Operation Underwear
February 29th
Phase one of the operation proceeded quite smoothly to Sapphira's relief-almost. On Monday morning the twins walked into disused Classroom 11, with its stored chairs and tables piled against the walls. Fred placed a bag on the lone table situated in the middle of the empty room.
"Whiz-Bangs, dungbombs, and Dr. Filibusters fireworks", Fred proposed, opening a box full of illegal merchandise.
Sapphira choked back any questions about how they smuggled this into the school. "Dump the fireworks just Dungbombs we don't want to burn the school down. It crosses a line boys."
"Okay no fireworks," Fred said drawing a surprised look from the only girl in the room. "We know where to draw the line. Besides, smelling up the common room will be far more effective than setting off a series of fires that they can easily put out.
Sapphira gulped wondering for the umpteenth time why she had gotten herself into this mess. Remember, Sally needs this. Everyone needs this. Let's get this over with.
"Alright, just get the..." Sapphira said, moving to take the box but pausing as a strange feeling came over her the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. "Shhhh."
"What?" the twins asked.
Sapphira shushed the two boys again and walked over to the door. She opened it and Lisa Turpin tumbled into the room at her feet. Lisa pushed brown hair out of her eyes as she sat up, her blouse ruffled, and her cheeks turning the color of ripened tomatoes. She shrank before the furious gaze of her best friend.
"Well, look what the wind blew in," Sapphira said with little sympathy as the twins glared at Lisa in disbelief. "Well, Lisa I've got to hand it to you. How'd you track me down without me knowing?"
Lisa brushed herself off and tried to hide her furiously red cheeks. Not only was her best friend not helping her she had got caught in front of the two worst troublemakers Hogwarts had seen in generations.
"I've seen you three together and I wanted to know if you were dating any of them," Lisa lamely lied.
Sapphira and the twins glanced at each other briefly."Well Lisa the way I see it you have two choices. Keep what we are doing a secret or better yet help."
"What? I...I..." Lisa stammered, thoroughly terrified.
"What Fred?" George chimed in.
" off. Have fun...owwwww!" Fred shrieked as Sapphira stomped on his foot.
"We are merely going to hang out the undies of the Slytherin bullies who've been terrorizing the school," Sapphira reassured her.
Lisa pondered it over for a moment as excitement and fear warred within. Sapphira smiled as Lisa's eyebrows gradually furrowed with determination. "Harper is one of the main bullies who target me. I'd love to see the look on his face when his boxers are hanging in the Great Hall."
"Good," Sapphira and the twins said together. Slightly flushed, she decided to bring it to an end quickly. "Ok. Fred and George password. Gather names of everyone you want to embarrass here tomorrow same time."
Fred and George grinned before running was an awkward silence between the two friends."Lisa I..."
Lisa hugged Sapphira tightly taking the taller girl off guard. "Thank you. No one has ever done anything like that for me. I'm in. Just don't get me expelled."
"We won't. I'll dot our i's and cross all of our t's..."
"What?"
"We won't get caught," Sapphira clarified.
Harry was eating breakfast alone this morning while cursing his luck. Ron and Hermione had both tried to sit down with him at the same time. That's why I'm friendless this morning.
"Hello, Harry."
He looked up to see the nearly identical faces of Fred and George Weasley staring at him.
"Yes?" he said warily.
Fred smiled at Harry. "Remember the Marauders Map we gave you?"
Harry smiled "Of course, I remember. I've already used it a couple of times."
"May we borrow it for a week?"
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
George smiled. "Don't ask us any questions Harry and we won't tell you any lies. All you need to know is come down to the Great Hall on Friday morning as Slytherin House will face the greatest embarrassment in Hogwarts history."
Harry smiled and produced the map."That includes Malfoy, right?"
"Fine. Malfoy's secrets will be the whitest you ever have seen," Fred taunted, holding out his hand.
Harry handed over the map and watched the Weasley twins go as Hermione crept back into the Entrance Hall. "What's going on with those two?"
"Some prank," Harry said. "But I'm going to shadow them."
"What?" Hermione said, shocked.
"Not participate."
"Harry you can"'t."
"I won't get in trouble. I promise."
Hermione was less than convinced.
"What about that map?" she demanded.
"I don't have it anymore. I gave back to the Weasley twins. Honest."
Hermione still wasn't convinced. "Harry, I have something for you."
"Something?"
He stared at the book she was holding. "Protean Charm, never mind(Harry gave her a blank expression). You write on it and the writing instantly appears on mine. We can keep in touch that way."
"Oh thanks," Harry said, taking it but still confused about how it worked and why it was necessary.
"Keep it in your pocket. It will vibrate when I write on it. How do you plan on following the Weasleys?"
"Friday morning. I'm going to wait in the common room."
"Well. I'd advise against it, but it seems your mind is made up," she said, surprising the Boy Who Lived. "See you in class."
Where he is I'll be, Hermione thought as she left for her first of six classes for the day.
