Chapter 4: Mummy's Special Widdle Dragon

As silent as night stalkers, they crept along the dark eerie hallways of Hogwarts unseen and unheard. After accomplishing their first task in the kitchens, they had one more stop to make before calling it a night. The sound of approaching footsteps, though, stopped them in their pursuit. Hastily the smallest of the three was shoved unceremoniously behind a tapestry followed by two much larger bodies. The figure bit back a yelp of pain from hitting the stone.

All was quiet except for the dull dragging of Mr. Filch's tired feet as he walked by their hiding spot completely oblivious. Once his footsteps disappeared, the three students continued on their journey.

The air around them slowly decreased in temperature, but they didn't notice with the insulation their body's adrenaline supplied them.

Finally, they reached their destination. Upon seeing the desired expanse of wall, the three put their plan into action; the larger of the two occasionally stood guard in case someone came.

With intricate swishes and flicks, they cast the planned and specified spells outside the common room entrance. It didn't take long and so, not a few minutes later, the three were making their way back up to the warmth of their own common room. They shared a mischievous grin anxious to see the results during breakfast the next morning.

It took two weeks of thoughtful and almost obsessive planning to set up this prank along with all the others that would be following after it. Finally they would reap from the rewards their planning and preparations gave them.

The Slytherins should've known better than to mess with them.

…..

"Ow!" Hermione hissed the next day at lunch.

She glanced witheringly down at her bruised fist. It hadn't hurt the night before with all the adrenaline still pumping furiously through her body by the time she went to bed. She did feel a bit of a twinge as she got ready for breakfast, but passed it off as nothing. Now the pain was extremely unbearable.

From across the table, Ginny's eyebrows knotted in worry. "What's wrong, Hermione?" Ginny asked before she glanced to where Hermione was looking. She gasped. "Hermione, your hand!"

Hermione only shrugged and winced as she tried flexing her hand. "It wasn't that bad last night I swear." Her eyebrows knotted in confusion when Ginny gently grabbed her hand to inspect it. Two loud thumps next to Ginny startled them. Hermione quickly took her hand out of Ginny's grasp, cradling it against her chest.

"Afternoon!" the twins greeted happily before piling mounds of food on their plates.

"Afternoon," Hermione and Ginny replied before Ginny continued on in their discussion.

"Really, Hermione. You should go to Madam Pomfrey and get it checked out. It looks painful." Ginny looked worriedly at the girl in front of her who waved her hand dismissively.

"It's really not that big of a deal, Ginny. It's just a little bruise."

Ginny raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Really, Mione? That bruise is as wide as one of Harry's glasses lenses." Ginny examined the back of Hermione's hand even closer. "And there are scratches on your hand too! What did you do to it, Hermione? Or rather, what were you up to that made you injure your hand?"

Hermione couldn't help but feel slight panic, not wanting the twins to know she got the bruise from their late night escapade. She knew they would feel horrible since it was them who shoved her behind that tapestry to hide from Filch. "Err, I tripped up the stairs last night. I had my books in my hands so I wobbled off to the side and hit my hand on the wall when I fell." Ginny rolled her eyes at the girl's attempt and snorted.

"I'm not an idiot, Mione, so don't give me an excuse that only idiots would believe."

"That's not-" Hermione began to protest.

"What's this? What're you two arguing about so early in the day? Lunch is for eating not yelling, little ones," Fred admonished causing the two girls to roll their eyes and scoff in protest.

"It's really nothing, right Ginny?" Hermione gave the girl across from her a pointed look.

"Hermione's hand is injured." She glared at Ginny who easily waved it off. Fred snatched Hermione's hand before she could hide it under the table.

"Hermione," he murmured running his fingers lightly over the raised reddish-blue colored bump. His cold fingers sent strange tingles up her arm.

George looked up from his breakfast, comprehension dawning on his face. "Merlin. It was from last night, wasn't it? Why didn't you tell us?"

"It was fine last night!" she proclaimed. At their suspicious glances, she added, "I promise!" Fred frowned guiltily at her hand.

"It's our fault you're hurt," he brushed her hand softly. "We pushed you rather hard behind that tapestry. George and I will fix that up for you as soon as-"

A loud series of pops sounded over the Great Hall's usual raucous. Injury temporarily forgotten, Ginny watched as the three pranksters shared a knowing grin before the hall collectively turned toward the obtrusive sound.

The entire Great Hall erupted in loud laughter at the sight that greeted them at the Slytherin table. All members of the Inquisitorial Squad had simultaneously changed in appearance, their normally uniformed self reverting to that of a teenage baby.

Unbeknownst to the Slytherins, the three cast certain glamour and vanishing spells set specifically for the squad. At the designated time, wherever each member was, the spells and potion, delivered during breakfast, would kick in. Hermione couldn't help herself from laughing uproariously along with the rest of the student body.

Draco Malfoy stood in all his pale faced glory, an obnoxious blue and yellow frilly baby bonnet sitting atop his head. Draco's uniform had vanished and only a large white nappy with the words "Mummy's special widdle dragon" decorated in glittered letters on his behind substituted for his clothes. The students all watched in surprise as long front teeth protruded slightly from his mouth. In between his protests, Draco would randomly break out into baby-like cries, tears falling unashamedly as he sucked his thumb causing more laughter.

The rest of the Inquisitorial Squad suffered very similar fates. All wore different obnoxiously colored frilly bonnets, white nappies with different words in glitter pasted on their behind, and grew large protruding buckteeth. The girls also donned huge white nappies with sparkling words and bright bonnets, but they had onesies to cover their upper chest. Each onesie was decorated liberally with either one of the other three house's insignias and colors.

The Slytherin table turned into chaos as a mixture of alarm and baby cries filled the air. Unfortunately for them, the spells and potions took at least two hours to reverse. The pranksters made painstakingly sure that nothing would be able to reverse the effects except time.

At the faculty table, Professor Umbridge, now Headmistress of Hogwarts, sputtered in disbelief, her eyes wide and wide face growing red. She tried to clear her throat several times over the loud noise of the laughing and pointing students, but it was all in vain. As she took another swig of her goblet, she began coughing and sneezing uncontrollably.

"Hey, look!" Parvati pointed toward the ill headmistress. Those who heard her turned their heads to see Professor McGonagall whacking the headmistress none-too-gently on her back to help ease her coughs, but it only made the coughing and sneezing worse. Everyone laughed upon seeing the obvious satisfaction on the Transfiguration teacher's face.

After watching the hasty departure of their coughing and sneezing headmistress and the large group of teenage babies leave, the Great Hall cheered happily.

"It was you three wasn't it?" Ginny leaned in to ask Fred, George, and Hermione.

George and Fred nodded happily, contentment on their face at a job well done. Hermione grinned at the mental picture of Draco and Pansy waddling out of the Great Hall, bright sparkly letters flashing.

When the laughter died down Fred took Hermione's hand into his once more. Her heart skipped, but she excused it as excitement from all the hype.

"Really, 'Mione. I wish you'd told us last night. We didn't mean to shove you behind that hard. Besides, you still have another week of detention with Umbridge," George said as he took a look at her hand as well.

"Really, it's nothing. It's just a bruise, you two!" Hermione replied happily. Her cheeks were still flushed from all the excitement and her eyes sparkled happily. Nothing could bring her happiness down. Nothing.

"Hi, Fred!" another voice exclaimed before the twins could respond. Angelina stood behind Fred, eyeing their conjoined hands before returning back to the twin. She smiled prettily. Hermione yanked her hand from Fred as Angelina moved to sit. Fred looked puzzled at Angelina as she sidled up next to him, but shrugged it off and smiled.

"Angelina! What brings you over to our neck of the woods?" Fred asked as he spooned a large helping of food into his mouth.

"Oh," Angelina waved her hand flippantly, "this and that. Just wanted to visit you." She grinned as she leaned in toward the unsuspecting Fred.

Fred glanced up at her vague answer, eyebrow rising. "Any specific reason?"

Hermione, Ginny, and George watched as the girl blushed before taking a deep breath, "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a walk around the Lake with me today?"

For some unexplainable reason, hearing the other girl's words made all of Hermione's happiness drain away completely. She felt her smile slid off, the sparkling in her eyes dull, and her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.

She didn't know why she was so affected by Angelina's request to go out on a walk. It's not like she liked Fred in that way. They were just….prank partners, if that was the correct way to describe them. She was his little brother's best friend and he was her best friend's older brother. She didn't like him as more than just a friend and prank partner. She didn't.

And yet, Hermione couldn't stop the loud beating of her heart in her ears as she watched Fred place his hand on Angelina's back agreeing to her request. Shaking her head to get rid of those strange feelings, she stood up from the table gaining the attention of those around her. George and Ginny shared a knowing look while Hermione shifted her bag on her shoulder, clearly uncomfortable.

"Well, I'm off to the library before classes. Since you two are insistent I'll come to you before my detention starts to fix my hand." Hermione felt her insides clench when Fred merely waved goodbye and smiled slightly before returning back to his conversation with Angelina. Ginny and George bid her farewell sending her knowing looks which she didn't quite understand. Sighing, she took off to her destination.

Things just didn't make sense.

…..

"Hey, mudblood!" She heard a snarky high-pitched voice call to her as she made her way to Professor Umbridge's office. Hermione continued walking, hoping the girl would get the hint. "Hey I'm talking to you, you filthy commoner." Turning around, Hermione fought the urge to slap the wits out of Pansy, but she held back. She didn't need more detention taking away from her OWL studies and her plans with the twins.

"No longer in your nappy, Parkinson? Such a shame. You actually weren't as revolting looking with that frilly bonnet covering your face. What do you want? I have better things to do with my time than talk to your pug-faced self." Pansy bristled at the insults.

"Watch your mouth you dirty hag. I was sent to deliver a warning from Draco."

Hermione glared at the dark haired girl. "Really? Delivering a warning from Draco? I thought that was beneath you delivering messages. It is, after all, considered… what was the word you used? Oh yes… a 'commoner's' job to do the bidding of others. You are quite the hypocritical little witch."

"Not that I have to defend myself to the likes of someone as low as you, mudblood, but I only do the bidding of my future husband's. It is what is expected from us pureblood women, but you probably don't know what that means considering your status and those blood traitors you associate with," Pansy sneered. "I wouldn't be surprised if you whore yourself out with all the Weasley boys at one time just like the Weasley girl with all the Gryffindor boys. Disgusting bint."

Hermione eyes flashed dangerously as her hand smacked Pansy's face harshly. Hermione held her wand out before the raging girl could open her mouth. "Don't you dare," Hermione's hissed low and deadly, her face twisting in disgust. "You are just like Malfoy. I guess you two deserve each other with all your seriously twisted beliefs and with your heads so far up your disgusting pureblood arses. It's too bad you will never have Malfoy as a husband, Parkinson. The day you figure that out once and for all, the day the world will laugh at you for your gormless stupidity."

Pansy, holding her tender cheek, glared harshly at the Gryffindor. "Draco and I will marry. Just you wait and see, mudblood! And when we do it'll be I who will be laughing at you who will most likely be married to nothing less than a squib. That is," Pansy's lips twisted cruelly, "if anyone would even dare to touch you. We will make your life absolute hell."

Hermione's hands clenched, but she refrained. "I wouldn't be saying that just yet about Malfoy. Just ask Astoria Greengrass. She'll know what I'm talking about. After all, it was her I caught tangled up with Malfoy recently. Not you." She suddenly relaxed her body and gave the surprised girl a satisfied smile. "Now if you don't mind. I have somewhere to be." She turned around and continued on her way to Professor Umbridge's office.

"Draco said you better watch your back. I hope to Merlin he hurts you so bad you never contaminate these hallways again," Pansy spat out once she got over the surprise Hermione's information gave her.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Tell him I'm absolutely shaking in fear. That'll make his deluded big head bigger, won't it?" Once she turned the corner Hermione was glad to see the girl hadn't followed or replied. She sighed, trying to fight back the prickling of her eyes.

She had never felt so angry other than when she punched Malfoy those two times. Hermione took deep breaths before she knocked on the Headmistress' door ready to undergo another round of Professor Umbridge's mutilating quill. At least her hand was practically healed. The other parts of her, however, she wasn't so sure.

A/N: I am so sorry about the delay! My laptop wasn't connecting to the internet for at least half a week and with work/school I didn't get much of this chapter done during the weekdays.

Thank you so incredibly much to those who have reviewed/alerted/favorited/read this story! It makes me feel amazing knowing people are enjoying it! Please do review again! The more reviews/feedback I get the more incentive I have to finish the next chapter!

Now, to answer a couple questions!

This story is strictly for Hermione's fifth year and the twins' seventh year, so there will be no killing Fred off unless there's a sequel. Even then, I don't think I'd kill him off.

Doubutsu-lover: I'm not sure if that's the same name as the student from the movie, but my event actually takes place way before the one you're thinking of (if you're thinking of the movie scene when Harry sees the twins with the little boy and Umbridge comes out).

York: I assume that the Ministry was fielding all the owls incoming/outgoing Hogwarts so any specific mention of the corruptness of the ministry was thrown out. The Daily Prophet was so heavily influenced by the Minister (and bribes too I'm sure) that any mention of Umbridge's methods would surely be shut up. When Voldemort was seen by everyone at the end of the movie it was simply impossible for the ministry to shut up so many of the reporters and aurors who saw Him. That's what I believe at least. Only J.K. Rowling knows why. As for not picking up the quill, Umbridge would've most likely held them in there until they did and if they didn't at the end of detention, she would most likely do something to make them. If you recall, in the movie she was not against using the Cruciatus curse on Harry to get what she wanted. Hope that answers your questions!

Again, don't forget to review! Thanks everyone!