Disclaimer: I own nothing that looks like JKR's ideas, world, characters, etc. I do like to think that I own my own ideas and OCs, but they might have been influenced by the many many fanfics that I have read in the past. If I think of a specific fanfic that influenced me and am able to find it, I'll be sure to mention it in an author's note at the bottom or something. Basically, don't sue me, because I'm broke and I don't mean any offense or harm. I'm just writing for fun.
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Severus Snape eyed the identical red heads at the Gryffindor table, heads once again tilted together clearly plotting mischief. It was only the beginning of their second year, and yet they had already shown themselves to be quite creatively malicious. He had a feeling the only thing that had spared him from having the twins in his own house was the rather engrained expectation that Weasleys belonged in Gryffindor, and certainly not in Slytherin.
As a general rule, he absolutely despised all pranksters—especially Gryffindor pranksters… and yet, there was something about the Weasley twins that intrigued him. Perhaps it was the way their pranks often called for a far higher level of magic than they should have been able to perform, resulting in scrawny first-, now second-year students performing magic that fourth years would have had difficulty doing. Perhaps it was simply the pure creative thought they demonstrated with some of their pranks.
Even more than that though, he mused, was the half-hidden, malicious glee he detected in the twins and their pranks… a maliciousness he was far more familiar with when seen glinting in the eyes of some of his darker snakes.
He had watched all of last year as the twins had established themselves as the class pranksters. He had watched the children pull off pranks that were, while annoying, quite frankly impressive for first years. And he had watched (and admittedly participated) as the professors of Hogwarts ignored the pranksters' impressive magic in favor of scoldings and detentions, a practice that Molly Weasley, their harpy of a mother, followed with screeching howlers. And yet, the stubborn, resilient boys took it all in stride, not letting punishments deter them from whatever goal their devious minds had created.
He had observed them last year, and he would continue to observe them this year. Perhaps by the end of this year he would be better able to decide whether the twins truly had the potential he thought he saw in them, and, even so, whether or not his half-formed idea was as utterly foolhardy and potentially destructive as he had a feeling it was.
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It was nearing the end of the second year at Hogwarts for the Weasley twins, and Severus knew that if he was going to involve himself in the education and shaping of the twin demons he needed to act soon.
He had decided that they were a bit too Gryffindorish for Slytherin, but he was still reluctant to let such malicious potential go to waste. Severus knew that the war between dark and light was merely paused at the moment as both sides recovered, waiting for the next generation to mature and for the dark to rise again in another attempt at freedom. And here were two children, born to a family firmly aligned with the light, who were showing signs of dark inclinations. He would be a fool not to take advantage.
It was easy enough to give the twins detention that evening for messing about in Potions class. The next part, well, he had thought on it a great deal, and was reasonably certain his planned approach would work.
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He stared at the pale, freckled faces as the boys shifted nervously in front of him. He idly wondered if they had planned any dastardly pranks against him recently, and if this was the reason for their nervousness. No matter. They would soon find that it was far preferable not to antagonize him if they wanted his assistance.
"You two have a great deal of potential, you know. It's a shame you waste it with such Gryffindorish, poorly thought out mischief."
"Poorly thought out?!" They sputter indignantly.
"Yes." Severus interrupts before the troublemakers can turn their response into some overly-dramatic speech. "Has it never occurred to you that you could get away with far more if only you put in a bit more effort and planning?
That, of course, stopped them short. Who would have dreamed of the fearsome Professor Snape implicitly advocating getting into mischief. He had their attention, and he knew it.
I am well aware that for two with such apparent talent as yourselves, covering the basic practicals and theories as you are in class can be… less than stimulating. A strong grounding in the basics, however, can make more advanced magics significantly easier… particularly when it comes to modification and invention.
He placed a small box on his desk, then tapped it with his wand to enlarge it to the size of a book. Opening the box, he took out the first book in the box (bigger inside than outside thanks to some careful enchanting) and showed them its cover: Back to Basics: An In-Depth Guide to the Theories of Magic. It was an average-sized book, but then, if not for the space-expanding magic woven into its cover to limit the size and weight of the book, it would be rather difficult to even lift the book, let alone read it.
"I found this book in my fifth year, and found it particularly useful in my spell-crafting endeavours, though I expect you two to refrain from experimenting with creating spells for at least another year, and even then I expect you to check with me before attempting any experiments that could be harmful to yourselves. I will not have you harming yourselves as a result of assistance I have given you.
"In order to successfully modify or even make full use of any type of magic, you first need to have a thorough understanding of it. This book was most definitely not designed for second years, but then, you are far from average second years. I have faith that you will be able to muddle through it enough to, at the very least, better understand just how much you have left to learn."
"Unfortunately," he let a slight sneer come to his face, "I have only one copy of the book, so the two of you will need to share. I expect this book to be returned to me, with little change to its current condition, at the end of your seventh year, if not sooner." He speared the children in front of him with a stern glare to ensure they understood him.
There were, of course, preservation spells on the book, but he didn't want to simply rely on those or give these hooligans any reason not to treat his book with the utmost respect.
"Since you are prohibited from doing magic in the summer, it is a good time to work on your understanding of the theory behind the magic." He paused, as if coming to a realization, then continued, "You may inform your parents that I have given you a book on magical theory as an extra credit assignment and a way to prove to me that all hope is not yet lost for you two and your potential. As with all assignments, I expect you to turn in an essay to me at the beginning of next year on what you have learned from this book. You may work on it together and you may write as much or as little as you wish. How you treat this assignment will assist me in determining just how much or how little of my time and assistance I should waste on you."
There, that'd get them to think twice before half-arsing the rather open-ended assignment.
And indeed, the twins were looking rather determined after his proclamation.
Severus pulled two more, much thinner books out of the box. "These," he said, "I dearly hope I will not regret lending to you."
The twins looked at the books with a mixture of curiosity and eagerness. Cunning and Strategy, and The Art of Keeping a Secret. They were books that, if Severus had his way, would be required readings for his Slytherins, particularly the more foolish of the lot. As it was, he hoped it would assist in making the slightly straightforward, Gryffindorish Weasley twins a little more Slytherin.
"I do hope that you are competent enough to realize that these books are likely more… Slytherin than most Gryffindors would be comfortable with. I believe, though, that with a mixture of Slytherin cunning and planning and Gryffindor courage and… flair, you will be able to go far.
"Should you wish to write a brief essay on some of the key points you learned from these books, I would not object," he added.
"Intelligence. Planning. Using those brilliantly creative minds of yours, gentlemen, is the key to success far beyond the minor pranks you have played in your time at Hogwarts so far. I see a great deal of potential in you, and I am willing to assist you, privately, in achieving that potential.
"In return, I ask simply that you not Waste. My. Time." Severus takes care to enunciate the last few words, subtly implying dire consequences if they disobey this request.
"Do we have an accord?"