The Flip Side

The Flip Side

Chapter Four

The excitement of the Battle of Hogsmeade Station (as it came to be known by many of the younger students) was momentarily shelved in lieu of a new bit of news: Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had arrived after all, and in a flying car no less! Nobody was certain who had let the information slip in the first place, but soon the word had spread throughout Hogwarts like wildfire. The tension was especially heavy in Gryffindor Tower, where nearly everybody was crammed into the common room, anxiously awaiting to congratulate the two on their stroke of genius. Percy, however, was crammed in the common room, anxiously waiting to give the two a telling off.

When Harry and Ron finally did show up, they didn't stay in the common room for long, much to everybody's chagrin. Catching sight of the irate Percy had considerably accelerated their escape to the second year boys' dormitory. Fred and George couldn't say it hadn't been a wise move. Percy had, after all, only just gotten warmed up on them back at the station. They didn't dare think about the degree of annoyance that he was capable of inflicting now.

The night was still young, however, and not everyone could so easily escape a lecture. Only moments after Harry and Ron had disappeared, in walked Professor McGonagall bearing her infamous tight-lipped expression. The room fell silent before she even opened her mouth.

"Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Oliver Wood and Alicia Spinnet, please accompany me to my office," she began, stating each name firmly. "The rest of you are to go straight to your dormitories. Lights out in fifteen minutes."

A collective groan rounded the common room and the students reluctantly began to trudge off to bed. Lee Jordan (who had been planning to listen on the stairs and was now more than slightly disappointed) thumped both twins on the back and silently assuring them that he would continue their scheme in the event that they did not return.

The Fat Lady tsk-tsked as McGonagall exited the common room followed by the four downcast Gryffindors (with Wood trying not to limp). Not a one dared speak a word until they reached her office and the door was closed behind them.

"Professor, I-"

"Not a word, Mr Wood, until I am quite finished," McGonagall interrupted him and took a seat at her desk. Wood closed his mouth and turned his eyes to the floor. McGonagall took a long moment to study each of them and the battle wounds they were sporting. One by one they began to squirm, wondering why she refused to yell and get it over with.

"I will begin by saying that I am absolutely disgusted and deeply ashamed by your behavior tonight," she said finally. "I know that none of you were taught to act in such a manner, and I seriously doubt that your parents would look lightly upon the matter."

Fred caught George's eye and they quickly forced the smiles from their faces; obviously McGonagall had not yet heard about the incident in Flourish and Blotts involving their father and one Lucius Malfoy. Their mother, on the other hand, would be a completely different story.

"Something funny, Weasleys?" she was looking over her glasses at them.

"No, ma'am. Nought," George was first to regain his composure.

"I should certainly think not," McGonagall sniffed and got to her feet. She circled round to the front of her desk and folded her arms, letting the tension build again. Fred had to bite his tongue to keep from breaking into sputtering nervous laughter. "Now," she began again, turning narrowed eyes on each one in turn, "do any of you have anything to say for yourselves?"

They shook their heads.

"Right then," she pursed her lips again. "Detention for each of you and not another word about it. Now, off to Madam Pomfrey and then straight back to your dormitories."

They practically ran from the room.

Professor McGonagall sat down at her desk again. She could understand that emotions of adolescents would sometimes get out of control. She was well aware that House rivalries spawned constant personal vendettas. She certainly expected the heated contention between the Quidditch players on and off the pitch. What bothered her most was the thought of reporting the ordeal to Professor Dumbledore. She couldn't get it out of her head that his eyes would twinkle, he would smile that familiar smile and then he would simply state that it should prove to be an interesting year and an exciting Quidditch season.

*

Flint, Abby, Pucey and Higgs scrambled out of Snape's dungeon office as quickly as was possible without tripping over each other, the Professor's closing threats following them into the corridor. Pucey looked back as the door slammed and shook his head.

"I've seen Snape angry before, but I don't ever remember hearing him shout that loud," he commented, wiggling his finger in his ear. They started on their way to the Hospital Wing.

"I reckon there's summat else has him upset," Higgs shrugged. "Maybe since he's not gotten the Defence Against the Dark Arts class again."

"Could be," Pucey conceded.

"Or maybe it's because Potter's come back after all," Higgs wondered. "Rotten luck, that is. I mean, I never had any real competition with Diggory or that Chang girl Ravenclaw picked up last year. Now all of a sudden Gryffindor turns up with this miracle Seeker."

"Leave it, mate," Pucey said as the group climbed a set of stairs. He was eyeing Flint warily.

Higgs took no notice. "I'm serious. I've got to find his weak point, well, unless we're counting on him getting injured this year too."

"Terry, just leave it, will you?" Abby hissed, motioning to Flint.

Clearly Higgs couldn't take a hint. "There's got to be some way of bringing Gryffindor down a notch. I mean, ever since they got Potter they've been walking around like they own the bloody place. Wood can't keep his mouth shut-"

"He's not the only one," Pucey muttered.

"-and those Weasleys-"

That was the clincher. Flint had been grinding his teeth for some time now and finally he'd had enough. He stopped dead and spun around, drawing himself up to his full height: a good half-foot taller than Higgs. Pucey and Abby backed up a few steps. Higgs felt his stomach knot as Flint bore down on him, his dark eyes menacing.

"Shut up," he growled. "I don't want to hear another word on Potter or Wood or Weasley or anything to do with Gryffindor for the rest of the night. Just shut up."

Higgs nodded vigorously and Flint backed off. He took Abby's hand and they started off again as she tried her best to calm him down.

"He's in a mood," Higgs said after finding his voice again. His eyes were threatening to pop from their sockets.

Pucey shook his head and they hurried to catch up. They rounded the next corner and nearly collided with Flint and Abby, who had suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. The four of them were now standing just outside the Hospital Wing. Opposite them, having come from the other direction, were the Gryffindors.

"Oh Lord," Pucey and Higgs mumbled in unison.

Wood was trying to take control of the situation. "Look, everyone, what's happened tonight, happened. Let's just leave it, hey? We're not looking for trouble."

"Well, you found it," Flint sneered.

"Oh come off it, Flint!" Alicia stamped her foot in annoyance. "If you lot got half the lecture we just did, I can't imagine you really wanting another go at it!"

"Marcus," Abby voice was strained with forced composure as she intertwined her fingers with his and brought his hand to her cheek. "They aren't worth the time. Let's just go, hey?" He looked down at her and seemed to be considering her.

"That's it, Abby, call off the hounds," George snickered under his breath.

"Couldn't've done that two years ago," Fred whispered back. He didn't whisper quiet enough.

"How dare you!" her steely blue eyes flashed as she snapped her head round. Her pale cheeks flushed as she tore her hand from Flint's and headed straight for Fred. "You bloody insignificant little-"

"Abby, hold on a minute! Just calm down," Wood intercepted her and grabbed her shoulders to stop her onslaught.

"Get your bloody hands off her, Wood!" Flint exploded, set to tear the other's head off. Pucey, seeing that Abby would be caught in the middle, grabbed the back of Flint's cloak in an attempt to keep him from doing something quite daft when suddenly the door to the Hospital Wing flew open.

"What is going on out here?" Madam Pomfrey bellowed. One look at the scene gave her the answer. Pucey was still hanging on to Flint, who was still dead set on Wood, who was still holding Abby. She, in turn, was glaring daggers at Fred, who, along with George, was trying not to laugh. Alicia was glowering at them in disbelief and Higgs was wearing a look of confusion as though he had no idea how the whole ordeal had even come about.

"Right, inside, the lot of you. Gryffindors on one side, Slytherins on the other, and if you so much as look at each other you'll be lucky if you've finished your detentions by Christmas!"

The group separated and filed past Madam Pomfrey without a word. She, however, had words for each of them.

"Mr Wood, I'm surprised at you. Behavior such as this for a Captain? Disgraceful. And ah, yes, both Weasley twins I see. Why am I not surprised? You'll be getting an early start this year, I imagine. Miss Spinnet, well, at least you aren't blue this time. I - don't you give me that look, Mr Flint or I'll give you something to scowl about! Miss Malfoy, I suppose a 'welcome back' is in order, now wipe that pout off your face. It isn't becoming of a lady - I heard that Mr Weasley! Well, well, Mr Pucey. Lord knows you've sent enough patients my way, I suppose I should thank you for keeping me in a job, hmm? And Mr Higgs, well, if I had a Sickle for every one of your visits I'd retire a happy woman. How you Seekers manage to live so long is beyond me."

As Higgs passed her she turned with her hands on her hips and a stern look on her face. "Right, that's the lot. Now sit tight and not a peep until I get back, understand?"

As soon as she was gone there was a collective stare-down between the two groups (a mixture of disgusted sneers, irritated scowls and cocky smirks) and a barrage of insults muttered just loud enough for the subject to hear. Everyone immediately hushed up when the door clicked open again, and they turned back to their own, muttering quietly amongst themselves as Madam Pomfrey bustled about and prepared the bandages.

"You know, you didn't have to do this, Fred," Alicia said after a moment's contemplation.

"Hey?" Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Starting a fight to prove Angelina and me wrong? We were only teasing, you know; we didn't mean ought by it. We only wanted to know about the spell."

"Oh bloody hell," Fred groaned.

"Just leave it, Alicia," George said.

"I'm only saying," she insisted. "I feel quite responsible for all this."

"What's are you on about?" Wood asked.

"It's nought," Fred replied quickly.

"Angelina and I were teasing him on the train," she explained. "Saying that he fancied Abby Malfoy."

"Alicia!"

"You what? What did all this come about?"

"Oh, you remember, Oliver? When he cast that spell on her two years ago?"

"So this whole mess was over her?"

"No, we were only teasing. He doesn't really like her."

"Alicia, shut up."

"Oh, Fred, you don't!"

"I thought this was to do with Quidditch! Oh, I don't believe this!"

Wood was furious. If his face were to go any redder it was liable to burst into flames. Alicia was gaping at Fred, who had gone a bit red himself and was shaking his head, completely put out. George had his face turned away in a desperate attempt to hide that he was about to erupt into hysterics.

"Do you mean to tell me that I got this-" Wood pointed to where his chin had been split open, "-and this-" he rolled up his trouser leg to reveal the bruised lump on his shin, "-because of her?" He was shouting now, and pointing in Abby's general direction. The Slytherins were looking at him. Madam Pomfrey rushed over.

"I thought I told you to keep silent?" she said irritably.

Wood stood up without another word and stomped out of the room, trying harder than before not to limp, and Madam Pomfrey chased after him, demanding that he sit down and allow her to patch him up.

"Thanks, Alicia," Fred muttered. She just continued to stare at him, going over and over in her mind what she had to report to Angelina. "And thanks to you too, mate, for backing me up." He elbowed George.

"Pleasure," George sputtered, feeling as though his chest would explode. Fred smacked him on the back of his head. "Oi! Watch the lump there, you git!" he laughed and pushed his twin backward off the bed.

Fred pulled himself back up and in doing so caught Flint's eye. He swallowed the urge to stick out his tongue and instead cast a gleeful grin at the Slytherin Captain before flopping onto the bed. Flint watched him for a moment longer before tuning back to his group.

"What does he think he's playing at?" he growled.

"He's all talk," Abby assured him, latching onto his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Just a stupid kid," Pucey agreed, leaning nonchalantly against the wall with his arms folded. "Best ignore him, mate."

"I'd not mind knowing what they were talking about," Higgs shrugged sitting on the bed opposite Flint and Abby. "I mean, he clearly said summat about you, Abby. What if he - ow!" he reacted to a well-timed punch to the shoulder, courtesy of Pucey.

"I'll kill him," Flint said through clenched teeth. "I'll kill him if he tries anything on."

Abby and Pucey glared at a confused Higgs.