Chapter 6- The Day Arrives
The Gryffindors sat at lunch the next day, anxiously awaiting the day's main event. Lee Jordan kept glancing up at Lockhart to see how his mood was. Fred was tapping his foot nervously, and George was eating every bit of food he could find.
"Um, George?" said Harry. "Why are you eating so fast?"
"Harry...if Trelawney and Lockhart find out what we did...this may very well be our last meal."
Harry and Ron laughed.
"You guys have got to tell us what happens as soon as you get a chance..." said Ron. "Hey Harry, at least we'll be able to make it through Potions knowing there's light at the end of the tunnel!"
Harry nodded. "Hopefully we will."
He and Ron wished the Weasley twins and Lee good luck and headed off to potions. Hermione followed them, but said nothing to Fred, George, or Lee, as she did so.
The three schemers hurried up to the common room to make plans.
In his office, Gilderoy Lockhart was as frantic as he'd probably been in a very long time. He was rummaging through his closet, still trying to decide what color robes to wear. Magenta? No...there's an ink spot on the shoulder of them. Must get that washed off immediately...What about the pink ones? Oh drat, I wore those yesterday. Lockhart then pulled out robes of a dazzling, mind shattering blue color, and smiled his most charming smile. These will do quite nicely. After he'd put the robes on, he looked in the mirror to inspect his appearance and smiled even wider at the sight. Charming as ever, he thought to himself. He then swept confidently out of the room.
Sibyll Trelawney, meanwhile, had already changed into her dinner clothes. She was wearing a burgundy dress that was almost as hideous as the ones she wore in class everyday. Unable to choose between her numerous strings of beads, she had simply put on all of them, which meant she was wearing at least 10 necklaces, 15 bracelets total, and 8 anklets (four on each leg). It was a wonder she was now managing to consult her crystal ball one last time, before heading down to the lake. She stared into the crystal ball, waving her hands in a mysterious manner, then gasped at what she Saw in it. A heart! No surer sign of romance could I have Seen, but a heart! She then sighed, rather nervously, got up, and carefully made her way down the rope ladder to meet her dearest Gilderoy for dinner.
"Hurry up, George!" shouted Fred, as soon as he heard the dinner bell.
"I'm coming- we have to have the map, though!" his twin shouted back. They, along with Lee Jordan, were in the Gryffindor common room, getting ready to hurry down to the lake to catch the show. George grabbed the map off of his bedside table in their dormitory, and practically flew down the stairs. Lee and Fred were waiting for him there.
"Do we have everything we need?" asked Lee.
"I suppose so." said George. "I've got the map."
Within seconds, they were pushing open the Fat Lady's portrait, and heading down the many staircases of Hogwarts to try to make it on time. Soon they were in the Hogwarts Entrance Hall, about to head outside. "Well" said Fred. "It's been nice knowing you, Lee."
Lee chuckled. "If all they did was take away 50 points from Gryffindor when you actually put a spell on Lockhart, surely that's all they'll do now."
George sighed. "Lee..." he said, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm not so worried about the staff. I'm worried about the Gryffindor mob that's going to come chase us down when they find out we're the reason Gryffindor now has a mere 15 points."
Lee paused, then nodded. "Good point!" he said cheerfully. "Well" he added, removing George's hand from his shoulder. "It's been nice knowing you guys!"
Fred and George had resigned themselves to their fate however, and had still insisted on coming to see the results of the prank that could mean the end of their lives. They walked nonchalantly out of the castle, and headed off towards the lake. They had decided while in the Common Room, that the small grove of trees near the lake would make the best hiding place. They walked over, and sat down behind the trees. "Check the map." Fred told his brother. George obligingly took out the map and tapped it with his wand. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." he said with a smile, then bent down to look at the map and the tiny dots of people on it. Almost the entire school was in the Great Hall. A few people were in their common rooms. Only two lone figures walked the hallways: two tiny dots labeled Sibyll Trelawney and Gilderoy Lockhart. George grinned. "Coast is clear, and two star-crossed lovers are on their way."