Sugar Quill

It's all over.

Everything; the fun in life has vanished, sucked away. Half the fun of school since second year is gone, and to put it simply, the life of me and my brother is now officially over.

There were no tears involved, at least not on our part of Harry's. We're just sort of stunned. I feel this…strange, hollow, emptiness inside me—a huge hole where Quidditch used to be.

We've been banned from Quidditch.

It's still doesn't seem entirely real. I still feel like maybe tomorrow I'll wake up to play the match again, and at the end, we'll all beat Malfoy to the ground, and be let off the hook. Take my broom and whirl it at Umbridge's head.

Fat chance.

I might as well write from the beginning; it's not like I have much else to do now.

Well, the morning started out well enough. Lee, George, and I, used murtlap essence to get rid of the boils, and the relief made us near giddy. Since the Fudge worked, we're thinking we might just leave it as it was and sell a bit of murtlap with it. We weren't sure how that would work with liability issues though.

But that's besides the point.

In the changing rooms, Angelina didn't recite any novels like Oliver did, which was a relief, since we were all a bit more nervous than usual. To be completely honest, which I am, we weren't nervous for ourselves, but for Ron. The main reason? Slytherins. Not to name names, but MALFOY. He had this lovely little idea for making buttons shaped like crowns reading "Weasley is our King." Flattered as I was that they consider me their ruler, it turned out to be for Ron because they figured he'd win them the match with horrendous Keeping. I fear for my ickle ronnikins, so young and inexperienced to the pathetic taunting of those snakes.

Then there was the song…

Not really worth repeating, but the main point was that Ron can't save a thing, with a quaint little reference to the Burrow, calling it 'a bin'. That was going too far, now, only George and I can call our home a bin!

The game itself was uneventful besides the roaring crowd chorus from the Slytherins and Ron's dismal goalkeeping. George hit a good Bludger, and so did I, only Lee didn't know if it was me or not. Then, mercifully, Harry caught the Snitch. I'm glad he ended it early. But then again, that was only the beginning, wasn't it?

Well, after landing, Harry got hit in the back by a Bludger from bloody Crabbe. George and I ignored it, seeing Madam Hooch screeching at him, and celebrating. Alicia hugged George, while jumping up and down a lot in front of me. It was when we went to shake Harry's hand that we heard Malfoy talking to him.

"— we couldn't fit in useless loser either — for his father, you know —"

George and I sort of froze. We went all stiff, then looked up at the little weasel. Ahem, ferret.

"Leave it," Ang said quickly, grabbing my arm. "Leave it, Fred, let him yell, he's just sore that he lost, the jumped-up little —"

"— but you like the Weasleys, don't you, Potter?" said Malfoy, still sneering like the git he is. "Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles even the Weasleys' hovel smells okay —"

George and I would've pummeled him at that point, but Harry grabbed George. Meanwhile, all three of our chaser girls grabbed me, odds I ordinarily would've appreciated but only hated at the current time. Malfoy just stood there laughing, thinking he was somehow winning.

Unfortunately, in the end, he did.

"Or perhaps," the vain little wanna-be death eater prat continued, "you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and the Weasleys' pigsty reminds you of it —"

Harry let go of George. In a flash they had both leapt at Malfoy, beating him to the ground with their fists. Angelina and Katie were screaming — Alicia shrieking, as I tried to wrestle away to join the attack…those three girls are strong though.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" bellowed Madam Hooch. When Harry and George were thrown back by the spell, they revealed a welcoming sight: Malfoy was on the ground, curled up and whimpering in a disgusting way, his nose bleeding like no nougat could ever make it bleed. George's lip was swollen and Harry's glasses were askew, but other than that, no one that mattered was harmed. I was still fighting the hold of Katie, Alicia, and Angelina, whose hold on me was so tight it was near cutting off my circulation.

"I've never seen behavior like it!" squawked Madam Hooch. "Back up to the castle, both of you, and straight to your Head of House's office!"

Harry and George whirled around and marched off to the castle, breathing heavily.

From what George told me when we caught a moment alone upon his return, what happened in McGonagall's office was as follows: McGonagall was furious, yelling and lecturing about a week's detention and whatnot, which, considering what's happened now, would've been nothing short of sublime.

The reason for the current circumstances? Two words:

Dolores Umbridge. She just appeared in the room, grinning her sickly sweet grin, and, after reading aloud Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five, proclaimed that Harry, George, and I should be banned from playing Quidditch ever again in our lives. The nerve of that paperclip!

It still hasn't really sunk in.

McGonagall tried to help, but it was no use of course. You know, I remember Dad saying something once about how lucky we are, and how muggles've gone through all sorts of oppression and injustice with their government. I think I'm starting to know how they feel.

Like dragon dung.

"Banned," Angelina was saying in the evening after the rest of the school had dinner. None of us really felt up to a meal, even Lee, who eats enough for a small army sometimes. "No Seeker and no Beaters…What on earth are we going to do?" Thanks for rubbing it in Ang, really, banned? Had no idea without you telling me!

"It's just so unfair," said Alicia in a stunned voice. "I mean, what about Crabbe and that Bludger he hit after the whistle had been blown? Has she banned him?"

"No," Ginny said gloomily. "He just got lines, I heard Montague laughing about it at dinner." (Well, at least Gin was able to eat.)

"And banning Fred when he didn't even do anything!" cried Leesh again, punching her own knee.

"It's not my fault I didn't," I said threateningly. "I would've pounded the little scumbag to a pulp if you three hadn't been holding me back." And no one thinks I was exaggerating about being damn ready to pulverize him; I kicked the bench in the changing room so hard that it not only broke off from the floor, it also flew into some lockers and dented them. Needless to say, my toes are blue, but that's quite beside the point.

"I'm going to bed," Ang said as she got up. "Maybe this will all turn out to have been a bad dream…Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and find we haven't played yet…"

I wish the same and several times more. George and I've had trouble showing so much grief for it; being Weasleys, as soon as we came up to the dormitory we were able to turn our stunned-stupor-with-a-dash-of-misery into full-fledged anger. It was a quick talk between the three of us that we need to do something about Umbridge. We're not sure how, or when, but we're going to have to at some point. We've just got to wait for the opportune moment.

And then we say good bye to Ms. Toad…

Things I hate (I'm in a negative mood and can't sleep):

1) Bloody toads masquerading as teachers who make up ridiculous laws and then ENFORCE THEM!

2) Boils (but at least they're gone)

3) Ron's goalkeeping (though when he sulked he was able to miss the actual scene of all this miserable ruin; he might've gotten banned too if he'd heard Malfoy)

4) Bloody toads who come up with cruel and unusual punishments for people like Lee (did I mention he had to CUT HIS HAND open with a quill?), George, Harry, and me

5) Percy (Aliciainmymind: "Hate is a strong word!" Leeshinmymind, you have no idea what you're talking about…)

6) Draco Malfoy, and his entire family come to think of it (may they ROT in some really happy place which would drive them insane, although they already are insane)

7) Toads, just in general…real ones, I mean. I dunno, the bumps just make me make weird disgusted faces. Frogs, on the other hand, are highly entertaining and downright cool.

8) That purple bit of Kenneth Towler's hair that's shaped like a flame — what exactly was he thinking when he did that?

9) Cockroach Clusters

10) Having a pathetic enough life that revolves around quidditch so that the only thing I have to do is make lists.

11) THE TOAD THAT IS DOLORES UMBRIDGE

Authors' Note- Well, you may all be wondering why this chapter took so long. Or why it will take so long for 18 to show up. If you're not…you're probably all together forming a plot on my life, glad I'm not getting the blame, us future world dictators have to be in tip top shape, or some scheme to find and napalm my house. See, fact is, school year was ending! Shocker, we know. Sorry! SORRY! But yes, all the extra work, stuff to do, and then family visiting making it INSANE…I had two sisters graduate high school and it was relatives galore over here, crazy I tell you. But finally you can have this chapter, and I hope that it's good…It was rather brilliant, but I didn't write it, so applaud Quidditchmoke. Alright, now my news. On Thursday morning I'm leaving to help out with my little cousins (three of them under four), for a month. I will not be able to write/update while I'm down there, and when I come back (just in time for HBP), I'll be locked in my room reading the newest Harry Potter. Then, on the 19th its my birthday. Then I'll write the next chapter!

Anyway…how IS everyone? Stressed beyond most normal reason. Summers…are they good? Mine is going awesome, just started Art Camp and my family is coming this weekend to visit! (but I still plan on defiantly started chapter eighteen of HP and Me) My cousin just had a baby too, fun, so I'm all psyched to meet the boy!

Aaaaaand in OTHER NEWS:

HBP IS COMIIIIIIING! I'm sure people who read Harry Potter fanfiction had no idea that the newest book was coming. The day of fierce AWESOMENESS is UPON US! You have to wait a bit more. Well not exactly yet, but it's only :checks countdown from mugglenet: twenty-five days!

TEEHEE.

Jersey Princess- THANK YOU! All those long bid words were brilliant! In seriousness though, I really do appreciate the fact your still reviewer. Mainly for staying with us all this time and diligently reviewing old and new chapters alike. You rock! Consensus! I love the fact that you are still with us.

MyPreciousss188- A new reviewer! I love new reviewers! Cool. Preciousss is what I called my cell phone, that's how special it truly was to me, which is kind of sad, I was redeaing a character anaylsis on Gollum and the changes made to the hobbit (A Tolkein Compass) the other day, very intresting. (lost it recently in a dismal way…though a shred of hope remains…). Anyway, so glad you like it, and thanks for naming specifics! It's great to know the details that readers like. Or don't like, con crit is helpful as well.

Moonbugg- YOU'RE BACK! Throws confetti! We're wunderchildren now? Wunder…chichi? Actually, hadn't given the review thing a huge amount of thought before…thanks. It is kind of sad to see all the nice people tell me how wonderful I am. No, just kidding, we LOVE YOU! Love is a bit strong, infatuated with your reviews is how I would phrase it. The reviews may come back now, I'm hoping. And wishing, and praying. In fact, Tev, we can always email the old regulars and let them know we're here, you know? Alright, you start on that since I'm paranoid about e-mail, and leaving. That'd be good if they don't seem to flock back with this chapter. WHICH THEY SHOULD! Anyway, thanks Emzzz, and just the words 'morale-booster' seemed to help me reading that! Although, I like story and ego boosting too.

Funny Cide- Awesome possum…we seem to hear that…more than once. Cool! We're awesome as a possum for sure now, eh? Thanks! No! You're a possum, I am a muskrat! HA!

Flagstonejester- THANK YOU for the perfect praise for both our characters. I always love hearing a good thing about angry Angelina, since it's a lot more fun to write then normal happy Angelina. Good thing we haven't gotten to angry depressed Angelina yet, that one ought to be really scary. The pride and joy of the qualities we give them seems to be what you like, so thanks!

Old reviewers we haven't heard from again: COME BACK! Please? Because, the truth is, we're in love with your reviews and can't live without them (well, we actually can since I'm alive while I'm typing this…) but not for much longer!

Thank you all SO MUCH for sticking with my insane procrastination. And my soon to be leavingness. You will be receiving your cyber cookie dough, cupcakes, truffles, and bottle of seltzer at the cyber fanfiction email base of…the brain. I want some real ones, but I add cooked meatloaf to this pile. Also, if none of that appeals to you (!), a cyber copy of HBP at 99 percent off. I get the 1 profit. MWHAHAHAHA