Just Deserts

By Daniel J. Lyons

26 January 2004

Dlyons4480@aol.com

 

Overview: The Weasley Twins find that pranking isn't always as easy as it appears

 

The statue of Gambol the Great shuddered as a cloud of silver sparks sank into it.

 

"That should do it," Fred Weasley said, putting his wand away and turning to his twin brother George.

 

"We are brilliant," George smiled.

 

"Well, I'm not one to argue so I guess I'll have to agree to that point."

 

"Although, it's a shame that we won't be here to witness the fruits of our labor."

 

"Well, we don't want to be seen at the scene of the crime now, do we?"

 

"Quite true, we shouldn't give anyone a reason to connect this with us. Besides, Professor Snape may not take this in its intended spirit."

 

"Or, worse yet, he might take it in exactly its intended spirit."

 

"Yeah well, we're just trying to help," George said, checking the corridor. "A bit of snogging would do him a world of good. So would a good night’s sleep for us, let’s go."

 

The twins were extremely quiet on their return to Gryffindor Tower. After a few disturbingly close calls, they realized how out of practice they had become after years of depending on the Marauder's Map to tell them that the coast was clear.  Since they had given the Map to Harry Potter the previous year, stealth was now their only remaining option.

 

Halfway up the final set of stairs, however, they discovered that the castle had an option of its own.

 

"Watch it!" Fred exclaimed as the stairway beneath them shuddered and began to move.

 

"Hold on," George said, pulling his brother over to the railing, "Wonderful timing this, eh?"

 

The stairwell stopped but, oddly, the bottom end had not stopped on a landing as the stairwells usually did.  The bottom step was now hovering a few inches in front of a large painting.  In the painting about a dozen wood-elves were dancing around a very large tree.  In the base of the tree was a hollow that looked as if it could hold three grown men easily.

 

"I've never seen a staircase do that before," George said, pointing towards the painting.

 

"I don't like it," Fred said, uncharacteristically nervous. "Let’s go."

 

Halfway through turning, however, Fred felt the step beneath him move.  Behind them the large painting was sliding to the side to reveal a dark opening.  George managed to grasp the rail a second before the steps all flattened into a slide beneath them. Fred slammed down onto his back but managed to grab his brother's foot before sliding too far.

 

"Aaarg!" George shouted as a large shock jolted through his hands.

 

Involuntarily George let go of the rail and the twins slid rapidly to the bottom of the stairs, through the dark hole and into the unknown.

 

***

 

The unknown, as it turned out, was very hard and muddy.

 

After sliding for quite some time, the twins found themselves tossed out of a large hollow in the base of a tree. After flying several feet they landed on the cold ground in a heap, unconscious.

 

***

 

WHAP!

 

George felt something strike his shoulder.

 

WHAP!

 

George opened his eyes. It was still dark out but the sky was lightening, and dawn was approaching.  Several Clabberts were glaring down at him from the branches of a large tree.

 

WHAP!

 

One of the Clabberts had just thrown a rock at him and was wrapping its webbed fingers around another.

 

Rolling over, George noticed that the uncomfortable mound on which he had been lying was actually Fred, still unconscious.  As George moved off of his brother, another rock landed, this time on Fred's stomach.

 

Awakened by the impact, Fred sat up quickly, his head colliding with George's.

 

"Hey!" George shouted as he fell backwards, clutching his chin.

 

"Wha-" Fred started.

 

WHAP!

 

Another rock struck Fred's chest.  Before he could protest, George grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to his feet.

 

WHAP!

 

George stumbled as the rock hit him in the small of the back. "Move!"

 

A few minutes later they stopped to rest.

 

"Where are we, do you think?" George asked.

 

"Dunno," Fred looked around, "But we must be somewhere in the Forbidden Forest by the look of things."

 

George swore. "That's what I was afraid of. It's nearly dawn and it could take us hours to get back to the castle."

 

"We'd better get started then," Fred said in a resigned voice.

 

***

 

Their robes torn and dirty, the Weasley twins shuffled into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts castle just as the sounds of a large disturbance began in the dungeons below.

 

The twins moved towards the stairwell to the lower levels to investigate the laughter and muffled screams.

 

To their horror, at the bottom of the stairs was the statue of Gambol the Great, its arms wrapped around a struggling Professor Snape.  Oddly, the statue seemed to be smirking as it pressed its stone face against that of its captive.

 

"The scene of the crime," Fred squeaked in surprise.

 

Snape's eyes locked onto theirs as his wand emitted an orange beam that shattered the amorous statue.

 

With one stone arm still entwined around his waist, Professor Snape glared up the stairs at the stunned twins.

 

"I know you were behind this, Weasleys," he sneered angrily up the stairs. "If I could prove it I would have you both expelled."

 

Tossing off the arm, Professor Snape ascended the stairs. "As it is, I think that three weeks of detention for you both might make the castle far safer for the rest of us. My office, tonight!"

 

With a snarl, Professor Snape turned and left.

 

"Three weeks," Fred muttered.

 

"We'd have been better off in the forest," George replied.