Chapter 10: Weasleys Wizards Wheezes
"The issue here is not about him, Ron. The issue is about you. If you like her, then you've got to tell her that."
"I don't like her, Ginny."
"Right, keep denying and you'll be receiving their wedding invitation soon."
Harry felt someone sat on his ankles. "Yeow!" the person shouted. Harry removed his Invisibility Cloak and saw Ron and Ginny staring down at him.
"Harry you gave me a shock!" exclaimed Ginny. Ron was staring down at him with a wicked smile on his face. Harry realised that Janieve was lying on top of him, her face buried in his chest. She was still snoring softly despite the commotion.
"Sorry," Harry apologised, "fell asleep."
"So are you going to join us for breakfast?" Ron asked.
Harry looked down his chest at Janieve. "Nah, I think I'll let her sleep. We came back quite late last night." At this Ron shot Harry another cheeky look. Harry hoped he was not blushing too obviously.
"We'll bring something up for you," offered Ginny. She was grinning so widely Harry was sure she could stuff a whole hamburger into her mouth without any problem.
"Thanks," Harry mumbled after their retreating form. Harry watched the thin frame of Janieve rise and fall as she breathed in and out. He could not resist himself from reaching out a hand to play with a tuft of her soft silky hair. He twirled them between his fingers mindlessly.
"Mmm…" she murmured. Harry's hand froze in midair; Janieve's hair slipped from it and fell back to her head.
"Mornin' 'Arry," she mumbled sleepily.
"Morning Jan," replied Harry.
Janieve rolled herself off Harry and dropped to the floor. "Ouch…" she grumbled.
Harry felt pins and needles throughout his shoulders, arms, torso, as blood began pumping through them. He sat up and helped Janieve up beside him. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.
"Yeah," she answered. "I'm sorry I fell asleep on you," she added when she saw Harry rubbing his arms and thighs.
"I'm not," Harry said. Her eyes widened in surprise at his boldness and Harry felt his cheeks burn with shame. There was a long moment of awkward silence. Harry began fidgeting with the hem of his robes.
"Yeah you're right," she joked, "You should be honoured." Both of them laughed. "That's my way of thanking you for last night," she added. Then, Harry started a conversation about Quidditch and Harry began teaching her the rules of the game and also told her about Viktor Krum's Wronski Feint at the Quidditch World Cup two years ago. Their talk drifted over to Hermione and Ron at the mention of Viktor.
"Well, I always knew Ron had a thing for Hermione," said Janieve proudly.
"I do hope he ask her out soon," Harry said thoughtfully, "I don't know how much more of their bickering I can take."
"Whose bickering?" Hermione asked as she, Ron and Ginny climbed back through the portrait hole into the common room. Ginny handed a brown bag to Janieve.
"Croissant!" Janieve squealed in delight.
"Er, nobody," Harry replied. Hermione eyed him suspiciously.
"Harry, we're going to visit Fred and George's joke shop in Hogsmeade. Do you want to come?" Ron asked.
"Sure," said Harry, "Jan?"
Jan looked up, her face stuffed with bread, "Ohay," she said.
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"You don't think they would need us to try any more of their inventions, do you?" Ron asked fearfully to Harry and Janieve. Hermione and Ginny were engaged in their own conversation behind them.
"I hope so," Janieve looked delighted at the thought.
"Don't tell me you actually enjoy being their guinea pig?" Ron asked, incredulous.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Janieve said loyally.
"Mate, I think she's off her rocker," Ron told Harry which prompted Janieve to knock Ron on the head. However, Ron was too tall for her she ended up on tiptoes and losing her balance. She fell onto Ron and both of them crashed into a group of street musicians, sending trumpets and flute into the air.
Harry clutched his ribs and laughed manically. "She should be banned from the streets!" Ron yelled indignantly as the two tried to disentangle themselves from the mess. "Oww, she bit me!" came Ron's muffled scream.
Ginny and Hermione caught up with them. By this time, they were already making a total spectacle of themselves. Ginny was laughing along with Harry but Hermione had an angry look on her face.
"Ronald!" she said sharply, "What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Finally Janieve and Ron emerged from the mess with snow in their hair. This prompted more fits of laughter from Harry and Ginny and Hermione's lips made the slightest of a twitch.
"Hey it's not fair! She's the one who's gone crazy," Ron protested. Janieve made a lunge for him again but he quickly jumped out of the way. Instead Harry caught her.
"You're a hazard you know that?" Harry teased affectionately. Janieve smiled giddily up at him which made his heart flutter.
Meanwhile, Hermione was apologising to the group of angry musicians and shooting Ron dirty looks. They managed to pry themselves away from the musicians and got to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes without getting into anymore trouble.
Harry could tell that their opening was a success from the crowd they had in the store. It was packed with wizards and witches of all ages and the queue for cashier extended all the way to the shop's exit.
"Oye guys!" yelled Fred, who was manning the cashier. George was spotted at the back of the shop, explaining one of their products to a potential customer. They walked over to Fred.
"Oye Fred, business doing well huh?" commented Janieve.
"Pretty well," he confirmed. "This is only the first weekend. I think we need to start hiring."
Janieve, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione decided to stay around and help out. The crowd finally subsided at four in the afternoon.
"We want to thank you Harry," said George uncharacteristically when there were only about three customers left in the shop. "If it wasn't for your money, this wouldn't have been such a success."
"It's your talent that made this a success," Harry disagreed.
"Well, if it wasn't for your…" Fred let his voice trailed off when Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Janieve joined them when the last customer had left.
"Anyway, we're really lucky to have any business at all," said George.
"Why?" Ron asked.
"Because everyone's afraid to leave their house now they know that you-know-who's back," replied Fred.
"But he wouldn't dare to do anything in Hogsmeade, would he?" asked Ginny. "There are so many overage wizards around."
"You have no idea Ginny," confided George, "The barman at the Hog's Head went missing two days ago. No one knows what happened to him but Fred and I reckon that it has something to do with you-know-who?"
"What makes you think it was Volder –" Harry began. The Weasleys cringed. "Sorry," Harry continued, "What makes you think it was you-know-who who was behind it?"
"The barman just disappeared without a trace. Nobody knows where he went. And you know the people who visit the Hog's Head," said Fred.
Harry knew the type of people that visit the Hog's Head, the bar in Hogsmeade other than The Three Broomstick. It's a dingy pub that attracts weird wizards and witches. Harry wouldn't be surprised if it's a favourite hangout place for the dark wizards.
"So why would you-know-who want the barman for?" asked Janieve. "Surely he's not a muggle-born wizard?" A dark look crossed her delicate features.
"No idea," said Fred. "We don't even know his name. Keeps to himself all the time. He was the only one who didn't come to our opening – the other shopkeepers in Hogsmeade did."
"I think it's about time we leave," said Hermione, who was checking her watch, "it's getting late."
The five of them said good bye to Fred and George and walked briskly back to the Hogwarts castle. Harry was not talking, instead, he was thinking about what the twins had told them earlier on. He had met the Hog's Head barman once when he and Hermione had their first secret DA meeting, and the barman was an old wizard who looked vaguely familiar to Harry. However, up to that point, Harry could not put his finger on where he had seen him.
They trudged up the stone path that leads to Hogwarts, the night falling in on them quickly. If Harry had not had so much on his mind, he would have noticed that everyone else too, was not talking and appeared to be deep in thought like he was.
