Percy Jackson and the Department of Mysteries

145) This Chapter Was Written Out Of Spite

Connor and Travis were jealous. Very, very jealous.

Their pranking partners in crime had shown them up. Fred and George had a) caused property damage b) broke Umbridge's resolve, and c) got the teachers and students on their side.

The students were all trying to fill in the space they left behind as the kings of pranking, but just couldn't make the cut. Nothing was as elaborate or amazing as the two twins. The teachers appreciated the swamp, though, and I knew this because none of them even attempted to remove it, though I figured most of them would be able to.

And d) Peeves did everything in their honor.

Every morning he blew raspberries in Umbridge's face, every afternoon he exploded the desk in Filch's office, and every evening he serenaded us with a song written about Fred and George. Not to mention everything he did in between.

Connor and Travis didn't want to drop out, so they knew they wouldn't be able to pull off such a big bang without causing some serious chaos.

Which was why I avoided them, and didn't pay any mind to the fact that they would scribble rapidly at their parchment, plotting our demise.

Filch and Umbridge were peeved, but they could never catch anyone doing anything wrong. The Inquisitorial Squad tried to help her, but they had an odd time of it, what with the sprouting antlers and skin rashes. Draco was loving it, because he hated nearly every member of the squad, and he was good at avoiding curses and hexes.

I think the best part of it all was the serious case of 'Umbridge-itis' that spread around the school. Every time Defense Against the Dark Arts would start, the entire class would suddenly develop nausea, get nosebleeds, suffer fevers, fall from fainting, or vomit all over Umbridge's desk. There was also a sudden influx of Skiving Snackbox wrappers in the garbage.

Hermione and Ron were confused on how Fred and George got the money to rent their own premises at Diagon Alley. Harry finally told them that he'd given the winnings from the Triwizard Tournament to them. Hermione, as always, was not happy with him (or me for allowing it to happen), but Ron was ecstatic because now he could shift the blame (Mrs. Weasley had a tendency to blame people who weren't at fault) from himself to Harry, which Harry was fine with.

Hermione, at the end of class, asked Harry whenever he was going to ask Snape to start Occulemency lessons back up. He'd admitted to us that, during their secret meeting in Umbridge's office, Sirius had said it was absolutely necessary that Harry continue his lessons.

"You can't tell me you've stopped having funny dreams," Hermione said hotly, eyes narrowed at him while Harry looked completely dejected, "because Ron told me last night you were muttering in your sleep again..."

Ron, at least, looked a little ashamed. I couldn't blame him, though, because I'd been regularly pestering Seamus and Neville about Harry's sleeping patterns.

"You were only muttering a bit," Ron mumbled apologetically. "Something about 'just a bit farther.'"

"I dreamed I was watching you lot play Quidditch," Harry glared at Ron. "I was trying to get you to stretch out a bit farther to grab the Quaffle."

Ron's ears went red, but I think we all knew he was lying. None of us pushed for the truth.

"You are trying to block your mind, aren't you?" Hermione stared steadily at Harry. "You are keeping going with your Occulemency?"

"Of course I am," Harry said, but I think we all knew he was lying then, too.

***

The final match of the Quidditch season was between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Because we'd beaten Slytherin in the last game, we had lost to Ravenclaw, and Ravenclaw had lost to Slytherin a while back, Gryffindor team did still have a chance of winning the Quidditch cup. The Hufflepuff team had spent the time leading up to the game helping Gryffindor practice, and I'm very pleased to say they actually did really well, even Ron.