♣- Fidelius -♣

"Professor," you called him faintly as you peered over an empty shelf.

"Half an hour and five minutes."

So he's even more aware than you are.

"And you summoned me for..?"

He lifts his body up from his seat, crouched down a bit and pulled a pack of papers from a dresser near the shelves, putting them ontop of the table in front of him. "This."

You took a few steps forward, getting further inside the room. Seeing the first paper makes your left eyebrow raises.

"It's empty." You said because you thought it's gonna be some sort of form you need to fill.

"It is. That's why I need you to fill it."

"..with what?"

"First three papers are for you to fill with the basic spells you've been taught. One paper after for any of known unforgivable curses. One paper next is not entirely empty - there are in total 15 questions for you to answer regarding your knowledge of magic history. One paper below it is for your biography, be it small but for you it is to be written the entire page. One paper for your parent's, two for your former teachers at your former school including the caretakers, game keepers if any, and head principal or headmistresses, and the last one for your references; to be used whenever you wish. Fill it accordingly."

After finishing with his teeth clenching and eyes making heavy contact with yours, he sits back on his chair and joins his hand. His thumbs twiddling impatiently, waiting for you to sit down as well and begin writing, but you hesitated. His explanation reminds you of the use of Legilimens back then at Potions class. Until this very moment, you still don't know precisely who used it on you, but you do have suspicion on this particular teacher.

"Was it you who used Legilimens on me this morning on the Potions class, sir?" The question slipped out of your lips before you managed to hold it back.

He didn't give you any reply, but only a look on the face. And not a really friendly one.
You bit your lip, and instead of repeating the question you decided to just sit down and fill in the blank parchments, knowing keeping him wait any longer won't bring you back to the common room faster. The alarming creaking sound of the chair under you feels as if in any moment you could fall down. And knowing someone like him, he'd probably ask you to fix it yourself or give you detentions if it really did broke even though it's not yours to blame.

But as you advance to the fourth paper listing the Unforgivable Curses you've mastered with a black quill he owns, you began to notice he's acting strange. He began to twitch and seizure continuously as he murmurs something indecipherable behind his desk.

"..professor?"

You called to see if things are okay. No understandable response.

"Sir?"

Still no reply, and he's still in his frenzy. What's up with this bogged up guy?
You stared at him, lips opened up a little as you see him becoming more berserk. You're thinking to call someone to help him out, but then again you'd only lost your way outside until you saw some of his front hair began to change color to some sort of dark brown, and then to reddish. It precipitates you into shooting up from the worn out chair and immediately pull your wand out of your robe, a bit of ensconcing yourself by making a safe distance from this pale guy. You narrowed the tip of your wand to him as you watch him crouches, seemingly in pain.

He's not Snape. Whoever this person was, they're using Polyjuice potion, and apparently forgot to make another batch of it to prolong the effect.

And it took no longer after for this faker to reveal his true identity.
One of the Weasleys twin, the older brother of your little Ginny, is right there on the floor, struggling to get himself up and off the black robe Snape owned.

"You're.. Fred?!" You asked, slowly lowering your wand. He coughed.

"I'm George. Fred is -wheeze- there behind you."

You screamed in utter shock after someone shouted a screeching 'boo' right from behind your shoulder. There goes the other twin.

What exactly are they doing here in Snape's office, disguising as him?? You assumed they had broken multiple rules already by wandering out of their house's territory at this time of day and using Polyjuice potion, screening as one of the most formidable teacher of the entire century. And they tricked you too to come here all the way from Slytherin's common room! Didn't they know how much effort you need to make to search this room down the expansive school area without a map?

Either they're out of their mind, or they're just trying to pull another stupid prank on you. Either way, they're still out of their mind.

"Seems like we need to invent better Polyjuice potion that will last longer." Fred slouched down to Snape's table and patted George's shoulder. "Or at least make another batch of it to prolong the effect. Eh, George?"

"Sure, help yourself - I'm not drinking things with Snape's hair in it anymore. Rottens. It must've burnt my tongue, the taste's still there a bit. I hope I don't vomit here-"

"What are you two doing here!" You doubled up, facing the floor as you pat your chest rapidly. They returned your worry with a laugh, George with a weaker one. He flops to the instable chair you just sat, with a creaking noise which sounded much more dangerous than before.

"Relax; here to save your day are we! Don't be so mad. Your face is all tomato."

Yeah, as if that mighty Draco isn't enough for saving your day. "What do you mean?"

"To prevent you from drinking the Fire Whiskeys, why of course."

"You Slytherins are having an alcohol party tonight at 9, ain't you?"

You suddenly remembered about the whiskeys. It must've started by now, and obviously you've missed couple starter glasses, but shrug that. You can reason that you're called by Snape anyway.

"How come you know that?"

"Well, are you?"

"..yes, but it's only couple glasses of ordinary fire whiskeys and a small party up the hood. So how you did know? And, you said you came to prevent me drinking?"

"Ginny told us," Fred said. "Like, everything, more than we had ever asked, if we did had. Said she overheard some Slytherin who were talking about the party, and she said they're putting Veritaserum inside the bourbons. Off to play Truth or Dare, she suspected heavily."

"Must be Slytherin's tradition, pulling things like those in children's games." George commented foully, his expression showing disgust. Then he added hastily, "-of course, you just arrived here, and everyone knows you're not as bad-born as them."

"Uh ..okay." You said slowly, uncertain. "So what's the effect to concern? If they did mix it, it's not like it's a poison and they're planning to kill me with it."

"We know nothing, but Ginny told us to remind you that Gryffindors and Slytherins are not buddies." George sniggered on his chair, rocking backwards and forwards.

Oh. 

You think you get it now.

Ginny didn't want you to drink the whiskeys because an overdose of alcohol can make you pass out, causing you to be not able to keep up until night when you and she promised to owl each other. And keeping an assumption that you could end up in the game and lose, you could choose 'truth' over 'dare' and say everything out of your mind straight in effect of the Veritaserum put inside the Fire Whiskeys. Worst possible outcomes are you blurting out about your friendship with Ginny to your fellow Slytherins, and you being kicked out of the social flock after then. At least this came just in cue.

"Thanks then. Whiskeys aren't listed as underage children's drinks after all, now that I think of it."

"There you go, wicked." Fred smears a grin.

"But you know it's dangerous to be in here..! You could always find a lot other possible and much less risky way to meet me, couldn't you? If Filch had ever caught you-"

"He's got his bucket full with that feline of his," George says cutting, referring to Mrs. Norris, Mr. Filch's faithful cat, "we hung it up the pole at the Astronomy Tower after she spotted us lurking around. Serves as a good diversion too, isn't it?"

"but what if Peeves-"

"He zoomed to the girl's lavatory on the second floor after George announced Myrtle's taking her clothes off." Fred's cutting now.

Then you drawled, "But Snape?"

"Thanks to the Marauders map which we borrowed from Harry again, we know he and the other teachers are currently having a long, tedious meeting for the start of the term in one of the empty classes. The Triwizard Tournament must be in the topic too in the meantime. And we can't just resist our sister's plead; we're caring, loving brothers."

You laughed contagiously. "And I thought teachers' rooms are all Alohomora-proof. Troll craps."

"But hey look, since we thought you could make a great beta-tester, we've invented a new creation for you to try," Fred says and pulls something out of his robe. You twitched - surely it won't be another fake wand?

"No, it's not, don't worry," George added as if he just read your mind. Fred hands you a light, peculiar pink bottle. "Have quick faith."

You glued your view to the smelly vial, a strong smell of lavender of which you loved, fuming around it. You read the label on the bottleneck.

"A ...love potion?"

They chuckled in unison.

"Close to Amortentia, the inevitable facet of love and passion called affection; although just in illusion, it is still capable of inducing strong attraction. Perfect for those who're having crushes on suave stallions-"

"Tasteless, but that's what makes it very neat and usable in delicacies without creating any suspicion. Comes in 25 different variants and only lasts for no more than 24 hours, aware, but the stock will keep on growing as we're buildiiiiiingg ~"

"The Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes!" Magical fireworks began to shoot up the ceiling, booming loudly, creating colorful sparkles and bangs here and there so loud it made the jars around rattle about. Swirly words came out of it no sooner than you blink that read just exactly as the twin just said; Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Suave stallions, what- you mean I'm supposed to use this for the Unicorns?" You laughed for coming up with the thinking. "Handy for my Potions task indeed."

"Ooh yes, you can use it on any kind of subjects, from mermaids to microscopic bacteria, milady,"

"But especially on our kinds, yesss. Even though we cringe for girls crushing on that Malfoy," Fred hissed with an extremely wretched up expression, "we are no more than grateful for you being a good friend of us, Cranindor, so decided we did, to give you this newest invention of ours and make that boy rock the night with you on the ball!"

...wait. 

So they're giving this to you over the raw thought that you're having a crush against Draco?

That's it, cursing those gossip makers after you get out from here is rigid as a decision could be. It's enough for these buzzes for even getting into Gryffindor. You're gonna Crucio every one of them in front of the teachers.

"Fred, George; I don't like that cloth-hanger."

"The rumors say the other way around, though." They dramatically replied at the same time. Fred continued while George nodded in every period, "They reached the ears of the team this morning, Wood and Harry being surprised far more than we did. Sort of rather disappointing, to be honest if you ask us, but really, Ginny kept on nagging if love's blind. Can't help but to question this ourselves, right George? You seriously like him?"

You frowned and looked at them both. "It's just a gossip."

They exchanged look, slightly raising brows at each other. "I don't like him. They're just making it up. Things don't quite look as it looks now, see, we.."

You explained pretty much everything from the start of your meeting with Draco because they kept cornering you with worrying questioning looks, then finally nodded in agreement to understand you after you concluded again, reassuringly, "It's gossip."

"Blimey, I'd shuffle that." One of the twins gurgles, you've lost your track on which one's who, they kept on shifting places. "Reckon how Harry and Wood's faces would look like when we tell them this. I'm relieved this is just a gossip, really. You're better off with other guys than that git."

"But Vale, that rumor sure has spread wide. The entire school had known your relationship within a day and they all believed it, you won't believe it."

"That's what bothers me. But I guess it's rather pointless to give it some deal now."

You then averted your concern to the bottle of love potion they just gave you. It emits a strange pink smoke off the edges of the cap, which smells really good, although still bears a small signature scent of the potion itself, for it might be not quite ripe enough; a bit bitter and nose-curling, but sweet at the same time.

You've learned about these kinds of potions back at Agrias, and this one concoction surely is something someone should be wary of. The giver could ostensibly fruit a 24-hour love off the person the givers gave to if the receiver drinks it. The longer you leave the potion be, the maturer it gets, so it could be powerful enough to keep a lasting love if you leave it for months.

"What? It's for you," They surprisingly said when you handed them back the bottle again. "Don't worry, you can keep it. It's not like you'll never use it when you know it's in your hand. There are lots of males out there - better ones! Unless you want to give it to us.."

You and the twins chuckled. You're unsure how you could find a way to make this valuable any sooner, but you guess it'll do to save it for now. "I'll find a good use of this. Will inform you the result if I've tried it on someone." You said as you gave them a wink. The twin who's standing nearest to you elbowed his brother playfully on the ribs.

"I told you, George! She's a good client." 

"Expect a farcical discount next time you're off to our shop, lass, if we're able to make it that far, that is. Our mom's been trying to smolder the order forms." 

"You'll make it out. You'd both make an excellent, blasting shop."

And as you three realize it's getting much later and Snape could be back anytime soon to give you dreadful lecture and detention, you decided to just scurry out of the office together and said goodbye to the twin after they showed you the way back to the Great Hall from which you could head to the Slytherin common room. They chanced to apologize for what they've done tricking you to get into Snape's office, and for something else they haven't quite pointed yet until you entered the common room.

"There you are!" Sam ran up to you from the divided troops of girls and boys upon your enter, briskly clearing the way and puts up an oddly confused face after fetching a sheet of paper taped to your back, saying 'hates gossips badly'.
Over your shoulder, you can see her holding two glasses of transparent liquid which you assume must be the whiskeys - already blended with Veritaserum.

"We're playing Truth or Dare now. Come on, everyone's waiting!" She said excitedly.

You looked further inside the crowd. Those who're in the play surrounded the middle of the room; some of whom had already done the 'dare' which includes showing themselves almost-nude and do a strip dance in the most disturbing way you could imagine. The others just laugh in amusement. Is this really how games should be played in the house? You'd prefer to stay up late and watch those heart-wrenching soap operas with your step-parents and find your eyes all red the next morning.

"Sorry, but I'll pass. Need to do some chores for Snape." You lied, a slight guilt lurches inside you - it melts her happy face into a disappointed one. You did a quick observe around the room to see if Draco is around, but you didn't see him anywhere. Perhaps he ran up the dorm because he can't stand the girls.

"Wouldn't want him mutilating me now."

"Oh well. Can't blame you."

Sam waved you a bye after you said another forgive me to her and walked up the stairs to your room, intending to sit around and wait for Ginny's owl to come. You might as well owl Kim while you're at it. You've been dying to tell her what's going on in your new school since your arrival here.