A Snake Deserves No Pity
Chapter Two: Einstein's Riddle
'I wonder if George has ever noticed he looks like Ron. No, wait, that means I do to…damn.' "You look more like Ron than I do!" Fred shouted in the middle of Potions, as though accusing George of some terrible crime.
George looked horrified. "No way! You have the same nose as him!"
"No I don't, his is really long. Mine's perfect." He crossed his arms, and then decided for a rather abrupt change of conversation. "Hey George, what never gets any wetter no matter how hard it rains?"
"Huh?" Was his twin's clever response.
Fred sighed heavily, "it's a riddle."
"Oh," A few seconds went by as George thought about it, finally he shrugged. "Don't no."
"The ocean." Fred grinned.
George shook his head. "That was rubbish, here's a better one. What English word can have 4 of its 5 letters removed and still retain its original pronunciation?"
"…Er, I can't be bothered to think. My brain's dead."
"Queue!"
"That's crap to."
"Whatever…wanna give Snape a Canary Cream?"
"Sure, why not."
They didn't notice Snape stood over them, glaring, well, until they turned round.
"Opps." Fred grinned.
"Weasley's. See if you can answer this one. He who makes it, sells it as its nothing to him. He who buys it, doesn't use it. He who uses it, doesn't know it. What is it?"
The twins looked at each other. Nothing could ever come good from Snape joking or giving them such riddles; not with his lips curled up in a snarl and eyes narrowed dangerously. Both twins looked back at him and shrugged.
Snape looked at each of them, black eyes hard. "A coffin, and if you don't cease to be silent within the next three seconds then two will be needed!"
From the look in his eyes, the twins weren't really convinced that it was an idle threat, and so they shut their mouths and gave him a nod. Without another word Snape swept back to the front of the room and sat. The twins went back to brewing their potion.
"Pass the newt eyes Fred." George said, stirring the light purple liquid three times anti-clockwise and once clockwise. Fred handed it to him and then began to chop up frog liver. On his forth slice a folded piece of parchment appeared on the desk in front of him. Curious, he glanced at Snape to make sure he wasn't looking (he was on the other side of the room now, sneering at a Gyrffindor's potion), and unfolded it. He quickly read it. A riddle.
Einstein's Riddle
The famous muggle Albert Einstein created it in the late 1800s, and claimed that 98 of the world's population couldn't solve it. Are you or your twin one of the two percent that can?
- In a street there are five houses, painted five different colours.
- In each house lives a person of different nationality
- These five homeowners each drink a different kind of beverage, smoke a different brand of cigar and keep a different pet.
Einstein's riddle is: Who owns the fish?
Necessary clues:
1. The British man lives in a red house.
2. The Swedish man keeps dogs as pets.
3. The Danish man drinks tea.
4. The Green house is next to, and on the left of the White house.
5. The owner of the Green house drinks coffee.
6. The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
7. The owner of the Yellow house smokes Dunhill.
8. The man living in the centre house drinks milk.
9. The Norwegian lives in the first house.
10. The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who keeps cats.
11. The man who keeps horses lives next to the man who smokes Dunhill.
12. The man who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
13. The German smokes Prince.
14. The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
15. The Blends smoker lives next to the one who drinks water.
-Angelina
Fred looked at the parchment in surprise. Why on Earth did Angelina give him this? But more importantly, how the hell would he know the answer to that?! What, did she think he was a genius? 'Wait, I am a genius…I'll get it, I just need some time... Maybe George could help.' And so Fred hit George on his side to get his attention.
"What was that for?" He moaned, rubbing where Fred had hit him. They swapped places, so now Fred was over the potion (which was starting to turn green as he threw in the frog liver) and George began chopping up rosewood, the letter/riddle in front of him. After he'd read it Fred was quite relived to see his baffled expression, so Fred really wasn't just brain dead, it really was an extremely hard riddle. Or maybe George is just brain dead to… arh, it's a hard riddle.
Before either could say a word about it, Snape spoke up. "Time is up. Bottle a sample of the potion, put both partners' names on it and bring it up to the front for marking."
Pulling out a small glass vile Fred filled it up, scribbled both their names down and took it to Snape. He then helped George pack away and class filed out, the riddle in George's pocket. At the door they met up with Lee, who'd been partnered with a Slytherin as Alicia, who he usually went with, was currently ill. Together the three boys headed for their common room until dinner time rolled around. Sat in the armchairs by the window in the red and gold circular room ten minutes later, George handed Lee the riddle. "Can you figure it out, or do you know why Angelina had to send something which requires so much damn work at the least?"
Lee shook his head as he looked over the parchment. "No idea mate." He handed it over to Fred. "Give me ten years and I might know." He snorted.
With a sigh Fred sat back in his armchair. "Well, it can't be the Swedish man, can't be whoever smokes Pall Mall either. Ugh, how the hell did that guy come up with this?!"
Getting distracted by the portrait door opening Fred looked over, and grinned. "Hermione," He beamed, getting up and heading towards her, Harry and Ron. "Just the girl I need to see." He held out the parchment and Hermione took, but didn't look at it.
"This isn't some sort of joke or trick is it?" She asked wearily.
"Nope, I promise on my honour of pranking." He said solemnly.
Hermione nodded and read it, she seemed to become very happy very quickly. Fred grinned, he could always count on Hermione to know the answer to everything.
"Oooh, Einstein's Riddle! I never thought you'd have this Fred. Angelina gave you it? Oh, I always loved puzzling over this as a child, I remember being ever so pleased when I worked it out!"
"Wait!" Fred cut her off, raising a hand in the air. "So you didn't know the answer for a long while?"
With a heavy sigh Hermione lowered her hands, letting them drop to her side, the riddle clutched in her left fist. "Don't rub it in, I was very young. Still, it was always immense very fun studying it."
"Fun! More like painful! I've only had it half an hour and my brains already sore." Fred said as George came over.
George patted Fred on the back. "It hurts because your brain is in such unfamiliar territory." Fred decided to ignore this.
"So, what's the answer?" He asked.
Hermione gave him a calculating look. "Why not work it out for yourself? If you do, you'll feel much prouder of yourself."
"The only thing I'd feel would be a headache." Fred assured her.
"'Mione, you promised to help with my transfiguration homework." Ron reminded her from over her shoulder.
"Oh, yes, sorry." The bushy haired witch turned back to Fred, after glancing at Ron. "Sorry Fred, got to go. Let me know if you get it." She passed the parchment back to him, then moved off with Harry and Ron.
George patted his twin on the back once again. "Never mind mate, it's not that big of a deal.
With a sigh, Fred watched George join Lee back in his seat. For some reason, he just didn't want to let this go. He glanced at the clock. He and George had their second detention in an hour, then Fred had a solitary one the following day.
000
Fred walked into his third detention in a row with Umbridge the next evening, wondering what was in store for him. After Fred and George's detention two days ago, she'd given them hell yesterday; both still had the marks to prove it. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer, with a shrug Fred pushed it open heavily and stepped in. Being naturally nosy Fred began to poke around her desk, as Umbridge was missing; he found another bow, a few tissues (unused), a pink flower smelling stack of parchment and pieces of makeup. Absolutely nothing of interest. "Weasley." A sharp voice sounded behind him, to close for comfort.
Fred frowned, he was pretty sure he new that voice. "Yes Satan?" He turned round and was met by Umbridge's short form. "Oh, professor, I'm sorry, I mistook you for someone else."
Umbridge glared and pointed at the desk, "sit. The same lines as yesterday I think will be fine."
Snapping to attention, Fred saluted. "Sir, yes sir." And he marched rather over dramatically to the small desk. Picking up the quill Fred winced as he began to write, the cuts from yesterday had scabbed over, but now they were being ripped re-open, and seemed to be digging further into his flesh than ever. On his sixth line the office door opened once again, and in stepped, of all people, Malfoy; a scowl on pale his face.
"Could I help you Mr Malfoy?" Umbridge asked rather nicely. Fred remembered what Harry had told him about Umbridge seeming to prefer the Slytherin's, and that she talked well of Lucius Malfoy.
Malfoy nodded. "I had detention with Professor Vector, but she's to busy, so she sent me here."
Umbridge nodded. "Sit at the desk. What did you resave detention for?"
Malfoy shrugged lightly. "All I did was express my opinion about er, professor Hagrid."
Fred looked over to Umbridge, it was common knowledge she didn't like 'half-breeds'. Even if Hagrid wasn't yet back from wherever he is and she'd never met him, he was sure she'd have heard of him. She gave Malfoy a nod. "Well, I don't really think having an opinion should lead to punishment-" Fred snorted, only because it was Hagrid "-however that is your professor's choice. Perhaps you could just help me out instead Mr Malfoy? If you could just keep an eye of Mr Weasley here for a small amount of time, I do need to contact the Ministry."
Malfoy nodded, glad to get off so easily. He looked to Fred and smirked. Fred mentally groaned. This was not his day. First that bloody riddle and now he was being supervised by a younger student who happened to by his brothers nemesis here at school, the biggest git on the planet who'd love to get Fred in even more trouble, and of course, not forgetting that annoying crush Fred has on him.
Umbridge left the room and Malfoy sat down of the edge of her desk, he gave Fred an amused look. "I'm sure your punishment isn't to just sit glaring, Weasley."
"Shut it Malfoy." Fred grumbled, putting his quill down and turning to look at the blond.
"Now, now Weasley. You don't want another detention do you?"
"Idle threat. You may be 'watching' me, but the toad didn't say you could punish me." Fred said.
Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "No, but your forgetting I am in fact a prefect, and so it's my every right." He then smirked. "Now be a good boy and do your lines and you'll get no detention."
Fred gave him a confused look. "Your not gonna try to make my time here with you completely miserable?"
Malfoy actually looked quite hurt that Fred would think that. "Don't be stupid, you can get away with no more detentions so long as you do double the amount of lines you're supposed to do."
Fred sighed. "Why do you always do that Malfoy? Pretend like your gonna do something kinda kind, and then trash it. Where the hell do you get off?"
"Build a man a fire and he's warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life, only problem is its going to be over within seconds." Was the cryptic response he got.
Fred shook his head and then turned back to his desk. "Git." He muttered.
"What was that Weasel?" Malfoy called, obviously enjoying himself.
Fred shot him a venomous look. "It must be so easy being such a git all the time, going round the school like you own the place, insulting people just because of there parenting."
Malfoy glanced at his nails as though bored. "Uh huh, it really is fun. You should try it, well, if you went a Weasley you should. After all, what has any of your family got to show? Poor and blood traitors, it probably is best you keep your freakishly bright red head down."
Fred slammed down his quill and again turned to the Slytherin. "What exactly is your definition of 'blood traitor' Malfoy?"
Malfoy scoffed. "Easy. You actually like Mudbloods, they come into our world, they try to change things, try to bring Magic and Muggles together; they run off to tell all of the Muggles about magic. They'll end up ruining what we have; they have no right to our world. Then if they have children, they'll be weaker. Mudbloods marrying Purebloods is the worst; they'll slowly drain out all of our magic."
"Is that really what you think? Muggleborns are weak? What about Hermione? She isn't, and her whole family are Muggles."
"Granger is book smart. She knows the theory of spells. It doesn't mean she can do them better than other people. After all, in the little 'Golden group' is it not Potter who does the casting? All Granger does is study, reading a book doesn't make your magic stronger."
Fred paused, thinking about what Malfoy had just said. He certainly didn't agree with him about Muggleborns, but as much as he hated to admit it, he was right about one thing, reading didn't enhance your magic, just your logic. "Well, she has done spells others in her year have never done."
Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Yes, and so could anyone else. The only reason they don't is because they haven't read about them yet, and so weren't able to do them. Granger is hardly as good as people make her out to be, she just reads."
"You're wrong!" Was the best Fred could come up with.
"You asked." Malfoy said. "Why, what do you see blood traitor as?"
"Nothing. I don't see anyone as a blood traitor. Everyone is different, Muggles, Muggleborn, Halfblood or Pureblood. You can't help how you're born, and you should be happy the way you are, and except others for how they are."
Malfoy snorted. "Oh, don't give me all that righteous crap. What do you really think?"
Fred shook his head. "That is what I think Malfoy. Not everyone is as cold as your family."
With that he pulled back out the riddle, not intending to write any more lines; his hand was bleeding enough as it was anyway. "What's that?" Malfoy asked, eyes falling on the parchment.
"Not yours, that's what," Fred replied without looking away from it.
"Let me have a look at it." Malfoy demanded, standing up and moving closer to the redhead.
Fred glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "You can't have everything Malfoy. Where would you put it all?"
Without a word, Malfoy snatched it out of his hand. "Hey! Give it back you little ferr-" But he was cut off from the door opening, and Umbridge walked back in. She glared when she saw Malfoy stood a few feet behind Fred, and Fred reaching out a hand, as though to grab something or strangle the younger Slytherin.
"What is going on?" She demanded. "Mr Malfoy, is there a problem?"
"Er, no professor." And he tucked the parchment into his pocket.
"Off you go then." Umbridge nodded. "You to Weasley, detention is over."
Malfoy darted out of the room and was gone before Fred could catch him.
000
At lunchtime the next day, Fred kept on glancing up at the Slytherin table, or, more to the point, Malfoy. He still hadn't managed to get the riddle back. He wasn't sure why he wanted it back so much as he couldn't work it out; probably just because it was Malfoy who had it. Every time he did see Malfoy that morning, he was just entering or leaving a class room - and Fred couldn't do anything with teachers around - or just after breakfast, as he had a lot of his dorm mates around at the time.
Another reason he was watching Malfoy (although he'd never admit it out loud) was because of the way his hair glittered in the sunlight coming threw the windows every time he moved his head, it was enough to put him into a trance. It made Malfoy stand out above everyone else. The shining hair against the pale white skin, Fred couldn't help but to look.
Fred blinked as Malfoy stood up, his trail of thoughts leaving him. The Slytherin made his way towards the doors to leave the room.
"Er, I've left my book in class." Fred lied, turning to George on a whim. "I'ma go get it."
George put down his fork, "I'll come with you."
Fred hesitated for a split second, George couldn't come, but how could he get him to stay? "No, its OK George, we missed breakfast, you eat, and I'll meet you at class. Bring something for me." And he was gone, following Malfoy out.
Fred stayed a fair distance from Malfoy as they walked threw the corridor's; he didn't want to be near the Great Hall. It wasn't until they where on the second floor that Fred finally called out to him. Malfoy stopped and then turned to face Fred. "What do you want now Weasley?"
Fred frowned to himself, what did he follow Malfoy for? Then he remembered Einstein's Riddle. "Give me my parchment back."
"That's it? You followed me all of the way up here for a peace of parchment?" Malfoy smirked. "Mind you, with so little money every scrap must count."
"Why are you up here, why not in the dungeons with your Death Eater friends?!" Fred snapped back, the tip of his ears turning red under his hair.
Malfoy's posture didn't falter. "If you must know, I'm heading for Charms; I need to do some homework."
"Find it to hard?" Fred asked, but it wasn't smug or insulting, he sounded quite curious. "What is it you've got to do?"
This time Malfoy hesitated. "Impervius charm."
"Making an object repel water?" Fred smiled. "Easy, want some help?"
Malfoy blinked. "What? Have you completely lost it?"
Fred shrugged. "Maybe for a second there."
Malfoy shook his head. "Weasley, you ought to have sign on your head saying 'out of my mind, back in five minutes'."
"Did you just use humour?" Fred asked in disbelief. "Damn, what is the world coming to? Neville will rivalling Dumbledore in power next thing we know!" Laughing slightly Fred repeated his question. "Well would you like some help?"
"I don't need your help, Weasel." Malfoy said stubbornly, sneer in place.
Fred rolled his eyes. "Let go of the Malfoy pride for half-an-hour. What would you rather have? Help from a Weasley, or be out beaten, again, in class by Hermione the Muggleborn?"
Once again Malfoy hesitated. "What do you know about this? I heard you hardly passed your OWLS."
"Malfoy, just because George and I don't see school as the most important thing in life, doesn't mean we're stupid. After all, I'm sure you've heard about the inventions we're making, that's advanced magic, if we're dumb how could we do that? Both of us just see school as a waste of time really, so we don't put in much effort."
Fred grinned, he was winning him over, and it might be quite nice being with Malfoy for a while without trading insults every few seconds.
"Fine." Malfoy finally agreed rather reluctantly.
"Great! This room is empty." And Fred threw open the closest door to him.
Malfoy looked at him blankly. "What's wrong with the Charms room."
"Well," Fred began, as tough it was all very simple, which it was. "I'm pretty sure you don't want to be seen with me if someone decides to head to class early, and to be honest, I don't want to be seen with you either."
"Oh, OK." The blond shrugged, simple as that, and followed Fred in. They both sat down at a desk.
"OK, so what's the problem?"
Malfoy looked down at the table; he still wasn't happy getting help off of Fred. "Well, I get the spell, what it's used for and everything; I just don't really understand the way it's done." He said slowly, really hating himself at the minute for asking for his help.
"Better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot." Fred smiled. "OK, well, to start off you have to know what effects the charm has, which you do, so that's good. You also need to have mastered the wand movement. You know it?"
"Of course." Malfoy snapped, sounding rather snobby.
Fred raised his hands. "Gezz, OK, I was only asking. So anyway, once you can perform the spell, which as I'm sure as you are a 'great Malfoy' you can do know problem, then comes understanding it. The part you don't get. Every spell, charm, curse and so on has its own way of working. The Impervius charm works by creating and kind of barrier, but instead of going around the object, such as a shield spell, it covers the object on its surface, and so it stops water from touching it rather than coming within a certain distance, say five feet for example. However, like all spells and charms, it doesn't stop everything from touching it. Some spells stop a variety like the Finite Incantatum, that can stop a whole bunch of spells, but Impervius can only be used with water. The defence depends on the power of the spell. Remember that one actually, the power of the spell, not the witch or wizard using it. Some were designed to just do the basics, some is through default. The only purpose anyone had for Impervius was to repel water. If you want more protection for an object, then there are other charms you can use."
Malfoy nodded, taking notes. "So…that's it?"
Fred shrugged. "Pretty much. Once you get the jist of it its rather simple."
With another nod Malfoy spent the next fifteen minutes turning his notes into paragraphs, with the help of Fred.
Never had Fred even imaged he'd like school work, yet here we was, enjoying himself helping a Malfoy to do Charms, and he hadn't even thought twice about it. It was with these thoughts that Malfoy finished his work, and the bell signalling the end of lunch rang. The sound took both boys slightly by surprise as they'd been lost in other things, but they stood and Fred helped Malfoy get his notes together.
Malfoy nodded at Fred, which the redhead new was the closest Malfoy could ever come to thanking someone, and Fred grinned in return. "Well, see ya Malfoy. Good luck in Charms."
"Weasley!" Malfoy called him back as Fred opened the door to leave.
Fred turned back around. "Don't worry, I won't breath a word of this to anyone…I really don't want to either, what would people say?!"
"No, this." Malfoy walked over and held out a piece of parchment, the riddle. Fred's grin widened, he'd forgotten all about that.
"Thanks." And Fred left.
000
Five minutes later Fred walked into History of Magic, beaming, and took a seat between Lee and George. "Fred, how can you be so happy, you do realise what lesson this is right?" Lee questioned, slightly worried for his friends mental health.
"Yeah, why are you so happy?" George asked suspiciously.
Fred gave a shrug. "I got the riddle back."
"Getting a riddle back doesn't make people that happy. What have you been doing?" George pressed; he didn't like his twin keeping things from him. In fact, this may be the first time that has ever happened!
Fred shrugged. "What? It's a good riddle." And he pulled it out of his pocket as Binns began to drown on. He glanced over it, and then did a double take. There was writing at the bottom of the page. 'The German man.' Malfoy had worked it out.
-TBC-