The Joke of the Year

Meanwhile...

Mediwizard: Mr. Malfoy, we have been doing all we can do for young Draco.

Lucius: WELL IT'S NOT ENOUGH!!!

Mediwizard: Well, sir, if you think you can do better, why don't you try it.

All of a sudden, the two men heard a groan coming from the bed.

Draco: Can you turn down the volume?

Lucius: It's about time you awoke, boy.

Mediwizard: Mr. Malfoy! Your son has woken up! You should be grateful; there was a chance he would never awaken from his unconscious state again.

Lucius: (in a snarling voice) Get away!

The mediwizard exited the room, thinking about what to do. He knew he should file a report, but he also didn't want to. Mr. Malfoy seemed quite angry; he was so curt with his son when he woke up. He hadn't behaved like normal parents would, loving and hugging on their sons. This was quite odd.

Lucius walked over to the side of the bed and sat down: Boy, do you know who did this to you?

Draco: (stretches and yawns) How would I know? All I remember is smacking my face on something solid and freezing. Oh and these souvenirs are great too. (he tugs on the celery in his ears)

Lucius: Don't be sassy with me, Draco. I want to know.

Draco: Father, I don't remember! I was knocked out cold! You could at least act like you care that I woke up out of the concussion I was in.

Lucius: You know I care, but right now there are more important things. (he gets up and begins pacing) I need to know who did this.

Draco rolled his eyes and mimicked his father behind his back. Draco hated when he did this. Lucius knew that his son was doing this, but he fought the urge to give him a good slap in the face. He began to think who disliked his son....

Back at the castle, Fred and George still had spells of laughter throughout the day. In Transfiguration, they both began to laugh when Angelina Johnson gave Fred an enormous slab of chocolate. Angelina was so confused at his reaction that she started to get quite angry and had to be led away from the room to calm herself.

Loudspeaker: HARRY POTTER, please report to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately!

Hermione: What did you do this time, Harry.

Ron: They don't know about the... incident, do they?

Harry: No Ron, they shouldn't, but thanks to you they might. Hermione, I have no idea why Dumbledore would want to see me, unless it has something to do with Malfoy's unfortunate injury.

Harry stood up from his seat and exited the room. As soon as he got to the headmaster's office he knocked. He heard quiet footsteps coming closer and then the door creaked open.

Professor Dumbledore: Harry, come in, take a seat.

Harry did as he was told and sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore sat, folded his hands, and laid them on the desk.

Professor Dumbledore: Well, Harry, it seems that some people think that you and Draco are enemies. They also seem to think that you had something to do with the young Mr. Malfoy's so called prank.

Harry: Sir, I can assure you that I had nothing at all to do with the prank.

Dumbledore: (eyebrows raised)

Harry: I promise! Ask Ron; I was in the dormitory all night!

Dumbledore: Very well, Harry. I believe you. You may go.

Harry stood up rather stiffly and left the office.

Loudspeaker: Hermione Granger, please come to Dumbledore's office immediately!

Hermione went to the headmaster's office and went through the same routine as Harry had. Dumbledore went through everyone he thought might have anything to do with this. He even asked Draco's friends; Vincent Crabbe had told him miserably that he had let someone into the Slytherin common room the night before Draco's accident. That was the first of any evidence all day. He had questioned Crabbe about the appearance of the two. He said they looked young and had freckles and their hair was dark, but they were wearing Slytherin robes and looked sinister enough to be Slytherins.

He had finally come down to the last person he thought might know anything: Pansy Parkinson. Pansy entered the room with a satisfied smirk on her face. She sat at Dumbledore's request and gave him a simpering smile.

Pansy: You wanted to see me, Professor?

Dumbledore: Yes, Miss Parkinson. I wanted to know if you knew anything about the accident Mr. Malfoy had

Pansy: (her smile broadens) Well...It just so happens that I do, Professor.

Dumbledore: Please, Miss Parkinson, tell all that you know.

Pansy: I found several scarlet hairs on the floor by Draco's bed. I went in there to cry right after you made the announcement. I picked up the hairs and thought, now whom could have this color hair? And a name came to me. Weasley.

Dumbledore: Sorry to interrupt, but I have already questioned young Mr. Weasley.

Pansy: I never said it was the young one. It would be the very same Fred and George Weasley who cause nearly all the trouble at this school. I performed the Conjuctivitusmute Charm, and discovered that the DNA did indeed match. I confronted them, and they denied having anything to do with it. All they said was, "We supplied the materials, but nothing more."

Dumbledore: Thank you Miss Parkinson, you may go.

Pansy left the office and Dumbledore relieved a sigh. He had not wanted to talk to her at all, but being the Headmaster of the most prestigious wizarding school in all of England, he couldn't admit it. Now he had to do the hard thing. He had to talk to the Weasley twins.

Fred and George heard a loud rapping on the window. They walked over and saw Bill's owl. It had a piece of parchment. They let the owl in and opened the letter.

Dear Fantastic Pranksters,

Wonderful idea. But that's terrible about what happened to him. You really want to know what I think you should do? Well, you definitely shouldn't tell mum or dad. They would burst a vein. But I have other things to say, if you still want to continue reading this letter.

Okay, about Malfoy. Like I said it was bloody brilliant, but I heard he got some sort of concussion. If his father finds out, you two are dead. Very dead. You guys have got to try to keep your heads down and don't make a big deal out of it. If someone finds out, deny it. Unfortunately, I have no more advice. Sorry I couldn't help much.

Your brother,

Bill

Fred: Well that helps a whole lot.

George: I thought he might actually give us some helpful advice. This kind of stuff we already know.

Fred: Yeah, I guess we'll just do what he said and keep our heads--

Fred stopped abruptly when he heard a familiar crackle.

Loudspeaker: Professor Dumbledore needs to see Fred and George Weasley in his office immediately!