The twins escape and the last match of the season

During the Easter break, Ginny had hardly had a moment to herself, let alone a chance to discuss Harry's predicament with Fred and George. However, she hadn't forgotten her promise to him, seizing every opportunity to catch up with the twins and lay out the situation. Once the holidays were over, Fred and George became more visible around the Common Room, giving Ginny the chance she needed to talk to them. Of course, they were men of their word, but Ginny could never have predicted they'd take their commitment to such lengths as to create utter chaos…

"What? He really wants to talk to Sirius?" Fred asked, lazily stuffing his books into his bag.

"Yes," his sister confirmed.

"Hmm... that's a problem we can easily get around, right?"

"I certainly think so," George asserted with a big, encouraging grin.

"It's all about creating a distraction, right?" Ginny asked, eager to be part of the plan and help out. "After all, the toad's fireplace is the only one not being watched."

Fred and George gave her a grin, clearly proud.

"We're so proud of you, sis!" George exclaimed, giving her a playful nudge.

"We'll use our Portable Swamp; it might be our only chance to get out of here," Fred declared, gazing out the window.

"YOU'RE LEAVING?" the sister exclaimed.

"Ah, sis, our new shop awaits!" George replied, puffing out his chest proudly.

"You already have...? No way! You're leaving us in this mess?"

"We're sorry for you..." Fred started.

"...but we're also sorry for ourselves," George finished. "Taking orders from that insignificant toad isn't very Weasley-like, you know? Plus, the Skiving Snackboxes are ready to launch, and our shop is eagerly waiting for us, so enough talk!"

Ginny agreed wholeheartedly with the twins: it was time for drastic measures. The next day became unforgettable for all Hogwarts students as Fred and George lived up to their word. While Harry sneaked into Umbridge's office, they unleashed chaos in the corridor of Gregory the Smarmy, much to the old toad's dismay. The twins' Portable Swamp was sensational, though Demelza, having accidentally waded into it, was less thrilled than others and grew increasingly less enthusiastic about it.

Eventually, Umbridge caught the two boys, but perhaps the twins had allowed themselves to be caught on purpose.

"So, you think turning a corridor into a swamp is funny, eh?" she gloated, having caught them red-handed. The students, worried, had gathered around the swamp, and the twins stood there unmistakably caught.

"Very funny, yes," Fred replied, staring her down fearlessly.

"I've got the form, madam Headmistress!" Filch suddenly shouted, bursting into the circle, equally jubilant. Clutching an old parchment like a precious treasure, he proclaimed, "I've got the form and the whip ready... allow me to proceed at once!"

If Fred and George will let themselves get whipped, then Nargles must exist, Ginny thought calmly, watching the old caretaker.

"Excellent, Argus. And you two... you'll soon find out what happens to troublemakers in my school!" Umbridge threatened ominously. No student dared speak, and some (like Demelza) even believed Filch might actually whip the twins.

"You know what? I really don't think so!" Fred retorted boldly, turning to his twin with a grin bolder than Umbridge's. "George, I think we've reached the age to end our academic careers."

"I completely agree: it's time to test our talent in the real world, don't you think?" George said casually.

"Absolutely."

And before Umbridge or Filch could comment, they summoned their brooms with a "Accio brooms!" The brooms, one still with a padlock attached, came to a halt in front of their owners who mounted them without hesitation.

"Farewell!" Fred said, taking off on his racing broom, followed by George.

"Yes, don't bother keeping in touch!" George added.

"If anyone needs a Portable Swamp just like the one you've seen in action, come to number ninety-three Diagon Alley... Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes: our new headquarters!" Fred announced loudly to the crowd.

"Special discounts for Hogwarts students who swear to use our products to get rid of that old hag" George said, gesturing towards Umbridge, as everyone burst into hearty laughter.

"STOP THEM!" the toad bellowed, but before any member of the Inquisitorial Squad could act, the twins rose five meters off the ground and, to the festive applause of the students, sped out of the school gate, leaving everything behind. The crowd thickened and pushed towards the school courtyard to watch Fred and George make their grand exit, and Ginny grabbed Dean Thomas's hand, who led her out just in time to see the twins disappear on the horizon.

Now, what in the world would happen at The Burrow? Forget Dolores Umbridge and Voldemort... the real enemy was waiting for Fred and George right around the corner of their home, probably to surprise them and beat them with chicken feed.

In the days following Fred and George's escape, the tale was recounted so often it became a legend at Hogwarts. The school buzzed with talks of the twins, and Ginny felt so proud of her brothers she was nearly moved to tears. Their sensational departure seemed to inspire everyone, sparking a wave of bold actions and pranks as students sought to fill the void left by Fred and George.

One prankster even managed to sneak a Niffler into Umbridge's office, which wreaked havoc and tried to bite off her stubby fingers, leading to Umbridge screaming her lungs out. This incident had fourth-year Gryffindors, who happened to be passing by for their Charms class, covering their ears and running away. The frequent throwing of Dungbombs and Stink Pellets in the corridors led students to regularly cast Bubble-Head Charms on themselves. Filch swung his whip left and right, overwhelmed by the number of rebels, with only the Inquisitorial Squad for support, but even they began to fall victim to bizarre accidents.

"It has to be your brothers behind this," Demelza suggested with a grin. "It can't be a coincidence that Warrington of Slytherin ended up in the infirmary looking like he's covered in cornflakes!"

"Really?" Christopher asked, thrilled.

"Yes"

"Warrington looking like a cornflake monster? We should call over those creatures Hagrid showed us last time; maybe they'll devour him, so we won't have to bear his ugly mug for the rest of our lives!" William exclaimed, causing a round of laughter. The group was heading to the Great Hall for breakfast, eager to witness how Umbridge's life at Hogwarts was turning into a living hell.

"And Peeves flooded the second-floor corridor," Vicky chuckled quietly, descending the stairs. "Oh, I almost forgot! This morning I heard Hermione Granger telling your brother that Parkinson grew horns and Madam Pomfrey had no idea how to get rid of them."

"Horns?" Ritchie repeated.

"Real horns, like those on unicorns."

"How on earth...?"

"Madam Pomfrey couldn't explain it either," Vicky huffed, probably curious about the spell used to grow horns on a girl's head. "Later, do you want to sneak into the infirmary to have a look? It'll be fun!" she added, grinning.

"I'm in!" Ginny quickly agreed, unable to stop laughing. "But I think we should also invite Colin, you know... maybe he can snap a photo while she's distracted, and we can leave it in her dormitory with a funny caption. Eh, what do you think?"

"Yes!" the boys responded eagerly.

"Girls, I don't think we should..." Demelza hesitated.

Christopher scoffed. "Come on, Dem! Just because you're all about honor and loyalty... you know Parkinson would've mocked you if you had horns. It's time the Slytherins paid for supporting that toad of a Headmistress!"

Demelza frowned, but everyone was clearly on Christopher's side as they made their way to the Gryffindor table for a hearty breakfast in defiance of Umbridge, who looked frazzled and worn out. The teachers enjoyed watching her scramble around the school trying to manage the chaos caused by the twins and other students, especially trying to vanish the Portable Swamp. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall could have easily handled it but hadn't forgiven Umbridge easily and contented themselves with watching Filch furiously fence off the twins' swamp.

"Peeves is causing more damage than all of us combined," Vicky noted while nibbling on a health-conscious yogurt. She was still on her diet, aiming for a size eight. "He's locked Mrs. Norris in an armor twice now, and Filch was livid," she explained to her friends, watching Ginny tackle her breakfast and Christopher smear his face with Nutella. "When I passed by to go to the bathroom, I heard Filch howling and pulling his cat out. And he talks to her! Filch talks to his cat! And... William, would you stop rubbing your foot against mine?" she finally snapped, turning irritated toward the boy.

"Eh?" William, caught off guard.

Ginny lifted her head from her plate of generous breakfast to see Vicky visibly upset and red-faced, while William looked utterly bewildered, as if he had no clue what she was talking about. They exchanged looks with the others, who shared their puzzled expressions.

"You're rubbing your leg against mine!" Vicky accused, pushing aside her yogurt.

"ME?" William widened his eyes, even more puzzled. "Are you insane? I didn't even touch you!"

"You did it before when you were trying to clean the mud off your shoes, and you're doing it again now!"

"That was ages ago, I didn't..."

"ARGH!" Ritchie suddenly jumped, interrupting his friend and nearly falling off the bench as he knocked his knee underneath the table. "Come on... who did that? Christopher, it's not funny at all! Could you at least shave your legs before pulling pranks like this?" he added, annoyed.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Christopher heated up immediately.

As the boys bickered among themselves, Ginny suspected it wasn't a prank. She cautiously peeked under the table, bracing for the worst. What she saw wasn't a pleasant sight: giant tarantulas lurked at their feet, skittering and brushing against their legs. She resurfaced pale and lifted her feet off the ground to avoid touching the floor.

She cleared her throat. "Uh... stop fighting! This isn't... not a joke..." she cautioned, hoping not to alarm Vicky too much or attract unwanted attention. Naturally, Victoria Probisher felt it was her duty to scream at the top of her lungs.

As soon as Vicky shouted to the entire Great Hall about the monstrous tarantulas under the table and leaped onto the bench, flailing, a few people quickly looked under the table, began screaming, and stood on the benches, while others made a run for it. Umbridge fired Stunning Spells at the tarantulas from the teachers' table, but she seemed terrified too and called for Filch in a high-pitched voice. Peeves appeared in the hall with a high-pitched giggle, mocking Umbridge for letting hundreds of tarantulas loose and failing to maintain order in the school as students rushed for the exit and teachers stood still, watching her efforts.

"MERLIN! MORGANA! DISGUSTING! ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!" Vicky screamed hysterically, hopping from one foot to the other as she ran full speed towards the Great Hall exit, pushing students in her way. "I HAD A TARANTULA ON MY FOOT... DISGUSTING!"

"And you accused me of rubbing against you, huh?" William roared, offended and disgusted by the ordeal.

"And you thought I was pulling stupid pranks, huh?" Christopher backed him up, opening the Great Hall doors and rushing out. Demelza and Ritchie arrived in the Entrance Hall panting, with expressions worse than disgusted.

"OH MY GOD! THAT WAS HORRIBLE!" Vicky continued to scream, in the throes of panic.

"Alright, now calm down," Ginny ordered dryly, as disgusted as she was amused. Fred and George had raised a tarantula as kids until their mom threw it off the balcony. "Better head to Madam Pomfrey, so she can give you a sedative... I've never seen you this hysterical. And I've known you for four years!" she added, hurrying to drag her friend to the Infirmary followed by the silent group.

Halfway there, they encountered Dennis and Colin, who immediately asked, "Where are you going? Have you had breakfast yet? And what happened to you? You look terrified and... what's wrong, exactly? Did a tarantula bite your tongue?"

"Don't talk to me about tarantulas!" Vicky shouted angrily, closely monitored by Ginny, who cleared her throat.

"What about tarantulas?" Colin asked, confused.

"You just mentioned them," Demelza pointed out, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, but it was just an expression. Don't tell me that..."

"... Peeves released hundreds of tarantulas in the Great Hall, causing chaos?" William helped him, sighing. "No, that's not it at all. Where would Peeves get giant tarantulas, anyway? And why would he release them in the Great Hall? To get me accused of rubbing against girls' legs?" he added, showcasing his sarcasm that he always shows when very angry.

"She accused you?" Dennis asked, suppressing a smile and pointing at Vicky.

"They accused me too!" Christopher joined in, mimicking his friend.

Colin and Dennis seemed captivated.

"Don't give me that look, you two. And Colin, hurry up and photograph a tarantula: it'll be Vick's new pet," Ginny interjected, laughing unrestrainedly, but a glare from the friend in question silenced her laughter as the two brothers took the advice to heart and ran towards the Great Hall, more excited than ever. "I was just joking, really. Let's go, quickly... no dawdling!"

The group soon arrived at the Infirmary, and Madam Pomfrey immediately understood what was affecting Vicky, as there were a couple of girls sitting on various beds, swallowing a small electric violet potion. Apparently, they weren't the only ones terrorized by the sight of tarantulas. As the Healer took care of her friend, Ginny stepped outside the Infirmary, yawning conspicuously.

"Is Parkinson still upset?"

A voice caught the girl's attention, and she turned to her left to meet the snickering gaze of Astoria Greengrass. And for the love of Merlin come to earth, what was Astoria Greengrass doing loitering outside the Infirmary, smirking like a madwoman? There were no Gryffindors to mock, except for Vicky and a couple of scared-looking girls... that Greengrass was getting weirder by the day.

"What did you say? And what are you doing here?" Ginny replied, confused, stepping slightly closer to Astoria.

"And what do you care?" Astoria predictably retorted, huffing and crossing her arms over her chest. "I was just wondering if that hussy Parkinson is still upset about her magnificent antlers, that's all. You came out of there, didn't you? Or is the person I see before me a Weasley twin?" she added, annoyed.

"No, it's me. And your friend is sleeping with the curtains drawn..."

"I figured. Well, the antlers really suit her, don't you think?" Astoria asked, smirking even more.

"Wait a minute... was it you?"

Ginny burst into laughter uncontrollably, and the Slytherin girl was infected by it, starting to grin.

"No, but let me get this straight: you actually made a pair of antlers grow on the forehead of a Slytherin like yourself?"

"Can't you have enemies in your own House?" Astoria arrogantly replied.

"If you put it that way," the Gryffindor muttered, and with one last look, she walked away from Greengrass to re-enter the Infirmary.

As days unfolded amidst various mishaps, minor troubles, and a nearly fatal incident: Eloise Midgen almost met her demise due to Peeves's penchant for unscrewing crystal chandeliers, putting students at risk. If not for the timely intervention of Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones, known to Ginny from Dumbledore's Army, Eloise might have seriously faced a dire fate.

However, as weeks passed, Ginny found herself with limited time for fun and mischief; she had to focus on training for the ultimate match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. This decisive game for the Quidditch Cup was something Captain Angelina Johnson was determined not to lose. Angelina demanded rigorous practice sessions during every free hour, utilising the chaos to whisper gameplay tactics to her teammates between classes.

"Cho is quick to spot the Snitch, she has excellent sight..." she had told Ginny the day before the match, stopping her in the corridor, "unless it's clouded by tears, so use that to your advantage. And -just remembering now- watch out for Bradley's Bludgers, they're really scary and could hit you. They shouldn't reach you, but they're quite violent. And remember not to lose sight of Cho, if she sees the Snitch before you, we're done for..."

"Angelina," Ginny interrupted, exasperated, "you've already told me this!"

"Yes, but it's always good to remember," Angelina justified.

On the day of the crucial match, Ginny had to focus inwardly to recall everything Angelina had mentioned while stopping her after various classes and the advice repeated ad nauseam during continuous training sessions. She tried to keep all those things in mind while following the usual pep talk from the Captain before the game.

"Guys, I want you to give it your all," Angelina said earnestly, before they entered the field to play. "This is not just the last game of the Quidditch season, but also our very last game," she pointed out herself and Alicia sadly, "and I want to show everyone I've been a good Captain. So, no dramatic falls off the broom, Jack, and no smacking the Chasers in the teeth... got it, Andrew? Ron, do your best, and all of you girls...be as strong as always," she added, sniffling.

"We can win," Katie said optimistically, embracing Angelina.

"No, we can't just win... we have to win!" Ginny intervened with determined energy, glancing sideways at her brother Ron.

"Yes, we have to win!" echoed Alicia, fiercely.

"That's the spirit, and now... let's show Ravenclaw who we are!"

They entered the field on their brooms, receiving immense cheers from Gryffindor, and Ginny saw a banner of a lion eating an eagle, designed by Dean while they were all together in the Common Room. She then caught Michael's gaze and smiled warmly, positioning herself in front of Cho Chang... whose eyes were sufficiently teary to give Gryffindor a significant advantage. Madam Hooch ordered the Captains to shake hands, and at her whistle, the match began, with Lee's commentary tinged with melancholy due to his best friends' sudden departure.

Ginny soared higher, her legs trembling with euphoria and her red hair disheveled by the wind. She kept an eye on Cho, who ascended higher than her and surveyed the field, while Ginny did the same, suspecting that Cho's continuous and needless weeping might impair her visibility as Angelina had predicted.

"Davies has the Quaffle, dodges Johnson, dodges Spinnet, and... scores!" Lee announced somberly, and Ginny groaned, trying not to lose focus. She quickly approached Cho Chang because the strategy of annoyingly marking the opponents seemed good enough, even though Angelina had cautioned her not to overdo it. Cho gave her a wary look and moved away with a huff of disapproval.

You can't escape me, Ginny thought joyously, deciding to ignore Angelina's continuous warnings and do things her own way. Since Cho had experience as a Seeker and she didn't, if Ginny didn't annoy her, there were fewer chances Ginny would spot the Snitch before her.

"Twenty to zero for Ravenclaw!" Lee Jordan shouted.

The commentary progressed, and Ravenclaw seemed to be in the lead, but then Ron distracted Ginny... successfully blocking every shot from Davies and even a particularly difficult one from Chambers, giving Gryffindor a clear advantage. The red and gold crowd went wild, and the song Ginny had once detested transformed into something extraordinary.

Weasley is our King,

Weasley is our King,

He didn't let the Quaffle in

Weasley is our King.

Weasley can save anything,

He never leaves a single ring,

That's why Gryffindors all sing

Weasley is our King.

Ron beamed, pretending to conduct the choir from above by moving his hands, and as soon as the Quaffle approached, he blocked it with utter ease, his confidence boosted by the chants. Ginny, overwhelmed with emotion, performed a couple of victory loops but then quickly ascended again to annoyingly mark Cho, who seemed on the verge of exploding.

"Would you stop that?" Cho snapped, irritated.

"What?" Ginny asked innocently, giving her a broad, friendly smile and flicking her long red hair.

"Stop marking me and look for the Snitch yourself!"

"You didn't mind marking Harry persistently two years ago."

"Aha! So that's what you were getting at, huh?" Cho retorted, her face turning beet red.

But Ginny was no longer listening; she had spotted the Golden Snitch fluttering right below Cho. Acting on impulse, while Cho was preoccupied with their argument, Ginny dove steeply, bumping into her without caring that Cho's broom was much faster and could have easily caught up within seconds.

She didn't care about anything because she was certain she would win. The wind whistled annoyingly in her ears, and her hair covered her face, but she didn't let go, reaching out for the tiny golden ball while urging her broom to go faster.

"Damn it!" Ginny heard Cho curse, who had just caught up with her, green with envy and red with shame, when Ginny snatched the Snitch right under her nose without even giving Cho a chance to stretch out her hand and try.

Gryffindor went absolutely wild, and Ginny dived down, tumbling onto the ground with her feet as she waved the Snitch above her head. Angelina dismounted her broom and jumped on her, followed by the team who rushed to embrace her. Meanwhile, the golden ball struggled in Ginny's fist, and Cho landed gracelessly on the ground, tossing her broom aside and starting to cry. The red and gold crowd flooded the field and ran to hug the Seeker, but she had already spotted her brother and without much ado, freed herself from the crowd and threw her arms around his neck.

"Congratulations!" she shouted, thrilled.

"Congratulations to you!" Ron roared proudly, smiling broadly at everyone as Madam Hooch rushed onto the field to award the team with the big Cup.

"GINNY!" an angry voice exclaimed, which she recognized as Michael's.

"Eh?" she asked, too excited to be hostile.

"What the hell did you do?" Michael Corner snapped, sporting an impressively long face.

"I caught the Snitch?"

"No, I meant..."

"Sorry, Michael. The team needs me for the Cup photo."

And with that, she ran away from her boyfriend and joined the jubilant team for a group photo taken by Colin Creevey.

Ginny's euphoria from contributing to Gryffindor's victory lasted through the end of the week, and she thoroughly enjoyed thanking strangers who complimented her performance or hanging out with Gryffindors to chat about her encounter with Chang and how annoyed she was about being marked so often. She hadn't found the time to talk to Michael, or rather, to endure his lecture about Ravenclaw this and Gryffindor that and all those nonsenses he was bound to spout soon...

"And she had this look like she was holding back from cursing someone out," Ginny was recounting to a group of sixth-year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, "but honestly, I wasn't trying to distract her. I mean, she was the one who spoke to me first... so it's her fault, right?" she added, smirking.

"Absolutely," a Hufflepuff replied with a smile, ruffling his hair.

"She asked for it!" a Gryffindor with acne chimed in.

Someone coughed behind Ginny, apologizing. "Michael, what are you doing here?" Ginny asked, curious since it was unusual for Michael Corner to be outside the Ravenclaw Tower at night.

"I need to talk to you," he stated. "Privately," he added, glancing at the others. They got the hint, said their goodbyes to Ginny, and scurried up the spiral staircase, leaving the two alone. "So, made some new friends with that match?" he continued, scoffing.

"They're not my friends," she calmly replied.

"Oh, what a nice little trick you pulled during the match! Distracting Cho!" Michael accused.

"What? I didn't do anything!" she retorted, poking him repeatedly in the chest and glaring at him. "What's wrong? Thought you wouldn't be upset over a supposed loss, or were you too arrogant thinking you'd win again?"

"Yes!" he admitted, whining. "I thought we'd win the Cup because your brother doesn't block anything!"

"Oh yeah? Well, in the end, Ron showed all the guys like you," she shot back.

"But what about Cho? She was devastated because of you!"

"Poor thing, so fragile... MERLIN, IT'S JUST A GAME!" Ginny yelled like a madwoman, starting to get heated. "One of the teams had to lose, and this time it was your turn, taking everything for granted! If Gryffindor had lost, would you have rushed to console me? No, and I wouldn't have cried either! Defeats always teach us something, and there's no point in whining like Chang!"

"You... you don't..." he stammered, but it was clear Ginny had silenced him. "She told me that during your conversation you ended up talking about Potter, and of course, that Potter always comes up in conversations about you!"

"So what?"

"The whole world knows you like him!"

"Why don't you just shut up and go console your little friend? Her eyes must've dried out from all the crying!"

"I'M GOING RIGHT NOW!" Michael yelled, turning his back on her swiftly.

"Yeah, go console Cho Chang... but you and I are done!"

Translators note

Well this was an interesting chapter, more Astoria interactions and finally Michael and Ginny broke up. Anyways sorry for the late update everybody, I got sick again ( it happens way to often, last year i was sick for 40+ days out of the year TT) but today im finally feeling better so here it is! Hope you enjoy it :3 As usual (well I decided to add it recently but once i finish translating all the fic I'll add them to the previous chapters, unless y'all want it now, then i can do it no problem as soon as i can) below is the original authors note.

**Author's Corner**

And here... goodbye Michael Corner. Yes, it's a somewhat silly chapter, especially the scene with the tarantulas (which is mentioned in the book) but I really enjoyed including it because it was fun and we mustn't forget that Ginny, in addition to the DA, was also part of a group of friends who care about her and spend their free time with her. Astoria Greengrass's character is becoming more prominent, but her personality will fully emerge at the end of the sixth book and throughout the seventh, so... well, there's time for mysteries.

Hugs!