1994-12-11: This Can Only End in Tears

Participants:

Fred_icon.gifGeorge_icon.gif Hermione_icon.gifLuna_icon.gifRon_icon.gifMelissa_icon.gifAngelina_icon.gifGinny_icon.gif

Scene Title This Can Only End in Tears
Synopsis Fred and George push Ron into asking Luna to the Yule Ball. Hermione is not pleased.
Location The Rear Courtyard at Hogwarts
Date Dec 11, 1994
Watch For Fred and George, couturiers!
Logger Miss Luna Lovegood

It was the time between the end of classes, and dinner. A lot of the students tended to use this time to meet up and chat with others, preferably inside, particularly in these cold winter months - although a fair amount did enjoy playing in the snow. Luna Lovegood was all business, however. Thankfully, the growing potion had worn off by now, and she was back to her usual size. Wearing her lavender and yellow scarf, along with a sweater and heavier looking trousers, Luna was in the middle of the courtyard, gazing around with that blank look, and vague smile of hers, her attention mostly upon the edges of the stone. Sometimes, the flowerbeds were given a longer than normal look, as well.

Having had most of the afternoon off due to lack of classes, both Fred and George are lounging in the rear of the courtyard with Lee Jordan, muttering amongst themselves. Planning mischief, no doubt. "Fire … no … BANG! … yeah? … Hahahahaha … green …" There's a few words that can be picked out, and none of them are particularly delightful. Thankfully, both the twins are back to normal - they could barely hobble around the school, as old as they were. George nudges Fred's side and cants his head at Luna. What's that girl up to now?

Having been cooped up inside the past few days thanks to the aging potion Snape set in Potions class (the cold weather was just murder on his old bones), Ron has finally reverted back to his normal self. Dressed down in thick robes, scarlet and gold Gryffindor scarf around his neck, the youngest of the Weasley says makes his way across the courtyard, coming to a stop near his older twin brothers. "Oi, Fred, George," he says, peering out into the courtyard. "What are you two looking at?"

Luna, having turned her eyes up towards the sky, stumbles a bit over an upraised stone, a part of the walkway, which causes her pause. Biting upon her lower lip, she takes a long sidestep, and then hunkers down next to the stone, using her wooly-gloved hands to try to tug the bit of pathway out of the ground. It wasn't budging. Pausing a moment further, she gets upon her knees now, and brings her face close to the walk. "Hello?" she asks, turning her head to put her ear to the rock next.

"Loony Lovegood is being… loony again," George explains to Ron in a low mutter, just kind of smirking in Luna's direction. "What do you think it is today she's after?" The twins watch as she crouches near the stone and picks it up, talking to it like it's a muggle telephone. "You don't have a date right, mate?" Fred asks loudly, suddenly a glint in his eye.

"Oh," Ron responds, as he continues to watch Luna's odd behavior. "Who knows what she's after? Probably something from the Quibbler. Nargles or Floating Beedledees or something," he continues, voice kept low so it doesn't carry across the courtyard. Turning his head so he can look at Fred, he wears a suspicious look as he directs his older brother. "Keep your voice down!" he says, glancing around the immediate area. "And no, I don't have one. Why?"

Tapping her knuckles upon the stone, Luna releases a heavy sigh, sitting back upon her haunches. At least, until she notes that she was sitting next to a garden. Rising up to a stand, and uncaring of the dirt stains upon her trousers now, she steps carefully into the flowerbed, looking this way and that.

George moves to nudge Ron forward, "Well there you go, right there!" His voice drops low, "C'mon, I haven't heard of her having a date yet and Fred 'n I won't let you go to the ball alone." There's another nudge. "Hey Luna!" Fred pages across the courtyard, grinning. "What's hiding in those flowerbeds?"

Take a step or two forward because of George's nudge, Ron whips around to face them, throwing his arms up. "Oi!" he hisses at them, glaring. "So who cares if I don't have a date, it's just a stupid ball anyway, it's not like we have to go!" Glancing back at Luna for a few moments, he turns his attention back to his brothers. "Why do you think she doesn't have a date? She was just talking to a rock!"

Standing up at Fred or George's call, Luna brushes off the front of her trousers. "I'd be careful around here - here there are nargles." she says, in her dreamy, faraway voice. Leaning forward a touch, she lowers her voice some, as if sharing a secret. "You'll probably be safe if you brought some butterbeer corks." she says. A pause, and her unblinking blue stare goes to George. "Grimious Underscurriers, for certain."

"Oh, Ron, it's not nice to lie," George tsks, grinning towards Luna, though he shrugs as she warns them about the nargles. "Sorry, Luna. We're all out of corks, but we'll keep it in mind," Fred says in answer. "Though hey, we wanted to talk to you about our brother." As if Ron isn't /right there/. "He is without a date to the Yule Ball and I hear he fancies you, Luna!" Oh yes, he certainly does. The twins' heads turn in unison towards their younger brother, grinning identical grins. It's creepy.

"Lying?! I'm not lying— what would I even be lying about?!" the youngest of the Weasley sons continue, growing rather red in the face as he hisses at his older brothers. That's when Luna shows up, and he turns to her, doing his best to smile. "No corks here, either," he says, looking around. Maybe he can spot a nargle, even if he's fairly sure they don't exist. What happens next, though, is just astounding, and as Fred tells Luna that he fancies her, Ron slowly turns his head to his older brothers, mouth dropping open in utter surprise as he does so, speechless.

Luna cants her head to one side, rather owl-like. Expression thoughtful, her eyes flicker from Ron, to George, to Fred, and then settle upon Ron finally. "Fancy me?" she asks the trio of boys, sounding a touch on the confused side. "Oh! I see, he would like someone to go to the Yule Ball with." she says, straightening her neck as a vague smile springs up on her lips. "But I thought it was…" Luna says, bringing a fingertip up to her lips, thoughtfully, as her eyes look up to the sky. "Well, you three could borrow some corks from my necklace, just until you get through the area." she says. "Although try to mind the gardens. If you stamp on them too hard, you might scare the Underscurriers away, and then I won't be able to discover them." she says, pulling her necklace off of her neck, and starting to unthread the corks from it.

The grins on the twins' faces are positively painful to look at, they're so large. They turn from Ron's horrified gaze to Luna. "Aye, that he would," George says, nodding sagely. Fred continues, making to chuff Ron's shoulder with a light fist, "He's a right awful dancer, but he's got a heart o'gold." They politely ignore her when she keeps talking about the nargle preventative, but they'll take a cork if offered. Perhaps they can magic them into missles and attack each other in the hallway with them.

There's a long moment where Ron continues to remain speechless, unable to say anything at all int he given situation. He's glaring daggers at his twin brothers, already thinking of ways he's going to get them back for this. He's definitely going to get them back for this. He turns back to Luna, watching as she begins to unthread corks from her necklace. He really has no idea what to say at all. Nargles? Underscurriers? And here, his brothers trying to goad him into asking her to the ball? Fun times. "Well, I.. I don't know if I fancy…" he begins to mumble, eyes dropping to the ground. "I don't have a date, I mean, that's true, but.. you know.."

Melissa waves as she enters the courtyard from the meadows. "Oh, hello all," she says. "I see you two have gotten tired of being old," she adds to the twins.

She does offer all parties a cork. Luna gives Fred and George a smile as they take the corks away from her, another cork unthreated as she then offers Ron a cork of his own. "Well. Just one cork isn't going to do much good, but it should warn them off of you, perhaps." she says, entirely ignoring Ron's murmured protests. It doesn't help that Melissa arrives to distract her some. "Oh, hello, Melissa - Ron fancies me, and just asked me to the Ball." she says, her tone of voice dreamy, and her eyes… well, while her face was pointed in Melissa's direction, she was looking at a point about a foot above her head.

"Of course you do, Ron," George insists, making to nudge him again towards Luna. When Melissa mentions that the twins must have gotten tired of being old, Fred shrugs. "It's kind of hard to go up and down six flights of stairs when you've got the knees of someone a century older'n what you are now. Weren't you as old as dirt after drinking that potion too?" As Luna says that Ron just asked her to the ball, George nods fervently. "Aye, he did! Isn't that nice of him? He's such a sweetie." Annnnd there goes that bright, blinding grin again.

Into the courtyard wanders Hermione. Robes and cloak a little dusty, it certainly looks like she's been in the lesser visited parts of the library. And now, of course, needs some air. Stumbling upon the growing crowd, the girl enters just about the time when she hears Luna tell Melissa that Ron fancies her and just invited her to the Ball. Blinking, she stares at the youngest red-headed Weasley and then over at Luna again. "You're not serious, Luna. This is like your nargles experiments, is it?" Meaning, a figment of her imagination.

Melissa frowns. "Me? No… you can tell, I haven't changed back yet," she says. "I'm still a little younger than my parents anyway." She grins along with George. "Yes… I'm happy for you both," she adds, looking between Ron and Luna. "I wish I could go…"

Pushed forward again another step, Ron nearly loses his balance when George nudges him forward more. Using the opportunity of Luna looking at Melissa, Ron turns back to his older brother, mouthing threats to him wordlessly. He ends up pointing a foreboding finger at his brother, and then taking a step so he's standing where he was before. He closes his eyes and shakes his head at Melissa, but then his eyes snap open as he hears Hermione arrive, and oh my goodness. This just keeps getting better. He opens his eyes, hands out at his sides, and then he just sort of gives up, watching to see what happens next. He doesn't exactly deny that he asked Luna to the Ball, but then he isn't sure exactly how he did ask, if he did.

Ginny has been on the fringes, looking pleased and stern - a younger version of Molly, right in the courtyard. She'd done her research, subtly interrogating older female students for Ron's benefit. When the twins had told her their plan, however, she'd abandoned hers and jumped aboard. Now /this/ will be perfect. One of her closest friends and her brother! Ginny begins naming their children mentally.

Luna turns her head away from Melissa, as Ron turns back towards her. Her vague smile brightens for a moment at him, "Well, I'm rather glad, actually. I think you are rather silly! I will have to see if daddy app…" Luna begins in her faraway sort of voice, but stops rather suddenly, turning her head towards Hermione. "Oh, I'm very serious, Hermione. Ron just asked me to go to the ball with him." she says, although the growing blank look in her eyes shows she didn't quite follow along with the example that Hermione gives. "What about the nargles? Have they been stealing your shoes as well?" she asks.

Into this whole ambush walks Angelina. Maybe she knew about it. Maybe she didn't. She'll never tell. A cookie in hand, she munches away on a cookie as she strolls into the courtyard. She walks, of course, right up next to the twins and stands there, looking over the crowd to see what is going on. Silently, two cookies are offered over to the boys, extended in hand while her dark gaze remains on the kids.

Hermione gives Luna quite a surprised look at her answer and then just glares over at Ron for a moment. It's quite obvious that Hermione knew nothing about this plan, or that there ever was a plan close to it. "Oh. Well. Then, I'm quite happy for the both of you." Her lips close tightly and she would do look much like Professor McGonnagall had she aged much older due to the Draught of Aging. However, she only looks about ten or eleven years older than normal and she just looks like a disapproving adult. "And, no, Luna, I haven't had any problems with nargles. No one has." She lets the whole 'because they don't exist' part go unsaid.

Fred and George have been silent, watching their plan take seed and flourish. Ginny gets grins from them, George crossing his arms in front of himself and looking pleased. As Angelina approaches, Fred turns on the charm. "Well, if it isn't my favorite gal!" He takes both cookies and tosses one at George, who catches and munches, smiling to Angie. "Ron asked Luna to the ball," George explains, though it's through a grin that's far too devilish. Yes, they are evil.

Melissa smiles. "My, this is quite a gathering," she says, looking around. "And ironically enough, I look to be the oldest one here," she adds with a little chuckle. "Unless you count Luna's hair. Her potion must have been a bit uneven…" she notes, giving the other Ravenclaw a poke.

At Hermione's glare, Ron looks utterly confused. "Wha…" he begins towards her, but thinks better against it, because if that glare has anything to do with him "asking" Luna to the ball, then she can glare all she want. He did ask her, and she was taken! Not his fault. He looks around at everyone else, face slowly turning red as everyone begins to think he asked Luna to the ball. "This must be what Harry feels like," he says, putting a hand over his face and shaking his head.

"That's very good, Hermione, as they are a very common pest." Luna begins. "They've been stealing my shoes very often as of late - at least until daddy sent me the new nargle repelling necklace." she says. Luna herself, though, had already recovered from the potion. She was no longer the mid-20's Luna, but back to being good old teenage Luna. A bit uneven, indeed. Blinking twice, Luna looks about at everyone, her smile growing a bit wider. "Look, everyone is here! Hello, everyone!" Luna says, bringing up a hand to wiggle it in a wave towards everyone in general… it was during that that she notices Ginny upon the fringes. "Oh, Ginny!" she calls out, still managing to sound distracted and distant, lifting her hand higher. "We'll have to sew a gown - I wasn't quite expecting anyone to ask me to go!" she says.

Ginny does indeed look the very picture of Molly as she taps her foot, though her thirty-year-old face softens when Luna waves to her. She grins, a very Ginny-like grin. "Certainly, Luna. What colour were you thinking?" Moving closer, her mouth twists, partly sympathetic, partly amused as she sees Ron's clear discomfort. "Good job, Ron," she praises her brother, though such words from a younger (though older-looking) sister won't exactly help his embarassment.

"Of course I'm your favorite gal. I just brought you a cookie." Angie grins in Fred's direction, letting that be the explanation for her being his favorite. "Either that, or its because I don't kill you when you purposely try to remove me from my broom with bludgers." One brow lifts as her gaze turns to George. "Ron? Asked a girl? To a dance? Do tell!"

Melissa smiles and looks Luna over. "I think white would look best on you," she says, sounding somewhat like a mother giving advice to her child (though she's not *that* old!) "It would definitely fit you."

George just grins, jerking his chin towards Ron. Isn't he just the picture of happiness? Seriously, he's hiding his face in joy! Isn't that cuuuute? "I think white would look good, too! Ohh, Ron, I've got some nice, bright blue dress robes for you." Well, he doesn't right now, but he will! "You would look like the sky and Luna would be a cloud, aww, that's nice." Speaking of girls and dances… Fred leans towards Angelina, clearing his throat, George giving his twin brother a sideways glance. "So, yeah. Heyyyy, about that ball…" Fred starts, running his hand backwards through his thick red hair.

"They're not, actually, Luna. I don't think they exist." So, while Hermione did try to hold her tongue, she couldn't actually manage to very long. The fuss that is being made over Ron and Luna is turning her face paler. "Apparently, Ronald's been fancying Luna for awhile now and was too afraid to ask her to the ball." At the tease from George, she just crosses her arm crossly in front of her and adds, "And I don't think you would look good in blue dress robes, Ronald, they'd clash with your hair."

"Yeah, thanks," Ron says in Ginny's direction, but the look on his face doesn't exactly re-enforce that he's thankful. That's when Angelina asks George to fill her in on how Ron asked a girl to the ball, and he looks over at his brother, shaking his head. "Please don't," he mutters, turning his eyes back to the scene in front of him. "I— I don't even know what color I'm getting, I didn't— sky? Cloud? What?" The redheaded Gryffindor just stares at Fred.

Luna turns her head to address Hermione first. "Of course they exist, Hermione. You can read all about them in the Quibbler, if you would like." Luna says… but then she pauses, canting her head to one side as she watches Hermione's expression. But then all the fuss starts, and Luna turns her head towards Ginny first, "Well, I perhaps a yellow with purple tinsel, or…" then her eyes go to Melissa, "…white with purple and yellow tinsel. And a red hairpiece." Luna says, the confused look on her face giving way to a slow smile as Fred and George confirm that white was a good choice.

Ginny tilts her head and eyes Luna appraisingly. "Maybe a pale blue instead of white. Don't want the dress to wash you out, but with your hair, it should work. We can go over fabric swatches with Sio, she knows about this sort of thing." With a firm nod, Ginny concludes that That Was That. Glancing at Hermione, she notes her friend's obvious - to Ginny, at least - distress, and her face softens with sympathy.

Angelina is just finishing her cookie when Fred starts in, talking about the ball and being all 'Heeeeeeyyyy.' Uh oh. Her mouth goes a little dry. But she is not letting him off that easily. Oh no. Huh uh. A smooth smile is put upon her face. "Yes? What about that ball? It is coming up soon, so I hear. It's really best that Ron finally asked someone."

"The Quibbler is not a reliable source, Luna." But, she doesn't want to fight about it. Or fight so much about something she considers is a closed case. Brushing off more dust from her robes, she frowns at the pageant and nods at those assembled. "I'll let you all decide about dresses and robes. I have more studying to do. Which I'm sure all of you do too!" And then, she spins on her heel and heads off in the opposite direction.

"Nonsense!" George exclaims at Hermione, flapping his arms. "His hair would be THE SUN and it will be glorious. That settles it, I will get those blue robes, because if Luna is blue, they can match." How Ron has managed not to die of embarassment all these years, no one will ever know. Fred is ignoring everyone except for Angelina right now, making puppy eyes at her. George goes quiet until Fred leans in more, and then he clears his throat. "AHEM. Hey, yeah, Fred? Did you forget that we were supposed to meet Lee down on the pitch? We had some stuff to test out. Remember?" Oh, so he did. Fred looks disgruntled, but he straighens up. "I'll catch you later, right, Angelina?"

After his latest question to his twins, Ron falls silent after that, just watching the various people gathered around going ona bout the latest news to fall on their ears. Yes, it looks like he's going to the ball with Luna. He will not be wearing a cloud or whatever it was that Fred meant. In fact, after a while, it might become apparent he's a bit too quiet. Whether it was through some means of silent Apparation, a disillusionment charm, or he borrowed Harry's cloak, Ron has somehow disappeared from the scene, and is nowhere to be found.

Melissa starts at Hermione's words. "Oh yes, that's right… I have to do some reading…" she says. "I'm hoping it'll be easier to memorize when I'm four times my age!" With this she trots off into the castle.

Luna visibly bristles some, her nostrils flaring ever so slightly at Hermione's slur against the sacred Quibbler. She manages to keep her lips shut, however, crossing her arms in front of herself and frowning some. Turning towards Ginny some, she already seems calmer, the frown turning into a smile up towards her friend. Much larger friend, by now. "I think a light blue with purple tinsel will be lovely. I'll have to write daddy, and see if he can send some galleons for the dress." she says. Another few beats, "I think Hermione is fond of Ron." she states, "That makes it terribly tragic that he fancies me."

Ginny looks from where Hermione has exited to where the rest are standing. Shifting from foot to foot, she bites upon her lower lip, though she smiles lopsidedly when Luna directs her attention to her. "That sounds good, Luna. Do let me know what he says? I'll go with you to buy the dress." Then she flutters her hands slightly, and then says to those remaining, "Pardon me." Ginny follows Hermione out, likely to comfort her.

Well then. Angelina looks at the twins as they walk off toward the pitch, then at the girls left standing here with her. Confusion is written upon her face, right before she snorts and turns to walk off, mumbling.."Then why don't you ask Lee to the ball. You'll both look wonderful in matching dresses."


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