Cauldron of Cats Chapter 3

Harry Potter Story

Fred x Hermione x George

Triad Fiction.

Chapter Excerpt: Hermione stood in awe at the sight of the Burrow, it was absolutely brilliant and she couldn't believe her friends lived in such an extraordinary building.

Chapter 3

…

School flew by for Hermione. Between classes she was spending even more time with the twins, she even went to the Gryffindor Quidditch Tryouts, much to their delight. It was a barbaric game Hermione realized but they did not begrudge her her reading and time spent in the library so she supported the two and she liked to think she cheered louder than anyone else when it was announced they were the new Beaters for the team.

Katie and she had become quite close as well. She had never really pictured herself as a girly girl, but while Katie enjoyed Quidditch very well she would also discuss more girly stuff with her, like makeup and clothes. It was something she had never quite enjoyed with anyone else but with Katie she was able to make the exception.

Halloween had passed without fuss, as had her classes and study sessions.

There were currently pranks going around school, Hermione was sure Fred and George were behind it but she couldn't prove it. Besides it was all in good fun and some of the magic they were doing to get results were incredible works. She was shocked at half of the things they'd come up with as they were only second years.

And it was with that realization that Hermione thought, perhaps Katie was thinking the right way a few weeks ago but with different results. Fred and George couldn't have a crush on the bushy haired, slightly buck toothed muggleborn, but Hermione could admit to no one but herself she had a crush on them.

It was exasperating. Mostly because it was slightly awkward being around them sometimes when that thought would pop into her head, uninvited, she might add. She pushed through it though to spend time with one of the first two friends she had really ever met. The downside to this, though, was the closer it got to the winter holidays, the more anxious she was to meet the twins' parents again. And they said that it wasn't just them and Percy at the Burrow. Seven children all together, they had told her. She felt a wave of pity for Ginny at first, she was the only girl but Hermione realized she didn't know any differently and the girl was probably tough like nails despite being nearly two years younger than she was.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Fred asked sitting next to her left, as George sat to her right, they called it a Kitten sandwich.

"The holidays are coming up." she spoke absentmindedly, "Bit nervous around being around so many people." she admitted looking down at her sandwich.

She missed the glance Fred and George gave to each other, "Only child syndrome." George had mouthed and Fred nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, Kitten. Mum will make sure the heathens that are our siblings will stay in line."

At this Percy snorted and Hermione looked up laughter building behind her eyes, "The only heathens are you two. Hermione you really shouldn't allow them to corrupt you." he admonished straightening his glasses a top his nose.

"I wouldn't dream of it Percy, how else would I beat your scores in class if I slacked off of my studying." she batted her eyelashes at him innocently causing the two to bellow out their guffaws outlandishly.

"Yes, well ..." the boy trailed off and walked away, the fourth year going off to find his girlfriend Penelope at the Ravenclaw table.

"No idea why that bird has a thing for him, he's as dull as watching murtlap essence dry." Fred said causing George to continue his barking laughter only this time it was accompanied by Hermione's lighter chuckles.

"He's quite sweet on her," Hermione spoke watching as he offered Penelope his arm to escort her to the library no doubt.

"Trying to move in on Penelope's man, Kitten?" George asked her,

"Think we should warn the girl?" Fred continued

"Knock it off, you heathens!" Hermione laughed and gently shoved the both of them for their effort to try and embarrass her.

…

The train ride was awfully slow. Hermione and Katie had ridden in Angelina and Alicia's compartment. She'd be spending the Hols with the Weasleys and wanted to spend some time with her girlfriends before she wouldn't be able to see them for another two weeks.

They had spent their time talking about Quidditch and how they thought the Gryffindor team would win the cup, about how the girls were liking their classes and when the Trolley lady came which sweets were absolutely, positively better than the rest.

"I'm telling you Bertie Botts are nice and so are sugar quills and ice mice but the chocolate frogs are a classic." lectured Angelina catching her frog as if it was second nature, "Nothing beats them."

"You're off your rocker, you are." Katie spoke throwing a licorice wand at the darker girl's head. It hit her in her forehead and bounced unto her lap causing all of them to break out into giggles.

It ended much too quickly for Hermione's liking and before she knew it the train ride was over and she was once more a bundle of nerves, anxious for seeing the Weasley brood again.

Fred and George had found her and gathered her bags and Asteria's cage for her mixing them in with their own things.

"Don't worry, Kitten, we'll prank the lot of them if they get to be too much for you." George winked at her and Hermione's nerves disappeared just like that.

"Thank you" she whispered right before she saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"Hermione! It's good to see you again," she cried pulling the younger witch into a hug, "my boys been taking care of you then? No funny business?"

"They've been wonderful, Mrs. Weasley." assured Hermione,

"Good, good. Fred George give your mother a hug." she demanded with open arms, "my boys, it'll just be us this year, Percy went with Penelope this year. Charlie did say he would be coming in a few days. Hermione you'll be rooming with Ginny if that's alright."

"That's fine, thank you Mrs. Weasley." Hermione smiled

"Arthur dear, will you help the boys with their bags, I'll lead Hermione to the floo network."

"Of course, dear." Mr. Weasley smiled at her gently taking Asteria's cage and one of George's bags with him.

…

Hermione stood in awe at the sight of the Burrow, it was absolutely brilliant and she couldn't believe her friends lived in such an extraordinary building.

"We know it's not much-" began Fred,

"It's lovely." the smaller girl corrected, "I've never seen a home as remarkable as this, how does it stay up?"

"Magic." Mr. Weasley laughed at the awestruck girl, "You're home is a bit different, yes Hermione?"

"Nothing as extraordinary like this." she praised.

The twins did not miss the feeling of pride swelling in their chests at her words. Molly smiled happily at the girl before speaking, "Alright dear, I'll introduce you to Ginny and Ron and then we'll go and put your things in your room. Maybe a spot of tea as well?" she suggested

"Yes, please. Do you need any help, Mrs. Weasley?"

"Not at all, my girl. Don't you worry about that now, we'll have you settled in before anything else, arlight."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Mum, you're back!"

Hermione turned to see a girl, light freckles covered every inch of skin that Hermione could see, bright red hair, her eyes were the same bright shade of brown as her own, though and as she looked at the new visitor to the Burrow, she offered the older girl a small but warm smile.

"Ginny, goodness, you gave me a fright!" Molly spoke loudly, "This is Fred and George's friend, Hermione. She'll be staying with you during the holidays until they all go back to school. Why don't you show her to your room and get to know each other, I'll send one of the boys to get you when tea is done."

Ginny nodded and motioned for Hermione to follow her. The two made their way up two floors before Ginny took a sudden left and they were in front of a door decorated with Quidditch posters and what looked to be a band, The Weird Sisters.

Inside her room was painted a soft crème color on the walls, it matched nicely with the lilac covers on the two beds in the room, only slightly smaller than the one at her own home. A desk was located in the corner and Hermione was transfixed with a ballerina who actually performed ballet instead of spin in circles like the muggle counterpart.

"This is lovely, Ginny. I hope I don't intrude in your room too much while I'm here."

"Fred and George are my second favorite brothers and they like you, so I think we'll get along." Ginny spoke softly a look of relief on her face after Hermione gave her approval of the room.

"Who are the Weird Sisters?" the more mature girl spoke, getting nervous at the look on Ginny's face.

"My new friend, you are in for one heck of a treat!" she laughed, clapping her hands in excitement as she dragged the muggleborn to the record player, they sat there and listened and sang to the band until, the youngest Weasley boy came to fetch the two girls for tea.

…

Hermione and Ginny got into a routine, they'd knock out their chores straight away, followed by the two helping Molly in the kitchen, prepping food or placing it on trays to serve and then once lunch was finished, Ginny would leave to ask Ron for a pick up match of Quidditch and she would spend quality time with George and Fred.

At the beginning of the school term she never would have imagined being here in their room, helping them to think of pranks and what spells or magical theories could work to see them get results.

She would never point it out, plainly, where anyone could hold her to her words, but the very thought was quite scandalous to the girl.

"Forge, I think our little bookworm needs to see how we work our magic on our own turf."

"Couldn't agree more Gred."

Hermione watched as the two took off out of their rooms, and was startled to see them back in front of her not a moment later.

"Well that was fast."

"Have to be efficient in this line of work, darling." Fred whispered,

"We've been practicing and tweaking some simple spells, just to see what could happen."

"Sonorus. Is the first one we accomplished. It's not much but it gets the job done."

Just as those words left George's mouth, a loud and thunderous sounding horn went off and Hermione tried to keep her laughter to herself as much as she could as she listened to Ron.

She had no idea he knew such language.

"Ronald Weasley one more peep from you and I'll wash your mouth out with soap, in all my years!"

It didn't take long after that, did the twins' mum opened their door a disapproving look upon her face at the sight the three of them made.

"If I were you, I'd have that charm removed from your brother's door, immediately."

"Yes, mum."

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley."

Molly closed the door after that, letting the smile she hid in order to enter Mother Hen mode, out. She had her doubts at first but she remembered a scene from her own childhood, with a pair of brown haired twins looking much like their nephews do now, and a second year Hestia Jones laughing at some joke her brother's had made.

She just hoped that her own son's had a happier ending than Fabian and Gideon did.

…

Hestia bore her cloak upon her shoulders, this time of year was always so difficult for her, but Molly and her children were the last links she had to her betrotheds.

It was a very bittersweet ending for them, but she could hope if Molly's hunch was right, Fred and George would work out better than her own story.

With a sigh the woman turned on the spot and disappeared with a loud crack.

She would see for herself exactly how the twins and Miss Granger fared together before she would make her own assumptions.

…

AN: I'm in the process of working on four stories at the moment. It's been a lot easier to work this way on my writing and I'm getting updates out a lot faster this way as well. The stories I'm working on are Cauldron of Cats, Counterclockwise, Steel and Ivory and Stone of Dreams. The last two works aren't Harry Potter but they are two of the works I'm working on. Cauldron of Cats I don't imagine will last as long as Counterclockwise and I plan on picking up my Dramione story, Clash in the Aftermath once one of these stories are completed. Thank you all for bearing with me as I work to get back into a stable routine of updating.

AN2: I thought I'd point out when I was outlining this story plot and how the chapters play out; the name Cauldron of Cats was inspired by a prank Hermione pulls on the twins in their later Hogwarts years. It is a prank inspired by the twins' nickname for her and once I wrote enough to where I felt I could start writing chapters for this story that scene I envisioned is what struck out to me for the title. Thought you'd all enjoy that little bit of information since a few comments, reviews and pms mentioned my title I had chosen.

AN3: This chapter is a bit of a filler and I wanted to get as much as I could into here, but next chapter will probably be a bit boring as well. I'm trying to speed past Hermione's first year because nothing really exciting happens yet.