Chapter Sixteen
Pre-term Pranks
Christmas came and gone for Harry as he and Hermione spent some of the time getting a guided tour of the place be Alex. He also spent some time getting to know his parents more by talking to them in the family portrait room as they had mentioned in their previous meeting. Hermione tired to stay out of the way when he was there, but there were times when Lily requested her to be present. The best present Harry could receive was getting to know his parents more.
They both spent the rest of the holidays either helping the house elves clean the place (as Hermione constantly insisted) or having as much fun as they could out on the grounds of the house. Harry also found something about his dad that he thought was amusing. It seems that he is just as dense as Ron, according to Hermione, when it comes to how Muggles live with their lives without magic. The holidays ended far too quickly for Harry and they both had to catch the train back to Hogwarts.
They both met up with Ron and Ginny, as well as Emily, on the train. Ron was complaining about the holiday he had. It seems that all they did was talk and do some family traditions on both sides of the family, the Weasley and Fleur's family. Ron didn't seem to shut up about his complaining and he drove Harry into it. Hermione had to shut him up with one of her talks that she gave him before the holidays. Ginny left the compartment to be away from her brother's complaining. Emily and Hermione also caught up over what they did during the holidays before she left to be with some of her friends. Malfoy, along with his cronies and Pansy Parkinson, did make a visit with them but it was just a sneering look on his face.
They kept silent on the train ride back to Hogwarts. Hermione, of course, was reading one of her books in order to prepare for their upcoming N.E.W.T.s, which she constantly reminded both of them, especially Ron, that they needed to pass those exams in order to get a decent job outside of Hogwarts. Ron was still in a foul mood even after the snack trolley came. He seemed to have made a big deal that Harry and Hermione spent the holiday together without him. Harry guessed that he was still a little sore that Hermione declined his offer to spend the holidays together and that they hadn't told them that they were dating each other.
Ron made himself scarce after the train stopped at the station. Both Harry and Hermione had to do their duty to make sure that everyone was off of the train before they could leave. They both had their hands full with students venting off some of their pent up holiday cheer and Ron didn't seem to care with what the students were doing, unless it was the Slytherins that were the ones misbehaving. Malfoy was also making himself heard what he did over the holidays, but he was about to be humiliated for comparing his holiday to Harry's and for his constant arrogance. It happened not long after the train came back to Hogwarts.
"Hey, give that back Malfoy! My mother made me that!" Colin Creevy shouted in the Entrance Hall after Malfoy bumped into him catching all those present's attention.
"I wonder how a sweet treat would taste like if it was made by a Muggle," Malfoy said as he took a huge bite of piece of fudge as Crabbe and Goyle dumbly guffawed. "Not bad," after he had finished the treat, "for a Mudblood's mother," he sneered as the Slytherins that were present chuckled at the comment.
Before anyone could protest about the insult; Malfoy drops the box of sweets and puts one of his hands on the side of his head as his breathing became labored as he groaned a little. His hair started to turn from blonde to black. His hair also began to hang out at all angles and his eyes began to turn a deep shade of green. For some reason, Harry guessed that Malfoy was turning into him and that there must have been some Polyjuice Potion on those sweets. Harry could also see that something was appearing on Malfoy's forehead; it was his own lighting bolt scar.
"Hey Ferret! How does it feel like to be the famous Harry Potter; that you solely loathe?" a student cried out.
It was true, Malfoy was turning into Harry, but before Malfoy could snap back. He began screaming in pain as he clutched his forehead as he fell to his knees before rolling onto his back. Everyone present was laughing. Ron was bowling over with laughter as he fell over and rolled on his back clutching his abdominal, as if it was about to jump out of his mouth, the Creevy brothers were trying to stay on their feet as they laughed holding onto each other to keep the other from falling over, and Peeves was also cackling madly at the scene as he hovered above. Harry, Hermione, and all of the Slytherins were not laughing. Harry knew, as well as Hermione, that whatever was in those sweets; they were considered dangerous. Harry consciously knew that Malfoy didn't deserve this kind of punishment for the torment that Malfoy has caused everyone.
After Malfoy turned back to normal and the laughter subsided a little, Colin spoke to Malfoy as he tried to hold back his laughter.
"A gift from a pair of Weasels that you hate."
"A pair of twins to be exact," Dennis, Colin's brother, added and with that the Creevy brothers fled as Malfoy and his gang chased after them with Pansy Parkinson bringing up the rear. However, they were tripped up and they fell onto one another as the Creevy brothers fled from the scene.
"That's not funny, Ron," Hermione scolded as they made their way back to the common room.
"It was funny and that git deserved what he got," Ron replied in between his stifle attempt to hold back his laughter.
"Those bothers of yours must be mental if they sell products like this."
"It was funny, and I don't see why you had to confiscate those sweets."
"They are considered dangerous for having the eater get a headache for eating them."
They entered the common room to find that the Creevy brothers were already there and there was a group of students around them as they were laughing aloud.
"Give me that box, Colin," Hermione ordered as she approached them.
"Hermione," Colin replied innocently, "these are from my mother and what you saw was the only box I had. Besides they only have that headache part if you hate Harry and that's it."
"Really," Hermione huffed, "they are still considered dangerous; even if they were used against the Slytherins. You're a prefect and you shouldn't be doing things like this."
"Lighten up, Hermione. Here have a treat," Dennis, said as he offered her a piece of fudge.
"Well, I do like things that were homemade and without the use of magic," Hermione replied as she took the piece of fudge and took a bite.
There were stifles of laughter and Harry guessed they were still laughing at what happened to Malfoy but it went unnoticed by Hermione.
"Not bad, Colin," Hermione said after she finished the piece of fudge, "give my compliments to your mother."
Harry now noticed that something was happening to Hermione. Her hair started to turn from bushy brown to becoming black and sleek. Hermione took notice of the scene and she had a confused look on her face, which is unusual for Hermione.
"Hermione," Harry said and she turns to face him. He now notices that her eyes were starting to turn green. "I think Colin had another stash of those sweets Malfoy ate."
Hermione picks up a hand mirror on the table and takes a look at her face. Harry could tell by the look on her face from the reflection as she removed the mirror and faced the Creevy brothers that she had a look plainly said, "You shouldn't have done this." She then starts to chase them around the common room as everyone else laughed at the incident. It was hard to tell if they were laughing at Hermione chasing the Creevy brothers or that they were laughing at the Creevy brothers being chased by a feminine version of an enraged Harry Potter.
Hermione turned back to normal, but not after she almost tripped over a few chair legs in her chased of the brothers. The Creevy brothers fled the scene as they left through the portrait hole and cackled to themselves while the laughter subsided. Harry was one of the few who didn't laugh; although, Ron was laughing at what was happening. It was hard to tell what he was actually laughing at. Hermione left in a huff when she caught sight of Ron laughing at her and she left the common room.
"Some friend you turned out to be," Harry snapped at Ron.
"What'd I do?" Ron asked as Harry left the common room to chase after Hermione.
Harry searched for Hermione and he found her, where else, at the library. She was in a private corner of the library with several thick books around her. Harry silently crept up to her as best as he could so that he didn't upset her more than she was.
"Hermione?" he quietly asked and in response she slams the book that she was reading and it made Harry jump.
"Did you see what they did to me?" her voice was starting to crack and she now had tears in her eyes.
"Hermione, it was just a harmless joke and no physical harm came to you."
"I know it's a harmless joke but they were playing on my gullibility for homemade goods; you know without magic."
"Hermione," Harry interrupted but Hermione didn't hear him.
"It's been the same before I got my acceptance letter from Hogwarts."
"Hermione-"
"They put foul things in things they said were homemade and I've been called a lot of names."
"Hermione-"
"Teacher's Pet, Poindextor, Einstein," she continues to list names she had been called that all equal that of everyone's insult of 'know-it-all' and she didn't stop until Harry cupped her chin.
"Hermione, I don't care if you're a 'know-it-all.' I only care if you are my friend and will always be my friend."
"I'm sorry Harry," as she takes his hand, "but that joke just brought back some memories before Hogwarts. I never had a true friend before Hogwarts. Some were but it was only a joke made by everyone else and it just hurts me more. When I first came to Hogwarts, I hoped that I could at least make some friends. When I first met you, I knew that you wouldn't want to be with someone like me. However, it was only after the troll that we became friends and I've stuck by you ever since."
"I think we're like two peas in a pod."
"We were both considered outcasts. I was one only because I loved to learn and you were one only because you were a wizard."
"The other reason I was one was because of Dudley and his gang me beating up and no one would have wanted to get beat up by them if they wanted to be my friend."
"Thank you, Harry," as she wiped her eyes dried and pulled Harry into an embrace in which she returned it.
However, their tender moment was interrupted by somebody clearing their throat. It was Madam Pince, the vulture-like school librarian who is lanky and cantankerous, and she wore a look of discontent. Harry and Hermione both made themselves scarce before she could do anything to them. They returned to the common room so that Hermione could make amends with the Creevy brothers on their joke. When they returned to the common room, they found several more students their and they were trying out joke products. There were some of the treats that turned Malfoy and Hermione into Harry while others had other strange side effects; such as giving the eater the head of an animal and they sounded like that animal. They did find the Creevy brothers in a corner of the common room.
"We're sorry Hermione. It was only a joke and everyone should laugh at a joke; even if they were the ones that the joke was played on," Colin said as Harry and Hermione approached them.
"Yes, it was just a harmless joke," Dennis added.
"I know it was a joke, but some jokes can hurt people. I don't mind you playing harmless jokes on anyone, but having someone get a headache is taking it too far," Hermione said in her best bossy tone.
"That's not what Professor Dumbledore said," Dennis added.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"He thought they were brilliant! As it turned out, he ate some of the fudge just as Professor McGonagall came in. She told him about what happened to Malfoy and he just laughed and just said it was the best magic he's ever seen since James and Sirius' time at Hogwarts. However, Professor McGonagall doesn't agree with it, but Professor Dumbledore said he was going to talk to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes about said product."
"Although I would disagree with the headache portion of the fudge since having a Slytherin turn into Harry is more than enough to hurt them without the headache."
"If you would excuse us," Colin said as he rubbed his hands together, "but there are a few things we need to take care of before the start of the next term."
They left but Harry could tell that they had a mischievous smile on their faces.
"You think their going to prank some more Slytherins?" Hermione asked.
"Who knows, but I think they're trying to rival the antics of Fred and George," Harry simply replied.