Chapter 3

The Accusation

The next few days passed uneventfully. Harry didn't lose as many house points from Snape as he had on the first day but it was still by far his least favorite class. He has not made any progress with Hermione but was getting impatient.

"I can't walk past her in the hall without wondering what we could have right now," Harry told Ron that morning as they headed down to the common room. "I can't look at her lips without wondering what it would be like to kiss her…I can't stare at her beautiful face without going stiff-"

"Ok, a bit too much on the 4-1-1!" Ron broke in.

"Sorry," Harry said with a grin.

"So, um…I guess you're serious about her then, huh?" Ron asked. "I mean, are you thinking about…you know…sex or anything?"

Harry came to an abrupt halt. The thought had never crossed his mind but now that Ron mentioned it, Harry wasn't sure what he wanted. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her, but did he want to go that far?

"I'm really not sure," he said, resuming his walk. "I think I'll just take it one step at a time. And a date would be a nice start!"

"What perfect timing!" Ron said, pointing. Harry followed the path of his finger and saw Hermione sitting in an overstuffed chair in the common room only a few feet below them. Before he knew what was happening Ron and shoved him down the last few steps and he stumbled down, finally collecting himself right in front of Hermione.

"Hello Harry!" she exclaimed, standing up.

"Um…hi"

"Hi." Ok, this is it, he decided. I'm going to ask her.

"Hey, um Hermione? I'm-um-I'm-having a but of trouble in Transfiguration-do you think you could help me out a bit? Tonight? I mean, if you've got nothing better to do. I mean, I'm sure you do…but if you could spare a few minutes or something. Just to-you know-help me and I-"

"I'd love to," she Hermione said, and with a quick grin at Harry waltzed over to Ginny Weasley and began whispering excitedly.

* * *

"Psst! Harry!" Harry looked up at Ron, who held out three fingers. Harry glanced at his own paper and saw that he had not gotten that one either. He shrugged helplessly at Ron, who shook his head, scribbled something on his paper, and brought it up to Professer Flitwick. Harry did the same, hoping for the best.

"That pop quiz was a killer!" Ron said complained to Harry as they left Charms and headed for the Great Hall for lunch a little while later.

"You're telling me! I guessed on about 98% of that thing! The only thing I got was the line that said 'name'!" Hermione giggled and Harry stared at her.

"It wasn't that funny," he said. Hermione blushed but before she could say anything Fred and George spotted the three and headed over to join them.

"What's wrong with you guys? You look like your dog just died!" George commented.

"Charms quiz," Hermione said.

"Sucks to be you," Fred said with a wink. "Those things are vicious!"

"You're telling me," Ron said with a moan.

"Weasly?" came McGonagall's voice from behind.

"Yes?" said the three boys, turning in unison.

"Uh, Fred," she amended. One of the twins stepped forward.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Don't you take that tone with me," she said coldly. "A serious accusation has been made against you and all I have to say is it better not be true."

"Accusation? But I haven't done anything…recently." he added hastily.

"Mr. Malfoy here has informed me that he has witnessed you-here, step into my office," McGonagal said, gesturing to the crowd that was gathering. Fred followed her into the room and the others entered behind him.

"Never, in all my life, have I ever seen such atrocious behavior from a Gryffindor!" the professor practically hollered.

"I'm sorry, but…what behavior?" Fred asked meekly.

"What behavior? WHAT BEHAVIOR?" The others cringed at the shrill note in her voice.

"You and your-your-your drugs!" she spat out.

"Drugs?" Ron gasped. "Fred-what's she talking about?" Fred could only stare, mouth hanging wide open.

"Draco Malfoy reported to me this morning," she explained sharply, "that last night he spotted Fred Weasley smoking-smoking- cannabis!"

"What?" Ron asked.

"Pot," Hermione translated in a whisper.

"POT!" the students cried in unison.

"That's bullshit!" George yelled.

"Watch your mouth Weasley!"

"Fred would never do pot!" Ron shrieked. "He's done some pretty stupid things in his life but he'd never stoop that low!"

"I would love to agree with you, Ron, but only one thing will tell us for certain. Mr. Weasley, please empty your pockets." McGonagall looked desperate to believe that Fred was innocent and he looked relieved that this was the only test he would have to do. He gladly spilled their contents onto the professor's table.

"Let's see, we've got a couple galleons…some lint…a few candy wrappers…another galleon…more lint…more….and-what the fuck…"

Fred looked more terrified than he ever had in his life. From his left pocket we pulled a package of something Harry recognized all too well.

"Ah. I am afraid that this is indeed muggle pot, Fred," McGonagall said almost wistfully.

"But it's not mine-" Fred cried. McGonagal held up a hand to silence him.

"You have been caught red-handed, Mr. Weasley. This will, of course, result in detention longer than you can imagine, Professor Dumbledore will be notified immediately, and you will be suspended from all extracurricular activities-including quittich." Fred and George gasped. Everyone knew that the Gryffindor team depended largely on the Weasley twins to protect them from flying bludgers.

"But you can't do that!" Fred whimpered.

"Oh, I can, and I will," McGonagal said. "The team will indeed suffer, but there is no one to blame but yourself. George," she said, shifting her gaze to Fred's twin, "I suggest that you and the rest of the team organize try-outs to find a replacement for Fred." George nodded but it was obvious that he was not going let his brother get kicked off the team just like that.

"Now, I suggest that you five head down to lunch. I'll be keeping this-" she laid a hand on the pot- "for evidence." Fred shot McGonagall one last furtive glance and hurried out of the room with George on his heels. Harry, Ron, and Hermione quickly followed.

"I don't believe that bitch!" George shouted at soon as they were around the corner. "How dare she accuse you like that!"

"Well…she did have the evidence…" Ron said slowly. Fred stared at his brother for a moment, then exclaimed,

"You don't actually believe her do you?"

"What, do you think someone just put the pot in your pocket to get you in trouble?"

"Yes!" Fred and George yelled together.

"But who…" Harry said quietly.

"Malfoy!" Hermione shouted abruptly.

"Where?" The others turned around looking him.

"No, no," Hermione said slowly as if speaking to a child. "McGonagal said it was Malfoy who turned Fred in, so that means he made up that shit about seeing Fred smoking last night and he must have planted the pot in his pocket this morning."

" That bastard!" Fred cried. He's gonna cost me everything.

"Don't worry, Fred, we'll prove it was him and get 'im a life sentence in Azkaban!" Fred managed a small smile at George's animation. "You'll help us, right Ron?"

"Hell yeah! Malfoy doesn't get my brother kicked off the quittich team and walk free!" His voice was full of hate, but Harry could see a distant look in his eyes.

* * *

That afternoon, after their last class had ended, Harry and Ron sat in the boys' dorm killing time before dinner.

"Hey, Harry, do you think I'd make a good quittich player?" Ron asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I bet you would," Harry answered. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Ron said wistfully. Harry followed his gaze to a poster on the wall he hadn't noticed before:

Quittich Try-Outs

Date: Saturday, September 8

Time: 2:00-4:00 PM

Place: The Quittich field

Position: Beater

"Are you thinking of trying out?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Kinda," Ron admitted.

"But Fred-"

"I know!" Ron cried. "I know they'd disown me if they knew I was thinking about it, but Harry, it's my dream! You know I've always wanted to play professional qittich." Harry nodding, remembering the many times Ron had brought it up.

"This could be my chance! But I'm torn….to clear my innocent brother's name or to make my dream come true?" Harry chewed at his lip. This was quite a dilemma.

"I'm sorry, I sound like a soap opera," Ron said with a dry laugh.

"I dunno…sleep on it tonight; try-outs aren't till tomorrow. You have almost 24 hours to decide."

"Yeah, I guess," Ron said slowly. "Anyway, shouldn't you be getting ready for your date?" he said, finally grinning.

Harry elbowed him and the two headed down to dinner.