ONE MORE CHAPTER AFTER THIS ONE!

Disclaimer: if I owned Harry Potter, there'd be an entire series just on the Mauraders Era with Regulus Black as the main character, plus bigger roles for characters like Percy Weasley and Colin Creevey. Therefore, I own nothing.


"It didn't work," Bill whispered in horror. "Why didn't it work?"

"I don't know," Professor Snape muttered in wonder. "I wasn't there when Regulus and Sirius switched back, but I know the potion worked."

"You don't know?" Fred demanded, sounding awfully close to tears. "Does this mean we may never switch back?"

"I'm afraid so. Until we can find another antidote..." Snape said, sounding completely baffled.

"That was the only antidote," Percy muttered. "We would've found it by now if there was another."

"We can't lose hope," Ron choked. "I mean, there's gotta be another way."

"There isn't, Ron," Fred whispered. "I'm sorry."

"I guess we better get used to being each other," Percy murmured.

He reached forward and pulled Fred into a hug.

"You know, if I had to switch bodies with anyone, I'm glad it was you," Percy told him, his voice low.

"I love you, Perce," he said into his brother's ear, but everyone heard him.

"I love you, too, Freddie."

Suddenly, all the cold that had seeped into Percy's bones over the past few weeks, all the terror from his nightmare, and the dull ache left over from the potion drained away. He felt warm, happy, light. Little did he know, Fred felt it, too.

A dull pang hit his heart, and he flinched, pulling away from Fred only to see that... it was really Fred. Body and all.

"It worked!" Fred screamed, embracing his older brother once more.

"That was weird," Harry muttered.

"What was?" Percy asked, pulling away from Fred.

"Well... right after you said I love you, there was this bright light."

"It was multiple colors," Ginny added. "From green to orange to blue to black. It was pretty cool. "

"Alright," Fred cleared his throat. "Not that I'm not glad to be back, but... what just happened?"

"A delayed reaction maybe?" Snape mumbled. "That was odd."

"Maybe love really does conquer all," Percy chuckled, swinging an arm around Fred's shoulder.

The rest of them laughed.

But who knows? Maybe it does.

Somewhere, some time, Fate grinned as the destiny of everyone and everything changed.


"Come on, Perce," Fred begged him.

They were standing outside the Great Hall, preparing to follow their family inside for the Welcome Back Feast.

"But what if she-"

"We talked about this, Percy. No buts. Now, go, or I'll tell Charlie that you were the one that stole all his clothes in his last year, making him walk around naked until he found them plastered all over the Great Hall."

"Hey, he should be thanking me. The ladies were all over him the next week."

Fred rolled his eyes. "Just go."

He shoved his elder brother into the Great Hall, and with a glare at Fred, Percy walked across the room.

"Hey, um, Audrey, could I talk with you for a moment?" Percy asked her.

"Sure," she said, standing up and waving goodbye to her smirking friends.

The pair stepped out of the room, standing beside the Grand Staircase.

"Um, Audrey, so my brother's told me a lot about you, and you sound like a great person. Plus, you're really pretty... oh my gosh, that sounded so shallow. Um..."

By now, Percy resembled a fire truck, and Audrey had started snickering.

"The point is... would you like to get a drink with me at the Three Broomsticks next Hogsmeade trip?" Percy said in such an rush that he feared she hadn't understood him.

She smiled before standing on her tip toes and kissing him on the cheek. "I'd love to."

Fireworks went off in Percy's mind.


Meanwhile, Fred was ticked off.

Kyle was taunting him again, and Fred's friends and twin looked ready to blow a casket.

"Fat ass," Kyle chuckled, cruelly. "Are you really gonna eat all that? If you are, I bet you'll go puke it up afterwards, little bulimic."

Fred was shocked to find that... the words didn't really bother him anymore. It was like someone had flipped a switch, turning the insecurity to confidence and maybe... just a little anger.

He stood and turned to face Kyle.

"Look," he said, sternly, "maybe I'm not thin and toned or a genius or anything like that. Maybe I'm not perfect. But you know what? Neither are you.

"You could have everything. You're handsome; you're smart; you're funny. But guess what? When it boils down to it, no one is going to overlook the fact that you're a jerk just because you have everything else.

"So maybe I'm not rich or handsome or incredibly intelligent, but I'm a hell of a lot better person than you are."

Applause rang through the hall, starting with Percy, who stood at the door with Audrey, until even McGonagall was clapping.

As soon as the applause died down, Dumbledore stood.

"Fred Weasley, it takes an incredible amount of courage to stand up to a bully. Therefore, I award you thirty points to Gryffindor. Fifteen for being brave enough to stand up to a bully. Another fifteen for using words instead of your fists or your wand."

Fred smiled before calling, "Thank you, Professor. "

The professors exchanged bewildered glances. That was oddly polite for Fred Weasley.

But they shrugged it off. No one could deny that many people had changed this year.

Percy walked over and hugged Fred, surprising everyone. Many of them hadn't seen Percy place a hand on someone's shoulder, much less hug them.

"Good job, little brother," he muttered into his ear.

"You too, Perce."

But little did they know, things were far from over.


While Percy thrashed in his bed as another nightmare gripped him, Tom Riddle grinned.

His plan was falling into place perfectly, and now that he didn't have to worry about that Fred Weasley getting in the way, things were even better.

One more month, and everything would be complete.

Good luck, Percy Weasley. You're gonna need it.

And the final phase of the plan began.


See you soon for the last chapter!