Hogwarts Round Robin of Magic and Mayhem

[Luna Natashi]

Hermione sat slumped over the table near the Gryffindor fireplace. She had fallen asleep, what with her being so busy with the usual homework, the new S.P.E.W. and the new Dumbledore's Army. Her Muggle Studies essay, already well past the required length, was only three-quarters of the way done as far as she was concerned. One long tress of her voluminous hair had managed to make its way into the uncovered ink bottle she had been using.

Two red-headed twins sat in the corner. They had been talking in hushed voices about their favourite activity and current business venture: jokes and pranks of the magical variety. They had just noticed the dozing Gryffindor when they realized they were in desperate need of some one to test their new product. They didn't use twin telepathy or even exchange similar mischievous looks. They just stood up holding their newest masterpiece and approached the sleeping fifth year.

[timtheenchanter]

As stealthily and silently as fish, the dreadful duo crept up to their unsuspecting prey. By an amazing stroke of luck, Hermione didn't hear the thunderous thrashing thuds of the twins, flopping on ground without benefit of locomotion appendages.

CRASH!

George ploughed into a table, which fell over and deposited the assorted books and accessories onto the floor in a cacophony of thumps and bumps-

Hermione shifted her arm to a more comfortable position and continued sleeping. The twins suddenly found themselves capable of breathing again.

"Psssttt!" George hissed to Fred. "This is stupid. Let's do it the normal way."

Fred smiled. "You have to admit - that was fun."

With that, the Weasley twins gave up their valiant effort to flop to position and simply stood up. Fully using their legs now, they waltzed over to the sleeping Hermione, flanking her on both sides.

The twins gave each other evil, eager smiles of wild anticipation. Fred proudly held out their newest masterpiece - a thin piece of wood. It wasn't a wand. It wasn't a simple stick either. Well... it was a stick, actually. However, it had a core of graphite and one end of the stick was sharpened and pointy, leaving the core exposed. The twins called it...

A PENCIL!

Now, just what to do with it...?

[Luna Natashi]

* * * * *

Meanwhile, another Weasley was having trouble getting to sleep, which was very unusual for him. He heard a crash and muffled voices from downstairs. He slipped out of his beds and made his way down the common room.

". . . that was fun."

Ron watched as his brothers flanked another student on either side. Fred had pulled out what looked like his wand before Ron recognized the student as Hermione.

"What is that?" he asked, stepping forward.

Fred looked over at Ron.

"Oh my, George."

"Indeed, Fred."

"Ron, didn't you already have this talk?"

"This is Hermione. She is what we call a girl--"

"Shut up! I meant that thing you're holding!" said Ron, red-faced.

[timtheenchanter]

"Nothing!" said Fred a little too quickly.

Ron arched an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, were you two planning on doing to Hermione there?"

Fred and George had identical puzzled expressions. "I'm sorry, little bro'," said George. "I'm not sure we follow you."

"What do you mean?" Ron shouted at the loudest volume possible without waking Hermione - which was quite high, considering that she had slept through the twin's fish escapade on the floor. "She's sitting there, right there at the table!"

George looked down and jumped. "Whoa! Where'd she come from?"

"Seriously," added Fred, trying not to smile. "She studies so often at that table she literally blends right into it. I didn't even notice her."

Ron was not amused. Before he could do anything else, Fred and George quickly said "Good night!" and ran back upstairs to their beds. The youngest Weasley boy was left wondering what the twins were planning to do with their pointy wand thing.

* * * * *

"Looks like we know who just volunteered for testing," said Fred once the two were in their dormitory.

Fred and George exchanged evil smiles. The pencil was going to have a very interesting debut.

---

AUTHOR'S NOTE: NARG! Luna! Why did you have to edit your post when I was writing my segment? Now there are plot continuity issues!

Anyway, my segment starts after this part:

"What is that?" he asked, stepping forward.

[Luna Natashi]

Author's Note: NARG! Sorry, Tim. I can change it back if you want. Just say want you want me to do in your next piece. Also, please tell me if something doesn't make sense. Sometimes I try to be clever and the meaning gets lost.

---

The next night, while everyone else went to bed after finishing their homework, Hermione toiled endlessly with her already perfect essays. Again she fell asleep at the table. Again the Weasley twins sat in the corner. The only difference between this night and the last was that Ron had stayed up so he could protect Hermione from any of his brothers' schemes. The only flaw in his plan was he was now sleeping face down on the couch, a perfect target.

The twins, dropping the whole fish routine from last night, used their strangest and quite possibly least stealthy walks to perambulate to the couch.

They flicked Ron on his forehead a good ten times to make sure he was asleep. If the boy had been any less aware of his surroundings he would have been dead.

George held out his hand to Fred and gave a little bow. "May I have the honor?"

"Certainly." Fred placed the pencil in his brother's hand as if it were the sword Excalibur. Fred readied himself for setting their plan into action.