Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

In Pairs

Everything came out the next morning. Early in the morning. Before any healthy person was awake. I hadn't left Fred and George's dorm. Ron and friends did; shuffled out by my fellow trips while they made the second-years promise not to do anything or tell anyone unless they told them to. But it was unclear if making the golden trio promise was good enough to make them not react. I'm not sure how it happened. I don't remember. But I ended up in a pair of George's sleep clothes and cocooned in Fred's blankets on his bed. Fred and George moved quietly; getting ready themselves. They took turns going to the bathroom to brush their teeth; never leaving me alone for a moment. They whispered quiet words to each other as they changed clothes; too quiet for me to hear. A joint levitation spell made it easy when they decided to move George's bed next to Fred's. And then, even though it was too early to turn in, Fred and George laid down on either side of me and drew the curtains. There were no complaints about how I was hogging most of the covers. There was no digging for more information. No attempt at offering verbal reassurances. Instead, they were just there. Guarding my sides and holding vigilance.

I'm not sure when it happened. But after I could breathe again without fighting against a strain, I found sleep. It wasn't a good type of sleep. It was the type where you restlessly walk the edge between consciousness and slumber. Any small sound would pull me back to my current reality. It happened when Lee came in. And the other two no-name roommates; grumbling under their breathes about why we triplets were so weird. But it never took much to pull me back under. Sometimes it was the consistent sound of George inhaling and exhaling. Other times it was the feeling of Fred's hand on my hip; keeping me grounded. However; the sleep state wasn't better. Waiting for me were horrors where memories clashed with imagination.

My back was pressed against the cold dirt floor again. A person sat on top of me; pinning me down with a knee in the dirt on either side of me. I screamed and cried. "No, stop! Please! It's not too late! Please, someone, help me!" But no one heard. No one came. The only thing I could focus on was the gleam of a knife's blade looming over me. It was the same memory. The same nightmare as always. The stabbing would happen next. I'd gurgle and choke on my own blood. What was about to happen was inevitable. All I would focus on until I could claw my way back to consciousness would be knives and blood. Except this time, there were changes. Changes that made this less of a memory and more of a nightmare. It wasn't Jessie lying on the ground; begging for her life. And it wasn't her murderer pinning me down. Despite never remembering who it was who killed me, I knew that face staring down at me with a twisted expression and psychotic glint in their eyes wasn't the guilty party.

"You can't escape. You can't escape", the loon repeated like a mantra. The knife plunged downwards; jolting my body as it got buried up to its hilt in my being; somehow avoiding any bone. "You can't escape". Glossy, brown hair swished back and forth from my attacker's head as she pulled the knife out and repeated her actions. There was nothing I could do. "You can't escape. You're not better than me. Holly Weasley, you're not better than me!"

Jessie was on top of me. She held the knife. I was pinning myself down. I was killing myself. "Sorry", I muttered weakly as a warm gush of blood bubbled out of my mouth and stained my lips. "Sorry, but I have to try. For our sake, please. Let me try".

With a furious scream, Jessie plunged the knife again and again. Each time hurt less and less as things started to fade. The last thing I heard was, "you don't belong there".

Shooting up from the warmth and safety my brothers had wrapped me in, I clamped one hand over my mouth. It was completely dark. I had no idea what time it was, and I didn't care. Somehow, I managed to untangle my legs from the sheets and blankets. Acting on instinct, I scrambled over Fred. Not slowing; even when he mumbled drowsily, "Holly? What's going on?"

As soon as my feet hit the chilled floor of the fourth-year boys' dormitory, I was racing for their bathroom. My hand never leaving my mouth. At the nearest toilet, I dropped to my knees. Only then did I uncover my mouth. Gripping the porcelain bowl with both of my hands, I let out two heaving air bubbles before emptying the contents of my stomach into the toilet. A pause allowed for two new rounds of inhaling and exhaling; my shoulders rising and falling with the effort. And then, I did it again. Someone said the spell that turned on the lights. But I didn't notice until my hair was being pulled out of the way and held back. Someone else reached around me and flushed. I didn't have to ask who was in the bathroom with me. There were only two people at Hogwarts who would follow me into a boys' bathroom.

I heaved again. But there wasn't anything left to vomit. With shaky breaths, I sat back away from the toilet and nodded; signaling that I was done. "You haven't thrown up from a nightmare since we were four", Fred said from my left. He was the one who had flushed.

George smoothed down my hair; making sure none of it would end up in my face. "Do you think you need to see Pomfrey?" He asked. "It's about three o'clock in the morning. So, if you need to go to the hospital wing, we should probably get Percy or contact McGonagall to take us".

It's weird. I'm beyond tired and my hands are still a trembling mess, but it was like emptying my guts untied my tongue, and steeled my nerves in the process. That description is missing something, but I don't know how else to describe it. Everything just started coming out. "Riddle thinks I'm a Horcrux like him", I admitted, my voice hoarse. But at least it didn't sound panic-stricken anymore.

Fred and George passed a look over my head before saying together, "come again?"

Reaching up, I massaged my temples. The pressure I was feeling behind my skull was maddening. "In Snape's classroom", I started to explain. "Lockhart… er, Riddle told me he thought I was like him. A Horcrux. I think he got that impression from all the stuff I said; calling him Professor Riddle in class, and saying that I wanted to teach the dark arts". My mouth was dry and tasted awful. But I smacked my lips and kept going. "He's just a memory himself, so he only has the memories of you-know-who up until the diary Horcrux was made. We don't know how much he's learned from inhabiting Lockhart's body or from Lockhart himself. But I don't think he knows about the other Horcruxes. Not who they are or what they are". I stared at the bathroom tile as Fred and George fidgeted next to me. Was that everything that I needed to tell them? "Oh, and he said he can sense other Horcruxes. But not very well, because Lockhart's weak. Whatever he's sensing, I think he's confusing me with Harry, and he didn't seem to know about the third Horcrux in the castle".

The three of us sat on the bathroom floor in silence as everything I said sunk in. It was a lot to think about. The type of thoughts that changed plans and intentions. "Bloody hell", George groaned. "Jolly Holly, you're… you're an absolute nightmare".

Shivering, I wrapped my arms around myself and tilted my head in his direction. "I'm aware", I said softly; visions of Jessie killing Holly flashed before my eyes. "Sorry. I'm trying not to be".

Fred pulled our attention over to him. "The way you were crying…" He trailed off; shaking his head aggravatingly as he reframed what he wanted to say. "The way you couldn't answer us, we thought he… tried something with you". Fred glanced at the ground; refusing to look at me.

Oh… Well, that helped me understand why he seemed so uncomfortable. "Nothing like that happened", I assured. Even though it had felt similar to that type of advance. Maybe because Riddle was in a Professor's body… It was a feeling to explore at any rate. "But I think Snape got the same impression you two did. It definitely didn't look good".

George sighed heavily. "This is it, isn't it?" He asked. Like always, he was the fastest at recognizing what events meant for the big picture.

"Yeah", I agreed. Taking the time to look both of my fellow triplets in the eyes. "It's time to end this".


"Okay, new plan", Fred announced the next morning to the golden trip at breakfast. Ron and Hermione were sitting at one side of the table; looking startled at our sudden appearance. Harry was sitting across from them and had to twist his spine in order to see us. Ad we were a sight to see with black bags under our eyes. Fred clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder; making the smaller flinch under the contact. "Holly's hopeless and we can't leave her alone". Which was a statement that instantly had me scowling. I know we had to fill them in with some of our decisions, but he didn't have to introduce the new plan by making fun of me.

"Lockhart has a thing for Holly", George said; looking pained as soon as it came out of his mouth. With a light push on my shoulder, George gestured for me to take a seat next to Harry. With a roll of my eyes, I complied. Fred and George sat down on either side of us; making it easier to bend our heads together and talk more privately. "We're going to use that to find the diary and get it back".

"After that, we can work on getting rid of Lockhart", Fred added. "And then we can start on trying to destroy the diary again".

"But if Lockhart's possessed, he may not be aware what he's doing", Hermione argued.

This time though, I knew of to cut her off before she really got going. "Hermione", I spoke with earnest; peering at her with eyes that I know were watering. "I can't be in the castle with him any longer, please".

Hermione bit her lip. Her eyes became very invested in the tabletop as she thought on her talking points. But what she must have seen last night while I had my break down appeared to be enough to make her relent. A small nod was the only response we got that Hermione was on board.

"Until we're ready to move", Fred continued. "We all are going to stay in pairs. Me with George. Ron with Hermione, and Holly with Harry". I shot Fred a look. That wasn't apart of the plan. I mean, we had discussed me staying close to Harry just in case Lockhart/ Riddle figured out that I wasn't a Horcrux. If Harry, the actually Horcrux, and I stayed close we may be able to keep Lockhart/ Riddle believing in this ruse longer. And the more time we had the better. But that morning, when we had strategized on the bathroom floor, we hadn't made the Harry-Holly pair an official part of the plan.

Ron scrunched up his nose. "How would that work? They're in different years and we have classes". Yes, a good point Ron. We do have classes and the Professors weren't about to let me sit in with the second-years or a second-year attend lessons with the fourth-years. I eyed Fred and George distrustfully. Identical, almost manic, grins grew on their faces.

"Oh, don't worry", George said.

"We already worked that out", Fred finished. My left eye started to twitch. Whatever they were doing, I have a pretty strong hunch that I wasn't going to like it.

"How?" Hermione asked.

Instead of answering her, George turned towards me. "Holly, can you put your right hand, palm up on the table please?"

"No", was my immediate response.

My refusal did nothing to dampen the width of their grins. "Why not?" Fred asked. "It's not going to hurt. Promise. Don't you trust us?"

The second answer came just as easily as the first. "No".

Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione were glancing back and forth from George to me to Fred like they were spectating a three-man game of four square. Poor Harry, caught in the middle of all this, kept adjusting his glasses. Like he was trying to decide whose side he should choose.

George placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me, Holls. Don't you know that we have your best interests at heart?"

I glared. "Which is something people only say when they have alternative motives". I pointed out. After spending a whole childhood with them, I knew when all signs pointed to bad news. The biggest sign being them deviating from the plan we had come up with together. This was the impenetrable hats all over again.

Before Fred or George could retort. Harry piped up. "Is whatever you're going to do going to help?" He asked slowly. "Help stop people from getting petrified? Or stop Lockhart?"

Fred nodded as George answered, "Yeah, in the long run. Mostly, it'll prevent Holly from doing something stupid".

Clicking my teeth, I turned towards Harry. "Kid, no", I said with a shake of my head. Harry leaned his head back so he could look at me through his glasses. "When these two nitwits ask you to do anything your response should be to run for the hills. Not volunteer". Seriously, I'm speaking from experience.

But Harry, being Harry, took his time as he studied my face and the faces of Fred and George. Until he asked, "What do you need me to do?"

I bowed my head and let out a long exhale through my nose as Fred clapped his hand on Harry's shoulder again. Looks like Harry's about to learn the hard way. "That-a-boy, Harry", Fred said with more energy than he had at three o'clock this morning. Git. "We knew you'd step up. Just place your left hand on the table. Palm facing up". Harry moved his breakfast plate out of the way and did just as Fred said. Fred beamed at the second-year as he leaned over him to roll Harry's sleeve up to his forearm.

"Okay", said George; scooting closer to me. "Now Holly's going to put her hand on top of Harry's," George said as he pulled out his wand.

I didn't even blink. "No way in hell".

"Aw," Fred whined. "Come on, Jolly Holly. Play along".

"Not happening".

"Um", Hermione said; drawing our attention towards her. Or, at least, my attention. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

But neither Fred nor George answered her. They took her question as a distraction. Fred reached around Harry and grabbed my right arm. I jerked away; trying to wrestle myself free. But Fred was strong and with George sitting next to me, there was nowhere for me to go. "Let go", I demanded; saying it loud enough that our housemates and even some student for the nearby table turned their heads in our direction.

"Don't be like that, Holls", George said good-naturedly as he pushed me into Harry and closer to Fred. Half a second later, Fred managed to pull my arm on top of Harry's. But not before making sure my robe sleeve had been rolled up too. Fred's hand kept my arm pressed against Harry's. A second later George had the tip of his wand pointed at our touching skin. "Epoximise", he spoke the incantation. This spell emitted no light, but I knew it worked when my skin that was in contact with Harry's started to tingle.

Fred removed his hand from my arm and I tried to pull away but took Harry's arm with me. Our skin had stuck together; so adhesive that our skin might as well have been fused together. "Damn it, you guys!" I complained as I studied Harry's and my joined arms. Was there a counterspell to this? The spell they used wasn't something I remember learning in class. But there had to be a counter, right? This wasn't like the permanent sticking charm. Fred and George have creative ways to solving their problems, but they wouldn't do something to me that would be a lifelong burden… I think. Though, I suppose Harry and I could always just sever our skin and get Madam Pomfrey to heal us.

Fred wagged a finger at me. "You can't swear today, Holly".

"Not when you have a second-year attached to your hip. Or arm in this case", George continued. "What would Mum say?" With cautious fingers, Harry poked at our joined flesh. I bet this was just as disconcerting as losing all the bones in your arm.

"Besides", Fred said quickly, before I could tell them exactly what Mum would say about this predicament. "This way none of the teachers can break you too up. You're stuck together".

Ron was watching us with his mouth hanging up. "I think this is going too far", Hermione said.

But Fred and George acted like hadn't said anything. "I think it's time we got to class, Fred", George said as he pocketed his wand and stood up.

"Right you are, George", Fred said as he too stood up. They stepped over the long bench at Gryffindor table, all the while grinning like the cats that caught the canary. I shook my head at them. Clearly, they had gotten overconfident after their success with the hair dye incident.

"Have fun with the second-years, Holly", George said as he and Fred started backing away.

"And don't worry about Pucey", Fred added. "We'll fill him in". And the gits turned tail and ran out of the great hall.

My eyes narrowed the longer I watched their fleeing backs. "I'm going to kill them", I stated. Although, no one, including myself, believed me.