Fred Weasley x Reader
[Theme: Student]
There are two categories of people in this world: those who prank and those who get pranked. The latter category is at the whims of the former and lives in fear each day of what the pranksters could come up with next. Hogwarts has been blessed with the most prestigious and influential prankster to ever grace its halls, and their name is-
"FRED WEASLEY!" McGonagall's voice boomed across the Great Hall, causing my quill to scratch across the edge of the paper.
A deep breath was required to steady my nerves as a streak of ginger dashed across to hide within a group of students sitting behind me. He held his head down, much to the disgruntlement of those near to him, but his iconic hair made him stand out like a sore thumb. I sighed and went back to trying to gather my thoughts.
"Think I got rid of her?" Fred asked his friends with a stupid grin.
Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to reading her book, "And what exactly did you pull this time?" she asked in annoyance.
If it wasn't for the fact that this could be crucial information, I'd have tuned the conversation out and focused on my manifesto. However, notes on the Weasley twins were more valuable than gold. My best friend and co-prankster, Lia, tried her best to look nonchalant as she peered over her shoulder at the commotion.
"I may have given a first year a Puking Pastille without telling him exactly what the effects were. But can I really be to blame? It's in the name." Fred said proudly, arms wide as if he were at an award ceremony. "Maybe next time I'll-"
"You'll do what, Mister Weasley?"
Fred didn't get to finish his next proclamation and shrunk to half his size when he heard the calm yet piercing voice of McGonagall come from behind. Lia and I had to stifle a giggle lest we draw her attention to us. I'd much rather McGonagall didn't inform Snape that she caught us rigging his classroom with sludge.
Surprisingly, the smile on Fred's face did not subside. He turned around to face McGonagall, who had her arms sternly crossed.
Lia leaned over and whispered in my ear, "How do you think he'll get himself out of this one?"
"No idea," I replied, "but I'm sure the result will be hilarious."
Fred straightened his back and looked McGonagall dead in the eyes, ignoring the crowd he had gathered. "I was just saying that maybe next time I'll..." he looked around and found his focus, "I'll help Ron study! That's it, isn't it, Ronald?"
Ron's face was filled with bewilderment. "I'd bloody well reckon not. Last thing I need is you helping me with Transfig-"
"What he means to say, Professor," Fred interjected, "is that he's really looking forward to it."
McGonagall pursed her lips and her eyes squinted in doubt. "If that'll be the case, then I expect Outstandings from you both next mock exams. Do I make myself clear?"
"Absolutely, Professor." he agreed eagerly, again realising the mistake it is to challenge McGonagall.
She wandered off but not before allowing herself to show a smug beam.
Ron had his head in his hands and was trying his best to mitigate the migraine that was spawning. "Why would you bring me into this?" he said with exasperation. It was no secret that Ron had issues with Transfiguration since his first year and the great wand escapade of his second year did little to remedy his confidence.
Sensing it was time to make my move, I nudged Lia. "Watch this."
Getting up from my table, I came and placed my hands on both of Fred's shoulders. My green and silver tie draping over him told him in a second who it was.
"Well, well, well." I said deliberately seductively. "Getting in trouble again are we, Weasley?"
"You would know." he chuckled and allowed for me to move my hands ever so slightly down his arms.
"Of course. Now, I see Tweedledee... what happened to Tweedledumb?" I asked, leaning to hover my chin right next to his cheek. Ron was looking increasingly uncomfortable.
"George has Dragon Pox so he's gone home." Ron said, trying to get me to go away as quickly as possible.
"Oh?" I said, incredibly intrigued. "If that's the case, then I think you and I could have some one-on-one, if you get what I mean, Fred?"
Fred sucked in his breath, "I might do, but I think you ought to remind me in case we have different ideas."
My front pressed directly into his back and I reached even further down. I could hear Lia giggling to herself in the background. Lips touching to his ear, I gave him his answer: "You owe me my kiss."
Fred went stiff. "You wouldn't." he tried calling my bluff. Ron now looked like he was going to throw up.
"I would. We made a bet, didn't we? And I won. I intend to collect my reward."
Last week, Fred and I had a small gambit: whoever could pull the most devastating prank and not get caught would win a request from the other. Fred and George had the idea of slipping Laughing Potion inside one of the main water fountains in the castle. At least a hundred students had uncontrollable laughter and Madam Pomfrey was far from impressed. Unfortunately for them, Hagrid let slip that they had asked for a sample of Knarl quills.
Meanwhile, Lia and I devised something more stealthy that would be impossible to link us back to. If a different culprit is caught from a prank we made then it most certainly counts! Who better to take the blame than chaos personified: Peeves the Poltergeist?
In an empty classroom, we brewed a Babbling Beverage and left it conveniently where Peeves would see it. Within minutes, the entire corridor was chattering like a deranged parrot. The teachers thought Peeves had done it somehow and Peeves had zero clue it was us. Only Fred and George knew the truth,
"No offence, Y/N, but I wouldn't kiss that ugly mug of yours even if it was the only option left." Fred joked and I softly beat him around the back of the head. If it hadn't been for our friendly rivalry, harsher backhands would be made.
"Not too keen on you either. I'd much prefer your older brother." I relayed with a wink.
Fred's grin grew again. "What, Percy? Didn't think you'd be into a type like that. Guess we all have surprises."
I removed my grip on him and returned to merely leaning over his shoulder. "No, I was thinking older." I snapped my fingers as I pretended to try to recall who I meant. "Help me out, Lia. There's too many far more attractive Weasleys than Fred."
"How about Charlie?" she suggested chipperly.
"Ooh, good one." I wagged my finger at her and returned to the man of the hour. "Charlie is quite attractive, isn't he? Working with dragons must give him lots of scars." I sucked in air. "I love me a courageous man."
Fred's fingers curled on top of the table.
"And there's Bill too, right? That Curse Breaker? I hear he's doing good for himself, living in Egypt and all. I know I have a tomb I'd like him to ra-"
"Enough!" Ron yelled, startling me and Fred. He picked up his bag and stormed off with Hermione trailing after him once she packed up her library books.
"Whoops," I said lightheartedly, "looks like I struck a nerve. It's fine, I'll make it up to him one way or another. Now, I better get my real kiss soon."
Fred shook his head dismissively. "It's not ready yet." For some reason, the spunk he had previously had disappeared.
Not wanting to push him further, I shrugged and returned to my seat. Dinner would be soon approaching so there wasn't much point in leaving. Besides, now I could go back to writing my legacy...
...
The Great Hall continued to pool with students over the next half hour or so until it reached its maximum capacity. Everyone was seated by their houses again so, being a Slytherin, I was now on the opposite side of the room to Fred. It wasn't too difficult to see him, thankfully, although I wasn't sure why I was thankful.
As food appeared and everyone began to nibble their share, Lia and I continued to speak about what happened earlier.
"So," Lia started as she brushed a long strand of blonde hair out of her face, "what is this kiss anyway?"
"Shh!" I whipped a finger to my lips. "Can't have the whole school learning about it, Magnolia."
Lia glared at me intensely. It was a forbidden fact to anyone but me that Lia stood for Magnolia and she was very cautious to keep it that way. "Don't say it! Or I'll tell everyone that- that..."
Her brain was running full speed but came up with nothing. Gently, I pat her on the back. "It's alright, Lia. You're safe so long as you stay on my side of the pranks. Now, if you really must know..."
I motioned my fingers to bring her head closer to me. Through all the general chatter of the hall, it would be a longshot for anyone of importance to hear this discussion, but better safe than sorry.
"Rumour has it," I started hushed, "that the Weasley twins have been working on a little project that I caught wind of. Something they don't want getting out to the school, especially the teachers. I started calling it a kiss to wind Fred up. He knows exactly what I mean and I will get it... no matter the cost."
"That explains why you were so worked up when you won the bet. Must be pretty big..." she realised with wide eyes.
I was about to continue talking when the tapping of glass echoed throughout, bringing everyone's conversations to a close. Dumbledore stood up, goblet and spoon in hand, to address us. His glasses reflected off the bright candlelight and I could tell he had something important to say, judging by McGonagall's fixed look.
"Thank you, everyone." he started formally and placed the goblet and spoon back on the table. "To celebrate the middle of term, we have decided to host a small competition. A House Tournament, perhaps one may call it. There are three events: the first will be based on practical lessons."
Flitwick nodded attentively. He always did prefer the doing portion of class rather than the theory.
"The second will be based on exam theory." Dumbledore continued. The self-appointed nerds of each house had bright grins on their faces knowing that they would be the ones to lead the front.
"And, finally, a Quidditch match for the ages."
Oliver Wood stood up from his seat, now suddenly paying attention when he heard the word 'Quidditch'.
"Sit down please, Wood." McGonagall asked politely, which he would have done with embarrassment had he not already been planning new strategies in his mind.
"The house with the highest accumulated score will win one hundred house points, so there is all the play for. If you are interested, please sign up for a category once you return to your common rooms. Those on the Quidditch teams will automatically be assigned." Dumbledore informed.
Now, it wasn't that I wasn't the studious sort. I had decent grades for how often I messed around trying to fling Dungbombs into people's cauldrons. There was a completely different subject on my mind than a silly house tournament.
How exactly could I use this to my advantage?
...
My head had been spinning ever since dinner ended and everyone returned to their common rooms. I lay annoyed in bed with my eyes closed as I tried to think about something else, but my mind kept coming back to one subject: Fred.
Today had been the first time I'd seen him without George. The two were basically inseparable so it really would take either death or an infectious illness to bring them apart. ...It was much more fun to tease Fred alone.
One of my eyes barely opened and the clock by my bed read it would be curfew any minute now. Lia and my other roommates had gone to sleep a short while ago, so nobody would notice if I went missing for a time. It wasn't like it was my first time sneaking out. I had gotten caught once in my second year but I wised up and learnt the secret passages of the castle so that Filch could never catch up with me.
Climbing carefully out of bed, I picked up a cloak of mine, pulled it across my shoulders and covered my head with the hood. At least if I was seen by someone, they wouldn't be able to see my main identifiers easily; IE that being my hair or facial features.
The air was still and the castle silent as I left the Dungeons. Some of the ghosts floated around but none dared to take notice of me. By now, they probably were aware of who I was and none wanted to have to deal with Peeves if he found out they were annoying me. The twins and I were the only people he listened to due to his immense respect for our rule-breaking.
Truthfully, I wasn't sure of where I wanted to go. It was too chilly to go outside and I wasn't feeling peckish to go to the kitchens. Where I went was left entirely to the whims of my feet. It seemed that my subconscious had an idea in mind as I found myself traversing the Grand Staircase.
A part of me thought about turning around and leaving. There was nothing here for me... or was there? I couldn't have been more than ten or so minutes, and without George, Fred would be feeling antsier than usual. I stood by the portrait of the Fat Lady, leant against the wall with my arms folded and leg kicked back.
Within minutes, the portrait swung open and just the person I wanted to see stepped through.
"Sneaking out, are we, Weasley?" I asked nonchalantly and wandered up to him. He must not have expected my presence when he jumped slightly.
"Snuck out, have we, L/N?" he joked back. "Why are you here?"
A smile crept up on me as the perfect idea came. "I told you," I said as I circled him. "I want my kiss."
Fred swallowed but kept his confidence. "It's still not ready."
"You say that," I retorted smugly, "but I know you're playing me. So... I'm here to make you a deal." A burst of confidence welled in me. I truly am such a genius. "You and I both know we're going to try to mess up that house tournament, so why not make it into a game? You can mess up the exam portion, and I'll sign up for the practical classes. Whoever can make the biggest disruption without getting caught wins."
Fred raised his eyebrow. "And the catch is?"
"The catch, my dear Fred," I pulled on his tie and brought his face to be only inches away from mine, "is that if I win, I want much more than just a kiss. If you win... you can forget about the debt." I held my hand out for him to shake. "Well?"
I could see the hesitation in his eyes, but he knew he had no choice other than to accept. Whatever the kiss really is must be incredibly important to him to risk owing me another favour.
"Excellent." I let go of his tie. "I heard the exams and practicals are in two days. We best prepare, hm?"
I gently patted his arm and turned to leave when he called out for me.
"Seeing as George isn't here, it would only be fair for you to not have Lia help you." he stated.
"Nervous?" I replied.
"Nah. More that we should make it a fair game. Lia might give you a fighting chance so best to not give you an advantage." he chuckled and I glared back at him.
"Fine. Lia won't be involved. Let the best prankster win."
...
The moment I got back to the common room, I signed up for the Potions practical. It was impossible to know what Snape would have planned, but if I could add any additional ingredients to mess up people's cauldrons, that could be an option.
In reality, I may have put myself at a disadvantage by picking the practical. The exams were going to take place in the Great Hall, just like end-of-year exams, so there were many more people to prank, but it also came at a greater risk of being caught. Potions was going to take place in the Dungeons and not many people would consider going down there willingly.
The question came down to how I could bring more people down there. Or... how could I get to everyone else?
I scribbled down numerous ideas on a piece of parchment while sitting in the Slytherin common room the next day. Lia came up from behind me and peered over my shoulder.
"Why don't you-"
"Shhhh!" I snapped at her. "Sorry Lia, but I made Fred a promise. You can't help me with this."
Lia sat down next to me anyway, her bright blue eyes seeming to find a way to keep looking at my sheet. Her fingers were fidgeting and I knew she desperately wanted to give me more ideas.
"Can't I help you even just a little-"
"No."
"But he won't-"
"I said no! This would harm my pranking reputation, Lia! You're like one of those annoying gnats, but... Wait-"
It hit me like a broomstick. Of course! If I couldn't bring people to me and I needed to go to others, then I needed to be much smaller. Nothing is more annoying than a bug that you just can't get rid of no matter what you try.
"Lia, do you know if that Slugs and Bugs Club is still running?" I asked with excitement.
"Uh, I think so. Don't tell me that you're going to-"
"We are. Looks like Hogwarts is about to have an infestation."
...
At top speeds, Lia and I ran through the castle to where the Slugs and Bugs Club was meant to be taking place. According to the poster, it only took place on Fridays, so the club room was empty. Sneaking in, the room was decorated a light green with the windows covered in sheets to minimise the sunshine that came in. There was a distinct rotting smell. Something must have died between now and the last session.
"There must be something in here we can use..." I muttered to myself. "Look for something that can fly. That'll really get things going."
Lia nodded and looked around, not fearing the disturbing diagrams of bug-like magical creatures pinned up in glass cases.
In the far corner of the room, a cage started to rattle. There was a long red cloth covering it and I had a flashback to a year or so ago. Apparently, the at-the-time second year Gryffindors had a lesson with that daft Lockhart on Cornish Pixies. They were in a cage just like this. It couldn't be that these were the exact same ones...?
I pinched the cloth with my fingers and hesitantly lifted it up. The cage gave another harsh jolt and the small blue hands and legs, as well as the gibberish, let me know exactly what these were.
"Lia, there's Pixies over here... " I whispered and let the cloth drop again. She came over now with a timid look. It passed me by that she doesn't like these things- then again, who did? It made them the perfect candidate.
"Ugh. If you're looking to upset people, that'd be the way to do it. But how are you going to get them to badger people?" she asked curiously.
My fingers pressed to my chin as I contemplated her prompt. If I had chosen the exams, this would've been much easier. As for doing it through the practical lessons, again, I needed to bring people to me. What makes people move? Fear is one thing, but people fear different things. Money? Not like I'd get enough to be enticing. No... a domino effect!
"What if we release a Pixie in Potions class to get people moving? That'll be enough noise to disturb the classes and bring them outside to check where the rest will be released. They'll go everywhere!" I proclaimed proudly.
Lia smirked but her face fell flat. "But if I'm not helping you, how are you going to release Pixies in Potions and everywhere else?"
"Oh Lia." I pat her back, "Dear, dear Lia."
"What...?" she replied hesitantly.
"Make sure you have Pomfrey on standby."
...
Under the cover of night, I transferred the Pixies from the Slugs and Bugs clubroom to a tucked away cupboard on the first floor. Nobody would look in there, not even Filch, due to the one time he opened the door and a bucket filled with fudge fell on his head.
The plan was perfect and I practised all night with Lia. There were a few hiccups (and some close calls), but if I could execute it well enough, the havoc that could be caused would be far more than Fred could ever anticipate.
I sat silently in Snape's Potions class as he rambled on about how inept we are at doing anything. My hand was tightly wrapped around a Pixie inside my pocket. Occasionally, it would bite my finger and I would have to inhale deeply to stop myself from giving anything more away. At one point, Snape took note of my 'newly formed habit', to which I made the excuse that the dust of the Dungeons was triggering my allergies.
I doubt he believed me but he didn't question me further. That was one of the few benefits of being in Slytherin. Had I been in Gryffindor, I was certain I'd have been made an example of.
As we began to make our potions, I dropped a Lacewing on the floor and bent down to pick it up. At that moment, I let go of the Pixie. It shot out of my pocket and started to fly around the classroom, picking up ingredients and trying to mess up the hair of girls. Everyone started to panic, abandoning their potions and screaming while they tried to get through the door.
Snape tried to use his authority to calm the room but it was too late. The Pixie had followed them and each student scattered, all creating a cacophony of noise as they went. It was my chance to follow. Trying to act panicked like everyone else, I went and diverted to the cupboard where the other Pixies were.
"This is going to hurt." I said to myself as I pulled my wand out and pointed it at myself. Using the Shrinking Charm on anything that wasn't inanimate objects was a death wish but it could be done. Despite that, it still wasn't the worst part of the plan.
"Reducio!" I cast and I shrunk to no more than a few inches tall. Fortunately, nothing seemed to have broken... yet. I snuck to the edge of the room and then pointed my wand at the Pixie cage.
"Engorgio!" The spell hit the cage point-blank. The once tiny Pixies grew several times their size, perhaps comparable to that of a child. They broke out of their confinement and darted out of the room, apart from one.
This one Pixie I could only describe as... strange. It was less willing to create destruction but seemed perfectly fine in aiding it. It noticed me and walked over to me. It could easily crush and kill me. I tried to run away but it grabbed my back and held me in the air. There was no point in screaming, nobody would hear me. When I thought it was all over, the Pixie placed me on its back.
"You... you're helping me?" I asked and the Pixie gave its shrill voice positively. "Wow. Okay. Fred's not going to have a chance now. Take me to where your friends went!"
The Pixie jumped up and started flying. It zoomed out of the cupboard and the screaming of students and teachers became louder as we moved along. Papers and books littered the corridors, as well as some wands from those who tried to stop the Pixies and had them stolen. Thankfully, due to my small size, none of the other Pixies noticed me and certainly not any human.
Within a few minutes, Hogwarts had gone from orderly silence to corrupted chaos. As we traversed, the Pixies split ways to go to other floors and we followed to go back to the ground floor where the exams would have been taking place. The door swung open and an immensely displeased McGonagall stormed out. The Pixies breached the opening and started their siege.
"When I find out who is responsible for this..." McGonagall threatened under her breath. She held her wand to the ceiling and cast the Freezing Charm. Instantly, all Pixies stopped moving and floated aimlessly in the sky.
My grip slipped on the Pixie and I fell off its back. I thought I'd hit the ground and die. Instead, I came into contact with something soft. It... felt like skin? I turned over and I saw the staring gaze of Fred. He had caught me in his hands and once he saw I was safe, he put me in his robe pocket and ran to the courtyard.
...
If there's one thing about being small to say, it's that travelling at fast speeds makes you feel very sick. Fred being as tall as he was had heavy and quick strides that made every footstep be a metaphorical speedbump.
He took me out of his pocket and placed me on the edge of the stone outline that formed the Viaduct Courtyard and then leant against the ledge.
"Never did I think you would go to these lengths, Y/N." he confessed. "I have to admit, I'm impressed."
I found my wand and returned myself to full size, barely managing to have the space to do so without toppling over Fred's legs. Sitting next to him, I smiled. "And nobody was any the wiser. You can tell me I won the bet now."
Fred brushed a hand through his ginger hair. "I didn't even get the chance to do what I wanted because of you. Guess I have to concede. What do I owe you, oh masterful prankster?"
"About time you acknowledged me as the best prankster in Hogwarts."
"When did I say I thought that?"
I shoved his arm. "You didn't say it, no. You showed it by losing to me today. Anyway... I'm not sure what I want yet. Maybe I'll tell you once I get my kiss?"
Fred broke eye contact with me and the corners of his lips lost some of their pointedness. Why was it every time that I mentioned the kiss that he got so... depressed? It was just a Weasley product in the making. ...wasn't it?
"Y/N..." he said unable to hide a piece of his sadness.
"What? What's wrong with you?" I asked, starting to get concerned about his constant hesitancy.
He sighed deeply and eventually looked at me again. "There is no kiss." he confessed quietly.
"What?" I couldn't help to exclaim. "I overheard you and George talking about it! Some sort of big project that you couldn't wait to show off!"
He pursed his lips tightly. "It was going to be part of a prank we were going to make on you but I called it off. Didn't feel right."
I wanted to prod him for more information and yet there was something holding me back. My silence was enough to get him to continue.
"George'll laugh at me for actually telling you, but-"
"L/N! WEASLEY!" McGonagall boomed and we shot to our feet.
"Be my alibi?" I whispered.
"Only if you'll be mine." he replied as he started to return to his normal self.
...
With enough scheming and mental planning, we managed to get off without any punishment. Snape must have mentioned to McGonagall about my abnormal behaviour but there was still no proof that I was the one accountable. In the end, it was held to be an unfortunate accident and the rules on clubs that handled living creatures were tightened.
Surprisingly, the house tournament was upheld by Dumbledore who must not have wanted to damage school morale worse than it had been already. Everything came down to the Quidditch match they had planned. What struck me as odd was that it was a Quidditch match... not matches.
The next day, Lia and I took our seats with the other Slytherins of our year on the Quidditch pitch. Fred had gone to join his fellow Gryffindor players and I wondered if he knew what was planned.
"What do you think is going to happen?" Lia asked over the crowd. She was the only one who knew about what happened in truth yesterday but I made her promise never to mention it again. If she did, let's just say the whole school would know about Magnolia. We have a very strong friendship.
"I haven't a clue." I answered honestly. The pitch was large but holding 28 players, plus Hooch, would end up being dangerous. A small part of me worried for Fred's welfare. "Do you think he'll be alright?"
"You sound awfully concerned about him now. Did something go on yesterday?" she picked up.
"Oh, it's nothing. I guess I feel a bit guilty for teasing him." I could hardly believe what I was saying but it was the truth.
"It happens. When you're a prankster, sometimes you go too far. I doubt he holds anything against you for it." she relayed comfortingly.
Before I could reply, the crowd erupted with noise and brought our conversation to an end. What she said still weighed on me. Was it because of my teasing that he stopped? Did he secretly hate me for it?
My thoughts ended when twelve players came onto the pitch, three of each colour. From the Gryffindor team, I could pick out Harry, Oliver and Fred. On Slytherin, it was Marcus Flint, Lucian Bole and Draco Malfoy. Oliver, Fred, Marcus, and Lucian were carrying Beater's bats. Where was the rest of the team?
Hooch came to the middle of the pitch with a small box. Her loud voice echoed loud and clear without the need for any charm to make herself boomier.
"Now, the twelve of you will be playing a different type of Quidditch here. The same rules apply; only the Seeker may capture the Snitch." she said and Draco gave Harry a death glare. She opened the small box and inside lay three of the Golden Snitches. "Capture a Snitch and your house will advance to the next round. Should you fail to capture one, your house will be eliminated. Am I understood?"
Oliver and Marcus nodded their heads. Oliver must be covering for George and Marcus must have taken Peregrine Derrick's spot if only a Seeker and two Beaters are allowed to play.
All twelve players flew into the air and Hooch unleashed the three Snitches. They darted off in countless different directions. I thought that the Pixies were chaotic... but this was so much worse.
...
In the end, Hufflepuff was eliminated from the first round, followed by Ravenclaw. The final match was going to start between Slytherin and Gryffindor in about ten minutes. No matter how this went, someone was going to end up disappointed.
Lia gave me a nudge. "I've never seen you look so pensive before. Maybe you should go do something about it."
She was right. If Fred was upset with me then I could make it up to him. It irritated me that I couldn't figure out why I cared so much, but I wanted to do right.
"I have an idea. Cover for me." I whispered to her and snuck behind the crowd. There was an area of the pitch's frame where the equipment was stored to prevent it from being tampered with... except by me.
Nobody was paying any attention and I found the box that contained the Snitch for the match. I took a lockpick from my pocket and etched it into the centre of the Snitch that held it together. When I looked up, I noticed Fred watching me from across the pitch. He must have mouthed something along the lines of 'What are you doing?'.
I had to ignore him and dash back up to my seat while also putting out of my mind my accelerated heartbeat...
...
This time, all seven players from both teams were allowed to play. One of the substitutes from Gryffindor came to play, not that he stood out to me at all. They all soared into the air and I sat back and relaxed.
Everyone in the two houses was cheering at the top of their lungs. When Lia noticed my lack of excitement, she finally understood what I had done.
When pranking goes too far, you learn that it doesn't have to be all bad. There can be pranks that make people happy or improve their lives. I didn't want Slytherin to lose but I also didn't want Gryffindor to lose either.
With Fred having seen me tamper with the equipment, he must have had doubts in his mind as to what I had done. He could have told Harry to be careful if he caught the Snitch or to wait and see what Draco does if he was aware of what it could be.
The match went on for almost an hour. With no Quaffle, only the Snitch and Bludgers were in play, so all focus went to stopping the Seeker. But it was too late, for Harry and Draco both caught sight of the Snitch and stormed towards it. Their hands reached out and at the same time, they lunged for the Snitch and fell from their brooms.
Everyone stopped. Nobody knew who had actually caught the Snitch and the house tournament rest entirely on this. Draco rubbed the dirt off his clothes and opened his hand. He wasn't holding the Snitch. No, he was only holding half of it. Harry readjusted his glasses and found the other half of the Snitch.
"Well, I never." Hooch said in utter astonishment. "Both Gryffindor and Slytherin have captured the Snitch! It's a tie!"
Instead of the usual pandemonium of screams and cries of success or failure, there was a confused commotion. Dumbledore stood up from his high platform and raised his hand.
"A truly interesting occasion. It seems this was destined to happen." he remarked, knowing full well that someone had planned this. "It would be only fair to declare that both Gryffindor and Slytherin should equally distribute the points. Fifty points to both houses!"
...
The celebrations went on late into the evening until I got sick of the noise. I left Lia and took some time to myself in the corridor. There were some people wandering around as they went to go to bed. Nobody paid much attention to me. If anyone had learnt what I had done, I was certain that they'd be split in their stance.
After getting my sense of self back, I didn't much feel like going back to the Great Hall. I made my way to the Slytherin common room entrance when I was blocked by the figure of Fred.
"Going back so soon?" he asked cheerily. He was oddly happy to be seeing me.
"I had enough of the fun parade." I said with a light sigh. "Now, my bed's awaiting me if you'd so kindly move aside."
I tried to budge past him but he repositioned himself to block me.
"You can get to your bed once you answer my question, princess." he said deviously and grabbed my robes. "What did you do to the equipment?"
"Who said I did anything?" I snapped defensively.
"Me, that's who. I saw you there and I thought us pranksters stayed together." he sarcastically jested to get his point across.
I shrugged back my shoulders, ready to give him what he wanted to hear. "If you really must know... your little lockpick usage got to me. I used it to ease the holding of the Snitch so it would break apart. I... wanted to make it up to you for going too far before."
He tilted his head in confusion. "What was there to make up?"
"I thought you were mad at me for going on about the kiss?"
If it wasn't the kiss, why was he acting so weird?
"Of course not! Merlin, if I got upset over something like that, George would throttle me." he protested and let go of me. I quickly grabbed his arm back and yanked him closer.
"Then do me a favour, Weasley, and explain what the hell is going on." I hissed and tightened my grip.
"You're going to rip my arm off if you hold it like that. Guess I could ask if people wanted a hand easier-"
I was now strangling his arm.
"Okay! It wasn't anything to do with what you did but it was to do with you. The kiss was a prank we were going to do on you but I told George to stop. Bugger it, this is getting too wordy."
Suddenly, he pulled his arm back and brought me to his chest. He tilted my chin up and he claimed my lips in his. Now it all made sense. He wanted a real kiss all along.
"You..." I said under my breath. "Are you seriously saying you stopped a prank because you liked me?"
"Guess so." he said nonchalantly.
"How dare you! I'd prank you in a heartbeat. This means war, Weasley. No matter how much I may like you, I will never stop trying to be the best prankster in this school!" I proclaimed and kissed him again.
"You're right, how daft of me. I'll go and tell George when he comes back to start sorting it out again." he grinned as he planned again.
And so, the most prestigious and influential prankster to ever grace its halls would never have a name. For every prank I did on Fred, he would come back for me. That was our way of showing affection. Nonconventional perhaps, but it worked for us and that was what mattered.
In our own way, we both became the most notorious.
We were the pranksters of snakes and lions.