Suds

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger stumbled out of the fireplace and into the living room of the Burrow. As they began to shake the suit off themselves Mr. Weasley apparated at Harry's side.

"You two should get your luggage up to Ron and Ginny's rooms. I wouldn't want you to miss the surprise," he said, cheerfully helping Harry dust off his sweater.

"A surprise?" Hermione asked curiously picking up the handle of her school trunk. Ginny appeared from the kitchen at her side, flanked by the twins, George and Fred. "What's the-"

"Don't even bother," Fred cut in. "We've been hounding Dad for days and he won't tell."

"Even Mum doesn't know-" George leaned closer to Hermione, "which is a miracle."

"I heard that, George," came from the kitchen behind them. Mrs. Weasley came into the living room, hands on her hips and her eyes ready to bulge as she prepared to tell her son off yet again. Harry and Ron often saw that look in Hermione's eyes when they copied each other's homework and didn't bother to study for a test. "Outside this instant," she said, a finger pointing to the back yard. "I found several gnomes in the garden after you did that outstanding job of de-gnoming it." Everyone could hear that bit of sarcasm. With a frustrated sigh, George slumped over and began to make the trudge back to the garden. "Help your brother," she commanded Fred.

"W-What?! But I- never mind..." and he followed in an identical manner.

"No, boys," said Mr. Weasley. "No, you stay inside. No one's allowed back there- Not yet." He tried to give a guilt- free smile to his wife. She eyed him suspiciously.

"Arthur, just what have you got back there? It's been days since you've announced that you have a surprise for us. When can I go into my own back yard to pick my own vegetables?" she asked in an impatient voice. He let out a sigh and smiled back at her.

"I'll show everyone in a few minutes." He turned to Harry and Hermione. "You two go on upstairs and get settled in. The rest of us will go out to the back yard." They picked up their trunks and made their way up the rickety stairs. "Oh! and bring Ron and Percy down with you!"

-----

Ron sat on his bright orange bed, flipping through his Chudley Cannons book that Harry had given him the previous Christmas. Harry came in and dropped his trunk by the cot beside Ron's bed.

"Hey, Harry!" Ron greeted cheerfully as Harry pushed his trunk under the cot.

"Hey, Ron." Ron quickly turned his attention back to the saucy looking chaser scoring a goal, She winked up at him mischievously, tingeing his ears a slight pink. "Your dad wants us to go outside. Said something about showing everyone the surprise-"

"He did?!" Ron jumped off the bed, dropping his book on the floor. The pretty chaser pouted and flew out of the picture. "It's about bloody time! Me, Fred and George have been trying to get back there to see what he's been up to." At this point he was leading Harry back out and bounding down the stairs. "He put charms all over the place."

"Well it serves you right for nosing in," came a conceited voice behind them. It was Percy, of course. "Father was only taking the necessary precautions considering the fact that there is a..." He looked at Ron, George and Fred now in the kitchen, over his horn- rimmed glasses, "pest infestation in here."

"Never knew he had the guts to be truthful about himself," George muttered to everyone.

They stiffled bursts of laughter. Mrs. Weasley was of course not laughing. Hermione however was having a hard time hiding her smile. Mr. Weasley suddenly came bouncing in, the biggest smile decorating his face.

"Everyone ready?" They all nodded eagerly. Whatever Arthur Weasley had in store was sure to shock them, that was for sure. "All right then, follow me." The Weasley clan followed him out through the dark back yard, Harry, Ron and Hermione bringing up the rear. Thuds and strange noises were drifting through the night air. As they rounded the fence to a little hidden area next to the garden, Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek. Soon gasps came from everyone as they got a look at Mr. Weasley's "surprise."

"Arthur!" shrieked his wife, "What on earth is- is t-that thing!?"

"Molly, kids, meet Suds!" Mr. Weasley said proudly as he patted his surprise on the- the head was the best one could think it was. Suds bounced up and down, sending out odd clunking noises into the air. "He's our new pet!" Ginny jumped back from it, hiding behind Fred. Everyone was either in complete shock or dead scared of Suds.

"Pet?!" choked Percy. "That- t-that thing is our- our pet?! But- father!" He watched as Suds shot bubbles around in circles. "It's a- a-"

"A washing machine!" finished Ron.

"I know! Isn't in marvelous?!" gushed Mr. Weasley. "I simply charmed it and, well, next thing I knew he was following me around the yard." He looked at his wife. "Go on, honey, pet him!"

"Oh honestly, Arthur-"

"Go on, Molly. He won't bite."

"No, he'll just clamp your hand shut in its door," muttered Fred.

"How do you even know it's a he?" asked George.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Weasley was slowly edging towards the washing machine. She slowly stretched out a shaky hand. Suds backed away, foaming at the dispenser. She was about to touch its white metal head, when all of a sudden it snapped, jumping, thudding its bottom on the ground and noisily snapped it's door, sending balls of suds and water in every which way. Everyone ran for the house screaming. Mr. Weasley stayed beside Suds, trying to calm him down.

Back in the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley went into a tirade. "What in heaven's name is he thinking?!- Turn the washing machine into a- into a- that thing!" She continued to pace around the kitchen while the others tried to recover from the shock of seeing the possessed appliance.

"Doesn't father know the risk he's taking?!" began Percy as if what he was saying was common sense. "He's breaking his own law! Mr. Fudge will not be pleased when he finds out about this-"

"When?!" asked Ron. "What do you mean 'when'? Don't tell me you're going to get dad sacked over that thing outside!"

"Yeah, Perc," George chimed, "Dad just got you a new brother to play with."

"He does have your charming personality. We're sure you'll get along great!"

Everyone except Molly laughed. "This is no laughing matter, boys." Apparently it was since the twins were already plotting who will be the first victim of their "pet's" clamp.

"I vote on that Ravenclaw git that ratted us out to Filch," said George.

"That was in second year!" replied his brother. A mischievous grin appeared on his face. "How do we get him to come?"

"I say, mates," said Ron to Harry and Hermione. "Wouldn't it be something to see Malfoy get bitten by that thing?" Harry stiffled a gufaw and opted for a smirk. Hermione shook her head disapprovingly.

"I though he would have learned his lesson with the whole flying car incident."

"If you think that, then you don't know my father very well," chimed in Percy across from them at the table. "He won't learn his lesson until he's fired-"

"Percy! That is no way to speak about your father." Mrs. Weasley continued to pace, finally leaning back on the counter. "He's gone absolutely mad," she muttered more to herself than to the others. "And I thought Charlie was mad for wanting to be around dragons."

"Oh mum," said George happily, "let dad have his fun. You'll see. The moment that thing clamps his hand and stomps on his feet, he'll get rid of it faster than you can say 'rinse cycle'."

------

It was a rather warm Friday morning when all the Burrow's occupants awoke to some rather odd and incredibly loud noises coming from the backyard.

"Shut that bloody thing up!" growled Ron from somewhere under his pillow and blankets.

He had left the window open since it was so warm out the night before. Even Pigwidgeon hooted indignantly at the noise coming from outside. Harry and Ron heard an odd thump near Harry's cot and sat up startled. There on the floor lay an unconscious chubby gnome wet and covered with soap bubbles.

"Well, look at it this way," said Harry slipping out of bed and walking over to the gnome. "At least you won't have to degnome the garden anymore."

"Not funny, Harry," said Ron falling back on his bed and covering his face with the pillow. He continued, his voice muffled, "It's been a week since dad showed us that bloody thing. Even with mum getting on his case, he won't get rid of it!"

A knock came on their door before it opened and a sleepy Hermione peeked in. Her hair was disheveled as if she'd just gotten out of bed and was in comfortable shorts and a shirt, her bathrobe lose on her shoulders. "Is everything all right in here? I heard strange noises."

"Everything's fine," said Harry showing her the unconscious gnome he was holding. "Suds just gave us an early morning present." She watched as he opened the window a bit wider and hurled the gnome out and over the garden fence." He came back to her. "Since we're all up, should we all go get some breakfast?" Hermione nodded, then realized something.

"Where's Ron?" Harry tilted his head over to the lump in bed. "Ron, you've got to stop acting like this," she said, a motherly tone slight in her words. Ron groaned, making the lump roll. "Ron, you know your dad's not getting rid of... Suds."

"Unfortunately," they heard from somewhere in the lump.

Harry shook his head and went to the bed, followed by Hermione. 'One,' he mouthed to her, slipping his fingers under the mattress. She followed. 'Two...' "THREE!"

"Aaagh!!!"

They lifted the mattress, sending Ron rolling off and onto the floor with a satisfying thump. Harry and Hermione went into hysterical fits as they watched Ron try to stand up in his tangled bed sheets. He looked like an odd mummy with flaming red hair peeking out of the top.

Soon he was untangled and they were making their way down to breakfast. "I'm serious," continued Ron as they bounded down the stairs, "That thing's got to go."

"For once I agree with you," said Hermione. She glanced over and noticed Harry's odd smirk. "What are you so happy about?" she asked. "Don't tell me you like that thing?!"

"Well, no," he said, the smirk still there. "But you've got to admit that that thing has given us some funny moments."

"Name one," said Ginny behind them. She shoved past Ron and went into the kitchen. Almost immediately both Ron and Harry started laughing. Hermione poked Ron in the ribs and slapped Harry's arm.

"Don't laugh," she said crossly. "That must have been painful!"

"Painfully funny," retorted Ron, his cheeks almost as read as his hair. "C'mon, Hermione. I think Ginny getting clamped in the arse is pretty funny." Harry snorted behind Hermione earning a very disapproving look from her. She then turned back to Ron and smirked.

"You're right, Harry, he has given us some pretty entertaining moments." She walked on ahead of them. "Like the other day when Ron shrieked like a girl when Suds barked behind him."

Ron flushed pink and glared at Hermione. Harry tried as hard as he could not to laugh but to no avail.

"Shut up, Harry."

----

The new term was to begin in less than two weeks. That afternoon Harry, Hermione and all the Weasleys went to Diagon Alley (via the Floo network) to buy school supplies. They would have been home sooner if Mr. Weasley hadn't kept them back by trying to persuade his wife to allow him to go into muggle London. "Please, sweetheart. I'll take Harry and Hermione with me," he said. "I only want to buy Suds some treats."

"No," she snapped. "I know you, Arthur. You'll be there all night playing with all those muggle contraptions." He was just about ready to give up when Hermione approached him.

"Mr. Weasley, I'll be glad to go into London and pick something up for you." His eyes lit up.

"Why thank you, Hermione." He handed her several notes he had exchanged in Gringotts and pulled out a rather long list of what he wanted. Hermione was beginning to regret her offer, but her best friends offered to help her.

"Be careful," said Mrs. Weasley, watching them enter the Leaky Cauldron.

"We will be, mum," called out Ron.

An hour later they met up with the Weasleys again and flooed back home. They all watched as Mr. Weasley happily took his bag of muggle goodies out to the backyard. While the others gathered around Mrs. Weasley for their school supplies, except Percy who was already going upsatirs with his purchases, they heard Mr. Weasley's yells from outside. Everyone raced outside.

"You think it hurt dad?" Ginny asked Ron.

"Knowing dad, he wouldn't care and still keep it."

As they all rounded the shed with Mrs. Weasley in the lead, the noticed wood splinters littering the ground. They raced over to the vegetable patch to find an exhausted Mr. Weasley leaning against the broken fence, his goodies broken and scattered about.

"Arthur!" yelled out Mrs. Weasley running up to him. She examined his face and felt around for any injuries. "Arthur, what happened?"

"Suds-" he panted. "Suds- gone... Chasing a gnome-" He paused, trying to catch his breath. "I tried to follow him, but he burst through the fence and went out into the field.- I couldn't catch him." Everyone knew what lay across the field; the little muggle town of Ottery St. Catchpole.

"Arthur, the muggles!" said Mrs. Weasley. "What are we going to do?"

"I'll take care of it, Molly. It was my fault."

"I'll help you, dad," said Percy approaching the group. He whipped out his wand and began to head into the field. "Come on, dad. We've got to catch it before the muggles see it." Mr. Weasley nodded and followed his son, pulling out his wand as well.

"What's gotten into him?" asked Ron watching them race.

"Dunno," shrugged Harry.

"Percy's just helping his father," said Mrs. Weasley. "Heaven only knows what would happen if that thing made it into the villiage."

Everyone stayed silent listening to Mr. Weasley call out for Suds.

"Personally I think Percy doesn't want lose a family member," said Fred thoughtfully. Everyone looked at him curiously. "I mean, after all this time he's finally been reunited with his long lost brother only to have him run away?"

"Drop it, Fred," said Ginny annoyed. "I'm glad he's gone."

"Why? No more sore butts?" teased Ron.

"That and no more shameful male Weasleys shrieking like pansies," she retorted. Steam was ready to blow out of Ron's ears.

"All right, you three. Off now," Mrs. Weasley said, shooing them all back into the house. "No more of this nonsense. Your father and brother are taking care of it."

They all retreated back to the house and settled down for some late lunch. Off in the distance, past the broken fence and in the field, loud thumps echoed as Suds was being chased by Mr. Weasley and Percy. "Get back here, you lousy piece of tin!" yelled out Percy.

"Don't hurt it, Percy!" yelled out his father after him.

"I won't hurt him, I'll blow it into a million pieces and it won't even feel it!" He ran faster after it. Suds clunked along merrily, shooting soap bubbles back at them.

It was quite a site to see that evening. Two fully grown men chasing after an old possessed, foaming washing machine in a field, the sun setting behind them.

The End.