Harry Potter and the Mind Mage

By James Milamber

I wrote this whole chapter in about an hour, so forgive me if it seems a little odd. I was stuck, and just started writing. This was the result. Oh well…enjoy!

From across the Great Hall, Alex watched a rather despondent looking Harry Potter being escorted by his father. His mouth twisted into a smirk as he glanced at his twin sister out of the corner of his eye.

'You know, I think young Harry could do with some cheering up,' he remarked.

Cassie returned to sideways look, and her lips formed an identical smirk. 'I rather agree,' she bantered.

'Can I help?' Isabelle reached out and took Alex's hand, grinning impishly.

'Of course you can't,' Alex grinned back. Isabelle shot him an annoyed look, but her eyes told him a different story. 'What I want you to do is go over there and distract Harry, Ginny and the others. This is a job for the Marauders.'

'Of course,' Isabelle kissed Alex lightly on the cheek before turning and heading off. Alex watched her leave, smiling in appreciation as her hips swayed enticingly inside her robes.

'Enough,' Cassie said, tapping him on the nose with two fingers. 'We have work to do, remember? You can admire Isabelle's rear some other time.'

Alex laughed, leading the way from the Hall.

========

Isabelle reached Ginny, Ron and Hermione at the same time Harry did. The raven haired Gryffindor was immediately swept into a tight hug from Ginny, as Ron and Hermione watched fondly. Isabelle caught their attention and motioned with her head, and the three moved a short distance away.

'Alex and Cassie are going to do something to cheer Harry up,' she said in a low whisper. 'Knowing those two, that means a prank. Our job is to keep Harry distracted until they can get set up.'

'What are they going to do?' Hermione asked suspiciously. Isabelle supposed that was the shiny Prefect's badge on the front of the older witch's robes talking.

'I have no idea,' the ex-Slytherin admitted. 'Although Alex mentioned something about "the Marauders", and this being a job for them. What does that mean?'

Ron and Hermione exchanged a long look, and Hermione sighed. 'It's a long story,' she said.

Isabelle glanced over at Harry and Ginny, who were still locked in their embrace. 'Looks like we've plenty of time,' she remarked dryly, as the couple showed no signs of releasing each other in the near future. 'This distraction thing could be easier than I'd thought.'

It was only then she realised that James had vanished.

========

James was, in fact, in the Entrance Hall. He stopped briefly near the massive doors, staring hard at a spot some three feet to the left of the entrance. A slight shimmer in the air told him he was spot on, and he flicked his wrist casually. The hood on the Invisibility cloak dropped down to reveal the face of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

'I still don't know how you do that, Milton,' the black wizard said in his deep, quiet voice.

'He's been doing it to me all year,' a rather indignant female voice came from just behind Shacklebolt. A second later, Tonks' head appeared. 'The amount of times Harry has almost caught me because of him…'

'If you had taken my advice and told him from the outset, you wouldn't have to hide from him,' James said matter-of-factly. 'As it is, the longer you delay, the angrier he will be.'

'I know,' Tonks made a face. 'But Moody insisted, you know that.'

'Oh yes,' James said dryly. 'I know Moody, all right.'

'Hey!' Another voice hissed, and the head of Alastor Moody appeared. 'If you've all forgotten already, we're supposed to be guarding the doors. Remember?'

'All right, all right,' Tonks sighed. 'It's just so boring!' She brightened. 'But Harry and Ginny were cute, weren't they?' At James puzzled look, she elaborated. 'Ginny caught up to Harry at the bottom of the steps, and basically kissed him into submission.'

James chuckled. 'I have very high hopes for that young lady,' he said with a smile.

'Talk later,' Tonks said fleetingly as she vanished again under her cloak. Moody and Shacklebolt vanished a second later.

James chuckled to himself, then headed for the marble staircase, following a magical trail only he could see. He was curious as to what his two children were doing this time.

========

'They have to be here somewhere…' Alex said, his voice slightly muffled. He was currently rooting around in his trunk, and his head was almost hidden as he reached deeper.

'Take your time,' Cassie muttered, glancing curiously around the boy's dorms from her place on the end of Alex's bed. Not so different from ours, really, she mused, idly trying to figure out which bed belonged to who. Ron's was easiest, only he could be that messy. Seamus was also easy, as was Dean, judging by the huge football poster hanging above his bed. Alex's she knew, and she recognised Neville's plant thing on his bedside table, but she was buggered if she could remember what it was called. Which left the last bed as Harry's. It was odd, but except for the trunk at the bed's foot, it looked almost unused.

Curious, she got up and walked over to Harry's bed, looking for anything personal. At first she thought the bedside table was bare, bar a few textbooks thrown carelessly down. But something didn't seem quite right. Her eyes seemed to slide off the tabletop if she stared too long, which in her experience was a sure sign of an illusion spell.

She drew her wand and tried to cancel the spell, but she may as well have tried asking it nicely, for all the effect it had. Now even more curious, she tried a more powerful Disenchantment. For a moment the top of the table seemed to waver, and then the illusion dissolved.

What Cassie had thought were books quickly changed shape before her eyes. There were three objects on the table. The first, closest to the bed, was a wizard photo of Ginny. Cassie smiled slightly as the photo version of the youngest Weasley waved, an impish grin on her face.

The second object was a small statue of an owl in flight. The owl's beak was open, as if she were screaming, and her wings were flared. From the few tidbits of information she had garnered from Harry's friends, Cassie assumed this was Harry's beloved Hedwig.

The third item was also a photograph. As Cassie picked it up, she smiled again as she saw who the photograph contained. Harry stood near the centre, waving, his arm around Ginny. Ron was next to them, with his arm around Hermione; both were beaming. Alex and Cassie were slightly behind the rest, both making faces at the camera. Isabelle, wearing her Slytherin robes, stood off to one side, rather hesitantly smiling.

Cassie remembered the day well. It had been during one of Harry's defense classes, not long after they had begun. Colin had been practically bouncing off the walls when Ginny asked him to take a photo of them. Cassie had been mildly surprised when she and Alex had been invited into the photo, and at the same time strangely honoured. But Isabelle's inclusion had stunned not only the then-Slytherin, but everyone else in the room, too. Although only a few had known the true import of what Isabelle's family stood for, it was widely known her mother was a Death Eater. For Harry to invite her into the photo, which had been supposedly only his closest friends…it had been surprising, to say the least.

Idly, Cassie flipped the frame around. There was something written on the back in Harry's messy scrawl.

I think these are the ones Gryffindor was talking about, the Helpers. I don't know how I know this, but I do. These are the ones I can count on.

Wordlessly, Cassie crossed the room to her twin and showed him the photograph. Alex stared at it for a second, then flipped it over. His eyes widened in surprise as he read the note on the back, and he smiled slightly.

'Right, now we have to give him something extra special,' he said, handing the photo back. 'And I know just the thing.' He held up a piece of parchment and smirked.

========

James watched the twins leave the dorm from his place atop Neville's bed, then dropped soundlessly to the floor. He shed the invisibility spell and headed for Harry's bedside table. From his vantage point, he hadn't been able to see the photo or read the note, and he wanted to find out what the fuss was about.

A moment later he slipped out of the dorm, a smile threatening to form as he headed back down to the Great Hall. He wasn't about to miss the show.

========

Back at the Ball, the party was getting loud again. It had been a but subdued after Harry's outburst, but as was usual at Hogwarts it was quickly forgotten. The band played, the students danced, and Snape stalked the Great Hall taking points from anyone he could.

Harry and Ginny were locked in each other's arms, although now it was on the dance floor. They rocked slowly back and forth in time to the haunting song being played, allowing themselves to be swept away by the compelling notes.

The song finally ended, and the room burst into applause. Harry and Ginny finally separated, if you could call it that. Harry's arm remained firmly around Ginny's slim waist as he led her from the dance floor.

'Interesting little tantrum, Potter.'

Harry sighed heavily, closing his eyes tightly and hoping that Malfoy would go away. It was wishful thinking, and he knew it.

'I always knew you were pathetic,' Malfoy continued, as Harry pointedly ignored him. 'Getting that riled up over a Weasley. God, Potter, you're pathetic.'

'Just leave it alone, Malfoy,' Harry said wearily, turning to face his nemesis. 'Are you capable of doing that for one night, or would you like to be slammed through another wall?'

Malfoy paled slightly, but rather bravely continued. 'You can't get away with this anymore, Potter. My father…'

'Your father has already been sent to Azkaban once!' Harry said sharply, his temper rising. 'He's nothing more than a criminal, Draco, and you know it.'

Draco sneered. 'Please, Potty, do not foul my name that way.'

'Whatever.' Harry suddenly found he didn't care what Malfoy said. Gripping Ginny a little tighter, he moved to steer her away.

'Typical Gryffindor,' Draco drawled. 'All talk, no substance. Should have known.'

Harry stiffened, and he felt Ginny's grip on his arm tighten.

'Don't listen to him,' she said quietly, but loud enough for Malfoy to hear. 'He's just trying to provoke you. Granted that's not a very smart move, but…'

'Unlike the rest of this pathetic school, I know Potty's just a fraud,' Draco hissed. 'And I could prove it, too. One day, I'll prove it.'

Suddenly Harry spun, moving so his face was inches from Draco's. 'You think I'm a fake?' he snarled, all his anger rising to the surface. 'I pray, Draco Malfoy, that I never have to prove you wrong the hard way.' And with that he spun and stalked off, doing a very good impersonation of Snape. Ginny glared at Draco and hurried after him.

Behind them, Draco smiled in satisfaction. 'One day, Potter,' he said to himself. 'One day…'

========

Alex and Cassie entered the Hall just in time to catch the exchange. Alex glanced around quickly and spotted Isabelle making a bee line for them, her face set.

'That arrogant, stupid jackass,' she muttered as she reached them. 'Please tell me the prank you're going to pull is on Malfoy.'

Alex grinned. 'Of course,' he said evilly, wrapping his arm around Isabelle's shoulders. 'Watch, my dear, watch and learn.'

An owl came swooping into the Hall, a note clamped in its beak. It dropped the parchment on Malfoy's head before shooting back outside again.

Malfoy opened the note arrogantly and read the contents. His eyes widened in surprise and panic, and he threw the note away, drawing his wand and burning it to ashes with a spell.

'Big mistake, Malfoy,' Cassie said gleefully. As they watched, the ashes formed two new notes, both of which leapt off the floor and hurled themselves at Malfoy. The Slytherin also burned both the new notes, which quickly resulted in four attacking him.

By now, several people near him had noticed Malfoy's increasing desperation as now eight bits of parchment were flying through the air attacking the blond Slytherin. Each time he burned a note, two more would replace it.

'Not too bright, is he?' Cassie giggled as the number increased to twelve. Malfoy was now starting to panic, yelling as the notes continued to attack him, flying into his face and hair. All around the Hall students were laughing at Malfoy's strange predicament. Soon enough the air around his head was swarming with parchment, and Malfoy dove under a table to try to get away. The notes followed him, however, and Malfoy leapt out from under the table and started sprinting around the Hall, trying various spells to stop the parchment from strangling him. By now the whole hall was in the throes of hysterical laughter. Even the Professors were laughing, although in McGonagall's case it was merely a less severe frown. Snape was clearly trying very hard not to look amused. What was even better was that not one single person tried to help, even Malfoy's little Death Eater Slytherins.

But the best part was the look on Harry's face. He was watching the blond running, screaming hysterically as a blizzard of parchment battered at him. Finally Harry cracked, breaking out into uncontrollable laughter as Malfoy tried desperately to protect himself from the killer notes. From across the Hall, Ginny caught their attention and mouthed, "thank you".

Alex and Cassie glanced at each other, sharing a smile. Mission accomplished.

A/N: Ah, I love pranking Malfoy. Can you imagine it? Attack of the killer post it notes…

Review Responses:

Sauron the Deceiver: Did someone mention Malfoy beatings? By the way, CONVICT COLONY? I take offence at that…true, that may be our past, but at the moment we're the most stable country in the world. Just as an aside, most of the rest of the world can't tell the difference between us anyway…and they have a point. Do you realise just how close NZ was to becoming our seventh state two years ago (don't lecture me, I know we have more states than that, but two of them are territories, so nya)? It was a hair's breadth, I assure you.

xMegs: All will be revealed in good time…

Melindaleo: Oops? Hmm, I thought it was in OotP. Oh well, just assume they were maroon. ;)

Harry: The World Cup was a fluke, and everyone knows it. AUS has won it more times than anyone else (three, I believe – and we're the only country to win it back to back) and in the WC rematch, we whooped your pommy asses. What was the score again? Oh yes, 51-15! Muahahahahahaha! Erm…sorry, got a bit carried away there…

sunflowerchild: I am very sorry my friend, but you are delusional. India doesn't stand a chance…

CreativeQuill: Don't worry, the reporter was there for a very specific reason, which will be explained later. Not giving too much away, but this chapter should give you a few clues…and the question I'd be asking is, "how did the reporter get out of a sealed castle?" All I can say is…oops, I never thought of that. ;)

Alima: One's does one's best.

Saerry Snape: I was looking at your site, and I had to ask. Why are you so mean to Atra? He's not that bad. Thanks. What the hell are you doing here? Get back to work on NM, you lazy bugger.

shrek: hate to break it to you, but Adam Gillchrist has the highest batting average of any living player (about 65 or so). The record is, of course, held by the Don (99.95). Add that to a bowling lineup of Lee, Warne, Gillespie, and the batting of Ponting, Bevan, Bichel, Lehmann, and Martyn…I know I wouldn't like to play them, and I'd imagine the other countries feel the same…oh, and for the record, Warne now officially has the highest number of wickets taken in a career. And he's not even that old.

Serpentia: Sorry, but Shrub bashing is so much fun…and honestly, I don't think you could say anything derogatory about our PM that I haven't said a thousand times. The guy's a moron.

sunni07: I said 10 was the HIGH. Add wind chill, and the fact that it's been raining CONSTANTLY, and you have one miserable climate. At least you can throw snow at people. Can't really do that with rain…and the bloody roads are always wet. Grr…

oomahey: So I was exaggerating with the numbers…it's still a record number of wins in a row. Let's hear it, go Aussie, go! ;)

Lord Agamus: …you HAVE to be American. And on the subject of economy…AUS has the most stable economy in the world right now. So there. Actually, chess is the sport of Kings, but who's counting?