Chapter 27 - The Twins

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.

Chapter 27 - The Twins

Harry stopped in front of the door and listened, stunned, to what it was announcing. He had been waiting for Hermione and Ron, but that wasn't what the door announced.

“Mr. Fred Weasley and Mr. George Weasley ask to be let in,” the door stated a second time when Harry only stood open-mouthed in front of it.

Harry had totally forgotten about the Weasley twins. The first day at Hogwarts, he had been so disappointed that they had spoken so little with him, and then he had forgotten them during all the new things happening here. “Ehm...open up,” Harry ordered the door.

“Happy to...” Fred began.

“See us, Harry?” George ended.

“Ehm... yeah,” Harry said, still a little stunned.

“Hmm, Fred, it seems our Potions partner is not very happy to see us.”

“Yeah, it seems so.” George rounded Harry. “But why?”

“Er... I have been a little distracted lately, you know, and I just didn’t think that you would show up,” Harry tried to explain.

“But we have, right?” Fred asked.

“So, will you show us around?” George asked while already going further into the quarters and looking around with interest.

“I'm not sure if that is such a good idea. I’ll go and tell Severus that you’re here,” Harry said, already feeling uneasy with the twins, who seemed to be very relaxed around here—too relaxed.

“Oh, it’s Severus now? So when will we be able to use his lab? Have you already nagged him about it?” George asked and threw his arm around Harry's shoulders.

“Please don't speak so loud, or I will be in trouble,” Harry said, getting more and more nervous.

“Oh, come on, old Snapey won't hear us,” Fred said, coming over to Harry after inspecting the room.

“Old Snapey has already heard enough.” Severus' baritone was to be heard while he came down the stairs. “And old Snapey wants to talk with you two cretins before you speak with Harry.” Severus looked warningly at the Weasley twins and then turned to Harry. “And you, young man, still have company in your room, haven't you?”

“Yes,” Harry said in a small voice.

“Then don't make James wait. I will send these two to your room when I'm through with them,” Severus said and gestured in the direction of Harry's room.

Harry gulped and looked worriedly at the twins. To Harry's surprise they didn't look worried or scared. They just grinned at him. “We’ll see you later, Harry.”

“'Kay.” With that Harry went back to his room and James.

______________________

James had left a few minutes ago, and Harry had dragged his Potions journal out of his trunk. He flipped through the last few sheets to distract himself. Fred and George had been with Severus for over fifteen minutes now. What the hell is he doing with them?

He jumped when the twins came in without knocking. “So, what are you doing?” It was George who spoke and threw himself beside Harry on the bed.

“The shrink’s gone already?” Fred asked.

Harry blushed. What they said reminded him that everyone knew about his problems. “I would prefer if you wouldn't call Healer Smith that. And if I come back to classes again, please don't shout around that I have to speak with a Healer.”

“Why? The whole school already knows,” George said as he propped himself up on his elbows.

Seeing Harry's shocked face, Fred added, “Calm down, Harry. Most were shocked that you didn't tell them, and they feel so guilty that they won't ever bring it up to you. And the Slytherins won't dare to say anything now that you are a Snape. So you don't have to worry.”

“Merlin, Harry, can you see the possibilities that we have now that you live here?” George asked, and looked dreamily at the ceiling after he had thrown himself down on his back again.

“I can call myself lucky if Severus lets me brew together with him in his private lab. I don't think he would be thrilled to know what we are working on.” Harry held his Potions journal up.

“Oh, he knows that we are good, and he also knows what we are brewing. Putting one and one together, he must know that you are in on it as well,” Fred said, and went over to the photos. “Wow, is that your mom? She’s hot.”

“Was hot,” Harry said, annoyed and a little hurt.

“Yeah; sorry, mate. She looks quite young in this one.” Fred pointed at one of the photos Severus had given him.

“Severus gave it to me. My mom is sixteen in that photo. She and Severus were friends.”

“Really,” George said and turned on the bed to have a look at it as well. “That's wicked.”

“What was he talking with you about?” Harry asked to change the topic. The twins weren't people he wanted to speak about his parents with.

“Ah, just the usual stuff: don't do something ridiculous,” Fred explained.

“Or dangerous,” George added.

“Or stupid,” Fred ended, and rolled his eyes. “Just a little more determined because now he has to fear for you and not just for us.”

“The usual stuff? So he has talked with you about your potions before?” Harry was surprised.

“Sure. He knows what we’re doing. He always says he prefers to know what we are working on, so he has the fitting antidote at hand,” George said, grinning. “He is really cool, Harry. You just have to know how to deal with him. A little lying here...”

“A little showing respect there...” Fred went on.

“And an ounce of truth, and you have the bat of the dungeon as your pet,” George said.

“He will kill you if he hears you talking about him like that. And I also don't like it when you speak like that about my adoptive father,” Harry said, a little annoyed. He respected Severus and letting them speak about him like that made him feel as if he was betraying Severus.

“Wow, already defending your new family. Come on, cool down, we respect your new father, okay?” Fred assured Harry.

“And you can't imagine how glad we are that you are now a Snape.” George sat up and ruffled Harry's hair. “So, how about sneaking into his library and seeing what we can find?”

“How about letting me survive at least a few weeks without getting into trouble? They haven't even signed the adoption papers yet.”

“As if they wouldn't sign them if you get into trouble. You should have seen Snape as he spoke with us. You’d think you really are one of his. He threatened to skin us alive and use our skin as potions ingredients if we hurt you. He looked really worried,” Fred told Harry.

A warm feeling spread through Harry's chest as he heard this, but he was abruptly pulled out of the wonderful feeling when the doorknob flared green again and started to sir.

“That must be Ron and Hermione.” Harry jumped up and ran to the entrance door.

Again the door did not announce Hermione and Ron. It was only one person, and Harry definitely wasn't looking forward to meeting this one.