Advance Arrangement
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Outside the common room, Bobby addressed Hermione. "It wasn't us."
Hermione shook her head in apparent bewilderment, before she asked, incredulously, "Sorry, but what wasn't you?"
"We didn't do anything, did we, Harry?"
"Not that I know of," Harry replied in surprise.
"What I need to speak with you about has nothing to do with you," Hermione explained, as she ushered the boys along with their familiars into an unused classroom. "Can you please cast a silencing charm around us?"
The twins stared at her in surprise, before Harry complied and cast "Muffliato."
"What happened?" they asked, simultaneously.
Hermione let out a deep sigh. "I had to swear a secrecy oath to only tell the two of you about what I'm going to tell you, so please keep this a secret."
The twins' heads bobbed up and down.
"We promise…"
"… or should we swear oaths?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, I fully trust you. Just remember that I had to swear on my magic." She sat at one of the desks, before she began to tell Harry and Bobby the unbelievable story that she had heard from supposed-to-be Professor Quirrell.
The twins' eyes narrowed, when she told them about Voldemort.
"How do we know…"
"… that everything he told you is true?"
"He swore on his magic," Hermione replied, seemingly uncertain. "Would you be willing to speak with him?"
The twins exchanged a look that made Hermione wonder if they were silently conferring with each other, before they replied.
"We can do that…"
"… after lunch tomorrow…"
"… as we're going to meet with the Unspeakables…"
"… in the morning."
HP
After the twins' training with Devil on Sunday morning, team 1 of the Unspeakables met in their team room, where Harry and Bobby informed them about Professor Quirrell AKA Tom Riddle's problem.
"I wonder if this is related to Albus Dumbledore's case. He was also forced to do things against us," Lily was the first to speak up. "Who in the world has such a grudge against our family and why?"
Merlin shook his head. "It doesn't necessarily have to do with your family. He probably attended Hogwarts sometime during the earlier half of this century, and who knows what happened during that time. Albus Dumbledore was at Hogwarts as well, so there might have happened something that triggered whatever someone did to the two of them."
"There might even be more victims," Charlus spoke up.
Merlin nodded in agreement.
"Do you think…"
"… you can help him?"
The twins jumped up and down in apparent excitement, causing Lily to instruct them to sit down.
Merlin let out a deep sigh. "That I don't know. I'd have to try finding something in his mind using Legilimency, provided that he agrees."
"He'll surely agree…"
"… as he sounded quite desperate…"
"… according to Hermione."
Merlin nodded. "Let's meet in the founders' lair right after lunch then. I trust that you'll be able to bring him there?"
Harry and Bobby nodded. "Would it be all right…"
"… to bring Hermione as well…"
"… considering that he spoke to her?"
"Of course. As the founders told you, you may bring any of your friends; they just want you to introduce them to their painting."
HP
Expectations ran high, when the twins led Hermione and their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor into the founders' quarters and introduced them to the four ancient witches and wizards.
Tom then explained who he really was, provoking an outburst from Salazar.
"You dunderhead. What did you do to my basilisk? Amaterasu would never willingly harm anyone, but you sent her out to kill a student? How dare you, and what are you doing in our chamber here?"
"Salazar, wait." Helga soothingly laid a hand on his arm. "Your grandfather will have a reason why he wishes to meet him here, and the twins wouldn't bring him here if he presented any danger."
"Exactly," Merlin concurred, who had been quietly sitting on one of the sofas so far. "Now, Tom, or Quirinus, if you prefer that, let's begin." He explained what he was going to try and asked for the younger wizard's permission to enter his mind.
"Yes please. Thank you so much for trying to help me."
Harry, Bobby, Hermione and the two canine familiars retreated to the Parlour to speak with Hogwarts and give the two older wizards some privacy. They introduced Hermione to the castle, much to the witch's delight.
Hermione took the chance to ask Hogwarts questions about everything that came to mind, and the gentle old castle patiently explained everything the girl wanted to know. Bored beyond belief, the twins finally transformed into their canine forms and proceeded to chase their familiars around the parlour, only to change back, when Merlin joined them.
"How did it go?"
"Could you help him?"
Merlin shook his head. "Unfortunately not. I found nothing. If he, indeed, has been put under the Imperius curse and was obliviated of it, there was no residue at all. The person who did this must be extremely competent. We have agreed for him to lie low for the time being. As long as no one knows about his real identity, he should be safe for now." He let out a deep sigh. "I intend to ask Santa for help. Perhaps, with the help of the North Fir tree, we can develop some kind of protection against Obliviation for him, so that we might eventually catch the culprit if he or she tries to put him under the Imperius curse again."
"Is there anything…"
"… that we can do to help him?"
Four green eyes imploringly stared at the older wizard who had a millennium worth of experience.
Merlin shrugged. "Considering that the three of you are the only persons aware of his identity, maybe you could just be there to listen to him if he wishes to talk.
"That we will do," Hermione said, warmly.
HP
As much as Tom AKA Quirrell wanted to keep his real identity a secret, it soon became clear that unforeseen problems would arise.
When the twins spent their Sunday at the Unspeakables' office the following Sunday, Lily informed them that Claire and she had observed a conversation between Albus and Minerva on the screen.
"They're wondering why Quirrell isn't stuttering anymore," she explained in a grave voice. "Perhaps, it might be better to at least tell Severus the truth."
"Ah but, Mum…"
"… can't you simply cast a charm…"
"… over the whole school…"
"… to make everyone forget about him stuttering?"
"Maybe, that would be for the best," Lily agreed, pensively. "If you get a chance to talk to him in private, please suggest to him to let Severus in on the secret and also tell him that the Unspeakables are offering for him to join them."
"All right…"
"… We'll do that," the twins promised, only to add, "Considering who he is…"
"… and that no one mustn't know it…"
"… he must be very lonely…"
"… outside of class."
Lily smirked, as she watched her sons step into the fireplace to return to Hogwarts. "We seem to have raised them well considering how thoughtful they are," she whispered to James, feeling extremely proud of the boys.
HP
The twins agreed to speak with Quirrell immediately following dinner on Sunday evening. Before they headed to the Great Hall, Harry scribbled a message for Hermione, so that the witch knew to join them, and sent Sparkle to deliver it. However, to their surprise, Quirrell was missing dinner.
"Let's just head to his office," Hermione suggested, and the twins followed her with their familiars in tow.
However, their knock remained unanswered, and during breakfast the following morning, the headmaster announced that the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled for the time being.
tbc...
Thanks to the kind rewiewers. I appreciate you very much. Please let me know what you think about Tom being innocent.