"Effing cauldron!" I exclaimed as I landed upside down in an extremely large cauldron that was in the corridor outside Gryffindor Tower.
"Oof, Katie get off!" Fred hissed prodding me.
"Ouch, now get off of me!" George insisted prodding me even harder.
"What the Hell are you two doing in here?" I asked in a hissed sort of whisper.
"We might ask you the same question," George replied smartly.
"But since you asked so nicely," Fred continued, "We're in out tank, can't you tell?"
"What the bloody Hell are you talking about now, Fred Weasley?" I asked as I felt the 'tank' begin to move.
"We charmed the cauldron to move in the direction we point my wand," George explained, "Lee's in the other one. We're at war!"
"You're doing what!"
"We're looking for the enemy, of course. I think you're sitting on our ammunition though," Fred said glancing at me, "If I had known you wanted to join in I would have let you be on Lee's side."
I moved off of the 'ammunition', which turned out to be a stack of water balloons, and onto the cauldron bottom beside Fred. I still couldn't believe what they were doing. They were playing war in cauldrons with Lee. These two were unbelievable.
"You two are so childish," I ridiculed, "Can I play?"
So sue me! What, a girl can't have a childish side anymore?
"Okay by me, what do you think General Weasley?" Fred asked his twin.
"I think that we should have put a viewing screen on this thing!" George replied, "Oh, you meant about Katie? Welcome aboard Lieutenant Bell!"
"I'll help with your difficulties, General," I said happily falling into army mode. I whipped out my wand and enchanted the entire cauldron so that you could see through it when inside it.
"I think she needs to be promoted to Captain, don't you Captain Weasley?" George exclaimed ecstatically.
"I quite agree, General Weasley!" Fred replied, "Oh look there's Lee- I mean General, our target is within sight."
"I see him, Captain, I see him!" George shouted, "Oy, Captain Bell, Captain Weasley, get ready to fire!"
"Aye, aye sir!" Fred bellowed grabbing a pillow and tossing another to me.
"Wrong service, Captain Weasley," I laughed.
"Right, sorry about that General! Sir yes sir!" Fred took aim and prepared to chuck the pillow.
"Oh bloody hell, General, look out for the-" I started as we tipped over the side of the stairway and the 'tank' toppled to its doom. We landed all over the ground a floor down and I looked up to see a baffled looking Lee peering out of a cauldron.
"What was that noise? Oy, General, Captain, Katie, are you okay?" Lee called down the stairs.
"Just fine General Lee!" I called in response.
I struggled to right the cauldron. Fred and George helped me and we slowly tugged it back up the stairs. Fred jogged back down and nabbed the pillows and we helped Lee out of his 'tank'.
"What do you say Katie and I go against you and George?" Fred asked Lee.
"Sounds good to me," Lee replied as he clambered back into the 'tank', "but try to stay away from those stairs!"
We piled into our 'tank' and sped off in opposite directions. Fred and I stopped about ten feet down the hall. Fred spun the 'tank' around quickly.
"What are you doing?" I hissed.
"I'm going where they won't find us," Fred replied calmly.
"Where's that?"
"Down a level," Fred spun the 'tank' so it faced the stairs head on and gunned it.
"No, Fred, don't!" I cried as the 'tank' tottered on the edge of the stairs and then plunged over the top.
Somehow the 'tank' managed to stay upright and Fred and I stayed safely inside. I immediately turned and smacked Fred in the back of the head.
"Ouch, what was that for?" Fred asked sulkily.
"For being an idiot and taking us down the stairs," I replied pulling back my hand to hit him again.
"MISS BELL, MR WEASLEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" a voice yelled angrily, "GET OUT OF THAT CAULDRON RIGHT NOW!"
Fred and I scrambled out of the 'tank' and I tripped and fell on the floor in my haste. Fred tripped over me and fell on top of me. We quickly scrambled to our feet and turned to face our doom, Professor McGonagall.
"What are you two up to now?" McGonagall sighed in exasperation, but I could have sworn I saw a smile tugging at her mouth.
"Um, we were just scouting for the enemy," Fred replied innocently, "General Bell and I were both hoping to catch the enemy by surprise."
"I suppose that the 'enemy' would be Mr. Weasley and Mr. Jordan, am I correct in my assumption?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied as innocently as I could manage.
"What am I going to do with you four?"
"You could always let us off with a warning," I said sweetly as Fred kicked me in the shin.
"Don't give suggestions or it gets worse," he hissed into my ear, smiling innocently the whole time.
"You know, Miss Bell, I think that's a very good idea." Professor McGonagall winked, "Now, Mr. Weasley, please take this cauldron back to the dungeons or wherever it is you came to be in possession of it. Miss Bell, please find the 'enemy' and tell them to do the same thing."
"And Miss Bell!" McGonagall called after me; I turned to face her.
"I must say that was fine work transfiguring the cauldron to be clear when inside. I've never seen anything like it from a second-year before."
"Thanks, professor," I smiled slightly before hurrying off to find Lee and George.
"How did you get off without being punished?" Oliver exclaimed as Fred and I recounted the story over lunch.
"I don't know, I guess McGonagall found it amusing," I replied taking a bite of chicken pot pie, "She almost smiled about it."
George and Lee grabbed their hearts in mock astonishment. Alicia and Angelina looked slightly stunned.
"I only wish she had taken us to Dumbledore," Fred commented.
"Fred!" I called out in disbelief.
"No, honestly, Dumbledore loves when students do this kind of thing. He seems to find it highly amusing," Fred said nonchalantly.
"I'm still planning to steer clear of Dumbledore's office," I muttered.
"That's probably best, oh perfect angel Katie." George baited me.
"You just wait, Mr. Weasley." I threatened, "You know what I wish?"
"What's that," everyone asked, uninterested in my wish.
"I wish we could have had full scale warfare. You know, divided Gryffindor in two, or, even better, Gryffindor against Slytherin."
Fred grinned mischievously, "You, dear Katie, have given me an idea worth pursuing."
"Oh, God," I smacked myself in the head and started to mutter things like 'watch your mouth around Fred stupid!'
"Okay, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Oliver," I said mentally checking everyone off of the list, "We're all here. Do you all know what to do?"
I waited for a minute as everyone nodded their affirmative. I grinned mischievously.
"Then let Operation Get-the-twins-with-Alicia-and-Angelina has commenced." I announced putting my hand in the center.
Everyone slapped their hands on the pile and then we threw them up in the air. Stupid, I know, but you have to admit that it is strangely exciting.
"I think we need a shorter name for the operation." Hermione commented.
"Good idea, Operation Get-the-twins-with-Alicia-and-Angelina is henceforth dubbed Operation, uhh, Operation, hmmm…" I thought for a second, "Any ideas?"
Hermione sighed, "Just leave it. It's perfectly fine, Katie."
"Okay then. Oh, who else thinks we should have codenames?" I was rather excited; Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Oh, I agree!" Ron exclaimed just as eagerly as I had suggested it.
"RON!" Hermione sighed in exasperation.
"What? I've always wanted a code name," Ron replied sheepishly.
"Ron is now Flame Head. Harry can be Flying Wonder. Hermione, you're Book Worm. Oliver can be Scottish Brogue. I'm going to be Harriet, like in Harriet the spy, you know."
Harry let out a snigger of laughter while Hermione rolled her eyes again and Oliver and Ron just looked at me like I was crazy, which I probably was.
"So, we've got our code names and our instructions," I once again did my mental checklist, "Right, that's everything, Get going and good luck!"
The group broke up and disappeared into the crowded hallway outside the empty classroom we were meeting in. I saluted the group and wiped a proud tear out of my eye. Then I remembered that I had a job to do and practically sprinted out of the room.
"Alicia! Angelina!" I called to my two friends who were way ahead of me in the hallway, "Wait up!"
I sprinted up to them and grabbed Alicia's shoulder as I caught my breath. I had just run up three floors, down one and then back up two more before I found them.
"Let's go to the kitchens," I panted, yes, my job was to keep these two busy. Hermione and Ron had to keep the twins busy outside while Harry and Oliver did some fancy spell work inside the Great Hall.
"Katie, I think Fred and George are having a bad influence on you," Alicia commented.
"You're probably right, but come on, it'll be fun," I chided.
"All right," Angelina consented sighing, "I am a little hungry."
"That's a girl," I said linking arms with my best friends and skipping off down the hall.
"Fred, George, I think something's going to happen, and I suggest you just play along," I threatened softly as we walked into the Great Hall.
I glanced up at the ceiling and noticed the dark clouds. Ha, everything was going according to plan!
"Katie," Harry hissed into my ear as I sat down next to him, "I think we may have messed up the charm."
"What?" I hissed back.
"I think the hearts may say the wrong thing," Harry mumbled to me.
"Like what?" I asked afraid they'd say something like 'we hate you Alicia and Angelina, Fred and George.
"I think they'll say 'we love you Alicia and Angelina, Gred and Forge'." Harry replied guiltily.
"Oh, that's not so bad," I started to snicker, "Maybe they'll think it's cute."
"I hop e you all had a great Saturday. I'd like to inform you that due to some of today's events," at this point in his speech I swear that Dumbledore winked at me, Lee and the twins, "all large cauldrons are not to be used as tanks or any other type of vehicle. Thank you as always."
Many of the students sniggered as they began eating and we all eagerly dug in. Believe me, planning and executing evil plots makes you very hungry.
"What the?" Alicia pointed at the ceiling and stared open-mouthed.
Many of the other students were also staring at the ceiling from which hundreds, maybe even thousands of pink, red and white hearts fluttered slowly down to the students below.
Angelina nabbed at heart and read it quickly. She blushed, read it again and kissed Fred squarely on the mouth. The rest of the Gryffindor students, curious as to what the heart could say, dove for the falling hearts madly. Alicia managed to nab one and read it quickly once before she jumped on George and started kissing him.
"Nice job guys," I said shaking hands with the rest of the conspirators, "We've done well."
Hermione blushed as she glanced at Ron who was staring in astonishment at the fact that anyone would want to kiss his twin brothers like that.
"At least it's not Percy being kissed," Ron muttered and I felt slightly sick at the thought.
"Miss Bell, would you come with me please?" Professor McGonagall said sternly as she waded through the crowd of crazy students, "Perhaps Mr. Wood, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger should come too. I think the Headmaster wants a word with you."
"Katie!" four annoyed voices chorused.
"Sorry guys, it's entirely my fault, okay. I blackmailed you into doing it," I drilled the cover story into their heads as we walked to what I was sure would be certain doom.
"Ah, would you four wait outside, I wish to talk to Miss Bell alone," Professor Dumbledore said quietly as we walked into his office. The others turned and walked slowly out of the office to wait on the landing outside the door.
"Professor, I'm sorry," I began but stopped at the amused look on his face.
"There is no need to apologize, Miss Bell. I simply wanted to congratulate you on the outcome of your work. Everything seems to have turned out nicely. Well, I suppose that the misspelling of the Weasleys' names on the ah, decorations, was a slight bump in the road, but Miss Johnson and Miss Spinnet seem to have found the error, ah, amusing," Professor Dumbledore smiled at me, his blue eyes twinkling.
"Thank you sir," I replied, slightly confused.
"But Miss Bell, I must warn you that although you have not technically broken any rules in today's adventures, you might be wise to be a little more careful with how you spend your recreational time."
"Yes, Professor," I grinned, "Shall I get the others?"
Yes, and Miss Bell, would you like to have a little fun with them?"
"I would like that very much, sir," I smirked and then dropped my face so it looked upset.
"Katie!" Harry exclaimed falling back from the doorway, "How much trouble are we in?"
I just shook my head.
"That bad, huh?" Ron groaned and Hermione looked as though she might be sick.
"I am very, very," Professor Dumbledore started but was interrupted by Hermione.
"I'm so sorry Professor, I didn't think, I won't ever do it again," Hermione wailed, I think she was close to tears.
"Calm down Miss Granger, you're not in trouble," Professor Dumbledore said kindly, "I am glad that you all show the integrity to help your friends, even when they are unaware of it. No, you may all go. And, Miss Bell, please remember what we discussed about your, ah, recreational time."
"Yes, sir," I waved happily and led the way out of the office.
"What do you suppose that was about?" Ron whispered to Harry.
"I don't know, but seeing as it is Katie we're talking about," Harry trailed off.
"I heard that Potter," I called behind me, "just you wait until Quidditch Practice, I may not miss with the Bludger next time I steal the bat from Fred! Now, let's see how those lovebirds are doing, shall we?"
And I skipped up to the Common Room, happy as a lark, if, in fact, they are really happy at all.
AN/ Hey guys! That 'tank' idea, yeah not completely mine, i kinda got the basic idea from something I read, if it was yours then please let me know so I can thank you properly. Anyways, thanks to my reviewers! I love you guys! Um, I'm going to be gone for almost a week so I'll write while I'm gone and update ASAP. so don't worry!
HAHAHA, you may get another story sometime in the near future because I had a really great idea for a Katie/Oliver story. You'll see eventually. I may just have seen too much White Christmas lately though, maybe the idea really sucks, but whatever. I think it's funny. I'm just rambling so I'm going to go and fiddle with my new ipod.
Thanks again and Happy Holidays,
Love From,
MotherCrumpet
P.S. I think the traumatizing Quidditch Match where Harry's in the Hospital Wing is going to come up very soon. I always wondered if they tried to use a back-up Seeker or what, but now I get to write it! I'm SO excited! (and no, that's not sarcasm!)