Chapter Four

She smiled at her brother and the few people who were eating and he did the same. She ate what he usually did for breakfast, eggs, bacon, toast, kippers, hash browns kippers and tea. She smiled at him as he had to eat a boiled egg, which was his least favorite and her favorite, as well as the usual things they both liked. Not only that but he had to eat it as she did, sopping up all the juices on his plate, Fred couldn't stand raw yoke and he was very good at hiding his displeasure at his breakfast.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WEASLEY, YOU INVADE SLYTHERIN HOUSE AND KNOCK OUT MAGNOLIA GOYLE!" Lucille was in rare form today and Roxie was very glad her brother knew all the same protective spells.

"SHE DESERVED IT KNOTT, I WAS JUST VISITING MY LITTLE COUSIN, SHE CHARGED ME, UNLESS THE WAY PEOPLE ARE TELLING THIS STORY IS GETTING TWISTED IN THE RETELLING."

"ROXIE TALKED WITH ME, SETTLE DOWN LUCILLE KNOTT IT WAS UNPROVOKED, SHE WAS ATTACKED SHE DEFENDED HERSELF. OF COURSE THERE'S THE MATTER OF THE FACT THAT SHE WAS IN THE SNAKE'S DUNGEON, BUT ITS NOT LIKE WE CAN'T TRAVEL BETWEEN THE FOUR HOUSES."

"YOU MEAN? THAT...ALL FOUR HOUSES?"

"YES, I WILL ONLY RIG IT SO THAT YOU AND YOUR BROTHER CAN GO TO YOUR OWN DORMITORIES AND MY SISTER CAN JUST AS EASILY TAKE AWAY THE GIFT SHE GAVE YOU. SHE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT CONSIDERING YOUR BROTHER'S PROPOSAL THAT SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TRUST YOUR FAMILY, JUST A LITTLE. PERHAPS THOSE LETTERS WERE NOTHING MORE THAN PRETTY WORDS, I DO NOT KNOW YOU. LET US BE CLEAR ON THIS MATTER, YOU ARE MY SISTER'S FRIEND, I WAS NOT INVITED TO THOSE FINE BALLS OR GALAS, YOU DID NOT THINK TO INVITE ME." Roxie said and smiled, oh yes this was all working out as she had schemed, a most clever plan indeed.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON?" Silas appeared and stormed towards her. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOUR SISTER PULLED LAST NIGHT, I'M HALF TEMPTED TO CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL."

"OH REALLY, DO YOU THINK YOU COULD BEST ME? WHO WOULD BE YOUR SECONDS, BECAUSE I WOULD CHOOSE MY SISTER." Roxie said and she saw Silas pale and Lucille faint.

"YOU DO NOT KNOW MY BROTHER, SO DON'T THREATEN EITHER OF US, MAYBE BEFORE MY BROTHER DECIDES THAT YOU WOULD BE A GOOD MATCH, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET TO KNOW HIM."

"BLOODY HELL, TWINS FIGHTING TWINS, I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS, I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS. I AM TOO OLD TO SEE TWINS FIGHTING OTHER TWINS AGAIN." Hagrid said and Roxie smiled.

"TWINS STANDING UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN AND CHOOSING THEIR OWN BATTLES, OR CHOOSING NOT TO FIGHT. TO LAY DOWN WANDS AND ATTEMPT TO GET ON AS BEST WE CAN, CONSIDERING THE FACT WE GREW UP WITHOUT OUR UNCLE FREDRIC GUIDEON WEASLEY. IF YOU THINK THAT I AM HALF THE MAN AT HIS AGE, THAT HE WAS AT MINE, YOU ARE SORELY MISTAKEN."

"THAT IS TRUE OF ME AS WELL, I'M HALF THE WOMAN LAVENDER BROWN MIGHT HAVE BEEN, HAD SHE HAD THE CHANCE." Fred yelled and they both smiled at one another.

"LET ME GUESS, YOU HAVE ALREADY TAKEN YOUR POLYJUICE AND SO I'M ADDRESSING THE RAVEN TWIN AND NOT THE GRYFFINDOR ONE?"

"BEFORE I ANSWER THAT, SHOULD WE TAKE IT OUT AND MEASURE IT? JUST WHILE WE'RE AT IT? JUST MEASURE IT AND GET IT OVER WITH?"

"NOT IN FRONT OF THE CHILDREN." Silas said and she laughed as did her brother.

"Yes because we would not want children to see things that little ones should never see, my sisters' ample boobs for example." Roxie raised a single eyebrow. "Do you know how very impolite it is, to challenge one to a duel at breakfast, rather puts a fellow or a lady for that matter off their food. I'm glad that I chose to use my brother's face today, because I wonder how this conversation might have gone otherwise." She said and Lucille stared at her and she smiled at her in return.

"You saw through this didn't you, or were you going off what was being said?"

"Can't it be a bit of both my friend, how brave you were, when you acted as your brother. That sort of bravery can only be commended."

"I see, so no duels today then, those were idle words."

"No those were threats, I don't like to be threatened by one I consider to be a friend. Before we decide upon who should marry who and how, who would make a better match for who and all that...Maybe you should try to get to know my brother and I will do the same, of course he should stop fainting like a damsel, when you threaten my brother, what will others think of him."

"You are correct in that, but you missed two days, two very hellish days, full of little girls pulling pranks left right and center, I do believe that cloak of yours has seen enough use for now. I don't know how they were passing it between houses, but Silas has yet to get the blood out of his carpet, because some clever child thought it would be a good idea to put decapitated snakes all over his dorm and paint the walls red with blood."

"I kind of wonder who would do such a thing, it was none of my family, we are fairly fond of snakes." Roxie said and Lucille glared at her.

"ARE YOU TRULY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT YOU ARE SPEAKING OF."

"Maybe a little, you know what, I'm very tired of you at the moment, I think that I might just decide to go for a walk. Have a good day Mistress Knott."

"You as well Mistress Weasley." Lucille said and strode over to her brother punching him in the face. "A blow for a blow, is this how you wish to see things done?"

"FRED DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, ALL I DID WAS DEFEND MYSELF, THAT WAS UNWARRENTED, BUT I HAVE NO TIME TO SEE TO YOUR BRUISED EGO OR MY BROTHER'S BRUISES, I NEED TO GET AWAY FROM EVERYONE BEFORE I WIND UP DOING SOMETHING I MIGHT REGRET." She stormed off, everyone knew she was in a rare mood and left her alone, she would skip the first few lessons entirely and if her temper calmed enough by lunchtime she might return to the castle.

"BLOODY HELL YOUR ANGRY TODAY FRED, WHAT HAPPENED."

"I'M ROXIE LEAVE ME THE BLOODY HELL ALONE LORCAN, I'M GOING FOR A WALK IN THE WOODS." She said and went into the forest, she loved following the paths through the forest and knew these woods well.

"Angry today, young Weasley?" A centaur asked and she smiled in response, she had always liked centaurs.

"I get pissed off at my fellow students at Hogwarts, it seems when I wear my brother's face, I get the insults and my brother gets attacked."

"Indeed, you used Polyjuice then, to further muddy swampy waters, not knowing what has been happening at the castle." The centaur said.

"Do I truly need to know everything about what has been happening, at least no one is leaving raven heads on pillows as of yet, these pranks are too vicious."

"Agreed, that is why one young and brave individual volunteered to allow you to use his body, you know this boy well. We have guarded him for a day and a half, do you have enough potion brewed?"

"I believe I know how to take Polyjuice at this point, take me to him." She said and the centaur did as she asked, she smiled when she saw Lysander, he was sleeping deeply, some wards cast around his body, as well as a brush full of his hair. There were also many bottles, which she put into her pockets and satchel, adding hair to the ones she was keeping on her, after the worst was over with, she would wake him. She then turned the time turner back a day and took the Polyjuice. She'd never felt Lysander's body before, it was very strange to her, considering that she considered him to be a little brother. She could play so many pranks and mitigate damage as best she was able. She picked up his bag and shrunk hers to fit within his. She then strode from the forest and towards the school

Someone threw something at her and she cast a shield charm she seen Lysander cast, of course she knew what spells he knew. She had taught half of them to him, whenever he requested that she teach him a new spell. Someone cursed as their face broke out in painful boils. "I'm a Scamander your first mistake was to attempt to come at me, when I came out of the woods, what will be your second I wonder." The boy, for it was really just a boy, dressed in Slytherin robes ran off. "YOU HAD BETTER RUN, DON'T THINK I WON'T PAY YOU BACK TWICE OVER, AS IS THE OLD WAY."

She then continued on her walk, looking all around her, but paying attention to her feet in particular, she saw a little blue creature that smiled at her. Her voice sounded like musical bells and Roxie put her on her finger. "Hello there little pixie you have wandered far from the forest today, you look rather young, I think that you would be better off back in the woods."

"Talking to the pixies again brother, you do realize at a distance you could be seen as amassing a pixie army."

"Pixies are just little pesky things, much like little cousins and older brothers." Roxie said and Lorcan laughed.

"Indeed, you would know something of little cousins and older brothers, come lets go. I don't want to stay here too long, out in the open?"

"Do we need the box?"

"As a base of operations that would be good, that would be a very good idea indeed, just in the short term."

"Only the short term?"

"Yes little brother, I don't think this will be very drawn out." Lorcan said and ruffled Roxie's hair, she pouted as Lysander often did, when his hair was touched by anyone. "Glad I told those pixies to stop being in your hair brother, but this is the youngest of our friends and she doesn't listen as well as others." He said and they walked together side by side through the school. Lorcan shouted out points being taken and threatened to report different people, but Roxie wasn't really listening. All this chaos caused over one simple cloak, one little girl and one simple cloak.

"This is madness, complete and utter madness."

"Well then maybe you see more than you let on, I think the Humperdinck are out in force, perhaps the nargles will protect us."

"I think that nargles would good right now."

"Watchword nargles, you got it red raven?"

"Yes blue lion." She said and he laughed.

"Oh you are a clever thing, you would never betray those you care for, I know that of you."

"Indeed, or my friend, everyone else is fair game though, I must find Lucy though."

"She's been hanging out around the library of late, it's the safest place for the younger years." He said and she nodded, they went to the library together. There was Lucy camped out with a pile of books around her, all sorts of books and tears streaming down her face.

"Lulu, why are you becoming such a little bookworm? Can you come play with your cousins Lorcan and Lysander."

"Lorcan! Lysander all the others have left me alone and my only friends are books."

"Well books can be very good friends, Lulu, you have books and you have your cousins. They would never turn their back on you, not unless you deserved it." Roxie said and Lucy burst into tears running into her arms, Roxie picked her up and carried her behind the stacks. "Take this quick little cousin, and this satchel, I'll take the other satchel. Don't forget to take this ever forty-five minutes." She said and Lucy nodded, taking the bottles and putting them in her cloak. "Also take this, its Lorcan's satchel and I need yours." She said and Lucy did as she asked. "I also need your cloak,"

"Okay." Lucy said. "It's in my satchel, I don't want to be invisible anymore it's not fun." She said and Roxie's heart broke a little inside.

"I think that you will find that it's pretty fun, just let me have a go at being you for a bit." She said and smiled at her little cousin. She took the Polyjuice and some of Lucy's hair and downed the bottle as quickly as she could. "It tastes horrible, but you will be safe with Lorcan and I'll stay with you for a bit, or as long as I can."

"Okay Roxie." Lucy sniffled.

"You have to act like a big brave boy, when you are acting like Lysander, okay, can you do that for me Lulu?"

"Yes Roxie." Lucy said and Roxie nodded, she felt herself shrink again and she recalled the small spells she knew at eleven, she then hit herself with a stinging jinx that would make her eyes water.. She then took Lucy's hand and walked with her back to Lysander.

"Brother why are you crying?" Lorcan asked. "What did someone do to you, while you were away from me?"

"Nothing, I'm just so upset, this is like a nightmare. Where are the nargles, are they coming soon, when will Roxie and Freddy come back? Why won't they wake up. I know Lucy has tried to wake them, but they are too tired."

"Grownups get sleepy when making fun things like boxes, my Uncle George gets really sleepy sometimes when I stay over at his house. Some days no one can watch me very well and I have to get Gran to watch me. I don't like it when I can't play with my big cousins, they are such fun." She said and smiled. "However I can play with others and have new fun games and hope someone will be nice to me. I'm just a first year, why are they being so mean, pranks are supposed to be fun."

She put on the invisibility cloak, this was not what she had planned for, but she would be prepared. Everywhere around her was chaos, until she found Gabriella Goyle sobbing in a corner of the dungeon. "Why are you crying? Are you sad too? I got tired of hiding in the library."

"You hid in the library, books are hard to read."

"Not for me, I could read some to you. We are going to be dorm mates and we must try to get along right, we are both in Slytherin. I wish I had chosen to go to Ravenclaw, but I trust my Cousin Roxie, she's the best big cousin ever. She plays games with me and has me help play pranks on all the boys in our family, it's great fun."

"Really, your older cousin is that much fun?"

"Yes, we can read stories in the library and you can share my cloak, I wanna be like my Uncle Harry when I get big. I wanna have lots of friends and play lots of pranks and have lots and lots of adventures."

"You do, I would like that too, I would like to get big first though and I'm so scared. My big sister can't help me, because she can barely protect herself."

"Well why don't we pretend that we are each other for a bit then, there are some potions that you need to take to pretend to be me and I'll pretend to be you."

"Who are you, not my dorm mate."

"Take this olive branch little Gabby, know it is well intentioned and no I'm Roxie, sorry I had magical exhaustion."

"Oh...That's why you went away, with your brother. You are back now though."

"Yes and I'm trying to keep everyone alive and my brother out of things for a bit, can you keep a secret? Can I trust you to not tell anyone we are going to swap places, except your sister? If she can be trusted with your life and the life of whoever is pretending to be my little cousin?"

"This is very hard, you are asking me to..."

"Pretend to be my little cousin, just for an hour, because she needs to be somewhere and then I can pretend to be someone else, so long as someone pretends to be you. Who do you trust more than your sister, I think that Silas might be a wise choice."

"I don't understand."

"This is a grown-up game, you wouldn't all you have to do is play your part for a little bit. Let's go to your dorms and I can tell you stories and we can find someone to pretend to be you."

"Play pretend, so this is playing pretend, pretending to be something you aren't, or pretending to care about others?"

"I care about people, only so much, I have only so much caring in my heart little one. If someone kills someone I care about, I do not know what I would turn into."

"Then you are afraid too, you are afraid of what is happening here, it's not just...me?"

"No, it's not just you, I hope the real Gabby is safe, these little first years need to be protected first and foremost."

"OH BLOODY HELL, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL, YOU GO TO GABRIEL BLOODY KNOTT AND SUGGEST SHE COME TO ME? WE CAN JUST SWITCH OFF NOW AND BE DONE WITH IT. "

"Alright, maybe we could get along, but deciding to marry one another is a different decision." She said and he laughed.

"Marry you wild girl, perhaps, if you tread lightly and do not think to tread through blood."

"I have a bit of blood on my hands so far, from a punch Marigold Crabbe took to the face a day from now, or what might happen in a day, messing with time is confusing, at least a couple people I love are safe."

"Then could I go to where your brother is, I would like to feel safe in all of this."

"Of course, but I won't wake you if you want to go there, you will have to sleep for the next day at least."

"You have no idea how good that sounds right now." He said and she could tell how exhausted she was.

"Right then let's go to the Slytherin dorms." She said and he laughed, they went to the Slytherin dorms together. She set down the bottles full of the hair she had added to the Polyjuice. "I hope everyone knows how to grow out hair." She said and he laughed, setting down his own bottles and getting into bed. She cast the spells over him and waited half an hour, noticing when his features started to change and putting him in the lower bunk, casting sleeping spells and wards over both him and her brother.

She then took the hair and added it to what bottles were left, before downing one of the bottles and turning into Silas. She then walked from the room and saw how haunted everyone around her looked, how they looked to Silas for comfort. "It will be alright, who's tired of being a big boy or girl and wants to pretend to be two little female first years?"

"I do! I wanna be a first year again, this is so dumb, why is everyone fighting."

"Well if you stopped fighting them, maybe they will stop fighting you, but some have lost more than others and others are too stupid to realize how much this effecting the children, is the post getting through at least?"

"Yes, it is, you are one of the Weasley twins aren't you, you have no idea how to talk like Silas."

"Indeed I don't, that's why there are bottles of his hair, currently there are only three people that are truly out of this, as far as I know. Silas one of the Weasley Twins and one of the Lysander boys, so know if you spot any one of them, they aren't who you think they are. Approach with caution and of course, everyone else is switching off, perhaps someone should write a letter asking for more Polyjuice, because I doubt even the potion masters are capable of brewing an infinite supply."

"You would be correct about this, are you ready to get your hair oily Silas? To stand over a cauldron for hours at a time."

"Yes I can do that, I will have to sleep at some point, so do not disturb me, when I choose to lie down." She added, before stretching out her back and shoulders. "Where is a cauldron, I might as well get started." She said and was lead to a group of cauldrons, with several Slytherins of varying ages brewing in them, she was surprised at how old some people were, they were long past graduation. She looked to each of them, before noticing the tell-tale signs of fatigue, she knew all too well. She tapped the man on the shoulder and he stared at her in shock. "I'll take over for a while, go rest, otherwise this batch will be wasted." She said and the man nodded, leaving her the cauldron, it was simple enough to complete the potion he was making, which was Polyjuice. "I need the ingredients for a blood replenishing potion." She called out to thin air and was instantly given a cart; these potions were the hardest to make and so she would make a cauldron full of those first. She finished making them, before bottling them and adding half the bottles to her satchel. She then moved the rest onto the cart with her wand, the bottles piling up. It was fairly straight forward to get into the motion of brewing, the fumes though were rather annoying, she drank bottles of Polyjuice until she could no longer see straight. "Take over, it's a simple one...helps with magical exhaustion."

"You consider this to be simple, you are clearly a master at your young age, who are you truly?"

"I told you enough to tell you that I am one of the Weasley twins, you will not get anything more than that out of me."

"Girl, you are already a master, the way your fingers dance over the cauldron, use that time turner of yours after you sleep and hurry back here."

"Or most likely I'll wind up waking up tomorrow and hopefully it will all be over by then." She said and yawned, she walked from the Slytherin dorms, into the Hufflepuff dorms Collin Creevy stared at her wide eyed.

"Knott what are you... You aren't Knott are you, Knott would never stupid enough to come uninvited. Are you Fred or Roxie."

"I can't see straight and I need to get some sleep and I need to do it somewhere I feel somewhat safe. I know people are running around using other people's bodies and I think the badgers at least would be wise enough to stay out of whatever the bloody hell this is becoming. It was meant to be an easy and fun set of pranks but its somehow turned into something else entirely and I need to sleep, before I do damage to my core."

"Bloody hell, you are putting yourself through a lot, for what? What was your reasoning behind all this."

"I have no desire to explain myself to you right now Collin Creevy." She said and walked down the stairs and sat in an armchair, placing spells around her as she allowed the world to fade to black.

When next she woke she was in the Hospital wing, she was feeling better, but she had no idea how she had gotten here. Her brother was holding her hand, but had fallen asleep beside her. All was quiet except the sounds of snores, it seemed quite loud to her, the snoring. She sat up and someone instantly pushed her back down.

"No Roxie, sleep sweet girl." Her Auntie Ginny was there and she smiled at her Aunt.

"Did I do the right thing? Do I need to do more?"

"No lass, what you didn't do your brother did and he's refused to leave your side despite needing rest himself. Once it was quite clear that you were you and your brother was still asleep, everyone was a bit surprised when he showed up. No one is entirely certain who did what to who, or when and alliances have not been broken, nor have they been created. You did such an amazing job love, you truly are a wonder."

"It wasn't just me, it wasn't even planned out." Roxie pointed out and yawned. "Could I have some strengthening potions and peppermint tea, before going back to sleep at least. If Freddy keeps sleeping like that, his neck will get all twisted up."

"Of course Roxie, of course and eat something while you're up as well." Ginny said and Roxie was given a full breakfast and she ate everything, she was so very hungry, though she did think to check everything that was put in front of her. She finished eating and drinking her tea, before she laid her brother down in the bed, planting a kiss on his forehead, he was sleeping too soundly to be woken. She smiled softly running her hand through his hair.

"I need the bathroom." She said and left going to the women's bathroom in the healer's hall, everyone who was awake stared at her as she went into the bathroom. She was just washing her hands when Lysander appeared, she smiled at him.

"You do realize people are going to notice we switched places." She said and he laughed.

"Hide in the stalls and I'll slip you a bottle, then someone else will pass me a bottle, then a third person will pass another person a bottle." Lysander said and Roxie smiled, she liked games like these. She was given a bottle and she downed it, she frowned her hands looked rather skeletal. She pulled out her hand mirror and studied her face, she was Delphi Diggory, well apparently some fun was supposed to be had, or someone truly half mad was on campus.

"Who's there, why do I have to do this, I don't want to do this anymore." A child said plaintively.

"You must do this child, there is no choice, for you must serve me to the end of your days. We will enslave the muggle born students and anyone that isn't one quarter pure shall be enslaved as well. All the blood traitors will die by my wand."

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL? WHO'S THERE?" Silas demanded and she smiled.

"That is for you to find out and me alone to know, will you be my loyal servant, serve your master like a good house elf?" She asked. "For that is what my father demanded of your father." She stepped out and several people screamed, oh she would have to play her part and play it well enough and convincing enough. Children who had never known true pain spells would think what she was casting were Unforgivable curses.

"BLOODY HELL." Someone said. "It's the dark lady, she has come before us, how did she escape the prison."

"I was set free by my dark minions, because remember as long as your blood is pure enough, you will be rewarded for spilling the blood of those that would turn against us."

"This does not seem like it would go very well, I see your point." Silas said. "There is no need to frighten children though, will you have another bottle."

"No someone thought that I should be her, so I shall be her." She said and she smiled, it was the nastiest of smiles, a smile that promised torment and torture to anyone who would dare approach her. She strode from the room and heard the gasps of others, the first spell cast bounced off and hit the caster. Then it was a barrage of spells that came one after the other. People screamed and everything was chaos. She cast shield charms over her entire family as they fought her and she had to fight back, to make it convincing, of course her spells were spells meant to look like other spells. She was very glad that the older generation knew to dodge those spells, some of her cousins didn't however and they fell, her family screaming and crying out.

"I'll get you for this Delphi Diggory, I'll get you and everyone else." Percy said cradling his daughter Molly who's eyes stared sightlessly. Then the others started attacking her as well, one girl was laughing madly and she knew that was the true Delphi, that girl had clearly lost her mind. She threw a spell at her and instantly the girl collapsed. More spells were thrown at her, which she caught and deflected, until the hour was up.

"Roxie? Roxie how could you?" Someone demanded, Roxie cast the counters to all her spells all at once, people sat up and groaned, others cried in joy. Everyone hugged everyone else except her, which Roxie was fine with.

"THIS WOULD BE THE COST OF WAR." She said with her twin and her stood fiercely beside her. "WE THE WEASLEY TWINS VOW UPON OUR MAGIC THAT WE WILL NOT ENGAGE IN WAR." He clasped her hand in his and she smiled at her brother.

"WE THE KNOTT TWINS ALSO VOW UPON OUR MAGIC THAT WE WILL NOT ENGAGE IN WAR." The Knott twins said together, standing shoulder to shoulder and more people said the same vows, though she was not certain who did and didn't swear not to engage in war. She knew it was a fairly simple promise, one that was fairly simple to make. They might not engage in war, but that didn't mean they couldn't seek revenge for what was done to others.