CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
WEASLEY IS OUR KING
[17]

song: Weak by AJR

+++++++++++++++

The great hall's entrance was blocked by a huge crowd of students.

"Ugh, what now?" Ron groaned, as the four moved through the crowd.

When they reached the notice board, a new educational decree was posted.

"How did she know?" Ron gasped.

"Someone probably snitched on us." Harry scowled.

"No. It's impossible." Hermione stated.

Ron looked at her unbelievably. "You're so naive! Not every one is as honourable and trustwo—"

"They can't have," Hermione interrupted. "Because Lin jinxed the paper we all signed so no one on the list can snitch. If they did we'd all know."

Ron looked to Lin for confirmation. She nodded. "Snitches end up in ditches anyways." Lin winked.

"You girls are scary sometimes." Ron said to the two girls as they were making their way to the great hall for breakfast. They sat down at the Gryffindor table.

Umbitch was glancing around at the sea of students, a fake smile on her face.

"Oh no... Hannah and Ernie are coming this way." Hermione said in horror.

Lin followed her gaze to see the two Hufflepuffs walking towards them.

'Go back' Hermione mouthed to them. Lin slightly motioned her head to Umbridge.

Hannah and Ernie froze and then hurried back toward their table.

"Harry! Ron!" another panicked voice said.

Angelina Johnson came towards the four. Lin remembered she went with Fred to the yule ball. But she had nothing against her.

"We know!" Harry said. "We'll talk about it later with the—"

"You do know this includes quidditch teams right?"

"What?!" Harry and Ron exclaimed. Ron's eyes were the size of saucers.

"The sign says it includes teams! Quidditch teams!" Angelina turned to Harry. "Just behave yourself around Umbridge."

"Okay.. Okay. I'll try my best I promise."

+++++

Lin stayed up until 4 reading The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Lin washed her face in the bathroom and walked down the spiral staircase to the common room. She sat on the couch and watched the flames dance in the fire.

Footsteps were approaching, coming from the boy's dormitories. Lin looked to the staircase and Fred appeared. He froze.

"What are you doing up?" He asked her and sat down next to her.

"I stayed up reading and couldn't fall back asleep." Lin replied. "What about you?"

"I couldn't stand George's snoring." He smiled and she smiled back.

After a comfortable silence, Fred spoke up again. "I have an idea." He grinned wickedly.

"Hmm?"

Fred stood up and held his hand out to Lin. "Just follow me."

"But—"

"No questions." He interrupted.

Fred led her out of the common room and through the corridors.

He eventually led Lin to the quidditch pitch. They were currently in the audience stands.

"We are here for fresh air." Fred told her. It was still dark. It was about 1 a.m. Not that they cared—

Lin went and laid down on one of the seats.

"What are you doing?" Fred asked curiously.

"Looking at the stars." Lin replied simply.

He nodded. Fred laid down in a seat next to her and looked up too.

She point towards one of the group of stars. "There's Castor. And Pollux. They're in the Gemini constellation."

Fred looked where she pointed. "It's beautiful." He said. But now he wasn't looking to the stars. He was looking at her. "Tell me more about yourself. You never usually talk."

Lin turned to him. "What do you want to know?" She never opened herself up right away. But something about Fred made him instantly trustworthy.

"What's your favorite... color?"

"A common question... but it's grey."

"And why is it grey?" He asked curiously.

"Grey is a neutral color. Not light, not dark. And monotone anyways."

"That's interesting."

"What's yours?" Lin asked Fred.

"Red. And a know it's a common color. Especially for Gryffindors. But I like it because it represents strong emotions like love, hate. And even blood." Fred explained.

"I've never thought about it that way..."

They talked on and on, getting to know each other.

The sun finally came up and they panicked.

"Oh shit—"

+++++

"You've done it, Neville. You found the Room of Requirement." Hermione happily tells him with a smile. She looks at the room. They were currently on the seventh floor and there were half pillars made of stone, mirrors attached to the wall, and a fireplace.

"The what?" Fred asked.

"It's also known as the Come and Go Room. The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has real need of it." Lin explains.

"And it's always equipped for the seeker's needs." Hermione adds.

"So say you really needed the toilet..." Ron trails off.

"Charming, Ronald. But, yes, that is the general idea." Hermione replies with a small smile.

"It's brilliant. It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back." Harry says.

Lin turns to Fred and smiles. He smiles back.

+++++

The DA members were currently in a line in front of a metal mannequin with a fake wand.

Neville held out his wand and said, "Expelliarmus." His wand flew back and everyone ducked just in time. "I'm hopeless."

"You're just flourishing your wand too much. Try it like this." Harry pointed his wand to the figure. "Expelliarmus." Its wand was disarmed instantly.

Neville looked even more discouraged.

Lin walked to him and rubbed his shoulder. "You'll get it next time Neville."

+++++

"Stunning is one of the most useful spells in your arsenal." Harry explained to the DA as he walked toward the end of the room. "It's a wizard's bread and butter, really."

"So come on, then, Nigel." Harry said to the small boy with freckles on the other end of the room. "Give it your best shot."

"Stupefy!" The spell threw both Nigel and Harry back.

"Good." Harry groaned as he got up. "Not bad at all, Nigel. Well done."

Then it was Ron and Hermione's turn.

"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you." Ron assured Hermione.

"Thanks, Ronald." Hermione said sarcastically. Lin gave her a thumbs up. The both of them walked to opposite sides of the room.

"I ship it." Lin whispered to Harry who was standing next to her. He nodded with a smile.

"Come on, Ron." A few people said. "You can do it."

"One Sickle." George whispered to Fred.

Fred gladly accepted the bet. "You're on."

"Stu—"

But Hermione was faster. "Stupefy." Ron was thrown back and landed harshly.

"Thank you." Fred said when George handed him one sickle.

"Shut up."

"I let her do that." Ron explained to the twins. "It's good manners, isn't it? It was completely intentional." Fred just nodded and smiled, whilst Dean gave him a knowing look. He didn't believe a word.

"Good luck, mate." George told his older twin then pushed him to his opponent.

"You better give your best. 100%." Lin ordered Fred.

"Don't worry. It'll be fair, I promise." Fred winked at her before walking to the other side.

"St—"

Fred barely even said the word before Lin was faster. "Stupify."

He was thrown back and landed with a thud.

Lin joined the giggling group of girls and started laughing at the boys.

George helped Fred up while laughing at him. "Oh shut it."

+++++

"You'll do fine Ron. Stop worrying." Lin encouraged.

The Slytherins in the great hall had their prides on with their green and silver flags and magicked moving signs that read... 'Weasley is Our King'?

They also had badges that said the same thing.

Hermione and Ginny sat down on opposite sides of Ron, wearing red and gold scarves.

"How're you feeling?" Ginny asked her brother, who just stared at his bowl of cereal in silence.

"He's a little bit nervous...." Lin replied for Ron, patting his shoulder gently.

Fred and George sat down on both sides of Lin. "Morning, love." Fred greeted.

"Good morning." A dreamy voice from down the table said to them. Luna Lovegood was wearing a hat what was looked like a life-sized lion's head. "I'm supporting Gryffindor. Look what it does."

She tapped her hat with her wand. The lion's mouth opened and let out a very realistic roar that made everyone jump.

Angelina came hurriedly walking towards them, accompanied by Alicia and Katie. "When you're ready, the team is going straight down to the pitch." The Gryffindor quidditch team captain said, before walking away.

"You've got to eat something, Ron." Harry said. After a few minutes, it was evident that he couldn't and wouldn't eat anything more. "Well, we should get going to the pitch now." Harry told us.

When Harry and Ron stood up, Lin grabbed his arm and whispered, "Don't let Ron see what's on those Slytherins' badges." Harry looked at her confused but nodded anyway.

Hermione got up too and said, "Good luck Ron." Then she kissed him on the cheek. She walked out of the hall.

Ron seemed to snap back into reality slightly. His fingers touched the spot where Hermione had kissed him.

"Good luck George." Lin told the younger twin. "Good luck Frederick." She kissed his cheek before following where Hermione went.

Fred blushed and repeated Ron's actions by touching the place she kissed him.

George took this as the perfect opportunity to tease his twin. "I think you're in love Frederick."

Fred snapped back to the present. "Shut up."

+++++

"And it's Johnson! Johnson with the quaffle! What a player that girl is, I've been saying it for years but she still won't go out with me—"

"JORDAN!" yelled Professor McGonagall.

"Just a fun fact, professor, adds a bit of interest...." Lee laughed into his mic. "aaand she's ducked Warrington, she's passed Montague, she's— ouch. Been hit by a bludger from Crabbe."

"I still can't believe Crabbe and Goyle are their beaters." Hermione huffed.

"And Malfoy's still their seeker." Lin scowled.

"Montague drops the quaffle, caught by Katie Bell. Reverse passes to Alicia Spinnet, and Spinnet's away..."

Lin listened as hard as she could to what the Slytherins were singing.

"—dodges Warrington, avoids a bludger. Close call Alicia. And the crowd is loving this— what's that they're singing?"

Lee pauses his commentating to listen. The song rose loud from the sea of green and silver.

"Weasley cannot save a thing,
he cannot block a single ring,
that's why Slytherins all sing:
Weasley is our king!
Weasley was born in a bin,
he always lets the quaffle in,
Weasley will make sure we win,
Weasley is our king."

Pansy Parkinson was directing the crowd like an orchestra.

Lin and Hermione looked to the field where Ron looked sickly pale, hovering in front of the three hoops.

Warrington from the Slytherin team was zooming toward him, quaffle in hand.

"—So it's the first test for new Gryffindor keeper, Ron Weasley! Brother of beaters Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team. Come on Ron!"

Hermione held her breath.

Ron dived, his arms wide. The quaffle soared between them, straight through his center hoop.

"Slytherin scores! So that's ten-nil to Slytherin... bad luck Ron."

The Slytherins started to sing even louder, "WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,
HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN—"

About twenty minutes later, Ron had let three more goals in and Angelina scored one goal for Gryffindor.

Harry had a frown on his face and tried to tune out the Slytherins' singing.

Fred and George had knocked out one of the chasers.
Harry and Malfoy were zooming all over the field, still searching for the snitch.

"WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,
HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN,
WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN—"

Harry immediately dived and rushed toward the Slytherin end of the pitch. Malfoy rushed after him on his Nimbus 2001.

The golden snitch fluttered beneath one of the goal hoops then flew toward the other side of the stands.

From where it was now, Malfoy was nearer. Harry pulled his firebolt around, now neck in neck with Malfoy.

They both extended an arm toward the snitch....

Harry's fingers closed around the small ball and he pulled his broom upward. He raised his arm in victory to the Gryffindors.

The Gryffindor crowd cheered loudly. "Yes!" Hermione punched the air while Lin clapped.

The cheering went on then,

WHAM!

A bludger hit Harry straight in the back and he dropped to the ground. Luckily he was only five or six feet off the ground.

Madame Hooch blowed her whistle furiously. Both her and McGonagall were scolding Crabbe, who had sent the bludger.

Lin and Hermione darted down the stands, making their way onto the pitch to congratulate their friends.

Hermione hugged Harry whilst Lin gave him a pat on the back.

"Do I get a victory prize?" A voice said from behind Kai.

"Nope." Lin said, popping the P. She walked over and gave him another kiss on the cheek. They both blushed heavily, and Fred even more so from after the quidditch game. Fred gave her a massive hug. He picked her up easily and spun her around.

"Saved Weasley's neck have you?" sneered a cold voice from behind.

Draco Malfoy just landed on the ground near by. He was trying to hide his fury with a smirk. Fred put her down but was still hugging her from behind.

"I've never seen a worse keeper... but then again he was born in a bin. Did you like my lyrics, Potter?"

Everyone ignored him and continued to congratulate the team. The rest of the team got off their brooms and started to yell in triumph and punch the air.

Ron however, dismounted and made a beeline to the changing room.

"We wanted to write another couple of verses." Malfoy continued as Katie and Alicia hugged Harry. "But we couldn't find anything that rhymed with fat and ugly— for his mother you see..."

"Talk about sour grapes." Angelina said and gave a disgusted look to Malfoy.

"We couldn't fit in useless loser either— for his father you know..."

Fred and George had finally seemed to realize what he was talking about.

Lin felt Fred stiffen from behind her. "Leave it Fred." Lin said firmly. Her hands were on his chest, ready to hold him back.

"Ignore him." Lee told George while holding his arm. "He's just a sore loser."

"—but you like Weasleys don't you Potter?" Malfoy sneered. "Spend holidays there and everything don't you? Can't see how you can stand the stink."

Alicia helped Lin hold back Fred. Lee and Angelina were holding back George who was about to jump Malfoy.

"Or perhaps," He continued. "you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it—"

"Stop now, Malfoy." Lin warns him.

"Or what, you filthy little mudblood."

It all happened so suddenly.

Harry let of George and headed towards him himself. George broke free of people's grasps and pushed Malfoy so hard, he fell to the ground.

Harry put his knee on the Slytherin's stomach, pinning him to the ground and started to repeatedly punch his face. George started to punch him too.

Alicia, Lin, and Hermione were trying their best to hold back Fred. His face was red and he looked ready to kill.

Fred finally broke free of their grasps and ran to them to join in the punching fest.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" Madam Hooch bellowed.

Harry and George were send backwards by the spell. Fred was also sent backwards before he reached Malfoy.

Draco was now on the ground crying and blood grazed his face.

"I have never seen behavior like that!" Madam Hooch spat at them. "Back to the castle, all three of you, and straight to your head of house's office! Now!"

+++++

"Banned?!" Lin exclaimed.

"For life..."

"You can't be banned...." Angelina said in a hollow voice.

Harry, Fred, and George had just got back from their talk with McGonagall and Umbridge, looking empty.

"Banned." Angelina repeated. "No seeker and no beaters... What on earth are we going to do?"

Lin and Hermione were sitting around the fireplace with the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team. Except for Ron who hadn't been seen since the match.

"It's just so unfair." Alicia said numbly.

"And banning Fred when he didn't do anything." Katie added.

"Trust me I would have done something if I could." Fred growled. "I would have crushed that little ferret into a pulp if you three hadn't been holding me back."

Lin gave him a look that read 'don't.'

"Well I'm going to bed." said Angelina, slowly getting on her feet. "Maybe this will all turn out to be a bad dream... or I'll wake up and find we haven't even played." Alicia and Katie followed her into the dormitories.

Fred and George got up a little while later and slumped back to the boys' dorms. Fred mumbled a short good night to Lin. No goodbye kiss on the cheek or anything.

"Have you seen Ron?" Hermione asked. She moved to an empty sofa and sat down. Harry and Lin shook their heads.

Hermione continued, "I think he's avoiding us... Where do you think he—"

There was a creaking sound coming from the portrait hole as the Fat Lady swung open and Ron climbed in.

He was very pale and flecks of snow were in his red hair.

"Where have you been?" Hermione asked anxiously, getting up.

"Walking," Ron mumbled. He was still wearing his quidditch robes.

"You look frozen," Hermione said. "Come and sit down!"

Ron sat down in a chair farthest from Harry. "I'm sorry," Ron mumbled sadly, looking down at his feet.

"What for?" Harry asked.

"For thinking I can play quidditch." Ron replied sadly. "I'm going to resign first thing tomorrow."

"If you resign, there'll only be three players left on the team." Lin said.

"What?" Ron asked confused.

"I've been given a lifetime ban. So have Fred and George." Harry explained.

Hermione told him the whole story.

When she finished, Ron looked more guilty than ever.

"This is all my fault—"

"You didn't make me punch Malfoy." Harry said angrily.

"—if I wasn't so lousy at quidditch—"

"—it's got nothing to do with that—"

"—it was that song that wound me up—"

"—it would've wound up anyone—"

"The both of you- drop it!" Lin said impatiently. Both Ron and Harry fell silent.

"This bickering isn't helping." Hermione said.

Ron sighed and buried his face in his hands.

It didn't feel like they had won the match at all.