Chapter Twenty Four: Letters and The Twins New Jobs:
Harry sat quietly reading the letter from his cousin Dudley. He had known Dudley was smart, but had not realized he was smart enough to realize what Harry was. Harry had never told him anything, even when he visited him the few days he was allowed to in the summer he never mentioned magic. Yet somehow his cousin had found out, he was keeping that fact secret from his parents. Harry had read and reread the letter and felt comfort that Dudley really did seem happy for Harry. Harry got out a pen and his quill and set about writing a letter to Dudley . As he was doing this there was the sound of raised voices coming closer and closer.
"Padfoot you give that back now!" Remus shouted. "That is my letter!"
"From my cousin!" Sirius said running into the sitting room Harry was writing his letter. "I have a right to see what you to are up to!"
"It's not funny Padfoot, give it back!" Remus said storming into the room after Sirius.
"No, I want to read what it says!" Sirius said.
"You give me that back now you damn dog!" Remus shouted at Sirius diving for the letter only to find himself slammed to the floor by Sirius.
"Oi I am trying to write a letter here!" Harry said.
"Give me that!" Remus snarled wrestling with Sirius.
"No, I wanna read it!"
The two grown wizards wrestled for the letter all over the floor of the sitting room. Remus was careful to not hit Sirius too hard as he was a very strong man due to his "furry little problem". Harry was about to leave the room when he saw Snape walk in and his eyes narrowed at the sight of a professor of Hogwarts wrestling with a security wizard of the same school. The men were swearing and snarling as they fought over the letter which was no where near the men now. Snape summoned it to them and handed it over to Harry stiffly. The sounds of the fight had carried downstairs and of course Molly heard it and she Apparated at once to the sitting room.
"Professor it might be best if we leave now." Harry said as Molly went brick red with anger at the sight before her.
"I want to watch this." Snape said.
"I don't sir." Harry said. "I know what is going to happen."
"I could be fun to watch." Snape said.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" Molly screamed at them.
"He took my letter!" Remus said hitting Sirius.
"It's from my baby cousin and I want to see what they are up to!" Sirius said. "Um where is the letter? Ow Moony that hurt I think you broke a rib!"
"ENOUGH!" Molly screamed and she had both men up by an ear each. "YOU DARE FIGHT IN FRONT OF HARRY LIKE THAT YOU ARE TO SET AN EXAMPLE! WE ARE SUPPOSE TO HAVE A MEETING HERE AND YOU DO THAT! WHERE IS THE LETTER?!"
"I have it Aunt Molly." Harry said walking up and handing it to her.
"Thank you Harry dear." Molly said, then turning on the men. "Since you cannot behave over a simple letter I will keep it for now! The meeting will be in here. Severus dear you want anything while you are waiting? Tea, pastries cakes?"
"I will be fine Mrs. Weasley." Snape said. "Thank you."
"I want some cakes!" Sirius whined.
"I was not asking you!" Molly snapped at him.
Snape sat down near the fire a very faint smile on his face. This was fun to see Mrs. Weasley go off like that and he liked seeing her, she always tried to take care of him and he did like that even if he tried his best to act like it annoyed him. He arched an eyebrow as Remus and Sirius glared at him and took their seats. The headmaster came in with the rest of the order and saw that Snape looked a tiny bit relaxed. He smiled as he realized his boy was so stressed out now with all he had to do. Once this war was over he was going to take him on a trip abroad as a reward for all he had done for them.
"I guess this means I leave now." Harry said heading for the door just as Moody took a seat. "Though I don't know why, I already know why Voldemort wants me dead."
"Oh do you now?" Snape said coldly.
"Yea I am far better looking than him, smarter and kicked his butt this summer." Harry said.
"You arrogant little whelp." Snape shot at him.
"Thank you, oh and he believes he has to kill me before I kill him." Harry said. "Something about only the best will survive, he forgot I am the best."
"You are on the right track boy." Moody said. "Raised ye right I did."
"What about me?" Remus said. "I helped out quite a bit."
"That and he had to have a Horcrux to come back. Sirius you have some really evil books in your library, you might want to get rid of a few of them." Harry said.
He walked out of the room leaving the order speechless. How could he know so much like he did? Snape was impressed though he refused to show it. He was not surprised that Harry had figured things out like this, after all he had his mother's brains. Snape loved seeing the shocked looks on the rest of the order's faces, only Moody, Remus and Dumbledore were not shocked. McGonagall sat looking pale and Kingsley looked thoughtful. Remus saw Dora was shocked and put an arm around her comforting her.
"That boy is, how did he know that?" Kingsley asked.
"He is very smart." Remus said. "I didn't clear out the library and he does like to read."
"I never knew it had that many dark books." Sirius said.
"Maybe if you did not chew on the books but read them you would know." Snape said.
"Severus be nice!" McGonagall warned him.
"I am nice Minerva." Snape said.
"In your dreams." Sirius muttered.
"I think we better get this meeting under way." Dumbledore said.
The next hour was spent going over what Snape had learned from Voldemort and what the minister was doing to help them. Publicly he was going to make their lives hell, privately he would give all his resources and help to them. As he had said before no-one would suspect him. He had done a lot to make sure the ministries in other countries helped them out in the war that was sure to come sooner than later. A trap was being set to draw Voldemort out and expose him to the world. The meeting came to a close and most of the order left the house, all but Dumbledore and Snape and those staying here. Molly came up to Snape.
"You need to stay for dinner." She said.
"I cannot." Snape said looking at Sirius who glared at him. "The mutt will not let me."
"You can stay for dinner." Sirius said. "It would make Remus happy for some reason."
"Stay boy, if ye do' we will not hear the end of it from Molly." Moody said.
"Very well." Snape said.
Molly called the children down the dining room and fixed her boys with a look when they saw Snape. They sat down at the table, Harry closer to Ginny and Tonks with Ron, Fred and George on the other side of him. Fred and George grinned at Snape who glared at them. If they dared prank him here, well they would not, Molly would hex them. He was unnerved that they liked him, it seemed they saw him as a mentor and friend more than a professor no matter how many detentions or points he took. Dinner was a quiet affair until the end when Harry asked Tonks about her gift.
"I saw you at the Yule ball, your hair was so different." Harry said. "It doesn't hurt to change does it?"
"No, but I do have to concentrate." Tonks said a smile on her face, at once she transformed her face and hair to match Snape's. "Sirius could you pass me a coke please?"
"Here you………Tonks bloodily hell could you not do that!" Sirius said nearly dropping the drink in shock. "Of all people you choose him!"
"I do that to him all the time." Tonks said turning back. "Once I dressed all in black and transformed to aunt Bella."
"That was cruel." Remus said. "I thought Sirius was going to die of shock."
"Well she is locked up." Tonks said smiling. "I thought it was funny."
"I would pay to see that." Snape said.
"He is expecting it." Tonks said, "one day when he is not professor I will show you. I will warn
you as I know what a bitch she was to you in school."
"Thank you Dora, you do not have to call me professor, you may call me Severus."
"Or greasy git." Sirius said.
"Better than a mangy mutt." Snape shot back.
"Death eater."
"Balls less bastard."
"A…."
"Enough!" Molly warned them. "No more of this and don't you dare ask him about that Sirius or you will feel my wrath!" This as Sirius was going to ask to see Snape's mark.
"I was just gonna ask him if he was gonna finally wash his hair!"
"Oi not nice!" Fred said.
"Yea, he is very clean, his hair is just really oily." George replied.
"We are trying to make a shampoo that will work for his hair type." Fred added.
"A noble use of your time, maybe you should spend it on your studies?" Snape said silkily. "You only got eight owls between the two of you."
"Um we were gonna create it and give it to you for NEWT credit sir?" George said trying for a winning smile. "You are our."
"Most favorite…"
"Greatest…."
"Bravest…."
"Potions master and professor ever!"
Snape was not sure if he should laugh or just glare at them. He chose to glare at them but that did not stop them from grinning at him. Molly stared at her sons, clearly they respected Snape and liked him. Of all her sons to like the dour potions master it would have to be her twins. At least he knew he was liked in school by two students. He was so very young and probably felt he had to be strict and stern to get respect. Bill did not like him, then again he was only ten years younger than Snape!
"Fred George try to be respectful to Severus." Molly said.
"We are mum!" They said at once.
"Well at least they like my boy." Dumbledore said. "Severus you should be happy you have such devoted students, they are very talented."
"I do not need an apprentice let alone two of them!"
"We would be good!" Fred said.
"Have we ever pranked you sir?" George replied.
"Well our birthday does not count does it sir?"
"I am out numbered here." Snape snapped.
"Well with your work this year you could use extra help." Dumbledore said. "So what do you boys say?"
"Yes! When do we start?"
Snape mentally groaned, this was not really want he wanted. He knew he would need it, Voldemort planned on using him most of this summer and that meant he would get behind in his potions. Fred and George were his best students, there potions were never wrong and they took their work seriously too. He would not get better than them.
"Very well, however I expect you to work hard and to my specifications, if I do not like anything you do I will throw you out is that clear?"
"Yes sir!" The twins said in unison.
"Good, you start tomorrow morning, early." Snape said.
"How early sir?"
"Eight on the dot." Snape said.
"We will be there sir." Fred replied.
Molly looked at Snape and noticed the flicker of relief in his eyes. Most would not see it but she did. She knew he suffered under great stress now and needed all the help he could get. He had softened a bit over the years, he trusted her enough to go to her when he needed someone to talk to. He knew she would never betray his weaknesses and truly cared for him. Now two of her sons would work for him as apprentices. He had to survive, Voldemort had to know that his betrayal of Snape would be paid back and Snape needed to be there to deliver the last blow to the evil dark lord…
Yes Snape hired Fred and George, after all they are brilliant at what they do. As for Fred and George liking him, they see the good in him and want to "cheer him up" no matter how long it takes.
I want to thank all who have reviewed so far: Tumshie, The Geeky Quill, graypheonix, Lady Clark-Weasley of Books, JWOHPfan, AllMightyPen, DeliaDee, Rainbow2007, Charcoal Hunter Winston, danielle72679, HarrySirius Fan, Auralia Mortimer, world peace, kloette, excessivelyperky, Blueowl, Tristan Cartier, Frost Merry Darkness Luver, miss sophie potter, Black Dragin, jabarber69, murdrax, panther73110, tlfsjs, Novice91, 808Gansta-bookworm, cyiusblack, kahpfan, MULAN-IFUWEREGAY, hug-me, spacemonkey1129…