Joke's on Me | George Weasley | Book 1

chapter 24 - is it really worth the trouble

Natalia had sent the twins a letter asking to meet her just before curfew on their birthday, hoping that it was early enough for it to not interfere if they were having a party in Gryffindor house, but late enough that no one would really be out and about in the halls.

She was right that no one else was around, though, by the look of the twins, they'd probably been celebrating turning seventeen all day. "Evening Weasleys."

"Evening White!" They smiled in unison.

"Just wanted to say happy birthday." She handed them the box. "It's not as much as I'd like to give you but it's got to be under the radar, so here."

"Aw, a joint present?" Fred pouted.

"And here we were thinking you liked us." George faked crying, making Nat roll her eyes.

She held the box out for them, pulling two more wrapped gifts from her pockets. "I knew you were going to make a fuss."

"Ahem!" McGonagall cleared her throat, making the three of them jump and turn to face her. "It's past curfew- is that Natalia White?"

Natalia didn't really know how to respond to that.

"Is- is that a present?!" She looked as though she was going to faint, and Natalia knew she must be wondering what the hell was going on.

"It's a bomb." Natalia shrugged, walking away to the dungeons.

"A bomb!" The twins screamed, McGonagall yelling at them to not drop it, and Natalia laughed at the chaos she caused.

"Maybe I'm kidding!" She yelled down the hall, stopping at the staircase and turning to see the three of them staring at her, McGonagall not entirely sure what to do. "But maybe I'm not."

McGonagall started shouting after her, and Natalia ran down the stairs, jumping over the side of one to land on another one underneath, feeling it in her ankles - she would regret that move later - and waving to McGonagall as she made her way back to the dungeons.

She smiled, dropping onto the sofa between Blaise and Draco, propping her feet on the table. "Evening."

Draco eyes her warily. "Evening."

"You ok, babe?" Blaise asked, frowning a little.

Natalia opened her mouth to reply but was cut short when McGonagall and Snape walked into the common room with stone expressions.

"Natalia White." Snape sneered. "My office."

She smiled weakly. "If I don't return, avenge my death." Nat followed the two professors out through to Snape's office, sitting in the chair McGonagall pointed to.

"Explain yourself, Miss White."

Natalia leaned back, making herself comfortable. "Well, you see, me and the Weasley twins have come to an understanding."

"What sort of understanding?"

"I suppose... It's sort of a mutual agreement. I use my incredible skills to help them with whatever they need, they don't make my life hell any more. Plus I get Charms tutoring, we all know my wandwork needs work."

"Some of your wandwork." Snape corrected, much to her amusement.

"Miss White, we can't have you breaking curfew to go handing out bombs." McGonagall folded her arms. "Even if it is part of the understanding."

She rolled her eyes, "it wasn't actually a bomb. Do you really think I'd be that stupid? Especially with the twins, there are easier ways to get what I want from them, easier ways to deal with them." She realised what she said too late, eyes widening ever so slightly. "I didn't mean- I just meant it would be unnecessary."

Snape didn't look amused, McGonagall looking livid and slightly concerned at what she'd just said.

"Still, not listening to Professor McGonagall can't go unpunished," Snape said, allowing McGonagall to dish out the punishment.

"Detention. Three days. Monday after last lesson you will see me in my office."

Natalia smiled, but it didn't meet her eyes so it was a little unsettling. "I'll see you then, Professor."
She walked out of the office, sighing. Getting involved with the Weasley twins was probably the worst mistake she'd made yet, it was causing her more grief than it was solving anything. Plus, Draco didn't look impressed when she told him she had detention for being out after curfew and how she'd escaped from McGonagall. Maybe it wasn't worth it?