Hogwarts' Next Top Witch

Hogwarts' Next Top Witch

By Mariposa

Chapter 5: The Girl With The Whip

You voted and your Cover Witch of the Week is Ginny Weasley! "Ginny is a fun, feisty, FIERCE witch with a fiery attitude!" writes Sally-Anne Perks. "She exudes sassiness and confidence with a FIERCE personality!" says Gillian Daniels. Thank you for voting in this week's Cover Witch poll!

* * *

"Do you know what you're getting Harry for his birthday?" Hermione asked Ginny as she pushed a shopping cart down the breakfast foods aisle. The two girls, along with Cho, were at the market getting food since they were running low.

"I'm not sure," Ginny replied, although she did have an idea of what she wanted to give him, she just wasn't certain if she was going to carry her plan out or not.

"Maybe you could let him have a ride on your Gushi?" Cho suggested as she tossed a carton of milk into the cart. I'm sure he'd let you have a go on his Firebolt," she added with a sly grin.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Can we please stop with the sexual innuendo jokes? They're getting old." She turned her attention back to Hermione. "What are you getting him?"

"Oh, I thought I'd give him the gift certificate I won for Honeydukes."

"You can't do that!" Ginny exclaimed. "That's re-gifting!"

"No, it's not!"

"Yes, it is! You got the gift certificate, and now you're giving it to Harry. Total re-gifting!"

"Well, he doesn't have to know," Hermione replied as she grabbed a box of Cheerios.

"Are these good?" Ginny held up a box of Pop Tarts.

"No, those are gross. Put them back."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Luna read the purple note card they had found: "Are you born to be wild? A lioness, a raven, an elephant, a dolphin, a gazelle, a snake - which one will you be?"

"You don't think we'll be studying Animagi?" Lavender asked in a worried voice. "That's for experienced witches!"

Pansy snorted. "I doubt it."

"I think it would be fun to be a dolphin," Luna said in her trademark dreamy voice.

"Ooh! I have a great idea for a joke we can play on the others when they get back,"

snickered Lavender. "Just follow my lead."

When Hermione, Ginny, and Cho returned, Lavender pretended they had just received the Fleur mail and read a fake message unbeknownst to the three girls: "Pack your bags. You have twenty minutes... to be in PARIS!" She and Pansy started to squeal for realistic effect. Luna gasped and clapped her hands together with glee. Ginny and Cho screamed with excitement and hugged each other. Hermione's jaw dropped open.

"I've always wanted to go to France!" cried Cho.

"Of course, it makes sense!" Ginny said giddily. "Fleur is French, why not take us to her homeland?"

"I love France!" exclaimed Hermione. "I wonder what we're going to to there? What does it say?" She started to reach for the note card, but Lavender held it back.

"HAHA!" she screamed. "YOU GOT PUNK'D! We're just kidding...we're not really going to Paris."

"We're not?" Ginny said, clearly deflated.

Cho was not amused. "Like, seriously, coming into this competition I did not realize that I was going to feel like a first year at Hogwarts."

Pansy was doubled over with laughter. "I think I'm going to throw up from laughing so much!"

Hermione grabbed the notecard from her and read the real clue to Ginny and Cho.

Ginny frowned. "You don't think -"

"Animagi? Nah, it couldn't be," Hermione replied. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow, though."

* * *

The next morning they gathered in the hotel's large conference room on the main floor. Everything that had been in there before had been cleared out.

"Helloooo, ladies!" Cyra came in the room, all bouncy and animated, followed by two other witches, about her age. One had red hair and was taller than the other who had bright purple hair and a pierced lip and eyebrow. "I want to introduce you to two of my friends from the States. This is Tara-" she gestured to the redhead, "and this is Candy. They're visiting me from San Francisco and are going to be assisting with today's activity. Last time, Fleur told all y'all that it's very important for a Top Witch to stay active and she's right. Well, since you've already been involved in sports, we are now going to do something that is not only active, but artistic as well...you are going to learn how to dance!"

"Dance?" Hermione repeated.

"Yes, you remember what your card said, about the different animals you might be?"

The girls nodded slowly.

"Well, we are each going to assign you one of those animals and you will dress up as your designated animal and you will have to dance as you would think that animal might dance."

"I KNEW we wouldn't be learning about Animagi," Pansy said with a satisfied tone.

Cyra laughed. "Oh, goodness, no. You girls aren't advanced enough for that yet. But maybe someday."

"Like Cyra said, we're from San Francisco," Candy said referring to herself and Tara. "We're very active in dance, especially interpretive dance, and we're both part of the San Francisco Ballet where we have to pretend we're Muggles."

"But luckily we both grew up with Muggle parents, so that wasn't much of a stretch," Tara added with a grin. "Now Cyra has already told us a little about each of you, so we're ready to assign you your animal."

Candy nodded and looked down at a clipboard she was holding. "Hermione?"

Hermione stepped forward.

"You are going to be a lioness."

"Ooh, girl, you are gonna be FIERCE!" Cyra made her hand into a claw and swiped it at Hermione.

"Ginny, you will be the gazelle," Candy continued. "Luna, we're making you the raven."

"Oh, I was hoping I would get to be the dolphin," Luna said wistfully. "But I am happy to be a raven because I'm a proud Ravenclaw."

"Lavender, you are going to be the dolphin," Tara stated. "Cho, you will be the snake, and finally, Pansy, will be the elephant."

"Elephant!" Pansy exclaimed, clearly offended.

"Okay, girls, let's get your make up and costumes on!" Cyra said as she clapped her hands in an official manner.

Most of their costumes consisted of leotards the color of their assigned animal. Luna had black feathers attached to hers; Lavender had a papier-mâché dorsal fin connected to her back; Cho's face was painted black and red; Hermione had whiskers painted onto her face, and so on. When all the girls were ready, they stood next to each other in one corner of the room.

"All right!" Tara said as she placed her hand over a CD player. "When I call your name, I just want you to start dancing across the room, do something you think your animal would do. Be artistic! That is the important thing." She pressed the play button and music started blaring. "HERMIONE! GO!"

Hermione wished she hadn't been first because she really had no idea what to do. She had never taken any dance classes and had no idea how a lioness would "dance."

"C'mon, Hermione!" Candy urged.

Hermione ran across the room and leapt as she did a tour jete, the only ballet step she was familiar with.

"Good, good," Tara said with a smile. "Ginny, you're next!"

Ginny ran across the room, her head held high like a gazelle, and did a couple leaps similar to Hermione's, but with a little more grace.

"Yes, good! I like that!" said Candy. "Luna, let's see you what you got!"

Luna stretched her arms out on either side and ran in a zigzag pattern across the room, as though she were soaring.

"Nice job, great adlib with the wings," complimented Tara. "Okay, Lavender, you're next."

"How am I supposed to pretend to be a dolphin with no water?" she pondered. Shrugging, she acted as though she were swimming as she scampered across the floor.

"Pansy, it's your turn!" called Tara.

Pansy glared at the others and proceeded to stomp across the room, using her arm as a trunk, lifting it up evey now and then.

"And last but not least, let's see Cho!" said Candy.

Cho looked baffled. "How am I suppose to get across as a snake?"

"You're in Ravenclaw," Lavender snarked. "You should be able to figure it out."

Cho glared at her.

"Cho, you're a snake, so let's see you act like a snake!" cried Cyra.

With an irritated growl, Cho got down on her stomach and started to slither across the floor. "Can I trade animals with someone?"

"Everyone did a great job capturing their animal," Candy said when everyone was on the other side of the room. "You all have some great dance moves for witches who have never done this before," she added with a wink.

"It was great meeting you all," Tara said. "But I'm afraid Candy and I must be running now. Good luck to all of you on your competition!"

After Tara and Candy left, Cyra called everyone's attention. "For your next task, you will be divided into two groups of three and will have to perform at the Magic Shack, which is a fairly new club here in London where participants are invited to go on stage and perform Muggle songs. It will be held in three days on the thirty-first, so it's best to get started as soon as possible. You will need to pick a song and buy outfits which we will give you money for. The first group will consist of Hermione, Luna, and Pansy and the second group will have Cho, Lavender, and Ginny."

* * *

"This is the most pointless task ever," Hermione commented later that evening. "Even more so than the time we had to put together our own outfits and Quidditch Dodgeball combined. Performing in front of a crowd? Can anyone tell me what that has to do with being a Top Witch?"

"I think it will be fun," Lavender replied.

"Me too," added Ginny. "When we were younger, Ron and I had this routine we would perform for our parents. There was this one really difficult dance move that Ron could never do, though."

"Ginny, what are you doing?" Cho exclaimed as she saw the young girl wrapping her Gushi Chiaki in red tissue paper.

"I've decided to give this to Harry for his birthday," Ginny told her.

"Wow, Gin, that's really selfless of you," Hermione noted.

"Are you insane?" Cho cried. "That's a Gushi Chiaki broom. You just don't give a Gushi Chiaki away and I don't care if he's your boyfriend."

"Harry still managed to catch the snitch when he was using his Firebolt, he deserves this," Ginny replied calmly. "Besides, he needs it more than I do, this might come in handy when he conquers Voldemort."

"When?" smirked Pansy

"Don't say that name!" Lavender scolded as she shuddered.

Ginny glared at Pansy. "Sorry. I don't deserve a Gushi Chiaki broom. If anyone should have one, it should be Harry. Besides, he did save my life four years ago."

"Ginny, if you give away the Gushi, you are going to regret it," Cho stated. "Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but someday, I promise. You just don't give away a priceless artifact!"

"Well, I'm sure Harry will still let her use it," Hermione replied. "And I think it's very noble of Ginny to want to give the broom to Harry."

"The Gushi, Hermione, the Gushi," Ginny reminded her. "It's never referred to as 'the broom.'"

"I still think you're mad," Cho said, shaking her head at Ginny.

* * *

Harry yawned and shuffled down to the kitchen in a white t-shirt and his Snitch-patterned boxer shorts. "Morning," he mumbled to Ron who was already at the kitchen table in his bright orange robe, eating cereal. Harry poured himself some Pumpkin Pastie Crisp and requested the milk. Ron pointed his wand at it, and sent the bottle splashing down towards Harry, who managed to catch it before it flew off the end of the table.

"So what's the GP, HP?" Ron asked after Harry took a bite of cereal.

Harry swallowed quickly and stared at Ron. "I have no idea what you just said."

"Game Plan, Harry Potter."

"You're using initials now?"

"Yeah, it saves time."

"Well, not if you have to translate," Harry replied sensibly.

"GP."

"Game Plan?"

"Good Point. Anyway, I was referring to your birthday which is in two short days. You're turning seventeen, the coming of age for a young wizard, and we need to do something special. In fact, we should do something extra special to make up for my seventeenth birthday." Ron rolled his eyes.

Harry grinned. "You mean when you ate the Chocolate Cauldrons that were spiked with Romilda Vane's love potion?"

"Ugh, don't remind me. And let's not make light of that. I almost died on my birthday too, you know."

"Yes, but you're okay now, so let's not be melodramatic."

"I was thinking we could go to the Magic Shack," Ron said, getting back to the topic on hand. "Possibly get drunk, maybe even a couple of tattoos if we're really sloshed. And it just so happens, my friend, that on your birthday they're having a talent show where I'm sure there will be plenty of attractive, young witches we can admire."

"Hermione would so kick your ass if she was here right now," Harry replied.

"Yes, but she isn't, and who said we can't admire a beautiful witch even if we're taken - well, I'm taken, and you're what? On hiatus with my sister?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess you could call it that." He hadn't told Ron that he had kissed Ginny during the Quidditch Dodgeball match and Ron had been too busy celebrating their win to know about it.

"So what do you say? My treat."

Harry smiled. "Sounds great, Ron." Then he added: "You just better hope that Hermione doesn't find out!"

* * *

The remaining six girls practiced their routine whenever they could. Hermione still thought the task was ridiculous, but damned if she wasn't going to do her best. Besides, she had been chosen to be the lead singer of the song they had chosen to sing since Luna and Pansy weren't familiar with Muggle songs.

Lavender showed Ginny and Cho the outfits she had picked out for them to wear.

"You want us to wear that?" Ginny squeaked. "If my mum caught me in something like this, she would kill me!"

"Oh, would you relax?" Lavender said in an aggravated tone. "Your mum isn't going to ever find out and neither is anyone else you know."

* * *

Harry felt something soft hit his forehead and opened his eyes.

"Wake up, Harry! Happy birthday!" he heard Ron say.

Harry sat up and noticed the object that had hit him: a pair of Ron's socks were rolled up and were caught between the mattress and the headboard. He threw them back at Ron.

"Open your presents!" Ron encouraged. "You have a whole stack!"

Harry peered over the edge of his bed to see Ron was right. "I don't even know where to start!" he laughed.

"Here, open mine first." Ron flung an orange-wrapped present Harry's way which he tore open eagerly. "Wizard Monopoly! Thanks, Ron!"

Ron grinned. "We'll have to play it sometime today."

Harry next reached for an envelope with his name written on it in calligraphy which he recognized as Hermione's handwriting. "Cool...Hermione gave me a gift certificate to Honeydukes."

Harry continued to unwrap his presents. From Hagrid he received a tin of treacle fudge. Mrs. Weasley had stitched him a green sweater (to match his eyes).

"Blimey!" exclaimed Ron. "Mum be insane to give you a sweater in the middle of summer."

Harry neatly folded it and placed it on the end of his bed. "I'm sure it will come in handy during the winter."

Fred and George had given him Self-Shuffling Playing Cards, Luna had sent him a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean, from Neville he received a package of chocolate frogs, and Remus and Tonks gave him a new book about Quidditch.

"Oh, look the Dursley's sent me something." Harry rolled his eyes as he held up a safety pin. He flung it towards the trash can where they heard it click against the metal.

"Who's that large one from?" Ron asked, pointing to the gift he had not seen before since the others had been covering it. "It looks like a broom. But would would send you a new broom? You already have a Firebolt!"

Harry picked up the gift taped in red tissue paper. "It's from Ginny!" he said with surprise as he read the card.

"Ginny!" exclaimed Ron. "But there's no way she could afford a broom...unless..." Ron's eyebrows raised in surprise. "No, it can't be. Open it, Harry!"

Harry put the card aside and ripped off the tissue paper. He soon discovered he was holding the Gushi Chiaki in his hands.

"She didn't!" Ron breathed. He had hopped off his bed and was now next to Harry, examining the limited edition broom. "I can't believe she gave you this! Anybody who would give up a Gushi is a fool! What does the card say?"

Harry reached for it and opened the envelope.

"I must say I'm a little annoyed," Ron muttered, mostly to himself. "I am her brother, after all."

Harry quickly scanned the card, omitting to read aloud any sections that were personal. "Well, she says happy birthday, of course. Ah, here we go. She says she's giving me the Gushi because if anyone deserves one, it's me since I caught the snitch at the game..."

"Hey, I helped you divert her to catch it!" Ron interjected.

"...and she also says it's a late thank you present for saving her from the Chamber of Secrets," Harry continued.

"And I would have been right there along with you if that, you know, cave in hadn't happened."

Harry smiled. "Oh, here we go. She writes, 'P.S. If he must, Ron can have a go on it too.'"

Ron grinned. "That's more like it! C'mon, let's go try it out now! Get dressed!"

After they dressed, they both clamored down the steps, the Gushi in Harry's hand. They could smell bacon and eggs frying and waffles being made.

"Good morning, boys!" Mrs. Weasley said with a big smile as they entered the kitchen. "Happy birthday, Harry!"

"Thank you," Harry replied.

Mr. Weasley was sitting at the kitchen table, looking through The Daily Prophet and having his morning cup of coffee. "Seventeen, eh? You're now allowed to use magic outside of school."

"I know!" Harry grinned. "It's great!"

"Sit down, have some breakfast," Molly ushered them to the table. "I made a big breakfast just for your special day, Harry."

At that moment there was a cloud of dust and Fred and George appeared, stumbling over the other.

"Great, we're just in time for breakfast!" exclaimed George as Molly brought plates of food to the table.

"Second breakfast, actually," Fred cut in. "We already had some porridge before we left. Hey, happy birthday, Harry!"

"Blimey, Harry, is that a Gushi Chiaki?" George questioned as he came closer to inspect the broom.

"Yeah," said Ron, who was already sitting down, his face mouth stuffed with bacon. "Ginny gave it to him."

"Ginny, eh?" Fred said as he raised his eyebrow at George and they both snickered. "Someobody lo-oves you."

Harry blushed.

"Oh, quit teasing him, you two," Molly scolded as she brought over two plates of food for her twin sons.

For the rest of the afternoon, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George went outside to fly on the Gushi. Harry was very considerate and let the three of them fly it as well, if they promised to be careful with it. After Fred and George had to go back, Harry and Ron played a couple rounds of Wizard Monopoly. Later that evening they got dressed to go to the Magic Shack and both apparated there.

* * *

"Okay, you two remember your lines, right?" Hermione asked Luna and Pansy.

They were just about to go on stage and perform. Hermione was wearing a pair of low-cut jeans and a black tank top, the same as her back up singers.

Pansy nodded and Luna asked, "What's a jukebox?"

"It's something that plays music."

"What's rock and roll?" asked Pansy.

"Okay, you girls are up!" a tall, thin witch, with half black and half white hair, signaled for the three of them to head for the stage.

Hermione stood in the center, in front of her MagicMike, with Luna on her left and Pansy on her right. As the curtain opened, the music started to play and Hermione sang into the MagicMike:

"I saw him dancing there by the record machine,

I knew he must a been about seventeen.

The beat was going strong, playing my favorite song

And I could tell it wouldn't be long till he was with me, yeah me, singing-"

Hermione was nervous at first, but began to relax and have fun as she soon discovered that the sound system was devised to work so that anyone singing would sound like a professional. She looked behind her shoulder to nod at Luna and Pansy, telling them it was their turn.

"I love rock 'n roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby.

I love rock 'n roll, so come and take your time and dance with me."

Hermione sang the next verse, loosening up a little and moving around the stage. She smiled, as the crowd was now getting into the song, clapping their hands to the music and singing along with the chorus. It wasn't until near the end of the song when she noticed two very familiar people walk in: a tall redhead and a raven haired boy with glasses. As they found seats near the front, she suddenly remembered it was Harry's birthday. Interesting they had come here to celebrate out of all the places, she thought, but tried not to let it break her concentration as she continued to sing.

* * *

Harry and Ron walked into the Magic Shack where Harry recognized I Love Rock and Roll being sung. They found a table near the front and a waitress came by to take their order.

"Bring us double butterbeers!" Ron told her. "We're celebrating tonight!"

"Hey!" said Harry as he intently stared at the stage. "That lead singer up there looks a lot like Hermione!"

Ron looked at the stage, rubbed his eyes, and looked again. "Blimey, Harry! I think that is Hermione! And that's Luna and Pansy behind her."

"Wow, I've never seen her wear such tight pants."

Ron glared at Harry as his best mate kept on looking at Hermione with a dazed expression. He punched him in the shoulder.

"Oww!" Harry rubbed his shoulder and came out of his trance.

"Avert your eyes!"

Hermione noticed them and gave a litle wave and raised her eyebrow at them.

"I wonder why she's here?" mused Harry. "Do you think it has something to do with their Top Witch competition?"

Ron shrugged. "That or maybe they're just having some fun. Who knows?" He looked a little worried. "Although I hope she's not mad that I'm here. Well, if she is, I'll just tell her it was your idea to come here and I couldn't argue with you since it is your birthday."

Harry rolled his eyes.

* * *

Everyone clapped wildly when the song ended and Hermione, Luna, and Pansy all bowed. Hermione hurried back to the back room where Ginny, Cho, and Lavender were waiting to go next.

"Just a warning," she said to Ginny, "Ron and Harry are here."

Ginny's eyes widened in shock. "What? Why?"

Hermione shrugged. "Beats me. They must have come here to celebrate Harry's birthday. Granted I'm not very happy Ron came to a place with a bunch of skimpy dressed witches." She scowled.

"And Harry's here with him? Ooh, I swear to Merlin I'm going to take back my Gushi Chiaki!"

The girls were called on to the stage and before they left, Hermione cried out, "Wait, Lavender!"

Ginny watched Hermione whisper something in Lavender's ear who smiled and eagerly nodded in return. Hermione gave her a stern look before they left. Ginny wanted to ask Lavender what that was all about, but didn't have time as they lined up across the stage, Lavender in the middle, Cho on her right, and Ginny on her left. They took their poses as the music started and the curtain went up.

* * *

Harry had been eating pretzels and began to choke at what he saw when the curtain raised for the next act. Ginny, Lavender, and Cho were wearing black leather skirts, skin-tight tops, and black leather boots. For an added effect, Ginny was wearing a white leather cap and Cho was not only wearing a spiked leather collar, but also had a whip she kept snapping on the floor. Lavender sang the first verse:

"That old dog has chained you up alright
Give you everything you need
To live inside a twisted cage
Sleep beside an empty rage
I had a dream I was your hero."

"Hey! That's Ginny up there!" Ron exclaimed, his mouth agape in horror and fury. "What the hell is she doing? I can't look at this, she's my sister!" He covered his eyes with his hands and moved his fingers so one blue eye was peeping out at Harry. "Hey, why are you still watching?"

"She's not my sister!" Harry grinned. Ron scowled at him.

Ginny and Cho sang along with Lavender to the chorus, moving their bodies in a sensual way:

"Damn I wish I was your lover
I'll rock you till the daylight comes
Make sure you are smiling and warm
I am everything
Tonight I'll be your mother I will
Do such things to ease your pain
Free your mind and you won't feel ashamed."

"What are they singing about?" Ron questioned, his hands still covering his eyes. "It sounds a bit racy!"

"Uh huh..." Harry trailed off as he was still looking at the three girls, two of which were ex-girlfriends.

After a few more verses, Lavender had started to step down on the stage and sauntered towards Ron and Harry's table. Ron nearly jumped when Lavender squeezed her way between him and the table and began to proceed to give him a lap dance, her back squirming against his body.

"If I was your girl believe me
I'd turn on the Rolling Stones
We could groove along and feel much better
I could do it forever and ever
Give me an hour to kiss you
Walk through heaven's door I'm sure
We don't need no doctor to feel much better
Let me in forever and ever and ever and ever."

As she sang, she ran her hand in his hair and down his face.

Ron had his eyes squeezed shut and kept murmuring, "Think of Mum, think of Mum, think of Mum."

"Think of Snape," Harry suggested with a laugh.

"Think of Snape, think of Snape, think of Snape," Ron repeated.

Lavender smiled brightly at Ron, hopped off him, and ran back to the stage.

"I hope you didn't enjoy that, or Hermione is going to kill you!" Harry whispered to Ron with a grin.

Ron glared at him.

The song ended, the girls bowed and headed backstage. Ron got up. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Harry asked, confused.

"I have a few words to mince with my sister."

"Uh, Ron...I don't think that's a good idea," Harry started, but Ron was already heading backstage. Sighing, Harry followed him.

The six girls were talking animatedly when Ron stomped up to Ginny who was standing next to Hermione.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" he loudly proclaimed. "What do you think you were doing out there?"

"Hi, Ron, enjoy your little lap dance?" Hermione asked with a smirk.

Ron blushed. "Uh, I didn't enjoy it!"

Lavender, who was sitting on a couch, giggled. "Oh, I think you did enjoy it, Ronald."

Hermione glared at her. "You went on longer than I told you to!"

"You told her to give him a lap dance?" Harry laughed.

"Yes, I wanted him to feel guilty for coming here."

"Hey, I'm not the one up there showcasing my body," Ron replied haughtily. He turned back to his sister. "Which is what I can't say for you. You're barely covered. Put something on! Harry, give Ginny your shirt."

Shrugging, Harry started to take his shirt off.

"Yeah, Harry take it off," Ginny said with a devious grin.

Scowling, Ron stopped his friend from removing his shirt and proceeded to take off his own shirt. He rolled his eyes as the girls started cat calling at him. "Here, put this on." He tried to shove the shirt over his sister's head, but she resisted him.

They heard music start to play and the witch with the black and white hair hurried over to them. "Who's next?" she asked frantically. "You!" She grabbed Ron's hand and pushed him towards the stage.

"What? I'm not in this show!" Ron said in a frantic voice.

The girls and Harry laughed as they watched Ron start to nervously sway a bit to the music. He seemed to get a bit of a confidence boost as young witches screamed their approvals and was now dancing in full force.

"Oh, Merlin," Ginny laughed. "We can't miss this. Let's go out there to have a better view." She grabbed Harry's hand and Cho grabbed his other hand and he could feel the other girls behind him, giggling and pushing him out of the door. On the way out he was met with a bright flash.

Ron was now grinning and dancing like a fool, enjoying every minute of the attention he was getting. One witch in the crowd screamed for him to "take them off!" but he shook his head swiftly.

Harry took Ginny's hand and led her to a more quiet corner. "I just wanted to tell you thank you for the Gushi. That was really nice of you to give it to me...but are you really sure you wanted to do that? It is a Gushi Chiaki after all."

Ginny smiled. "Well, at least you know how important it is. And yes, I did mean to give it to you. Like I said, nobody deserves it more than you. Although I was a little tempted to make you give it back after Hermione told me you were here with Ron." She attempted to hold back a laugh, but failed.

"Hey, it was Ron's idea to come here for my birthday," Harry defended himself.

"Oh, I figured that. I know my brother." Ginny rolled her eyes. "I hope Hermione gives him the bitch slap he deserves."

"Oh, I think she probably thinks that's punishment enough," Harry said laughing, indicating towards the stage.

* * *

It had been a long night and Ron and Harry were barely awake, eating their breakfast when Fred and George suddenly appeared in the kitchen. They were both wearing wide grins and George was carrying a copy of the day's Daily Prophet.

"Guess who made Page Six?" Fred said with a large grin. "Harry, mate, we didn't know you were so popular with the ladies."

"Huh?" Harry asked, a little more awake now.

George tossed him the newspaper. "You know, we're a little disappointed that you didn't invite us to the Magic Shack to celebrate your birthday."

Harry had turned to the sixth page and was now wide awake. "Oh, Merlin!" he muttered. Staring right at him was a photo of him surrounded by Ginny, Hermione, Cho, Luna, Pansy, and Lavender. The headline read HARRY POTTER CELEBRATES 17^TH BIRTHDAY IN A SPECIAL WAY! It didn't help that Ginny had put her hat on him and Cho was cracking her whip to the side and Lavender was licking his ear. (Huh...he hadn't remembered that).

Ron grabbed the paper from him and stared at it, his mouth open. "You look like a pimp!"

"I know!" Harry snapped. "Effing Daily Prophet! Everybody is going to see this!" He buried his head in his hands. "This is just what I need!"

* * *

It was time for the fifth elimination. The six girls stood in front of Fleur, Cyra, and Crunk.

"I 'ave six beautiful weetches een front of me. Only five of you weel move on to ze next round and one of you weel be asked to pack your belongings and leave," said Fleur. "All of you gave wonderful performances at Ze Magic Shack. And ze winner of ze task eese Lavender!"

Lavender squealed excitedly. "Yay! I finally won one!"

"As ze winner of zis task, you 'ave won a shopping spree to ze Kumquat Republic! Congratulations, you are still een ze running to be 'Ogwarts' Next Top Weetch."

Lavender squealed again more loudly.

Fleur next named Ginny, Hermione, and Luna.

"Weel Cho and Pansy please step forward?" Fleur requested.

The girls glanced at each other and did as they were told.

"We really don't know wheech one of you to send 'ome," Fleur confessed. "Ze reason you are both een ze bottom two are because of your attitudes. We feel as zough you've both 'ad bad attitudes at times and we are giving you ze chance to defend your case. Pansy, you can go first."

Pansy started laughing.

Fleur glared at her. "Eese zis a joke to you?"

"No."

"Do you now zat you 'ave a possibility to win? Do you know zat all of 'Ogwarts eese rooting for you? Do you know zat?"

"We are?" Lavender muttered under her breath to the other girls.

"And zen you come een here and you treat zis like a joke?"

"I never had a chance to win this stupid competition anyway, I'm a Slytherin!" Pansy spatted. "I'm surprised I lasted this long."

"Zis ees not...be quiet, Pansy! BE QUIET! WHAT EESE WRONG WEETH YOU? STOP EET!! I 'AVE NEVER EEN MY LIFE YELLED AT A GIRL LIKE ZIS! WHEN MA MERE YELLS LIKE ZIS EET'S BECAUSE SHE LOVES ME! I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU! WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU! 'OW DARE YOU! LEARN SOMEZING FROM ZIS! WHEN YOU GO TO BED AT NIGHT YOU LAY ZERE AND YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF BECAUSE NOBODY'S GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU. YOU'RE ROLLING YOUR EYES, YOU ACT LIKE EET'S CAUSE YOU 'EARD IT ALL BEFORE. YOU 'EARD IT ALL BEFORE? YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE ZE HELL I COME FROM. YOU 'AVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE BEEN ZROUGH. BUT I'M NOT A VICTIM. I GROW FROM EET AND I LEARN. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF!"

"Whoa, was that all about?" Ginny muttered. "That came out of nowhere."

Cho looked positively afraid and dared not speak when Fleur announced she would continue on to the next round.

Five girls remain...WHO will be Hogwarts' Next Top Witch?