Chapter 3

Hermione was still settling into Ginny's room when two identical pairs of redhair popped into the room with simultaneous, identical, CRACK!s It was a whole new round of warm greetings and cheerful enquiries of the summer.

Fred and George were in the middle of describing the new product they were working on when Ginny's door slammed open rocking on its hinges.

"Where is it?!" Ron demanded as he burst into the room, his eyes burning in a way that matched his flaming red hair dramatically.

"Where's what?" Ginny asked.

But Ron had barely acknowledged her presence as he had already wheeled on Fred and George. "What have you done with it?!"

"Done with what?" one twin asked, bewildered, although he could feel a laugh beginning to tickle the back of his throat.

"My badge!" Ron cried, as if they didn't know!

"Chuddley Cannons?" the other twin asked.

"No! My Prefects badge! What have you done to it?!"

Both twins burst out laughing.

"Awwww, has ickle Ronnikens lost his Pwefect badge?"

"Uh-oh Ronnie, dat was not vewy responsible." George chuckled, "The Prefect lost his baaadge," he sang.

"Oh! What will Mum say?" Fred mussed eagerly.

"Oooh, can I tell her?"

"No!" Ron yelled. "Just give it back!" The twin's jeers were just pushing his temper to the edge. His face had turned a bright shade of crimson and Hermione was starting to think she wouldn't be surprised if smoke erupted from his ears.

Of course that was just making his brothers laugh harder.

Ron blunder furiously towards them and managed to stumble over Hermione's trunk, stubbing his toe and sending the trunk skittering under Ginny's bed, whimpering.

Fred and George had to use each other for supported as they buckled over, holding their guts while Ron hopped over to the door.

"Really, you guys, he needs that," Hermione cut in, a smile hidden expertly.

"Honestly," Fred gasped, "I haven't seen it. Have you, twin?"

"No," George gasped as well, "I wish I had though."

"I dunno," Fred mussed, "the fact he lost it makes it that much funnier."

With that they collapsed into another round of laughter, barely making room to breath. Ron glowered, limping out of the room as quickly as he could in a bit of a deflated huff.

"Ron!" Hermione called after him, hurrying to the door, looking sympathetic. "Hey, I'll help you look as soon as I unpack okay?" She left out that within that time he may have calmed down a bit.

He looked back at her from halfway down the hallway. "Thanks, Hermione."

She smiled reassuringly, "I'll be there in just a minute."

Reentering the room she was met again by wild laughter from all three Weasleys. Fred and George were still holding each other up, not yet able to get out words. Ginny was still sitting on her bed, grinning wildly, a twinkle in her eyes. She looked uncannily like her older, trouble making brothers.

"What's wrong with you two?" she asked the twins.

Ginny sat up, waving her hand madly in the air, "Oh I know this one! I know this!"

"Come on, he needs that badge."

Ginny giggled, "They didn't take it Hermione."

"How would you know?" George managed.

"Because, it's too simplistic," she replied. "Far below your usual standard." She shrugged, "Besides, the thing that made it so funny was that he would, of course, come blame you two, and, for once, you haven't done it."

"Oh nonsense, it's a practical joke, it can't be out of their usual standard, they cover everything," Hermione argued.

"Thanks Hermione," George interjected cheerfully.

"It is," Ginny insisted.

"How do you know?"

She grinned, producing something from under her pillow, "Cause I did it."

Fred and George stopped everything abruptly, gaping at their youngest sister for a moment, before straightening and applauding loudly.

Grinning approval George clapped her on the back, "Well done."

"Finally another Weasley heading down the right path," Fred agreed, shaking her hand. "You know, we might have a job for you next summer."

"I do feel sort of badly, though," Ginny admitted. "I mean Ron isn't Percy."

The twin's smiling faces morphed into identical frowns. "Good thing, too!"

"As if we need another Weatherbe in the family!"

Hermione had subtly edged her way over to Ginny's bed and was gently coaxing her trunk out from beneath it. "Good boy," she soothed, stroking it as she managed to open its lid. Reaching into one of its pockets she nabbed her own Prefect badge and stuffed it in her pocket.

"I can't find it!" Ron said heavily as he came back into Ginny's room looking defeated. His eye caught on something in his sister's hand. "Ginny!" he exclaimed.

She looked sheepish and caught between closing her hand and hiding the condemning piece of evidence or handing it over straight away. Whatever she was going to do she didn't have time to decide as Ron snatched it from her hurriedly, examining it closely.

"You nicked it?"

"Yeah, we're so proud," George said, grinning.

Ron was too relieved to have his badge back in his possession to hold grudges. He looked from his sister to his brothers thoughtfully. "How bout that, we have another one in the family."

"Mum'll be so pleased," Fred was grinning, too.

"So will Professor Filch," Ron chuckled.

Identical twinkles appeared in the twin's eyes.

"The legacy lives on!"

"She could be good," Fred nodded.

"Needs a bit of work," George acknowledged.

"Hey!"

"But you have time," they reassured.

"And you are just a beginner."

"That's what you think," she murmured.

"May I remind you that you are making these announcements in the presence of two Prefects?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Oh, yeah," Fred scoffed, "lucky Ron's got his badge back, eh?"