Puzzle Pieces – Chapter 9
Molly proved a worth confidant. She was kind, empathetic and full of experience.
"Charlie's like his father, dear. Full of that fierce passion that doesn't let go. Once he sets his mind, he won't stop until he's accomplished his mission. Am I right?" Molly smirked mischieviously.
Hermione could do nothing but blush hotly and stammer, "I... ... ...Uh... ... ...Well... ... ...I... ... ..." She managed to get out a weak, "I don't remember," before the twins came tumbling down the stairs.
Hermione sighed in relief and Molly screetched with laughter at the sight of her sons.
The twins poured themselves into the living room, all tangled together and hopelessly joined by their hind ends. George's legs were as long as Fred was tall and Fred's arms drug uselessly behind him, nearly as long as George's legs. Neither of them could move effectively, but it didn't seem to affect their dispositions.
"Brilliant hexes, Hermione!" George gushed. "Right-O! Will you teach us sometime?" Fred agreed.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Have you two learned nothing from this?"
"Sure we have! Haven't we George?" "'course luv! Test cases should always be those who cannot retaliate!" The twins laughed gregariously which made them lose their balance and tumble to a heap on the floor.
Hermione narrowed her eyes and reached for her wand.
The twins sobered immediately and pleaded with her to show mercy. "Look, Hermione," Fred began. "We're sorry, really we are. The potion is really just meant to be a mild inhibition suppressant. We thought it would be harmless, truly."
George chimed in. "It was never our intention for you to go out and shag Charlie." Hermione's fingers tightened around her wand, but George continued quickly, "and we feel terrible that everything's been so painful for you. It wasn't supposed to rob you of your memories and we'll never use it on an unknowing person again, promise. Please forgive us." At this the twins both made impossible puppy dog eyes at her and her face melted into a reluctant smile.
"Forgiven. But be careful of what you're giving people in the future. Agreed?"
The twins nodded. With a whip of her wand, the hexes were lifted and all limbs and arses were returned to normal.
Hermione turned to head for the kitchen when Fred grabbed her by the wrist and kept her put.
"Two more things," he said quietly. "First, and this is partially in our defense, whatever else that potion did, it could not have, under any circumstances, manufactured feelings between you and Charlie. It just didn't have the ingredients. Whatever happened between you and Charlie last night, happened because you both wanted it to."
Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but George cut her off.
"And second," he said. "We want you to have this." He held u a small pouch full of blueish powder. "We can't force you to take it. All we can do is tell you how it works and how to use it."
Hermione took the pouch and nodded warily. George continued. "Stir it into a cup of strong tea before you go to bed tonight. Drink all of it... ... ...every drop and put the dregs and tea leaves back in this pouch and place it under your pillow as you sleep."
Hermione looked confused. Fred took over.
"Your memories will return to you, in the form of dreams. But be warned, Hermione, they'll be very vivid. They'll seem almost real. Don't be surprised at the feelings that may surface as a result. Understand?"
Hermione nodded soberly. "Thank you," she said, tucking the pouch into her robe. "C'mon, let's eat. Dinner smells great and I have it on good authority that your Mum made scuttleberry pie."
"Brilliant!" the twins chorused.
Molly proved a worth confidant. She was kind, empathetic and full of experience.
"Charlie's like his father, dear. Full of that fierce passion that doesn't let go. Once he sets his mind, he won't stop until he's accomplished his mission. Am I right?" Molly smirked mischieviously.
Hermione could do nothing but blush hotly and stammer, "I... ... ...Uh... ... ...Well... ... ...I... ... ..." She managed to get out a weak, "I don't remember," before the twins came tumbling down the stairs.
Hermione sighed in relief and Molly screetched with laughter at the sight of her sons.
The twins poured themselves into the living room, all tangled together and hopelessly joined by their hind ends. George's legs were as long as Fred was tall and Fred's arms drug uselessly behind him, nearly as long as George's legs. Neither of them could move effectively, but it didn't seem to affect their dispositions.
"Brilliant hexes, Hermione!" George gushed. "Right-O! Will you teach us sometime?" Fred agreed.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Have you two learned nothing from this?"
"Sure we have! Haven't we George?" "'course luv! Test cases should always be those who cannot retaliate!" The twins laughed gregariously which made them lose their balance and tumble to a heap on the floor.
Hermione narrowed her eyes and reached for her wand.
The twins sobered immediately and pleaded with her to show mercy. "Look, Hermione," Fred began. "We're sorry, really we are. The potion is really just meant to be a mild inhibition suppressant. We thought it would be harmless, truly."
George chimed in. "It was never our intention for you to go out and shag Charlie." Hermione's fingers tightened around her wand, but George continued quickly, "and we feel terrible that everything's been so painful for you. It wasn't supposed to rob you of your memories and we'll never use it on an unknowing person again, promise. Please forgive us." At this the twins both made impossible puppy dog eyes at her and her face melted into a reluctant smile.
"Forgiven. But be careful of what you're giving people in the future. Agreed?"
The twins nodded. With a whip of her wand, the hexes were lifted and all limbs and arses were returned to normal.
Hermione turned to head for the kitchen when Fred grabbed her by the wrist and kept her put.
"Two more things," he said quietly. "First, and this is partially in our defense, whatever else that potion did, it could not have, under any circumstances, manufactured feelings between you and Charlie. It just didn't have the ingredients. Whatever happened between you and Charlie last night, happened because you both wanted it to."
Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but George cut her off.
"And second," he said. "We want you to have this." He held u a small pouch full of blueish powder. "We can't force you to take it. All we can do is tell you how it works and how to use it."
Hermione took the pouch and nodded warily. George continued. "Stir it into a cup of strong tea before you go to bed tonight. Drink all of it... ... ...every drop and put the dregs and tea leaves back in this pouch and place it under your pillow as you sleep."
Hermione looked confused. Fred took over.
"Your memories will return to you, in the form of dreams. But be warned, Hermione, they'll be very vivid. They'll seem almost real. Don't be surprised at the feelings that may surface as a result. Understand?"
Hermione nodded soberly. "Thank you," she said, tucking the pouch into her robe. "C'mon, let's eat. Dinner smells great and I have it on good authority that your Mum made scuttleberry pie."
"Brilliant!" the twins chorused.