"Our task," Severus Snape said clearly, "is to avoid Harry James Potter, the so-called Boy Who Lived, from controlling Britain."

Percy's eyes widened, and then he nodded. There was a reason Snape had chosen this particular Gryffindor, after all. He'd seen the prudence in keeping his options to himself.

"The Hufflepuff Potter?" Roger Davies said.

Before he could say anything more, Percy cut in, stiffly, "You don't waste time, do you?"

"No, I most certainly do not." Snape said. "At this point, Potter may not even consciously aspire to being a Dark Lord."

Roger Davies was nodding, asking, "How do we control an ambition that has yet to even form?"

Snape smiled, tapping his fingers together, "By distraction, where possible." Snape stood, leaning deceptively forward onto the table, and looking out the door, "Join us." His tone brooked no opposition.

And, truth be told, the Weasley Twins didn't want to. "You are two paired agents of chaos, are you not?" Snape said, his mouth curling into what on someone else might have been a smile, but on him was really a smirk.

"Oh, you flatter us!" One twin said.

"Really, I hadn't guessed you -" The other said,

"Thought so highly of us." the first said again.

Snape knew which was which, of course, but he declined to play into their "switching games."

Percy loudly thumped both hands over his eyes. "Eavesdropping, again?"

"Don't complain so, dear brother."

"You'll dislodge the stick planted up your-"

"Children." Snape cut in. "Are you hear to help, or do you really think your brother will prevent me from removing your memory of today?" Snape wouldn't remove any more than absolutely necessary. However, they'd both figured this out significantly earlier in the day. Snape had gambled that their involvement would pay dividends.

"Aid we'll offer," One said.

"In exchange," the other said.

"We need some advice." the first said again.

"If you rapscallions stopped goofing about and set to work in any number of fields, including Potions, you could have a fine career." Snape said drolly, in a voice as dry as the Sahara.

"Not advice on us in general!" the first said, scandalized.

"Particularly not when it's so obvious."

Snape knew a cue when he saw one, and he snorted out an eyeroll.

"Advice on our joke products!"

Snape considered, slowly, tapping his fingers in sequence on the table. Still leaning forward, he nodded briefly. "Advice will be given in private, and if you - any of you- so much as breathe a word of this conversation, you will wish yourselves dead by the time I'm done."

The twins were exchanging worried looks, wide-eyed.

Snape turned to the Weasleys, in general, and said, "And then I'll pass your twitching remains to your mother."

That put a hasty end to any treachery, or at least so Snape hoped.

"What, though, are we doing?" Roger asked.

"Enchantment, of the more mental sort." Snape said. "I cannot predict what will fascinate the young Potter, but we should find something... preferably academic, but if mischief and mayhem can wean him from the need to control..." Snape sat down, calmly, "We cannot miss this opportunity."

Roger, Percy and Snape began to discuss various ideas to capture the Potter's imagination. The twins, freed from the need to discuss, began to plot their own avenues of distraction.

Prank War Incoming!

[a/n: Snape wasn't sure if the twins were going to waltz in at the beginning or not. Leave a review, if you please.

This is about where I confess that this story is going on hiatus. I have many stories that I'm writing right now, and I don't want to give any of them short shrift. This one is moving into a Cold War situation, and that's a complex story to write, even when Harry doesn't know what's going on. Perhaps particularly so.

I'm moved, today, to recommend three of my stories: Nobody Ever Asked My Birthday, The Floating World, and Safe Enough to Scream.

If your heart is set on me continuing this particular story NOW (despite the fact that it's likely to be less amusing in the future), please write a review. If I am inspired enough, I shall write more (and remove this note.)]