AN: Ok- I should have explained this from the beginning. The main plot of the story really comes in during this chapter. Chapter one was really sort of a prequel if you will. The purpose was basically just to show how close Harry, Ron and Hermione are and to show protective tendencies (that's important later). Now about the whole "their girl thing" maybe it's just us, but at the school I go to, you know we're all away from home and everything and a bunch of us, girls and guys, are with each other 24/7. I think it's very natural to get protective and even a little possessive in that kind of situation. Then again, I like to romanticize things and I think that kind of thing is cute… but whichever way you see it- that part isn't all that important overall.
After a full week of boring classes and grueling studying sessions with Hermione, Harry and Ron were very excited that the trip to Hogsmeade had finally arrived. They had so much to do in so little time. Ron immediately expressed his need to visit the candy shop, and Hermione desperately wanted to get to the bookstore. Harry laughed at his friend's impatience and reminded them of the stop they absolutely had to make first. So the trio marched straight passed the candy shop and the bookstore and stepped into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It was absolutely amazing! There were all kinds of fun and exciting gadgets perfectly lined up on shelves throughout the store.
"Fred and George did this?" Hermione finally spoke up. Just then George came out of the backroom, practically tripping over his own feet, to put up a new item. It didn't look like much. To any witch or wizard it would just appear to be an ordinary crystal ball. Soon after George appeared Fred came flying out after him and snatched the crystal ball from his hands.
"And what do you think you're doing!" Fred scolded. "This hasn't been tested yet."
"You're no fun at all now are you?" George teased his twin.
"I'm not putting out faulty merchandize."
"Yeah, yeah." Fred placed the crystal ball on the table and looked up to see his brother and his friends.
"Well look what we've got here." He said to his brother. "Customers!" The five friends laughed and greeted each other. Hermione soon parted from the group and began to wander about the store. Soon after, Dean and Seamus walked in, gaining Fred and George's attention. Ron and Harry took the opportunity and snuck to the back of the room to examine the crystal ball George had come out with. Ron picked it up carelessly and tossed it Harry.
"What do you suppose is so special about it?" Ron asked.
"Who knows." Harry replied, turning it around in his hand. Ron looked up from his conversation with Harry and noticed Dean talking to Seamus while motioning towards Hermione. They had caught Harry's attention by now too.
"This is getting annoying." Harry said.
"I don't even want to know what they're saying." Ron shuddered.
"Well I do!" Harry's exclaimed, his sense of integrity never faltering. Ron smirked.
"Never mind what they're saying then. If only you could hear what they're thinking!" Just then, purple clouds formed inside the crystal ball and it began to burn in Harry's hand.
"Ow!" He quickly placed it back on the shelf. "What made it mad?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Ron asked. The two watched the crystal ball for a moment longer as steam began to rise from the top of the glass. Ron's eyes bugged out of his head and he slowly turned to Harry.
"Grab Hermione and let's get out of here before this thing explodes." Harry took a few steps back, still facing the crystal ball. He noticed that as he moved away, the steam seemed to die down. He turned away, failing to notice the purple clouds still in the crystal, were getting fuller.
The rest of the day came and went. Ron got his candy, Hermione got her book, and Harry got an abnormally large headache.
"Aw!" Harry said with his hands over his forehand as he plopped down on the couch in the Gryffindor Common Room. "I don't like this."
"What did you do to yourself, Mate?" Ron asked, sitting in the chair besides Harry. Before he could answer, Hermione walked into the room with a damp wash towel. She laid Harry down and pressed the towel on his forehead. He let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Hermione."
"Anytime." She whispered softly. The three of them sat in the common room for a couple more hours before Ron helped Harry back to the boy's dormitories. Hopefully, he would feel better by morning.
Harry didn't feel any better on Sunday. In fact, he was perfectly content to just stay in bed all day.
"He has to eat." Hermione protested to Ron. After a long argument with Harry, Ron finally got him to join him and Hermione at dinner.
After eating, Hermione, Ron and Harry walked past a group of Ravenclaw girls. Ron wasn't paying attention and accidentally bumped into one of them.
'Clumsy prat!' Harry heard from one of the girls. He looked back at them disapprovingly.
"Charming girl, eh?" He asked, sarcastically.
"Harry," Hermione furrowed her brow. "She didn't say anything."
Meanwhile, back of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Fred and George were shutting down for the night. George walked towards the back of the room and picked up the crystal ball they had forgotten to put away the day before.
"Hey Fred! What do you want me to do with-" George stopped mid-sentence when took a good look at the crystal ball. It as full with purple clouds swirling about. "Oh no! FRED!"