Finals 2
G: George Weasley, Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop in Diagon Alley, Giant Dung Beetle, Glove
Prompts:
(word) scream
(expression) disgust
(emotion) surprised
A Prank Gone Wrong - 930 words
George Weasley was currently crouching around a corner opposite of Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop in Diagon Alley. He was a teenager on a mission and he had to be successful or his pride as a prankster was in serious danger.
It had all begun this morning, when his beloved brother had dared him to pull the in his eyes ultimate prank, a prank on a joke shop. But not any joke shop, no it had to be Gambol and Japes. But that wasn't everything. No, the prank had to involve beetles and not just any beetle but Giant Dung Beetles.
So that was why he was currently crouching in a small side alley of Diagon Alley, holding a small jar that was carefully sealed in his left hand. In it was said beetle. In his right hand was his wand at the ready. Gloves protected his hands and his face was of a determined seriousness.
Knowing how the tracing of underage magic worked, he knew that he could use his wand within the Alley without problems. Luckily for him the Ministry could only trace magic when it was cast in an area where not much other magic was performed like in a muggle neighbourhood. Would he cast magic however, when in an area where magic was performed on a minutely base they would know that someone not of age performed magic but thanks to the ambient magic they wouldn't be able to pinpoint it to one person.
So he flicked his wand to quickly glamour himself. Unfortunately, he and his brother were too well known and it wouldn't do to be caught at the scene of the crime.
With a determined nod he set off towards the entrance of the joke shop casually walking into it as if nothing was in the wrong or soon would be. The jar was hidden in the cloak he was wearing.
Once he entered and walked into a corner not visible from the counter and barely visited by customers, he carefully opened the jar and let the beetle out. Watching the beetle scuttling away he got ready and as soon as the beetle was far away enough from him he shot the Gemini spell at it.
However, that was where everything went horribly wrong.
His original intention had been to multiply the beetle a few times to scare the people in the shop but the spell went out of hand. Not only a few duplicates appeared but the thing continued duplicating as well as every duplicate. George, who was shocked and surprised, had no idea how to stop it.
It didn't take long for the first customers to become aware of the quickly multiplying beetles and begin to scream and run away in disgust. George took that as his cue to disappear, so he quickly made it out of the store.
By then the beetles already formed a small hill, burying tables and joke products under them. Some of them scuttled away from the pile leaving behind more duplicates as they went.
The owner of the shop on the other hand ran around in fear and panic not able to do anything against the sudden invasion of beetles. He tried to get around the beetles but was too frightened of them to get anywhere near them so he ran into the back room and barricaded himself to no avail since the beetles came in from under the door. In the end he had no other option than to flee through the window that led to a small side alley.
In the meantime nearly the entire store room was now filled with beetles and the building pressure let the front windows burst and shower the Alley and passers-by in glass and beetles. People everywhere, who were shopping in peace began to scream and seek shelter in one of the other shops or they apparated away on the spot. The beetles spread into every possible direction scuttling over everything that was in their path.
The best sight however presented Lucius Malfoy. Said man just walked past the shop together with his son on their way to Flourish and Blots when the windows burst. Within seconds both Malfoys were covered head to toe in Giant Dung Beetles that clung to them as if their life dependet on it. Never had anyone seen either Malfoy in such a disarray in the public. Their hair wasn't neat anymore and their clothes dirty, it was a sight not many would forget anytime soon.
The next day a huge article on the front page of the Prophet told about how seven Aurors needed several hours to get the situation back under control in Diagon Alley, not to mention in other places like mansions and private houses. Not only had the beetles covered nearly the entire street before the spell had finally run out, but some of the customers, who had apparated to their manors had unfortunately not seen that one or more of the multiplying beetles had managed to get on their clothes and so they took them with them ending in their homes to be invaded by the disgusting things too.
George was shocked when he read that and could only hope that no one would ever find out, that he was behind that prank that had gone so spectacularly wrong. Fred on the other hand found the entire thing absolutely hilarious.
This was the greatest prank anyone of them had pulled yet.