Chapter Text
Ginny, Hermione, Katie and Padma stumbled out of the great hall laughing. Luna followed with a wry smile on her face as she held a colossal camera in her arms. Ginny turned to her, wiping a tear from her eye, “Luna, that was hilarious. I cannot wait to see how that shot came out.” Padma snickered at the thought, holding up a breathless Katie, “How..” she tried to say, “did you...the pie…” Katie arched her hand through the air and her fingers landed it on Padma's cheek, mimicking an explosion. The girls broke out laughing again.
“The look. On Cormac McLaggens face. The moment he realized a pumpkin pie was heading in his direction…” Hermione widened her eyes looking up and pulling her mouth open in dramatic shock. The girls laughed again and Ginny shook her head waving her hand. “No … No it was more like this,” Ginny twisted her head over her shoulder dramatically, eyes bulging, nose upturned and teeth bared. They burst out in a fit of giggles.
“Well planned Luna,” Padma added.
Luna shrugged, “I didn’t plan it, I swear.” She gestured to the camera that was now gravitating towards the floor making her hunch. “It never shoots when I press the shutter. It just shoots when it wants to.” Her eyes bloomed in all seriousness and whispered, “I think it might have a life of its own.”
Ginny gave Hermione the side eye look. “Let us know when it starts making you chase after Filch's cat.” Hermione puffed a laugh, “Ginny that was not funny.” She said as she laughed some more at the thought of Luna chasing Filch’s cat out the window with the oversized camera. Ginny tossed her hair back, “you are right, Hermione, by that time it might be too late.”
Katie and Padma's jaws dropped at their friends' callousness of mentioning the possible attempted murder of a familiar. Clearly recalling the time Ginny was possessed by Tom Riddle’s Diary and wrote Bloody Murder on the halls of Hogwarts.
“As long as it continues to capture moments like this,” Hermione gestured to the Great Hall doors, “It might be worth the risk.” Ginny raised her hand to her and they gave each other a high five.
The Great Hall doors burst open at the clap. Percy marched out with his hair matted with jelly and splotches of food staining all over his Hogwarts robes. “The elves have joined the Hufflepuffs in the food brawl!” Percy shouted aghast. Hermione’s jaw dropped - not the elves too. Suddenly a goblet clanged next to Percy’s feet making him leap in the air in fright. Peeves then swam through the puddle of apple cider, swirling around Percy, “and I have joined the Ravens.” Peeves chortled mischievously. He lifted Percy’s hood and tossed it over his head, covering his face and then surged back into the dining hall.
“They are going to take away my Headboy Badge,” Percy whined, throwing his hood back. He touched his head and slimy strips were stretching from his head to his hand.
“Stop whining and get back in there then,” Ginny urged, “take control Perce.” Percy’s face screwed into utter reluctance and then nodded. It was the HeadBoys duty to keep the peace. With a deep calming breath, he straightened his back determinedly then suddenly a cake landed on the back of his head. He exhaled in anger and marched back into the dining hall, “I know that was you Ron!” he yelled.
The next group that squeezed out after Percy was a gang of boys with robes hitched over their heads for cover. From the dangle of their green and silver scarves, Hermione could instantly tell it was the Slytherins. They were joyfully laughing huddled together as more food plastered on their backs.
“The Bloody Baron was absolutely mad!” enthused Blaise as he reached food-free-range, “I actually feel pity for the Gryffindor with the whole turkey stuck on their head.”
“Neville needed a new head on his shoulders anyways,” Theo quipped. A deep laugh emitted from a platinum blonde hair boy who turned to hear a gasp coming from his left. The gryffindor girls stood facing merely yards from them. Draco was surprised to see them out the Great Hall and looking especially clean.
“Not so very brave of you girls deserting your Gryffindor house at the beginning of the fight,” Draco Malfoy drawled to them. He swatted his robes ineffectively wringing out debris. Blaise and Theo chuckled, folding their arms proudly showcasing the food stains as telltales of their honorable service.
Padma scoffed, “The moment we noticed that you all,” pointing at the Slytherins, “enchanted the cutlery to heave food at us - ” “Ingenious if you ask me!” Blaise cut in, raving in Slytherin pride.
“Hey- that was you!” Theo clapped Draco’s shoulder. “Doubled our forces within seconds.” Draco shared an arrogant grin with Theo raising his hands in the air as if you’d expect nothing less from the Slytherin Prince. Hermione couldn’t help but smile too. It was an impressive sight to witness a row of forks, spoons and knives scoop up the fallen food and heave it across the hall. It was similar to the way battles have begun in the lord of the rings, where the archers would be stationed behind the castle walls and take down the enemies first line of attackers.
Ginny stepped forward with her hands on her hip, “That may have been clever but Hermione countered that the next second!”
Draco turned to look at Hermione with a raised brow. She smirked back smugly as her charm work successfully countered his own. Ginny leaned forward in emphasis, “Once your silverware joined the fray - Hermione stepped in and summoned ALL the plates from our Gryffindor table in the air! Blocking each and every chunk of food that came pelting at us.”
The boys hummed in appreciation at the feat. The plates Hermione had summoned may have been inspired by Malfoy’s quick charm work but ultimately she chose to defend her peers from the onslaught of food.
“It was the only way we left unscathed,” Katie added, standing by Hermione.
Blaise stepped forward and with a finger scooped whip cream from Ginny’s shoulder. “Not every one,” he said, bringing the finger to his mouth and cleaning it with a pop of his lips.
“Gross!” Ginny scrunched her nose in disgust. Hermione knew she didn’t mean it as Ginny’s blue eyes gleamed with mirth.
The doors burst open once again, people were fighting their way through the double doors. The hall began to fill with students, spreading the stench of spilled drinks and the muskiness from the mingled food. Percy’s voice boomed out into the hall, “EVERYONE WHO THREW FOOD HAS TO STAY AND CLEAN UP!”
Students scoffed and laughed dispersing in all directions ignoring the demands of the erratic HeadBoy. Blaise, Theo and Draco exchanged looks and were ready to charge down the hall when Draco turned to Hermione and the rest of the girls, “Down this way before Percy forces us to clean the muggle way!”
“Serves them right. I bet the ones who are going to end up cleaning our mess will be the House Elves!”
“Granger - come on! What do you think happens to the vanishing dishes after every meal? They have elf magic, they can clean the lot with the snap of their fingers!”
“Yeah but we started the food fight - we should be the ones to clean it up.” She pressed.
Everyone turned to look at her in disbelief. Hermione threw her hands up in defeat. “Well like how the muggles say it - the last one left is a rotten egg!”
A bright light flashed from Luna’s camera as Hermione playfully pushed past the Slytherins in a jog. She turned to beckon the rest of them to follow suit. The seven of them disappeared down the hall....