A/N: Another chapter for those who love to review. This is for you!
~Sylvia
Dear Fred and George,
How would you two like to make your first business trip? I finally cleared with my guardians about you guys coming here for further communication, and as long as you both agree not to try and rescue me or something like that, you're allowed. Please say that you'll come. I received your letter about the scar pantomimes being finished and just needing testing. Are you guys up for it? It is at your convenience, of course, and you are both invited to stay for dinner. Nellie will be beside herself for happiness at the thought of two other people to feed. I hope to see you soon. Just send word back with Hedwig about when, and we'll set up transportation then.
Harry
Fred looked at his twin and wondered what he thought about Harry's invitation. "What do you think, mate?" he asked when words had failed the other twin.
"I think that Mum would kill us if she knew we saw Harry and didn't bring him home with us." George answered, grinning at his mirror image.
"Yeah, me too. When do you want to go?" Fred asked. George grinned again.
"I think tomorrow would be good, especially if we told Mum that we were meeting some old friends of ours from Hogwarts. You know how she goes on about us growing up too fast." He answered. His brother chuckled.
"Yeah, like we would ever grow up too fast." The other answered. Fred got out a piece of parchment and answered that the next day would be fine, that the products were ready, and that the twins, if Nellie wanted dinner suggestions, would eat anything, but particularly enjoyed roast beef. George laughed while he read over his brother's shoulder. He sent it off with the snowy white bird and sighed. He only hoped that Dumbledore would not find out, for if he did find out that two of the old crowd had seen Harry and had not brought him to Hogwarts, even against his will, there would be hell to pay. A glance at his twin saw the same feelings written on the face.
Harry bounced anxiously from foot to foot while he waited for his friends to arrive via their portkey. Tom had set it up for them and Harry had sent it along with his letter confirming the fact that they were expected for the following evening. His face brightened when his two friends fell into the living room.
"You made it!" He said, moving forward to welcome his friends.
"Yes, we did, but next time, leave off the scenic route." Fred grumbled as he got to his feet. Harry chuckled at his friend's evil glare and he turned to George.
"Sorry about that, guys, but it was necessary, in case anyone is monitoring the use of portkeys." Harry turned towards Nellie in the corner and nodded. She disappeared. She had been waiting to make sure that the two coming were actually Fred and George and not someone else. Harry smiled at his friends. "I thought that we would talk over dinner." He said, Matthew coming into the room. Both twins' gaze turned towards the other man in the room. "You two remember Matthew, of course. He's joining us, because he can't turn down roast beef." Matthew chuckled and came forward to shake both of their hands.
"That I just don't think that I could pass up an evening in your company. Harry has told me about your exploits so many times, that I just had to see some of it myself." He said warmly, taking down the hood on his robes. They both nodded and smiled, so Harry figured that everything was going to be okay between the pair of them and Matthew.
"There was Professor Snape, standing there with his robes every color of the rainbow and his hair standing straight up, bright pink." Fred said, taking up the story George had started. "We were blamed of course, even though we had nothing on us that resembled a vial in which to carry potions. Too bad they had so much other evidence that we couldn't make them believe us." He sighed. "The pains we've been through to make our jokes what they are." He said, playing the martyr well. Matthew couldn't breathe. He had fallen out of his chair and had stayed there, imagining the dour Potions professor in bright colors. Harry had tears streaming down his face.
"Blackmail!" Harry said in happiness. "If I ever have to face him again, I'll just bring that up." He told the twins happily. Fred and George grinned evilly in his direction.
"Let's give Harry that potion, just in case." Fred said to George. "He might need it." Harry stopped laughing.
"What do you mean?" he asked, spirits sinking just a bit. Fred shrugged.
"It's just that the last time Dumbledore and Snape were in our shop, they said that they were going to get you back, because you are in 'considerable danger'." He answered. Harry frowned.
"They're impossible." He said to Matthew, who was currently eyeing Harry with a questioning stare. Matthew nodded his head and smiled at Harry. There was no way that Snape would get his hands on Harry.
After dinner, they tested the scar pantomimes on Harry. Instead of a lightening bolt scar, several others took its place. Harry pronounced them brilliant and thanked Fred and George several times over. He tried to pay them, but all they asked for was the right to sell this among their usual products. Harry, of course, gave them the permission with grace.
The twins left soon after the testing, with the promise to keep Harry informed of Dumbledore and Snape's movements concerning Harry. Harry looked at Matthew and smiled. "Colorful friends, Harry, colorful indeed." He said as Tom called to Harry to come and practice dueling. Harry shook his head and went down the hallway. Merciless, that's what he was, merciless. Matthew smiled behind the boy, knowing exactly what Harry was thinking.
Dear Fred and George,
How would you two like to make your first business trip? I finally cleared with my guardians about you guys coming here for further communication, and as long as you both agree not to try and rescue me or something like that, you're allowed. Please say that you'll come. I received your letter about the scar pantomimes being finished and just needing testing. Are you guys up for it? It is at your convenience, of course, and you are both invited to stay for dinner. Nellie will be beside herself for happiness at the thought of two other people to feed. I hope to see you soon. Just send word back with Hedwig about when, and we'll set up transportation then.
Harry
Fred looked at his twin and wondered what he thought about Harry's invitation. "What do you think, mate?" he asked when words had failed the other twin.
"I think that Mum would kill us if she knew we saw Harry and didn't bring him home with us." George answered, grinning at his mirror image.
"Yeah, me too. When do you want to go?" Fred asked. George grinned again.
"I think tomorrow would be good, especially if we told Mum that we were meeting some old friends of ours from Hogwarts. You know how she goes on about us growing up too fast." He answered. His brother chuckled.
"Yeah, like we would ever grow up too fast." The other answered. Fred got out a piece of parchment and answered that the next day would be fine, that the products were ready, and that the twins, if Nellie wanted dinner suggestions, would eat anything, but particularly enjoyed roast beef. George laughed while he read over his brother's shoulder. He sent it off with the snowy white bird and sighed. He only hoped that Dumbledore would not find out, for if he did find out that two of the old crowd had seen Harry and had not brought him to Hogwarts, even against his will, there would be hell to pay. A glance at his twin saw the same feelings written on the face.
Harry bounced anxiously from foot to foot while he waited for his friends to arrive via their portkey. Tom had set it up for them and Harry had sent it along with his letter confirming the fact that they were expected for the following evening. His face brightened when his two friends fell into the living room.
"You made it!" He said, moving forward to welcome his friends.
"Yes, we did, but next time, leave off the scenic route." Fred grumbled as he got to his feet. Harry chuckled at his friend's evil glare and he turned to George.
"Sorry about that, guys, but it was necessary, in case anyone is monitoring the use of portkeys." Harry turned towards Nellie in the corner and nodded. She disappeared. She had been waiting to make sure that the two coming were actually Fred and George and not someone else. Harry smiled at his friends. "I thought that we would talk over dinner." He said, Matthew coming into the room. Both twins' gaze turned towards the other man in the room. "You two remember Matthew, of course. He's joining us, because he can't turn down roast beef." Matthew chuckled and came forward to shake both of their hands.
"That I just don't think that I could pass up an evening in your company. Harry has told me about your exploits so many times, that I just had to see some of it myself." He said warmly, taking down the hood on his robes. They both nodded and smiled, so Harry figured that everything was going to be okay between the pair of them and Matthew.
"There was Professor Snape, standing there with his robes every color of the rainbow and his hair standing straight up, bright pink." Fred said, taking up the story George had started. "We were blamed of course, even though we had nothing on us that resembled a vial in which to carry potions. Too bad they had so much other evidence that we couldn't make them believe us." He sighed. "The pains we've been through to make our jokes what they are." He said, playing the martyr well. Matthew couldn't breathe. He had fallen out of his chair and had stayed there, imagining the dour Potions professor in bright colors. Harry had tears streaming down his face.
"Blackmail!" Harry said in happiness. "If I ever have to face him again, I'll just bring that up." He told the twins happily. Fred and George grinned evilly in his direction.
"Let's give Harry that potion, just in case." Fred said to George. "He might need it." Harry stopped laughing.
"What do you mean?" he asked, spirits sinking just a bit. Fred shrugged.
"It's just that the last time Dumbledore and Snape were in our shop, they said that they were going to get you back, because you are in 'considerable danger'." He answered. Harry frowned.
"They're impossible." He said to Matthew, who was currently eyeing Harry with a questioning stare. Matthew nodded his head and smiled at Harry. There was no way that Snape would get his hands on Harry.
After dinner, they tested the scar pantomimes on Harry. Instead of a lightening bolt scar, several others took its place. Harry pronounced them brilliant and thanked Fred and George several times over. He tried to pay them, but all they asked for was the right to sell this among their usual products. Harry, of course, gave them the permission with grace.
The twins left soon after the testing, with the promise to keep Harry informed of Dumbledore and Snape's movements concerning Harry. Harry looked at Matthew and smiled. "Colorful friends, Harry, colorful indeed." He said as Tom called to Harry to come and practice dueling. Harry shook his head and went down the hallway. Merciless, that's what he was, merciless. Matthew smiled behind the boy, knowing exactly what Harry was thinking.