go. Hermione, Ron and Harry had shown them where the kitchens were and she knew there was a room that joint onto the Great Hall just behind the staff table.

Her feet made soft patter sounds as she ran through the stone passage that made her laugh. Boy, did she love Hogwarts. She still loved her school in Australia, but they didn't have a grumpy, arrogant Minister of Magic or a little town ten minutes walk away or an annoying Poltergeist. Speaking of an annoying Poltergeist…

Peeves suddenly swooped cheerfully from the left wall, giggling madly, but stopped when he saw Adelaide staring at him in an irritated fashion.

"Oohhhh!" he squealed. "Naughty little scoundrel with the dark curlies is skipping classes! Oh, we can't have that, can we? Must call Filch to put you back in class!"

Adelaide rolled her eyes as Peeves pulled one of her dark locks and let it spring up.

"Shut up, Peeves and go away. I've got trouble to cause!" she said irately.

Peeves shook his head as if in deep disappointment.

"Oh dear, no. Can't have you skipping class and making trouble."

"I can do what I want. Now go pester Fudge or do something useful."

Peeves scratched his chin.

"Pester Fudge? Oooohh! What a wonderful idea!"

Peeves flipped over Adelaide's head and flew down the corridor bursting with glee.

Now delayed because of Peeve's visit, Adelaide put on an extra dose of speed and got to her destination.

She peeped through the thin opening of the door that led to the Great Hall. Ron was talking to the Minister and was shooting darting looks about. The Minister, it seemed was getting bored. Hoping to get her job done quickly, Adelaide sucked in her stomach and sided through the crack between the door and wall.

The people at the Gryffindor table noticed her right away. She placed her fingers to her lips to shush them. Adelaide muttered the spell and looked at her handiwork. 'Curse me if I'm a fat, conceited Minister' was printed on the back of Fudge's robes. It was really quite funny. Nobody at the staff table noticed the change. But to Adelaide, the job didn't seem complete. She said the hair-colouring spell as quietly as she could and watched the Minister's hair turn a lovely, vivid purple. Ron was choking on his words and shot a look at Adelaide that quite plainly said 'run for your life before you're caught'. And Adelaide did just that.

Back in the Hall, the Gryffindor table burst into unceasing laughter that echoed loudly. Ron finished his long, boring speech and returned to the table chortling.

"She did quite a good job with the Hair-Colour Charm," Hermione complimented.

"Why, thank you very much."

Adelaide had returned, red-faced and her hair tangled and knotted.

"What happened to you?" Harry asked. "You weren't like that when you cast the spell."

"Spells," Adelaide corrected. "I had to run from Peeves for the second time. But this time he kinda got mad at me and scraggled up my hair."

"Great job, Adela!" Dean said, gasping.

"Look at the staff table!" Neville said, pointing.

The Gryffindors all watched the staff table. It appeared that the Minister's guards had noticed the change of hair colour. Fudge hadn't though. He was still talking to Dumbledore. The guards were pointing at each other and hissing at each other behind Fudge's back. Perhaps they were debating whether they should tell their boss about his hair and who should do it. The shorter guard was breathing deeply, trying to hold back laughter. The taller guard scowled and gave the Minister a little prod on the back.

"Minister," he said gruffly.

The voices could be heard at the Gryffindor table from the silence.

"What is it, Wagstaffe?" Fudge said, aggravated.

"Wagstaffe! How embarrassing!" Alli whispered to Ashleigh.

Wagstaffe shifted.

"It's you're-you're hair," he said, beads of sweat trickling down his cheek.

"What about my hair?" Fudge replied, absently running a hand through his purple hair.

"It's-it's purple."

Fudge's eyes widened and he conjured a mirror with his wand and looked in it.

"Who-who did this?!" he spluttered. "Did you see the culprit? Did you?"

The shorter man gulped.

"See, that's the problem. We-we didn't manage to catch the culprit."

"What?!"

The men just stood there, timidly looking around.

"Well, change my hair at once!"

"Cornelius, if my calculations are correct, I do believe there's no counter-charm," Dumbledore spoke up calmly, a smile threatening to show.

Fudge looked outraged. His eyes were wide and he had put his hat back on. To make it worse, the rest of the student body, plus the professors had entered the Great Hall and were commenting on Fudge's new hair colour behind cupped hands. Even Snape looked slightly amused to see Fudge in a panicky state.

"I must be going then," Fudge said hastily. "We'll continue the discussion at a later date, Dumbledore."

He raised to his feet and the teachers behind him sniggered inaudibly. Adelaide was the only one who knew the reason. Fudge began strolling to the front doors with Wagstaffe and the shorter man in tow. Snickers began to fill the Hall as Fudge's retreating back disappeared. But just before he did, someone shot an unknown curse at him. Fudge doubled over and the back of his neck emerged a hot pink. With another shout of rage, Fudge yelled a threat and marched of to an Apparition point. The Hall burst into constant laughter.

"Curse me if I'm a fat, conceited Minister!" Fred hollered, smacking his twin on the back.

"Whoever did that is a role model to the whole society!" George howled.