Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
...
"Are these what I think they are?"
"Oh no, you did not just get us what I think you did."
"Don't open them!"
"Relax, they're all blank, nothing is inside them...yet."
"So you're telling us to bombard people with angry and aggravated messages."
"I thought our whole plan wasn't to bully our peers."
"Unless you plan on sending one to Snape."
"I don't even think I'd have the bullocks to do that."
"We're not sending these to Snape."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, the more I think about it the better it sounds."
"Can you imagine, one after the other over and over again."
"He'd probably set them on fire before they even reached him."
"We're not sending them to Snape."
"C'mon."
"Oh, oh, what if we were to send them as positive messages."
"Positive messages?"
"Can you imagine, one morning, sitting at breakfast only to get one of these and you sit there, dreading the worse before it shouts out, 'You're doing a great job, keep up the effort!'"
"That would be wicked!"
"But what happens then if different people open them at the same time, it kind of takes away the impact. Also too many noises at once, especially at that volume would just clash."
"That isn't what I got these..."
"Quiet you, we're brainstorming."
"You know what, bugger it, I've given you the tools, use them as your instruments of destruction at your will."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Did our illustrious leader just sulk off."
"I think he did."
"Alright back to what we're going to do with these, and what are you mumbling under your breath over there."
"Can...can anybody play an instrument?"
"Instrument, as in music?"
"You want us to put music in these?"
"Is that even possible?"
"We're Potter Club, when has possible ever stopped us before?"
"Would writing down the actual sheet music cause the notes to play?"
"But how would it know what kind of instrument to play?"
"Could we use a rune to record music?"
"That might work."
"That still brings us to the issue though of does anyone know how to play an instrument, even the basics."
"What about a song that doesn't require instruments?"
"What do you mean?"
"This might show the Muggle in me so I take it you've never heard of them."
"Who?"
"Queen."
"How could we have not heard of the Queen?"
"I'm not talking about the Queen, I'm talking about Queen."
"You're not making any sense and you snickering over there makes this even worse."
"Don't worry about it."
"Alright, so I'll do some research into runes and music, see if it's possible to start with."
"Gimme a minute and I can write down the lyrics."
"Wait we're going to be singing!"
"Of course, it's music isn't it and with it being a chorus of people they're less likely to figure out who's singing."
"That, unfortunately, makes more sense than I'd like it to."
"Great. So if you reckon you can find out how to put sound itself in most of these, we should only need to record our own voices in maybe three of these."
"So what's the plan?"
"Same place, same day, same time next week."
"That's the plan."
"Heck yeah, let's show Hogwarts what Potter Club's made of!"
"I've got the perfect time for us to unleash these as well."
"When?"
"..."
"Oh no, you wouldn't."
"Why not?"
"When are you talking about?"
"October first."
"Isn't that the day when..."
"Yep."
"And some students from here..."
"Yep."
"...you're evil."
"Definite yep."
...
Hermione looked across the Gryffindor common room at where Harry was currently getting berated by Oliver Wood. The captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team had his star seeker pinned to a corner with no real chance of escape.
While many were focused on the fact that Harry was seemingly trying to talk his way off of the team, which Hermione assumed was because of his other extra curricular activities, Hermione was focused on his facial features. It had taken a bit of time since after the start of term but Harry looked a lot more aware of his surroundings. He was socializing more and it looked as if some colour had returned to his face.
Something had clearly been off. Considering how Harry had looked as of late it was nice to see that he had managed to bounce back like he had. She still didn't know just what it was that had made him so distant and she doubted that she would ever know. Last thing she wanted to do was to remind him of a painful memory.
There was also one tidbit from the train that she had yet to bring up and that was the moment where Harry had mentioned his Godfather. He had never brought it up again and once more she wasn't going to raise the topic of conversation lest she stirred up some painful memories. Hermione wasn't quite sure what to make of it but knew that, at least for the moment, it was better not to pry.
She had thought that Harry needed a change of pace, just some time to freshen up, perhaps get some new ideas for Potter Club which was why she had put his name down for the trip to France. Of course she wanted to go, learn as much as she could that the other schooling academy could teach her but she knew that only six students could go and there was no guarantee that either of them would be selected. She just really hoped that if she went, that Harry would get to go with her.
Meanwhile, the commotion with the target of her train of thought and the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team had escalated and somehow Ginny Weasley had been brought into the conversation. Something about how Gryffindor should make a tradition about adding one first year to the team every year. The red haired girl in question was now blushing at the unwanted attention and didn't seem to like the conversation now surrounding her, especially since Fred and George were now talking up her ability on a broom.
Figuring that there was no real point forcing her attention on that topic of conversation, Hermione returned to the third year runes book she had been working through and the task she had been assigned. There had to be some way in here for her to record sound in a rune. If Muggles could record music on cassette tapes and vinyl records then surely there had to be a magical equivalent.
...
"How do we split them up?"
"I don't know Tracy but we have to get them away from one another somehow."
Anybody listening in would have been forgiven for thinking that the two girls were plotting to break a couple up, discussing in the library how to ruin a relationship between their peers. The truth however was that the two of them were still trying to execute their plan in getting Fred away from George for long enough to prank him on behalf of Potter Club. They hadn't yet even figured out what they were going to do to him yet just because they still couldn't figure out how to get one brother away from the other. They had monitored them a handful of times thus far, through the halls and in the dining hall. The two seemed almost inseparable at times and the only time they had really seen them apart was when one needed to go to the bathroom but even then it was impossible to tell which brother was relieving themselves. Plus the time frame they would have in that moment was far too short.
"What if we were to send him an owl?" suggested Tracy. "Say it was from a secret admirer and they wanted to meet in private."
"No guarantee that he would come alone or George may even go instead as a joke cause there is no way Fred wouldn't tell him what would be happening. Also, if we prank the wrong brother Fred's just going to be on guard," stated Daphne.
"What if we're thinking about this the wrong way?" said Tracy.
"What do you mean?" asked Daphne.
"Well, and here me out on this, what if instead of getting Fred somewhere, why don't we send George away?"
"Like get him in detention?"
"I was thinking a bit longer and a bit further away."
"Wait, you want to send George to Beauxbatons!" said Daphne reading between the lines.
"Think about it, we'd have Fred by himself for six weeks," said Tracy putting emphasis on the time they would have to prank the member of the Weasley family.
"But the Headmaster said that they would be chosen at random, there's no guarantee that George would be picked."
"Well, let's make this plan A, if it doesn't work then we figure something else out," declared Tracy.
"Fine, I'll go down early and put his name on the parchment without anyone seeing," said Daphne, knowing full well that there was a chance that this wouldn't work. Still it was better than nothing.
"Alright, now let's figure out what we're going to do to Fred," said Tracy, suddenly feeling much more invigorated about the situation. Still, there was much to be discussed and the night was still young. Daphne merely hoped that they would still remember to do their Herbology homework before morning came.
...
Harry had, understandably, opted to take the longer route back to the common room after having spent some time in the library trying to come up with some new plans for Potter Club to put into action. The reason he had decided to take a tour of some of the usually unwalked halls was due to the number of cases in which he had felt that tingling feeling in the back of his neck, knowing that while he couldn't see them, he was being watched.
Watched by who you may ask?
Girls.
Lots of girls.
Most of them he didn't know their names and anytime he went to look in their direction they seemed to turn around and giggle fanatically before mumbling something amongst one another to try and feign innocence. Things had only been increasing as of lately and he couldn't help but wonder whether or not the rumours of his time in the Prefect's Bathroom from the previous year had done the lap again. It really wouldn't surprise him at the end of the day but all this unwanted gazing made it difficult for him to try and do any form of extra curricular activity. Thankfully since the rest of the group had decided to boot him out of the last meeting (by no means had he left on his own accord feeling dejected) he hadn't had to worry about that project.
Part of him wanted to see just what they would do with what he had given them. He trusted them not to do anything too menacing.
Hopefully.
One extra thing which had been beneficial to him thus far was that he had gone to his first Charms lesson in the first week of school only to have been shooed out by the diminutive professor. With the two Horcruxes having forced his efforts into combatting the influence they seeped into the mind, his body had run on autopilot and consequently followed his peers to Charms one day. Flitwick had given him quite the reprimand for having forgotten their arrangement from the prior year. The following declaration that were Harry to attend another one of his class' throughout the school year he would have to duel him to show that he was ready.
It had actually caused Harry to spend a couple of those lessons now retreating to the Room of Requirement in order to practice spell combinations that no child his age should know. Thankfully he shouldn't have any reason to use them throughout the year but one could never be too careful. While the Basilisk attack in October could no longer happen, it still didn't necessarily prevent Lockhart from creating his dueling club to show off his bravado or some other stupid reason.
Speaking of Lockhart, the person who was most definitely not suited for the teaching position that he was in, had been trying to isolate Harry most likely in an attempt to get on his good side. The Daily Prophet had had an absolute field day from the incident in at Flourish and Blotts. While Lockhart's popularity had only wavered and dropped ever so slightly, the moment had clearly rattled the Defence Professor. On no less than four different times had Gilderoy tried to either ambush Harry in the corridors or force him to stay behind after class.
"Harry my boy!"
Speaking of the under-qualified teacher.
"Don't you have other students to harass!" shouted Harry before taking off at a sprint having heard the voice of the aforementioned teacher from behind him. He really couldn't help but wonder what was taking the people he had hired so long to find a Boggart? Luna had recommended them after all so they should have been experts in their field.
...
"Are you sure we'll find one here, Xenophilius?"
"Of course Pandora, when have I lead you wrong before and just before you answer that, I mean only since Luna's attended school so not counting the other twenty four times."
"In that case, three."
"Three already, my word."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME!"
"Don't mind us, we're just here to deal with the noises in your attic."
"We didn't call anyone, now leave before I call the police!"
"Now, now, that won't be necessary."
"Mary, get the shotgun!"
"Sorry for your time. We'll come again when you're sleeping."
"GET OUT!"
...
"If I may have your attention," announced Dumbledore over the ruckus of the dining hall, Professor McGonagall tapping her knife against her goblet. It took a handful of seconds before the students became silent before the Headmaster started speaking once again. "As you are all aware, over the coming months, a number of our students will be heading to France to attend Beauxbatons for a six week period. During that time, I hope that those representing Hogwarts do so in a respectable fashion whilst also learning all that you can about the differences in history and culture. That being said, it is now time to announce the students who will be going."
The murmuring amongst students momentarily picked up once more, students whispering to one another excitedly, becoming quiet once more when Albus spoke. "Since a certain club has opted to not ambush this momentous occasion, I thought it only appropriate that I put my own flair on the selection process."
None of the students had time to react as an explosion rang out, pieces of folded up parchment blasting out from behind him as if shot from a cannon. The impromptu confetti then ignored the rules of gravity and merely hovered above the staff table a handful of feet out of reach. "Professor Flitwick, if you would do the honor of selecting our first student," Albus offered to the Head of Ravenclaw house.
The teacher seemed almost giddy with anticipation as he raised his wand and targeted a single floating name, the object being pulled downwards and in to Dumbledore's waiting hand. The Headmaster opened up the parchment before seemingly taking an annoyingly long time to announce the student who had been selected. "Cedric Diggory!"
Applause rang out for the Hufflepuff student as Albus indicated for another member of the faculty to select the next name. From there the names came much more swiftly, the celebration unable to settle as students were called out one by one.
"Penelope Clearwater!"
"Susan Bones!"
"Cassius Warrington!"
"Robert Hillard!"
"And finally, the last Hogwarts student to be going to Beauxbatons is..." started Dumbledore, deliberately waiting those extra few seconds, knowing full well that those waiting in anticipation were speculating what final name would be read.
...
Hope you enjoyed.