A/N: As always, I am sorry for the long wait. I had chapter 14 all done, but then I decided I didn't really like it so I started over and did this, which is completely different from the original version. The original was depressing, but I think this is a lot happier. Happy New Year!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
The next evening, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny marched downstairs in their human form. Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen making supper.
"Hello dears, how was your night at Lupin and Tonks' house?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Fine," lied Hermione.
"What are you making for supper?" asked Ron, taking a handful of croutons out of the salad.
Mrs. Weasley shooed him away from the large bowl of salad. "Chicken casserole and tossed salad."
"Anything for dessert?" asked Ginny, peering in the oven.
"Banana cream pie, Ginny," she answered, smiling. "Your favourite."
"Why don't you ever make blueberry pie?" said Ron. "I hate banana cream pie."
"You don't hate it, you had three pieces last time," said Ginny.
"That was just to be polite!" he answered, the tips of his ears turning pink.
Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes.
That night at supper Ron had just one piece of pie.
It was late at night and Ron and Harry were in the library. Hermione and Ginny had decided to go to bed early.
"I can't believe Hermione already finished all her homework!" exclaimed Ron, slamming his transfiguration book shut in frustration. "I've still got all my potions, charms and herbology left!"
"Do you know who invented the babbling curse?" asked Harry.
"No idea," said Ron. "Did you finish your potions essay yet?"
"No, I haven't even started," said Harry.
Ron sighed and got another stack of books off the nearest shelf.
Fred and George entered the library and hurried over to see Harry and Ron.
"How did you guys learn how to be animagus?" asked George.
"We found my dad's notes in here," said Harry. "And then Hermione basically figured out the rest."
"Will you teach us?" asked Fred. "Please?"
"Aren't you two old enough to become legal animagi anyway?" asked Harry.
"Well that wouldn't be any fun," said Fred.
"Then the ministry would know what we're up to," said George.
"We'll give you all the stuff you want from our store free," said Fred. "If you'll teach us how to be animagi."
"Please?" added George.
"Okay," said Harry. "But we'll have to talk to Hermione first. She's probably the best teacher."
"Let us know," said Fred, as he and George left.
"They want to be animagus too?" exclaimed Ginny.
It was the next morning, two days before Harry's birthday, and Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George were in the library again.
"And I thought we were done with all that," said Hermione, taking a chocolate frog from Ron.
"Please?" asked Fred. "It would be really helpful."
"It would be good to have some more animagi in the war," said Harry. "It's an advantage against Voldemort, that's for sure."
Hermione sighed. "Alright you two, come over here."
Fred and George stood in front of her looking eager.
"I'm going to say 'bestia vultus' and then you're going to see your form in your head. Okay?"
George closed his eyes and Hermione pointed her wand at him. "Bestia vultus!"
"I'm a lion!" exclaimed George, looking shocked.
"That's so cool!" exclaimed Ginny.
"At least I won't be the only big animal anymore," said Harry.
"Okay Fred, close your eyes," instructed Hermione. "Bestia vultus!"
"I'm an owl," said Fred. "A barn owl!"
"Aw!" said Hermione.
"This is going to be great!" said Fred. "What's the next step?"
"You have to research your animal until you feel a connection with it," said Hermione, taking a large stack of books off a shelf.
"Research?" said Fred. "During summer vacation!"
"Yes," said Hermione, handing him a book. "Here, try A History of the World'sOwls."
"Tell us when you get nightmares about being your animal," said Harry. "It means you're ready for the next step."
"But you have to study first," said Hermione firmly. "It won't work unless you study."
Apparently Fred and George were very serious about becoming animagi, because they studied for the rest of the day and got their nightmares that night.
"We got our nightmares!" said George the next morning at breakfast.
Mrs. Weasley gave him a funny look. "What nightmares?"
"Nothing, Mum," said Fred. Then he turned and whispered to Hermione: "What's next?"
"Not now," whispered Hermione, looking pointedly at Mrs. Weasley, who was still watching them suspiciously. "Meet me in the library after breakfast."
After breakfast, while Hermione was brewing the potion with the twins, Harry, Ron and Ginny decided to look for more secret passages.
"Maybe there's one in my room," said Harry.
The three of them ran upstairs to Harry's room to search.
"Hi Harry," said Lily. "What are you three doing up here?"
"We want to see if there's a secret passage in here," answered Harry. "Is there?"
Lily smiled. "Yes, there's one somewhere in here."
"Can we have a hint?" asked Ron.
James shook his head. "That would ruin all the fun!"
Ron started looking in the closet, Ginny searched the walls, and Harry checked the floorboards.
"Well, I don't think there are any passages in the walls," said Ginny. "Unless I need a password to get in."
"No, there isn't a password," said Lily.
Harry found a loose floorboard under the bad and pulled it open. Instantly, the hole became large enough for a person to fit through.
"What's in it?" asked Ginny.
"It's not as impressive as the others," said James.
"But it is cozy," Lily told them. "Go on."
The three of them slid down into the room. As soon as the last person, Ron, was down, the slide turned into a ladder. The room was completely dark, so Ginny lit her wand.
The room was just like the Gryffindor common room, except it also had a foosball table, a big screen TV, and a small kitchen. It was sort of like a mini apartment.
"This is great," said Ginny, turning on the TV.
"Yeah, but it's kind of boring," said Ron. "Want to go see if Hermione and the twins are done?"
"Okay," said Harry, and the three of them climbed out of the room.