[1] Lemons into Lemonade ✓ | FRED WEASLEY

Chapter Fifty Three

"Do you think it's kicked in yet?" Aubrey whispered after about ten minutes of piling up cages. This was accompanied by a swift glance at Mad-Eye who was luckily too engrossed in humming to notice.

Carefully, Fred peered around her to catch a glimpse of the old professor before shrugging, "Maybe ... ask a question and find out, I guess."

"Um ... Professor," Aubrey called over, "Do you think we're both idiots?"

"Without a doubt. I'd be surprised if you had half a bloody brain cell between the pair of you."

"Hey!" She exclaimed, waiting for the look of shock and remorse to cross the teacher's face that usually came with Veritaserum. Instead, the old man simply glowered at them before taking another long swig of his drink.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Fred hiding a snigger behind his hand before whispering, "Well, that told us nothing..."

"Yeah, I feel like he'd probably answer say that with or without it," She sighed, "Can you try, hon? Ask him something just a little bit personal."

"Okay - "

"Nothing inappropriate."

"Aw, that rules out everything," Fred teased.

Sadly, Aubrey seemed to take it to heart, "Hm... maybe I should ask him then."

"Fred," He rested a hands on her shoulder, "I was joking. Hey! Professor," This alerted the old man's attention, "Which twin do you think is better, Fred or George?"

"George, doesn't ask as many annoying questions," Mad-Eye snapped, pure frustration radiating from every crease on his withered face as he glared at them. She knew that people said Dumbledore was the most powerful Wizard alive but her time with Mad-Eye was definitely bringing doubt to this claim. Sadly, this answer too was inconclusive ... they could be here for a while.

Mad-Eye had taken a second drink from the flask so even he was too physically large for the first one to have an effect, the second one ought to do something. The two continued asking him questions, getting similar barking replies each time. Progressively the questions seemed more inappropriate, yet Mad-Eye didn't seem too fazed - more impertinent if anything- and annoyingly, still answered in a way which he would have done without the potion. However, after ten minutes, Fred finally asked the clincher question which confirmed the effects had kicked in.

"Professor, of all the Dark Wizards you've captured, which one would you take to dinner if you had to?"

"Rodolphus Lestrange. The man had good knees," At this, Aubrey couldn't help let out a small yelp of laughter which she hastily hushed with her hand. For the first time, a look of shock passed over Mad-Eye's face as the professor paused in horror at what he'd said. Quickly, this changed his remaining eye narrowing before he pushed himself up from the wall with a force that only anger could fuel.

With Ludo, they'd been able to take their time but Mad-Eye was smarter, not to mention sober. Clearly, he was joining the dots from what Aubrey had whispered earlier which meant one thing: they had to act fast.

"You buggers slipped something in here - "

"Um ... we didn't mean to?" Aubrey blagged quickly, not sure why that was the first thing that came to mind, "But now that you're under truth serum, do you mind if we ask someone questions? ... well, you have to - "

"Are you the Crabapple?" Fred asked and Aubrey was pleased to see his fingers tightened around his wand, the handle sticking out of from the cloak's pocket.

Mad-Eye stopped his hobbled, angry walk, "What the devil do you mean?"

This wasn't the reaction they'd wanted until it occurred to Aubrey, it likely wasn't an official title - why would an evil mastermind name themselves after a fruit? And even if he had, he'd definitely choose something cooler, a dragon fruit or a pomegranate perhaps. No, the name had likely been given by the boys' themselves, they had to be direct.