New Summary: Oliver never mentioned his sister Beth to Jusea . . . or to anyone else, it seems. What is going on? Jusea decides to find out . . . as do some other students.

Disclaimer: We do not own HP or its canon characters or plots or school grounds or creatures or plants or objects or relationships or anything breathes deeply that is recognizable from the books, movies, or basic HP grapevine. Jusea and Beth are ours, though, along with certain other things that you will not recognize from the HP canon. Please respect the copyright.

Chapter 8

Ambush

It had been two and a half weeks since Oliver had been knocked out. Jusea was in Gryffindor now; actually, she was in the Common Room laughing at Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins as they were chased by a furious set of Chasers.

"Come on, girls, we didn't mean that."

"Then give back my Astronomy essay, Fred."

"Who cares about Astronomy, Ange?"

"Lee, you're supposed to be my friend."

Still giggling, Jusea looked at her watch. It was nine o'clock, time to go see Oliver. She smiled and stood up. Then she turned to the six Gryffindors running around. "Do you know what house Beth is in?" she asked.

"Who?" George shouted as he jumped over a chair.

"Beth Wood. Oliver's sister."

The boys stopped, and they exchanged glances. "Oliver has a sister? He never mentioned a sister." The rest of the Common Room fell silent. "Where did you hear this?"

"Well, I met her, and we just talked, so, yeah."

"Where did you meet her?" Fred asked.

"Oh, somewhere in Hogwarts. But she always avoided the question of what house she was in. Oh, well, it's not a big deal. I've...gotta go—"

Angelina grabbed Fred from behind, and Alicia tried to pry the essay out of his fingers. Lee grabbed her, and George blocked Katie's advance.

"Oh, Ange, I thought you liked me, but I never imagined—"

"Shut up and give me my essay, Fred."

Jusea left.

Thoughts rushed through her mind. 'If Beth's not in a house, then she doesn't go to Hogwarts. Is she a Squib? It would make sense. Sort of.' Jusea entered the Infirmary. Beth sat in the second chair, pulled up on the other side of Oliver's cot.

"Hi." Beth smiled.

"You're not in a house, are you?" Jusea asked.

The smile vanished. Beth breathed deeply. "No."

"So you're a Squib, right?"

Beth looked away and nodded.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Brow furrowed, Beth looked back at Jusea. "Ye're...not going to tease me?"

"Why would I tease you? Some of my good friends are Squibs."

"Oh. It's just...Wow, ye are as nice as Oliver said."

Jusea smiled.

-----

Beth stretched. It would have been another long, boring day if she hadn't gone flying again. But it was time to see Oliver, and Jusea if she came tonight. Since she'd just come last night, it wasn't likely. Beth smiled. Finally, someone knew all about it. It made things easier.

Beth left her cot in Madam Pomfrey's quarters and entered the Infirmary. The moon was waning, but she easily moved through the dark room to Oliver's cot. She paused by her chair; shaking her head, she sat down.

A net fell over her. She immediately began struggling. "Hush, now. You don't want to get hurt, do you?" a voice laughed.

Beth grabbed at the net, trying to find the edge. "None of that," the voice said. But it was from the other side of her. She put her hand against the net but paused. Then her arms were pinioned against her sides and her ankles were lashed together. However many of them there were, they were quick.

"Let me go," Beth snapped.

"No."

"Not until you tell us who you are."

There were two of them, and they sounded exactly the same. English accents—big surprise there—and male, with laughing tones. There was something about this...

"Now, who are you?" the voices said together.

Beth snorted. "Ah don't think that's any of your business."

"Oh, but it is. Beth."

Beth stared at the shadows resolving in the dark room. Then her eyes narrowed at the tall, narrow figures. "Who are ye?" she said.

"You didn't tell us, so we don't have to tell you," one said.

"Now, you say you're Wood's sister," the other added.

"Get lost. After ye untie me," Beth said.

"Maybe you should cooperate."

"Or we can leave you in the hallway."

"I'm pretty sure Mrs. Norris is in this wing. She'll find you quickly."

"And Ah should be afraid of her why?"

"Oh, trust us, you should be. Especially as an intruder."

Beth could practically feel their predatory smiles. "Well, Ah'm not. What right do ye have to ambush me and truss me up like a Christmas goose?"

One of the boys laughed. "We do pretty much whatever we want around here," the other said.

"How nice." Beth fiddled with the rope around her arms. The knots were tight.

"So why don't you tell us who you really are and why you're stalking Oliver?"

"Ah am not stalking him, all right?"

"Then what are you doing here?"

"None of your business."

"Maybe we should leave her for Mrs. Norris. Filch would love to get his hands on an intruder in Hogwarts Castle."

Beth twisted her hands to reach the knots, and she grunted as the ropes dug into her arms. "And who is Filch? Mrs. Norris's husband?"

There was silence; then the two boys laughed. "You definitely aren't a Hogwarts student. Maybe we should take you to Professor McGonagall."

Beth smiled grimly. "Fine."

There was another silence. Beth fidgeted in the chair. Suddenly hands seized her and plopped her over someone's shoulder.

"Hey, put me down!"

"Quiet. You don't want to wake Oliver, do you?"

"Hey!"

They simply carried her out of the Infirmary and through a maze of dark halls and stairs. One of the boys muttered a word, and a door opened. The other boy carried her into a large, circular, firelit room. He dumped her into a chair. The ropes and net were removed, only for the ropes to be retied, securing her to the armchair. Then she got her first good look at her abductors.

They were gangly twins with bright red hair and clouds of freckles on their noses. They also were grinning. Beth sighed. "So, care to explain to me what's going on?" she asked.

The twins drew up two chairs and sat down. Leaning forward in like, hands clasped over the knees, they looked intently at her. "Now tell us, Beth, why do you feel it necessary to hide your existence from the majority of Hogwarts? Are you ashamed of your link with Oliver?"

"Why don't you have a lie down and talk about it? Oh, wait, you can't."

Beth smiled sarcastically. "Thanks for reminding me. Why do ye care? And why should Ah tell ye anyway?"

"Because we're in control." They both laughed maniacally, albeit quietly.

"Whatever." Beth examined the ropes. There were footsteps on the stairs across the room. Suddenly the twins were standing in front of Beth—but not before she'd seen the girl. "Juse—" A hand clapped over her mouth.

-----

Jusea stopped short. The Weasley twins stood shoulder to shoulder by the fire. "What are you two doing?" she asked.

"Uh, nothing. Just talking," Fred said.

"I thought I heard a girl."

"Oh, that was George's alter ego. Georgiana."

"Oh, yes. Good evening, miss. Pleasure to meet you," George said in a high-pitched voice.

"Nice try, but Ah have a Scottish accent, not English," a voice said from behind them.

"Beth!" Jusea stalked across the room. The twins stood stolidly before her. She crossed her arms. "Move."

"Mm, no."

"I have one word for you. Badger."

Fred and George looked at each other. "We have business with her, so if you don't mind." Fred grabbed Jusea around the waist and hoisted her over his shoulder. "Keep an eye on the prisoner." He started back towards the stairs with Jusea.

"Put me down."

"No."

"Augh. You're not allowed up there. Angelina said so."

"Angelina? Oh, but we have our ways. She knows that."

"You're evil."

"Thank you."

"Put her down," a quiet voice said.

Fred sighed. "Be quiet, Beth. It's not like you can do anything."

"Uh, Fred?"

"What, George?" Fred turned around, and he stopped partway. Jusea looked up as the room fell quiet, punctuated by the crackling of flames. Beth was standing, George's wand in her hand and pointed at his face.

"Put her down," the girl repeated.

Fred hesitated.

"Badger, ye said?"

Fred dropped Jusea onto her feet. "Thank you." Jusea straightened her robes.

"All right, can I have my wand back?" George asked.

"No."

"You were supposed to watch her," Fred said.

"I thought she was tied up securely, since you did it."

"Hey, let's not go blaming each other."

Beth cleared her throat and waved the wand slightly. "Together. Oh, and Jusea, get his wand," she said. Jusea plucked the wand from Fred's belt. The twins moved together, the two girls facing them with their own wands.

Jusea smiled. "Any last words?"

The twins glanced at each other. "Sorry?"

Jusea and Beth nodded slightly and lowered the wands. The twins lunged forward and grabbed the wands. Jusea pulled hers, and Beth raised her hands. "Fine," she said.

"Fine?" Fred asked.

"Truce."

"Really?" George said.

"If you promise not to tie me up again, or Jusea."

Fred and George looked at each other. "If you promise to tell us what's going on," Fred said.

Beth immediately responded, "No."

"Fine. Since you broke the truce, we break ours."

And in a move that seemed to take only one second, Fred had Jusea over his shoulder great! Poor Jusea, and George had Beth wrapped in his arms foreshadowing? Poor Beth. Jusea tried to squirm out of Fred's arms, and Beth struggled against George. "Now, now, girls, you don't have anywhere to go," Fred said. this is confusing—basically because they can't go anywhere?

"The bathroom," Beth said.

"Hey, we have no problem going in there," Fred responded with a grin to George, who grinned right back.

Beth's face reddened. "Ah'm not telling ye."

basically just building off previous comments?"So, where shall we tour then, if not the bathroom?" George asked.

"Look, no matter what you do, you can't make us do anything," Jusea said.

"Really?"

"Yes. I have seven older brothers. I've dealt with this before."

"I don't think so," Fred said.

George finished, "Yeah. No one's like us."

"Look, it's no big deal. Ye wouldn't care to know."

"If it's no big deal—"

"Then why can't you tell us?"

"Besides, what could you say that we haven't heard before?"

Both the girls answered. "More than you know."

Fred and George exchanged glances, then looked back at the girls. "What?"

"Nothing," Beth said.

"Do you mind putting me down, please? I'd rather not be stuck like this. The blood is all rushing to my head." I love this.

"Then tell us what the big deal is."

"Ye don't need to know."

"Aw, come on."

"You said so yourself, it's not a big deal."

"Ah know...but..."

"Ah, George, she stutters."

"'Tis true, my dear brother."

"Methinks there's more than meets the eye."

"I agree all too well."

"Shall we incite them some more?"

"I acquiesce with that."

"Will ye two stop it?" Beth snapped.

"Does the girl have something to tell us?"

"I think so."

Beth glanced at Jusea, blue eyes pleading. "Should Ah?"

"If you want to. I think you can."

Beth sighed deeply. "All right. If this goes poorly, Ah'll hold you two responsible. Ah am Oliver's sister, but Ah'm a Squib. He doesn't tell people, and Ah don't let people know, so that idiots like you two won't tease him about it!"

"Oh. We're not idiots."

"And we happen to be very good friends of Oliver's."

"They're on his team. Beaters. He praises them very highly," Jusea said.

"Oh. Yeah, Ah've heard about ye two. The Weasley twins."

Fred and George smiled, and Fred bowed, Jusea still hanging over his shoulder. "Why, thank you."

"There's no one else like us in the world."

"I'd have to agree," Jusea said.

"Is it a good thing?" Beth asked.

"Yes."

"Ah thought so." She looked at George. "Um, would you mind letting me go, now?" Beth asked.

George turned to Fred. "Should we?"

"I don't know. I find it rather amusing," Fred said.

A faint blush returned to Beth's face again. "Let me go. Please."

George shrugged. "Well, we did get the information we wanted." He released her.

Fred sighed. "Fine." He set Jusea on her feet. He considered Beth for a moment. "Her, George."

"Yeah?"

"You let a girl without magic get the better of you?"

"Hey, it's not my fault. I didn't even know—well what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes. You were the one who gave up Jusea for a girl without magic."

"That's because you gave up."

"I gave up?"

"Yes. You did."

Beth looked at Jusea. "Ah agree. It is a good thing there are only of them."

"I know."