"Right then, let's get settled down, shall we? I dare say we might be here for some time what with the current circumstance and everything," Dumbledore spoke as he conjured a tea tray, and some sandwiches since most of the room's occupants had missed lunch. Once everyone who wanted something had eaten, he vanished the china and continued talking.
"I will first share what I know of the situation, and we will then go in a clockwise motion, so everyone's up to date on events." He looked around the circle, seeing everyone nodding their heads in agreement, he continued; "Splendid, so this morning classes had started, and I had a little wonder around the school. I often do this at this time of year to help lost first years and ensure everything is as it should be. As I was wondering around the fourth floor, I heard a crash and the smashing of glass, speeding up I turned the corner and was met with blinding white light. Once the light cleared, I saw Mr George Weasley and at his feet were Miss Granger and his twin, unconscious, child size and covered in an unknown substance. Assuming that the substance was the cause of their de-ageing I cleared it with my wand and then levitated the two to the hospital wing. then Poppy's instructed, that I contact Severus to get him back to the Castle as quickly as possible. I sent him a Patronus and went to meet him in the entrance hall, so I could brief him on the situation. Severus had just arrived when we heard the chaos happening up here, so we came to see what was happening. Professor Dumbledore gestured for George to speak once he had finished.
George cleared his throat nervously before starting. "Right, I suppose it's my turn then. Last night Freddie and me, we well we decided that we were going to get into the tournament you see so we snuck out of the common room to our secret lair."
"You're what Weasley?" McGonagall interrupted with a scowl on her face.
"Relax Minerva the twins have been using one of the old teacher's quarters as a lab for their products, with my permission," Dumbledore said.
"You knew Sir?" George asked shocked.
"Of course, I did, as headmaster, it is my job to know everything that goes on in this school. I never saw a reason to stop you and your twin, your smart boys who have been working hard to accomplish your dream job. You never once harmed, humiliated or were malicious to anyone; you both only sought out amusement and to put smiles on people's faces. Why would I stop that?"
Giving a smile of gratitude to the Headmaster George continued.
"As I was saying we went to the lair so that we could brew an ageing potion so we could enter into the tournament. We stayed up all night working on it and at last we finished it this morning. We were just on our way out of the tapestry that leads to our lair when Fred stepped right into the path of Hermione who looked like she had been dragged through brambles backwards. It happened so slowly, Fred fell forward, Hermione's eyes bulged, and everything smashed. I was blinded by a white light, then Dumbledore was there, he cleared everything up and took them to the hospital wing where I waited for three hours for them to wake up."
"What happened when they woke up?" Ron asked him.
"Fred was fine until he asked my name, and I should have said a distant relative, I wasn't thinking, but the name George along with my appearance made him lose it. He thought I had stolen his brother's identity and he demanded to know what I'd done to the real George. Hermione had been hiding since she'd seen a magic mop, but when Fred nicked my wand and bound Pomfrey and I as hostages, Hermione decided to get payback for kidnaping her with a fish she managed to conjure up with accidental magic. Fred caused the most damage with the wand, but Hermione went mental, the more upset she became the more terrifying she became. She had no control of her magic and it ripped out of her attacking us and the room with blasts energy. When Ron and Harry arrived, they froze and took out Fred, then Hermione launched herself across the room and physically attacked Harry. Ron got her off and bound her just before everyone else came in," George received many horrified looks as he finished explaining what had happened.
"I'm next then" said Madam Pomfrey, shaking slightly at the thought of the afternoon. "Account matches up with that of Albus and Mr Weasley, so I won't repeat all that they have said. I will however give a medical view of what has happened. Earlier this afternoon I analysed a sample of the created potion as well as a sample of each of their blood. I determined that The Aging Potion that The Twins made has mixed with the ingredients in Miss Granger's potions kit. The standard ingredients for her year group when mixed create a Memory Draft that is designed to restore the memories of those who have been obliviated. The problem is that Miss Granger had the following ingredients that weren't on her school list in her potions kit; Dragons Blood, Unicorn Horn, Acromantula Venom and a Bezoar." Snape gasped.
"It's a wonder they didn't get killed," he sneered.
"I think that the Aging Potion and Memory Draft alone would have worked as intended or they may have gained the memories of themselves at the age they became but add into the mix the Unicorn Horn, and you are purifying them as this could react with the Aging and Memory potions and reverse their effects to the point when they were purest in both mind and body." Pomfrey continued.
"So that's why they are five it's when they were most pure?" Harry asked.
"I believe so yes. One of the 12 uses of Dragons Blood is that it strengthens any potions it has contact with so, in this case, it would increase the effects of the Unicorn Horn, overthrowing the original effects of the Memory and Aging Potions. I don't think that the Acromantula Venom or the Bezoar affected the potion, but they were effective on their own anyway. The poison that is in the Venom would have killed them. It is lucky that Miss Granger carried the Bezoar in her potions kit, as that counteracted the effects of the poison saving their lives. Of course, this is only my opinion and I will require you Severus to analyse it for me." She directed this last bit to the potions master sitting across from her. At his nod of acceptance, she continued.
"I ran a diagnostic on the two of them and as far as I can see there is nothing wrong with them, they are perfectly healthy five-year-olds. As we saw when they awoke, they only have the memories to this age and anything beyond that is either gone or suppressed. I would have done more tests or even attempted to use antidotes, but it is too risky with the current ingredients running through their bodies. A slight chemical imbalance could prove fatal especially at their current size, so before we do anything, we will have to wait for the potion to leave their system, this could take days, weeks or even months." At the end of her speech, everyone had grim expressions on their faces.
"I don't see the point in telling my side of the story as both Ron and George have said it but to recap¸ Hermione was missing we hadn't seen her all day. After searching the castle, Ron said to check the map. The map is the Marauders Map, given to me last year by the twins who had stolen it from Filch in their first year. Lupin took it off me last year to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, when he left, he returned it to me and informed me that it had belonged to him, Sirius, and my Father and that it felt right to leave it with the next generation. The map shows who and where everybody is within school grounds. It showed that Hermione, the twins, and Madam Pomfrey were in the Hospital Wing so we rushed here because it must be serious for Hermione to miss the first day of classes. When we entered the ward, it was like a war zone, George and Pomfrey were tied to chairs looking unrecognisable and Fred, and Hermione were armed with a fish and a wand. We stunned and bound Fred, and then Hermione attacked me and bit off half my ear, Ron got her off me and took her down, and then everyone else arrived." Harry said.
"I agree with what I said before and with what Harry just said." Ron told the room his eyes never leaving the door which led to where his brother and best friend lay bound to two hospital beds.
"I was only informed of the situation concerning two of my Gryffindor's when I bumped into Albus before Lunch, so I don't have much to say on the matter. Mr Potter normally an object that could cause trouble would be confiscated, but as it is a family heirloom, I am going to allow you to keep it. With the amount of trouble, you get into I'd like you to know if there is danger around the corner. As for you Mr Weasley an ageing potion would not have worked on the age line around the goblet, and I can only assume that you and your brother were entering the competition for the prize fund so you could set up your business. As Dumbledore said, your smart boys and I saw what you did for your OWL'S. You took six subjects and you each got Three O's as your only grades. Might I suggest that you retake your OWL's this year and pass your NEWT'S next year? In the meantime, I know a few teachers; I included who wouldn't mind an apprentice. You like challenges, you'd be paid, and at the end of it, you could have masters in potions, transfiguration, herbology, charms. It will make it easier for the two of you to get permits if you want to handle rare ingredients." McGonagall said with a rare smile on her face.
"Thank you, Professor," both Harry and George coursed together once she had finished.
"However very touching this blatant disregard of the rules is Minerva, I'm afraid it's your other cubs that need help. Today I was called away from gathering a rather rare herb that can only be collected the day after a comet sores across a blue moon. Luckily, I collected enough of it for the potion I need it for. However, on the matter of your two de-aged cubs. Poppy's diagnostic and examination of the potion sounds right to me but before I create a counter-potion I'd like to test it myself, so Poppy the potion if you will." Snape said this with his voice a low snarl, Poppy hurried to hand him a vile of the potion and once in hand Snape stood and glided out of the room silently.
"Right as it seems that it might take a while for Mr Weasley and Miss Granger to come back round from the stunning, might I suggest that you teenagers return to your common room and inform Miss Weasley of the situation while I inform their parents of the current situation. I dare say they are best to stay here within the castle until they re-age. The ageing of their families and any changes at home might scare them." The teens nodded.
"Yes, its best they stay here, we should wait for them to wake and calm down and then explain to them that they have been chosen to come to Hogwarts to see what it's like. they will love it and we will have to tell the whole school to play along, they can watch the tournament and live in Gryffindor tower." Dumbledore said with a mad smile. With all this decided, everyone went their separate ways, leaving Madam Pomfrey to watch the sleeping terrors.