Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Loosed Upon the World

By Ebona Nite

Part One: Preparations

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre,

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;"

William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming

"Severus what on earth are you doing?!"

Snape looked up from where he was casting layers of shield spells around his desk. Minerva McGonagall was looking at him in a mixture on confusion and concern. He drew himself up to his full and impressive height and said stiffly, "I am Weasley-proofing my classroom before exams, of course. I do this every year."

Minerva frowned. "Whatever for? I know they have OWLs this year, but I rather thought you complained more about poor Neville or Harry than Ron."

"Not Longbottom or those dunderheads!" Severus sneered, "The Weasley twins, Fred and George. Their mother is forcing them to take their NEWTs and return for graduation ceremonies, remember, and I wish to be prepared."

"Yes, but they aren't taking their Potions NEWT if I recall. Oh, before I forget, we have a faculty meeting in ten minutes. Professor Umbridge has called one for some reason." The transfiguration mistress frowned a bit, adding sarcasm to the title of professor. As she left, forgetting about the potions master's shield casting in favor of grumbling about the "Hogwarts High Inquisitor" Severus raised one eyebrow. Fred and George Weasley, despite serving more detentions with him than any student to date (though Harry Potter was quickly catching up) were actually among his best students. Not that he would admit it.

The twins had come to him years before, asking for books on potions theory After they had exploded potions in his classroom three lessons in a row, experimenting with ingredients outlined in the book he had recommended (to get them out of his hair, as they wouldn't leave him alone even after being threatened with detention until he named a book for them), Severus had taken it upon himself to give them some tutoring outside of class. The two had had to agree to his conditions, and were even brazen enough to add their own.

Flashback:

"Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley, welcome to detention. Sit down and listen up." Severus glared at the two redheads, who were doing their best to look contrite but kept breaking out in grins. "You two know why you are here. You have been experimenting in my potions class, instead of paying attention to the lessons."

"Professor Snape, I'm shocked," started Fred, or perhaps George.

"We weren't experimenting," continued George, or maybe Fred.

"Yes, it was"

"An honest mistake. The lacewings,"

"Just slipped out of my hand,"

"Silence!" Severus snapped, "The lacewings didn't just slip. There were no lacewings in that wart remover potion and you two know it! There was, however, a chapter of theory on reactions of lacewings with various ingredients, some of which were used in today's potion. If you two are going to insist on experimenting you should at least pay more attention to theory and conduct all experiments with a teacher standing by in case you CAUSE ANOTHER EXPLOSION!"

The two glanced at each other, looking positively evil with those Slytherin-like grins. Not for the first time Snape wondered if the two had really been Sorted into the correct House. "Does this mean you'll tutor us then?" Fred – or George – asked innocently.

Severus shut his eyes for a moment wondering how he had managed to allow himself into this trap. "I suppose I am going to have to, if I want you two to stop endangering your classmates. But only on the conditions that you pay attention in class, do the assignments properly, and not use the knowledge to prank my Slytherins as you have been wont to do!"

"How about we agree to the first, and compromise by pranking everyone of all Houses indescriminently –"

"- unless of course someone from any House, including Slytherin, really really deserves it –"

"And never tell anyone you're helping us?"

Severus growled, "I suppose I can allow that. And I am certainly not helping you with anything. I simply do not want you blowing up the classroom and turning it various colors again, especially without my knowledge. My name had better not ever come up. Be here at eight tomorrow night, and be sure to finish that book!"

End Flashback

Severus allowed himself a small, tight smile of pride. The troublesome two had turned out to have a great potential, even if they did waste all of their intelligence on pranks it seemed.

Fred and George Weasley may not have signed up for NEWT potions, but that wasn't going to stop him from testing them. Severus Snape had not put in so much time tutoring them in the subject to let it go completely to waste.

In another part of Hogwarts castle Fred and George were also preparing for their NEWTs tests, which started that day. They were taking Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, Care of Magical Creatures, and Arithmancy at their mother's insistence. Surprisingly, they'd found that Arithmancy helped a lot in figuring out the correct portions of potions and charms to get the ton tongue toffee to work without choking the victim or timing the transfiguration of the fake wand into a rubber chicken only after the person gives it a wave, and other such things like that. Also, they were taking the Divination NEWT despite never having taken the class or the OWL, simply for the laugh.

"Oi Fred! Do you think five dungbombs out to do it?"

"Grab an extra portable swamp George, we might run into The Toad Woman!"

"Where are my lucky neon pink and lime green socks?"

"So that's what happened to my tie. Darn you Monster Book of Monsters!"

Of course, no one said they couldn't go out with a bang. Beware Hogwarts! The pranksters have returned!