A/N: Just to let you know, I'm not planning any big problem or conflict with the unlocked door, that's just an example of how careless Oliver gets when his mind's on Quidditch. Sorry if that was misleading, as this chapter begins directly on the train to Hogwarts. Ok, hope you like it!

Otherwise Known as Fate

Chapter Two- Observation, Damnation, and Two Aggravating Redheads

"Oliver, that's great! Now you can annoy Percy for us."

"It's like having our own personal spy..."

"Nay, double agent!"

"Sigh. Our own double agent..."

"Just think of all the blackmailing opportunities!"

"Oh, what fun." Oliver dully deadpanned. Fred and George hardly took notice.

"Oh, come on, Oliver, there'll still be time for Quidditch, if that's what you're worried about."

"Yeah, you'll only be blackmailing and pranking part-time."

"Right. Percy's not that hard to blackmail, when you think about it."

"Yeah, anyone could read him like an open book. Think of how much fun it'll be!"

"I'm sure it will be." Oliver wasn't really listening. He had stopped altogether after a half hour of this nonsense. He wearily leaned his head against the cool glass of the train window, the dark skies blocking out the light, almost obscuring the landscape entirely. He was starting to regret telling the twins, who were now animatedly planning Oliver's first 'mission', about taking an extra class. Well, that part was alright to tell them, but telling them that it was Muggle Studies in particular that he had decided to take (figuring it was the easiest) was a big mistake. As it turns out, their older brother Percy was in the class, and they had been looking for new ways to humiliate and possibly injure him since he had been such a prat about becoming Head Boy. That, they said, was where Oliver came in.

Oh Gods.

Oliver sighed. It could get dangerous, being a friend to Fred and George. One minute you could be having a perfectly normal rant on the lack of academic mercy in the school, and the next you could be a pawn in their happy little game of pranks. Literally, they had a 'game.' Oliver had seen the muggle notebook filled with tallies, names and new prank ideas on many occaisions since first year. Oliver listened to the monotonous grinding of the train pistons, noticing a slight change in the pattern of sounds. He furrowed his brow. The Hogwarts Express seemed to be slowing. The pistons were creaking and groaning at a decreasing pace, shreiking irritatingly against the metal track. It gave the impression that the train was very weary, and ready to take a rest. The twins stopped their endless banter to glance questioningly around the compartment and then at Oliver. He looked back at them and shrugged. He certainly didn't know what was going on. The pistons skidded and thudded, slower all the time, and after a few moments, with a terrible screech, the train came to a shuddering halt. Why's it doing that? Oliver thought. He glanced nervously at the twins but didn't get to see their expressions, for just as he turned the lights flickered and died.

"I don't like this..." Oliver heard one of them mumble.

It was pitch black in the compartment, and the door rattled dangerously. Oliver usually felt calm and safe in the dark, the still blackness wrapping him in a blanket of comfort, but not now. This darkness was unnerving, almost frightening. The twins were actually silent, waiting for something to happen. Oliver sat up straight and placed his hands firmly on the seat, muscles tensed. He felt as if he needed to get up and bolt, to where he didn't know, and it didn't look like he would get anywhere in this darkness. Fear was spreading down the length of the train like a virus, gripping Oliver's stomach in a deadly hold. He could hear shrieks from other compartments, clattering and crashing as well, though the train itself was completely motionless.

The noise increased, a wave of fear rippling down the length of the train again. Oliver felt colder, a bit of nausea hitting his stomach. He ignored it, and wished that it wasn't pitch black. He could only see the slight shine of the glass on the compartment door, but everything else was darkness. He figured that there must be some technical problem. Just as he was fumbling to get up to find the conductor, or any adult, really, the compartment door slammed open with alarming force. Oliver and the twins jumped. A tall, dark figure stood in the doorway, giving an imposing yet fearful vibe. Oliver couldn't see it well, but could feel its body heat, so it had to be alive, at least. Oliver was actually on his feet and ready to... well, do something, take action, when he realized that it was just a student framed in the doorway, not... whatever else he had been expecting. He wasn't exactly sure what he had been expecting.

Percy Weasley peered around the compartment, eyes trying to search every inch meticulously through the gloom. "Are you all alright?" He asked the twins quickly, almost absently, his firm voice ringing through the darkness. He payed no mind to Oliver. Oliver heard Fred snap sarcastically.

"Oh, we're quite fine, but you seem rather peeved."

"Come on, sit down a while and-" George started in a hideously sarcastic voice when he was cut off by another noise.

"Ahh!! Help! Help!" With a shout, or rather, quite a few, another student came thundering into the compartment, pushing past Percy (who stumbled and made a huffy, indignant sort of noise) and hurling himself at the corner seat, which unfortunately held George. All Oliver could see was blackness, all he heard was the shouts, pounding footsteps and some odd noises that vaguely sounded like a sack of potatoes being hurled at another sack of potatoes. No one could see a thing, and it was mass chaos from that point on. Besides the thumpings, bumpings and scrapings, Oliver then heard familiar Weasley voices.

"Oof! Gerrof me, you stupid git!"

"Hey! Watch it! I'm here too!"

"Will you please calm down, everyone, please! Please remain calm. Where are my glasses? Just- oh, that's it! You- you- I could report you for not cooperating, you know!"

Oliver was getting tired of not being able to see anything. He fumbled in his jacket pocket for his wand, pulling it out and muttering lumos. It filled the area with a small glow, casting golden light over the fearful and somewhat disgruntled faces of the other people in the compartment. Percy, unsheilded eyes squinting against the sudden light, muttered something like 'Why didn't I think of that?' He groped around on the seat for his glasses, which had fallen off when Malfoy ran into him. Oliver furrowed his brow at that statement, but no one was paying attention. Guess he thinks I'm too thick to know an easy spell... Oliver thought to himself. The train was still motionless.

Oliver took stock of the situation. The whole atmosphere seemed grim and frightening. Wedged in the corner was a whimpering blonde boy already in his school robes. Oliver recognized him as the weasel faced git who played Seeker for Slytherin, Lucius Malfoy's brat. To Oliver's slight amusement, he looked like he was on the verge of tears. George had managed to wrestle himself out from underneath the squirming Malfoy and, along with his twin, was now glaring at him with a disgusted expression. Oliver himself was standing in front of the row of seats oppostie from Fred and George. Percy was standing up, glasses now on, looking extremely pale and very peeved, with one hand braced against the compartment door, the other fumbling for his wand in his robes. He found it and whipped it out with a flourish, lighting it off Oliver's, expression still grim. Oliver blinked. He hadn't known that was possible. Percy looked about the compartment, as if to make sure that no one had any missing limbs or anything. "Right," he began importantly, regaining his composure and standing up straight. "I suppose if no one's hurt, I should probably be-"

"Going, right, you should probably be off, making sure your precious Penelope is alright." Fred sneered scornfully.

"I thought blood was thicker than her irresistable blonde hair, Percy." Snapped George in a cruel, mocking way.

Percy's face showed a pang of an emotion that was unusual for him, something that looked like... sadness. Oliver was surprised at that expression, and the melodrama unfolding before him. He had no idea that the twins actually wanted Percy to stay. But maybe they were just ragging on him, trying to take away from their own fear by giving someone else greif. Oliver couldn't tell. Percy's odd expression went away, his face losing all emotion but annoyance. He snapped sharply at them. "Fred, George, I'm in no mood for silly-" Everyone went silent.

Chaos rippled through the train. Fear, dread, and nausea hit Oliver at once like a punch to the stomach. Malfoy shreiked again, somewhere in the background. Oliver was spiraling in waves of anger and fear so intense that it was hard not to start sobbing and screaming at once. He had never felt anything like this dread that clutched his organs at that moment. He found himself standing up and staggering forward for some reason, then being thrown violently off balance and pitching into Percy, who had also seemed to have lost his balance. Somewhere in the distance there was the familiar clatter of Percy's glasses hitting carpeted floor again. They both went tumbling onto Fred and George's side of seats. It was as if the motionless train was a rocking ship lost at sea, rather than a long metal vehicle stranded on perfectly solid, albeit muddy, ground. Oliver writhed, not fully aware of what was going on. It was like a fever, but instead of getting hotter, his body temperature felt considerably lower than before. He was struggling to get away from the horrible mental images that flashed through his brain. His old dog being hit by a car, his grandmother collapsing, having a stroke, his best childhood friend's empty house and crying little sister... thoughts that he hadn't had in years coming back to haunt him. He thrashed about, attempting to escape the hideous images.

Then, as if a strong wind had suddenly blown the thoughts away, it was all over.

The train resumed moving and the lights flickered on, finally shedding light into the pitch black compartment. Oliver's wand, now lying on the floor, had gone out. Fred and George looked as if they were glued to their seats, eyes wide. Malfoy was now wedged in the other corner, mouth agape in shock, lower lip trembling as he whimpered slightly. Oliver relaxed his muscles, but was shuddering uncontrollably. He was glad that the lights were back on. He was sort of regaining his senses, dimly aware of the fact that there was something warm on him. He slowly took stock of his current location. He was laying on the seat, a position he couldn't clearly remember being in, his legs entangled with the warm whatever it was. Percy, his muddled brain registered, was the warm thing. He almost blanched at the realization. Percy was indeed laying on top of him, quite a curious position indeed. Percy's head was reared back, horn rimmed glasses still off, his grey-blue eyes in full view. Oliver found himself seized in their lovely strangeness. One of Percy's hands rested on Oliver's chest. Everything was still, and no noise was made save everyone's heavy breathing. Oliver's chest rose and fell, Percy's long, delicate fingers still splayed on it. Oliver's stomach gave a weird little leap as he fully became aware of everything around him. He was breathing deeply and still staring at Percy's eyes, realizing just how much of them was pressed together as his gaze wandered to the ivory hand on his chest. It felt... odd. Why did he feel so strangely? Oliver dismissed the confusing thoughts to mull over later, and spoke softly.

"Er, Percy, would you mind... getting off me?"

His eyes flickered up to meet Percy's. They both took action at the same time. Wearing a disgusted expression on his face, Percy roughly shoved himself off Oliver, standing up. Oliver sat up and waveringly went to his original seat, paying no mind to Malfoy, who was sitting in the same row.

He shakily collected himself. The lights were on, okay, great, the partially obscured countryside was moving past, the twins weren't dead, he wasn't dead. Good. Malfoy wasn't dead... well, that was a bit of a disappointment. Percy wasn't hurt, either, he supposed. For some reason, Percy's face was very red. It had been quite pale with fear moments before, but now it seemed to be as red as his hair. He shakily picked up his glasses from the floor, which had probably been knocked askew when Oliver had, er, fallen over on him, and polished them habitually before donning them.

"Er, right, well..." He trailed off, then cleared his throat, straightening up and managing to sound authoritative. "I must go now. I've got to... make sure no one is hurt, and- and what have you." He waved his hand dismissively, looking rather distracted once again, but managed to keep his posture the same. "Stay safe you... three." Percy shot an embarrassed parting glance at Oliver, completely disregarding Malfoy, then quickly turned around. Robes flared out behind him, he hurried out of the compartment, neatly shutting the door behind him.

Everyone was quiet for a few more seconds, until Malfoy burst out laughing. "Oh my God, did you see that?" He uproariously asked no one in particular, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "You looked like you were going to faint!" He pointed at Oliver, who raised an eyebrow. "Aha, and that stupid queer was all over you! You know what, Wood, I think you liked that. You did, didn't you? Oh, this is priceless..." He trailed off before bursting into laughter once again, standing up and trying to exit the compartment. Oliver was angry. He felt himself start shaking and he began to rise, prepared to wring Malfoy's beastly neck. But before he could get to Malfoy, Fred and George furrowed their collective brow, and then, exercising some strange abnormal twin magic, threw out their left arms. The compartment door shut and locked with a resounding click. Malfoys laughter halted, as did he. He was frozen stiff, grey eyes wide, quite afraid of the twins' combined wrath. All was still, tension building, and then, without warning, the twins leapt up and each seized one of Malfoy's arms. He wailed pitifully as they bodily lifted him up, the compartment door unlocking with another click and opening very quickly without assistance.

"You should really learn to keep your horrid mouth shut, young Malfoy." Muttered Fred companionably (yet evilly) into the horrified Slytherin's ear before bodily hurling him into the aisle. Malfoy yelled. George slammed the door and turned, smiling, satisfied as he heard the thump of Malfoy hitting either the floor or another door. The twins dusted their hands off and sat back down, still grinning in a dangerous way. "So." Started Fred, acting as if brutally hurling a younger boy out of their compartment was a common task. Oliver stared, open mouthed.

Fred and George were now grinning at him, even wider than before at his clueless look. Oliver then raised his eyebrows questioningly and crossed his arms. "What is it? Come on, what?" He asked testily. He hoped that they were going to explain the full reason that they had just threw Malfoy out. Was it devotion to their friend, devotion to their brother, or both? Oliver shook his head and started rubbing his temples. He felt tired. Like dead weight. After that sudden shock he wasn't ready to take any more mindless teasing.

"Well, it just seems that..."

"We just had the feeling that..."

"What with that strange occurence and all..."

"It gave me the impression that perhaps..."

Oliver lost his patience. "Oh, out with it you nitwits!" He yelled, uncrossing his arms.

Fred and George shared a glance. Fred spoke, Cheshire cat expression back. "Well, my brother and I here may have sensed some... oh, I don't know... sexual tension between you and Mr. Head Boy."

"What with these strange occurences." George added quickly.

"I- I..." Oliver stammered. He crossed his arms again, diverting his gaze to the floor. The twins grinned even wider.

"This is going to be a lovely year, positively lovely."

Oliver wearily gripped his head in his hands.

Damn the twins. Damn Malfoy. Damn Percy. Damn Muggle Studies.