Harry sighed as he closed a huge dusty old book and looked around. He was studying and getting homework done with Ron and Hermione. Well, actually Hermione already finished and was working on her S.P.E.W. badges. Harry sighed again and looked back down at the parchment in front of him.

It only had half of a sentence on it. It read “The difference between a werewolf and an animagi is….” then it cut off with a bunch of ink drops on it. Harry was working on his Transfiguration homework. “Stupid, stupid, stupid homework…” he thought, glaring at the paper. He knew they learned it, and probably took all class time working on it, but he and Ron were passing notes to each other, scribbling on pieces on scrap parchment.  

For sure, Ron was having just as much (if not more) difficulty with the homework. He was glaring at the paper, hardly blinking, as if he thought if he continued glaring at it, it would burst into flame or finish itself. Ron was sitting a little ways down the long table from Harry in the library, with Hermione a little ways on his other side.

Suddenly, Ron slammed both hands down on the table, causing it to tremble and Harry to spill the rest of the ink he was holding all over his lap. Professor Pince hurried over as fast as she could, and shushed them all.

“Ronald Weasley! Was that you? This is a library, must I remind you, and some people are trying to learn, so do not do that again! Such a ruckus! You know, your brothers never caused such noise in this library! Do not do that again and keep quiet otherwise your mother will hear about this, do you understand me?” She was  standing in front of Ron as he looked up at her, flinching and leaning as far away from her accusing finger. He nodded, pale in the face, and she hustled back to her desk.

Harry could see Hermione trying to cover up a giggle and he smiled too.

“Ugh! I can’t get this! Hermione, please help me!” Ron hissed in a low tone so Professor Pince didn’t come back.

“No! I saw you two exchanging notes during class! It’s your own fault!” She huffed and went back to her badges. Harry looked to see Ron’s reaction, and sure enough, he was glaring at her, and then went back to glaring at his homework.

Ron continued bugging Hermione to help him for about 5 more minutes or so. Finally, she whipped around, glaring at Ron, “Ron! Knock it off, shut up, and do your own work!,” slammed the book she was holding close, and put it on the table. She sat down and turned so she wasn’t facing Ron, then huffed in irritation.

Ron turned to see Harry trying to fight down a laugh. He sat down as well and sighed as he began scribbling on the parchment. Harry watched Ron’s actions for a moment, then glanced over at Hermione. He saw her flick her wand in Ron’s direction, while whispering a spell, then smirk.

Harry was confused for a moment, for nothing happened. Then, all of a sudden…

“BLOODY HELL! IT’S A SPIDER!” Ron screamed at the top of his lungs as he jumped out of his seat, shaking his arm violently, trying to get the spider to fall off. Hermione and Harry were roaring with laughter. Finally, after about three minutes of Ron yelling and screaming, and Hermione and Harry laughing, the spider finally dropped and scurried in to one of the old bookshelves surrounding them. It disappeared from sight, almost as quickly as it arrived.

Harry’s eyes were watering and his sides hurt like hell, but he still had a huge smile on his face. Ron glared at Harry and Hermione, looking back and forth, “Who did that?!”

But before either of them could say something, they heard Professor Pince’s voice scream, “RONALD WEASLEY! THAT’S IT! I’M GOING TO SEND A LETTER TO YOUR MOTHER, AND YOU ARE BANNED FROM THIS LIBRARY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!” And her voice echoed on the tall walls and bookshelves.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And that is why Ron is rarely seen in the library when Professor Pince is around, and why he didn’t go home for Christmas or Easter. And when he received his Howler, he got laughed to for the rest of his years at Hogwarts.