In Harry Potter’s third year of Hogwarts, Professor Trelawney decides a mess of tea leaves in a teacup is not a mess, but a Grim, the black dog of death. Everyone ignores this after the initial fuss dies down, but it isn’t exactly forgotten.
It’s reasoned in Houses that are Not Gryffindor that Potter has actually tried to die for the previous two terms already. Trelawney might be an incense-laden fraud, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Three times, even, if you’re in possession of a Time-Turner.
Thus, on Christmas Day, everyone staying over during the hols awakens to find that the massive gaudy star on the Great Hall’s Christmas tree has been replaced with an ornament painted up to eerily resemble the head of the Grim.
Harry thinks it’s hilarious. He waits until the holiday is over to thank the twins for giving him a laugh.
George and Fred glance at each other. While an excellent idea, this was not their doing.
This is unacceptable. Their status as the school pranksters is at risk.
The twins decide that they will find this obvious Kindred Spirit and enlist them in the joys of terrorizing Hogwarts’ staff.
What they don’t expect is how difficult this task will be. They also don’t expect the result: a Hufflepuff so unassuming that they looked over the blond kid’s hair at least twice before realizing they were overlooking their culprit.
“Oh, that’s just the curse,” the Hufflepuff says after introductions are completed.
“Aren’t you a Muggle-born?” George asks.
The Hufflepuff shrugs.
After a bit of conversation, George and Fred decide two things:
The Hufflepuff is a quiet, elusive, pranking genius.
They are adopting Unassuming Hufflepuff post-haste.
Well, three things, really. Unassuming Hufflepuff is so unassuming that they could get away with murder, if they were so inclined.
None of them realize that this new alliance means that they will eventually save the school from Sirius Black.