There wasn't time on the train or at the sorting feast for Harry to realize what was going on around him, but the trip back to the Gryffindor Common Room made it quickly apparent. Whispering, whispering everywhere. Every student that passes them was whispering about Harry. Harry was insane. He'd gone mad in the Maze. Didn't he know he'd killed Voldemort when he was a baby? It wasn't until they were fully in the common room that shit really hit the fan. And that was in the form of Seamus Finnigan.
"Me mam wasn't gonna let me come back to Hogwarts because of ya!" Seamus shouted at Harry, catching everyone's attention. "Everyone thinks yer crazy!"
"I'm not- Why would you say that?" Harry asked, confused.
"It's in the Daily Prophet, Harry. The Ministry says that You Know Who can't be back. He's dead." Katie Bell gave Harry a 'duh' look.
"It's like you've been living under a rock." Cormac McLaggan laughed, turning away from his latest attempts at conquest, Angelina Johnson.
"Yer insane Harry! I can't believe I have to live with you for the next three years!" Seamus shouted again.
"Shut up, Seamus." Ron threatened.
"For once, just, don't talk," Neville said wearily.
"Harry, he's right," Dean said slowly. "You do sound a bit crazy. I mean, Mum didn't want me to come back and live with you either."
"Dean, close your mouth," Ginny suggested.
"Yeah, and the rest of you get out of here." Fred turned on the rest of the Gryffindors.
"And stop being creepy, McLaggen. No girl in their right mind would get with you." George said with a roll of his eyes.
"Yeah, your dimples and that six pack aren't worth your personality." Angelina huffed, shoving the kid out of her way leading Lee up the stair to the seventh year boys dorms.
"Shit, Gred. We're stuck down here for the rest of the night."
"Well, we might as well set up business," Fred smirked. George complained as they watched their friends disappear.
"Guess that gives us the perfect opportunity to set up shop," Fred smirked.
"Oi, Freddy, let's wait until Granger goes to bed." George murmured, trying not to catch the girl's attention.
"Hey, George, do you think you could help me sort my Quidditch gear before Angie has the first practice?" Katie Bell asked, interrupting the twins.
"Yeah, I could do that," George replied, looking a bit flustered.
"But, George, you're supposed to help me with my Quidditch gear." Alicia pouted.
"Uh…." George was confused, not used to being the center of both girls' attention. Especially at the same time.
"Ladies, Georgie can help both of you at the same time. It's all chaser gear and he'd be more than happy to lend a hand." Fred smirked, pushing the trio into a corner of the common room.
"Fred, can you help me with this transfiguration?" Hermione asked, calling Fred's attention away from his twin.
"Sure." Fred agreed before he kicked Ginny off of one of the couches.
"Oi!" Ginny shouted, outraged. "Why'd you do that? Couldn't you have sat on that empty couch over there?"
"Two things, Ginny." Fred chuckled as he pulled a blushing Hermione down next to him. "One, couches are for 5th years and up. Two, this couch is closer to the fire, therefore it's better. If you're going to ignore rule number one, use one of the undesirable areas."
"I should bat bogey you right here." Ginny threatened with narrowed eyes.
"Ginny, you're mad because you know it's true." Hermione smiled a bit. "Besides, Fred would be more than happy to go to the kitchens and sneak you a snack for your sacrifice. But not tonight. Tomorrow, perhaps."
"It had better be chocolate smothered in more chocolate, do you understand me?" Ginny glared at Fred.
"Or what?" Fred challenged, wrapping his arm around Hermione.
"Or I'll put bubotuber powder in your pants drawer," Ginny replied. "Months from now, so you won't be expecting it. I learned how to hold a grudge from you two, you know."
"Chocolate smothered in chocolate. Got it." Fred agreed, as she walked out of the common room. Then he turned his attention back to Hermione, silently dismissing his sister. "Now what was this Charms thing you had a question about?"
"If it's all the same to any of you wankers," Harry bit out. "I'll just see myself to my dorm and not bother any of you tonight."
"Oh, Harry, you can't possibly believe Seamus, can you?" Hermione said with a slight roll of her eyes.
"Yeah, I do." Harry glared at the witch. "This might come as a shock to you, but I don't need you explain every little detail for me to understand what's going on. I have ears, I can hear all the whispering. And this time, it's not some giant ass snake trying to petrify half the student body."
"Harry, I didn't mean it like that." Hermione tried to defend herself.
"Sure you didn't. You never do. You're perfect. Perfect prefect Granger. You never mean anything." Harry bit out.
"Go upstairs and cool off. I'll keep Dean and Seamus away for a while." Ron suggested, seeing Fred's ears get red- a sure sign that someone was getting pranks soon.
"Stay out of it, Ron. I can fight my own battles." Harry snapped, mood worsening before he huffed his way up the stairs.
His crowd of friends watched him go before Hermione said, "I know he's had a stressful summer, and watching Cedric die isn't helping, but if he doesn't pull his head out of his arse soon, I'll do it for him."
September 4, 1995
Fred and George had both passed their Defense OWL, so they shared that class. 7th year Gryffindors had Defense Against the Dark Arts first thing Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with the 7th year Ravenclaws. They had assumed it was cosmic justice for all the pranks they'd played throughout their years. They were soon to figure out they were wrong.
"Hem, hem," the toady woman at the front of the class coughed. "I don't see your spellbooks. Wherever have you left them?"
"This is NEWTs level, ma'am." Angelina Johnson informed her politely. "Traditionally, NEWTs Defense doesn't require the book for classroom instruction. We do practical application in class and theoretical studies outside of class."
"Yeah." Alicia Spinnet agreed. "Even Moody used that teaching format. And he was a Death Eater in disguise."
"Oh dear." Umbridge signed. "This is the kind of behavior we'll have to overcome this year. You see, children, Minister Fudge and I were discussing the things over the summer. Many of you were exposed to young Mr. Potter and his atrocious lies. It seems we have some work to do."
Then, horror of horrors, she started passing out Standard Book of Spells: Grade 1.
"There must be some issue," Fred commented.
"Oh, and what is that, dear?" Umbridge asked in that sickly sweet tone adults use on babies.
"This book. Quite frankly, Professor, we haven't been in this book since before Hogwarts." George answered. Umbridge's eyes flitted between them for several seconds before she pulled out her wand and aimed it at Fred's head. Fred, being a veteran Weasley, whipped his wand out and blocked whatever spell she sent his way.
"That was completely uncalled for, Mr. Weasley!" She shouted, her face a bright pink where her spell rebounded.
"What the hell hex did you just shoot at me?" Fred asked in panicked outrage.
"You just attacked a teacher!" Umbridge shouted, ignoring Fred's outburst.
"No! I protected myself from whatever hex you used! The last time a student didn't protect themselves from a hex by a teacher, Crouch Jr. turned Malfoy into a ferret!" Fred screamed.
"Detention, I think, for both Weasley twins." Umbridge finally regained control of herself.
"Oi! What did I do, then?" George asked, outraged as well.
"I want to be sure I punished the right twin," Umbridge informed him.
"Yeah right." George huffed. "Like I would serve his detention."
Whispers followed Harry all the way to the Great Hall for lunch on Monday. At the doors, however, the whispers turned to the latest bit of gossip.
"What do you mean that woman tried to Crucio Fred in DADA?" Hermione screeched.
"Relax, Mione, she didn't try to Crucio me." Fred came up behind her and gave her a hug. "She tried to tag me. Can't tell us apart."
"It's not that hard." Hermione sniffed primly. "You've got the darker blue eyes."
"Not everyone can tell that right away." Ginny laughed. "C'mon, let's go eat."
They walked down to where Harry and Ron were already eating. Harry was attacking his food with vigor.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Ginny asked, concerned.
"This wanker," Ron huffed. "Is pissed that the whole school is now talking about Fred instead of him."
"Weren't you just upset last night when everyone was talking about you?" Hermione asked, piling food on her plate.
"Yeah, but now they're all talking about a Defense professor hurling hexes at students." Harry continued to pulverize his shepherd's pie. "That's so last year."
"It's a little more in your face when it's you." Fred objected.
"Yeah, but at least you were able to get your shield up first." Harry glared over the top of his glasses.
"You did?" Hermione asked, pride glowing in her eyes.
"'Course." Fred scoffed.
"Yeah," George snickered. "'Bout shit his pants doing it."
"So did you." Lee Jordan laughed, sitting down with the twins. "Should have seen both your faces. Sorry about the detentions, though."
"A...a professor hexed you…. And you're the ones being punished? How!? Why?!" Hermione rages, glaring at Fred.
"Because, Luv, life's not fair. Especially when you don't agree with the Ministry." Fred explained.
"But… but… but…. Doesn't anyone care that you were hexed by a teacher?" Hermione asked, confused.
Before anyone could respond, a fourth year Hufflepuff came and tapped Ginny on the shoulder. "Yes," she said and walked away. Ginny smiled to herself, grabbing a piece of cornbread and left the table.
"What was that about?" Neville asked, watching the scene unfold.
"Doesn't matter. Now, now back to my question." Hermione dismissed.
"Hermione, no one particularly cared that Draco was turned into a ferret last year. A ferret. That's not his animagus, so it would have been painful. And no one- other than Minnie- cared. No one did anything." Fred explained patiently.
"Why didn't Mrs. Snape do anything?" Hermione asked.
"Because she wasn't informed for months about the situation. By the time she knew what had happened, she couldn't say anything. Otherwise, she looks like the neglectful parent who didn't think to ask." Fred continued patiently.
"Will you owl your mum?" Hermione asked, squeezing Fred's hand.
"She'll think that's what was supposed to happen. It was Defense." Fred shrugged.
"So, this horrid woman is going to get away with this. And no one will do anything because teachers, in general, are trustworthy?" Hermione asked.
"It's more like, she'll get away with it because she works for the Ministry, and detractors of the Ministry have been known to lose their jobs," George grumbled.
"So, financial blackmail to keep families in line. That's immoral!" Hermione screeched.
"That's life, Mione." Fred shook his head.
Gabs: Yay! Another chapter so quickly! With us popping these out so fast, we probably won't be sending teasers out for a while. But do feel free to PM us. We'll try not to be too cryptic when we answer.
Kat: Happy 1 year anniversary to our story! Last week marked one year ago we started this! We want to thank everyone who has, read, reviewed, followed, favorited our story. When we decided to write this story we were in a corn field and never thought it would have this big of a following! Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
Gabs: Yes, thank you so much. We own nothing.
XOXO
Gabs & Kat
