Harry stopped in a courtyard, taking a deep breath of the chilly morning air. A sudden front had dipped temperatures early this year, but Harry found the sudden change refreshing. The previous week had been a little warmer than he would like, especially as the Quidditch team had ramped up to practice and prepare three evenings in a row. He had just finished Herbology, and was on his way to his second morning class before lunch.
"There you are!" Fred shouted across the courtyard, startling several students whom Harry had passed a moment before. He didn't stop or seem to notice their irritated expressions, making a direct line to Harry.
"Oh, hi Fred," Harry said, "Where's George?"
"I need to speak with you, Harry," Fred said, his face more serious than Harry had ever seen him.
"Er-yes?" Harry asked, looking up at the older boy who suddenly seemed to tower over Harry.
"What is going on?" Fred demanded, looking Harry in the eye without a trace of a joke about him.
"Going on?" Harry asked, perplexed.
"Something happened between you and Hermione," Fred said, heated. "Did you do anything to hurt her?"
"N-no," Harry said, thinking back. "What's wrong with Hermione?"
"Harry…" Fred said, eyes narrowing.
"I mean, we had a little argument about house-elves," Harry said, grasping at wands, "but we're fine. Honest."
"Is that all?" Fred asked, expression lightening slightly.
"Yes," Harry said. "If you two had been around a bit more, you would see that we are fine."
"Well, someone had to figure out what to do with our recent windfall," Fred said, the edge of a chuckle in his voice.
"And what made you think something was wrong?" Harry asked.
"Hermione has just been acting…different," Fred said, "since the duel."
"Different, how?" Harry asked. As far as he had seen, she hadn't changed at all.
"We can't put our finger on it," Fred said, looking suspiciously at Harry, "but George and I can tell something happened."
Harry fought the urge to laugh. "You two are ridiculous," Harry said. "You couldn't just ask like a normal person?"
"I did ask," Fred said, simply.
"In a loud voice in the middle of a busy courtyard?" Harry asked.
"What's life without a little melodrama?" asked George walking up.
"Hi George," Harry said.
"I've just checked with Hermione," George said to his twin. "Their stories match."
"Unless he threatened her if she didn't give the same story," Fred said, touching his chin. "Perhaps we need some Veritaserum."
"I can go nick some from Snape," George suggested.
Harry rolled his eyes at both of them.
"We can't be too careful with our Hermy-pie," Fred said, catching the look. "After all, you're already quite the heartbreaker, as a second year."
"A heart breaker?" Harry asked, raising his left eyebrow.
"Have you seen Ginny lately?" George asked, sternly.
"I-" Harry said. "She barely even talked to me at the Burrow," he protested.
"Don't think we are blind, Harry," Fred said.
"I'd be surprised if even thick-headed Malfoy hasn't noticed," George said.
"What are you on about?" Harry asked.
"She's been following you around," Fred said.
"What? No she hasn't," protested.
"Over my left shoulder," Fred whispered. "Right at the corner."
Harry flicked his eyes that direction in time to see a sweep of red hair disappear from sight. He blushed. "Look," he said, "I'm not doing anything to egg her on, okay? Shouldn't you talk to her? She's your sister."
"We've tried, mate," George said, looking with a concerned face in the direction his sister had gone.
"I think she's just got to get over it herself," Fred said. "Besides, she's not alone."
"That Creevey kid her year is always trying to see you, too," George said.
"Yeah, I don't think I could have missed the camera," Harry said, sighing.
"Just give him an autograph and he'll stop," Fred said.
"Yeah, righ-" Harry began.
"Giving out autographs, Potter?" came a voice full of disgust nearby.
The three of them turned to see Draco Malfoy stalking by, his blonde hair tucked into a hand-knitted hat. Harry briefly wondered if his mother or Dobby had made the thing. Deciding the latter more probable, Harry turned away from the boy to avoid an argument.
"Think you're that famous, eh?" Draco spat. "I reckon that Weasley girl'd take a few, eh boys?"
He heard the chuckling of Draco's behemoth friends answer his joke. Harry felt his frown fall into a heavy grimace. Beside him, Harry could see the twins glaring outright at Draco.
"Leave it alone," Harry whispered. "He'll have worse problems if we catch his dad at something."
"You have something to say to my face, Potter?" Draco demanded.
"Not particularly," Harry said, glancing back at the boy. "I don't waste my time with bullies and hangers on."
"Oh, like the little red head girl following you about?" Draco asked, his voice pure smirk.
Harry just walked off, and he could feel the twins hesitate before following him. Draco shouted something after them, but Harry couldn't hear him because the door into the school banged closed. The twins were fuming.
"What a little git," Fred said, looking back at the door.
"Eh, leave it," Harry said. "He likes the attention. If you give him none, he'll lose interest eventually."
"He's having a go at our sister!" George exclaimed looking at Harry in shock. "Why shouldn't we be angry?"
Harry stopped. "I guess I really have no right to say that," he answered. "It is your sister. All I know is Malfoy is all talk. If you get on him, he'll just call his daddy to get you in trouble."
"Like trouble has ever stopped us," Fred said, all cheshire.
"I have a few ideas, Fred," George said.
"So do I," breathed the other. The pair began cackling in a rather scary manner.
"Sorry about before," Fred said. "With gits like that-" George said.
"It puts things in perspective," Fred said, laughing.
"No harm done," Harry said.
"Speaking of Hermione," Fred said. "Tomorrow is her birthday…"
"Yeah," Harry said, "I think I found something she would like."
"Not gifts, Harry," George said. "It is time."
"Huh?" Harry asked.
"You know what we mean," Fred said, winking.
"I don't follow," Harry said.
"He's forgotten already?" George asked.
"Shocking," Fred said, shaking his head.
"Oh, the -" Harry exclaimed, then added quietly, "initiation thing."
"Right in one," George said. "You'd best not forget again, young one."
"Won't, Sir Forge," Harry said, chuckling as he bowed.
"I'm Gred," George said.
"No, I'm Gred," Fred corrected, shaking his head. "My own brother can't even remember his own name. Pitiful."
Harry laughed. He was just about to say something when the bell rang.
"I need to be at Transfigurations," he exclaimed, taking off. He shouted back, "See you two at lunch."
Harry met the twins and Hermione in the Entrance Hall the next morning, early, as they had arranged. They would have their initiation ceremony for Hermione before breakfast, as they had no idea when they would have time for it during a school day, otherwise. He was waiting at the foot of the stairs for a couple minutes before the three appeared.
It was deadly quiet. Eerie, really, at that early hour. No ghosts, house elves, no students worked their way through the hall, and the only sound that reached his ears came from the far off moving staircases. They made a soft thump when each touched its new landing. It reminded Harry of soft, remote drums playing to music long forgotten. He used to sit about in random places throughout the castle during the holidays, reading or playing. It had been a few years since he had been in the Entrance Hall when no one was up and about. He leaned against the wall, feeling its cold enter through his back, chilling him.
The sudden cold of the other day had maintained, deepening the chill throughout the castle. Sighing, Harry pushed away from the wall and waiting in silence. He did not have long to wait. Voices began to grow out of the Great Stairs leading into the room. They were vague and over-echoed at first, blurring anything he might have heard from it. Eventually, they formed into singular words and sentences.
"…Concerned…have…her to talk to … about it," came a female voice.
"I know," said a male voice, as distorted as the female one so that Harry could not distinguish it, "but … think…to let it… I trust…"
"Almost down…" another, more recognisable voice said. Harry thought it was George.
"Alright, another time," Fred said, his voice kind but not full of his usual laughter.
"Harry!" Hermione said, coming into view.
"Happy Birthday, Hermione," Harry said, hurrying over to the other three.
The twins stood on either side of her as they descended. Hermione beamed back at him, stepping down faster than the others to reach Harry. He pulled her into a hug, releasing after a moment, and pulling out a small package from his jacket.
"I hope you like it," Harry said, smiling.
"Oh, Harry!" she said, blushing. "You didn't have to-"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "You got me something," he said. "None of the other boys in the dorm understand why the little yellow face chases the ghosts around, but it is amazing."
"Fair enough," she said, tearing into the crudely wrapped present. "What is this?" she asked when she found a thin wooden box at the centre.
"Well," Harry said. "I thought about getting you a book, but seeing as your gift was a unique blend of the Muggle and magical, I thought I would do something as well. I got the idea at your house…"
Hermione opened the box which folded out into a hinged double mirror, small enough to carry when folded, but presenting a very clear reflection. She looked at it, smiled but had a confused expression. She didn't say anything for a moment, and Harry suspected she was struggling with what to say.
"Th-thank you, Harry," she said, "it is a very fine mirror."
"Wow," Fred said, "very creative there."
"Winning bonus points with Hermione on this one," George said, as both of them laughed.
"It's much more than that," Harry said, smirking at their misunderstanding. "Watch."
Harry took it in hand, tapping the top corners twice and saying, "Benevolent Excellent Society of Twinliness."
He smiled as the surface shimmered, and he could see the room in front of the mirror.
"So, it's a mirror and a window?" Fred asked.
"Useful…?" George asked.
"It's still in development," Harry said. "But I've got this much done, at least. Watch." He looked into the mirror and said, "Owlery."
The image faded and was replaced by one of the Owlery entrance. Harry could see the perches of owls in front of him, empty, but visible. He flicked a finger upwards and the view raised so he could look to the upper layers, rays of light streaming through the windows. Flicking a finger to the left turned the view that way.
He looked around and saw the shock on the faces of the others. They were staring at him and looking over at the mirror alternately.
"Harry," Hermione asked, her voice full of awe, "what exactly is this?"
"It's-" Harry said, "It's the start of the map. Our map. It can't find people yet, or anything, but it shows the whole castle, and I know it isn't perfect yet, but I thought that…"
Hermione pulled him into a rib crushing hug. "Thank you," she said, sounding almost tearful. "This is…amazing."
She took the gift back and began to play with it, looking at different places in the castle while the twins watched and suggested ideas. Harry just watched them, happy that she liked her incomplete gift so much. Hermione kept looking up at him between doing things on the map, and Harry felt his face grow red from embarrassment.
"Hey," he said after a while, "I think we need to do the initiation thing. Students will be getting up soon."
"Oh, yeah," Fred said, "you had us all a little distracted there for a bit, Harry."
"We should go out onto the grounds," George said.
"How do you turn off the map, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Just close it," Harry said. "It will revert to a mirror when you open it."
She closed it carefully, lovingly, and pocketed it in her large robe pocket. The four of them progressed out onto the school grounds, and followed the twins around to the side of the school, into a sheltered nook where no one would find them even if they were walking about the grounds.
The three of them stood around Hermione. She looked around at them a little nervously, but the smiles of the group relieved her face, and she smiled back. Fred stood in front and Harry and George on each side.
"We are here to initiate Hermione on the event of her birthday, into the B.E.S.T.," Fred said, smiling.
Hermione smiled.
"All members in favour?" George asked.
"Aye!" Harry, George and Fred cried.
"All opposed?" George asked.
Silence.
"Welcome, Hermione," Fred said. He held out his hand to Hermione and she took it, followed by George's and Harry's.
"Thank you," she said. "I promised to uphold the ways of the twins."
"Glad to hear it," Fred said, smiling. "Now, knowing you are a studious sort, we won't celebrate now. Our gift will wait until this evening, so you aren't so distracted you don't get any studying done at all today."
"Thanks," Hermione said, chuckling.
They made their way back to the Entrance Hall. Hermione pulled it out, admiring the fine woodwork.
"Where did you get the mirror, Harry?" she asked.
"Mr. Weasley helped me with that one," Harry said. "You know how he collects Muggle things. When I was thinking of making this, I asked if he had any mirrors, and he sent me this by owl post."
"Can I have a look?" Fred asked.
"Sure," Hermione said, handing it to the twin.
George stopped suddenly, looking over the grounds. "Hey, Hagrid!" he called down the way.
Harry and Hermione turned and waved to the rather large man coming down the path.
"Oi," Hagrid called, huffing as he caught up with them, "what're ye up to this early?"
"Oh, just wanted to wish Hermione a happy birthday outside in the wonderful morning air," George made up quickly. "Nothing like a reminder of the yearly renewal."
"Sure," Hermione said in a way that Harry knew wouldn't be convincing.
"On your way to breakfast, Hagrid?" Harry asked as the big man came up along side.
"Yeh," Hagrid said. He was about to say more, but there was a great crashing sound at the front step of the castle.
Harry turned with everyone else. Fred had apparently fallen over, dropping the mirror. It lay in a shattered pile beside him and, as they watched, the door to the Entrance Hall banged shut with a resounding boom.
George rushed over to the twin. "Fred, stop goofing around," he said, waving his wand at the mirror. "Reparo."
The mirror repaired itself, but Fred had not moved. The others arrived just after George, who had begun nudging Fred.
"Stop it," he said. "This isn't a funny one, Gred."
"What's wrong?" Harry asked as he came up.
"He's so stiff!" Hermione exclaimed, terrified.
"Let me through, you lot," Hagrid said, thundering up. He picked up Fred as easily as if he was air. "Some'ns wrong, it is," he added. "We need to get 'im to Madam Pomfrey!"
"Let's go!" Hermione cried.
Harry froze for a second, taking it all in. "Wait!" he exclaimed as they reached for the door.
"How do we know someone didn't do something to him through the open door?" Harry asked.
"We need to get him to Pomfrey, Harry!" Hermione said urgently.
"Yes, but we should at least check to make sure no one is waiting in there to attack us," Harry said. "He didn't fall over on his own. This is unnatural…a spell!"
"But how can we-?" Hermione asked.
Harry grabbed the mirror from the ground. "Let me check," he said. He approached the door, opening it a sliver. He stuck the mirror through and turned it in all directions to check. "No one in sight," he said. "Wands out, just in case."
He and Hermione pulled their wands out. "George?" Harry asked, looking back.
"F-Fred," George said, sounding stricken. His face was bloodless, and his eyes were unusually wide. "He-he wasn't joking. He- he wasn't…"
"George," Harry said, pulling the older student up. "We need to get Fred to help. Come on. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will let you stay with him."
"George," Hermione said, soothingly. "We'll get him fixed up. Madam Pomfrey can do anything."
Something in her voice seemed to bring him back. His look hardened, as serious as a Weasley twin can get. He pulled out his wand, and kicked open the door. He twitched his wand in every direction. "They're gone," he said.
"They?" Hermione asked.
"Could just one person take down Fred?" he growled.
No one answered. The three of them kept their wands out, pointing at every dark nook, jumping at every imagined sound as they made their way up through the castle. They found the hospital wing without running into anyone, and rushed with him in, closing the doors behind them.
"Madam Pomfrey!" Hagrid bellowed, drawing her out of the back room in an instant.
"Whatever is- Oh My!" she exclaimed, running over to them.
Hagrid set Fred down gingerly on the first bed. Madam Pomfrey looked over Fred quickly, waving her wand and touching him on the arm, forehead, and checking his chest. The others stood back, watching her at her efforts. George, Hermione, and Harry huddled together at the foot of his bed and Hagrid standing behind them like a wall. No one spoke, waiting.
She appeared to attempt a number of things, but each failed. She looked more worried and disappointed the more she tried, until she put down her wand, turning back to them with a helpless expression.
"I-I," she began, stopping to breathe.
"What's wrong?" George asked, his face a mask of horror. "What's wrong with Fred?"
"He's been petrified," she said, sighing sadly.