Torn Between Three Me's

28 - Plotting and Predictions

'We consider it an extracurricular,' Fred shrugged.

'W-w-what do they m-make you do?' Neville stammered.

'Usually clean something without magic like an office, or a classroom,' said Fred.

'Polish some trophy case or candlestick holder,' George listed off.

'But if you get Hagrid you could either be doing lines or going into the forest. You really never know,' I shrugged.

'The forest?' Neville gawked, trembling with fear. 'You mean the forbidden forest? The one with all the...' He gulped. 'Dangerous creatures?'

'Yeah but...it's fine. We've been in there plenty of times. And we're just fine!' I assured him.

'Remember that one time we cleaned out Filch's office,' Fred started to snicker. 'And we left him that nose biting teacup?'

'Oh yeah, so when we were all done and left, we heard him scream as it bit him and he spilled it just to mess up his office all over again,' George laughed as the rest of us joined him.

'Maybe don't do that?' I urged Harry. 'I'm glad you were helping Hagrid and Charlie and doing good things. I can't even really be mad at the detention, can I?' I sighed. 'I guess as your sister, your older and wiser sister, and since uh...the Dursley's certainly aren't going to say anything about it...' I took a deep breath, furrowing my brow and scrunching my mouth to the side. 'Maybe don't...do that?' I looked at the twins and they shrugged at me. 'Yeah, ok I think that covers it.'

'You're not going to yell at me?' Harry asked.

I sighed. 'That would be very hypocritical, don't ya think?'

'I suppose it would, yes,' he nodded.

'Just be careful, Har, that's all I ask, please,' I said, putting my hand on his shoulder, then sat back down in my seat. 'And if you're going to do things you're not supposed to...' I flashed a thin smile. 'Learn to be sneakier.'

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose dramatically, sighing with irritation. 'I can't believe this is happening,' she groaned, as Fred, George, Harry, and I laughed. 'Well I'm going to go study for exams. I suggest you all do the same. Harry?' Hermione cocked her head toward the table at the other side of the common room and Harry followed her over as Neville ran up to the dorms.

***

'Three exams down, one more to go,' I groaned as we left the dungeons. We'd just finished our potions exams where Snape had made us brew a confusing concoction. He was very disappointed that the students weren't allowed to sample the potion as we'd done in class when we'd made it earlier in the term.

We'd had the rest of the exams earlier in the week, but the last four were all in one day. We'd started the day in charms, where Professor Flitwick had tested us on the Cheering Charm. This was one of Fred, George, and my favorites, and we had anticipated it being the exam charm, so we all did very well on it. Though Lee, who was my partner during the exam, had accidentally overdone the charm, and cast me into a fit of hysterical laughter. Thankfully this was after my attempt on him.

After Charms, we had Transfiguration, where we were tested on the Teapot to Tortoise spell. None of us did this spell exactly right. Fred's still had a spout for a tail, George's tortoise had a handle on top of its shell, and mine's shell was spewing tea.

Potions I was fairly confident in, and my first two years I'd received perfect marks. But I could never tell in the moment because Snape was always so disapproving.

'I am not excited about all the stairs we have to climb up,' Fred whined.

'Why couldn't we have Divination first and then potions?' George sighed.