Chapter 76: Chapter - 77 : Aerial Duels and Family Feuds
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Ron turned red at the taunt. "I'll show you who's afraid, Malfoy!"
Harry sighed again as he watched the two agree to meet at the pitch in three night's time, giving them enough time to smuggle in their brooms from home. That really hadn't been what he meant to happen.
Draco was full of cocky enthusiasm over the next few days, as well as pride for using Kreacher to smuggle the Nimbus Two Thousand he'd got for his birthday into the castle. Harry was surprised Draco was actually going to go through with the broom race as opposed to tipping off Filch or one of the Professors, but apparently this wasn't going to be like the midnight duel in Harry's old world.
The two Slytherin boys left the common room an hour after curfew, Harry having somehow let himself be talked into accompanying Draco. As they ducked behind a suit of armour to hide from the Bloody Baron, Harry wished he had the Marauders Map and the Invisibility Cloak - they made sneaking around the castle at night so much easier. While he might be able to get his hands on the Map, the Invisibility Cloak was no doubt well protected. Dumbledore knew it was one of the Deathly Hallows, after all.
"Come on, Orion," Draco said, tugging at Harry's sleeve. "I don't want to be late and let Weasley think I'm not up to the challenge."
"I don't see why I have to come along in the first place," Harry said, quickening his pace only slightly as they finally left the castle and headed off across the grounds.
Draco huffed impatiently. "Because I need someone to witness my triumphant victory, of course! What's the point in my beating Weasley if no one knows about it?"
They were actually the first ones at the meeting place, but before Draco had a chance to gloat for more than a few moments over Ron chickening out, three other figures emerged from the evening gloom. Harry's hand closed around his wand when he realised Ron wasn't alone, but at the sight of the Weasley twins he relaxed his grip and grinned to himself. He'd just thought of a possible way to get the Map back.
Draco was less pleased to see Ron's entourage. "I thought I told you to come alone, Weasley!"
"I did! I mean, I tried," Ron said. "It's not like I wanted these two to tag along. And where do you get off complaining when you brought Black?"
"I know Orion isn't going to sell us out to the teachers!" Draco eyed the twins suspiciously.
"Never fear, ickle firsties," said George. "We're not in the business of selling anyone."
"Well there was that time we tried to trade Ron here to a passing circus."
"True, Fred. Pity mum stopped us."
"Though if our cunning plan had worked we wouldn't be here tonight watching Ronnikins make a fool out of himself."
"And what a shame that would be, eh? I say two sickles on him falling off his broom within the first minute."
Even in the dim light Harry could see Ron's ears getting redder. Recognising the warning signs and knowing Ron was close to exploding - and alerting a teacher with his shouting - Harry tried to distract him.
"Nice broom," he told Ron, and meant it. The red haired boy was carrying what looked like a Comet Two Sixty and from the shiny handle and unscratched varnish Harry guessed it was new. He wondered where the Ron had got it from - the Weasleys didn't have anywhere near enough galleons to buy a brand-new racing broom.
Ron stared at Harry as if wondering whether he was being mocked. "Thanks," he muttered ungraciously.
Harry's remark didn't manage to derail the twins, however, and they were surprisingly vicious as they continued to needle their brother.
"Did you hear that, George? Black here likes Ronnie's broom."
"No accounting for taste, is there Fred?"
"Course, Black doesn't know the whole story."
"But Ron does, and he still likes it."
"Sleeps with it under his pillow, even."
"Despite the broom being a symbol of his despicable betrayal."
Harry wondered what they were talking about. He'd never seen the twins so serious in their insults towards any of their brothers - well, except for Percy.
"I haven't betrayed anyone!" Ron glared at the twins, his whole face flushed.
"Au contraire," George began.
"When you accepted that broom from Uncle Gideon," Fred continued.
"You betrayed our family," George finished.
Ron looked both angry and frustrated. "Uncle Gideon is our family!"
"He disowned his own twin brother." Fred sounded unusually grim.
"Who's a bloodthirsty werewolf!" Ron waved his arms about wildly.
"So?" said Fred. "If George here was ever stupid enough to go and get himself bitten by a werewolf, I'd just have to become one too. It's not as if I could let him have all the fun - witches dig scars, after all."
"And facial hair." George ran a palm over his smooth chin. "Werewolves certainly have the advantage there - I wonder what I'd look like with a beard?"
"Not as handsome as I would, I'm sure," said Fred and grinned at his twin.
Ron seemed to have reached his limit. "You're both mad! Utterly stark raving bonkers!"
"All three of you are insane," Draco spoke up impatiently. "It's no doubt a result of your lower-class upbringing. Now can we get onwith things?"
Ron clutched his broom and stomped off towards the middle of the pitch, where he and Draco agreed on rules - twelve laps, no physical contact - before taking off. Harry and the twin found seats in the stands and settled down to watch. Fred and George booed and yelled out insults for the first few laps, but appeared to lose interest soon after. They pulled out a few loose sheets of parchment covered in scribbles from their pockets and bent their heads together to speak in low tones.
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