Harry Potter wasn't adverse to mischief. Particularly when it got him out of having to spend Every Evening with Ron Weasley.

In fact, once that became the goal, he couldn't get the idea out of his head. It took a little time to plan out what he wanted to say, and a bit longer to vet it with Hermione, who didn't seem very impressed at his maturity. Well, she could go hang. She didn't spend nearly as much time with the Tiresome Oaf as Harry did - and the last three times ron had splashed golden syrup in Harry's hair, Hermione had escaped unscathed. (Harry was rather willfully ignoring that the time before that, Ron had gotten some molasses into Hermione's hair, and she'd had to cut it out).

"Hey Ron," Harry started out, encouraged when Ron looked up at him, and then feeling quite stupid for needing 'encouragement' to talk.

"Whut?" Ron asked. At least Harry wasn't talking at table. At table, Ron had the ability to spit food while talking. Harry rather pitied his mother.

"Did you know that Muggles think they know magic words?"

"Really?" Ron asked, and Harry could practically hear other people listening around them.

"Yeah, like Abracadabra." Harry said, and cringed when two Gryffindors flinched at the word. "What's wrong with saying that?" Harry asked, in a tone not much louder than a whisper.

Ron said, "The correct words... and I'm going to space them out so people don't flinch, is Avada - the entire spell is Unforgiveable, you know - Kedavra."

Harry asked, "What's an unforgiveable?" He knew, of course, but Ron wouldn't expect him to. Ron's da worked for the ministry, too, he might have something interesting to say.

Ron replied, "Only the worst spells get called that. A straight ticket to Azkaban, they are." Or... or Ron could just say that. And, as was typical, Harry was going to have to ask about prison.

"What's Azkaban?" Harry asked. Luckily for his sanity, Neville decided to say something.

"Azkaban is a horrible place where they lock up the terminally criminal." Neville said.

"They... they kill them?" Harry asked, acting his way out - he wasn't morally opposed to murder, in a Kantian sort of way.

"Yeah," Ron said, "There's magical creatures there called Dementors, and then rip away all your happiness. And then you die."

Mental note: do not go to wizarding prison.

"hHere's some other muggle words: Ooga Booga." Harry said, watching carefully for another flinch. When ti didn't come Harry advanced. "I want to bet you that you can't jump out from around a corner and shout Ooga Booga at 10 Slytherins before the end of the week."

"You're on!" Ron said, smiling.

[a/n: reviews?]