The hidden door to my room slid shut behind me with a soft click, and for a moment I simply stood there, enjoying the silence.
No Ravenclaws materializing from bookshelves asking whether I knew someone, who knew someone, who might know somebody.
I placed my hat on the wooden stand beside the door, the one Tweak had acquired for me the week I started actively wearing the thing. My cloak and gloves followed, deposited beneath it on their own pegs.
Just me, my room and apparently my very annoyed house-elf.
Tweak stood atop my desk with her arms crossed, foot tapping rapidly against the wood.
oh that's not a good sign at all.
Her fedora and jacket hung on a tiny wooden stand identical to the larger one beside my door. She had gone fully into the role today. Suit trousers. Button-up shirt with sleeves rolled to her elbows. Old dress shoes polished to perfection. A small vest, a pocket watch, and a green-and-silver tie completed the image.
She looked less like a house-elf and more like a private detective who had just discovered her client was an idiot.
"Tweak," I greeted carefully.
"Master," came the clipped reply.
I paused halfway through pulling the contract from my cloak pocket and looked at her more closely.
"Tweak," I repeated
"Master." came the same icy tone.
I sighed. "You're angry." I stated the obvious.
The elf gasped dramatically.
"I'm not angry," Tweak paused to take a deep breath."I'm just terribly disappointed."
I sat down in my chair and waited, and I didn't have to wait long.
"I watched the entire negotiation master, and witnessed how the Master gave away enormous amounts of free information, not to mention gold like a chump." She hissed, clearly annoyed.
I nodded. "Very true."
"I then witnessed the Master accept only twenty percent." She added venomously. She looked personally offended by the amount of stupidity shown.
"The master practically handed them a gold mine." She cried out half exasperated and half angry.
I leaned back in my chair with a tiny smile."You think so?" I asked softly
"I know so." She spat out with a nod,then she threw her arms into the air.
"The cards! The notebooks! Twenty-one categories! Teachers! Students! Entire Hogwarts buying cards!" She pointed accusingly at me.
"My foolish Master gets only twenty percent, measly twenty percent." She almost screamed now
I couldn't help but smile and think that the twins would have appreciated her theatrics immensely.
"Tweak." I said softly as she stopped to take another gulp of air.
"Yes,Master?" she asked sullenly
"You are looking at the wrong thing." I said gently
The elf narrowed her eyes and pulled out her favorite prop, cinnamon stick with vanilla and lit it. That usually meant she was listening.
"The cards are not the goal." I said
That got her attention."What?"
I nodded, "The cards are useful no doubt, profitable even more so, than I even dared to dream."
I steepled my fingers and looked at Tweak who frowned back at me amidst the pleasant smelling smoke.
"Then what is the goal?" she asked, sounding more calm now.
I smiled. "Simply time."
The elf blinked a bit owlishly,so I continued and gestured toward my bookshelves.
"Every hour I spend answering questions is an hour I don't spend learning.My skills and time are very limited." I said
It was not modesty or self-deprecation. Just a fact.
I explained to Tweak that I was eleven and also a muggleborn.
No matter how brilliant or driven,I had only been part of the magical world for a few months. Luckily my logical mind had not abandoned me as of yet.
"There are entire branches of magic I barely understand and many, many more, I'm sure that I had not even discovered existed yet. The simple truth is that my skills and knowledge are far too limited as of now" I said slightly frustrated.
The problem was that my reputation did not adhere to the logic or realities of my abilities. The Exchange had grown into something people expected to function whether I logically should possess the knowledge they sought or not.
"So I needed help," I said honestly, "anyone would be fine but once I started looking and paying attention, the Twins turned out to be ideal ."
Tweak looked skeptical."The twins?"
"Yes, the twins." I smiled, fully understanding her disbelief. That seemed only to annoy her further.
"The chaotic redheads? Menace to the society as a whole, accident just waiting to break free from the school?"
I nodded. "The very same,hence I had you find a way to get in touch with them, in private if possible and you performed beautifully."
She looked unconvinced, but pride also showed through at my praise.
So I leaned forward.
"They are greedy." I started
"True." She nodded.
"Ambitious to the point of almost fitting for my house." I continued
"Very true." She nodded again.
"They are individually very clever, and as a duo I would even go so far as to call them genius." I continued
The elf reluctantly nodded."This is true,master."
"And most importantly…" I took a dramatic pause."They tell you exactly who they are, no guess work needed"
Tweak tilted her head. So I just continued. "They don't pretend to be respectable or present themselves as nothing more than the rogues they are."
Tweak slowly relaxed,I could almost see her considering the idea.
"The twins want money pure and simple and have the work ethic of a lifelong Hufflepuff." I added
"Yes." She nodded reluctantly with a small smile
"They want mischief." I went on
"Absolutely." she nodded again
"They want recognition, to stand out from their family of talented brothers or so I heard, but on their own terms."
"Without question." Tweak nodded again.
I spread my hands.
"And just like that I know exactly where I stand with them, no need to fear any back stabbing."
The room grew quiet."Trustworthy." Tweak said the word carefully." Not really a word often associated with the twins" she mused
"Mm more like predictable. Most people, when negotiating, try their best hiding things," I explained. "They conceal motives. They pretend not to care. They bluff and they posture. They try to appear stronger, weaker, richer, poorer, smarter, or dumber than they truly are."
The elf stared at me then nodded once with a small smile. The kind given when someone arrives at the same conclusion from a different path."Hmm."
She finally relaxed and sat cross-legged on the edge of the desk."Master still got underpaid."
I laughed."Perhaps I did."
"I believe so." She nodded to herself but much less angry now.
"You are entitled to your opinion." I said with smile
The elf grumbled something about terrible businessmen and talented thieves.
I let her go on for a bit, then I gave her a cunning smile, something I probably borrowed from the twins.
"Did you notice anything strange in the deal or the product?"That immediately got her attention back to the matter. The irritation vanished and the master spy appeared once more.
she sat up, her back straightened in attention."Notice what?"
"The thing they missed," I said. "My little trap."
Her eyes narrowed and the room fell silent and I just watched her think in silence. For a few seconds we just sat in silence as she mulled over the project from every angle.
Then her eyes widened "The answers." she breathed out
"The answers indeed." I nodded in approval.
Tweak hopped to her feet."They never figured out how the answers got back."She said excitedly" they were so impressed by the idea and possibilities that they forgot one obvious issue
"Correct." I smiled happily
"The questions reach the notebook." She continued
"Yes." I confirmed
"The cards burn,vanish or turn into rabbits or something, I'm sure Twins will figure out different ways." She hurriedly explained waving her hands around.
"Yes, I'm sure flames aren't the safest, it was just my example, it's also a very nice visual effect." I agreed
"The students continue their lives waiting for the answers."She confirmed "Yes." I nodded
The elf pointed triumphantly.
"But how do the answers return?"
I nodded. "Precisely." For a moment Tweak looked extraordinarily pleased with herself.
Then she stopped and she looked suspicious at me."Did the Master solve this issue already?"
"Yes." I admitted honestly
"I dislike it when the Master asks questions he already knows the answer to." She crumbled" hate it even more when he keeps secrets from his Spymaster" She said accusingly
"A useful teaching method." Was all I said and ignored the last part entirely.
"The answer was there from the beginning."
I continued my explanation. I reached into my desk and pulled out one of the original prototype cards of mine, "The sympathetic link." I revealed
Tweak frowned."The connection between the card and the book?"
"The magical connection." I confirmed"When someone writes on the card, they leave behind more than just ink."
The elf immediately understood."Their magical signature, their identity."
I tapped the card."The card records it then uses it to establish the connection."
Tweak slowly nodded understanding spreading across her face."The notebook knows who asked." she asked
"Exactly."
"The notebook knows where to send the answer." she continued
"yes it does."
"The answer simply follows the same connection back." She asked in disbelief and I smiled in return.
"The question creates the link,the answer travels through it and the delivery completes the exchange and the link breaks as its sole purpose is fulfilled."
For several seconds Tweak stared at the card. Then she looked up with a weird expression of confusion and surprise
"That's not a messaging system."
"No,not at all" I confirmed with a small chuckle
"That's a very small, rudimentary ritual." She said with a dawning realisation
"You see, that's exactly what I thought." I chuckled
The elf looked impressed despite herself. Which of course was always satisfying."No runners or dead drops needed for just information." She said happily
"No students wandering around looking for answers." I answered with a nod."Only information that reaches them as soon as it's written into the notebook." She whispered more pleased now
The elf stared at the card again then she began grinning."The twins are going to figure this out eventually." She still tried
"They probably will." I said honestly," I did after all, by sheer accident but still" I admitted " remember when we tested the cards and I asked you to take the notebook to the other side of the school and I asked you a question? To see if there were any range limits to our system?"
She nodded hesitantly " I do, we did not find any limitations, you also said and I quote "it doesn't mean there aren't any, just that you and I weren't able to find any" end quote ."
She replied with a face scrunched in thought,reading straight from her book.
I smiled and waved my hand" yes but you also wrote an answer to the book did you not?"
"I did yes" she agreed carefully
I smiled triumphantly" yes and I got a sudden message straight to my mind, I think you wrote 'master better not ruin my new spy tool" I said looking deadpan at her
"Ehheh master has just a vivid imagination I wouldn't dare" she said blushing furiously, pulling the fedora from the hat stand and plopping it on her head and pulling the brim low.
I chuckled" well I guess it was made for your use, so you had some reason to feel that way, but that's how I knew we had a working prototype. So how long do you think twins will take to figure it out?"
"I estimate two weeks." Tweak said immediately, peeking underneath her hat's brim
"Optimistic." I said," well I intend to help them out anyway, for a price that is"
Tweak laughed delightedly "So Master intends to sell them the answer before they discover it. More like realizing they already have the answer" She stated rather than asked.
I pointed at her "Now that's my spy master" I praised.
She grinned proudly and jumped up to return her hat to the stand. Then she turned back towards me.
Tweak's grin slowly faded and then her eyes narrowed back with an angry scowl "Master still hasn't answered the original complaint."
I blinked."What complaint?" I asked
"The wasted information." She pointed at me with her cinnamon stick. "The questions arrive and the answers leave. Everyone becomes smarter. Wonderful." She rolled her eyes then she fixed on me with a very suspicious stare. "And all that information simply slipped from our grasp."
I smiled."Does it now?."
I reached back into the desk drawer and pulled out a single thin card sized sheet of parchment. A handful of carefully drawn runes occupied the center in clusters and few dotted its edges.
I handed it to her.
"What do you think it is?" I asked
The elf took it and studied it carefully. Several seconds passed then she nodded to herself in confirmation
"Half a card, with all its runes exposed for some reason." she said confidently, handing it back to me.
"Partly correct." I said with a smirk and Tweak frowned.
I leaned back in my chair taking the tiny card back,
"This is the missing piece." I said proudly
"The missing piece of what?" She demanded
"To my plan of course." I said simply taking the half a card back spinning it between my fingers like Fred did when we made the deal.
The elf immediately sat straighter."The cards create a sympathetic link." I began, repeating what I said before"The notebook receives information and the answer travels back." I explained.
"Making it sound like a closed system, and as such very discreet and safe." I said
Tweak listened carefully. " Yes, so how would one extra half card help us?" she asked a bit frustrated about my deliberate concealment of the process.
I smiled at her "Tweak tell me in your forays to the cinema did you ever come across a device they called the bug?" I asked leadingly
She looked down at the parchment again. Then at me her eyes shining in eager reverence."M-master made a bug for his spymaster?" She stuttered hastily jumping from the table to hug my leg
" I chuckled, well I kinda did, you need to slip one of these on the back cover of the book you want to spy on. Preferably you should slice the cover open and put it inside of it for maximum safety. Then simply magically repair it, but it's not always feasible. The inside of the back cover should also be fine runes against the cover so it's just one parchment slip stuck on the back of the book."
She jumped on the spot clapping her hands" This is my second spy gadget, so exciting, how about the book? Can I pick it?"
I smiled with a nod" sure, second? What was the first?" I asked puzzled
She waved her cinnamon stick around " it's my spy smoking device, very atmospheric and important,also not smelly or unhealthy." she nodded satisfied
I nodded, keeping my face carefully neutral. "Yes, that is indeed the most useful item. Anyway, I make them in pairs so one goes in a book of your choice you want to receive the information, I numbered it 2 and the other goes to the book you want to spy on, numbered 1 "
"That way it's easier to find specific kinds of knowledge later on when you need it" She nodded like a bubblehead figurine eyes shining.
The runes themselves were simple enough, nothing particularly advanced.
That had been the entire point after all,I could not realistically create something complicated enough to fool everyone. Simple things, however, often hid remarkable possibilities.
I pointed to the first rune."Ehwaz the connection."
My finger moved to the second."Ansuz the exchange of information."
Then the third."Kenaz the recording."
Tweak nodded slowly and focused as I tapped the third rune.
"Laguz." I said and the elf frowned.
"The flow?" she asked, "The movement." I corrected
Understanding immediately appeared on her face."The information moves?" she half asked.
"It always moves." I confirmed "The cards create a temporary connection and the notebook records the exchange as the answer returns through the link."
Then I tapped the parchment again."This records everything in the book, the question and the answer including who's asking."
The room grew silent as Tweak looked from the parchment to me, then back again."The entire conversation?" She whispered
"The entire conversation." I repeated
The elf looked very impressed,then concerned, then impressed again.
"Master."
"Yes?"
"This is spying." She said accusingly.
I shrugged flippantly, "Of course not, it's just archiving." I denied firmly
The elf snorted.
"Master is calling spying archiving now."
Tweak looked back down at the parchment, realization continued spreading across her face. "The notebook receives every question."
"Yes."
"Every answer too"
"Yes."
"Every magical signature?"
I hesitated."Well… in theory."
Tweak narrowed her eyes once more.
"In theory?"
I shrugged helplessly.
"The notebook needs to know who asked the question and where to send the answer back."
That much, I was reasonably certain about.
"The original notebook loses the connection once the answer is delivered," I continued, tapping the card. "The exchange completes itself and the sympathetic link collapses."
Tweak nodded slowly. "But this notebook doesn't answer anything."she muttered and then blinked, surprised, her eyes widening."Oh."
I nodded."It only records."The room grew quiet."So the magical signature should still be there." I stressed the word. "Should."
Tweak stared at me."You don't know."
I groaned."No. I don't know."
That was the irritating part, the theory made sense and the runes behaved as if it should work. My mage sight suggested it should work, everything pointed toward it working but there was a considerable difference between should and does.
"I simply don't know enough yet." I admitted with a frustrated sigh. "I need to learn more about sympathetic magic, ritual structures, magical identification and probably three other subjects I haven't discovered exist yet."
Tweak stared at me for several seconds.Then she patted my knee.
"There, there Master."
Her tone immediately dripped with sarcasm.
"You only created a functioning communication network, an information archive, a self-delivering message system and what might be an identity registry after two months of magical education."
I frowned."That's not what happened Tweak."
"Tweak agrees with the master." She nodded solemnly with a gentle pat on my knee "Master can see magic if he so wishes."Another pat on the knee.
"Master tweaked ancient training equipment just so he can try and dodge the green colored lightning spell, a spell category that is by the way its own properties lightning fast."Another pat on the knee."Master accidentally invented a ritual."
one more pat on the knee."Yet my sad Master remains upset because he cannot perform mastery-level magic after approximately eight weeks."
I pointed at her nose, "Tweak! You're making fun of me!"
"I would never."The elf somehow managed to look offended and amused at the same time."Master's expectations simply continue to be completely unreasonable. That is very terrifying." She finished and jumped to sit on the table's edge once more.
I accepted that as a compliment.
Tweak looked down on the table at the bug and frowned."One problem though."
I smiled."Just one?"
"The parchment remains visible if I can't slip in inside the notebook's back cover. Someone might take it off even if they think it's just a slip of parchment forgotten there" She said worriedly.
I nodded and pointed toward the bottom corner, She blinked and leaned closer, the final rune sat there. Small, almost forgotten. She stared at it for several seconds then laughed.
"Perthro?" She stated in a questioning tone
"The concealed thing or the hidden result." I nodded."Once attached to a notebook it simply vanishes from sight."
The elf's laughter grew louder. " Why would the master need to hide his 'Archiving' device hmm?"
I sighed and gave up the argument.
The next morning an owl dropped a letter directly into my porridge, or would have if I wasn't fast enough to pull my plate out of the way.
I stared at the owl, my face carefully neutral but inside I was annoyed enough to wonder if the false burning hex would be an overkill for this situation.
The owl stared at me imperiously,then, apparently satisfied with its work, it stole a piece of bacon from my plate and departed.
I sighed and pulled the envelope free.The handwriting was immediately recognizable as Tom's, That alone was enough to improve my mood slightly.
So I opened the letter while the Great Hall buzzed with breakfast conversation around me.
Hello Alexander,
Before anything else lets go on to some business matters,Peter still owes me three galleons..
I mention this because last month you assured me that magical Britain should possess methods for magical debt collecting.
I'm beginning to suspect you made that up since I haven't found anything alluding as such, but if you don't mind, please send me such spells or books that might have such information. That bugger needs to pay!
Life here continues as normal.
Mrs. Finninger still complains about the heating daily, even though I have explained to her seven separate times how to adjust the temperature in her room. Did she listen? Of course not.
Her children meanwhile continue finding ever more creative methods of ending themselves.I have managed to undo their stupidity on multiple occasions already.
In other words, not much has changed since your departure.
There is however one matter that requires clarification.
Your elf.
Before you try to deny it let me repeat, YES YOUR ELF!
Sure she claims to not belong to anybody. I also know she only started appearing after your first letter arrived.
Then there's the way she talks. Most elves I've encountered speak nothing like people. She does and in fact, she sounds disturbingly similar to you.
Not in her voice, thankfully, but in the way she thinks.
She argues points,builds theories around those points and asks questions she already knows the answer to.
Frankly, it's irritating enough that I suspect you've been a bad influence on it.
The point remains that she behaves less like a servant and more like a shady business partner.
That cannot possibly be a coincidence, so the evidence in my opinion is becoming quite conclusive.
The first visit involved an extensive discussion regarding proper spycraft.
The second visit was apparently a follow-up interview regarding the first discussion.
I would like to stress that I have never been a spy.
Nor have I ever claimed to be one. This information did not appear to discourage her.
Some of the questions included:
How many aliases should a professional spy maintain?
Are dramatic entrances necessary?
Can an intelligence organization function without a secret headquarters?
Is it acceptable to promote oneself if nobody else is available to do the promotion?
I answered as honestly as I could.
Unfortunately honesty appears to have been interpreted as expertise.
She took notes,lots of notes. Alexander, she carries more notebooks every time I see her.
Most alarming of all, she informed me that I had been classified as "a reliable external senior contact."
I do not know what that means and I'm not entirely convinced she does either.
Please explain to your elf that repeatedly appearing out of nowhere and asking espionage questions is not normal behaviour.
Even by your standards.
best regards
Tom
P.S.
She also asked whether a proper spy should smoke often or just special occasions such as when plotting.
When I pointed out that she does not smoke, she informed me that she possesses a "spy smoking device."
I chose not to investigate further.
A few minutes later I reached the words: YOUR ELF.
I closed my eyes.
Of course,Of course Tweak had visited him. Why had I ever believed otherwise?
By the time I reached the section regarding proper spycraft, aliases and self-promotions, my face was firmly hidden behind one hand and I was shaking it from side to side as if that would be enough to deny the reality.
I did not need to look around to know several Slytherins were already watching me with interest. Apparently staring at letters while looking increasingly horrified attracted attention.
Who knew.
The worst part was that I could picture every single conversation perfectly.
Tweak had absolutely asked those questions. She had probably taken notes.
Detailed notes,Annotated notes.
The possibility that she had created a dedicated file for Tom was alarmingly high. By the time I reached the postscript regarding the spy smoking device I simply lowered the letter and stared at the enchanted ceiling.
Somewhere in Hogwarts a house-elf was undoubtedly feeling very pleased with herself. I folded the letter carefully, it was clear that Tom deserved a reply. or an apology. or several replies with several apologies for causing this with my nonsense with Tweak. Now it was far too late to try and explain to her it was just a joke.
"Interesting reading?"
I looked up straight at Melissa Belladonna, who stood beside the Slytherin table, hands hidden, tucked in her sleeves in front of her for some reason.
My own wand being in the wrists holster made me very aware that she might be holding on to hers similarly,but to my knowledge, only very few students used the holsters at all,which to me was still utter insanity.
Insane and a relief since it made that particular way to hold hands in front of your tucked in your sleeves pretty harmless.
Well for everyone else but me I guess, should I start walking around like that? I would look perhaps a bit more eccentric but I would always have my hand on my wand. Hmm
Her dark hair, sharp eyes and entirely too much curiosity for this hour of the morning, were patiently waiting for my response.
"It depends, I suppose," I replied,putting the letter inside the pocket of my robes. "Would you classify gossip about a housewife and her apparently reckless to the extent of selfharm children as interesting in your books?"
Ms Belladonna blinked, taken aback.
"…No,not usually."
"There you go then. I said, and went to finishing my toast and juice.
"She nodded once. "Fair enough." Without invitation she sat across from me, this seems to be happening more often lately. As her hands came out of her sleeves,she slipped a card over my side and partly underneath my napkin.
"I have a question." She said in a tone what I supposed passed as casual with her.
Of course you do.
I glanced at the card. "Nimue? on the rare side I'm told." I commented while wiping my mouth and taking the card.
"part of the payment." She clarified
I glanced at the illustration. A woman stood beside a lake beneath a moonlit sky.
One of the oldest magical figures in British history. Famed sorceress, some claimed dark others the opposite but all agreed she was very powerful.
Rare enough that most students would trade much for it.
"What is the question?" I asked cautiously as I slipped the card in the same inside breast pocket as the letter.
Ms.Belladonna leaned forward."The portrait outside classroom four-twelve."
I blinked."Sir Cadogan the knight?"
"Yes!The one who keeps pretending he doesn't understand passwords."
I understood, that particular portrait had become infamous among students. Mostly because he absolutely knew the passwords he simply enjoyed wasting people's time and changing them as often as possible.
Ms.Belladonna continued."I need to get through there."
I nodded understandingly.
"Ask him about the Battle of Tinworth."
She stared at me clearly confused.
"…a What?"
"The Battle of Tinworth. The knight, Sir Cadogan, was there." I explained
Ms.Belladonna frowned. "How do you know that?
I waved my hand dismissively "Because he tells everybody."
"No he doesn't." She said annoyedly and folded her arms."I've spoken to him six times."
"And did you ask about the battle?" I asked amused.
"No." she admitted
"Then there you are."
Ms.Belladonna looked offended.
I spread my hands "Look the man is desperately trying to discuss the only interesting thing he ever did."
Realization slowly appeared on her face."You're serious?"
"Entirely." I nodded. She stared another moment, then shook her head.
"I hate that you somehow know these things."
Melissa rolled her eyes then her expression shifted.
"Actually, that's not why I came."
That got my attention."Oh?"
She glanced around the hall then leaned forward slightly.
"I heard the Weasley twins are looking for you."
I raised my brows at that and Ms.Belladonna looked satisfied. Apparently she believed she had delivered shocking news.
"Looking for me?" I asked with a neutral tone.
"They've apparently been asking around since yesterday."
"Did they say why?"
"No." Ms.Belladonna lowered her voice dramatically."But people think they're planning something."
I considered that for approximately two seconds.
Either they had figured out how the answers returned, or they had finally realized they had absolutely no idea how the answers returned.
The latter seemed more likely.
The twins are clever. They are not miracle workers. I had only solved it myself through pure dumb luck.
"Should I be worried my informant is going to be out of commission?"Ms.Belladonna asked.
I smiled."No, I don't think so."
"You're certain?" she insisted on a straight answer
"Reasonably." I nodded
That somehow seemed to concern her more.
"What does reasonably mean?" She asked,her face mask of neutrality hoping to hide her unease on my nonreaction.
"It means there is a ninety percent chance they want to discuss business." I answered simply not bothering to obfuscate
"And the other ten percent?" she wanted to know
I folded the napkin and wiped my lips once more, readying to leave.
"The other ten percent is why they are interesting."
Ms.Belladonna stared at me then slowly shook her head."You are a very strange first-year."
I smiled at her "So I've been told,repeatedly."
She stood up with me and said,"I delivered the warning."
"You did." I admitted, easily.
"I expect that you owe me one small favor. Your answer against my rare card and the warning." She said with a familiar predatory gleam in her eyes.
I pointed at the empty place where the Nimue card had been.
"That was for the question I presume?so here we go take this and we are even."
I pulled a card from my pocket, one that I had forgotten I actually had. Fred gave me one of their Fool cards in case I was in need of prank related consultation.
Melissa looked horrified that I had something to even the score. Then annoyed and lastly grudgingly amused.
" What is this?"
She asked, looking at the Fool card depicting one of the Weasley twins.
"That is a rare card." I answered amused by the turn around " even rarer now than your Nimue is, I'm not sure when these become publicly available, but the short version is: if you need help with mischief or pranks write that need on the card, and what you would hypothetically pay for such service and one of the Twins will get in touch, Just in case please dont use it before the New years"
She narrowed her eyes but wasn't able to hide the intrigue in her eyes.
"This is something big isn't it? One day I am going to discover how your brain works and get you cornered Hawthorn"
"Best of luck." I said and turned to leave
Melissa pointed at me with her index finger threateningly."That wasn't a joke!"
"I know." Somehow that made her even more suspicious and I could tell the exact moment she turned the card around to see the stylized H wearing a wizards hat just like mine, behind the Fool card by the gasp she let out.
As I walked toward the doors of the Great Hall pondering how this would fit in with my reputation in Slytherin. She would most definitely show off the card and try it out at first chance she gets,so I better find the twins fast and see the system finished before she could do that. I could already guess where the twins would be waiting for me.
Probably near the library or possibly inside the library. Potentially disguised as books even to surprise me.
With Fred and George Weasley one could never be entirely certain. Still, if they had finally discovered the missing piece of the system and not the solution, then today's conversation was likely to be very profitable. Or very expensive.
Just as the old Magician who performed at the orphanage every year said:The Pledge had been made. The Turn was neatly completed. Now comes the Prestige.
Finding them was not the difficult part. The library as my usual haunt and where I first headed proved surprisingly to be the exact ambush location the twins had chosen to find me.
I spotted the one I labeled Fred assumed first,or rather I spotted a pair of shoes paired with a red and gold trimmer robe sticking out from behind a shelf that contained three entire rows of books on magical household maintenance.
No student voluntarily spent time near those shelves. Well perhaps not counting me or a few smarter Ravenclaws. I had looked at the shelves several times and was forced to determine that sadly I did not have the time to focus on spells needed to maintain my future abode,not yet anyhow.
A second pair of shoes and a narrow strip of robe protruded from the opposite side combined by a shocking tuft of red hair sticking out from a shelf a bit above where an empty space was indicating a book someone was reading somewhere in the library.
Subtle,well this worked out well.
I thought amusedly, as I walked over and stopped next to a study table between the shelves.
"Good morning gentlemen, I hear you two have been looking for me" I said in a normal volume which meant in the library I might as well have shouted.
Both shoes stopped their nervous movements as if the owners of them had frozen solid.
oh yeah, my charm usage has made my steps near silent,so perhaps I just surprised them, as they were readying to surprise me. That or they were simply waiting for me to come here eventually.
in the midst of my pondering Fred's head popped out of the household maintenance books shelves.
"Oh it the Mad Hatter,George he's finally here."
George appeared from the opposite side, and happened to glance at the bookshelf he was hiding behind and caught the hole just above his previous hiding place then glanced at me.
"Please tell me that my hair wasn't sticking out of that hole like a torch in the dark?" he said with a clear " please lie to me " expression.
"Unfortunate oversight. I'm sure" I answered understandingly.
"Terrible development." Fred said, staring at the same wide book sized hole just above George's previous hiding location.
"Ruins our entire morning, it does." Twins said in a more subdued stereo due to Madam Pince giving a stink eye to our direction.
I nodded " understandable" and sat down on the study table.
The twins exchanged a look, then both sighed dramatically and joined me on the opposite side.
"You've done it again."
I blinked."Done what?" I asked rather puzzled,with these guys I can't really trust that they're referring to the obvious and not some other thing I did and forgot.
"The thing,the clever little trick" George insisted
I sighed, "I believe, you think that narrows it down considerably, but let me enlighten you that it really doesn't" I said partly amused by the whole ordeal.
George threw one of the prototype cards at me and I caught it automatically.
"You sold us half a system."
I looked at the card, one of their Fool cards. Then back at them.
"Ah." I said intelligently.
"Ah?" Fred repeated incredulously.
"'Ah' he says."George pointed accusingly. "We've spent four days straight,trying to figure out how answers get back."
"And before you ask." Fred continued, "We checked everything."
"The runes."George listed
"The paper." Fred huffed
"The notebooks." George said, pulling out a notebook and rifling through it.
"The ink,any and all books we could think of in the library and even the owls in the owlery." Fred finished waving his hands around.
I paused and looked from one twin to another.
"The owls? Why did you study owl's" I asked curiously
"We were getting desperate." George admitted.
"Very desperate." Fred sighed his hand going through his hair tiredly.
I nodded "reasonable, I suppose but why the hurry?" I asked
Neither twin appeared comforted by my assessment of their activities and I could already feel a long winded and convoluted explanation coming as an answer to my inquiry.
"Normally we'd solve it ourselves." George started
"We prefer solving things ourselves." Fred added
"Professional pride and some stubbornness you understand" George went on as if Fred said nothing at all.
"Professional paranoia is more like it." Fred muttered equally unbothered by his twin being mid speech and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"Unfortunately professional stubbornness is currently costing us money." they said simultaneously looking at me.
which no matter how many times I saw it felt equally eerie,I glanced between them. Pondering what might be their reasons for such haste. Then my gaze fell on the window and the snow that slowly drifted by.
"Christmas." I muttered " you want to use Christmas to launch the cards right?" I asked even though I was almost 90% sure.
Both twins pointed at me simultaneously.
"Christmas indeed"
Of course,now their hurry made sense. The cards weren't merely a product.
They were gifts, once people try them out and realize their value they will want more.
A sibling could show one to their brother or sister. One card became two customers. Two became four then four became eight.
Christmas is in two weeks and if twins miss Christmas,they lose their first great opportunity to garner a great deal of interest from all over the student body simultaneously.
George slumped down in his chair "We need them working before the holidays." he muttered and lay his head down between his hands on the table.
"Preferably before everyone leaves." Fred pointed out.
"We already started making inventory, we have seventy-three cards finished in three different categories." Fred continued
"Twenty-two more halfway done." George piped up between his hands. Fred nodded tiredly.
"And Lee keeps suggesting dragons,everything with him becomes dragons." Came George's muffled voice once more.
I nodded sympathetically at that, a terrible burden indeed.
Fred narrowed his eyes. "You knew we'd end up here."
I gave him my facsimile of Daphne's pretty and creepy smile. Of course on my face it was more on the latter side and less on the former.
That was enough of an answer as both twins groaned simultaneously. Which was weird since George was still partly lying on top of the table with his head between his hands and not looking at me at all.
"Oh he absolutely knew." George said and lifted himself up with an effort of epic proportions, or so it seemed. "He planned for this." He continued
"He sold us the problem." Fred nodded
"And now he's selling us the solution." George said with almost admiration in his voice.
I considered that. "That is a rather cynical interpretation." I hedged
"That's exactly what's happening." They hissed back like two alley cats.
" Well yes, but I am a Slytherin. It's expected of me to be venomous, don't you think?"
Twins sighed and gave me reluctant nods and the three of us sat in silence for a while.
Then a voice spoke behind us.
"What's happening here? Since when have you two started to bully, first years?"
All three of us turned and saw Percy Weasley standing there.
Notebook in hand his Expression suspicious and his Prefect badge gleaming as if just polished.
The twins immediately looked pained and even more tired.
I understood why. Percy might possess many admirable qualities but being discreet was not among them.
"Nothing." George said flippantly
"Absolutely nothing." Fred added " and if anyone is bullying anyone your brothers are on the receiving end" he muttered and glanced at me accusingly.
"Private discussion,educational in nature." George jumped in
"Very educational."Fred nodded without missing a beat.
Percy adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses."Educational discussions generally occur with books around at the proper study table. Also pardon my rudeness." He said in my direction" not with someone two years your junior."
I just smiled back with a nod.
"We are at a table." Twins pointed out and knocked the wood of the table between us.
"Not a proper table." Percy insisted
The twins looked as though they were considering murder. Minor educational murder perhaps.
Percy continued.
"Mother says it is important to involve family in business matters ."
Fred slowly closed his eyes and George looked toward the ceiling seeking answers.
I quietly stood up and took a few steps backwards.
Percy noticed and looked puzzled.
"Where are you moving and why?"
"Instinct." I said simply
"What instinct?" He asked even more puzzled
"The survival kind." I said
Fred stood abruptly and pushed George's hand down. I noticed George was holding his wand ready to cure Percy's lack of instinct once and for all.
"We're leaving." Fred said to Percy hastily.
"Immediately." George added grumpily and shoved his wand hastily in his pocket and added" We need a new location."
"Much safer one" Fred added pushing his chair back in its place
"Place with Fewer Prefects." George announced
"But I am a Prefect." Percy said, as if nobody knew
"Exactly." the twins said together.
Percy frowned. "You are behaving suspiciously."
The twins looked at him and then at each other,then once more back at him.
"Thank you Percy, we have for some time tried to reach that lofty goal" Fred said wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye as George gave him two thumbs up with a deadpan look.
Five minutes later we were no longer in the library but were instead using the same shortcut Tweak and I had used to reach the room where the original deal had been made.
The journey was accompanied by a steady stream of complaints. Mostly from Fred and occasionally from George. Exclusively about Percy.
"He was definitely taking notes." George groaned
"He always takes notes." Fred agreed,and added"Nobody should take that many notes."
"It isn't healthy."George nodded "I'm fairly sure he takes notes about taking notes." He said despairingly.
I nodded sympathetically."A terrifying thought indeed."
"Thank you." Twins said in unison."Finally somebody understands our pain."
The hidden passage opened and we stepped on the third floor where their room was located. Fred pulled out an old brass key and opened the door of the room.
I stopped at the doorway to properly take in the room. The transformation was impressive. Last time I had seen the room it had resembled a tiny betting house or a weirdly small bank lobby.
Now it looked like an actual workshop. Shelves covered the walls and boxes filled with cards occupied every available surface.
Several stacks of notebooks sat arranged by size and quality. One entire table had vanished beneath sketches, calculations, parchment samples and prototype designs of cards.
One held what appeared to be failed attempts and yet another contained nothing except food wrappers. I pointed at that one"Let me guess,Lee Jordan?."
The twins glanced over.
"Correct." Fred sniggered
"Remarkable deduction." George added with a dry smile.
"All kidding aside Lee is our art guy, we are fair hands to be sure, but he is the one who comes up with most of the artistic designs and first makes them. It's not hard for me or George to just replicate them later, but the pure creation is his forte" Fred added with a fond smile towards the candy wrapper covered table.
I inclined my head, I figured the twins would not tolerate dead weight in their business but somehow the team's artistic lead was not my first or even second guess to Lee Jordan's role here.
George collapsed into a chair and soon Fred followed suit. For a moment neither of them spoke at all. A few moments of silence ensued then George suddenly just pointed at me.
"Right to the problem." He said
"The expensive problem."Fred added with a theatrical wave of hand."The annoyingly clever problem, arranged by our silent partner here" Fred whispered conspiratorially to George who nodded understandingly as he stared at me suspiciously.
"We've reached the sad conclusion that solving this ourselves would take time,potentially lots of time and since Christmas is in fourteen days." George started.
"Twelve school days,eleven if McGonagall catches us again." Fred interrupted.
"Ten if Percy gets involved."George fired back
I decided not to ask, the less I knew about their affairs the better for my waning sanity.
They exchanged a look nodded once at each other then both focused on me.
"We need answers, and we need them now." George said with a firm stare
"We dislike buying answers even more than either of us can put to words now but at this point we're willing to suffer. This is too big for our pride to be the stone we trip ourselves." Fred admitted with a firm gaze entirely serious for the first time.
For the first time since I had arrived, the joking eased. Not vanished but eased like a sun hiding behind a small cloud.
Fred leaned forward and George mirrored him.
The resemblance was uncanny. "Fine we admit defeat this time, what would it take for you to tell us how to get the answers back?"
Silence settled over the room, they might have been nervous or anxious if they were neither of them showed it. They sat still without their usual smiles or jokes. staring at me steadily and just waited for my answers.
Well damn! Everything I ever learned implied that fools should be exploited but these do not look like fools to me. It does not help that they're betting all on my idea..
I thought about the situation and looked at the serious looking Twins in the eyes,then I looked around the room. At the cards and the notebooks on the tables. Some ready others in several states of assembly
The piles of parchment and the dozens of hours of work surrounding us. Then I looked back at the twins and made up my mind.
"You've already paid for the full package, so that's exactly what you got."
George blinked and Fred frowned. So I continued.
"The connection is already there along with the delivery method and how to recognise the one asking." I said
The twins exchanged a glance.
I smiled a soft genuine smile at them, and that ironically made both twins immediately look at me suspicious.
"You predicted this." Fred said
"You knew we'd come and ask." George sighed
"Which means…"Fred pointed.
"…you already know what you want in exchange." George finished.
I considered pretending otherwise, and considered again whether I should just give the information for free to them.
These are not my enemies or adversaries.
Then decided against it and planned to just out source more through them to silence that pesky voice of my newly awakened conscience.
"Naturally, I came up with the idea after all"
Both twins groaned
"The Mad Hatter strikes again." Fred said in a defeated tone
"The villain of our story." George said hand in fist and gazing dramatically into the far distance, or since we were in a room, the line between the wall and roof.
I accepted all of those as compliments
"This is going to be simple and painless boys, 5% more and all my cards I need for personal use or to give away, note I will never sell them, that's your job,but I do intend to use them at times and give them when people inevitably come bother me with their questions."
Twins stared for a while in silence" just like that? no haggling? no battle of wits?" Fred asked, his expression was so confused. He seemed like he could decide if he liked how easy this was or not.
I nodded calmly" thats it, I can even put it in writing that I need this or that amount of cards a month and I need to inform you two in a timely manner if I need more and fast for somereason." I said simply
The boys looked at me then at each other. Then around the room and nodded " if thats all you want then we agree. They each offered their hands crossed over each other and I took the hands with a smile.
"Oh before I forget, I offered one of your Fool cards you gave me last time to one second year student, do you have your own notebook ready and at hand if and when that student decides to test it out?"
I asked as they high-fived each other happily. They looked at me and Fred suddenly sprinted to the other end of the room and jogged back with a book that held the same picture as their card did on its cover.
"Yes, it's ready,but nobody has the cards yet so we don't carry it around. Well except you and apparently now this student"George said smiling much more relaxed now
"Nothing yet, but thanks for the heads up this first one needs to go flawlessly" Fred said as he checked inside of the book.
Fred put the book aside and took more relaxed posture like George already had "now please explain, what we missed"
I smiled, leaned forward, and began explaining the missing piece. The trick, after all, was simple.
The answers had never needed to travel anywhere new. It only needed to follow the path the question had already made.