As Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Lily walked towards Zonko's, they were utterly unsurprised to see Fred, George, and Lee coming from the direction of Zonko's clutching large bags full of Zonko's products.

"I'm not surprised that Fred, George, and Lee are among the few older students in sixth year and seventh year to come into Hogsmeade," said Harry matter of factly. They'd come into Hogsmeade for the Zonko's visit alone."

"You are smart and thoughtful, Harry Potter," piped up Lily.

"Indeed, he is," chorused Fred and George, "Once we've graduated, we're going to open a joke shop."

"You two would be the GOATs of running a joke shop," grinned Ginny.

"Thank you, sis!" beamed Fred and George.

"Some people might think that a joke shop is too trivial for a career, but I disagree," said Lee crisply, "We need humor in the world. Humor actually really helps us cope with the world around us."

"Exactly, Lee!" cooed Fred and George.

"You know, " said Harry thoughtfully, "Fred and George don't exactly have the reputation as the greatest students in the world or anything, but, honestly, they MUST be skilled and talented at Charms to be able to make their pranks work."

Fred's and George's faces both lit up at that observation and they both gave Harry wide smiles, which Harry could feel radiating warmth.

"We got three O.W.L.s each," explained Fred, "Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"All the wand heavy branches of magic," interjected Hermione.

"The most important subject in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the two most critical subjects to good pranking in Charms and Transfiguration, " realized Susan.

"Everyone should strive to be a fantastic student in Defense Again the Dark Arts, " said Luna in what everyone recognized was an unusually serious voice for her, "That subject's so important that it could literally be the difference between life and death."

"And Charms is a subject of natural interest for pranksters," said Lily cheerfully.

"Charms is the most fundamental subject in both overall magic and in pranking," said Hermione smartly, "Adding Transfiguration allows for more elaborate pranks."

"There's also a serious side to pranking, " said Fred clearly, "You've got to practice. It's no different than a Quidditch player or a singer having to practice."

"And you've got to experiment, " added George, "There's a lot of guess, test, and revise when it comes to pranking and joke items."

"Well," said Fred to George, "I suppose we'll hit The Three Broomsticks next?"

"I'm thirsty," replied George.

"That's settled then," said Fred happily.

Next nanosecond, Fred George, and Lee walked off in the direction of The Three Broomsticks while Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Lily all headed off towards Zonko's with Luna once again playing the role of door girl.

The nanosecond that Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Susan, Luna, and Lily entered Zonko's, they heard a voice say "NOW" and several figures popped out from the shelves wearing black cloaks and masks. They had put Disillusionment Charms upon themselves to blend in with the shop's merchandise but had taken the Disillusionment Charms off when they saw Harry enter Zonko's. They were nine Death Eaters.

But Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Lily were determined and ready. They all knew how to handle the situation.

Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Lily all quickly ran backwards while simultaneously retrieving their wands from their right hand pockets with their right hands.

The Death Eaters walked slowly nearer, but Harry, Hermione, and Ginny each pointed their wands at one of the Death Eaters' feet and cried "Groundify!"

The three Death Eaters whose feet had been hit with the Grounding Charm found their feet stuck to the floor and found they couldn't move their feet at all. They were stuck rooted to the spot.

The remaining six Death Eaters attempted to come forward, but this time, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Lily all pointed their wands at one of the Death Eaters' feet and called out "Groundify!"

The remaining six Death Eaters were now all rooted to the spot as well.

Next nanosecond, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny raised their wands again. They positioned their wands so that each of them was aiming for one Death Eater and performed the spell "Hoticus!"

The three Death Eaters that had been on the receiving end of this spell all screamed as steam seemed to rise from their ears., noses, mouths, and hair.

As before, the second time around, Susan, Luna and Lily joined the fray so that six voices chroused "Hoticus!" at once as each of them targeted one Death Eater.

Now all nine Death Eaters were screaming as they felt painful heat oozing on their insides while steam seemed to rise out of their ears, noses, mouths, and hair.

The Death Eaters couldn't focus to do anything while the painful heat was flaming through them, so Harry whispered to the others, "Let's go the fundamentals now. Let's stun them all."

Instinctively, Susan, Luna and Lily sat out the first round while Harry, Hermione, and Ginny performed "Stupefy!" on three of the Death Eaters. Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Lily all participated in the second round to get the Death Eaters stunned.

When all nine Death Eaters were stunned, Harry explained to Susan, Luna, and Lily that, "Sirius taught me, Hermione, and Ginny Offensive Magic over the summer. That's how we knew "Groundify!" and "Hoticus!" Lily, you just missed out on that as you arrived the day after our magical training ended and we started catching up on Ancient Runes."

"Sirius was right to prepare you three for this," said Susan approvingly, "Perhaps Aunt Amelia should teach Offensive Magic to me, Luna, and Lily as well."

"You three picked up on it almost at once," said Harry proudly, "Though I suppose proper training in Offensive Magic wouldn't be a bad thing for you three."

"What now?" said a shaken sounding Lily.

Harry rose his hands up above his torso and clapped them together.

A ball of fire appeared above Harry's hands and Fawkes appeared.

"Fawkes, " said Harry gravely, "I want you to take Susan Bones and Ginny Weasley to the Ministry of Magic. Ginny, I want you to inform your father of what has happened and bring him here as he is the Minister of Magic. Susan, I want you to fetch your auntie as she's the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Lily and Luna, I want you two to go to Hogwarts and inform Sirius and Headmaster Lupin, respectively. Hermione, you're going to wait here with me while we keep a lookout for any more Death Eaters who might turn up. Once the adults arrive, they'll be able to get the situation under control."

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