"Mayhem." Harry chortled, "If I can't create havoc and chaos I'll get you and we'll make mayhem."
Harry was in the apartment above the shop with the twins discussing plans. He'd written to them and they'd responded and included the floo address to their apartment. They were keeping the secret for him like he knew they would.
"I can't believe Snape called us havoc and chaos." Fred said, obviously shocked.
"I guess we left a better impression with him than we thought." George added equally shocked.
Coming out of their shock they turned and gave each other a high five, "Yes!"
"What can we do to help oh master of mayhem?" Fred asked when they turned back.
"We are willing to do what is needed for the prince of pranks." George agreed.
"There's more going on than I can tell you. Some of this is so bad it could destroy our world." Harry thought about the de-aging potion and the horror it could cause, "What I can tell you is its all tied back to Dumbledore. He's not as light as everyone thinks. It started when he was helping Grindlewald during the time he was trying to take over the world. When Grindlewald rejected his sexual advances Dumbledore stunned him and gave him over to the authorities."
"That article wasn't wrong?" George asked, referring to Albus' lovers.
"I don't know about all of them but he told me about Grindlewald himself." Harry explained, "I started the bashing campaign with the will and the list of classes he's cancelled, but don't tell anyone about that one. I don't want blamed for them making everyone take Runes and Arithmancy."
"Our lips are sealed." Fred said, "Of course if we were still in school and had to take it we'd tell."
"I'm hoping she starts with the fourth years and down." Harry shuddered, "I did a few others including today's."
"How did you find out about the fight?" George asked, "At a funeral of all things."
"I've found some information in my vault that my grandfather put there." Harry grinned he wasn't even altering the truth much. He was just letting them assume it was a Gringotts vault, "His sister's death was a part of that, as was their fight at the funeral and Aberforth blaming him for her death."
"So what do you want us to do?" Fred asked getting back to the subject at hand.
"I want pranks." Harry told them, "Anything you can think of for death eaters and Dumbledore. Voldemort is off limits."
"Good idea." George didn't think he wanted to take on that monster.
"I found this book a few days ago, mind if we get some help?" Fred picked up the book titled The Best Pranks Ever Played by L. Aughter and J. Okester.
"No help." Harry new it was one of Dumbledore's books and didn't want them to use it. Instead he gave them the most evil grin, "You'll be rewriting the book when you're finished. This will be relegated to the fiction isle."
"Tall order there chief." George looked doubtful.
"If I wasn't sure you could do it I would have asked." Harry told them, "I'm also going to give you an additional three thousand galleons so you can stay closed for the next two weeks and not feel the pinch. Nothing but inventing for the next two weeks, let me know when you have anything done."
"We're up for that." They agreed and Harry handed over the money pouch.
"These won't necessarily be for the store or public use of any kind." Harry instructed, "I want you to be truly mean."
"Maybe stuff the aurors can use like decoy detonators?" Fred asked.
"If you sell them to only aurors later that's fine." Harry agreed, "But instead of decoys make them knock them out or better yet break an arm or leg or something. I mean vicious stuff guys. Stuff you'd like to do to a death eater or someone who hurt Ginny. Anything short of death, I want them to suffer."
"What gives Harry?" Fred stared in concern, "What has happened to you?"
"You can't tell anyone." Harry bit his lip, "I mean an unbreakable vow or an oath on your magic. I can tell you but it is vitally important that it not to get out. My life would be over if they found out."
They offered their oaths on their magic together. Harry then stood and used about a dozen privacy spells then searched for listening spells and animagi. Once he was finished he sat down and took a drink of the butter beer Fred had handed him.
"The Potter family was cursed." He began, "Three days before our sixteenth birthday a Potter adult will cast a spell on the teen to minimize the amount of curse we are stuck with."
"No one was here to cast it on you." Fred summarized.
"I have the full curse." He nodded in agreement.
"What kind of curse?" George knew there were many kinds.
"Imp curse and yes I mean the kind we know." Harry grinned ruefully, "But the curse isn't as horrible as it could be. It has some benefits, I'm magically stronger, I can do some wandless, all casting is silent and I'm physically stronger than I look. The down side is my pranks tend toward viciousness; I look like an imp when I get angry and I get angry very quickly. I've read that the first year is the worst for that but that I'll learn to control it in the future."
"Do you shrink to imp size?" George asked.
"No, I get the ears and teeth." Harry answered, "If anyone found out about this I'd be locked in the ministry and never see the light of day again."
"Can we get a sample?" Fred asked.
"Why?" Harry asked skeptically.
"Well if we make an imp candy that can give you the ears and teeth you'd be covered if you ever got angry." He offered, "Plus something may help us make the vicious pranks you're looking for."
"Give me a minute to think of something that makes me angry." Harry said.
"Something like Dumbledore setting you up to fight a basilisk?" George prodded, "Or Dumbledore setting you up to face Voldemort?"
"Oh, that worked." Fred began looking over the changed Harry very closely, "You're hair gets messier too."
"Eyes are changed and bushier eyebrows." George was up in his face.
"Ridges on your back." Fred called from behind, "I'm going to take hair off your head and ears."
"I'm taking some of your eyebrow." George brought his wand around and cut off a piece then handed him a vial, "Spit into this. Several times so we have enough to work with."
"We're done." Fred told him coming back around to the front, "You can think of sunshine and daisies now."
Harry chuckled and with that the imp was gone, "You guys make it hard to stay angry."
"That is our goal in life." George joked.
"A lofty goal." Harry grinned.
"Are you going to stay and help invent?" Fred asked.
"I'm here for a few hours today." Harry admitted, "I can probably come back later in the week to help more but I'm a bit busy doing other stuff, like tormenting Dumbledore."
"You really have it in for him." George observed.
"He's not the light lord he wants everyone to think he is." Harry told them sternly, "Whether he admits it or not our world is in the bad shape it is in because of him. I could tell you things he's done that would turn your hair so white you'd be mistaken for a Malfoy."
"Don't want that to happen." Fred gave him a half grin.
"Although can you imagine what old Lucy would do if we showed up as long lost relatives?" George snickered.
"Focus." Harry admonished them, "Prank Lucy and his death muncher buddies. Make them cry like little girls."
"I'm going to put a sign up that say's we're off for a few weeks." Fred jumped up and ran down the stairs.
Harry and George followed him to the bottom of the stairs but turned down another set of stairs into their lab instead. They worked on cleaning up the area to prepare for the new research, Fred joined when he returned. Newly finished product was boxed up and moved into the store to get it out of the way. Partially finished product was banished and they cleaned the area without magic. Soon enough they were sat around a table discussing options. Hours later Harry returned to his manor with a very large grin.
"I'm glad I'm on his side." Remus muttered to Severus as Harry went up to his room to shower and change clothes.
"You have it easy." Severus huffed, "Can you imagine the pranks he would have pulled on his most hated professor, the one who picked on him and belittled him for years? I'd have been hospitalized within the first week if not just dead."
"Maybe if it was just Oliver." Remus admitted with a smirk, "But with Harry in the mix you may have be ok."
Severus only huffed in reply. They had dinner when Harry returned then went back to the study after dinner and sat quietly for a time.
"You two are handling this Oliver/Harry thing really well." Harry observed.
"I find it easy to forget about Oliver." Remus offered apologetically, "I see you and think Harry first."
"I do as well." Severus agreed, "A cheekier and more fun loving yet vicious Harry, though that last is not your fault."
"The twins said basically the same." Harry noticed their shocked faces and made the distinction, "I didn't tell them about Oliver, they just observed the more fun and vicious part of me."
"Good." Severus sighed, "I know you trust them but this is too big for children to handle."
"They're older than I am." Harry pointed out, "But I agree they shouldn't have the burden of that knowledge. I wish I hadn't had to burden you two with it."
"It's not a burden." Remus smiled at him, "I'll gladly keep your secrets."
"I have found it shocking, not burdensome." Severus agreed, "But I also agree to keep the secret. How much did you tell them?"
"I told them you call them havoc and chaos." Harry grinned, "Nearly brought them to tears of joy. They were afraid they'd left you with a lessor opinion of them."
"Wonderful." Severus said sarcastically.
"They know I have the Imp curse and they're going to try to create a candy that will give you the symptoms I have." Harry leaned back in the chair he was sitting in, "They want to have something to blame if I manifest them in public."
"That's an excellent idea." Remus agreed.
"Is there anything new on the death eater front?" Harry asked changing topics.
"Plans are being made." Severus shook his head, "Nothing that we didn't expect. Go in throwing killing curses, other damaging spells and get as many as you can. Two groups will apparate in, one to each end of Diagon Alley and a third group, using the floo, coming in from Knockturn Alley."
"I think we can stall them at the entrance to Knockturn." Harry nodded, "What do you think?"
"I was planning to put up a spell that blocked anyone with the dark mark from entering or exiting Knockturn." Severus agreed, "I also want to ward the apothecary. If they try to burn it some of the ingredients in the store could become toxic."
"Wouldn't they already have a ward like that?" Harry asked.
"Not against magical fire." He answered, "The wards are so expensive and the likely hood of being attacked has been so low. They could possibly have added it since the ministry attack but who knows if people believe the reports that he is indeed back."
"I wish we could ward all the stores." Remus sighed.
"It would take too much magic." Severus explained to Harry's excited look, "We wouldn't have anything left to fight death eaters with. That includes the two weeks we have let until the attack."
"Do you think I could do it with the increase in power I've got?" Harry asked.
"I don't think it would be wise." Severus explained, "If Dumbledore has people in the Alley looking for you, you would be too tired after setting it to defend yourself from them."
"Another point is gossip." Remus added, "If we go in and add wards for free they'll wonder. Then after the attack they'll realize we knew it was coming. If we can't get it finished Dumbledore could possibly figure it out and hurt Sirius or Severus in retaliation."
"Both are valid points." Harry admitted, "I think we can end this. With the twin's products, our abilities and the forewarning I think we can get both the death eaters and the leader they don't know they're following."
"We can't really plan any more without some products from the menaces." Severus stated, "I'm going to go brew something."
"I knew he'd like the potions lab." Harry grinned at the door Severus left through, "Mum loved her potions and Dad could never say no to her."
"Have you written to your friends yet?" Remus changed the subject.
"Yep, I told Ron that only Hedwig can find me." Harry explained, "She'll stay with him until he gets a letter from Hermione for me."
"They're good friends." Remus nodded amicably.
"I also have letters for Neville and Luna when she returns." Harry added.
"Are you going to tell Neville anything?" he asked.
"Not unless I have to." Harry replied, "We were already getting closer last year. But I'm going to keep a close watch on him so Dumbledore doesn't try to turn him into the Boy-Who-Lived too."
Severus made an unexpected reappearance, "I've been called."
"Be careful." Harry warned just as Misty arrived to pop the man away.
Harry began pacing the room. Remus grabbed his arm as he passed, "He's likely to be away for hours."
Harry nodded and took a seat by the fire. It was nearly an hour later that Harry turned back to the werewolf, "I've just realized something."
"What?" Remus asked the obvious question.
"My scar hasn't hurt all summer." Harry observed, "Usually it hurts or at least tingles before a big event."
"Dumbledore had access to you at any time." Remus reminded him.
"Misty can you bring me all the chocolate frogs in the house." Harry asked into the air.
A box popped into being at his side. Harry grabbed the first frog and opened it, "Yes, Dumbledore, just what I wanted."
"What are you doing?" Remus asked.
Harry grinned but didn't reply. He touched one finger to the frog and sat with a look of complete concentration on his face. He repeated the process several times and he soon had six little frogs lined up on the desk. He put them back into the chocolate frog containers, concentrating on each box as it was closed. Then he put all the containers into a box. Next he set up a dictaquill and wrote a letter. Soon the frogs were on their way.
"What did you do?" Remus rephrased his question from earlier.
An evil grin from Harry was his only answer.
The next morning after breakfast Severus entered the study and collapsed into a chair, "I've see McGonagall, Dumbledore wasn't seeing anyone."
"This sounds bad." Remus hedged.
"Volde has postponed the attack." Severus explained, "He says he wants to get the muggleborn's not the purebloods. He'll call when he's ready."
"What changed?" Remus asked.
"The twins." Harry sat up straight, "They closed the shop for two weeks but didn't give a specific date to return."
"He did designate several people to hit their shop specifically." Severus stated, "Do you think he knows they're helping you?"
"No I don't think so." Harry disagreed, "I have ten percent interest in the company I gave them the startup money."
"That would be enough." Remus nodded, "We should warn them."
"Done." Harry grinned maliciously, "I suggest they ward their shop against any death eater when they re-open. Our first vicious product was a spell/potion combination that takes anyone with the dark mark and ties them up and delivers them to the DMLE with the left arm bared."
"Any exceptions?" Severus asked thinking of himself.
"No." Harry shrugged, "But you would never willingly set foot in their establishment via the front door. I would have told you before the battle in case you were selected to go there. Were you still at Hogwarts when the mail arrived?"
"No, it was there before I arrived. However Minerva supplied a memory for us to view." Severus grinned evilly.
The three of them headed for the pensieve and were soon sucked in to view the memory.
"Someone's getting a package." Pomona observed the owl entering the Great Hall.
The other teachers looked up to see an owl winging its way in with a box attached. The owl landed at Albus' place and he leaned back in trepidation. The lemon drops were just down from him still yelling their insults. Nothing happened immediately so he scanned the package. When no magic was present he carefully untied it from the owl and watched the bird fly away.
"Well, what is it?" Pomona urged him to open it.
Albus gingerly opened the package and found a note. He opened and read it before he sighed with relief, "At least someone believes me. I've been sent a care package in hopes that I feel better after being defamed in the media."
"Really?" Minerva asked in surprise.
"Chocolate Frogs." Albus held one up proudly, "They must know about my sweet tooth."
He opened the first frog and went to catch it only for it to throw its card at him, "Here take this disgusting thing."
It hopped out of reach and Dumbledore looked down at the card and found his own face looking back at him. All at once the rest of the packages disappeared and five more frogs threw their cards at him and all six hopped toward the lemon drops in insulting him. All of the cards were his cards and this angered him greatly. Albus pulled his wand and send a fire hex at the frogs melting them and stopping the insults. When that worked he turned his wand on the lemon drops.
"What's happening to them?" one of the professors turned his attention back to the frogs.
"They're reforming." Minerva looked on in interest.
"That was rude." One of the frogs yelled at him in its half melted state.
"I suppose we should have expected it from someone like him." Another huffed.
Albus dropped his head to his hands as the half melted frogs finally reached the lemon drops and continued to rain insults upon him.