The troubles of the twins

‘Have you seen your brothers?’ Lee Jordan, the best friend of the Weasley twins, asked Ron. It was afternoon and Ron, Harry, and Hermione had just come out of their last class of the day. ‘Don’t you have the same classes as them?’ Ron inquired. ‘Ah, well’ Lee gave a mildly apologetic expression, ‘I may or may not have missed a few today.’ ‘They should be finishing Herbology about now’ Hermione said. ‘That is correct’ confirmed Lee, ‘How did you know that’ asked Harry and Ron. ‘Do you want to find them or not?’ snarled Hermione as she started for the Greenhouses.

Students were coming out of the Greenhouse when Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Lee reached there. There was no sign of the twins. Finally, behind the rest of the class, appeared Piova. ‘Hello Hermione’ she said with a warm smile, ‘Hello Potter’ she said with a gentle nod, ‘Hello Ronald’ she said with a slight drawl and a faint smirk. Her eyes rested for a moment on Lee before whispering ‘Aren’t you a bit early for the next class Mr. Jordan?’.

‘She knows my name’ Hermione squealed in joy. They were walking back to the castle, a fair distance behind Piova. ‘Aren’t you even a bit worried about Fred & George?’ Harry snapped. ‘Well, why didn’t you ask her about them?’ Hermione shot back.

‘Where am I going to find her?’ Hermione sounded a bit exasperated. She, Ron, and Harry had just finished dinner and there still wasn’t any sign of Fred & George. Lee had earlier explained to them that the twins hadn’t disappeared for this long in the past and Ron was really getting worried. So he and Harry had convinced Hermione to ask Piova about the whereabouts of the twins.

‘Professor Snape’ gasped Ron as the imposing figure of their potions master loomed in the empty corridor they were walking. ‘Good evening Professor’ said Hermione as she ran the distance between them.

Professor Snape gave her a gentle nod and muttered ‘Evening Ms. Granger’, before fixing Harry and Ron with a cold stare. ‘Sir, I was wondering if you would help us find Ms. Piova?’ Hermione said, then noticing the questioning look in his eyes, she added ‘She said I can take her help for my Transfiguration assignment’. There was a warm glint in Professor Snape’s eyes as he muttered ‘She usually studies in one of the empty rooms on the fourth floor.’ ‘Do not create any disturbances’ he added to Harry and Ron, again fixing them with a cold stare.

They had tried four or five doors before Harry opened one that led to a smallish room with a table and few chairs around it. Piova was engrossed in her studies. The trio tiptoed into the room. ‘Please take a seat and be quiet’ she said without even raising her head as they reached the table. She kept scribbling away, occasionally consulting one of the books in front of her. After long minutes of writing, checking, and tweaking, she gave the scroll an approving nod and put it down.

‘Ronald’ she said with the familiar drawl and smirk, ‘You aren’t stalking me, are you?’ Ron was too flustered to say anything, but Harry blurted out ‘What have you done to Fred & George?’ Piova gave him a steely look that sent shivers down his spine. ‘Ms…’ Hermione started, ‘Piova’, Piova cut in, and continued ‘It’s Piova’ she finished with a warm smile to Hermione. ‘Do you know where we can find Fred & George?’ a flattered Hermione managed. ‘I think I do’ Piova gave Ron a little smile as she started to shove the books, and parchments, into her bag.

‘Please don’t hurt them’, Ron pleaded. Piova frowned, she was now standing up. ‘I would never hurt a Weasley’ she said in an even, calm, voice as she hung the bag on her shoulder. ‘Well, Percy maybe’ she added with a hint of a mischievous grin. ‘So, where are they?’ Ron asked. ‘You may want to step away from those chairs’ Piova said as she herself walked a few paces away. Before they knew what was happening, Piova pointed her wand to the nearest chair uttered some incantation, and in moments a wriggling, groaning, George appeared in place of the chair.

Harry jumped back a few feet as he noticed Piova was now aiming at the chair he was sitting on, and moments later, now a wriggling, groaning, Fred appeared. ‘You can transfigure a human!’ squeaked Hermione, her voice thick with reverence. ‘Oh, my back hurts like hell’ groaned George. ‘Serves you right’ roared Ron. ‘A position for brother has just opened up at the Weasley’s, we recommend you to apply’ George said to Harry. ‘You may too Hermione’ said Fred ‘Can’t be worse than Percy.’

Fred & George took some hurried steps to catch up with Piova who had now reached the door. ‘So, what do you think, eh!’ asked Fred. ‘Not bad’ Piova smiled. ‘I’m starving’ George groaned. ‘Oh, I almost forgot’ Piova said as she rummaged inside her bag and produced two apples for the twins. ‘You are an angel’ beamed Fred. ‘I thought I was the White Witch’ Piova turned and winked at Ron. ‘Oh, don’t mind Ron, he is a bit dim-witted’ informed Fred. ‘But we love him still’ assured George.

‘Good night my friends’ bade Piova as she took the corridor to her dormitory. ‘Good night’ yelled Fred & George.