A Slight Mishap

Summary: Harry Potter knew something was going to go wrong when, as a punishment, Snape made him test an uncompleted ageing potion. Something always goes wrong. And he was right.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I'd be famous and I'd be a millionaire, and I'm afraid I'm neither.

A/N: Don't kill me? Just remember, if you kill me, you don't get anymore chapters! I'm so sorry about the delay. I had meant to have this chapter done ages ago! But with uni work and writer's block, not to mention a failing computer, I just couldn't get it finished! As such, this is what I have come up with, and it's a little shorter than usual. I hope it's alright for all of you who were waiting for it to arrive. Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty; Practicing with Magic

He was just staring, clutching the furry brown paw of Teddy, who had been feeling a little neglected the last few weeks. His head was tilted to one side and his green eyes were regarding Ron and Hermione somewhat curiously.

They were currently the only three people occupying the Gryffindor sixth year boys' dormitory, though that would likely change soon as it was getting later. Harry was sitting on his bed and Ron and Hermione were sitting on Ron's bed. If anyone had walked in at that very moment, they would have thought the three were trying to out stare each other.

And they would realise that Harry was winning.

Truthfully, Ron and Hermione weren't exactly sure what to do now. Harry hadn't said much since he had been aged that morning, no matter how hard his two guardians tried to initiate conversation. He seemed perfectly content just to watch them and his answers were generally as short as he could make them.

"So," Ron said, breaking the silence.

Harry turned his eyes on Ron, causing him to smile a little nervously. It was unnerving, the way he was just staring, and he couldn't help but wonder if Harry knew this and was doing it on purpose. This didn't stop him from avoiding the young boy's gaze though and surveying Harry's surroundings.

It was clear to see that Dumbledore had already been here, likely when they had taken Harry outside. Everything was the same except that the bed was bigger and more suitable for an eight year old. The clothes tucked neatly in the drawers were also different.

Harry himself was taller than he had been, though he only stood at Ron's waist, not surprising considering Ron was the tallest boy of his age. Even so, Harry seemed smaller than he should have done. His eyes were big and there was a light smattering of freckles across his nose that weren't there by the time he got to Hogwarts. His hair was as messy as always.

Hermione, however, was looking straight into Harry's eyes as she thought about the glasses that were tucked away in her dormitory. She had kept them safe for Harry all this time, but she wasn't sure when he would need them. She had forgotten to ask Madam Pomfrey to check.

We can take him later, she thought. Right now, however, the thought of Harry maybe needing his glasses weren't important. What was important was that Harry wasn't talking to them!

"Harry, do you want to come downstairs with us?" Hermione asked determinedly. "We can read before bedtime?"

Harry looked at her and soundlessly shook his head. And that was when Hermione started to worry; she had never seen Harry like this and she was concerned over what could have caused it.

Dropping to the floor she crossed her legs and gestured for Harry to come and sit with her. Hesitantly, but smiling, Harry moved off the bed and moved toward her, letting out a yelp as Hermione pulled him down onto her lap.

"Now, what's with the silent treatment?" she asked playfully, careful to keep any scolding out of her voice. "What's so different about being eight?"

Harry looked at her with wide eyes and she got the weird feeling that he was searching for something that only he could see. She must have passed, though, because a moment later he relaxed completely and leaned against her shoulder, smiling as he closed his eyes.

"Nothing, 'Mione," he said. "I like you lots, 'Mione."

"Well, that's good, because I like you lots, too, Harry," Hermione said, amused.

Harry opened his eyes and looked at her before starting to grin.

"Can I have a wand now, 'Mione?" he asked innocently.

"I like you lots, Harry, but that's not enough to get me to give you a wand, little mischief maker that you are," Hermione said as seriously as she could, though the effect was somewhat ruined by her twitching lips and laughing eyes.

By now Ron had gotten the picture and joined them on the floor, and Harry beamed at them both, quite content to sit with his two best friends, feeling very safe.

"So, how about that book, Harry?" Hermione asked after long moments of comfortable silence. "We can stay right here, if you want."

Harry looked at her for a moment, then he smiled, closed his eyes and leaned against her. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so secure with another person and he felt very happy with the feeling. He would feel much happier, of course, if 'Mione would give him a wand… but there were ways to get around that.

When Ron and Hermione saw the smile curving on Harry's lips they were quite sure it was because he was just happy sitting quietly with them. They would have only been partially right.

If they had known what that smile really meant they would have felt a lot more terrified of what would happen tomorrow.

HPHGRWHPHGRW

With so few students around the castle was peaceful after the new year. Many had returned home for the holidays; they had left a little subdued, all wondering if this could be the last time they saw their families. The threat of Voldemort had hung about their heads like a black cloud.

But for the students inside Hogwarts Voldemort couldn't touch them. No one mentioned him, no one thought of him. It was as though he no longer existed for that space of time.

In fact, Hermione thought absently as she sat quietly on her chair. I haven't thought about Voldemort for months.

Truthfully, she had been so intent on what had then been the seemingly impossible task of taking care of Harry that she hadn't stopped to think about the monster who had made their lives hell the last few years. She had heard nothing of his doings, she had no idea whether he was going to make another attempt on Harry's life (which was the scariest thought of all considering his state of vulnerability) and she didn't even know if anything was being done to stop him before he could do anything.

She sighed and sat back in her chair, looking at Harry's peacefully sleeping face. After a night of restless sleep she had woken in the early hours of the morning with these thoughts in mind. Unable to resist she had crept to the boys' dormitory and sat beside Harry as though on watch.

It was getting later now, though. Soon the boys would wake up, Harry among them, and they would find her in their dorm. Something, however, kept her in her chair, even as the sun started peering through the window and Harry started to stir.

Hermione suppressed a smile. She should have known Harry would be one of the first to wake up in the morning. Her smile was unable to be stifled, however, when Harry's eyes fluttered open and he yawned widely, stretching his arms over his head. How many times had she seen him do that exact same thing after he had woken from a doze?

It was at that point that Harry more aware of his surroundings. His keen green eyes found Hermione and for a moment she thought he might have squinted a little, but then his eyes were wide once more and she decided she must have imagined it.

"Morning, 'Mione," Harry said, rubbing his eyes.

Hermione's smile grew. He just looked so adorable! With the smile turning a little wicked she pulled out her camera and snapped a quick shot of the startled Harry.

"Morning, Harry!" she sang, all her previous dark thoughts being pushed to the back of the mind. She set aside the camera and opened her arms. "Come here."

Harry gladly jumped out of bed and scrambled up onto her lap so she could give him a hug. With a content sigh Hermione buried her face in his messy hair, unwilling to let him go just for now.

"Hermione?"

Hermione blinked and looked up to see Ron sitting up in bed, looking at her with a perplexed look. She smiled softly at him.

"Good morning, Ron," she said.

"Morning, Ron!" Harry chirped from her shoulder.

"Morning," said Ron. "Glad you can say my name now..."

"Don't mind him," Hermione said to Harry, winking at him. "He's a little grumpy in the morning."

Harry nodded solemnly. "I know."

Hermione giggled and set Harry down on the floor so she could stand. "Well, I had best leave so the boys can get dressed. I shall see you downstairs, Harry."

With that she left, far happier than she had been when she woke up.

"What was all that about?" Ron asked Harry when she was gone, but Harry just shrugged and smiled innocently at him in response.

If Ron had been a little more awake he would have seen that smile and been more alert. Harry only gave them his most innocent of smiles when he was up to something. He had only just gotten up, however, so he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary as he shuffled over to the bathroom.

As soon as Ron was in the bathroom Harry started moving. He knew he didn't have long and he had to get this right. 'Mione always told him that he had to practice his magic, and he couldn't think of a better way to do so.

Glancing surreptitiously at Neville's bed and hearing the snoring that was coming from it, he knew he was safe as he crouched beside Ron's bed. Giggling lightly he put a hand on Ron's bed and concentrated.

When it was done he dressed as quickly as possible and fled the room, not wanting to be around when Ron got back into bed. 'Mione was sitting in the common room, waiting for him.

"You're down quickly," said Hermione, looking over his clothes quickly to make sure nothing was back-to-front. "Did you dress yourself?"

"Yep!" said Harry proudly.

Hermione might have answered, perhaps with a word of praise, or maybe another question, but she was cut off by a loud yell that came from the boys' dormitory. Eyes wide she stood and looked at the stairs, wondering if she should go up and see what was wrong.

She didn't have long to wait. The sound of loud footsteps descending the stairs soon met her ears and within moments Ron had come into view.

Hermione blinked. And then her lips twitched.

"I'm glad you think it's funny," Ron growled, holding himself stiffly as purple jelly dripped from his form to the floor.

"Not at all," Hermione choked. "In fact, I think the colour purple really... suits you."

That was as far as she got before she broke; she snapped a quick photo with the camera she was holding and then she started to laugh. Ron just looked so funny covered from head to toe in purple jelly that she couldn't help it. Ron crossed his arms and scowled at her.

"What happened?" Hermione asked when she had calmed down, wiping a tear of mirth from her eye.

"I went to the bathroom and when I got back into bed I found that my mattress had become jelly," Ron said. He glared at the side of Hermione. "Do you do this, Harry?"

Harry looked up at him.

"I gotta practice magic," he said innocently.

Hermione suddenly no longer felt like laughing as she looked down into Harry's widened eyes. Because it was at that moment that she knew, without a doubt, that they were in trouble. Big trouble.

HPHGRWHPHGRW

When Professor Dumbledore saw Ron Weasley come into the Great Hall at lunch with his skin faintly tinged the colour purple his thoughts automatically went to Fred and George Weasley. However, when he looked at them he saw them looking from Harry to Ron and back again in something akin to awe he knew that this first assumption was incorrect.

Slight dreading what he would see he, too, looked at Harry. The young boy was smiling with all the innocence of an eight-year-old boy, but even from the distance between them the headmaster could see the mischief in his eyes and in his smile.

After that it became easy to deduce that it was little Harry who had pranked his best friend that morning. Little Harry, who had so far only used magic either in class or when he was upset, and who had proven to be extremely adept in the art of wandless magic.

He wasn't sure whether to feel amusement or dread. Beside him Professor McGonagall noticed his face.

"Is something the matter, Albus?" she asked.

"I suppose you could say that," said Dumbledore slowly. "Look at Harry and Mr Weasley and tell me what you see."

"Mr Potter looks a little bigger but otherwise healthy," said the transfiguration teacher, a little confused. "And Mr Weasley..." she paused and squinted, adjusting her glasses slightly as though they were the cause for what she was seeing. "Is purple? Obviously he was the victim of a prank. What do you mean by asking, Albus?"

"What I mean," said Dumbledore, his lips twitching, "is that the son of a marauder has finally come to Hogwarts."

Coming Up: Chapter Twenty-One; Live the Past to Free the Future – By the time school returns to session Ron and Hermione are quite annoyed, and sick of being pranked in the name of 'practicing'. But when a simple, innocent comment has catastrophic effects, they may just wish they had put up with it.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter, the characters were extremely difficult to work with; I must have started this chapter at least three times! Anyway, the next chapter is one I have been asked about numerous times, and I feel he is now at an age where Harry's darker past becomes more apparent. Hopefully I can do it justice. But I don't want to lose the overall humourous aspect of the story, so.... well, I don't know. I just know I need to touch on it a bit and hope that it will be good! I'll try and get it up as soon as possible.

NOTE: I am taking pride in the fact that I carefully went through this chapter before I put it up, looking for grammar mistakes. Which I will do from now on -is guilty- and is what I should have been doing before. Hopefully I haven't missed anything.

Also, I gave up on the House Points thing – it wasn't working because I think I just wasn't doing it properly :) oh well.

Thanks To:

snapes wife to be, Siriusly-in-luv-wif-Sarcasm, deitarion/SSokolow, PaddyWaddy, Joyce, oxymoron8, FroBoy, hemotem, Mikee, Madam RedRose25, Diamonde, sillywhippet, Krysta.M, air maiden, Flensa, 'Life-so-unnecessary', dragons an' fire, The Midnight poster, The-Resident, CrayonsPink, Murphyangel, RubyPotter, Anon., eoreos, Aussie Imp, Draeconin, PrinceSev, klutzyphoenix and Sabishii Kage Tenshi

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and thanks to those who pointed out my silly little grammar errors; I'm often not aware I've made them if I read the chapter as soon as I've finished. Since I know what was meant to be written there I tend not to pick up on it if it isn't written there.