Ron's Quidditch Festival
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I've been banned from updating on fanfic.net until Thursday. I'm so sorry, I forgot to remove one of my authors notes chapter off a previous chapter. I'm so sorry, I hope I haven't let you guys down. I'll update as soon a possible! Promise….
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"But Professor, you couldn't have been serious when you said that anyone skipping class wouldn't be allowed to attend the feast and festival, it contradicts the whole point," Ron argued as they exited from the Prefects' lounge.
"I'm sorry Mr. Weasley, but I was quite serious when I put up those announcements. I'm sure that the students who aren't allowed to attend will reconsider before skipping class intentionally again," McGonagall stated ushering a still protesting Ron out.
"But Professor!" Ron fussed.
McGonagall sighed, "Good-day Mr. Weasley."
Ron stammered back to Hermione and Harry with a look of hells fury imprinted on his face, "Old bat's being a hypocrite. What's the point of putting the stipulations of every student attending on us, then contradicting it by saying half the student body can't attend?"
"No luck?" Harry asked with a sarcastic smile, he still hadn't told Ron and Hermione about Padma's brilliant idea. Although he knew they both of them were well aware of the plans circulating through the halls of Hogwarts.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I heard a rumor that it's another organized mutiny, but I still don't see the logic in it. The only thing that's going to happen is McGonagall is going to get upset and start imposing more rules."
"Or she'll listen to us finally and lighten up some of these stupid new rules," Harry added.
Hermione eyed him suspiciously, "You wouldn't have something to do with this? Would You?"
Harry smiled, "Courtesy of your Heads."
Ron frowned, "I have to agree with Hermione, I mean what good is it going to do?"
Harry sighed, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to tell you guys what's going on eventually anyways. Remember the other night when me and Padma stayed behind to discuss Heads' business? Well, she presented me with this idea."
"What idea?" Hermione said, frowning along side with Ron.
"It's quite simple, we get the student body to rebel by skipping class among other things, then we approach McGonagall as delegates and present her with our solution, grant it may take some time before she comes around," Harry finished.
Hermione bit her bottom lip, "And?"
Nothing got past her, "Then we sneak into Hogmeade and find out what the bloody hell they're trying to keep from us."
Harry paused for a moment, the idea sounded a lot better when Padma had presented it.
"Harry Potter, that is the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard," Hermione said throwing her hands onto her hips.
Ron smirked, "I think it's brilliant!"
Harry smiled, "I'm glad, because Padma and I think you and Hermione should be part of the group that sneaks into Hogmeade."
"I won't let you guys do this, it's too dangerous!" Hermione vocalized loudly, "I'll tell McGonagall."
"Hermione, what's more dangerous, sneaking into Hogmeade to get a copy of the Daily Prophet or going out next year completely unprepared about what's going on?" Harry questioned.
Hermione sighed, "Think about what you're saying? How in world do you even plan to sneak into Hogmeade with a professor noticing you're missing from class? Even if you tried to do it on a weekend, someone is bound to notice."
"We do it at night, when everyone else is asleep, nobody will ever suspect," Harry said flatly.
Ron grinned even larger, "At night!"
"This is absolutely the most ridiculous idea that I've ever heard, I'll be no part of it," Hermione said heavily, increasing her pace.
"Do you think she'll tell McGonagall?" Ron asked looking slightly concerned.
Harry shook his head, "No, she isn't going to rat us out."
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The Great Hall slowly started to collect students, most were younger than third year, since the upper years had taken the mutiny so seriously.
"Wonderful, this is a disaster!" Ron yelped, "Two of our prefects skipped class today, so I've got to find someone to replace them."
Hermione blinked, "I've never seen Ron so nervous about something."
Harry grinned as they took their seat at the Gryffindor House table, "Never underestimate Ron's seriousness about Quidditch."
Minerva McGonagall was nowhere near as appealing as Dumbledore had been as she announced the feast would begin. Her strictness radiated off her, much as the kindness had done off the previous Headmaster.
"I wonder how Dumbledore is doing?" Hermione asked looking down at her plate.
Harry shrugged, "I haven't heard."
Hermione frowned as she noticed Harry obviously trying to avoid the subject, "Where in the world did Ron run off to? He's missing the feast."
Harry scanned the room, confirming that Hermione was indeed right, Ron was nowhere to be seen.
The half empty hall of students continued their feasting until the tables were practically picked dry of everything sweet and frosted.
"I am happy to announce that due to the hard work or our Prefects and our Heads that we can have such a lovely Quidditch festival," McGonagall said happily standing in her seat. "Hopefully it will help us forget the dark times we faced during the beginning of this year."
"Goody," Harry heard a Ravenclaw from a nearby table mutter under their breath.
Professor McGonagall flicked her wand and the tables the students were sitting at instantly disappeared, only to be replaced by small booths, a nice little piece of transfiguration.
"Did you find anything out about the Tornadoes?" Hermione asked Harry as they walked towards their booth.
Harry bit his lip and sighed heavily, "I still haven't heard from Cho, she's the Tornado fan."
"I'm sure she'll write you as soon as she can, I seriously doubt anything has happened to her, someone would tell you if it had," Hermione tried to console.
Harry frowned, "Unless she's ran off with Raymer."
"Oh Harry, you're starting to sound like Ron," Hermione protested.
The two sat motionless at their booth draped in curtains of yellow and bright blue. A few golden badges with a silvery T in the middle were scattered around the wooden table of the booth. Just the sight of them made Harry's stomach turn, Cho often wore one on her robes to show support for her favorite team.
"So what are the Tornadoes all about?" asked an eager looking Hufflepuff second year.
Hermione looked at Harry nervously, expecting him to answer. Harry too looked puzzled at this simple question.
"I don't really know all that much about them, I know their located in Tutshill and they have a pretty good record of winning," Harry finally answered.
The Hufflepuff frowned, "You don't know anything else about them?"
Harry looked off at a booth located a few feet away from the Tornado booth with a bright orange banner reading, "Let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best."
"You think from the looks of the decorations that this is a Cannon festival instead of a Quidditch festival," Hermione muttered under her breath as the Hufflepuff moved on to another booth.
"Ron," Harry laughed noticing the black cannon ball shaped balloons that were littering the ground.
Hermione sighed, "Who's brilliant idea to give Ron final say about the decorations?"
"Padma's I think," Harry answered. "She isn't the Quidditch fan of her family, or that's why she told me."
"This is horrid!" Ernie Macmillian cried from the Kenmare Kestrels booth, "I hate this team."
Hermione smirked sarcastically, "Seems like everyone is enjoying themselves."
Harry nudged her towards Ginny and Malfoy, "Almost everyone."
Ginny was glaring at Malfoy with a look of utter disgust. Malfoy seemed content on ignoring her as he sneered at first year Ravenclaw he was leading around in a circle on a broom a few feet off the ground.
"I'm so glad I didn't volunteer for that post," Harry sighed, shaking his head at the failure erupting around him.
The festival continued as the students wandering around with baffled looks of confusion on their faces. Hermione was right, the majority of the decorations were orange or black, and the Cannon booth was at least twice the size of all the rest.
"Hey guys, enjoying yourselves?" Padma Patil asked as she stopped to say hi to Harry and Hermione.
Hermione looked up from her position of balancing her head with her elbows.
"Hey Padma," Harry greeted.
Padma smiled, "Well, if you guys get out of here in time…" she lowered her voice, "Try to sneak into the Room of Requirements, it's more enjoyable, so I'm told."
Harry looked at her puzzled, "What?"
"Leave it the students to rebel, you didn't expect them to all stay in their dorms on Halloween did you?" Padma grinned, walking away towards the next booth.
Hermione frowned, "Did she just say what I think she did? We'll be caught if we go you know."
"None of the teachers know about the Room of Requirements," Harry reminded her.
It took nearly another hour of orange and black before students were permitted to leave the dawdling festival. The only one who looked disappointed it was over was Ron. The most exciting moments had come when Ginny had tripped Malfoy, causing him to bust his nose open on the broom handle.
"Thank goodness it's over!" Ernie sighed, walking quickly behind Harry, "So you coming?"
"Harry," Hermione said warningly.
Harry raised his eyebrows, "Come on Hermione, what type of leaders would we be if we didn't check out what was going on ?"
Ron rushed to catch up with the departing group, catching the later part of Harry's statement, "Check out what?"
Ernie smiled widely, "There is a bit of get together in the Room of Requirements, sixth years and above only of course."
"This is absurd, we're Prefects, we shouldn't be participating in such shenanigans we should be reporting it," Hermione protested, looking slightly uncomfortable and outnumbered.
"Hermione," Ron started.
Hermione grunted, "FINE! Let's go, but if we get caught I told you so."
It was obvious why it was only sixth years and above, the fifth years needed to take the students back to the common rooms, one of their unfortunate duties. Luckily for the older students, the Room of Requirements wasn't too far away from the Great Hall. The group Harry was traveling with made it there without much trouble, though they did have to duck out of Filch's way once.
After walking past the one-eyed witch three times and making the door to the Room of Requirements appeared and they entered. It was loud as the group of upper year students were gathered around a large table of refreshments that had been snuck from the kitchen.
"What in the…" Hermione trailed off as the music filled the now enormous Room of Requirements.
"Welcome fellow rebellious students!" Parvati announced happily handing Harry a goblet of pumpkin juice.
"You guys should know I had nothing to do with this," Hannah said innocently, blushing as Ernie gave her a scolding look.
"So that's why you skipped Magical History," Ernie accused.
Harry sipped his mug of pumpkin juice and snatched a strawberry tart off the table. If McGonagall caught them now, they would be in so much trouble. Lavender and Seamus were holding hands and snickering between kissed on another couch near Harry.
"Why don't you two get a room," Harry jeered with a forced smile.
Seamus returned it, "Glad you made it, I heard the festival was a bit of a dude."
Harry was about to answer when the Room of Requirement's door open again and in came Draco and a few other Slytherins.
'Wonderful,' Harry thought bitterly.
Malfoy laughed, "Is this suppose to be some kind of joke, you call this a party?"
"Nobody invited you Malfoy," Ginny said coldly slapping him across the face as she spun her red hair.
Malfoy pulled his wand out and dangerously pointed it towards Ginny's back.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Harry hissed from across the room.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes, "Going to try to stop me I suppose."
Harry slowly removed his own wand from the pocket of his robes, "Did you every have any doubts? Engorgio!"
Malfoy wasn't completely prepared when Harry delivered the hex so suddenly and didn't dodge out of it's path quickly enough. His entire body started to swell as he fell to the floor shrieking in pain.
"HARRY!" Hermione cried, staring at him in shock.
Harry stood motionless for a moment then suddenly started laughing, he couldn't stop.
Crabb and Goyle looked puzzled as they helped Malfoy to his feet, discussing among themselves whether or not to take him to Madame Pomfrey.
