Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.
More Important Than Any Broomstick - Chapter 22 - Announcements
The next few days passed quickly with training, getting ahead in classes, games (video games as well as the many other activities Potter Manor was equipped for), and of course, snogging. They did manage to visit Buckbeak one more time the day before school began. Before they knew it, Harry and Hermione were sitting in a compartment of the Hogwarts Express, competing against each other in yet another game of Mario Kart. Harry was improving, and was not as easily beaten by Hermione anymore. The door to their compartment opened and Hermione immediately paused the game to look at who had opened the door. She smiled as she said, "Hello Fred, George. How are you?"
"Hi Gred, Forge," said Harry with a grin.
"We're both fine," said Fred.
"But we do want to know," said George.
"If you accept our offer of two-thirds of the profits," said Fred.
Harry smiled broadly and said, "Yes. You handle the marketing and bookkeeping…"
"And we'll charm the devices," finished Hermione.
"That's good news," said George.
"Hopefully, we'll make enough money to develop our own joke products," said Fred.
"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," said George proudly.
"Are those muggle devices in your hands?" asked Fred, now eying their Game Boys.
"Yes," said Hermione. "These are portable muggle video game systems called "Game Boy Advances. Harry and I are playing a racing game called Mario Kart against each other."
"How are you playing each other?" asked George.
"There's no cord attaching those Game Boy Advances," said Fred.
Hermione sighed, "Honestly. There are some muggle devices that do work together without being attached by a cord. However, you are right about these. Muggles need to use a cord with them, but I charmed them so they don't need it. If people get those, they need to know not to let muggles see them competing without the cord."
"Wicked," said George. "Do you mind if we try out the products?"
"I guess not," said Harry, who'd let Hermione explain the Game Boys, "I was probably going to lose anyway."
Fred and George took seats across from Harry and Hermione, while Hermione explained how to play the game. Fred and George were already absorbed in their competition when Ginny walked into their compartment. She said, "Do you mind if I join you?"
"Not at all, Ginny," said Hermione. Ginny took a seat next to Hermione (Harry was against the window on Hermione's other side). Hermione then asked, "I'm surprised Ron's not with you."
Ginny sighed, "Oh that git," causing her brothers to chuckle while still intently playing their game. "He said, `I'm not spending the train ride with that show off!' and went to find a seat somewhere else," Ginny said with a grin. "Good riddance!" Ginny then noticed that Fred and George were absorbed in some weird devices she'd never seen before. "What are Fred and George doing?"
"They're playing a muggle video game," said Harry.
"Oh," said Ginny, "Don't those need ekle-tricity?"
"Normally they do require electricity," said Hermione patiently, "But those are charmed to work on magic instead."
"Wow," said Ginny, "Isn't that illegal?"
"No," said Harry, "We asked your dad. He said that as long as they're not doing anything out of the ordinary, it's not illegal. They're functioning the same as always, so if a muggle used them they wouldn't notice the difference."
"Except that the battery never runs out," pointed out Hermione, "But the only way they'd find that out is if they stole it."
"Cool," said Ginny. "Can you charm any muggle device to do that?"
"Absolutely," said Hermione.
"For the right price," added Fred and George together (while still playing their game).
"What do they mean?" asked Ginny.
"You see," said Hermione, "We've gone into business with them and, er, promised not to charm any muggle devices for anyone unless they go through Fred and George first and settle on a price."
"The twins will give us the devices to charm, so if you want something charmed, you'll have to go through them."
The redhead girl smiled to herself, "I think I can blackmail them into letting me get things charmed for free."
At that moment, the door opened yet again, and this time it was an unwelcome guest. Despite the fact that his father was in Azkaban, Draco was still strutting around proudly with his two goons at his side, although Harry noticed that Draco's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"What do you want, Draco?" Harry spit out.
"I wanted to know if you were entering. I'll bet someone like you couldn't resist the chance to show off!"
"Didn't your jailbird father tell you the new rules?" asked Hermione.
"I wasn't talking to you, mudblood! How dare you insult my father," he snapped back, and then turned back to Harry. "What new rules?"
Harry smirked at Draco, "Didn't you know? They're only allowing people seventeen or older in the tournament, so I can't enter, and no matter how much your Death Eater Dad has bribed the ministry with, you can't either."
Draco seemed to pale slightly at the thought of Harry and Hermione knowing something he didn't, but still kept the same expression as he pulled out his wand, saying, "How dare you call my father a, whaaaa…ouch!" At that moment, his feet came forward toward Harry as if summoned and Draco fell on his backside. Everyone in the compartment (except Crabbe and Goyle) started laughing at Draco as he got up and left quickly, followed by his `bodyguards.' Hermione turned to look Harry in the eye questioningly. He winked at her, causing an even bigger smile to appear on her face than was already there. She kissed him quickly, er well she didn't think it was long enough anyway, as Ginny turned her head and the twins focused their attention back on the game, which they'd paused to laugh properly at Draco.
"Already at it," said Ron loudly, who'd just walked up from the hallway.
"It's really none of your business," snapped Hermione, who was clearly annoyed at being interrupted while kissing her boyfriend.
"Why don't you go find someone to kiss instead of complaining about Harry and Hermione?" asked Ginny with a smirk. "I'm sure there's a first year boy somewhere on this train who'll have you!"
The twins has to pause their game again as they joined in the laughter at that statement. Ron's face turned a shade of purple that reminded Harry of his Uncle Vernon. He tried to pull out his wand, but found that it was stuck in his pocket. He kept pulling on it, eventually with both hands, but it wouldn't budge. He was getting more and more frustrated while the others were laughing harder and harder at him struggling. He finally turned around and stormed off. Soon after the laughter died down, Harry looked over at Hermione, who winked at him, causing him to let out a slight chuckle. At that moment, Neville appeared in the doorway.
He said, "I was sitting with Ron, but he went to the bathroom a little while ago, and since he came back, for some reason he's been really upset. I was wondering if I could join you guys?"
"Sure Neville," said Harry. Neville sat next to the twins, right across from Ginny. Hermione noticed that every few seconds, he'd glance at Ginny and slightly blush.
"So," said Neville, ending the silence that started when he sat down, "What are Fred and George doing?"
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After the rest of the enjoyable trip, in which George finally won so they gave the Game Boys back to their owners, they found themselves soaking wet in the Great Hall. They all laughed when Peeves got Ron in the head with a water balloon. Harry and Hermione had noticed it beforehand and could have stopped it, but they couldn't think of one good reason to do so.
Before they sat down, Hermione pulled her wand out and verbally performed the drying charm on Harry, herself, Fred, George, and Ginny. Afterwards she whispered into Harry's ear, "I almost did that without my wand. It's going to be difficult acting like we need them, and even harder to remember to say the spells."
Harry whispered back, "I know, it'll be like pretending to be a first year again."
She chuckled softly at that statement, and then Fred said, "Oy, if you two must whisper sweet nothings in each other's ears, do it without making noise. The sorting's started. We're trying to hear the names of our new potential customers."
When the sorting was over, the Headmaster made the simple announcement, "Tuck in."
Soon after the feast had started, Nearly Headless Nick showed up, talking about how Peeves had been terrorizing the house elves, gaining Hermione's attention. "There are house elves here at Hogwarts?" she asked.
"More than anywhere else in Europe I believe," said Sir Nicolas.
"I, er, I don't suppose they get wages here, do they?" asked Hermione timidly.
"Of course not," said Nick.
"But, but they're happy here, aren't they? I mean, they're not mistreated, are they?"
"Aside from when Peeves is terrorizing them, I'd say they're the happiest elves I've ever seen. Professor Dumbledore always praises their work, and I've never yet heard of him punishing an elf."
"Well, that's good," said Hermione, as she took another bite of her food.
Harry smiled at her, causing her cheeks to go a little pink. "You handled that very well," he said.
"What did you expect me to do, refuse to eat?"
They continued the meal amiably, until the dishes were cleared and the Headmaster walked up the podium to make his announcements.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. First of all, Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to announce that smiling in the hallways is no longer permitted," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. Filch gave him a quick glare. Dumbledore continued, "I'm joking, of course, but Mr. Filch did ask me to remind you that magic is forbidden in the hallways, and that the Forbidden Forest is, well, forbidden to all students. He has also added Screaming Yo-Yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs to the list of forbidden objects within the castle. If you're interested in the full list, which comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, it is inside Mr. Filch's office." He then motioned toward the staff table. "As you may have noticed, there are three new members of staff here. Professor Brooks will be teaching History of Magic." He motioned to a petite woman with tan skin, brown eyes, and long brown hair. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, and was very attractive. About half of the younger boys blushed when she waved her hand. "Professor Figg will be teaching Muggle Studies."
Harry couldn't believe his eyes as he recognized the grizzled gray hair, although now instead of a hairnet she was wearing a pointed hat. He whispered to Hermione, "That's Mrs. Figg! The lady with all the cats who lived on Privet Drive that used to baby-sit me!"
Hermione gasped. She then whispered, "I'll bet Dumbledore placed her there to spy on you. Now that you don't live there, she had no reason to stay."
Dumbledore continued, "And finally, as the new Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master, is Professor Black, recently cleared of all charges."
"What?" came the sound of several surprised students from the Slytherin table.
"Isn't he Harry Potter's guardian?" came the sneering voice of Draco Malfoy.
"Yes he is, quite right Mr. Malfoy, although I regret to inform you that I must take five points from Slytherin for your speaking out of turn," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure that Professor Black will not show favoritism toward Mr. Potter in the manner that Professor Snape has shown favoritism toward Slytherin House and you in particular in the past."
Harry couldn't help but chuckle as he saw Sirius, sitting next to Remus, smiling brightly. "Did you see the look on Draco's face?" Harry whispered to his neighbors, causing them all to chuckle quietly.
Dumbledore continued, "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." Harry hid his grin as he looked around at Fred and George, his fellow members of the Quidditch team. They were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak. Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts, we will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament."
Fred and George loudly said together, "You're JOKING!"
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