The Ole Switch-a-roo

CHAPTER 6

As the eight of them slowly walked down the aisle between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables, the hall was silent. Then Dean tripped and all hell broke loose. First there was laughter, then whispering, then (to the boys horror) catcalls from male classmates.

They finally reached the head table only then to notice that Dumbledore was not there. A fragile old woman with long, limp, gray hair dressed in fuchsia robes greeted them. When she looked up, what Harry immediately noticed is that her eyes were the exact same startling blue as his beloved Headmaster.

"Can you please excuse Professor Dumbledore and her students for a few moments while they have a word?" Professor McGonagall said to the surrounding students who immediately went to talking. The eight new changed students followed Dumbledore and McGonagall into the same room that Harry went for the Triwizard Tournament.

"I would like to introduce you to your new Headmistress. I have told the students that this," she said, pointing to the old woman, "is Professor Dumbledore's sister who is the Headmistress of your school in Scotland. In all actuality, this is truly Professor Dumbledore who amazingly wanted me to change his gender."

"Yes, I did. I think that this is an amazing experiment, Miss--ahem--Mr. Granger. Congratulations on such a marvelous plan," the old woman said, turning and looking at Hermione, then continuing. "I will need to know your new names to introduce you to the student body."

"Here, Professor McGonagall told me to write them down. There are fake last names on there also," Hermione said, handing him a slip of paper.

They walked back into the hall, and the eight of them filed in front of the head table.

"I would like to introduce to you my students!" Dumbledore said, standing up behind them and taking out the slip of paper. "Shay Costello, Peter Petal, Delilah Smith, Larry Bronze, Godric and Rowena Ferretly, Hayden Jones and Harriett Planter," he said, pointing to each student in turn.

"Godric is in his 5^th year, while all of the other students are in their 6^th year. They will be residing in Gryffindor tower to take the place of the missing transfer students," McGonagall said to the student body. "And now, eat!"

Magically, food appeared on the tables as the eight of them took their seats. Immediately, the Gryffindors started whispering about the new students behind their hands.

"Well, this is just perfect," Dean said, spearing a potato on the end of his fork.

"Hey, at least the boys aren't trying to make any moves on you yet," Ginny said happily as she looked over the heads of almost everyone in Gryffindor. "Man, I like being tall!"

"What are you talking about?" Seamus said, looking up from his chicken wings.

"What? You honestly think that not one of your guy friends are going to make a move on you?" Lavender said, before she caught the eye of Terry Boot and winked.

"Lav--I mean Larry!" Hermione said, glaring at Lavender, "Stop doing that!"

"Doing what?" Lavender said, blowing a kiss in Terry's direction. Hermione thought that Terry might have a heart attack.

"Come here!" Hermione said, pulling Lavender closer so that she could whisper to her, "Terry is going to think that you're a poof! Stop that! We have to win, remember? Guys verses girls? We have the harder life! If you're going to do that, then do it to Padma, she's practically drooling over you."

"Fine then," Lavender huffed, and started making goo-goo eyes towards Padma Patil, who almost fainted.

Harry was becoming more and more creeped out by the fact that Goyle kept staring in his direction. I mean, for goodness sake, Goyle wasn't even eating!

The meal ended in silence for the rest of the group who failed to notice their own personal stalker among their peers. Blaise Zabini was intently staring at the back of Dean's head, Draco seemed smitten by the little Irish girl, Goyle continued to stare at Harry's bright green eyes, while Michael Corner would stare at Ron every few seconds, then become strangely interested in his fork.

Padma and Lavender continued to flirt with each other from across the room, while (to Harry's dismay) Cho was whispering to Marietta about Ginny. Hermione was shocked to see that Pansy's eyes were following her around the hall, and Millicent was cracking her knuckles at whoever looked Parvati's way.

That night, Blaise, Draco, Goyle, Pansy, and Millicent sat in the Slytherin common room fantasizing about 'hot foreign exchange students'.

Across the school in the Ravenclaw house, Padma, Cho, and Michael were all deep in thought about the three people who had just stolen their hearts.

"You know what? This really blows," Harry said, throwing himself onto his bed.

"I have to agree with you, my friend; being a girl is just plain creepy," Ron said, laying on his bed throwing a ball up into the air.

"Ha! I can't wait 'til you guys have to go through this hell," Seamus said, swallowing two more Midol.

The other three boys just shuddered. "Hey, look on the bright side. The girls must be miserable being boys," Dean said, as he started to pull the curtains around his bed closed.

On the contrary, the girls were having a splendid time.

"Oh, this is too much fun watching them squirm," Lavender said, jumping on her bed, throwing a pillow at Parvati.

"They are absolutely repulsed! Just imagine if someone like Malfoy tries to kiss one of them!" Ginny said, squealing at the thought of her mental scenario.

"Better yet, think of when Malfoy finds out that he was kissing Seamus!" Hermione said snorting.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Parvati said, throwing the pillow back at Lavender, who ducked, causing the pillow to crash into the lamp and break the light bulb.

"Nice going, Parvati!" Lavender said.

"Bugger, I can't even see my wand. Oh well, I'll fix it in the morning. Goodnight," Hermione said, crawling over to her bed.

"Get some sleep ladies, we have a big day tomorrow," Ginny said, and within five minutes they were all soundly asleep.