Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Or do I?
Dedication: To anyone still reading this.
~*~I'm extremely sorry for my long absence. Please believe that 1) my computer broke and I just recently got it back and 2) that I've had no time. It does take an incredibly long time to write each chapter of this, so please understand. Thanks, though, to everyone who sent in ways to annoy Fred and George. Now here's the story:
THE TOP 77 WAYS TO ANNOY SNAPE
Chapter 8
"Welcome, everyone, to the very last night of the Top 77 Ways to Annoy Snape contest!" Fred's voice rang throughout the common room. After the deafening cheers and earsplitting 'whoots' lowered to a slightly lesser level, Fred raised his voice once again. "It really is a pain to end it."
"But as they say," George jumped in, "too much of a good isn't.....well.....isn't very good," he finished lamely.
"Yes, well, who are we annoying again today, George?"
"Why, I do believe that it's us!"
"Now, George, how will that work?" Fred said, will the air of someone who just memorized what to say in a rush.
"Well, Fred, we've decided to let the contestants read their own list. That way, we can act as the audience and enjoy it like any normal – well, as normal as you get – Gryffindor."
"Basically, one person from each group will come up and read their top five ways they think will annoy us."
"But this was a challenge."
"That's right, it's takes a lot to irritate us."
"So the group with a way to truly tick us off will win."
"And if everyone is here, we can go ahead and get started with The Top 35 Ways to Annoy – wait," he said mid-sentence as he looked around the room. "Where are the fifth years?" It was true. Nearly everyone in the hall was there, except for Ron, Hermione, Harry, the rest of the fifth years, and, of course, Ginny, who hadn't been present since the first meeting.
"Oh, I guess they're still upset about our choice for last week's buddy."
"We know that Ronikins was," Fred said, grinning.
"Well, it's their loss," George said, shrugging. "On with the festivities!"
"So who's first?" Fred said, rubbing his hands together, looking around expectedly. "Why not begin with last weeks winner, sixth year. Should make a good start."
With no more said, they strolled off the front table and settled themselves in the middle of the room where they conjured seven-foot-high chairs that wouldn't look out of place in a Renaissance court. Callie Days, an extremely pretty sixth year, made her way to the front of the room, and carefully climbed on top of first the bench, and then the table next to it. Just when she opened her mouth to begin, Fred muttered, "Wait a sec, there's something missing here. . ." He stood up, waved his wand once over the towering chairs, creating a banner that read 'The Kings of Pranks.' "There we go. So sorry." He nodded, smiling at Callie to continue.
"So, I guess I'll just start then." She shook back her mane of dirty blond hair and smiled. "One: Whisper to Fred, 'Just between you and me, I think you're really the better-looking twin, George.'" She paused uneasily for a small laugh from the audience and looked to the twins as if hoping for approval. George winked at her.
"That's okay," Fred muttered. "I'm the smart one, then."
"Two: After eating a Canary Crème and turning into a bird, look at yourself disappointedly and tell them that they're loosing their touch. Three: Sneak Skiving Snackbox pills into everything they eat."
"Ha!" Fred interrupted. "I could see you falling for that one, dear brother!"
"Oh, brains before beauty," George retorted causing Fred to slump lazily into his cushioned seat. "Go on," he nodded at Callie.
"Four: Set off their entire stash of fireworks in their room. And Five: Make a puppet show of them chasing Ms. Norris around the castle yelling, 'Who's a pretty kitty? Kiss the pretty kitty!'"
"Oh, you know I only did that once!" George shouted, laughing. "Okay, good start. Now let's have the second years."
Callie stepped down from the table looking rather proud of herself and an excited second year boy with mousy-looking hair took her place. "Our first one is to tell them that Zonko's went out of business."
"Good, now there's a place in the market for us, George," Fred said nodding, apparently extremely excited about the news.
"He was joking, Fred," the other twin said slowly. "It doesn't make it true."
"Oh," he said, nodding, comprehension dawning on him. His face fell as he looked the second year straight in the eye. "You're making a powerful enemy with your lies, my friend." He cocked an eyebrow then after several seconds of silence, a cheery expression snapped to his face. "Please, continue."
"Well," the second year said, now looking a bit shaken, "two: Run up to Fred, thinking he's George and say, 'I sure hope Fred doesn't find out about you and Angelina.'"
"I hope so," George muttered.
"What!?!" Fred shouted getting to his feet. "Is that – did you – "
"Relax, just playing to the crowd. Go on."
"Three: Prank them."
"Well that's highly unlikely," Fred said moodily from his seat.
"Four: Display family photos and undergarments with sticking charms in the halls. Five: Tell them, 'I don't care what anyone says. I don't think you guys are a day older than forty. I mean you couldn't have failed that many times.'" Right when he was done, he jumped down from the table and hurriedly scurried over to the rest of the second years.
"Ooh! We'll go next!" Angelina said from the far corner of the room.
"Good, seventh years! That'll cheer you up, right Fred?"
Angelina took her group's list and headed to the front of the room. As she passed Fred, she looked over her shoulder and blew him a kiss. It certainly had a positive impact on him.
"One," she began, "threaten to call their mother."
"Oh, you know us far too well," George said with a shutter.
"Two: Have Angelina, that is me, kiss George and brag about it to Fred."
"Now we all knew that was coming," George interrupted, pretending to blush. Fred looked at him darkly, and immediately George put on a straight face. The moment Fred turned away, however, George gave Angelina a small wave. She smiled.
"Three: Tell them that playing pranks isn't very attractive. Sorry guys. Four: Follow them around the corridors giggling and taping them on the head, saying, 'There's two of them! I love to count them! Look – one – two!' And Five: Set up zoo-like exhibits of their dormitory, and keep them in a large cage in the corner of the room. Make a tour guide say, 'Welcome to the bedroom of the two troublemakers of Hogwarts. Please note the dirty underwear on the floor. Now if you proceed to my left, you may purchase food pellets to feed them. Careful, they are most aggressive.'"
"Very well done," Fred praised, apparently in a much better mood, clapping along with the rest of the Gryffindors, for no one stopped laughing since Angelina took her turn. "Now, what the heck, let's get the first years up."
"This should be interesting," George said out of the corner of his mouth.
A girl with black bobbed hair stood up from amidst the flock of first years looking rather anxious. When she went to take Angelina's place, she nearly tripped and fell off the table. "I guess I just start then?" she said in a small voice. "Well, first: Ask them for beauty tips."
"Oh, sure," George said, "which do you want? We know how to dye hair blond or brown, and make it either full of grease or a bush."
"You've still got a lot to learn," Fred muttered, shaking his head toward the first years.
"Well, two: Make them kiss up to Filch."
"Better yet, make them kiss Filch!"
"That could work then, too, I guess. . .Three: Yell, 'Oh my gosh! You're hair is on fire!' Then throw water at them. Four: Put a sign on the library that says 'Open.'"
"I'm sorry to say, but it's so. . . unoriginal," Fred sighed.
"And Five, then: Make several hundred clones of them – some that are bookworm know-it-alls and others that run around in circles, bumping into walls."
"That's actually not bad," George said nodding. "Ha, I could see us studying!"
"And you do kind of run into walls, sometimes," Fred added, snickering.
"Well, you kind of have to run through a barrier to get onto Platform 9¾," George replied, slightly exasperated, yet grinning. "And I thought you were the smart one."
"Okay, only a few left now. Third year."
Char Mourn, a sandy-haired boy, approached the table and climbed up. The first year girl apparently just realized that she was no longer supposed to be up there any longer and hastily scrambled down to rejoin the rest of her year.
Char cleared his throat. "Keep a perfect deadpan through any and all of their jokes. Blink once; then release a Dungbomb in their faces."
"Sure, like anyone could not laugh during one of our pranks," George snorted.
The third year, however, waved off the comment. "Two: Find their new order forms and burn them, claiming that 'it was getting a bit drafty in here.' Three: Wear 'I Love Percy Weasley' badges. Four," he said before either of the twins had even opened their mouths, "permanently stick the Percy badges on their foreheads while they sleep. Finally five: Tell them that Moaning Myrtle thinks twins are sexy."
"Well, they are," Fred said, looking around him as if it were obvious. "What did you expect?"
"And since we have no fifth years present, lastly – forth year!" George announced.
Colin Creevy went to the table, grinning from ear to ear. "Use their extendable ears as jump ropes," he said, outright.
"Like we'd sell them to you now," George retorted.
"Err. . . How about . . . Use a charm to attach prefect badges to their robes so they won't come off."
"Trust me, it's been done, and they come off," Fred said.
"Follow them around waving a stick and yelling, 'Revenge!'?"
"Revenge, huh? Are you sure you want us as enemies? Note the sign." George gestured to the banner above.
"Magically turn them back into first years, then." Colin was getting rather anxious.
"That would actually be fun," Fred said, smiling. "Seven more years of mischief!"
"Last one then," Colin said, obviously hoping to get out of the spotlight as soon as possible. "Follow them wherever they go. Every time they can't figure out a homework problem or are having trouble coming up with a new joke shop product, say, 'Gee wiz, that sure is a pickle.'"
"Hmm.....pickles, that's actually not bad....."
"So that's it then," Fred declared, standing up. "If you'll excuse us, George and I will be back shortly and – "
"What about us?" A voice said from the portrait hole. Everyone in the common room turned around to see Hermione who was closely followed by Ginny, Harry, Ron, and the rest of the fifth years.
"Look who decided to grace us with their presence," George said not bothering to get up from his seat.
"I don't suppose you're all here to come play our little game?" Fred asked, looking from one student to another.
"Actually, we are," Hermione replied simply.
"Suddenly the Prefect wants to join in?"
"Well, by all, means, be our guest." Fred glanced around. "We could always use a couple more fans."
Hermione smiled knowledgably and headed to the front table, yet didn't stand on the table. "We only came up with one possibility. I hope that's alright."
"I'm shocked," George gasped sarcastically, placing a hand over his heart. "Only one? Well, we'll allow it. Impress us."
"The best way to annoy Fred and George," Hermione recited. "Convince a certain prefect to tell a few heads-of-houses how two Gryffindor twins have not only been mocking students and faculty members, but thinking up embarrassing and offending ways to annoy said heads-of-houses."
"You wouldn't dare," Fred whispered, now leaning forward in his thrown.
Hermione smiled wickedly. "Now who would be more interested, Professor McGonagall or Snape?"
"And we have a winner!" George shouted. "Yes. One hundred points to fifth years for. . . err. . . giving us an offer we couldn't refuse."
Fred shook his head. "Well, I guess that will have to do for our dramatic ending to our contest. Now, for next week – "
"Wait," one first year piped up. "What about second place?"
"Oh, well, you can have it," George said carelessly with a wave of his hand. "For the ambitious and self-destructive clone thingy."
He almost fell off his chair in surprise for a deafening roar like none they had heard that evening echoed through the hall. Every first year seemed to have jumped to their feet, screaming about having won something. When the blare subsided, Fred dug a finger into his ear. "How many times do I have to tell you, George, don't encourage them." He sighed. "Well, as I was saying, it's a real bugger having to end this competition – "
"Because it's been great fun – "
"But the fun doesn't end here."
"No, it doesn't, Fred. In fact, if you remember correctly, when we first introduced you to this game, we did mention something about a special challenge."
"Now, each group will have a certain task assigned to them – "
"And any group that completes their mission will get two hundred points – "
"So really, it's anyone's game," Fred said.
"What's the challenge you ask?"
"Well, as you all know, we've been coming up with ways to annoy seven different buddies, or in some cases, pairs of them."
"And we thought 'what's the point of thinking up ways to annoy someone if you never do anything with the information?'" George said. Several people glanced apprehensively at one another.
"So, each year will be given a buddy and their winning choice," Fred boomed, almost shaking with excitement. "And you must perform the ultimate prank on them!"
It was hard to tell the Gryffindor's reaction upon receiving this news. Some looked amused, as though they could visually picture McGonagall with fur all over her face or someone telling Malfoy that Dobby's a 'real man.' Others however, looked positively petrified at the idea of singing a rousing chorus of 'We Love You, Harry' to Professor Snape.
"Let's see," George continued, sharing Fred's enthusiasm, "we'll just go in order. First years can annoy Snape –"
"Eep!" one of the first years squealed.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll end up in one piece."
"And if not, we'll be there to scoop you off the wall," Fred added.
"Second year can have Filch and Norris; third year – Peeves; forth year – Malfoy, good luck with that one; fifth year – our dear Professor McGonagall; sixth year – Hermione – oh!" George exclaimed, turning his head toward her, remembering the threat of telling the teachers. "Well, err. . . not if you don't want to. . . um. . ."
"It's fine," Hermione said, smiling wickedly once more. "It's just a game, after all."
"Right," George said, rather perplexed. "So that leaves seventh year with us!"
"Let's take a quick look at the points," Fred said through the cheers from the far end of the tower. "Seventh, sixth, and second years all have two hundred points, third and forth have one fifty, fifth has one hundred, and first year has fifty."
"Wow, who would have seen that coming?"
"So, as we said before, each group that successfully annoys their victim – err, buddy – will win two hundred points."
"Really, anyone could win, then."
"Yes even the first years."
"Really?" The same first year asked in awe.
"Wouldn't get your hopes up, though."
"Anyway, you have from now until, say, midnight next Saturday to complete your task," Fred announced.
"Oh, by the way, remember how we awarded second place each week?"
"Well, George and I have a little surprise for you." They smiled identically evil smiles.
"So," George said in a booming, dignified voice, "let the annoying begin!"
~*~Yeah! Let's annoy everyone! So who will successfully annoy their victim? Who will win? Will someone really annoy Hermione or Malfoy or Snape? What's the prize at the end? And what will Fred and George do? Now, just because we're not thinking up new ways to annoy someone, doesn't mean you get out of it that easy. First of all, I'd love a review if you have a moment. Second, I thought it would be fun to think of ways to annoy Umbridge. I won't be able to post the list because it's against the rules (yeah, I'm kind of like Hermione like that), but anyone who wanted to look at it could just read the reviews. Okay? So think up ways to annoy our least favorite toad – I-I mean professor. Thirdly, I have an entire list of all of the ways to annoy all seven buddies. There are even some that never made it into the story and have never been seen by anyone but me. I would love to share it with you, so if anyone knows of a website that might like to have the lists on their page, please please please let me know! Lots of love, Carmen Willows
Dedication: To anyone still reading this.
~*~I'm extremely sorry for my long absence. Please believe that 1) my computer broke and I just recently got it back and 2) that I've had no time. It does take an incredibly long time to write each chapter of this, so please understand. Thanks, though, to everyone who sent in ways to annoy Fred and George. Now here's the story:
THE TOP 77 WAYS TO ANNOY SNAPE
Chapter 8
"Welcome, everyone, to the very last night of the Top 77 Ways to Annoy Snape contest!" Fred's voice rang throughout the common room. After the deafening cheers and earsplitting 'whoots' lowered to a slightly lesser level, Fred raised his voice once again. "It really is a pain to end it."
"But as they say," George jumped in, "too much of a good isn't.....well.....isn't very good," he finished lamely.
"Yes, well, who are we annoying again today, George?"
"Why, I do believe that it's us!"
"Now, George, how will that work?" Fred said, will the air of someone who just memorized what to say in a rush.
"Well, Fred, we've decided to let the contestants read their own list. That way, we can act as the audience and enjoy it like any normal – well, as normal as you get – Gryffindor."
"Basically, one person from each group will come up and read their top five ways they think will annoy us."
"But this was a challenge."
"That's right, it's takes a lot to irritate us."
"So the group with a way to truly tick us off will win."
"And if everyone is here, we can go ahead and get started with The Top 35 Ways to Annoy – wait," he said mid-sentence as he looked around the room. "Where are the fifth years?" It was true. Nearly everyone in the hall was there, except for Ron, Hermione, Harry, the rest of the fifth years, and, of course, Ginny, who hadn't been present since the first meeting.
"Oh, I guess they're still upset about our choice for last week's buddy."
"We know that Ronikins was," Fred said, grinning.
"Well, it's their loss," George said, shrugging. "On with the festivities!"
"So who's first?" Fred said, rubbing his hands together, looking around expectedly. "Why not begin with last weeks winner, sixth year. Should make a good start."
With no more said, they strolled off the front table and settled themselves in the middle of the room where they conjured seven-foot-high chairs that wouldn't look out of place in a Renaissance court. Callie Days, an extremely pretty sixth year, made her way to the front of the room, and carefully climbed on top of first the bench, and then the table next to it. Just when she opened her mouth to begin, Fred muttered, "Wait a sec, there's something missing here. . ." He stood up, waved his wand once over the towering chairs, creating a banner that read 'The Kings of Pranks.' "There we go. So sorry." He nodded, smiling at Callie to continue.
"So, I guess I'll just start then." She shook back her mane of dirty blond hair and smiled. "One: Whisper to Fred, 'Just between you and me, I think you're really the better-looking twin, George.'" She paused uneasily for a small laugh from the audience and looked to the twins as if hoping for approval. George winked at her.
"That's okay," Fred muttered. "I'm the smart one, then."
"Two: After eating a Canary Crème and turning into a bird, look at yourself disappointedly and tell them that they're loosing their touch. Three: Sneak Skiving Snackbox pills into everything they eat."
"Ha!" Fred interrupted. "I could see you falling for that one, dear brother!"
"Oh, brains before beauty," George retorted causing Fred to slump lazily into his cushioned seat. "Go on," he nodded at Callie.
"Four: Set off their entire stash of fireworks in their room. And Five: Make a puppet show of them chasing Ms. Norris around the castle yelling, 'Who's a pretty kitty? Kiss the pretty kitty!'"
"Oh, you know I only did that once!" George shouted, laughing. "Okay, good start. Now let's have the second years."
Callie stepped down from the table looking rather proud of herself and an excited second year boy with mousy-looking hair took her place. "Our first one is to tell them that Zonko's went out of business."
"Good, now there's a place in the market for us, George," Fred said nodding, apparently extremely excited about the news.
"He was joking, Fred," the other twin said slowly. "It doesn't make it true."
"Oh," he said, nodding, comprehension dawning on him. His face fell as he looked the second year straight in the eye. "You're making a powerful enemy with your lies, my friend." He cocked an eyebrow then after several seconds of silence, a cheery expression snapped to his face. "Please, continue."
"Well," the second year said, now looking a bit shaken, "two: Run up to Fred, thinking he's George and say, 'I sure hope Fred doesn't find out about you and Angelina.'"
"I hope so," George muttered.
"What!?!" Fred shouted getting to his feet. "Is that – did you – "
"Relax, just playing to the crowd. Go on."
"Three: Prank them."
"Well that's highly unlikely," Fred said moodily from his seat.
"Four: Display family photos and undergarments with sticking charms in the halls. Five: Tell them, 'I don't care what anyone says. I don't think you guys are a day older than forty. I mean you couldn't have failed that many times.'" Right when he was done, he jumped down from the table and hurriedly scurried over to the rest of the second years.
"Ooh! We'll go next!" Angelina said from the far corner of the room.
"Good, seventh years! That'll cheer you up, right Fred?"
Angelina took her group's list and headed to the front of the room. As she passed Fred, she looked over her shoulder and blew him a kiss. It certainly had a positive impact on him.
"One," she began, "threaten to call their mother."
"Oh, you know us far too well," George said with a shutter.
"Two: Have Angelina, that is me, kiss George and brag about it to Fred."
"Now we all knew that was coming," George interrupted, pretending to blush. Fred looked at him darkly, and immediately George put on a straight face. The moment Fred turned away, however, George gave Angelina a small wave. She smiled.
"Three: Tell them that playing pranks isn't very attractive. Sorry guys. Four: Follow them around the corridors giggling and taping them on the head, saying, 'There's two of them! I love to count them! Look – one – two!' And Five: Set up zoo-like exhibits of their dormitory, and keep them in a large cage in the corner of the room. Make a tour guide say, 'Welcome to the bedroom of the two troublemakers of Hogwarts. Please note the dirty underwear on the floor. Now if you proceed to my left, you may purchase food pellets to feed them. Careful, they are most aggressive.'"
"Very well done," Fred praised, apparently in a much better mood, clapping along with the rest of the Gryffindors, for no one stopped laughing since Angelina took her turn. "Now, what the heck, let's get the first years up."
"This should be interesting," George said out of the corner of his mouth.
A girl with black bobbed hair stood up from amidst the flock of first years looking rather anxious. When she went to take Angelina's place, she nearly tripped and fell off the table. "I guess I just start then?" she said in a small voice. "Well, first: Ask them for beauty tips."
"Oh, sure," George said, "which do you want? We know how to dye hair blond or brown, and make it either full of grease or a bush."
"You've still got a lot to learn," Fred muttered, shaking his head toward the first years.
"Well, two: Make them kiss up to Filch."
"Better yet, make them kiss Filch!"
"That could work then, too, I guess. . .Three: Yell, 'Oh my gosh! You're hair is on fire!' Then throw water at them. Four: Put a sign on the library that says 'Open.'"
"I'm sorry to say, but it's so. . . unoriginal," Fred sighed.
"And Five, then: Make several hundred clones of them – some that are bookworm know-it-alls and others that run around in circles, bumping into walls."
"That's actually not bad," George said nodding. "Ha, I could see us studying!"
"And you do kind of run into walls, sometimes," Fred added, snickering.
"Well, you kind of have to run through a barrier to get onto Platform 9¾," George replied, slightly exasperated, yet grinning. "And I thought you were the smart one."
"Okay, only a few left now. Third year."
Char Mourn, a sandy-haired boy, approached the table and climbed up. The first year girl apparently just realized that she was no longer supposed to be up there any longer and hastily scrambled down to rejoin the rest of her year.
Char cleared his throat. "Keep a perfect deadpan through any and all of their jokes. Blink once; then release a Dungbomb in their faces."
"Sure, like anyone could not laugh during one of our pranks," George snorted.
The third year, however, waved off the comment. "Two: Find their new order forms and burn them, claiming that 'it was getting a bit drafty in here.' Three: Wear 'I Love Percy Weasley' badges. Four," he said before either of the twins had even opened their mouths, "permanently stick the Percy badges on their foreheads while they sleep. Finally five: Tell them that Moaning Myrtle thinks twins are sexy."
"Well, they are," Fred said, looking around him as if it were obvious. "What did you expect?"
"And since we have no fifth years present, lastly – forth year!" George announced.
Colin Creevy went to the table, grinning from ear to ear. "Use their extendable ears as jump ropes," he said, outright.
"Like we'd sell them to you now," George retorted.
"Err. . . How about . . . Use a charm to attach prefect badges to their robes so they won't come off."
"Trust me, it's been done, and they come off," Fred said.
"Follow them around waving a stick and yelling, 'Revenge!'?"
"Revenge, huh? Are you sure you want us as enemies? Note the sign." George gestured to the banner above.
"Magically turn them back into first years, then." Colin was getting rather anxious.
"That would actually be fun," Fred said, smiling. "Seven more years of mischief!"
"Last one then," Colin said, obviously hoping to get out of the spotlight as soon as possible. "Follow them wherever they go. Every time they can't figure out a homework problem or are having trouble coming up with a new joke shop product, say, 'Gee wiz, that sure is a pickle.'"
"Hmm.....pickles, that's actually not bad....."
"So that's it then," Fred declared, standing up. "If you'll excuse us, George and I will be back shortly and – "
"What about us?" A voice said from the portrait hole. Everyone in the common room turned around to see Hermione who was closely followed by Ginny, Harry, Ron, and the rest of the fifth years.
"Look who decided to grace us with their presence," George said not bothering to get up from his seat.
"I don't suppose you're all here to come play our little game?" Fred asked, looking from one student to another.
"Actually, we are," Hermione replied simply.
"Suddenly the Prefect wants to join in?"
"Well, by all, means, be our guest." Fred glanced around. "We could always use a couple more fans."
Hermione smiled knowledgably and headed to the front table, yet didn't stand on the table. "We only came up with one possibility. I hope that's alright."
"I'm shocked," George gasped sarcastically, placing a hand over his heart. "Only one? Well, we'll allow it. Impress us."
"The best way to annoy Fred and George," Hermione recited. "Convince a certain prefect to tell a few heads-of-houses how two Gryffindor twins have not only been mocking students and faculty members, but thinking up embarrassing and offending ways to annoy said heads-of-houses."
"You wouldn't dare," Fred whispered, now leaning forward in his thrown.
Hermione smiled wickedly. "Now who would be more interested, Professor McGonagall or Snape?"
"And we have a winner!" George shouted. "Yes. One hundred points to fifth years for. . . err. . . giving us an offer we couldn't refuse."
Fred shook his head. "Well, I guess that will have to do for our dramatic ending to our contest. Now, for next week – "
"Wait," one first year piped up. "What about second place?"
"Oh, well, you can have it," George said carelessly with a wave of his hand. "For the ambitious and self-destructive clone thingy."
He almost fell off his chair in surprise for a deafening roar like none they had heard that evening echoed through the hall. Every first year seemed to have jumped to their feet, screaming about having won something. When the blare subsided, Fred dug a finger into his ear. "How many times do I have to tell you, George, don't encourage them." He sighed. "Well, as I was saying, it's a real bugger having to end this competition – "
"Because it's been great fun – "
"But the fun doesn't end here."
"No, it doesn't, Fred. In fact, if you remember correctly, when we first introduced you to this game, we did mention something about a special challenge."
"Now, each group will have a certain task assigned to them – "
"And any group that completes their mission will get two hundred points – "
"So really, it's anyone's game," Fred said.
"What's the challenge you ask?"
"Well, as you all know, we've been coming up with ways to annoy seven different buddies, or in some cases, pairs of them."
"And we thought 'what's the point of thinking up ways to annoy someone if you never do anything with the information?'" George said. Several people glanced apprehensively at one another.
"So, each year will be given a buddy and their winning choice," Fred boomed, almost shaking with excitement. "And you must perform the ultimate prank on them!"
It was hard to tell the Gryffindor's reaction upon receiving this news. Some looked amused, as though they could visually picture McGonagall with fur all over her face or someone telling Malfoy that Dobby's a 'real man.' Others however, looked positively petrified at the idea of singing a rousing chorus of 'We Love You, Harry' to Professor Snape.
"Let's see," George continued, sharing Fred's enthusiasm, "we'll just go in order. First years can annoy Snape –"
"Eep!" one of the first years squealed.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll end up in one piece."
"And if not, we'll be there to scoop you off the wall," Fred added.
"Second year can have Filch and Norris; third year – Peeves; forth year – Malfoy, good luck with that one; fifth year – our dear Professor McGonagall; sixth year – Hermione – oh!" George exclaimed, turning his head toward her, remembering the threat of telling the teachers. "Well, err. . . not if you don't want to. . . um. . ."
"It's fine," Hermione said, smiling wickedly once more. "It's just a game, after all."
"Right," George said, rather perplexed. "So that leaves seventh year with us!"
"Let's take a quick look at the points," Fred said through the cheers from the far end of the tower. "Seventh, sixth, and second years all have two hundred points, third and forth have one fifty, fifth has one hundred, and first year has fifty."
"Wow, who would have seen that coming?"
"So, as we said before, each group that successfully annoys their victim – err, buddy – will win two hundred points."
"Really, anyone could win, then."
"Yes even the first years."
"Really?" The same first year asked in awe.
"Wouldn't get your hopes up, though."
"Anyway, you have from now until, say, midnight next Saturday to complete your task," Fred announced.
"Oh, by the way, remember how we awarded second place each week?"
"Well, George and I have a little surprise for you." They smiled identically evil smiles.
"So," George said in a booming, dignified voice, "let the annoying begin!"
~*~Yeah! Let's annoy everyone! So who will successfully annoy their victim? Who will win? Will someone really annoy Hermione or Malfoy or Snape? What's the prize at the end? And what will Fred and George do? Now, just because we're not thinking up new ways to annoy someone, doesn't mean you get out of it that easy. First of all, I'd love a review if you have a moment. Second, I thought it would be fun to think of ways to annoy Umbridge. I won't be able to post the list because it's against the rules (yeah, I'm kind of like Hermione like that), but anyone who wanted to look at it could just read the reviews. Okay? So think up ways to annoy our least favorite toad – I-I mean professor. Thirdly, I have an entire list of all of the ways to annoy all seven buddies. There are even some that never made it into the story and have never been seen by anyone but me. I would love to share it with you, so if anyone knows of a website that might like to have the lists on their page, please please please let me know! Lots of love, Carmen Willows