The Power of the Quill

Au's N's Notes:

I want to say thank you to all my reviewers. I'm so happy you liked the fight scene with the Grangers. Some of you wonder how thing got so out of hand. I don't know. I just told it like it happened. Is not like I'm making this stuff up. I only wrote that last chapter after interviewing all four people in that room. Unfortunately Dumbledore was unavailable for comment, so I don't know what he said to Snape and Mr. Granger after Hermione left. Snape and Granger won't talk about it.

After chaining her to her computer desk for two day I got this chapter finally Beta'd by Nakhash Makashefah. Yes, I know I take advantage of her, but don't worry. Next time I will give her bathroom breaks.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.



The Power of the Quill.


Chapter 13. Dinner at the Manor.

It was 10 am Saturday morning and both Fred and George Weasley were working hard to get their store, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes Emporium, ready for its Grand Opening. They had hoped to be open by August 22, two weeks ago, when all the Hogwarts students were in Diagon Alley getting resupplied for the new school term. Unfortunately, their mother insisted that they both complete their N.E.W.T's exams before she would let their father cosign the lease on the store.


George was in the front of the store putting up display racks for their inventory, while Fred was in the lab making their products. "We're all out of Erumpent horn, again," Fred said, as he came out of the lab with his black leather apron and safety goggles still on.


"How can that be?" George asked. "I just bought a new bag last week."


"I used a lot to make the exploding quills and the Ballroom Busters," Fred answered.


"That stuff costs nearly twenty Galleons a bag. Maybe we should cut back on how much we use in the Ballroom Busters," George suggested.


"We can't do that, it would ruin the effect. The gag only works if everyone in the room can hear who's farting," Fred informed his brother. "Listen mate, the only way we are going to compete with Zonko's is if stufstuff is much better quality than theirs."


"I know, it's just that we're going to run out of money before we get half our inventory made. If only we didn't have to buy all these ingredients at retail instead of wholesale prices," George said, sounding frustrated.


"To get wholesale prices, we would need a Potions Master's license. I don't think that greasy twit Snape is about to lend us his," Fred told his brother.


"We could always forge one," George said with a sinister smile.


"We haven't been in business a week yet. Isn't it a bit soon to be resorting to criminal solutions?" Fred asked with a look of concern on his face.


"Yeah, you're probably right. Besides, old Fudge is just looking for any excuse to put us out of business. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to send him one of our Portable Swamps," George said to his brother.


"What we really need is some more capital to start things up. Maybe we can ask Harry for some more money. His parents left him quite a bit in a Gringotts vault. We can make him a full partner at ten percent," Fred suggested.


"I think we should save Harry as a last resort. What we need to do is just tighten up our belts, try to save money anywhere we can. No more eating out or buying new clothes. We let mum feed and clothe us for a while," George said.


"Do think that will be enough?" Fred asked.


"No, we may have to make some pretty tough sacrifices," George told his brother.


"Like what?" Fred said, with a look of apprehension.


" Well, since we can Apparate now and we're no longer on a Quidditch team, I was thinking that we could sell all our Quidditch gear and brooms," George recommended.


"What? You can't be serious?" Fred asked in disbelief.


"I am serious. It's either that or we both go get real jobs," George stated.


"You're probably right, I just didn't think I would have to give up so much for our dream," Fred said with disappointment.


"Me either," George said.


"Did we just grow up a little?" Fred asked.


"Yeah, we'll have to be careful not to do that again in the future. It would be bad for business," George said with a smile.


A bell chimed twice in the front of the store letting them know that the owl post had arrived. George could see that there was a set of owls on the mail perch out front clutching a burlap bag, with the initials W.W.W.E on it, in their talons. George grabbed an empty bag and headed out front. After exchanging the bags, he came back inside the store.


"I hope there are mail orders in there. It would be nice if those flyers we put up around Hogsmeade paid off," Fred said, as his brother poured everything out of the bag onto the counter. Two packages and six letters fell out of the bag. Fred opened one of the letters and began reading it. "It's from a third- year Slytherin girl who wants a set of Extendible Ears."


"A Slytherin? Oi, looks like we have a real moral dilemma, here. How much are we getting for a set?" George asked.


"Fifteen Galleons," Fred answered.


"We'll sell her the ears, but we'll also write Ron and let him know about them and give him the girl's name," George said.


"You know, it might be a good idea to keep a list of all the things Slytherins buy from us," Fred suggested.


"Not just the Slytherins, all four Houses. A Dark wizard can come from any house, remember," George told his brother. "It could also help us figure out just what people in each house want."


They opened the rest of the letters. Four were from Slytherins wanting one kind of a prank or another. And one was from a first-year Hufflepuff boy who wanted their Skiving Snackbox Nosebleed Nougat, so that he could get out of flying lessons. Fred picked up one of the two packages and opened it. He didn't need to read the postmark to know who had sent it. Thein bin brown wrapping paper and cheap twine was his family's trademark. "Mum sent us some sweetloaf," Fred told his brother.


"Save me a slice,' George said, as he looked at the other package. "Fred, I think we have a problem here, mate," he said, as he gentle set the package back down on the counter.


"What is it?" Fred asked with concern.


"It's a package from Parvati Patil," George answered.


"So what, she sends you - well me - letters all the time?" Fred asked.


"It's not addressed to me. She sent it to you, Fred," George told his brother.


"You don't think she knows, do you?" Fred asked his brother, as they both continued to stare at the small blue package as if it were addressed from a Death Eater.


"She might; why else would she write you?"


"Maybe she wants some advice about you. She wants to get you a present and wrote me to find out what you might want," Fred answered.


"Why would she send a package instead of a letter?" George asked.


"I don't know. Maybe she already bought you something and sent it to me for safe-keeping," Fred said.


"Safer than at Hogwarts? Somehow I doubt that, Fred," George told his twin. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they studied the package. Finally George asked, "Are you going to open it?"


"Me, why do I have to open it?" Fred asked.


"Because this is your mess, not mine. You should be the one to handle this," George said.


"You were the one that always insisted that we never use our real name when setting up a prank. It's not my fault that she thought I was you. Besides, I was already going out with her sister. Things could have gotten ugly," Fred said defensively.


"So, what do you want to do, now? George asked. "Throw it out."


"No, it might be something valuable. I'll just check it with a revealing charm to make sure it's safe," Fred told his brother. He then pulled out his wand, pointed it at the package and said, "Reperi Arcanum Acutus." The package glowed green for a brief second and - "BOOM!"


Instantly, the entire front room of their store was covered in a grayish, light-brown liquid. The twins continued to stand where they were before the package exploded, just dripping with the horrible smelling goo. Both started to spit the foul-tasting liquid out of their mouths. Wiping his eyes with the palm of his hand, George said, "Yep, she definitely knows."


Still spitting, Fred took off his safety goggles and asked, "What do you think - horse, cow or dog?"


"None of 'em," George answered. "It's pig shit."


Fred just continued to stare at the counter where the small blue package had been. Finally, he said, " That was a really nice design. What do you think, a Spanish Party Pooper?"


"No, not a Pooper," George said. "Just look around. See how everything thing is so well-covered, without any gaps. And there was almost no concussion, at all. That was a Swedish Graffiti Bomb. Just empty out the multi-colored pellets and replace them with liquid pig shit."


"Swedish Graffiti Bomb, you say? That's pretty sophisticated stuff for Parvati. And just how did she know what revealing charm I would use to trigger it?" Fred asked his brother.


"I would say she had some help in this little endeavor," George told his brother, as he took one of his fingers and tried to clean out his left ear. "It would have to be someone that knows you well enough to predict what charm you would use, and someone that knows a lot about practical jokes as well."


"I hate to say it' brother, but it sounds like one of our own has turned against us," Fred said to his twin.


"Which one do you think it was? Our charming little brother or our darling little sister?" George asked.


"Ron knows better," Fred stated with assurance.


"I agree. Ginny was also, probably, the one to spill the beans about you in the first place," George said.


"It would seem that our dear little sister requires a lesson in family loyalty," Fred said. "She's fifteen now and is probably trying to attract the attentions of possible new boyfriends. I think a severe case of dragon fleas might put a damper on her social life, don't you?" Fred asked his brother.


"No, no, Fred. You're going about it all wrong," George said, with a wicked smile on his face. "As her older brothers, it is our responsibility to help out our darling little sister whenever we can. We should make sure that ever boy at Hogwarts knows just how beautiful our precious baby sister is."

Both twins now had literal shit-eating grins on their faces.


.........................................................................................................


Hermione entered the Great Hall for lunch just after her parents left Hogwarts to catch the two o'clock train back to King's Cross Station. Luckily for her, Mrs. Weasley had Flooed to the Burrow with Pansy, earlier. She didn't want her parents to know anything about what had happened to Pansy. She knew if the words 'rape' and 'Muggle-born' were used in the same sentence around her mum and dad, she would end up on a flight out of the county before sundown, no matter whom the Ministry threatened to arrest.


Hermione took her seat at the Gryffindor table next to Ginny and across from Harry and Ron.


"How did the meeting between your parents and Professor Snape go?" Harry asked, before she could even get a le ple piece of food on her plate.


"About as bad as things could have possibly gone without someone actually getting killed," she answered despondently.


"What happened?" Ginny asked with a bit too much enthusiasm.


"First, Professor Dumbledore made the introductions and then he explained why I have to marry Snape. When he was done, he took both Snape's and my wand, then left the room," Hermione said.


"Why did he take your wands?" Ron asked.


"He thought that we might try to hex one another. I still don't know if it was a good or bad thing to do," she answered.


"What happened after Dumbledore left?" Ginny asked.


"My dad and mum asked a couple of questions; Snape answered. Then my dad insulted Snape. Snape then insulted my dad. Snape then insulted me. Finally, my dad threatened Snape. Snape said something very sick about our wedding night and then my dad punched him in the face," Hermione said in a very monotone voice.


"YOUR DAD PUNCHED OUT PROFESSOR SNAPE?!" Harry shouted gleefully, with a huge smile on his face. Most of the Hall went silent at hearing what he had said.


"I would have given anything to have seen that," Ron joyfully said, as a giant smile appeared on his face as well. "I bet old Snape went down with a single blow."


"No Ron. Unfortunately for both my mum and dad, he can really take a punch," Hermione told him.


"Who won then?" Ginny asked. She, Harry, and Ron all leaned in, with great anticipation, to hear what Hermione had to say.


"At first my dad was winning, even though Snape had gotten in a few good hits. But once my dad accidentally punched my mum in the eye, Snape was able to get the uppand.and. He's actually a lot stronger than he looks. Hs abs able to pick my dad up, flip him upside down, and shake him until all the loose change fell out his pockets," Hermione told them.


"Your dad accidentally punched your mum?" Harry asked.


"Yeah, but only after Snape had punched her first," she answered.


"Snape punched your mum? What a bastard!" Ron said heatedly.


"No. Snape also punched my mum by accident. She tried to break them up and was too close to the action," Hermione explained.


"She got punched accidentally in the face twice, your poor mum," Ginny said sympathetically.


"Don't worry about my mum, Gin. She got her licks in as well. When Snape had my dad hanging upside down like a rag-doll, she jumped on his back and started beating him in the head with her purse," she told Ginny.


"Oh my gods. I can't believe we missed this," Ron said in disappointment. "Snape got beat-up by a couple of Muggles and we weren't there to see it."


"Ron, both my parents got beat-up as well," Hermione said, sounding a little annoyed.


"Hermione, what were you doing while this fight was going on?" Ginny asked.


"Just standing there, mostly. It was like witnessing a car accident, I couldn't help but watch and see what would happen next," Hermione answered. "I just stood there like a zombie until Professor Dumbledore came in and broke it up."


"What did Dumbledore have to say about your parents fighting Professor Snape?" Harry asked.


"He didn't really say anything to me or my mum. He just sent us to see Madam Pomfrey while he talked with Snape and my dad," Hermione answered.


"Do you know what Dumbledore said to your dad?" Ron asked.


"No. He came to the hospital wing about a half hour later. He was still mad, but he didn't say anything else about me getting married to Snape," Hermione said.


"I still can't believe you have to marry Snape. The greasy bat doesn't deserve such luck," Ron angrily said. After hearing her brother's words, Ginny gave Hermione a little knowing smile.


"You know, with my own marriage contract on my mind, I haven't really thought about you and Snape that much. You're actually going to be Mrs. Snape in less than a month," Harry said in disbelief.


"I'm keeping my name. The first person to call me Mrs. Snape will be hit with an Unforgivable," Hermione warned in all seriousness.


"It just seems like there is something we should be able to do," Harry said in frustration. "It would be bad enough if only one of us had to go through this - but all three? This is truly a nightmare."


"I think that was the whole point, Harry," Hermione told him. "One marriage contract we might have been able to fight. But there's no way we could fight all three. I think Fudge expects at least one of us to refuse or runaway."


"Do you really trust Snape enough to marry him?" Ron asked.


"Tell you the truth, Ron. I really don't know. Professor Dumbledore and most of the people in the Order seem to trust him. But every time I'm in a room with Snape, I feel like reaching for my wand," Hermione said.


"When are you getting married? Have you decided on a date?" Ginny asked.


"October first. That's what me and my mum decided on," Hermione told her.


"Then you have about three weeks to learn as much as you can about Snape," Ginny suggested.


"That's a lot easier said than done, Ginny. His bio in the contract doesn't really tell me much more than when his birthday is and what his O.W.L.'s scores were. Mine were two points higher by the way," Hermione proudly said. "What I need to do is find someone that knows Snape really well and isn't afraid to talk about him."


"That's easy," Ron said. "Just ask Hagrid. He's known Snape since his first year at Hogwarts." Hermione had to admit it; Ron had a very good idea.


"You're right Ron. I will go speak to Hagrid about Snape. I wager there's all sorts of things he knows about him that that sarcastic bastard doesn't want me to know," Hermione cunningly said.


"Speaking of our betrotheds, how did things go with you and Pansy in the hospital wing today, Ron?" Harry asked.


"Ok I guess, but I had trouble recognizing her at first. She looks so different, she looks so..so..."


"Lost," Hone one said, interrupting Ron.


"Yeah, I guess that's it," Ron nodded in agreement.


"Did you speak with her?" Hermione asked.


"No. I didn't know what to say," Ron told her.


"How about - I'm sorry for what happened to you, Pansy, and I'll make sure nothing like that ever happens to you again," Hermione said in irritation.


"Wohat hat really would have been a good thing to say," Ron admitted. "Mum said that once she thinks Pansy is ready to talk about the wedding, she'll owl me to come home for a couple of days. I'll tell her what you said, then."


"I can't believe I'm sitting here feeling sorry for Pansy Parkinson, sorry that she has to marry a prat like you," Ginny angrily said to her brother. Ron just glared in return.


"Well, at least we don't have to worry about her being a Slytherin, anymore," Harry said. "We just have to worry about the hornet's nest we're heading into tonight."


"Just how are we getting to Black Manor?" Hermione asked.


"Dumbledore is letting us Floo from his office to the Leaky Cauldron. From there, Tonks and Emmeline Vance will escort us to the Manor," Harry informed them.


"Are we having dinner? Do you know what we are suppose to wear?" Hermione asked.


"The invitation only said to bring two friends and show up at eight o'clock," Harry answered.


"I think we should wear whatever we can run the fastest in," Ron suggested. "And I don't plan to eat anything that the former Mrs. Malfoy might serve up."


"Ron is probably right," Harry said. "We should dress for a fight and eat dinner before we go."


Hermione knew that Harry was trying to sound brave. But she could tell that he was even more nervous than she had been about her parents' meeting with Snape.


............................................................................................................

At ten minutes to eight, there was a loud BANG and the Knight Bus came to a screeching halt next to a set of large wrought iron gates in the countryside just north of London. Everyone quickly filed out of the purple beast. Harry, who had ridden the Knight Bus before, was relatively unaffected by the jarring trip. But both Hermione and the stately Mrs. Vance were doubled over losing the last of their dinners.


"Catch ya around, 'arry," Stan the conductor said, as he hopped back onto the bus, and with another BANG it was gone.


"That infernal machine is truly a menace," Mrs. Vance said, as she wiped her mouth with a white silk handkerchief.


"I thought the ride was great," Tonks said with a large smile on her face.


"That's not surprising, considering the fact that you have lived the majority of your life in a constant state of unbalance," Vance disdainfully said to Tonks.


"I'm sorry, Emmeline; I thought the rough ride might actually loosen that stick up you're arse," Tonks insultingly replied to her fellow Order member. It was quite apparent to Harry that these two didn't really like each other very much.


Harry looked through the wrought iron gates at the large house that lay just beyond. It was not what he had expected. After remembering what number twelve, Grimmauld Place looked like the first time he had seen it, he was expecting some kind of dark gothic mansion that belonged in a Muggle theme park.


Black Manor was anything but gothic. It was a large, white, three-story mansion with Greek columns surrounding the entrance. A huge fountain, with the Statue of David in its center, was set in a well-groomed flower garden in front of the main entrance. Harry thought the place looked like the home of a politician or diplomat.


"This is Black Manor?" Ron asked, sounding astonished.


"Yep, the family digs," Tonks said with a smile. "Not what you expected, is it, Harry?"


"No, not really," he answered.


"I heard that it's really nice on the inside. Of course, I wouldn't know," Tonks said with a bit of resentment in her voice.


"You've never been inside?" Hermione asked.


"Nope. My mum, and me were the black sheep of the Black family. Afterowniowning my mother, grandpa never invited us even once before he died. The place has been unplottable and locked behind a Fidelius Charm, waiting for the estate to be settled," Tonks informed everybody.


"The place looks pretty good for being empty for over sixteen years," Ron said.


"My grandmother was very compulsive about keeping everything in the house neat and orderly. She was a very different woman than Sirius's mother," Tonks said.


"Here, Mr. Potter, these are for you and your companions," Mrs. Vance said, as she pulled three wands out of her robes.


"What are these for?" Ron asked, as he took one of the wands.


"They are duplicate wands, Mr. Weasley. If, by some unfortunate accident, you are separated from your original, these will act as replacements. But be warned. They are only good for three spells, no more. They also can be used as emergency Portkeys. Simply break the wand in two and you will be instantly sent back to Hogwarts," Vance informed them.


"Hey, how come I don't have one of those?" Tonks jealously asked.


"You'll get one when you decide to grow up," Vance told her.


"You'll get one when you decide grow up," Tonks mockingly repeated, as she morphed her face into an exaggerated version of Mrs. Vance's.


"Thank you for making my point," Mrs. Vance sarcastically answered. Tonks blew a loud raspberry at her with a large forked-tongue.


"You three shoul on on your way," Mrs. Vance said, ignoring her junior partner's rude display.


"Aren't you coming with us?" Hermione anxiously asked.


"No, Miss Granger. If the Manor wards are anything like the ones at Grimmauld Place, they will only allow three people to enter the gates," Vance told her. "Miss Tonks and myself will remain nearby to keep an eye out for any unwanted guests."


"What if there are already unwanted guests inside?" Ron asked.


"The Order has been keeping watch on the Manor for the last couple of days, Mr. Weasley. The house isn't connected to the Floo Network, as of yet. So we are fairly certain thass Bss Black is currently alone in her residence," Mrs. Vance answered.


"Harry, my mum wanted you to give this to my aunt," Tonks said, as she handed him a small black box.


"Is this what I think it is?" Harry asked.


"Yep, it sure is," Tonks answered.


"I'll make sure she gets it," Harry said, as he put the box in his pocket.


Ron reached out and took hold of the gate handle. As soon as he tried to pull on it, there were a loud ZAP and sparks flew from it. The shock knocked Ron off his feet. "Oh Merlin, that hurt," Ron irritably said, as he got back up.


"You should try reading a book from Professor Dumbledore's study, once in awhile," Hermione told him.


"Mr. Weasley. Perhaps it would be best if Mr. Potter were to open the gate. After all, he is the one listed on the invitation," Mrs. Vance suggested.

Nervously, Harry took hold of the handle. Holding his breath, he pulled on the gate. When it swung open without shocking him, he let out a sigh of relief.ermiermione stepped through the gate, then Ron, and finally Harry.


"Be careful, Harry," Tonks shouted after them, as they made their way up the long drive.

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Sorry to end it here, but Ashwinder can't a chapter this big in one piece. The second of this will be loaded right behind this one.

Be sure to review both halves, or I'll send you a Swedish Graffiti bomb. And I won't use pig shit, I'll fill it myself.