Chapter 24- A Bump in the Night

Note: This is mostly a dialogue chapter to set the stage for future events.

"Harry!" Ron called out to a trembling Harry Potter.

"Harry you'd better tell me what you know right now."

Harry kept his back turned and muttered.

"Ron this isn't the time. OK?"

Ron snatched Harry's arm hard and forced him around. Harry shoved him off angrily.

"You bloody idiot." Harry hissed.

Ron arched a brow. He was taken aback by Harry's unusual behavior. Harry Potter did indeed have a very bad temper, but he rarely took it out so furiously on his friends.

"Call me all the bloody names you want. But I won't let you go until you tell me what's going on here."

Harry sighed violently and fixed his glasses.

"Alright, alright. What is it you want to know already?"

"Why do Fred and George owe you?"

Harry paused. "Well, I gave them some money."

"How come yo…?"

"I gave them the Triwizard Tournament winnings, OK? I gave them all the money I won. I did them a favor, and they're in my debt now. Get it?" Harry huffed out.

Ron gaped.

"You gave them everything? But why?"

"I didn't want it, and I didn't need it. After everything that happened… the money meant nothing to me."

Ron gave him a guilty look.

"I…I'm sorry. I jumped to conclusions, you know."

"Yeah, I get it. Its no big deal just…"

"And I really appreciate you doing that for my family. They really needed that money you know, how else are they going to open their own shop?"

Harry nodded.

"Yeah. But I'm sorry if they used what I gave them for no good. That was never my intention."

"I know." Ron said, shrugging. "You've calmed down."

Harry nodded and glanced at his shoes.

"What did that git say to you anyway?"

Harry looked back up at Ron, his eyes full of sadness.

"Its not what he said Ron. Its what I know I missed."

Ron looked at his friend patiently. Harry spoke again.

"He told me things about my mum. I liked hearing them, but they made me realize what I've lacked all my life. For a long time, I was in the dark. It had been easier to know nothing, because at least I could be blissfully ignorant. But now I understand the kind of family I missed; that I'll never get to know, but other people have known. It gets to me."

Ron didn't know what to say. He frowned back at his friend, feeling every bit remorseful for his own temper. Luckily, Harry spoke again.

"Right now, I just want to get to the bottom of this. I need to get my mind off that. Let's move on ok? And forget I said anything."

Ron nodded reluctantly. He understood the importance of their mission, but he couldn't just forget what Harry said. He reasoned it would be best to put it aside for now, for Harry's sake. But he couldn't help the perturbing feeling that his friend was loosing control, as though he was spiraling down somewhere dark inside himself. Ron thought that he should speak to Hermione about all this. She was far better with such things than he. Resolving to address Harry's sorrows later, he continued on.

Harry and Ron walked silently to Fred and George's room. Ron pressed an ear to the door.

"I hear bubbling, Harry. And you smell that?" He said sniffing.

"It smells sweet." Harry whispered back.

Harry approached the door, raised a knuckle, and knocked firmly.

The boys heard hesitant whispered and footsteps on the other side of the door. After a few long seconds, a twin answered.

"Yes? Mum?"

"Mum's not here, but she could be in a minute, you know!" Ron said.

"Bug off Ronald! Can't you go smooch that photo of Rosmerta you keep in your pillow?"

Harry eyed Ron comically. "No. You don't?"

Ron flushed an ugly shade of pink. "Never mind her! Let us in!"

"Fred, George, its me Harry. We need to speak. Now." Harry chimed in.

"Anytime, Harry but not now. We're…busy." George replied.

Harry stiffened up. "I know you two are up to something, something that I know I've accidently funded. You guys owe me, so open up."

At that moment, George thrust the door open. "Get in! And be quiet about it!"

Harry entered, closely followed by Ron.

The twins looked frantic. "What do you know?" Fred asked.

Fred gave Ron a hard shove. "And if you know anything, Ronald, you better not say a word to mum!"

"Relax! I didn't!" Ron shouted, infuriated. Ron tried to give Fred a shove back, but Fred blocked him. Ron was knocked down on his bum, a foot short from toppling over a bubbling cauldron containing a sticky, purple fluid.

George gasped. "Enough! Don't touch that Ronald!"

Harry examined the cauldron. "What exactly is that stuff?"

"Just a potion, that's all." Fred replied sheepishly.

"Yeah, just an illegal potion, right guys?" Harry said.

Fred and George paled. "Listen Harry, we know this looks bad. But understand this; we aren't using your gift for no good. We're trying to fix our mistakes."

"I believe you. But you two need to explain."

Fred shrugged and smoothed back his hair anxiously.

"OK, you see we feel terrible about the whole er…cake disaster." Fred said.

"It was a fiasco." George added.

"So we've been trying to resolve the problems we made. We've done some research, and made the perfect plan to bring Sirius and Old Snape's enmity to an end."

"I'm grateful you two are trying to help, but I'm not getting how some illegal potion is going to resolve a 20 year old grudge." Harry said shortly.

"Wait! Does it alter memory or something? Like make them forget they hate each other?" Ron guessed.

Fred shook his head. "Nope. But it does involve this stuff."

Fred held out a herbology book and pointed to a picture of a mangled, purple root.

"So, what is this plan? And what's with the illicit-whatever-it-is?"

"MANDECIUM ROOT! Brilliant!" Cried Hermione.

All the boys jumped. With a whoosh, Hermione appeared out of thin air. Next to her stood a perplexed Ginny.

"Ah! Invisibility cloak. That's how you lot found out." Fred speculated.

"Scary that one…" Ron muttered.

Hermione ignored him. "I understand now! Harry, they're boiling mandecium root! It's technically a shortcut for transfiguring into someone else."

"Like a polyjuice potion?" Harry asked.

"Exactly! Only it's much more temperamental, er – if not brewed right it can be extremely poisonous. You two took a huge risk with that stuff, its toxic!"

Harry looked back and forth from the twins to Hermione.

"Alright, but how..."

"Don't you see! They're planning on shape shifting! If Snape and Sirius won't make peace on their own…"

"Then someone who looks like them can!" Harry exclaimed, finally catching on.

Ron looked confused, as always. "So…one will turn into Snape, and one into Black. And then they'll do what? Open up to each other?"

"Perhaps. The point is, its easier for either one to talk to someone who doesn't harbor so much hatred for the other. If one's more open to talking, than the other might be, too." Hermione replied.

Hermione eyed the cauldron. "How long has that been brewing?"

"45 minutes, about." George answered. "It needs a little over two more hours."

"Ok, guys. This is great – really great. But we need to plan more. If we're going ahead with this then we need to be fully prepared. Why don't we…"

Before Harry could finish, he was interrupted by frantic shouts from elsewhere in the house. Footsteps hammered the stairs, doors slammed, and raised voices exchanged orders.

The children tensed up. The Order of the Phoenix was in a frenzy, which in itself signaled something sinister was once more rearing its head.

After a few tense, quiet minutes, Remus opened the door.

Sweat was beading down his forehead, and he was gripping his wand tightly.

"Remus…what's happening?" Harry asked breathlessly.

"Its them – the death eaters. There's been an attack on the Ministry's security outpost here in London. Dumbledore sent his patronus five minutes ago. Everyone's got to go help."

The Weaslesys looked stricken. Their parents were bound to go off to fight. Whether or not they would return…

"You kids will be safe here. You must stay inside, I mean it Harry! You're to stay behind."

"Will we be alone?" Hermione muttered, looking undeniably shaken.

"No; Sirius and Snape have been ordered to stay behind. They'll look after you. I have to go now…" Remus turned to the Weasleys.

"If you kids want to wish your parents luck, now's the time."

Ginny nodded, tears welling in her eyes. The Weasley's stormed out of the room with Remus, leaving Hermione and Harry behind. The two looked at each other, both guilt and fear apparent in their eyes.

"Harry." Hermione whispered.

Harry put his arm around her shoulder. "They'll be alright Hermione. We'll all be ok."

Hermione sniffled. "I only wish I could believe that."