DISCLAIMER: Again, the bid-on-a-basket idea (well, in my story it's a raffle) is not mine. It came from Gilmore Girls. Also, none of the characters are mine. Sadly.

Sorry in advance about this mini chapter. The next chapter will be up in a week at the latest. After the next chapter, I might not upload chapters as frequently. I have to read and reread some Hemingway. Post-its may be involved.

Hufflepuffs on Firebolts

Chapter 6

"I SCREWED THOSE WEASLEY TWINS!" I howled maniacally as I entered our common room.

"Figuratively," Susan clarified quietly.

"And actually, we screwed the twins," Eloise added to the disinterested Hufflepuffs.

"Figuratively," Susie repeated.

No one looked up. I scowled, annoyed. What girls have to do for attention….

"Ah well… At least they're not gonna be getting their hands on any firewhiskey." I said, softer. My rampant glee had faded from the lack of an audience. Where were Justin and Ernie? They were always superb listeners. Or maybe it's my amazing charm that keeps their eyes glued to my face… in an almost trancelike state…

We had successfully bribed the house-elves to stop supplying those twins with firewhiskey. All we had to do was cure an alcoholic house-elf named Winky. Maybe we could try hypnotism first.

ooooooo

I yawned and noticed Winky's head drooping slightly. I hoped she was getting tired. I had been telling her that butterbeer was bad for her, but she still tried to steal that tiny flask that Eloise had strapped to her thigh. We had hoped that an unpleasant experience – like sticking your hand up Eloise's skirt - would be enough to put her off, but noooo.

We had successfully gotten rid of all of the butterbeer in the kitchens – or so we thought. Winky hid a bottle in the worst place: in the magically expanded refrigerator. That fridge was so huge that I bet a long-distance marathon could be run inside there. Maybe even a triathlon. I imagined floating through kilometers of chilled lemonade. Mmm…

Winky had also made decoy bottles of butterbeer. Somehow she had replicated the outside bottle. I don't know how – she has superpowers that could put Merlin to shame.

"Winky" I muttered sleepily from a slightly lopsided pinstriped armchair that Susie had conjured, "If you don't stop drinking butterbeer, your master will give you clothes and you'll have nowhere to go."

I heard a squeak, but yawned again, falling into a comfortable, warm slumber.

When I awoke, a horrifyingly sober Winky was zooming around the kitchen joyfully. If I hadn't seen her in her previous state, I would have thought she was drunk. The Winky at the present time was almost creepily happy.

"Susie. Why is Winky sober?" I tore my gaze from the elf.

"Oh. Um. Well." She looked away from me for a minute.

Suddenly I heard a cry. "Feed me. Feed me. Feed me." The spine-chilling, almost monotone voice was coming from behind Winky. She immediately stopped bouncing around and straightened up. "Yes Master Furby," she murmured reverently.

"It seems that Winky was displeased with her current master and couldn't stop thinking about Barty Crouch. So I had a Furby sent over here and charmed it to…"

"Say no more, Susie," I said, holding up a hand to stop her. I grinned and hugged her. "You're the best."

The other House-Elves crowded around. "Dobby is very grateful for your help." A large pair of disconcerting eyes stared up at Susan and me.

"So you agree not to supply Fred and George with any more firewhiskey?" I asked.

"Of course." Dobby bowed low, nose nearly touching the floor, and the other House-Elves scrambled to get us food.

ooooooo

Fred and George were livid.

They marched up to me while I was eating lunch in the Great Hall, attracting quite a few stares. Halting in front of me, both of their pairs of eyes were lit with a feral glow. I admit it. I got a mild to moderate case of the heebie jeebies.

"You stole our customers," George growled, blue eyes alit with fire. The sky rumbled a call, signaling late September rain.

I fought to keep my expression indifferent. "I was merely taking them back."

"We could tell on you, you know," Fred said menacingly.

I laughed. "You're really going to tell on me?" Fred's eyes narrowed. "After all of the stuff that you've done, you'd tell on me?" I walked away.

"We know you're up to something…" someone called after me. I was assuming that it was George.

"And we're gonna find out what!"

I was worried, not doubting their words. With a sigh, I continued walking. The raffle would be starting soon and I really didn't want to have my face blotchy and red in anger.

ooooooo

I lined up along with the other 32 girls and their baskets in front of the High Table. The baskets were pretty on the outside (some short and squat, others tall and wide, with variations of ribbons delicately wrapped around) and were presently empty. By tomorrow these baskets would be filled with foods that human beings would be forced to eat. Whoever had to eat what was in my basket was in for a horrific surprise.

Lee Jordan announced each girl, one by one. He paused when he came to Angelina's name, giving the male population of Hogwarts a glare. He continued on, listing our names. "Each ticket costs one Galleon. The more tickets you buy, the better the chance is of you winning the girl and her basket. The winners will be called at noon tomorrow. Good luck everyone, and let the ticket-buying begin!"

Lee would probably spend at least 20 Galleons on Angelina. I sneered to myself as I watched a swarm of male students buying up tickets. I had calculated it all very well.

There was, however, one person who of didn't seem to be buying the idea. George Weasley stood at the edge of the swarm, arms crossed, eyes searing into mine, using his ginger kid powers to decipher my plan. I glared back. He was suspicious my motives… but I wouldn't be intimidated.

ooooooo

Late that night (so late that it could be considered early) we were filling our baskets in the kitchens. Susie stuffed hers with lovely smelling baked goods that were made by the House-Elves, while Eloise crammed hers with rancid cheeses that she had found in the garbage. "Eloise! Are you trying to kill the poor boy so you won't have to go on the date with him?" Susan exclaimed.

I was still pondering what to put in mine. Cockroach clusters? Blood-flavored lollipops? Neither of them seemed quite right. I wished that I had come up with the disgusting cheese idea.

Suddenly I had an "AHA" moment! "Susie, do you still have that huge box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans?"

"Yeah… but all the ones that are left are probably gross ones."

"Eloise, do you still have that unopened box of them?"

"Uh-huh," said Eloise slowly.

"I am suddenly extremely happy that you're too afraid to eat them," I said, smiling.

Eloise made an insulted noise as Susan said, "You aren't actually planning on feeding them to someone, are you?"

My smile widened.

ooooooo

I had succeeded in switching the yucky beans in the open box with the mixed beans in the unopened box, then shrunk it to fit into my very innocent-looking basket – made of straw with brown and purple ribbons criss-crossing the handle, ending on one side in a cute bow.

Susan was droning on about the seemingly interminable rain while Eloise was uncharacteristically nibbling on her nails.

Soon it was noon, and we were once more lined up as Lee began to announce the winners. "Now… no one get frustrated if your ticket wasn't chosen. After all… it's just a raffle." He cleared his throat and bellowed the winners of the second years and their baskets.

Then he came to Angelina's name… "The winner of this fair lady and her basket is…." He dipped his hand into the cauldron in front of her and pulled out a piece of parchment. He glanced at it and an enraged expression took over his face. "There had been a small problem, which forces me to pick another name," he said in an expressionless voice.

"What's the problem?" Angelina asked exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. She strode up to him and snatched the ticket from his fingers, reading the name. "Fred Weasley," she announced. Then her eyes got wide. And she blushed. And dropped the ticket. And Fred came to stand in front of her. And stooped to pick up her ticket. He smiled and offered her his arm. She promptly melted.

Lee's mouth hung open for a few minutes. He seemed to go into a state of shock. George came over and dragged Lee away, then returned. "Erm… sorry for that. I'll resume in Lee's place, I suppose. Cho Chang and her basket go to… Harry Potter. Millicent Bulstrode and her basket go to… Vincent Crabbe," he announced unceremoniously. "Pansy Parkinson goes to… Gregory Goyle." Pansy's screech of shock might have been heard by Draco Malfoy, who was now in hiding in a broom closet with a blonde (dark-haired girls were never really his type).

George continued as if he hadn't heard Pansy scream. "Susan Bones and her basket go to… Justin Finch-Fletchley." Susie gave Justin a small smile, which he returned. "Eloise Midgen and her basket go to… Colin Creevy."

Eloise had an annoyed look on her face. She was probably thinking something along the lines of. 'Great, now I'm stuck with some Gryffindor twerp in his fourth year.' Then her expression changed and she beamed gleefully. 'He's in for a surprise.'

I almost laughed, but kept calm. I was the next, and last, to have my date announced. It would probably be Ernie. I sighed inwardly as George said, "And lastly, Hannah Abbott and her basket go to…" He stuck his hand into the cauldron before me. I could hear the rustling of paper and thought I would go mad at the suspense…

He pulled one out and scanned it. His jaw dropped. Lee, who had recovered, took the scrap from him. "George Weasley?" he read uncertainly. He turned to look at George. They exchanged a few whispered words, both mystified.

I took a few timid steps toward them and they immediately quieted. "What's going on?"

They traded meaningful glances, but George replied, "Nothing."

Notice how I snuck in the month in this chapter? "September rain." Anyone? I'll be following a loose timeline throughout this story. I'm trying to keep it as close to the book as possible. I actually slipped up in one of the previous chapters, mentioning the Inquisitorial Squad (which hasn't been formed yet). Ignore it.

Thank you to…. Madame J. Pontmercy, yellow 14, wishfulthinking123, Sally (you should get a fanfic account; nice haunted Furby story, by the way), TheFictionGeeksOfDoom, MidnightxRed, silverbirch, and Bree-tea for reviewing!

-R