Evil Twins

Harry, Ron and Hermione ran as fast as they could down the corridors, calling for Megan and Lisa. Hermione was muttering, "I don't like this, this is stupid, we're going to get in trouble."

At last they reached the third floor and saw, at the far end, Megan and Lisa's bright orange hair and blue robes (they still hadn't gotten Hogwarts ones).

"STOP!" Hermione screeched, skidding to a halt. Harry was amazed that she had the breath to shout. Megan and Lisa turned and looked at them.

"Hey," Megan called, "we're hopelessly lost here. Do you have any idea where we are?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione hadn't stopped running, and now they reached the twins' side.

"We," panted Harry, "have to get out of here. Now."

"But--"

Harry grabbed Lisa's hand and began all but dragging her away from the other end of the hall.

"What's wrong, Harry?"asked Lisa.

"Voldemort," gasped Harry, "is loose in the castle. Did you hear what Sirius said or not?We've got to get to the Great Hall."

Suddenly Harry heard a high, cold voice behind him.

"Harry Potter. What a surprise," said the voice softly. They all froze and turned around.

"What the hell is that?"said Megan. For the man that stood there was indeed hardly recognizable as a man. The face was thin and pale, the nose flat and snakelike, the eyes red slits. In one long, thin hand he held a wand pointed right at them. But, to Harry's immense surprise, his scar wasn't hurting in the least.

"Lord Voldemort," whispered Hermione in horror. Ron swiftly moved to Hermione and stepped in front of her.

"Oh, is that what he looks like?"said Lisa. "Well, dude, I have no idea what you're doing here, but I'm going to tell you right now that you are the most hideous object I have ever seen."

Harry was once again amazed that Lisa could speak that way to anyone. But then again, she didn't know Voldemort. She had no idea what he was capable of.

"I quite agree, Lisa," said Megan. "And he sounds like a woman. What's'matter, your voice-box broken?"

Voldemort allowed himself a thin smile.

"Insolent fools," he said quietly. "Friends of Harry Potter, I suppose?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, we are," snapped Megan defiantly. "And what are you going to do about it? You know what, screw you! It's none of your business whose friends we are."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed and the smile vanished. He pointed his wand at them and ropes flew out of the end of it, which twisted themselves around all their arms and legs. Harry overbalanced and tumbled to the floor. Megan and Lisa sat down next to him. Ron and Hermione sank to the floor, Hermione whimpering slightly, Ron trying not to look afraid and failing. Harry saw Voldemort standing over him, gloating.

"What's the matter, Harry?" asked Voldemort maliciously. "No one coming to rescue you? Even these pathetic friends of yours aren't helping you. But it doesn't matter, because I'm going to kill both them and you anyway."

"Pathetic?!Excuse me, but you're no one to talk, snake-eyes."Lisa snapped.

"And if you even TRY and kill us, I will slap you back to Albania, boy," snarled Megan.

"Megan, Lisa, please be quiet," hissed Harry. "Voldemort, they aren't going to hurt you and you have no use for them. Let them go."

"Ah, but Harry, I can't take any chances. I didn't come for you, you know. I came for that cursed stone--the one called Immortal Horror. I knew that fool Dumbledore would have his little corner all enchanted and ready for you to crawl safely into, so I didn't even think about you. I never dreamed you would walk right into my grasp. I didn't get the stone--I couldn't find it--but it doesn't matter, since you will tell me where it is."

"No, I won't," said Harry, trying to burst free of the ropes that held him.

Voldemort shrugged and raised his wand. He pointed it at Ron.

"If you insist," he smiled, watching Harry closely.

"Leave Ron alone!"Harry yelled. "I can't tell you where the stone is!"

"Oh, but why not?"inquired Voldemort lazily.

Harry started to say that he didn't know where it was, but stopped himself. Sirius had gone to look for the twins, maybe if he stalled Voldemort long enough, Sirius would come.

"I can't tell you," said Harry slowly, "because I've got no reason to. As soon as I tell you, you're going to kill me anyway, so why should I tell you anything?"

"You have to admit he's got a point," said Megan. "There's absolutely nothing in it for him at all. Why the hell should he help you?"

Voldemort gazed long and hard at Harry.

"Tell me where the stone is," he said finally, "and I will allow one of you to go free. But only one--and whether or not I let the rest of you live depends on whether or not I like the information you give me. Choose one of you to go."

Harry thought for a minute. Ron was no good, he was practically immobile with fright, and Hermione, he knew, wouldn't leave Ron. That left him with the choice of either Megan or Lisa, and he wasn't at all sure that one of them would agree to leave the other.

"Choose, boy, and be quick about it!" Voldemort snarled. "Before I change my mind."

"Oh, zip it," snapped Lisa. "Your voice is giving me indigestion, and that's not a good thing for me or you because when I get indigestion I curse people. Harry, you'd better choose before this dude busts a gut."

Harry leaned towards Ron.

"Go," he whispered. "Get help. I know you can. Hurry."

Ron gave him a stricken look.

"Hermione," he protested, but Harry interrupted.

"Look, Ron," he hissed. "I don't like this any more than you do, but someone's got to go."

"But--Harry--he'll kill you!"

"I'll stall him," Harry said, lowering his voice even more. "Go, Ron."

Ron clenched his jaw and nodded.

"Voldemort," Harry called, "I've decided. Ron's going to go free."

Voldemort chuckled evilly.

"Wrong choice, Harry," he said softly. "It does not do to rely on a coward."

"And yet you rely on cowards for everything," retorted Harry angrily. "And Ron's not a coward."

Ron got to his feet, cast one horrified look at them all, and ran.

"No?"said Voldemort softly. "Well, back to the subject at hand:the stone of Immortal Horror. Where is it?"

To Harry's right, Hermione made a gesture with her arms so characteristic of Professor McGonagall that Harry was sure if her arms hadn't been tied, Hermione would have put her hands on her hips in disgust.

"We don't know," she snapped. "All we know is, we don't have it, you don't have it, and that's all that matters."

Voldemort shrugged and pointed his wand at Hermione.

"Well, in that case, I might as well kill you all. Say your goodbyes, I'm about to kill you."

"Dumbledore has it with him," snapped Megan. "There, now can we leave? You're really not a pretty sight, and I have better stuff to do than sit here and listen to you, you know,"she yawned.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes. He raised his wand and muttered something. An iron cage appeared around them. The ropes disappeared.

"I'll just take a little walk to see if you're telling the truth," he snapped. "I trust you'll be comfortable. My Death Eaters will take special care of you. "

A crowd of Death Eaters came slithering down the hall and surrounded the cage. Voldemort swept away.

"Sheesh, he's despicable," Hermione muttered. "Oh, is this a party now? What's with all the Death Eaters? "

"They're guarding us, obviously," said Lisa. "God, why don't you all just kiss Voldemort's ass while you're at it--oh wait, that's one of your main hobbies! "she yelled at the Death Eaters. They just stared expressionlessly at her through their black masks.

"This sucks," said Harry.

"Well, ain't that the truth. What do we do now?"inquired Megan.

"We wait, I guess," said Hermione. She curled up in a corner of the cage and promptly fell asleep.

"Oh, that's helpful," said Lisa sarcastically. Just then there was a commotion outside the cage, but they couldn't see anything behind the Death Eaters. Pretty soon, though, one of the Death Eaters pushed his way through the others, dragging a boy by his silver blonde hair. They recognised him at once.

"Malfoy," said Harry in disgust. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The Death Eater holding Malfoy raised a hand and the cage disappeared. But as they were surrounded by Death Eaters, they didn't even try to run. The Death Eater threw Malfoy to the ground beside them and the cage appeared again.

"Hullo, Fagboy," crowed Megan. "So nice of you to join us. But what are you doing here? I thought you were Voldemort's number one fan. Shouldn't you be getting his autograph or something?"

"I already have," muttered Malfoy,jerking down the neck of his robes. There was a long, thin slice across his throat.

"Whoa," snickered Lisa. "I guess just because you're his number one fan, doesn't mean he's YOUR number one fan, huh?"

"Guess not, Drew," Malfoy admitted, glaring balefully at the Death Eaters. "One of them's my father," he muttered. "And he won't even help me."

"Well, neither would I, so don't feel bad, Malfag," Megan grinned. "And don't worry, Ron's gone to get help. We'll be outta here and kickin' your ass in no time. What happened to you, anyway?"

Malfoy scowled.

"When they sounded the alarm, I wanted to know what it was about, so I went up to Snape's office to ask him. To my disgust, I met Ron there, he kept gibbering about Voldemort and you lot, and finally all I understood was that Voldemort was here at Hogwarts. I wanted to see my father, so I came looking for him, and met Voldemort instead. You can imagine how--er--surprised I was. He wanted to know where some stone of immortal horror was, and since I couldn't tell him, he had one of his Death Eaters give me this--"Malfoy gestured to his scar.

"You're lying," snapped Harry. "Don't believe anything this loser says, he's just trying to save his own skin and help Voldemort into the bargain. Don't listen to a word he says. Voldemort's going to kill us anyway, so why should we help him? Fuck off, Malfoy."

Megan narrowed her eyes and held up her hand. A small bottle appeared in it, full of a clear liquid that Harry immediately recognised as Veritaserum, the truth potion.

"Drink this, Malfoy," said Megan quietly,eyes glinting. "We just need to see if you're telling the truth. Fair enough? Come on, if you really are telling the truth, you have nothing to worry about."

Malfoy reluctantly took the bottle and shook three drops into his mouth. His face slackened and his eyes slid out of focus.

"Now," said Lisa gleefully, "Interrogation time. Tell us, Malfoy, are you really gay?"

Harry clapped a hand over Malfoy's mouth, which made the answer indistinguishable.

"That's his business ,"Harry said severely. "Ask him what we need to know, and nothing else, Okay?"

"Spoilsport," said Megan disappointedly. "Alright then, whatever. Tell us, Malfoy, is all of what you just told us true?"

"No," replied Malfoy flatly.

The others exchanged glances while Hermione gave a loud snore.

"How much of it wasn't true?"demanded Harry.

"Only the part about my going to look for my father," said Malfoy expressionlessly.

"Well, who or what were you looking for?"snapped Lisa.

"Voldemort, of course," replied Malfoy in the same deadpan voice. "I wanted to see him for myself."

"Ugh, alright then," said Lisa, another bottle appearing in her hand. She poured some into Malfoy's mouth and sat back as his eyes flickered back into focus.

"Back so soon?" said Megan sarcastically.

"Oh, shut up," said Malfoy irritably. "Hey, you two can teleport stuff, why don't you just teleport us all out of here? "

"We can teleport stuff, yes, Malfoy," said Lisa patiently. "But I don't like to classify myself as stuff. Maybe you are stuff, but I'm not."

"Oh, so you can't teleport people?" asked Harry. "Or yourselves?"

"Well, let's just say we've tried and it didn't work," said Megan. "I dunno, I guess people are too large for our puny teleporting power; that's why there's this thing called Apparating or Disapparating."

"Well, why didn't you teleport Voldemort's wand out of his hand?" inquired Malfoy insolently.

"Because, you dolt, we're supposed to be annoyingly stupid and that never occurred to us,"retorted Lisa.

"Why don't you teleport the stone of whatever-it's-called from wherever it is, then?"demanded Malfoy.

"Fine, I will, then," snapped Megan. "Don't blame me when Voldemort wants me to give it to him and I don't and he kills you, though."

A small silver grey stone, which looked more like a marble a than rock, appeared in Megan's hand.

"So this is the thing they're catfighting over," mused Lisa, snatching it. "It doesn't look very dangerous to me. Hey, will y'all shut up out there?!"she shouted at the Death Eaters, who had started to chant softly.

"Good thing for Fagboy over there that we don't know how to use this thing, huh?"grinned Megan.

"Oh, we can figure it out," cackled Lisa. "I'll bet all you have to do is say the magic words or something like that. Maybe you have to, uh, bang it." And she proceeded to knock it against the bars of the cage.

"No, I know what to do," said Megan. She took the stone, popped it into her mouth, and swallowed it.

Before anyone could say or do anything, the Death Eaters stopped circling the cage and chanting and Voldemort came storming over.

"Where is it?"he screamed. "Where is the stone?"

"I swallowed it," said Megan cheerfully.

To Be Continued...............