Sorry updates have slowed down. I'm currently working on some stories, as well as life getting in the way.
Chapter 151: The Great Escape
"But why haven't you got Occlumency lessons any more?" said Hermione, frowning.
"I've told you," Harry muttered. "Snape reckons I can carry on by myself now I've got the basics."
"So you've stopped having funny dreams?" said Hermione skeptically.
"Pretty much," said Harry, sounding like he was lying.
"Well, I don't think Snape should stop until you're absolutely sure you can control them!" said Hermione. "Harry, I think you should go back to him and ask- "
"No," said Harry forcefully. "Just drop it, Hermione, OK?"
It was the first day of the Easter holidays and Hermione (as usual) had spent a large part of the day drawing up revision timetables for the three of us, despite our conversation about studying. However, I couldn't complain, Harry and I had enabled her. It easier than arguing with her and, in any case, they might come in useful.
As I looked over the timetable, I was startled to discover there were only six weeks left until our exams.
"How can that come as a shock?" Hermione demanded, as she tapped each little square on my timetable with her wand so that it flashed a different colour according to its subject. "I told you they would be here before you knew it."
"I dunno," I said, "there's been a lot going on."
"Well, there you are," she said, handing over my timetable, "if you follow that you should do fine."
I glanced over my now colorful timetable. She had me studying every bloody day for the entire month! But then, I seen some spots that were not colored, and I go happy
"You've given me an evening off every week!" I said in excitement.
"That's for Quidditch practice, Ronald," said Hermione.
"What's the bloody point?" I said dully, as the smile disappeared from off my face. "We've got about as much chance of winning the Quidditch Cup this year as Dad's got of becoming Minister for Magic."
Hermione didn't respond. Her focus had now turned to Harry, who was staring blankly at the opposite wall of the common room while Crookshanks pawed at his hand, trying to get his ears scratched.
"What's wrong, Harry?"
"What?" he said quickly. "Nothing."
He picked up his Divination and pretended to be interested in it. I rolled my eyes. Wrong book to use. Hermione already knew that Gary didn't give a damn about Divination.
"I saw Cho earlier," said Hermione. "She looked really miserable, too ... have you two had a row again?"
"Wha-oh, yeah, we have," said Harry, frowning up a bit.
"What about?"
"That sneak friend of hers, Marietta" said Harry.
"Yeah, well, I don't blame you!" I said angrily. "If it hadn't been for her ratting us out, we would still be able to do DA and Dumbledore would still be here (That's right!" said Harry)! She's such a bitch! ("Tell me about it") I can't believe that she would betray us like that. We were learning shit to protect ourselves!"
"Well, at least she was polite enough to wait until we got some really useful spells under out belts." said Hermione, her voice dripping with sarcasm. I was shocked she didn't scold me for my language, but she must have thought the same thing of her too.
The weather grew breezier, brighter and warmer as the Easter holidays passed, but the three of us, along with the rest of the fifth- and seventh-years, was trapped inside, revising, going back and forth to the library. The only real breaks came with Quidditch practice, which wasn't getting any better.
"Okay Ron, good save, but next time try to get there a bit quicker so you won't have to kick it, okay?" yelled Angelina from the middle of the pitch.
I sighed, but nodded. It seemed as if even when I think I'm right, I'm wrong.
It boggled my mind as to why Angelina wouldn't just let me go. She could easily find a reserve. I was to the point of feeling sorry for her.
I ended up missing three saves, some that seemed easy enough. For some reason, Jack Sloper, a beater that had replaced one of my brothers, took that as a personal offense.
"Oi Weasley! Maybe if you kept your mind on the game you would catch one, yea?" he taunted as he descended beside me onto the ground.
"Fuck off, Sloper!" yelled Ginny from above our heads.
"Having your baby sister fight your battles for you, Weasley?" laughed the prick. Suddenly, as if being controlled by someone else, the beater bat clucked Sloper hard in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. He was knocked out cold.
I smirked as I looked up. Ginny had a faint grin on her face as she flew off to the other side of the pitch.
Angelina came rushing over. "What happened?" she asked.
"Dunno," I said, faking innocence. "One second he was talking, and the next, he just took a swing at himself. Screw loose, that Sloper."
Angelina tried to hide her chuckle. "Well, I guess we have to end practice early. You'll see to it he gets to the hospital wing, Ron?"
"Of course." I said. "Mobilicorpus"
Sloper's body levitated a few feet off the ground. I guided him as gently as I allowed myself to the hospital wing, telling Madam Pomfrey that he hadn't been partying attention and hit himself with the club. She gave me a look that told me that she knew better, but didn't question it, and I left the room, a smug look on my face.
I reminded myself to thank Ginny later.
Shortly before the end of the holidays a batch of pamphlets, leaflets and notices concerning various wizarding careers appeared on the tables in Gryffindor Tower, along with yet another notice on the board, which read:
CAREERS ADVICE
All fifth-years are required to attend a short meeting with their
Head of House during the first week of the summer term to discuss their future careers. Times of individual appointments are listed below.
I looked down the list and seen that I was expected in Professor McGonagall's office at ten on Tuesday, which meant missing Herbology, which I didn't mind at all. However, I still wasn't sure on what I really wanted to do with my life. I wasn't ready for such decisions. I was just starting to really care about what clothes I would wear on my down days.
"Well, I don't fancy Healing," I said on the last evening of the holidays. I was reading a leaflet that carried the crossed bone-and-wand emblem of St. Mungo's on its front. "It says here you need at least and 'E' at NEWT level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. I mean ... blimey ... don't want much, do they?"
"Well, it's a very responsible job, isn't it?" said Hermione absently.
She was poring over a bright pink and orange leaflet, that was headed, 'SO YOU THINK YOU'D LIKE TO WORK IN MUGGLE RELATIONS?' "You don't seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles; all they want is an OWL in Muggle Studies: Much more important is your enthusiasm, patience and a good sense of fun!"
"You'd need more than a good sense of fun to liaise with my uncle," said Harry darkly. "Good sense of when to duck, more like." He was halfway through a pamphlet on wizard banking. "Listen to this: Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel, adventure and substantial, danger-related treasure bonuses? Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank, who are currently recruiting Curse-Breakers for thrilling opportunities abroad ...They want Arithmancy, though; you could do it, Hermione!"
"I don't much fancy banking," said Hermione vaguely, now immersed in: 'HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO TRAIN SECURITY TROLLS?'
"Hey," said Fred as he and George had come to join us. "Ginny's had a word with us about you. She says you need to talk to Sirius?"
"What?" said Hermione sharply, freezing with her hand halfway towards picking up 'MAKE A BANG AT THE DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL ACCIDENTS AND CATASTROPHES'.
"Yeah ..." said Harry, trying to sound casual, "yeah, I thought I'd like-"
"Don't be so ridiculous," said Hermione, straightening up and looking at him as though she could not believe her eyes. "With Umbridge groping around in the fires and frisking all the owls?"
"Well, we think we can find a way around that," said George, stretching and smiling. "It's a simple matter of causing a diversion. Now, you might have noticed that we have been rather quiet on the mayhem front during the Easter holidays?"
"What was the point, we asked ourselves, of disrupting leisure time?" continued Fred. "No point at all, we answered ourselves. And of course, we'd have messed up people's revision, too, which would be the very last thing we'd want to do."
He gave Hermione a bit of a sarcastic little nod. She didn't catch the sarcasm however. As she gave him a look that clearly said she appreciated their thoughtfulness.
"But it's business as usual from tomorrow," Fred continued briskly. "And if we're going to be causing a bit of uproar, why not do it so that Harry can have his chat with Sirius?"
"Yes, but still," said Hermione cautiously, "even if you do cause a diversion, how is Harry supposed to talk to him?"
"Umbridge's office," said Harry quietly. "Umbridge herself had told me that the only fire that was not being watched was her own."
"Are-you- insane?" said Hermione in a hushed voice.
"I don't think so," said Harry, shrugging.
"And how are you going to get in there in the first place?"
"Sirius's knife," he said.
"Excuse me?"
"Christmas before last Sirius gave me a knife that'll open any lock," said Harry. "So even if she's bewitched the door so Alohomora won't work, which I bet she has- "
"What do you think about this?" Hermione demanded of me, almost sounding like Mum when she would address Dad. I really didn't have anything to add. Part of it was because I felt it was a good idea. And the other part knew that Harry wasn't going to listen to reason anyways, so why speak?
"I dunno," I said with a shrug. "If Harry wants to do it, it's up to him, isn't it?"
"Spoken like a true friend and Weasley," said Fred, clapping hard on my back. Hermione looked at me, flabbergasted.
"Right, then. We're thinking of doing it tomorrow, just after lessons, because it should cause maximum impact in everybody's in the corridors-Harry, we'll set it off in the east wing somewhere, draw her right away from her own office-I reckon we should be able to guarantee you, what, twenty minutes?" Fred said, looking at George.
"Easy," said George.
"What sort of diversion is it?" I asked.
"You'll see, little bro," said Fred, as he and George got up again. "At least, you will if you trot along to Gregory the Smarmy's corridor round about five o'clock tomorrow."
The next day, Hermione was still trying to convince Harry not to break into Umbitch's office. She even tried during History Of Magic, a class she always made sure to pay attention in and take accurate notes...that Harry and I would usually copy.
".. and if she does catch you there, apart from being expelled, she'll be able to guess you've been talking to Snuffles and this time I expect she'll force you to drink Veritaserum and answer her questions."
"Hermione," I said in a low and annoyed voice, "are you going to stop telling Harry off and listen to Binns, or am I going to have to take my own notes?"
"You take notes for a change, it won't kill you!" she snapped at me.
I decided to shut my mouth. She was clearly not in the mood. By the time we reached the dungeons, Harry wasn't talking to her either. She really didn't seem to care. In fact, it looked as if she enjoyed the silence as we worked on our Potions work.
Harry had filled his vial with his potion and had went to turn it in. Hermione scowled as she watched him walk off, but she was nice enough to vanish the rest of his cauldron for him.
However, Snape "accidentally" smashed Harry's vial o to the floor, and gave him zero marks, the greasy haired git.
When he got back to us, he looked in his cauldron and was instantly angry as the contents were gone.
"I'm sorry!" said Hermione, with her hands over her mouth. "I'm really sorry, Harry. I thought you'd finished, so I cleared up!"
Harry didn't even look Hermione's way the rest of class, and as soon as we got to lunch, he sat between Neville and Seamus.
His bad mood lingered and without me reminding him, he almost missed his meeting with McGonagall, which he quickly rushed off to.
Divination was rather boring without Harry being in the class. I listened to Firenze talk about mapping out the stars and planets the correct way, but my heart really wasn't into the lesson.
After the class, I met back up with Harry and Hermione to head to Defense Against The Dark Arts. Harry looked a mixture of amused and confused, while Hermione was still in a mood about everything.
Umbridge looked in a right state when she came into the class. Her face was red, and she was puffing out her cheeks.
"I hope you've thought better of what you were planning to do, Harry," Hermione whispered, the moment we had opened our books to 'Chapter Thirty-four, Non-Retaliation and Negotiation'. "Umbridge looks like she's in a really bad mood already."
Bad mood was an understatement. Every now and then Umbridge shot glowering looks at Harry for some odd reason. True she didn't like the bloke, but she just seemed more put off by Harry's presence than usual.
"Dumbledore sacrificed himself to keep you in school, Harry!" whispered Hermione, raising her book to hide her face from Umbridge. "And if you get thrown out today it will all have been for nothing!"
"Hermione..."
"Harry, don't do it, please don't do it!" Hermione begged as the bell rang at the end of the class.
"Give it a rest, OK? He can make up his own mind." I said to her. Hermione's jaw dropped.
"But Ron-"
"Shut it, Hermione! Just leave it alone!" I snapped.
We were halfway along the corridor outside when we heard something that sounded like a mini explosion. There were screams and yells coming from somewhere above us; people exiting the classrooms all around. We stopped dead in out tracks and looked fearfully up at the ceiling.
Umbridge came pelting out of her classroom as fast as her short legs would carry her. Pulling out her wand, she hurried off in the opposite direction.
Harry looked at Hermione with determination in his eyes. It was now, or never.
"Harry-please!" Hermione pleaded weakly.
But he had made up his mind and ran off in the other direction. Hermione and I just stood there, watching him as he rounded the corner.
"What do we do?" asked Hermione.
"Nothing we can do." I said. "He isn't going to listen if we follow. We have to let him do this."
"I still say it's a bad idea." said Hermione.
"Yeah, well...let's go see what the fuss is about. Pretty sure my brothers have something to do with this." I said, taking Hermione by the sleeve and rushing her down the opposite direction that Harry went.
We ran up the stairs along with the crowd. When we made it to the fifth floor, we were stopped by a wall of students. We pushed through the crowd until I saw the red headed tops of my brothers. When we got to them, we were met with a sight that made me want to fall over with laughter.
A massive swamp now filled the corridor on the fifth floor of the east wing. The air was heavy, the water was murky as well as sludgy, there were plants and old looking trees, and even a couple of things swimming in there, as we seen slimy bubbles being made.
"Oh dear!" said Hermione,sounding like she didn't know if she should be impressed or horrified.
"What the bloody hell have you done?" I said through my laughter.
"You think the old bird will notice?" said Fred, arms cross as he admired he and George's handiwork.
"She might if she squints and looks hard enough." said George.
"WHATS THIS?! rang a shrill voice.
"And that's our cue!" said Fred and George, taking off through the crowd. Everyone turned and followed them, cheering and whooping all the way.
They had made it down to the entrance hall when Umbridge finally caught up with them. We followed and gathered around the scene.
It was just like the night when Trelawney had been sacked. Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring; teachers and ghosts were also in the crowd. Peeves, who was bobbing overhead, gazed down at Fred and George who stood in the middle of the floor looking extremely unbothered.
"So!" said Umbridge triumphantly. "So-you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"
"Pretty amusing, yeah," said Fred, looking up at her without the slightest sign of fear.
Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge, looking gleeful, like he had recently had a nice wank.
"I've got the form, Headmistress," he said hoarsely, waving a piece of parchment in the toad's face . "I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting ... oh, let me do it now ..."
"Very good, Argus," she said. "You two,"she went on, gazing down at Fred and George, "are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."
"You know what?" said Fred. "I don't think we are."
He turned to George, whom had the same determined look in his eye.
"George," said Fred, "I think we've outgrown full-time education."
"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," said George lightly.
"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" asked Fred.
"Definitely," said George.
And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands and said together:
"Accio brooms!"
There was a loud crash somewhere in the distance. Suddenly brooms zoomed towards Fred and George, one of which had a chain hanging from it.
"We won't be seeing you," Fred told Professor Umbridge, swinging his leg over his broomstick.
"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," said George, mounting his own.
Fred then turned his attention to the us awestruck students.
"If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley-Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"
"Special discounts to Hogwart's students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bitch," added George, pointing at Professor Umbridge.
"STOP THEM!" shrieked Umbridge, but it was too late. As the Inquisitorial Squad closed in, Fred and George kicked off from the floor, shooting fifteen feet into the air, the iron peg,attached to the chain swinging dangerously below. Fred looked across the hall at the poltergeist bobbing on his level above the crowd.
"Give her hell from us, Peeves."
And Peeves swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to the deafening applause from us students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.
My brothers were amazing.