Chapter 8: A promise fulfilled.
Darion paced in front of the great hall anxiously. The moment he spotted Marcus, Darion bolted forward and grabbed him by the arm. He led Marcus into an empty class room nearby.
"Darion, what are you doing?" Marcus asked surprised.
"I'm restless Marcus! We've been here a whole two months and we still get no time with each other! I'm bored." Darion grumbled, "That's why I have a proposition for you brother."
"A proposition?" Marcus began to look intrigued. "What sort of proposition?"
"Do you remember when uncle Fred told us that story about how he and uncle George had promised aunt Ginny that Hogwarts toilet seat as a joke, but were never able to fulfill that promise?" Darion inquired.
"Yes, so?" Marcus began to grow impatient.
"So, what if we were to fulfill that promise?" Darion grinned evilly.
"Okay, let me get this straight. You want to steal a Hogwarts toilet seat and then send it to your head of house!" Marcus's eyes grew wide. "Have you finally cracked!"
"No Marcus, I have not cracked." Darion rolled his eyes. "I just want some excitement. It's so bloody boring here!"
"Oh and when they expel you for stealing school property, will that be enough excitement for you?" Marcus asked.
"They won't expel me. I'm one of the four defenders remember? They need me." Darion puffed out his chest.
"I don't know why I even bother!" Marcus flung his hands in the air. "Dari, if you think that being "one" of the four defenders is going to save you from being expelled then go ahead, be my guest and try. You'll do what ever you want with or without me anyway so why try and stop you?"
"So your in then?" Darion grinned.
"How could I not be?" Marcus grinned back, "Besides, someone has to keep you out of trouble."
"Right." Darion replied sarcastically. "Anyway, I think we should do this before the Christmas hols. That way mum and dad won't know." he told Marcus thoughtfully.
"Do you honestly believe the words that are coming out of your mouth! Mum not know when we are up to something?" Marcus groaned, "Darion, mum knows everything and if you think that we'll be able to hide this from her then you have definitely cracked."
"I have not cracked Marcus!" Darion growled. "I'm as sane as I've always been."
"Yes, I know and I must say that's what worries me." Marcus chuckled.
"Oh sod off Marcus!" Darion turned to leave.
"Okay, well just tell me when you want to do this suicidal act alright?" Marcus called after his brother.
With a nod Darion left.
A month later Darion lay in his bed, waiting anxiously for the others that shared his room to fall asleep. As soon as he was sure that they were asleep he crept out of his bed and carefully pulled out the wrench from under his pillow. He then tiptoed to his bed room door and quietly opened, then closed it as to make sure that no one was awoken by him. Darion then crept down the tower stairs and slid out of the portrait hole. He went to the nearest bathroom he knew was in the area and entered. With his heart pounding in his ears, Darion went to the first stall and being as quiet as he could be, removed the seat from the toilet. As soon as it had come loose, he quickly picked up his tools and made his way back to the Gryffindor tower. He whispered the password and made his way back to his bed room. He stuffed the toilet seat under his bed and laid back down. He let a small chuckle escape as he started to fall asleep.
The next morning Darion awoke with a smile. He got dressed and headed to the great hall. Upon entering the great hall, and spotting Marcus, Darion made his way to his brother's side.
"It's done, meet me before dinner in the library." He whispered so only Marcus could hear.
Marcus nodded and Darion went and sat down at the Gryffindor table. He ate quickly and then ran back to his room where he wrapped the seat as he would any normal gift. He then placed it into his bag along with his school things, then made his way to class. He sat through a very boring lecture, yet again by professor Bins. Then he got scalded by professor Snape for daydreaming in potions class and causing his partners face to break out in boils as he knocked the boy's head into the cauldron accidentally. As they were dismissed Darion was the first to dart out of the potions chamber.
"Hey Dari!" He heard a voice behind him call.
Darion turned to see Ares trying to catch up to him.
"Hello Ares." Darion smiled as Ares caught up to him.
"Why such the hurry?" Ares asked. "Your not that anxious to get away from Snape are you?"
Just as Darion was about to reply, a few other Slytherins approached them.
"Ares, what in the name of Salazar do you think your doing?" Andromeda Mcnair gave Ares an annoyed look. "He's a Gryffindor, we just don't associate with such riffraff Ares, we're better than that."
"Who are you calling riffraff, you dragon faced snob!" Darion growled.
"Is that the best you can come up with?" Andromeda laughed. "Poor little Gryffindor. They've obviously never told you not to mess with a Slytherin, you won't win." With that Andromeda and the others started to walk away. "Coming Ares?" She called over her shoulder.
"We'll see about that!" Darion called to their retreating backs. "You're not seriously thinking of going with those snobs are you Ares?"
Ares looked briefly at Darion and shrugged. "They're in my house Dari, if I don't they'll make me pay later for it. I'm sorry." Ares then followed the other Slytherin's
"Huh, never thought I'd see that happen." Darion muttered to himself. He then continued down the corridor and headed to the library.
As soon as Marcus entered the library he searched for Darion. He spotted his twin in a corner of the library and quickly made his way over to him, but slowed as he saw Darion's expression
"What's wrong Dari?" Marcus asked as he sat down.
"Nothing." Darion said absent mindedly.
"I know you better than that Dari and something is bothering you. So what is it? Have you changed your mind about you know what?" Marcus asked hopefully.
"What?" Darion looked at Marcus. "No! That's not what's bothering me. It's Ares."
"What's wrong with Ares?" Marcus asked taken aback, "Is he sick or something?"
"No, he's not sick. But he's, well I don't know. It's probably nothing." Darion shook his head.
"Come on Dari, tell me." Marcus pleaded.
"Well, on my way here Ares stopped me and asked why I was in such a hurry. I was about to tell him I was going to see you when Andromeda and her stupid cronies came up and told him not to talk to me. Then he walked away with them." Darion explained. "You don't think that he'd fall back on his promise to us do you?"
"Who, Ares? Nah!" Marcus said, but gave a look that said otherwise. "He wouldn't do that. Would he?"
Darion shrugged his shoulders. "I just don't know."
"Anyway, let's get to the owlry and send that thing off before anyone gets suspicious."
"You're nervous!" Darion taunted.
"You're bloody right I'm nervous! Who wouldn't be with what you've got hidden in your bag!" Marcus looked around nervously.
"Alright you grumbler. Let's be off." Darion laughed as he got up.
The boys traveled to the owlry and sent two large tawny owls off to Aunt Ginny carrying a rather large package. It held a note that said:
To: Aunt Ginny
Love Darion, Marcus, Fred and George.
Ginny was feeding Lili her dinner when she heard a knock on the door.
"Allen!" she called.
"Yes ma ma?" Allen returned her call.
"Would you get the door please?"
Allen reluctantly got up and answered the door to find his aunt Hermione on the other side.
"Hello Allen." Hermione smiled at her nephew.
"Hello aunt Hermione." Allen smiled back. "Mum's in the kitchen with Lili." He told her then ran back to play with James again.
Hermione watched the boys for a minute before chuckling to herself and making her way to the kitchen. She entered what they called a kitchen, but it was more like a small room that held the bare necessities one needed. Such as a fridge and sink. Right beside the sink was a small burner and Ginny was seated at a table that looked as if it could barely fit their small family at once.
"Hello Mione, please sit down." Ginny motioned to a chair.
"How on earth you manage with this kitchen I'll never know." Hermione shook her head as she sat down.
"Well it's only during the school year, it's not so bad." Ginny gave a weak smile, "So what brings you here?"
"Ron was in an explosion." Hermione told Ginny.
"Oh Merlin no!" Ginny gasped, cupping her handover her mouth. "Is he alright?"
"He's got some broken ribs and bruises." She told Ginny. "But he's okay."
"Oh good." Ginny sighed with relief.
At that moment two owls swooped into the room that Allen and James were playing in.
"Mum! There's a package for you." Allen called, it was followed by a scream. "OW! James you are bloody well going to pay for that one!"
Ginny rolled her eyes as Hermione chuckled. She picked up Lili and went into the family room, where Allen had James pinned down and was smacking him with a rubber mallet that Allen had gotten from Fred and George last Christmas. Hermione watched them with amusement as Ginny picked up the package.
"Allen stop hitting your brother!" She shot at the boy's before looking at the note.
"Who's it from?" Hermione inquired.
"It says it's from Darion, Marcus, Fred and George." Ginny muttered in surprise.
"From all of them?" Hermione looked at Ginny questioningly. "Do you think you should open it?"
"Might as well." Ginny shrugged, "Doesn't feel like it could explode on me or anything. I don't hear it ticking either."
"Be careful Gin, I their your brothers but, well if they've teamed up with Dari and Marcus it's bound to be painful." Hermione grimaced.
Ginny carefully unwrapped the package to reveal a bright white toilet seat. Her eyes widened when she saw what it was, then broke into hysterical laughter.
"Gin, what is it?" Hermione asked confused.
Ginny had to gasp for air before she was able to speak. "They sent me a toilet seat!"
"A what!" Hermione gave a horrified look.
A toilet seat! Fred and George promised to send me a toilet seat in Ron's and your first year because I couldn't go with them." She continued to giggle. I guess Dari and Marcus felt it was time to fulfill that promise."
"Darion and Marcus did this!" Hermione began to look angry.
"Yes, well it is a Hogwarts toilet seat so it has to be them." Ginny looked at Hermione's reddening face. "Umm Mione, Are you okay?"
"No I'm not okay!" Hermione said through gritted teeth. "What in bloody hell were they thinking!"
"Hermione, it was a joke. Their kids, what do you expect?" Ginny looked at Hermione. "It's not as if they made it impossible to put the seat back where it belongs or hurt anyone in the process."
"But they stole school property!" Hermione protested.
"Right. But they also sent it to a professor who has the means to return it." Ginny pointed out. "Calm down Mione, boys will be boys and there is nothing we can do to prevent or change that. But if this honestly upsets you, then I will punish Darion. But I can't do more than remove some points to Marcus."
"No, I will deal with them during the Christmas holidays." Hermione told Ginny. "Don't you worry about that."