The week had passed fairly quickly. The day after Harry had written Sirius, Hermione had said she was going to find anything she could on the tournament in the library. Harry knew his friend did her best work surrounded by peace and quiet and left her to it; who knew she might find something they hadn't known last time. He instead went up to the Room of Requirement and began his training. He hadn't told Hermione about the Room yet, largely because he knew it would lead into a discussion about him bonding Dobby and, soon, Winky. He hoped she would understand and was even fairly confident that she would. Eventually. Not having Hermione around would make this year cripplingly lonely. She wasn't likely to reconcile with him just because he flew rings around a dragon after all. The result was actually that Harry was unusually focused in his work in an effort to distract himself from the confrontation he knew he would eventually have to face. He began by developing a plan for dealing with most of the horcruxes.
He would start to learn curse breaking so he could get at the ring. That meant that he needed to learn as much Ancient Runes and Arithmancy as the Room could force into his brain. The diadem could be picked off whenever. The only reason he didn't do so immediately was that he was unsure of whether Riddle would notice if he did. He had decided he would take some more time to think on it since he had that time available for once. This had led to what Harry rather proudly believed was his best plan yet. He knew Riddle and Wormtail would be waiting for him at the end of the third task. He also knew that Riddle would be as weak as he had ever been and that Wormtail was a pathetic excuse for a wizard at best. Without the horcrux causing a debilitating pain in his scar he should be able to capture both and kill Nagini. Destroying another horcrux and buying the wizarding world enough time for him to collect the rest. Wormtail's capture would free Sirius which meant that he wouldn't be as desperate at the end of Harry's fifth year and that Harry would gain access to 12 Grimmauld Place and the locket. Riddle's capture would get him some help going after the cup, he hoped, because that was the one horcrux he couldn't think of a plan for. Once he had all the horcruxes he would either head down into the Chamber of Secrets for venom or borrow the Sword of Gryffindor and end the whole damn war before it could start.
The Room had supplied him with materials to start his studies into Runes and Arithmancy as well as book called Survival-Securing Spells for the Self-Sacrificing. It was a small tome but contained spells like the Heaven's Shield Charm, said to be able to stop even dragon fire, and Gaia's Embrace, a spell that allowed the user to manipulate the earth around them to a limited degree. His choice for what he would learn first was fairly obvious after the mention of dragon fire. He grinned to himself as he thought of himself walking through the dragons fire bursts unharmed and simply picking up the egg before walking away again. He knew it was strategically unsound and would probably get him eaten but indulged in the fantasy for a moment anyway.
In order to learn all of this in time for it to be useful, Harry had reached a decision that he needed more time. So he was going to stop going to Divination and History of Magic. Those times, along with his free periods would be spent in the Room working on things that might actually save his life someday soon. He even had a thought that if he learned enough Runes and Arithmancy he might just drop Divination completely next year. History he would self-study and in doing so probably learn more than from sleeping through Binns' classes.
Wednesday evening Harry and Hermione had once again separated for their studies. Harry couldn't remember every assignment he had been given over the past few years and didn't bother trying to work ahead. Instead he tried to learn some basic detection spells. He discovered a number of tracking charms on himself but figured they weren't doing any harm telling whoever was on the other end that he was at Hogwarts. He would have to remember to remove them if he chose to leave the school grounds.
Feeling buoyed by his success he also tried to learn the Heaven's Shield Charm which proved not only insanely difficult but magically exhausting after four tries. Since he couldn't go on with practical work after that he settled down with some books and immersed himself in the most common rune alphabet: the Elder Futhark. When he wanted a break he switched to the introductory arithmancy book which felt like a review of some mathematical principles he was thankfully familiar with from his muggle upbringing.
The rest of the week passed quickly for Harry. Classes were ridiculously easy and he completed his homework in a fraction of the time it used to take him. Thursday Hermione had found out he planned on skipping some of his classes when he didn't show up for History. She had been furious at first and had only cooled to a simmer when he explained his reasons. She had forced him to make an appointment with Professor McGonagall for the coming weekend so that he would at least not get in trouble for simply skipping classes.
The students weren't any more pleasant than they had been last time around with one exception. Harry and Hermione were walking to Transfiguration when they spotted a group of Ravenclaws surrounding a younger student. Annoyance with the student body in general combined with a deep-seated hatred of bullies saw Harry stepping up to the group, wand in hand. He was never more proud of Hermione than when he saw her wand come out at the same time as his.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Harry's face was contorted in a feral snarl as his frustrations boiled over which visibly frightened several of the Ravenclaws. As they turned around a small part of Harry's brain noticed he was dealing with a group of girls.
"None of your business. This is no place for cheaters." sneered a girl Harry was surprised to recognize as Marietta Edgecomb.
"I'm making it my business; and the good news about being on everybody's shit list already is that I won't disappoint anybody when I bounce you up and down the hallway 'til no amount of make-up can help you." The low threatening tone, as well as the fact that Hermione's wand never wavered during Harry's declaration made up several minds there and then.
"Let's go, Marietta. She's not worth it." Several girls were already leaving, eager to get away from danger. Marietta was the last one to go after casting one last scathing glance at the younger students. Once the bullies were gone Harry turned to find a pair of familiar protruding grey eyes looking back at him.
"Are you alright, Miss?" He felt a little silly not being able to address his friend by name, but she wasn't his friend. Not yet, at least.
"You are Harry Potter." He smiled at her.
"I am. This is my best friend Hermione Granger. Who are you?" Luna considered them for a moment with her head cocked slightly to one side.
"My name is Luna Lovegood. Most people think I am a little strange."
"It's nice to meet you, Luna." Harry said before giving a shrug, "Most people think I am an attention-seeking cheater."
"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you, Luna. Most people think I'm a bookworm." Hermione completed the introductions before pointing a finger in Harry's face, "Not a word, you!" Harry closed his grinning mouth, but had clearly been on the verge of pointing out that she was a bookworm.
"Don't worry about being a little strange around us, Luna. This idiot's life is so strange he probably wouldn't even notice."
"Oi!" Hermione just smiled innocently at Harry at his interruption. The twinkle in his eyes gave him away as he tried to look mightily offended. Giving his glare up as a bad job he turned back a surprised looking Luna.
"If you ever need help with those bints you can come find us, alright, Luna? I don't like bullies in the first place and you seem like a nice girl besides." Harry thought he might have seen tears forming but couldn't be sure as Luna had thrown herself at him and was hugging him tightly. A moment later Hermione was given the same treatment. Eventually Luna stepped back.
"Thank you, you two. This is almost like having friends." Harry could feel Hermione's shock and indignation from where he was standing.
"What do you mean like having friends? I'd love to have you as a friend, Luna." Luna's eyes widened even more when Harry added that he too would like to be friends with Luna.
"In fact, why don't you join us for lunch? That'll give us a chance to get to know you when we're not in danger of being late for class." Harry suggested. Hermione let out a loud gasp.
"Harry! We're going to be late to Transfiguration!" She grabbed his wrist and started pulling him down the corridor. Harry smiled over his shoulder at Luna and called out with a wave, "Bye, Luna! See you at lunch!" before turning around and joining Hermione in racing to their class. They left behind them a thoroughly overwhelmed little blonde.
Over the course of the week Luna ended up eating every meal with her two new friends. Friends who didn't make fun of her or try to steal her things. The bullies had stayed away for now as well as they watched this new development and thought about how to approach it.
Thursday night Harry spent some time polishing his wand in preparation for the ceremony the next day that nobody had told him about. After that he had the talk with McGonagall that Hermione had made him schedule. He was also remembering the confrontation with Malfoy. He couldn't avoid it completely as it was the idiot's curse that had allowed Hermione to get her teeth magically fixed. He knew how much having normal teeth had meant to his friend and he wouldn't deprive her of this chance if he could help it. If the ferret fired anything but a Tooth Growing Hex though all bets were off.
:-:-:-:-:
Friday dawned to a grimly determined Harry getting himself ready for the day. He knew the real excitement was reserved for the afternoon and didn't relish having to spend a morning dealing with the tension he was feeling. Breakfast with Luna helped lift his spirits as it was almost impossible to remain depressed around the upbeat little Ravenclaw. That morning Hermione had Arithmancy and Runes so Harry put in a double period in the Room. He thought he might have seen a flicker of something during his practice with the Heaven's Shield, but it was gone so fast he wasn't sure it wasn't just wishful thinking. Either way he couldn't afford to keep going to magical exhaustion like had in the past. He still had Charms and Malfoy to look forward to. In the past week he had finished the Elder Futhark and the slightly more modern Younger Futhorc. Harry had discovered that Ancient Runes made sense to him in a way few things except flying and Defense ever had. He could easily visualize the meanings behind a string of runes even if he was a little weak on their grammar. He was moving on to the ancient Celts and beginning with the Ogham of the Trees.
Lunch time was again spent with the girls who noticed his tension. When they asked about it he simply said, "Double Potions with the Slytherins today." In Charms they were learning the Summoning Charm, which Harry had had trouble with the first time but which now felt like an old friend. All too soon it was time to head into the dungeons. On the way there they passed Cedric Diggory signing the book bags of bunch of giggly sixth year girls. Harry rolled his eyes at the display. At least someone was enjoying their name coming out of the cup.
Down in the dungeons Harry saw a sight he had been expecting but in no way looking forward to. All the Slytherins from their year and a few he was sure were just hanging around for the entertainment value were gathered near the Potions classroom. Each one of them was wearing a large badge that Harry didn't need to see to know what they said.
"Hey, Scarhead! Like our badges?!" At Malfoy's shout all the Slytherins made sure to turn in such a way that Harry could see all their badges. The entire corridor was filled with glowing letters proclaiming:
SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY:
THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION
"That isn't all they do though. Watch this!" All the Slytherins pressed their badges and the messages changed. Harry lightly placed a hand on Hermione's forearm to keep her from reacting. He already knew how he would handle this. He calmly waited until each badge was winking the same message back at him.
POTTER STINKS!
Harry raised one eyebrow at Malfoy who seemed almost giddy with anticipation.
"That's it? That's the best you could do in a week? That's…adorable." Malfoy wasn't the only person in the hallway looking shocked. Harry's voice had been cold and silky in a way that Snape could only ever hope to achieve. It slithered around them like a snake which to the smarter Slytherins meant a strike was coming. A twinge of unease began forming in those best at reading the mood of a room.
"WHAT?!" Nobody would ever accuse Draco Malfoy of that kind of awareness though.
"I'm serious, Malfoy. It's like watching a niffler trying to use tools. I'd give you a pat on the head for your hard work but I just washed my hands."
"Like you could do any better, you disgusting half-blood!" Harry grinned dangerously and drew his wand causing Malfoy to scramble for his. Harry though wasn't looking to get in a duel just yet.
"You mean just off the top of my head? Let's see." With a wave of his wand fiery letters formed in the air between them.
SUPPORT DRACO MALFOY:
AMATEUR HAIRDRESSER, AMATEUR WIZARD
The Gryffindors in the corridor started laughing loudly as the blond ponce spluttered in an absolute rage.
"No? Perhaps this then." With another wave of his wand Harry changed the message. Attention switched back to the letters he had conjured earlier as the shifted.
SUPPORT THE MALFOY PARENTS:
THE SHAME IS CRIPPLING
"Feels more appropriate, doesn't it, Malfoy? How do your parents live with it by the way?" The Gryffindors were absolutely howling by now and Harry noticed more than a few Slytherins snickering along with them. Malfoy looked like he was about to have an aneurism. When the blond ponce started moving Harry was ready. He had a small reflective shield formed at the tip of his wand that he could use to bat the coming jinx away. It was something he had learned indirectly from Riddle over the course of their confrontations and it was the best way Harry could think of to make sure there were no nasty surprises. It also happened to look thoroughly intimidating which was something else he wanted to achieve here.
"Furnunculus!"
What the hell, you little shit?! That was not what you were supposed to use! Harry's wand moved with the speed of a striking snake and batted the curse into the wall over Crabbe and Goyle's heads causing their usual gormless expressions to morph into something Harry thought might be shock. He ignored them as he advanced furiously on Malfoy who stumbled back in fright, stepping on the hem of his robes and falling painfully on his arse.
"I suppose I shouldn't expect more from an inbred little cretin like you, but I confess myself…disappointed." Harry was milking his Voldemort impersonation for all it was worth and judging by the fact that several Slytherins were slipping the buttons they'd been wearing into their pockets surreptitiously the act was working on them as well as it ever had on their parents.
"Densaugeo!" Harry had Draco's wrist in an iron grip before the blonde could completely bring his wand to bear and, hearing the beginning of the incantation he had been waiting for, jerked the boy's arm to the side so his wand was accidentally-on-purpose pointing at Hermione. When he heard her cry out he wrenched the wand out of his rival's grasp and moved over to his friend. She had her hands covering her mouth and tears in her eyes. Despite knowing what the eventual result would be Harry felt like the lowest scum on the earth just then for causing her pain.
"Let me see, Hermione." He said gently as he pulled softly on her hands. When they lowered he saw her teeth had grown past her lower lip. "Finite Incantatem." The Disspelling Charm stopped the teeth from growing further but didn't reverse the process. Harry fully intended to leave that up to Madam Pomfrey. Turning back to Malfoy he saw fear in the boy's eyes. Good. As he looked over the rest of the corridor he saw that Snape had arrived on the scene and was looking a bit wide-eyed. Making his way over to the Slytherin Head of House, Harry flipped Malfoy's wand so he was holding it by the tip. He held out the wand to Snape.
"Professor, Draco Malfoy has been firing hexes in the corridors and poorly at that. I'll leave his wand with you while I escort Miss Granger to the Hospital Wing." With that he turned around, gathered his and Hermione's bags and, putting his hand on her back, escorted his friend away from the scene of the confrontation.
Severus Snape was in shock as he watched two of his most hated students leave. He had arrived just as Draco had thrown a Boil Hex. The spawn of James Potter had then proceeded to put the Dark Lord to shame with his response. Batting away the spell like that, those movements and that voice, Morgana's might, that voice. All had reminded him viscerally of the Dark Lord at his most dangerous. Snape hauled his godson to his feet and thrust the boy's wand back at him before glaring the students into the classroom. Before he entered in behind them he dispelled the burning words that still hung in the air, privately thinking that Potter might have hit closer to the mark than he intended.
:-:-:-:-:
In the Hospital Wing Harry leaned against a wall while Madam Pomfrey was tending to Hermione. He knew what his friend was thinking as she looked into the little mirror the healer had given her and when she raised her hand Harry knew she at least had the teeth she always wanted. He hoped it made up for the pain of being hexed but had an extra idea that he would need some help with. He was about to move over to see the result when the doors crashed open to reveal a panting Collin Creevey.
"Harry…Bagman…ceremony" he managed between pants.
"Easy there, Collin. Catch your breath and then tell me what's wrong." The younger boy took several gulping breaths before he felt confident enough to deliver his message.
"Harry, Bagman wants you to join him for some sort of ceremony to do with the tournament. I'm supposed to show you the way."
"Okay. Let me just get my things." Walking over to Hermione and picking up his bag he smiled at her.
"I'll see you for dinner, alright?" She smiled and nodded, but Harry noticed she kept her lips shut rather than show him her teeth. Since her eyes were sparkling with happiness he decided he didn't need to push for anything here. With a final nod he followed Collin out of the Hospital Wing. The younger boy was as chatty as ever, but Harry tried to pay attention. He could still remember Collin's body being carried into the Great Hall. It had been less than two weeks ago in his personal timeline and was determined that he would be a better friend this time.
Eventually the two boys reached the room where Harry knew the Weighing of the Wands would be held. Saying goodbye to Collin, Harry walked in. He had hoped that with the extra time Collin would have spent looking he would be able to postpone his meeting with his least favourite reporter but one look around the room was enough to tell him that Dumbledore and Ollivander weren't there yet.
"Harry! Marvelous! That's all the champions. The rest of the judges will be along in a minute, my boy." Bagman was practically bouncing around the room again. The man was like Lockhart except with some actual, verifiable accomplishments to his name. "Now then, this is nothing to worry about. Just checking that your wands are up to snuff for the competition and we're turning it into a little ceremony. There will also be pictures and interviews. Exciting stuff, wouldn't you say?" Harry barely managed to suppress a groan. Bagman was listing off most of the elements for Harry's idea of the Most Annoying Event Immaginable.
"Oh, and this is Rita Skeeter. She's covering the tournament for the Daily Prophet. She'll be asking you a few questions after the ceremony." The reporter had sidled up to the conversation and was eyeing Harry with a predatory smile. Harry found a similar smile wanting to form on his lips but resisted the urge. He was starting to enjoy not being completely ignorant every time his life was in danger.
"Actually, Ludo, I think I would like to get started now if we're just going to be sitting around otherwise. Do you mind if I take the youngest first? Lovely." She already had a hold of Harry's upper arm as Bagman managed to stammer out, "I…ah, well, that is if Harry doesn't have a problem with it."
"Not at all, sir. Miss Skeeter?" Harry's calm response didn't reassure Bagman one bit, but Rita's smile got a little bigger as she dragged him out of the room and into the nearest broom cupboard. Harry didn't resist and sat quietly as she settled herself down.
"Now, Harry, do you mind if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill?" The acid green quill was already hovering over a piece of parchment when Harry plucked it out of the air with a seeker's grace.
"I don't think you will be wanting this thing recording our conversation, Rita." He finally allowed the vicious smile that had been tugging at his lips to burst forth.
"What do you think you're doing, boy. Give that back!" Harry just casually twirled the quill between his fingers as he looked the furious woman across from him.
"Do pay attention, Rita. This is important. We are about to agree to a deal where I will give you exclusive interviews, none of which will be written with this disgusting thing, and in return you will not write any gossip, insinuations or otherwise invented nonsense about me or my friends." Rita's fury had turned to a sneer.
"Why you little brat! What makes you think you think you can tell me what to write?" Harry's smile grew positively bloodthirsty.
"Technically I can't. The first time you write your usual garbage though, the DMLE will be informed of your status as an illegal animagus." The color drained out of Rita's face so fast he briefly wondered if she might be a metamorphmagus as well. "I am well aware that being an unregistered animagus only carries a fine that you may well be able to pay. However the way you have used your form means that you will also be charged with espionage. That is a prison sentence in Azkaban if you are found guilty and given how many toes you've stepped on over the years you will be found guilty. If you really annoy me the DMLE will also be receiving an anonymous tip about your use of veritaserum and Memory Charms to, ah, 'protect your sources'." At this point Rita was shaking in fear and Harry began to worry she might pass out.
"Now, Rita, you can prevent all this from happening by simply not attacking me and my friends. You will even get a few exclusives out of it. That is more than a glorified gossip columnist like yourself really has any right to expect."
"Who?" came the reporter's question in a broken voice.
"Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Ron Weasley and their families. If you can provide actual evidence for a story then I don't care what you print but you will not go around attacking us in your usual style." Rita was in a bind. This agreement gave protection to that rag the Quibbler and a ministry department head. Still there was only one choice she could make.
"Alright, you little bastard. You win." Harry smiled and held out Rita's Quick-Quotes Quill to her. She promptly snapped it up and put it back in her bag. Taking out a normal quill she shot a nasty glance at a serenely smiling Harry before she began a very different interview than the one she had planned. The interview continued until the cupboard door opened to reveal Albus Dumbledore.
"Ah, Rita. Harry. Are you enjoying yourselves?" the headmaster asked, his eyes at full twinkle. Harry just couldn't resist the presented opportunity.
"Actually, sir, it's not quite the experience I imagined for my first visit to a Hogwarts broom cupboard." Dumbledore's beard twitched while Rita just looked scandalized. The reporter got up and left in a huff leaving Harry and Dumbledore to follow at a more sedate pace. The ceremony itself went as Harry remembered but the photos went a lot quicker and the other champions were actually interviewed this time. By the time he left the whole circus behind Harry felt the satisfaction of a job well done.
:-:-:-:-:
Dinner that night was an easy affair as Harry had passed most of his hurdles that day as well as he could have expected or better. This meant that he was a lot more relaxed than he had been earlier in the day. He, Hermione and Luna shared a lot of laughter as the meal progressed. When Professor McGonagall stood to leave and gave him a significant look Harry turned to his two friends.
"Looks like I'm headed into the Lioness' Den. Sweet dreams, Luna. Hermione, I'll see you in the common room." Luna smiled brilliantly at him, but Hermione gave him a firm look.
"Be serious, Harry. This is important even if you don't want it to be." Harry just smiled at her and waved as he left the Hall. Since he wasn't going to change his current schedule even if McGonagall didn't agree with him, he didn't think this was as important as Hermione made it out to be. The second rise of Lord Voldemort and the end of the wizarding world sounded much worse to him, even if no one else knew they were coming.
Harry arrived at the door to Professor McGonagall's office and knocked.
"Enter." came the voice of his Head of House. Harry opened the door and stepped onto the office, looking around. Most of the walls were covered in bookcases. McGonagall herself was seated behind a large desk situated in front of a pair of windows. One bookcase contained what looked like pictures and mementoes of past students. Harry was sure something of Hermione's would end up there one of these days. He sat himself down in one of the straight-backed, wooden chairs facing the desk.
"Good evening, Mr. Potter. What can I do for you today?" she asked while running her eye over him as if checking for indications that he might have been up to mischief. Harry steeled himself and answered her.
"I am here to inform you that I will not be attending History of Magic or Divination classes this year. Instead I will be using that time to prepare for the tournament. It is my intention to continue studying for the subjects themselves independently." McGonagall's gaze seemed locked on him for the duration of his speech and she continued to study him.
"May I ask what brought on this decision." As confident as he had been walking to this meeting, his Transfiguration teacher certainly had a way of unnerving him. Harry was sure she was drawing on her abilities as a cat animagus to give him this stare.
"Frankly, ma'am, I've been forewarned this year that my life is in imminent danger. Listening to Professor Binns drone on about another Goblin Rebellion or Professor Trelawney predicting my death is not going to help me survive. Honestly, if I thought I could get away with it I would drop out of Potions as well and not give Professor Snape and his house the chance to take potshots at me for two hours each Friday." Professor McGonagall closed her eyes momentarily and Harry felt a brief sense of relief. Before he could get too comfortable McGonagall spoke up again.
"While I cannot deny that you are in a difficult position, I have to be concerned about your future after the tournament as well. Your work the past three years just does not convince me that you would do well with an independent study course, Mr. Potter." Harry thought that simply telling her that he really didn't have any intention of changing his study schedule might not be in his best interest. He would have to offer up something else.
"I will still be completing the assignments for those courses, Professor, and if it makes you feel better: I'm perfectly willing to take the end of year exams with my classmates in June." The surprise wasn't visible for long on McGonagall's face, but it was clear enough that Harry knew he had taken her off guard with his offer. She was quiet for a long time before she spoke again.
"I will be monitoring your academic performance minutely, Mr. Potter. If at any point it seems to me your marks are slipping, you will be back in those classes. We will discuss whether I feel you should take the end of year exams at a later date as they are scheduled very closely to the date of the last task and I want some more information before I make my decision." Harry couldn't stop his jaw from dropping open as his Head of House gave him permission to skip two of his classes. "I cannot give you permission to absent yourself from Potions as brewing unsupervised is dangerous in the extreme."
"Thank you very much, Professor. This means a lot to me." Harry was surprised to find he was telling the unvarnished truth; he really was touched. "I will do my best."
"I do believe you will, Mr. Potter." Harry smiled broadly at her and stood up to leave. "Oh, and Potter? Do be careful in the tournament. It's…well, the dangers are very real and I find that the rules prohibit me from giving you any information. I…promise me you'll be careful and work hard, Potter." This surprised Harry as much as anything since he had shown up in Ephialtes' office. He might even swear that her eyes were shining with unshed tears. She knows about the dragons and can't tell me.
"I promise, Professor; and don't worry too much. After all, if the past three years have given you doubts about my academic commitment they should have given you ample evidence that my friends and I tend to find such information regardless of any rules." The near imperceptible brightening of Professor McGonagall's expression made him feel like he had ended the day on another high note.
As he was walking toward the Gryffindor tower it occurred to Harry that he really should find a cover story for knowing about the dragons. It only took him a moment to hit upon the answer. He and his friends were certainly good at finding out things they shouldn't know and he remembered he had just made two new ones. A quick conversation in an empty classroom later and Harry was sure he would know the moment the dragons arrived.
:-:-:-:-:
The next morning Harry sought out Fred and George Weasley. "Do you have a moment, lads? I have something I need your help with." The twin troublemakers looked at each other and then back at Harry.
"We certainly have a moment, ickle Harrikins."
"The question is: why should we give it to you?" Harry simply smirked at them.
"Two words, Fred: pranks and profit." The twins hated the fact that Harry could tell them apart when their own mother couldn't but it got them to pay attention like nothing else. Not that the attention of Hogwarts premier pranksters was always a good thing but it was certainly what Harry was after now. The twins shared another look.
"Very well. Speak on, O Noble Champion."
"What do you need help with that offers pranks and profit?" Harry's smirk only grew as he informed them of what he wanted to do. Once they heard the plan, and that Harry was content to let them keep any profits, the twins were downright eager to help. That evening Dobby was sent to get supplies without anyone in the castle knowing.
Over the next few days a new product hit the hallowed halls of Hogwarts. Modified Gobstones called 'Gobshites' that were shaped suspiciously like Draco Malfoy's head. They also had the added feature of yelling something at the loser before spitting the standard foul-smelling liquid in the person's face. "You worthless peasant!" and "Wait 'til my father hears of this!" could be heard regularly in the corridors much to the irritation of the Malfoy heir and his godfather but they were never able to locate the distribution network that somehow reached into Slytherin as well.