Chapter 14- Back to Normal Business

"You called it mighty close there Mad-Eye, but it was the right call." Gawain informed the elderly Ex-Auror, "It was more important to get the children out of the line of fire."

"I didn't want them to have their day of fun ruined, though it does seem like an odd game that the Twerp came up with." muttered Mad-Eye as he limped along the street staff in hand "

"Thats Severus Snape, right?" Gawain asked. "It's still a little strange to think of him being a child."

"Oh yes, he is Severus Snape all right, believe me." Mad-Eye said, "I have to admit he really is an interesting character to know."

"High recommendation coming from you." Gawain commented. "You never trusted him before he was de-aged."

"No, but I have learned a lot about him and myself over the past year." Mad-Eye's attention was drawn to a horde of youngsters coming towards them, whose heads were covered with masses of lions, badgers, serpents or what looked to be gold bird heads. Some of the heads of hair were even changing colours and creatures. It took him a moment before he realized that the emblems and colours of the houses of Hogwarts.

"Looks like a new summertime fad." commented Gawain as he noticed where Mad-Eye's attention had wandered. "I suspect the Weasley twins created it."

"Actually I remember the same thing happening to Dolores Umbridge back when the twins and young Snape created a halucinationary potion as they called it." Mad-Eye chuckled, "She saw some strange things happening which nobody else saw, but she didn't realize that she was also the recipient of a new hair style."

"I heard about that incident." said Gaiwan as he checked on the progress of an Auror who had been down Knockturn Allley.

"I think everyone heard." said Mad-Eye as his magical eye swiveled about giving a few curious shoppers the shivers as they walked by him. "Anyway, back to our problem with those two..."

12 Grimmauld Place

"Your back, good, just in time for some nice hot chocolate." said Sirius as he observed the group of teens and the Twerp come into the kitchen with Remus who looked tired. "Did you not find what you were looking for?" He asked teasingly as he quickly made the drinks.

"We found Ignotus Peverell's grave." said Hermione with exhilaration as everybody sat down at the wooden table. "It gives great credence to everything written on the list that was inside the book." she looked back at Harry. "Also take for example the invisibility cloak was supposed to be handed down from father to son and never wear out no matter how old it gets. Now Harry's cloak has been passed down from father to son for generations and shows no sign of wear of any kind that is commonly associated with traveling cloaks even those woven from Demiguise hair, in fact it..."

"Harry's invisibility cloak ...that would mean it..." interrupted Sirius who wondered if he was dreaming this whole conversation, "It belonged to Death!" His eyes grew large like saucers as he digested the information. "Then the story of The Three Brothers.."

"I have to admit it, I believe the story is true." said Hermione looking amused at the flabbergasted look on Sirius's face.. "It should go against all reason but the symbol on the grave is also conclusive proof the story has a basis in fact."

"B-But it can't be true, Its a fairy story...a myth!" said Sirius shakily as he was having a hard time believing what he was hearing. He placed the cups of hot chocolate down on the table before he dropped them so everybody could help themselves to their own drink.

"I'm afraid it isn't Sirius." said Remus who was also looking a little shaken up. "The Chamber of Secrets was supposed to be a myth, remember? And it exists." Remus's voice trailed to a stop as he noticed that Ginny's face had paled considerably from the memory of her ordeal with the diary of sixteen year old Tom Riddle. Feeling a little embarrassed Remus murmured, "Sorry Ginny, I forgot."

Giving Remus a look that said Don't worry I'll take care of it, Harry placed a comforting arm around her and whispered, "Let the memory go Ginny, he's gone for good."

Ginny gave Harry a wan smile and then whispered quietly. "I hope so Harry."

Sirius decided to change the subject quickly. "By the way, I am Curious Remus. Just what did Mad-Eye say about this little venture? I mean quest." asked Sirius as he leaned forward with his face cradled in his hands and his elbows on the table.

Remus looked back at Sirius and smirked as he admitted. "I kind of gave him only part of the story, I told him the youngsters wanted to do some research into names of wizarding families that have died out at the Graveyard. I also said that the Twerp thought up mystery quest game to go with the venture."

"Good thinking Remus, I don't think Mad-Eye would have believed you if you told him that they were on the hunt for proof that a fairy tale was based on fact, especially The Three Brothers." said Sirius. He smirked and with mischief forming in his eyes said in a mock serious tone. 'Yes Mad-Eye, Death really did give an ancestor of Harry's that invisibility Cloak. If you don't mind coming with us, we were just going to take a stroll through the graveyard at Godric's hollow to verify our conclusions."

"It does sound a bit farfetched " Remus said when he felt the Twerps dark unblinking gaze on him. "But then strange things do happen." He muttered as he took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"Like my being de-aged?" said Severus as he rested his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. "Going to Egypt and being shown a future that would have happened if I hadn't been de-aged?"

"W-e-l-l yeah, that was unusual all right." admitted Remus as he looked into the onyx eyes that were watching him closely. "I wonder why..." his voice trailed off.

Sirius snapped his fingers, "The potions for the shop!" He exclaimed. "I almost forgot Twerp."

Severus turned his gaze from Remus and looked squarely at Sirius, narrowing his eyes. "You didn't burn the Heartburn gum." He asked anxiously. "You promised you wouldn't."

"No, no, I didn't burn them. When they were ready I poured them into the prepared moulds but I forgot to take them out." Sirius answered sheepishly. "I hope they'll be all right."

"They should be okay." said Severus, relieved that the batch wasn't burned. "It won't take long to pop them out and get them ready for delivery. Then all that needs to be done, is to cut the thin strings and roll and cut the rock of confusion. I also have a new experimental drink brewing in the small cauldron that should soon be ready to test ..."said the Twerp happily with a mischievous gleam in his dark eyes.

Little Hangleton

Lucius curled his aristocratic lip at the sight of the wreckage of the old cottage that was rotting away out of sight of the village. He pointed it out to Bellatrix as he told her, "there are faint signs that there has been something hidden here though it seems to be weak as if it is faded away."

"Well let's go find out if it's our Masters ring." screeched Bellatrix in her excitement. "The sooner we find it the sooner we can bring him back."

"That's if the ring is here, and if it really does have that stone in it that is spoken of in that 'Fairy tale', which would also have to be based on a true incident." Lucius snarled at her in exasperation.

Bellatrix turned and spat at Lucius, "Look cousin...If the Master believes it to be real enough to have written those clues in that book then that is good enough for me."

Lucius could only roll his eyes and follow her as she eagerly ran down towards the abandoned cottage that was peacefully mouldering away. Personally he was beginning to wonder if it would have been better to have escaped without Bellatrix or to leave her now to her mad delusions about that resurrection stone and reviving Voldemort.

The Burrow

Later in the afternoon, after making sure the youngsters were busy packing up the twins orders for Remus to deliver to the shop, and noticing the Twerp was happily engaged on another one of his experiments, Sirius slipped into the drawing room and threw some floo powder into the fireplace and connected with the Burrow. He stuck his head into the green flames and called out for Molly who ran into her living room and looked anxiously down at the disembodied head of Sirius Black.

"Sirius, I hope you aren't calling me to say something serious has happened to the youngsters."

"No Molly they are fine. I just thought you would like to know they will be along soon as they're finished packing up the twins order for the Candy Kits and I think the Twerp has another new experimental drink on the go."

A deep furrow creased Molly's forehead as she said firmly. "The Twerp shouldn't be working all day, you know the rules regarding his..."

Sirius hastily reassured her, "He hasn't worked all day Molly honest. I made sure he didn't work more than a few hours this morning." He then smirked and said, "Remus and Mad-Eye escorted the youngsters over to Godric's Hollow while I looked after the cauldron containing the Heartburn Gum potion for the little Twerp."

"Godric's Hollow? Just why did they go there?" questioned Molly. "Don't tell me they all got the idea to go visit the Potters house, its just a ruin now. Or did they go to see where Harry's parents were buried?"

"Oh I'm sure they saw James and Lily's gravestones, the monument and the house as Remus and Mad-Eye wouldn't pass up the opportunity to let Harry see them since they are part of his family history, but that wasn't why they went." Sirius told her. "You know Hermione has been researching some of the old family names listed in these old books of mine and the Twerp suggested they go to the graveyard and see the actual gravestones and match up the names to the ones she was researching.'

Molly gave him a piercing look as she thought about what he had told her. "Well so long as they haven't come to any harm I suppose it is all right. But if the Twerp wakes up with nightmares from being around that graveyard..."

There seemed to be a commotion going on behind Sirius and he removed his head from his side of the floo to see what was up before Molly could finish her veiled threat. Molly sighed as she stared at the fire for a few moments. She turned and went back to the kitchen where she was preparing supper.

She was stirring the stew and filling in Arthur and Percy on what Sirius had told her when they heard some yelling and laughter in the living room as the floo re-opened and the kids came through one by one.

"Sounds like the kids have found their way home." commented Arthur calmly. "I guess the aroma of your cooking wafted through."

The first to tumble through the Floo was the Twerp who quickly got to his feet as he looked back at the Floo with a slight smirk which faded and then he made a dash towards the kitchen and safety before anybody else came through; just bare seconds after him Ron came through the fireplace.

"Get back here you little demon." screamed Ron as he raced after the Twerp. "I'm gonna turn you into ..."

Molly, Arthur and Percy wondered what was going on when The Twerp came running into the kitchen with Ron not far behind him. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny weren't too far behind and it was obvious to them, after years of pranking by the twins, that whatever happened involved a prank created by the Twerp.

"RON." yelled Molly automatically as the small boy darted to safety in behind her. "LEAVE HIM ALONE."

"But Mom, Look what he did to me." Ron whimpered. "I bleeding well look like a walking lamp post."

Molly's eyebrow rose slowly as she turned around and looked at Ron. "And what new prank is this?" She fought down the urge to laugh but couldn't stop the tiny twitching of her lip as she looked at her youngest son whose skin shimmered as he moved agitatedly.

"Why you look adorably colourful Ron." she finally croaked out as she stared at him as he moved agitatedly.

Ron glared around at his father, Percy, Harry, Ginny and Hermione who were trying their best to stop laughing but failing miserably in the attempt.

"Y-y-you kn-know M-mum, since th-the Twerp has come back a-anything cou-could happen. He is after all working on some potions for the twins." said Percy as he fought the urge to keep laughing at the sight of his little brothers plight.

"Just wait till Draco and the Twins close up shop and hear about this one." Arthur said with a chuckle, "I'm sure they will consider this new prank a wonderful addition to the new line they have been developing. Look at all the pranks over the years that the twins have been experimenting with."

"Right, I should have remembered how those experiments usually turn out." said Molly feeling like she was developing a small headache as she rubbed her hand over her forehead just above her eyes then she looked at the Twerp. "Okay just how do we get Ron's skin colour back to normal?" she asked as calmly as she could, "Never mind the fact his hair is no longer red but a bright green colour and his glowing eyes..."

Severus glanced over at Ron who was still glaring at everyone in the kitchen. His skin reflected the light like a prism and the other teens along with Arthur and Percy were having a hard time containing their amusement.

"It will wear off after a half hour ...honest." answered the small boy who was looking a little scared as Molly's eyes seemed to burrow deep through him. "It's just a new prank drink I thought would be fun to go with the candy kits." His lower lip started to tremble and his dark eyes liquefied as they filled up with tears. He raised his arm and rubbed the wetness away from his eyes with his shirt sleeve.

Temporarily forgetting the supper, Molly bent down to gather the little Twerp up in her arms, and then comforted him as she sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. Molly reasoned in her mind that no matter how smart he was, the Twerp was still the little insecure child of a year ago when Albus had asked her and Arthur to take and care for him for the summer.

The teens looked at each other and slipped out of the kitchen and back into the living room while Arthur and Percy stayed in the kitchen with Molly and the little Twerp.

"Be a sport Ron, It could have been any one of us who got to be the test subject." said Ginny as she turned her head towards her brother, "It's just a bit of harmless fun."

"Honestly Ron, you know you would have laughed if it had been any of us who drank the potion" Hermione said with exasperation. "You just happened to get the glass of pumpkin juice that had the potion sample added to it."

"And after all we put him up to doing it." explained Harry with a slight smirk. He turned serious as he continued. "Severus is still learning how to be a child, I think we all want him to experience a happy childhood this time around."

Ron looked at his hand which was shimmering with each movement he made. "Yeah I know," he sighed as he waited for the effects to disappear.

The Ministry

Albus, dressed in his plum coloured robes with elaborately worked silver W on the left-hand side of his chest sat with his fellow magistrates to decide the fate of each Death Eater separately. One prisoner at a time was brought from the holding cell to the courtroom and led to the chair that sat in the middle of the room. Once the prisoner were set into the chair, manacles sprang to life and snapped themselves around their forearms and ankles. Then they were given a dose of Veriterserum so that there would be no lying during the proceedings.

The spectators sitting on the benches that rose up along the walls of the room fought to contain their grief as they listened to the harsh questions that were being asked of each defendant, whose answers given often opened up wounds that hadn't completely healed.

The Daily Prophet was covering the proceedings closely; each edition was filled with pictures and details of each Death Eaters trial. They were also asking questions about the two escapees who had yet to be caught. Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour was being questioned daily as to the progress of his Aurors.

"Albus, this situation is getting entirely intolerable." He grumbled during one of the lunch breaks. "We must find those two soon. Several sightings and near misses aren't good enough."

Dumbledore nodded absentmindedly as he was thinking about his little Twerp and the elderly copy of The Tales Of Beedle The Bard he had taken with him to the Burrow. It occurred to Albus that there may still be an old piece of parchment he had written on when he was younger stuck in the book. If the Twerp or any of the teens had found it ... Albus closed his eyes wearily and took a deep breath before turning his full attention to the Minister of Magic who was still talking about the two missing prisoners.