“Ginny, you’re mental. You too, Harry. How to you think we’ll pull this off?” Ron asked in a quiet whisper. They were sitting in the Common Room of Gryffindor Tower, pushed up to the back corner and all leaning in and whispering. Hermione was on Perfect duty so she wasn’t there.

Dean and Seamus had taken the chance to use their own boredom for some good Twin tricks.

“We got to,” Harry declared.

“For the twins, in honor of them.” Ginny smiled darkly. “It’s their birthday Wednesday; I do believe we owe the school a good prank in their honor.”

“Yeah, but what and on whom?” Ron hissed quietly.

“Flitch,” Ginny declared, shooting a glance around for eavesdroppers. “He’s gotten worse over the weeks,” Ginny declared darkly

“Yes, and pulling a prank on him will make that much better.” Ron whispered doubtfully.

“No, but he won’t know who it was. He’ll be suspicious, as usual, but who knows what’ll happen. Anyway, we’ve got it planned out, just need a third person.” Harry chuckled, meeting Ginny’s eyes. They had had it all planned out and planned to have several people write out their view on the prank and send it to the twins.

“Oh,” Ron suddenly pouted. “Just a third person...last minute, eh?” Ginny and Harry looked at it each other and grinned.

“Ron, mate, you were our first choice and we’ve been planning it for weeks. We didn’t want word getting out ‘cause everything will just be ruined. That’s why it’s last minute.” Harry paused as he leaned back, stretching a bit and making to get up. “But if you don’t want too...I’m sure Dean’s always up for it.”

Ginny had broken it off with Dean sometime over the summer, saying it just wasn’t working out, but Ron had yet to be informed of this. Though he had the suspicion that they weren’t together.

The words had the wanted effect because instantly Ron’s eyes bugged out and leaned farther forward.

“So, what’s the plan?” he asked in a dark whisper. Ginny shot an amused look at Harry before leaning forward to explain.

“It’s a simple spell, but we need two distractions while Harry does the spell. That’s why we need you. I’ll be one and you’ll be the other.” Ginny informed slyly. “You’ll be on one side of the corridor and I’ll be on the other. Harry will be under the invisibility cloak because he’ll have to dive to and fro a lot. Can you do that?” Ginny demanded of Harry.

“No problem,” Harry waved off sheepishly.

“Yes, I get it,” Ron said with an annoyed nod. “But what’s this spell going to do? And why does Harry have to dive to and fro?”

“Oh, it’s an awesome spell. A Quidditch spell to be exact,” Harry chuckled. “It’s a training spell for Chasers.” Harry and Ginny’s grins were wicked. “It’s an image of a quaffle that just drops before you, so you can catch it and throw it. It’s a reaction spell. But you see...” at this point Ginny and Harry could barely stop grinning and holding in their laughter.

“No one...” Ginny said.

“Can see it.” Harry burst out laughing and Ron grinned wickedly. “The reason I have to dive to and fro is because it needs to be timed for dinner and it also needs to be cast on both sides.”

“So...” Ron’s face was splitting into a wicked grin. “He’ll think he’s seeing a quaffle going up and down during dinner?” Harry nodded and instantly Ron was howling in laughter. Ginny and Harry were having a hard time of containing their laughter.

888

All during Potions Snape was in a spiteful mood toward anyone not in his house, and he was handing out points to Slytherin like they were candy.

Ron and Harry met each others eyes when Malfoy successfully ruined both their potions and Snape didn’t so much as blink at Malfoy instead insulted them.

“We’re meeting Ginny,” Harry declared in a dark hiss as Snape poured over Neville’s potion with insults. “Just up the corridor, and the person is changing.” Ron nodded while Hermione attempted in vain to calm down Neville. Ron understood what he meant.

“What’s the problem Longbottom? Can’t stop dreaming of dark nights.” Neville paled instantly. “Or clowns.” Instantly the Slytherins roared in laughter while Neville more or less shook with horror.

“I can’t believe he did that! Neville told him that in trust.” Harry hissed.

“What’s his problem?” Ron asked as Snape snapped again.

“Maybe he ran out of greasy shampoo,” commented a Ravenclaw who had the misfortune to be overheard by Malfoy.

“Sir!” Malfoy cried out in mock disgust. “Weasley and Potter are making fun of you. Potter said that you ran out greasy shampoo in answer to Weasley’s question to what your problem was.” Snape whirled around at Malfoy’s words while the two accused gaped like fish.

“Potter detention with Fli—” he paused, his eyes sliding onto Harry. “With me at eight tonight. And twenty points for your comments.” His eyes ere flashing as Harry tried to say that he never said such a thing.

“Sir!” Harry protested.

“Well, Potter, if you didn’t say it, who did?” Snape ordered and Harry gaped. His eyes glanced quickly at the Ravenclaw who was ungodly pale. Locking his jaw in annoyance, Harry didn’t respond and went back to his potion. “Thought so,” but Snape’s tone was different.

“Thanks,” the Ravenclaw murmured as Harry shrugged. Ron sighed a bit and muttered about his friend having too soft of a heart. Hermione shot him an apologetic look while Neville was shivering.

“This joke is a go,” Harry whispered in Ron’s ear.

Until the end of class hardly anyone beside the Slytherins spoke. Most of the other houses were peeved at Snape for assigning detention when he didn’t have an valid proof of Harry saying that, while most Ravenclaws were a bit annoyed at their own classmate for sticking up for Harry.

“Well that was an enjoyable class.” Hermione commented dryly as they trooped out of the classroom. Harry and Ron had odd smiles plastered on their faces, which was causing Hermione to give them odd looks. “What are you two grinning about?” she demanded suspiciously.

But neither boy could answer, and rounding the corner not far from the Potions classroom they met Ginny and some of her friends. Harry nodded, which was the signal that it was a go, and the redheaded girl’s smile widened.

“What the hell do you me that you hate my hair?” Ginny screeched turning on a fourth year boy who hadn’t known what he was agreeing to when she asked if they could get into an argument in the dungeons. Hermione’s eyes widened and she dived forward.

Harry had already slipped off to the side, into a nook where no one could see him. He threw his cloak on and waited for Ron to start.

“Why does it matter?” Ron randomly shouted at Neville, having whispered a warning to start a good argument, which luckily Neville caught on to.

“IT JUST DOES!” Neville shouted back, obviously a bit relieved at being allowed to shout at someone after a horrid potions class.

“MY HAIR’S RED! SO WHAT!” Ginny continued and together her and her brother stirred up an impressive rant that drew more then just Flitch, but Snape too.

“What’s going on here?” Snape demanded, pushing through the crowd that was forming. He frowned when no one paid him any attention. Harry moved into position, from Ron’s side while Snape turned his attention on Ginny. Flitch wasn’t far away, standing behind Snape. But Harry went for Snape instead of the caretaker.

“Drafled,” Harry muttered under his breath, his wand inches from Snape’s left shoulder. Snape seeing that he was getting nowhere with Ginny, he turned his attention onto Ron. “Drafled.” Harry murmured on the right shoulder and drew away.

He ran back to the nook and tore off his cloak before shoving it back into his bag. Then he snuck around the crowd and then smiling darkly shoved his way through. He pulled a face that looked like he had run all the way.

Snape’s eyes swiveled onto him darkly.

“Ron!” Harry panted.

“What?” Ron snapped, rounding on his friend.

“Nothing,” Harry said. “Just wanted you to stop yelling, it’s annoying.” Harry grinned darkly. That was the line that told Ron and Ginny that he had succeeded.

“Git,” Ron snarled before turning around and storming off. Everyone, including Ginny and her debtor were staring after Ron in shock and then glancing at Harry who was just staring after his friend in what he hoped was a dark look.

He stormed after Ron and caught up with him going to the Tower. Their eyes met and they snorted. “Brilliant,” they both whispered before falling into a highly amused silence.

After dumping their things off, they joined in with the throng of students heading into the Great Hall. They sat next to Ginny, Neville and Hermione. Upon sitting down Ron, Ginny and Harry had to instantly avoid each other’s gazes to keep from laughing.

“What was that all about in the dungeons?” Hermione asked and Ron shrugged.

“Just needed to rant,” he said as everyone waited for an answer. After that the topic wasn’t brought up. By now, everyone had heard about the Potions lesson. That was why Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw were down so many points and Slytherins were up by many.

“You changed to Snape didn’t you?” Ginny whispered and Harry nodded. Ginny didn’t seem to mind, she had heard about Neville too.

Snape stalked in, obviously not pleased and sat down. Harry shot him a glance and counted down the seconds.

“Eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three...two...one...” He chanted and instantly Snape shot back in his chair, his eyes wide in shock. The screeching noise caught everyone’s attention.

“What the...” Snape’s words trailed off as he looked up and watched the Quaffle drop again, either slower or quicker. Judging by the snap of his head, it was a quicker time. Everyone stared. “What the hell is this quaffle doing?”

All the Professors stared at him while all the students giggled. Again Snape’s head shot up and followed the quaffle only he could see down. “Why is there a quaffle attacking my dinner?” he demanded again, his neck snapping up and down.

Students were having a hard time of containing their laughter. It wasn’t everyday that you saw your professor, and not just any professor but Professor Snape, the dreaded Potions Master of the dungeons, going crazy.

“I demand to know what this quaffle is doing!” He grabbed the quaffle and threw it. Students could no longer contain their laughter. Upon seeing Professor Snape throwing nothing but air had been the breaking point. Several professors were having their own time containing their laughter.

“What?” Snape hollered, standing up and watching the quaffle he had thrown drop back down in front of him.

“Severus, there isn’t a quaffle in front of you!” McGonagall snapped and Snape’s glared.

“There is to!” Snape cried out. He once again grabbed air and thrust it toward McGonagall who didn’t flinch.

“Severus,” Dumbledore began slowly.

“What’s with this thing?” Snape roared in anger, his eyes following the quaffle again. Everyone was laughing now, especially when he grabbed it and threw it again. Ron and Harry were almost out of their seats while some actually were. Dumbledore’s eyes were twinkling and Sprout was already laughing out loud while McGonagall seemed to be trying hard not to laugh.

Snape was glaring, and he kept grabbing the quaffle and throwing it.

“Cruel,” Hermione snorted but Snape’s attitude lately caused him to deserve it. All the students, even Slytherins, were rolling around and laughing.

Then, as Snape grabbed the invisible quaffle again and threw it only causing more laughter, something dawned on him. His eyes flashed and his face pulled such a dark look that it silenced several students, even in the upper classes.

Waving his wand, the spell was cancelled and Snape was glaring.

“Who did this?” he snarled darkly, as McGonagall catching onto the joke, also stood up and glared around. Not a student moved, though several were having a hard time of not laughing. Snape’s eyes scanned each table before landing on the Golden Trio. Ron and Harry had their faces buried in their food, trying hard not to start laughing again.

“Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter!” Snape suddenly shouted causing them both to look up startled. “Come here,” the whole hall watched in silence as the two shot each other worried looks and crawled off the bench.

“Do you know anything about the joke played on Professor Snape?” McGonagall demanded once Harry and Ron were had the Head Table.

“No,” Ron gulped, not daring to glance at Snape.

“Yes you do,” Snape snapped. “You always do.”

“Do you realize that a prank like this, Mr. Weasley can cause you to lose your Prefect badge?” McGonagall informed darkly and Ron paled quickly.

“He wasn’t part of it,” Harry declared. “It was my idea, I cast the spell.”

“You would have to get inches from him, Mr. Potter. I’m sure Professor Snape would’ve noticed that.” McGonagall snapped and Harry shrugged.

“Ron and Neville were fighting, and I had err-been planning this.” Suddenly he felt bad. “So, I had my cloak on me, and I used his distraction to do it. Read about the spell in a book.”

“And you knew nothing of this Mr. Weasley?” Luckily Ron was quick and a good liar because he shook his head, mumbling that he didn’t know anything about it. “Well, Mr. Potter, I’m highly disappointed in you,” her lips were twitching. “And I’ll leave your punishment up to Professor Snape.”

“Come,” Snape’s eyes flashed and he turned around. Harry shot a look at Ron, and then at Ginny, who looked on the verge of proclaiming herself part of the group too, but Harry’s look shot it down. Ginny was already on probation from Quidditch for a fight she had with a Ravenclaw not but a week ago.

Once outside the Great Hall doors, the whole hall burst out laughing again, along with the teachers. No one could help it. Snape had for the passed ten minutes shouted about a quaffle he could only see and was grabbing and throwing air. Not something one is use to seeing Snape do.

Snape didn’t glance at Harry as they trooped down into the dungeons. Not until they got before the Potions classroom and he pushed Harry into it. “Clean,” he snarled.

Harry grunted and started to gather the cleaning material. Turning, he found Snape still staring at him.

“Yes?” Harry demanded as he was a bit peeved now. If Snape hadn’t been acting like such a git lately then he would’ve done it on Flitch.

“Why’d you do it?” he demanded in a voice that quite clearly said ‘that joke shows you to be more like your father’. Harry glared.

“For your information,” Harry snarled. “That joke was planned for Flitch, so don’t flatter yourself with the consideration of a good joke. Yet, this whole week you’ve been acting like a complete git toward anyone not in your house. You used what you knew of Neville, who’s trusted you enough to confide in you, to embarrass him in front of a class of ruthless Slytherins. Of all the things I’ve come to expect of you that wasn’t one of them.” Harry snarled, as he grabbed the cleaning rag and ran it over the first countertop.

Snape stared at Harry for a minute, his face suddenly impassive, before he walked forward, grabbed Harry by the shoulder and dragged him out of the classroom.

“Leave, Potter, now!” He snarled and Harry turned around to watch Snape stalk back toward his office. Sighing, Harry shoved his hands into his pockets and walked off. He went off toward the lake and stared out toward the water. The giant squid was flapping his arms around loudly in the water.

The silent truce between him and Snape which they held during Harry’s Wizard Chess lessons was suddenly emerging. Maybe he shouldn’t have said what he said, or done what he done. He could’ve gone about it differently. He moaned and buried his head into his hands. He suddenly felt like his father.

Harry had completely humiliated Snape.

Grinding his teeth, Harry suddenly took back off toward the dungeons. He found Snape in his office, pouring over parchments.

He didn’t bother knocking, knowing that Snape would just ignore it. He just entered and Snape glared at him.

“Your detention was cancelled,” he snarled darkly.

“I just wanted to say I was sorry,” Harry choked out. This was harder then saying thanks. “I shouldn’t’ve done it. It could’ve been handled differently. But I swear I’m not my father in that way.” With that he spun around and marched out of the office. Yet, he didn’t get far.

“Potter,” Snape called after him. “Send Mr. Longbottom down here.” Harry nodded slightly. “Oh, and Potter,” Harry looked back. “I never accused you of being like your father; I stick to what I said over the holidays. You’re more like your mother, and you prove that everyday. But you can stop taking the blame for others, such as Ravenclaws.”

Harry smiled a bit and glanced at Snape whose face was impassive. He nodded, showing that he accepted Snape’s own apology and went off to find Neville.

“Nev,” Harry called out when he found Neville walking down the corridor. “Snape wants to see you.” Neville looked horrified. “It’s okay,” Harry reassured. Neville nodded sadly and walked off toward the dungeons.

Shaking his head, Harry turned the corridor and ran into Professor Gary.

“Oh, sorry, sir.” Harry stuttered as Gary grabbed him to keep his own balance. Harry stared him in the eyes and found to his surprise that they were brown and sprinkled with white. His head ran wild. He knew he had seen those eyes before but his mind was too confused at the moment.

“Oh, no problem lad.” Professor Gary laughed, looking a bit to the left of Harry’s face. Shaking his head, Harry walked off.

888

The next day there came a surprise announcement.

Neville had caught up with Harry the next day before he went into the common room and told him, a bit mystified, that Snape had apologized to him for using what he knew about Neville’s dreams to taunt him.

“I’m not sure what came over him, but it looked painful.” Harry chuckled at Neville’s words. It probably took all of Snape’s willpower to say that.

As the entered the common room, they could it crammed packed full of students.

“What’s going on?” Harry demanded of a third-year girl. She squeaked at being addressed but answered anyway.

“There’s going to be a dance, the weekend after the Quidditch final. It’s going to be an early end-of-the-year dance. I think Dumbledore did that to relieve some stress on the castle.” She squeaked before taking off.

Harry raised an eyebrow. It was true; there had been an uncanny amount of stress lately upon the castle. No one exactly knew why, Harry had it was a feeling to do with all the Ministry officials that kept showing up. Harry had the impression Fudge was failing and the Ministry was relying on Dumbledore, which put pressure on him and the professors, who in turn put pressure on the students.

“Well, that’s something I wasn’t expecting.” Harry mumbled as he flopped onto the arm of an armchair.

“I hate dances,” Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Neville all said in unison as they gathered around. Instantly they started to laugh.