Sweet Dreams
Title: Sweet Dreams
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, Neville, Hannah
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3400
Summary: Harry accidentally ingests one of George's inventions and things, rather predictably, go wrong.
It was a pleasant summer evening in Diagon Alley when Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger made their way to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. The three burst eagerly into the shop as Harry called out to Ron, “Are you ready to go to dinner? I’m starving.” His face fell as he saw there were still customers browsing in the shop. “Oh,” he commented with a downcast look, “you’re not ready…I guess I’ll just . . .” He didn’t finish his sentence as he dejectedly wandered over to the counter and gave his best impression of a starving person.
“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Hermione rolled her eyes as she too walked to the counter where Ron and George were waiting on customers.
“Hey,” Harry replied as he waved dramatically at the two girls, “I didn’t get any lunch and you two have dragged me from shop to shop all day. I’m knackered!”
“Ah, you poor dear,” Ginny replied with an impish grin, “I can see you’re just wasting away.”
Both George and Ron finished with their customers and then turned to the three now standing expectantly at the counter. “We can’t close yet,” George said in a low voice as he motioned to a young couple carefully inspecting some of the merchandise.
Harry grumbled as Ginny, grinning broadly, made exaggerated soothing motions. “I guess we’ll just have to relax and wait a little. Besides, our dinner reservations aren’t for another hour.”
“There are hors d’oeuvres,” Harry growled in response. While Harry and the others were talking, George gave Ron a significant look. Ron nodded and quietly reached under the counter as George got their attention.
“While we’re waiting,” George said pleasantly as he held out, “why don’t you try something I just invented.” Harry and the girls turned and looked at George and then Ron. Both had big grins.
“You have got to be kidding,” Hermione responded. “We’re not going to be your Guinea pigs.” George gave a wide grin.
“Don’t be too quick to turn it down, Hemione. I think you will especially like this. It’s a combination of Amortentia and our Patented Daydream Charms that we are going to call, Sweet Dreams. You get the best of both. You smell what you love most and then you can have a great daydream about your love.” He looked pointedly at Hermione and held out a small bonbon. “Since you were our best customer for Patented Daydream Charms, I figured you would want to try these.”
Harry and Ron both gave Hermione a startled look while Ginny stifled a giggle. Hermione’s cheeks turned a shade pink as she denied being the Weasley’s best customer. “I . . . I only had that one that you and Fred gave me. How could I be your best customer?”
“Oh, okay,” George replied with a devious grin, “whatever you say, Miss Penelope Pennypacker.”
Hermione gave an involuntary gasp and her face flushed bright red. “How did you know? I . . . I . . . mean, um, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” By this point, Ginny had burst out in loud laughter and Harry had joined in while Ron was staring dumbfounded at Hermione.
George, however, didn’t stop there. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a large account book and started turning the pages. “Would you like me to tell you how many Patented Daydream Charms you ordered and what the themes were?”
“No!” Hermione practically shrieked and stepped back away from the counter. The young couple turned from the displays of products and stared curiously at Hermione and the others while Ginny and Harry had to lean on the counter to hold themselves up because they were laughing so hard. As for Ron, he was staring at Hermione in awe. All he could do was mutter, “Blimey!” a couple of times.
After several minutes of loud laughter, the small group had finally calmed down enough to stand up and continue visiting. The young couple had gone back to slowly browsing, Harry’s stomach growled and he glanced impatiently first at the lingering customers and then at George and Ron as if he was going to suggest they shoo the people out of the shop. As he did so, he noticed for the first time a bowl of chocolates sitting on the counter. He picked up three of them, tossed the first into his mouth, and practically swallowed it whole. George and Ron noticed as Harry popped the last of the three into his mouth; they grinned and high-fived each other.
Harry swallowed the last chocolate hard and looked at the two. “What? They were sitting out; I thought anyone could have them.”
Ginny turned, saw the candy bowl and guilty expression on Harry’s face. “Harry! How many times have I told you to never eat anything my brothers offer you?”
“Don’t worry, little sis,” George said soothingly. “Harry will be just fine. All we needed was to see how it works on someone other than ourselves. We hoped you would each take one but we’ll just have to settle on Harry and see how his piece affects him.”
“Um…I ate three,” Harry replied nervously.
The other four turned and stared at him with wide eyes and then Harry and the other three looked expectantly at George who nervously cleared his throat. “It…um, will be alright. He’ll just have extra…okay, I really don’t know; but I’m sure it’ll be just fine.” The four kept staring at him and he finally shrugged his shoulders, gave a silly grin and then glared at Harry. “Why didn’t you just take one?”
“I was hungry!”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Hermione said in her take charge tone of voice. “What do you think will happen and how long . . .”
“Wow…” Harry interrupted and the others turned and looked at him. He had a dazed expression, a little bit of drool dribbling down his chin and a silly, lopsided smile on his face. “That is the most delicious treacle tart I have ever smelled. And your hair, mmm, I love how your hair smells Ginny. It smells better than ever.” His eyes glazed over more as he continued, “Of course you can serve the treacle tart to me, Ginny.” Ginny rolled her eyes and suggested quietly where she might serve the tart.
“Oh yeah,” Harry continued, oblivious to what she had said, “you look brilliant. I love those jeans on you and you’re wearing my favorite jumper.” He smiled even more as he responded to the daydream Ginny, “It is too hot. Go ahead and take your jumper off.” Hermione and Ginny gasped while the brothers made gagging sounds.
Ginny was blushing as she looked nervously at George. “Um, is this going to get, you know, embarrassing?”
George also had a nervous look. “Well, in other testing it didn’t get embarrassing but we didn’t eat three of those at once. I’m not sure what can happen with that amount. The senses of smell and visual imagery will be greatly intensified and we could…um, well . . .” He cleared his throat. “We could have Harry talking about Ginny . . . um, yeah, it could get pretty embarrassing.”
“Ew, I hope not,” Ron practically yelled. He turned to Harry and said loud enough for the couple, who were still browsing, to again turn and watch, “Hey, Potter, that’s my little sister you’re talking…or, um, dreaming, or…whatever . . .”
Harry seemed to hear Ron’s loud voice and lazily turned his head in the direction of the noise. As his unfocused eyes tried to interpret and understand what he was seeing they all of a sudden went wide with a combination of fear and determination. He quickly pulled his wand and was in a battle stance. “It’s the biggest, ugliest Blast-Ended Skrewt I’ve ever seen.”
Ron jumped back in shock. “What the hell are you . . .” But he never finished as Harry shouted “Stupefy” and Ron fell over stunned. There were gasps and cries of amazement from George and Ginny as Hermione let a small scream and moved to help Ron. Harry caught her movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see her.
He stepped back, wide-eyed and defensive. “A Banshee! A Banshee! I’ll save you, Ginny.” He sent a curse in Hermione’s direction but she was ready for him and blocked it. She pointed her wand at his and screamed, “Accio . . .” but Harry was too quick. “Protego!” he shouted and jumped behind a display of Skiving Snackboxes.
The browsing couple, who had stood in shocked silence finally found their voices about the same time they figured out how to move their feet. They both turned and ran out of the shop screaming that Harry Potter had gone mad and was attacking innocent people. Harry, however, was too busy attacking his friends to notice the panicked couple.
George had yelled at the assaults on Ron and Hermione and Harry turned to confront this new perceived threat. He gasped and aimed his wand at George’s heart as he screamed, “A troll!” With that, he fired a hex against George who ducked behind the counter and was sprayed with a shower of broken glass as Harry’s hex hit a collection of bright colored potions. Harry then turned and looked wildly about for other potential threats.
George stood up, brushing glass off of himself. “Troll! He called me a troll? Now I’m offended. I didn’t mind Ron being a Blast-Ended Skrewt and Hermione a Banshee, but me a troll?” Hermione, who was trying to enervate Ron, glared at George.
“You just called me a Banshee.” George laughed and was about to say something else when Ginny snarled at them.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“I’m not sure,” George responded. “And, I’m not sure how to get him out of the daydream before it’s supposed to wear off. Ginny, you need to calm him down or he’s going to either kill us or destroy the shop.”
Ginny hesitated a moment as Ron, still looking slightly dazed, and Hermione half crouched behind the counter. Harry, himself, was crouching behind a display of fireworks and eying them warily. Ginny looked at George for reassurance. He nodded encouragingly. “I don’t think he’ll see you as a monster since you’re the object of his affections.” Ginny smiled and turned toward Harry. As she did so, George muttered quietly, “At least I hope so.”
“I heard that,” Ginny said, but she forged ahead. “Harry,” she said loud enough for him to hear. “Harry, it’s okay. No one is going to hurt you.”
Harry turned and looked at Ginny as if this was the first time he actually realized she was there. He had a broad smile which faltered a little as he looked her over. “Oh,” he commented in a disappointed voice, “you put your jumper back on.”
Ginny kept her eyes on Harry but half-glanced back at George and growled, “George Weasley, if we get out of this alive - you’re dead.”
“Oh, keep your jumper on,” George shot back, grinning.
Ginny ignored him and continued to try to placate Harry. “Yes Harry, I, um…put my jumper back on.”
“That’s too bad. You looked nice in your bra. It was that lacy one I like with the . . .”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay,” Ginny, blushing beet red, cut in as she glanced nervously at her brothers and best friend. “He’s helped me fold laundry a few times.” She heard a muttered, “I bet,” from Ron as Hermione cocked one eyebrow in obvious disbelief.
A distraction in the doorway drew everyone’s attention, to Ginny’s relief and Harry’s increased agitation. Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott came walking through the open door. Neville was proudly holding a plant and both were smiling. “Hi everyone. I wanted to show you . . .” Neville started to say but was cut off by Harry’s shout.
“Death Eaters!” Both Hannah and Neville stopped and stared with puzzled expressions and then dived for protection as Harry fired at them. They both popped their heads up to stare wide-eyed at Harry.
“He called us Death Eaters!” Hannah spat out indignantly.
“At least you’re human,” Hermione retorted.
“What?”
“Never mind,” Hermione responded. “Just duck.”
“But my plant!” Neville cried in dismay at his potted-plant, now lying on its side in the middle of the floor. “My beautiful Mimbulus Sageletonia.” He scooted out to rescue the plant to shouts of warning from the others. He grabbed the plant and rolled back to cover as Harry again tried to hex him.
“What is wrong with Harry?” Neville asked concernedly.
“He took too much of a new product George invented,” Ginny explained with a distinct note of anger in her voice. “The product was a combination of Amortentia and those Patented Daydream Charms.”
“Oh, I do love those,” Hannah chipped in eagerly, “Especially the Dashing Pirate and . . .”
“Do you like that one too?” Hermione asked.
“Yes! Do your daydreams always . . .”
“Do you two mind?” Ginny yelled crossly. “We can discuss your fantasies some other time. Harry needs help.”
“I think I can help,” Neville called over to Ginny as she tried to sooth a crouching and anxious Harry Potter.
“How?” George asked.
“My plant actually is a cross grafting of a Mimbulus mimbletonia and sage which combines Mimbulus’ calming powers and the powers of brightness and clarity that comes from sage. I can take one of the leaves, grind it and add licorice root which heals and water to make a drink. That should pull Harry out of his paranoid-hypnotic state.”
“Amazing,” Hermione intoned with appreciation.
“Getting the other ingredients right now,” George called as he slipped into his backroom. He was back in a few seconds and then it was up to Neville and his plant to make it safely up to the counter and dive behind for cover. Ginny did her best to divert Harry’s attention but he kept yelling that he was going to save her from blood-thirsty Death Eaters. Ultimately, Neville made it with only a few singed hairs and smoldering shirt. Hannah had done her part to try to protect Neville by sending a number of hexes Harry’s way.
“I actually brought this by to suggest you purchase a few seedlings to use when you brew antidotes,” Neville explained as he ground the leaves in a mortar George provided. “I’ll put you down for a few dozen.”
George nodded. “If it works, I’ll buy the lot.”
The potion was prepared in short order and then everyone wondered how to get Harry to drink it. Ginny said, “Give it to me. I’ll do it.” She took the cup, turned and smiled at Harry who was eyeing the bobbing heads behind the counter with his wand ready for battle. “Harry, if you drink this I’ll take my jumper off again.”
Hannah and Neville’s eyes widened with surprise and they mouthed to each other, “Again?” Harry reacted with the enthusiasm of a little boy about to see Father Christmas.
“Ooh! How about you take it off first and then I’ll drink it?”
Ginny blushed beet red and glanced over at Hannah and Neville who were both trying not to laugh. “That’s not how we’re going to do it,” Ginny retorted through gritted teeth. “Drink this potion or I’m not going to take my jumper off.” Harry eyed her up and down with eager anticipation, grabbed the drink and drank it in one swallow. He made a face, choked a little, swayed back and forth and then his eyes became clear and he appeared to be coming out of a trance.
“Wow,” Harry groaned as he rubbed his eyes and head, “what was all of that? I feel like I was in some kind of weird dream.”
Ginny hugged Harry. “You had a bad reaction from George’s stupid experiment. If it wasn’t for Neville and his plant, you’d still be hexing anything that moved.”
“Hey,” George frowned, “it wasn’t stupid. You’re not supposed to eat three at one time.”
“Yeah,” Ron chipped in, “but I think we better put that on the boxes. You know, tell people to not eat more than one at a time or they may start acting like a real . . .”
“Okay Ron,” Hermione cut in glancing nervously at Harry to see how he would react. “That’s a good idea.”
Harry, however, was deep in thought about something else. Finally he looked at Ginny and asked, “Did I ask you to take your jumper off?”
Ginny’s face was unreadable as she simply replied, “Yes.”
“But you’re not even wearing one!”
“That obviously didn’t matter, since you already daydreamed about her taking it off once,” Hermione commented as she tried to straighten some of the counter.
Harry looked at Hermione in surprise and then nervously looked at Ginny, then from her to Ron, who was scowling, and then to George who had a slight smirk. “I’m dead,” he muttered. He then looked back to her. “Did I say anything else that was...um, embarrassing?”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Ginny replied, blushing as she looked sideways at the others and their mixture of grins, scowls, and for Hannah and Neville, puzzled expressions.
“Oh, I’m really dead,” Harry groaned.
Hermione walked over to Harry and whispered a little more loudly than she had planned, “If you haven’t really folded Ginny’s laundry before, I’d suggest you say you have.”
“Oh thanks, Hermione!” Ginny, crimsoned-faced, replied sarcastically, “that was real subtle.”
“Oh!” Hermione looked genuinely chagrinned. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to . . .” She was saved from further embarrassment by a nervous looking wizard with long blond hair and wire-rimmed glasses who carefully poked his head around the shop’s door and looked around. When he saw the group calmly visiting with each other he gave a relieved smile and inched into the shop. He was wearing turquoise robes with silver trim and had his hair tied behind him in a ponytail.
“Hello, I’m Saxton Wandscutter, a reporter for The Daily Prophet. I was just coming out of Fortescue’s New Ice Cream Shoppe and saw a couple running from your store screaming Harry Potter had gone mad and was destroying the place.” He looked around surveying the damage and then back at Harry who had a deer in the headlights expression. “Why were you destroying the place?”
There was an uncomfortable silence for what seemed like an eternity but was actually only a few seconds. Harry seemed at a loss of what to say and even Hermione was standing silent and wide-eyed. It was Ginny who broke the silence and saved Harry added embarrassment.
“Destroyed? This isn’t destroyed. This happens all the time. Right, George?” She looked at him pointedly and he quickly caught on. He pulled out his wand and began casting spells repairing and setting things right. He also motioned to Ron to do the same thing as Ginny continued. “We regularly have practice sessions as if we’re fighting Death Eaters or monsters.”
“Uh, yeah,” Hermione joined in. “Remember, constant vigilance.” Neville and Hannah nodded in agreement.
“Constant vigilance?” Wandscutter asked as he pulled out a Quick Quotes Quill and started taking notes. He turned to Harry. “Do you think we need to be practicing and vigilante? For what? Are you expecting more trouble?”
“Uh . . . um . . .” Harry still seemed at a loss for words, but the reporter didn’t seem to mind. He kept writing about how dedicated heroes like Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, and others were continuing to practice in case trouble again arose. By this time, the shop was almost completely back to normal and the others were ready to close up and go to dinner.
“Oh, Mr. Potter,” Saxton Wandscutter lithely stepped in front of Harry as he was about to join the others. “I only have a few more questions for you. It shouldn’t take more than twenty or so minutes.”
“But . . .” Harry started to say.
George cut in with a wide grin. “That’s okay, Harry. Take as long as you want with the reporter. Here are the keys so you can lock up when you’re done. You know where we’ll be.”
“We’ll try to save something for you,” Ron joined in with a smirk. “Maybe.” The others started laughing as they exited the shop. The last thing Harry heard was, “If you get too hungry, there are some chocolates in a bowl on the counter.”
Pairing: Harry/Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, Neville, Hannah
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3400
Summary: Harry accidentally ingests one of George's inventions and things, rather predictably, go wrong.
It was a pleasant summer evening in Diagon Alley when Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger made their way to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. The three burst eagerly into the shop as Harry called out to Ron, “Are you ready to go to dinner? I’m starving.” His face fell as he saw there were still customers browsing in the shop. “Oh,” he commented with a downcast look, “you’re not ready…I guess I’ll just . . .” He didn’t finish his sentence as he dejectedly wandered over to the counter and gave his best impression of a starving person.
“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Hermione rolled her eyes as she too walked to the counter where Ron and George were waiting on customers.
“Hey,” Harry replied as he waved dramatically at the two girls, “I didn’t get any lunch and you two have dragged me from shop to shop all day. I’m knackered!”
“Ah, you poor dear,” Ginny replied with an impish grin, “I can see you’re just wasting away.”
Both George and Ron finished with their customers and then turned to the three now standing expectantly at the counter. “We can’t close yet,” George said in a low voice as he motioned to a young couple carefully inspecting some of the merchandise.
Harry grumbled as Ginny, grinning broadly, made exaggerated soothing motions. “I guess we’ll just have to relax and wait a little. Besides, our dinner reservations aren’t for another hour.”
“There are hors d’oeuvres,” Harry growled in response. While Harry and the others were talking, George gave Ron a significant look. Ron nodded and quietly reached under the counter as George got their attention.
“While we’re waiting,” George said pleasantly as he held out, “why don’t you try something I just invented.” Harry and the girls turned and looked at George and then Ron. Both had big grins.
“You have got to be kidding,” Hermione responded. “We’re not going to be your Guinea pigs.” George gave a wide grin.
“Don’t be too quick to turn it down, Hemione. I think you will especially like this. It’s a combination of Amortentia and our Patented Daydream Charms that we are going to call, Sweet Dreams. You get the best of both. You smell what you love most and then you can have a great daydream about your love.” He looked pointedly at Hermione and held out a small bonbon. “Since you were our best customer for Patented Daydream Charms, I figured you would want to try these.”
Harry and Ron both gave Hermione a startled look while Ginny stifled a giggle. Hermione’s cheeks turned a shade pink as she denied being the Weasley’s best customer. “I . . . I only had that one that you and Fred gave me. How could I be your best customer?”
“Oh, okay,” George replied with a devious grin, “whatever you say, Miss Penelope Pennypacker.”
Hermione gave an involuntary gasp and her face flushed bright red. “How did you know? I . . . I . . . mean, um, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” By this point, Ginny had burst out in loud laughter and Harry had joined in while Ron was staring dumbfounded at Hermione.
George, however, didn’t stop there. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a large account book and started turning the pages. “Would you like me to tell you how many Patented Daydream Charms you ordered and what the themes were?”
“No!” Hermione practically shrieked and stepped back away from the counter. The young couple turned from the displays of products and stared curiously at Hermione and the others while Ginny and Harry had to lean on the counter to hold themselves up because they were laughing so hard. As for Ron, he was staring at Hermione in awe. All he could do was mutter, “Blimey!” a couple of times.
After several minutes of loud laughter, the small group had finally calmed down enough to stand up and continue visiting. The young couple had gone back to slowly browsing, Harry’s stomach growled and he glanced impatiently first at the lingering customers and then at George and Ron as if he was going to suggest they shoo the people out of the shop. As he did so, he noticed for the first time a bowl of chocolates sitting on the counter. He picked up three of them, tossed the first into his mouth, and practically swallowed it whole. George and Ron noticed as Harry popped the last of the three into his mouth; they grinned and high-fived each other.
Harry swallowed the last chocolate hard and looked at the two. “What? They were sitting out; I thought anyone could have them.”
Ginny turned, saw the candy bowl and guilty expression on Harry’s face. “Harry! How many times have I told you to never eat anything my brothers offer you?”
“Don’t worry, little sis,” George said soothingly. “Harry will be just fine. All we needed was to see how it works on someone other than ourselves. We hoped you would each take one but we’ll just have to settle on Harry and see how his piece affects him.”
“Um…I ate three,” Harry replied nervously.
The other four turned and stared at him with wide eyes and then Harry and the other three looked expectantly at George who nervously cleared his throat. “It…um, will be alright. He’ll just have extra…okay, I really don’t know; but I’m sure it’ll be just fine.” The four kept staring at him and he finally shrugged his shoulders, gave a silly grin and then glared at Harry. “Why didn’t you just take one?”
“I was hungry!”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Hermione said in her take charge tone of voice. “What do you think will happen and how long . . .”
“Wow…” Harry interrupted and the others turned and looked at him. He had a dazed expression, a little bit of drool dribbling down his chin and a silly, lopsided smile on his face. “That is the most delicious treacle tart I have ever smelled. And your hair, mmm, I love how your hair smells Ginny. It smells better than ever.” His eyes glazed over more as he continued, “Of course you can serve the treacle tart to me, Ginny.” Ginny rolled her eyes and suggested quietly where she might serve the tart.
“Oh yeah,” Harry continued, oblivious to what she had said, “you look brilliant. I love those jeans on you and you’re wearing my favorite jumper.” He smiled even more as he responded to the daydream Ginny, “It is too hot. Go ahead and take your jumper off.” Hermione and Ginny gasped while the brothers made gagging sounds.
Ginny was blushing as she looked nervously at George. “Um, is this going to get, you know, embarrassing?”
George also had a nervous look. “Well, in other testing it didn’t get embarrassing but we didn’t eat three of those at once. I’m not sure what can happen with that amount. The senses of smell and visual imagery will be greatly intensified and we could…um, well . . .” He cleared his throat. “We could have Harry talking about Ginny . . . um, yeah, it could get pretty embarrassing.”
“Ew, I hope not,” Ron practically yelled. He turned to Harry and said loud enough for the couple, who were still browsing, to again turn and watch, “Hey, Potter, that’s my little sister you’re talking…or, um, dreaming, or…whatever . . .”
Harry seemed to hear Ron’s loud voice and lazily turned his head in the direction of the noise. As his unfocused eyes tried to interpret and understand what he was seeing they all of a sudden went wide with a combination of fear and determination. He quickly pulled his wand and was in a battle stance. “It’s the biggest, ugliest Blast-Ended Skrewt I’ve ever seen.”
Ron jumped back in shock. “What the hell are you . . .” But he never finished as Harry shouted “Stupefy” and Ron fell over stunned. There were gasps and cries of amazement from George and Ginny as Hermione let a small scream and moved to help Ron. Harry caught her movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see her.
He stepped back, wide-eyed and defensive. “A Banshee! A Banshee! I’ll save you, Ginny.” He sent a curse in Hermione’s direction but she was ready for him and blocked it. She pointed her wand at his and screamed, “Accio . . .” but Harry was too quick. “Protego!” he shouted and jumped behind a display of Skiving Snackboxes.
The browsing couple, who had stood in shocked silence finally found their voices about the same time they figured out how to move their feet. They both turned and ran out of the shop screaming that Harry Potter had gone mad and was attacking innocent people. Harry, however, was too busy attacking his friends to notice the panicked couple.
George had yelled at the assaults on Ron and Hermione and Harry turned to confront this new perceived threat. He gasped and aimed his wand at George’s heart as he screamed, “A troll!” With that, he fired a hex against George who ducked behind the counter and was sprayed with a shower of broken glass as Harry’s hex hit a collection of bright colored potions. Harry then turned and looked wildly about for other potential threats.
George stood up, brushing glass off of himself. “Troll! He called me a troll? Now I’m offended. I didn’t mind Ron being a Blast-Ended Skrewt and Hermione a Banshee, but me a troll?” Hermione, who was trying to enervate Ron, glared at George.
“You just called me a Banshee.” George laughed and was about to say something else when Ginny snarled at them.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“I’m not sure,” George responded. “And, I’m not sure how to get him out of the daydream before it’s supposed to wear off. Ginny, you need to calm him down or he’s going to either kill us or destroy the shop.”
Ginny hesitated a moment as Ron, still looking slightly dazed, and Hermione half crouched behind the counter. Harry, himself, was crouching behind a display of fireworks and eying them warily. Ginny looked at George for reassurance. He nodded encouragingly. “I don’t think he’ll see you as a monster since you’re the object of his affections.” Ginny smiled and turned toward Harry. As she did so, George muttered quietly, “At least I hope so.”
“I heard that,” Ginny said, but she forged ahead. “Harry,” she said loud enough for him to hear. “Harry, it’s okay. No one is going to hurt you.”
Harry turned and looked at Ginny as if this was the first time he actually realized she was there. He had a broad smile which faltered a little as he looked her over. “Oh,” he commented in a disappointed voice, “you put your jumper back on.”
Ginny kept her eyes on Harry but half-glanced back at George and growled, “George Weasley, if we get out of this alive - you’re dead.”
“Oh, keep your jumper on,” George shot back, grinning.
Ginny ignored him and continued to try to placate Harry. “Yes Harry, I, um…put my jumper back on.”
“That’s too bad. You looked nice in your bra. It was that lacy one I like with the . . .”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay,” Ginny, blushing beet red, cut in as she glanced nervously at her brothers and best friend. “He’s helped me fold laundry a few times.” She heard a muttered, “I bet,” from Ron as Hermione cocked one eyebrow in obvious disbelief.
A distraction in the doorway drew everyone’s attention, to Ginny’s relief and Harry’s increased agitation. Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott came walking through the open door. Neville was proudly holding a plant and both were smiling. “Hi everyone. I wanted to show you . . .” Neville started to say but was cut off by Harry’s shout.
“Death Eaters!” Both Hannah and Neville stopped and stared with puzzled expressions and then dived for protection as Harry fired at them. They both popped their heads up to stare wide-eyed at Harry.
“He called us Death Eaters!” Hannah spat out indignantly.
“At least you’re human,” Hermione retorted.
“What?”
“Never mind,” Hermione responded. “Just duck.”
“But my plant!” Neville cried in dismay at his potted-plant, now lying on its side in the middle of the floor. “My beautiful Mimbulus Sageletonia.” He scooted out to rescue the plant to shouts of warning from the others. He grabbed the plant and rolled back to cover as Harry again tried to hex him.
“What is wrong with Harry?” Neville asked concernedly.
“He took too much of a new product George invented,” Ginny explained with a distinct note of anger in her voice. “The product was a combination of Amortentia and those Patented Daydream Charms.”
“Oh, I do love those,” Hannah chipped in eagerly, “Especially the Dashing Pirate and . . .”
“Do you like that one too?” Hermione asked.
“Yes! Do your daydreams always . . .”
“Do you two mind?” Ginny yelled crossly. “We can discuss your fantasies some other time. Harry needs help.”
“I think I can help,” Neville called over to Ginny as she tried to sooth a crouching and anxious Harry Potter.
“How?” George asked.
“My plant actually is a cross grafting of a Mimbulus mimbletonia and sage which combines Mimbulus’ calming powers and the powers of brightness and clarity that comes from sage. I can take one of the leaves, grind it and add licorice root which heals and water to make a drink. That should pull Harry out of his paranoid-hypnotic state.”
“Amazing,” Hermione intoned with appreciation.
“Getting the other ingredients right now,” George called as he slipped into his backroom. He was back in a few seconds and then it was up to Neville and his plant to make it safely up to the counter and dive behind for cover. Ginny did her best to divert Harry’s attention but he kept yelling that he was going to save her from blood-thirsty Death Eaters. Ultimately, Neville made it with only a few singed hairs and smoldering shirt. Hannah had done her part to try to protect Neville by sending a number of hexes Harry’s way.
“I actually brought this by to suggest you purchase a few seedlings to use when you brew antidotes,” Neville explained as he ground the leaves in a mortar George provided. “I’ll put you down for a few dozen.”
George nodded. “If it works, I’ll buy the lot.”
The potion was prepared in short order and then everyone wondered how to get Harry to drink it. Ginny said, “Give it to me. I’ll do it.” She took the cup, turned and smiled at Harry who was eyeing the bobbing heads behind the counter with his wand ready for battle. “Harry, if you drink this I’ll take my jumper off again.”
Hannah and Neville’s eyes widened with surprise and they mouthed to each other, “Again?” Harry reacted with the enthusiasm of a little boy about to see Father Christmas.
“Ooh! How about you take it off first and then I’ll drink it?”
Ginny blushed beet red and glanced over at Hannah and Neville who were both trying not to laugh. “That’s not how we’re going to do it,” Ginny retorted through gritted teeth. “Drink this potion or I’m not going to take my jumper off.” Harry eyed her up and down with eager anticipation, grabbed the drink and drank it in one swallow. He made a face, choked a little, swayed back and forth and then his eyes became clear and he appeared to be coming out of a trance.
“Wow,” Harry groaned as he rubbed his eyes and head, “what was all of that? I feel like I was in some kind of weird dream.”
Ginny hugged Harry. “You had a bad reaction from George’s stupid experiment. If it wasn’t for Neville and his plant, you’d still be hexing anything that moved.”
“Hey,” George frowned, “it wasn’t stupid. You’re not supposed to eat three at one time.”
“Yeah,” Ron chipped in, “but I think we better put that on the boxes. You know, tell people to not eat more than one at a time or they may start acting like a real . . .”
“Okay Ron,” Hermione cut in glancing nervously at Harry to see how he would react. “That’s a good idea.”
Harry, however, was deep in thought about something else. Finally he looked at Ginny and asked, “Did I ask you to take your jumper off?”
Ginny’s face was unreadable as she simply replied, “Yes.”
“But you’re not even wearing one!”
“That obviously didn’t matter, since you already daydreamed about her taking it off once,” Hermione commented as she tried to straighten some of the counter.
Harry looked at Hermione in surprise and then nervously looked at Ginny, then from her to Ron, who was scowling, and then to George who had a slight smirk. “I’m dead,” he muttered. He then looked back to her. “Did I say anything else that was...um, embarrassing?”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Ginny replied, blushing as she looked sideways at the others and their mixture of grins, scowls, and for Hannah and Neville, puzzled expressions.
“Oh, I’m really dead,” Harry groaned.
Hermione walked over to Harry and whispered a little more loudly than she had planned, “If you haven’t really folded Ginny’s laundry before, I’d suggest you say you have.”
“Oh thanks, Hermione!” Ginny, crimsoned-faced, replied sarcastically, “that was real subtle.”
“Oh!” Hermione looked genuinely chagrinned. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to . . .” She was saved from further embarrassment by a nervous looking wizard with long blond hair and wire-rimmed glasses who carefully poked his head around the shop’s door and looked around. When he saw the group calmly visiting with each other he gave a relieved smile and inched into the shop. He was wearing turquoise robes with silver trim and had his hair tied behind him in a ponytail.
“Hello, I’m Saxton Wandscutter, a reporter for The Daily Prophet. I was just coming out of Fortescue’s New Ice Cream Shoppe and saw a couple running from your store screaming Harry Potter had gone mad and was destroying the place.” He looked around surveying the damage and then back at Harry who had a deer in the headlights expression. “Why were you destroying the place?”
There was an uncomfortable silence for what seemed like an eternity but was actually only a few seconds. Harry seemed at a loss of what to say and even Hermione was standing silent and wide-eyed. It was Ginny who broke the silence and saved Harry added embarrassment.
“Destroyed? This isn’t destroyed. This happens all the time. Right, George?” She looked at him pointedly and he quickly caught on. He pulled out his wand and began casting spells repairing and setting things right. He also motioned to Ron to do the same thing as Ginny continued. “We regularly have practice sessions as if we’re fighting Death Eaters or monsters.”
“Uh, yeah,” Hermione joined in. “Remember, constant vigilance.” Neville and Hannah nodded in agreement.
“Constant vigilance?” Wandscutter asked as he pulled out a Quick Quotes Quill and started taking notes. He turned to Harry. “Do you think we need to be practicing and vigilante? For what? Are you expecting more trouble?”
“Uh . . . um . . .” Harry still seemed at a loss for words, but the reporter didn’t seem to mind. He kept writing about how dedicated heroes like Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, and others were continuing to practice in case trouble again arose. By this time, the shop was almost completely back to normal and the others were ready to close up and go to dinner.
“Oh, Mr. Potter,” Saxton Wandscutter lithely stepped in front of Harry as he was about to join the others. “I only have a few more questions for you. It shouldn’t take more than twenty or so minutes.”
“But . . .” Harry started to say.
George cut in with a wide grin. “That’s okay, Harry. Take as long as you want with the reporter. Here are the keys so you can lock up when you’re done. You know where we’ll be.”
“We’ll try to save something for you,” Ron joined in with a smirk. “Maybe.” The others started laughing as they exited the shop. The last thing Harry heard was, “If you get too hungry, there are some chocolates in a bowl on the counter.”