Nobody Cared

The Dungeons Beneath the Dungeon

13 Jan 1992 - Monday, 10pm: Curfew

Fred and George Weasley had a secret. A map they had found one day when serving a particularly nasty detention with Argus Filch. They had gone through the Squibs filing cabinets when Filch had taken a moment away from the detention and George had come across an envelope signed by the Deputy Headmaster Remus Lupin. On the outside of the envelope was a charge to Filch to file away the envelope, and to forget it. Within the envelope was a blank many-folded piece of parchment that spoke at once to the twins.

Worthy successors! the curly writing wrote. It continued to write, You must be up to no good. If you are, say so, tap the parchment, and all your mischief will be managed.

It was not long before the twins deciphered the magic, and they discovered that the Map was a marvelous creation that showed nearly every room and corridor of Hogwarts castle. It also showed every person within the walls of Hogwarts, or on the grounds.

They were soon to discover that some places did not show on the map.

The twins arrived at Professor Snape's office just as curfew intoned solemnly through the castle. Ten of the clock and every student who obeyed these rules were in their common rooms, or in bed, fast asleep.

The professor, appearing to be a man consumed by a secret, merely crooked his index finger at the Weasley boys, and marched down into the depths of the dungeons. Fred and George glanced at each other and traded identical grins before trotting after their teacher.

Teacher and student traveled for quite a distance, in silence. Snape did wonder at this. He had not glanced back, but knew the duo were following him and he wondered why they had not, yet, begun to pester him with questions.

As for Fred and George, they were full of questions, but both had the feeling that to indulge that side of their natures would not be welcome. As they paced downward into darker depths, George discovered that his standard Lumos spell was barely offering him any light worth remarking on.

It was then that Snape stopped, and rather abruptly. George walked into Fred who had just barely missed walking into the Head of Slytherin House.

"Sir?" they chorused.

Snape held his wand over the three of them. His Lumos, though quite bright, just managed to drift over the three of them in its glow. George chanced a worried glance at the surrounding darkness, and for a very brief moment he felt like a scared first year. Fred's hand found his brother's and gripped it tightly in reassurance.

"This is a secret I discovered in my third year," began Snape, his dark voice nearly swallowed by the darkness around them. "It is a secret I have jealously guarded since then, but beneath us is something I know that only the two of you can help me with."

"And it involves..." began George.

"That box..." said Fred, motioning his chin towards the box that Snape still held firmly in one hand.

George finished, "The Hourglass of Anubis."

"I ask for your Wand Oath to keep this secret to yourselves," before both Gryffindors could jump to agreement, he slashed his wand down between them. The shadows dancing on the angles of their Potions Master's face unnerved the twins. "Before that, I will repeat my warning in my office; should I have to, I will Obliviate you both. This is one time I must count on that Gryffindor bravery from you both." Snape regarded them closely, and watched as Fred and George looked at him for a moment, and then at each other.

Finally, with a sharp nod, Fred smiled, "We'll take a Wand Oath, Professor, and no matter what your secret holds, we will not run away."

Snape was astounded to hear a complete sentence from one of the twins without the other finishing it. George grinned, and added, "Ditto from me, sir."