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George gave a whistle to gain the room's attention. "My turn!" He proclaimed cheerily. Eyeing the three he stroked his chin, and then clicked his fingers. "I got it! You three can tell me about every prank you have ever pulled…" He grinned at their shocked faces. "…Or maybe only tell us the ones in your fifth year, because that could take a while." He added as an afterthought.
The trio were now pulling what they hoped to be 'innocent' faces. "What make you think that we ever played pranks on people?" Hermione asked.
"That's really a waste of a prank George." Ron added.
"Maybe there is a better question you could ask." Harry finished.
George stood with his mouth open. "How did you do that?" He asked. At their confusion he elaborated with disbelief on his face. "Only me and Fr-Fred could do that before. You finished each other's sentences!"
The three shrugged. "When you know someone for over seven years, and go camping in cramped conditions for a full year with them, you really get to know them. So now it's second nature when we feel like it." Hermione offered. A few envied the closeness that the three shared, but most weren't willing to pay the price they paid to earn it.
There were several questioning gazes at the camping reference. "Later." Harry muttered. "George, what was your other question?" He queried.
"Oh no. You haven't actually said you didn't pull any pranks. So the question still stands, I want the five best pranks the three of you played in your fifth year." A lament came from the three.
"This is ruining my reputation as a good student." Hermione groaned.
"Yeah, yeah Hermione, but my mum's going to kill me!" Ron moaned.
There was a pause. "At this point, things can't really get worse for me." Harry helpfully supplied.
"Excuse me, but I think you should carry on children. I am rather intrigued to hear what you have to say." Pomona said coolly. She obviously thought that the pranks were a bad idea.
This prompted the three to make a huddle and quickly discuss the topic. "Okay, we'll each do one, and then Ron and I can do the last two. Hermione's answered a lot so far." Harry decided. They turned around and Ron went to the centre.
"Well, I think our fifth best prank was when Slytherin house were teasing Harry for getting detention every night. Me and Harry thought up the plan, but had to convince Hermione to help because it needed some tricky spell work." He caught eyes with Harry and muttered. "Took a bloody long time though!" Hermione smiled and smoothly trod on his foot. "Oow!-Basically the prank was one that turned the entire Slytherin house red and gold for a week. I also believe the ones who tried to take it off were rewarded with boils spelling out 'Sucka!'" He sent another grin at Hermione. "It took ages for the Professors to find the counter-curse!" The three laughed, but George didn't look pleased.
"We were blamed for that! Snape took 60 points off of us, and we were given a week's detention!" He huffed, meanwhile the Professors were adding to that ever increasing list of theirs.
"Interesting that you let the Misters Weasley take the blame for that." McGonagall crisply stated.
"We didn't know Professor, it was never made public and no one told us. Besides, really it's just karma for all of the stuff they have gotten away with." They claimed.
"Next one please Mister Potter." Filius intervened before a fight could ensue.
"I think our fourth best prank was against Snape, after he insulted Harry in potions again." McGonagall raised an eyebrow at the last headmaster. "We dyed his robes and hair pink, and then charmed his quill to write 'I am a grouchy old bat who should never leave the dungeons over his walls.'" He chuckled. "It was quite funny that day when we had potions, and Snape was even worse than usual to everyone." There were laughs around the room as Hermione started conjuring pictures of the pranks they had pulled together, and they were passed around. No one heard Snape muttering darkly. Hermione went next.
"Our third best prank was for Flich I believe. He was by that time fully supporting Umbridge's regime and was quite nasty to all students. We-" Ron coughed. "Oh alright I, had the idea of charming his shoes to release mud wherever he stepped. Harry also transfigured his mops into fake wands…" She sheepishly smiled at the end of it. Frowns appeared at the teasing of Flich's lack of magical abilities. However as she went to sit down Molly coughed and Minerva sharply pointed to where she should sit at the base of her feet. When she got close enough Minerva slowly leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"You three have quite the Slytherin streak in your personalities. Some of that was nicely deserved payback. However, I am not about to let you get away with telling me only a few of your pranks, and I expect a list on my desk by Thursday. If it's not there I will get the information myself." Hermione shivered, and tried to inch away but was stopped by a firm hand on her shoulder. Molly kept her in pace with a beady eye.
"Our next two pranks concern that lovely lady known as Umbridge." Several vicious grumbles were heard about the room.
"Please don't make an attempt at humour Weasley, it's painful to watch." Snape drawled. Ron's ears turned pink and he ducked his head.
"Severus if you don't be quiet and stop insulting my cubs, I will be forced to place a silencing charm on you too." Minerva's glare quickly shut him up. "Please continue Ronald."
"Ah well, it was just after Dumbledore had been ousted from the school, and we felt that a little bit of payback was necessary for the detentions and other stuff, so me and Harry snuck into her office and charmed her perfume to make her smell of sick. We transfigured her furniture into hundreds of types of cats- big cats too- and gave most of Gryffindor angel's wings. To represent our innocence you see. They were all in on it, and we started singing funeral hymns whenever she got near, then we just started disruptions in her class. Hermione was particularly good at doing that, without either getting caught or giving Umbridge a reason to give her detention. She was quite scared of cats from then on." Some nodded, remembering the incident.
"I really thought you three had no idea…I guessed you were taking advantage of the situation when you talked to us!" Neville exclaimed with admiration in his voice.
"I received numerous headaches for that incident!" Filius complained, massaging his head. "She'd complain to me every time something happened! As if I cared!" He squealed.
"That was because you were too polite to tell her to shove of dear." Pomona reminded him. "Manners are not a bad thing, but you could have saved yourself from the company."
"Was she really that bad?" Molly asked, concerned for her children.
"Worse than you could ever imagine." Minerva commented dryly. A few shudders went around the room at the memory.
"What was your best prank then?" Arthur asked, interested in his son's previously unknown talent.
Harry's face erupted into a most uncharacteristically evil grin. "This one was done just after Hagrid left, and you were put in St Mungos professor. The whole of Gryffindor tower was involved, and it was quite spectacular. We could probably show it to you in a pensive if you'd like…" As he spoke a huge bowl, the size of a swimming pool appeared behind him.
"That would be quite entertaining Professor…" George said, excited at finally getting a chance to see the three in action. Minerva looked around to all of the adults, who each nodded and so she stood up.
"Stand around the edge then. One of you three should draw the memory out, and on my count we'll jump in." Hermione procured the memory and poured it in and McGonagall counted down.
"Three…..Two…..One….Now!" And the room of people jumped in. There was a moment of silence in the room until Snape started.
"How are we supposed to see?" With Albus nodding vigorously beside him he turned and sulked in the corner of his new portrait. "Damn inconsiderate imbeciles."
Meanwhile the room full of people landed in the scarlet and gold coloured walls of the Gryffindor common room. The whole of the house had congregated there, and all of them looked sad for some reason. Lavender and a younger student were even in tears. Questioning glances were thrown at Hermione, but she just gestured around the room.
"I….I can't believe it." Dean said.
"Hagrid- Professor McGonagall in hospital!" Colin weeped. Katie moved to comfort him.
"That foul- That evil slimy toadish cruel …cow!" Hermione burst out, clearly furious. "We can't let her get away with that!"
"Hermione there's not much we can do. Other than do her in." Ron sullenly stated.
"I'm not saying we should kill her Ron, something would be nice though!" Hermione snapped.
"What if we pranked her?" Harry put in. "We could all do something, so we all have an alibi and she can't put us in detention." Hushed whispers began around the room.
"That's not a bad idea Harry, of course it would have to be big, and perhaps a tribute to McGonagall as well so she knows it's us but can't prove it…" Hermione grinned wickedly.
"I have just the idea…." Ron yelled as his face gave way to a feral expression.
The remaining people of Gryffindor house smirked manically then moved into to the group huddle that had been formed.
The next few memories showed the preparations being made, and it was clear that the whole house were involved. Colin was seen snapping photos everywhere, and Katie zoomed around the quidditch pitch practicing flying techniques. Lee was concocting dangerous looking potions in the dungeons whilst Ginny and Seamus kept watch for trouble. The ringleaders themselves were spotted everywhere checking up on how things were going, and offering tips. Ron was shown owling his twin brother to inform them of their prank and ask for help. The quick series of memories ended as the Gryffindors were shown in a group huddle.
"Right, does everyone remember the phrase?" Harry asked looking confident. Nods and thumbs up showed the affirmative. "Okay, Ron you take the beta group to the astronomy tower. Hermione go with the omegas and I'll take the alphas. Everyone remember what you have to do!" And the group split up dramatically. The memory showed Hermione leading her group to the great hall with Harry.
For a few moments they stood laughing amongst the other houses until a member of Umbridge's group came in screaming "Professor Umbridge! You need to see this!" And he ran back out. The whole school followed, and Hermione's group were shown charming the halls to make it seem like they were still loitering, and snuck into one of the passage ways.
"Right, we need to wait for her to pass, and then we hit the squad. ONLY the squad for now though." Hermione reiterated. They peeked through one of the school's exits and stood with their wands waiting. Soon their defence against the dark arts Professor came running past and as her inquisitorial squad passed through the group aimed and fired. A bright symphony of light merged and hit each of the group, causing them to fall, and stat to turn into sheep. The loud sound of 'Baas' echoed through the hallway at the stampede. But their group wasted no more time, and quickly ran back through to where Umbridge was.
When they arrived Hermione grinned at the Quidditch team's exemplary work. In the sky the words 'Umbitch is going down! Long live Dumbledore's Army!' were written in bright red ink. Beneath this was also a caricature of a toad-like Umbridge being eaten by a tabby cat. Pleased with Dean's skill Hermione looked to the top of the astronomy tower and nodded to her group. At once a loud cheer was heard.
"GRYFFINDORS FOR GOLD!" And at this a huge vial of a large grey potion was tipped over the woman, and contained using Ron's groups' complex spell work. The potion bubbled and frothed as it touched the woman's skin and she shrieked.
"Horrible children! You shall all be given a detention!" But that was all she got out as she started to contort and change. Her skin started to bubble and froth, turning a horrible green colour. Soon enough stood in Umbridge's place was an ugly toad version of her. And Colin rushed forward, snapping photos.
"Cool!" The school looked at the hysterical 'headmistress' and burst into rounds of raucous laughter, even as she stormed away to the hospital wing, which only increased as she was followed by a flock of sheep with their squad badges on.
As the group moved out of the memory the trio expected to be admonished again. What they got however, was a loud cheer and clap on the back from those who hadn't known.
"She deserved that!"
"A polyjuice with toad essence I presume? Well done!"
"What a fine bit of charms work!"
"300 points to Gryffindor in my absence!"
"I just loved the drawing!" Professor McGonagall even looked teary eyed.
"I didn't realise you cared so much." She confessed as the noise died back down.
"Of course we did, we even sent you a card with a copy of the pictures in!" Neville revealed. "Didn't you get it?"
"…No but I expect it's in Albus's office. I must've put it there with his junk. Thank you." She smiled.
"No problem Professor. Who wants to ask the next question?" Harry asked his mood considerably lighter.
Penesives only occurred to me today, I could've kicked myself! They'll be used again, but not too much :)