Prologue

Disclaimer: I would like to think that I own the plot, and maybe a character or twoI decide to throw in there. Nothing else, really. And I say this disclaimer goes for every chapter from now on, because I'm too lazy to keep writing it out.

Some siblings share special connections in varying degrees of potency. Perhaps a brother and sister are empathic towards each other, or perhaps their emotions and thoughts are so in tune that they can almost read each other's minds. While this has been known to happen between any siblings, no matter the age difference, or even between good friends, it has been noted most markedly between twins.

Twins with magic blood have the same such connection, if not stronger. And Hogwarts itself housed its share of twins: the gossiping Patil sisters, that rather creepy Slytherin brother and sister duo that fancied torturing puppies, and, of course, the Weasley twins.

The Weasley twins were about as in synch as siblings could be. They were indeed in the 'mind reading, sentence finishing' end of that connection spectrum, and it was very rare that something happened without knowledge of the other. Rarer still was when they managed to keep dark little secrets hidden, and even rarer still was when they decided to tell their secret if they managed to have one.

So it came as a shock when George plodded into the common room and sank into a chair next to his brother and said, with much gravity, "Fred." No loud 'Oy, Fred!', sarcastic 'Brother Dearest', or even a 'Listen up, less handsome half!'. Just 'Fred.'

And it was with equal (mock) gravity that Fred replied, "George." If he had known where this conversation was going he would likely have plugged his ears and hummed loudly, or ran away, or possibly plugged his ears and humming loudly while running away. Quite unfortunately, the conversation continued.

"I have something to tell you," George continued in his serious tone.

"I surmised as much," Fred said, trying to keep from laughing. George had no such trouble keeping his face straight; he was as serious as a tombstone. This only made Fred want to giggle when he thought of a large, George shaped tombstone.

"Do you remember Hermione?" George continued, quite effectively ignoring Fred's barely contained mirth.

"Hermione? The name sounds familiar," Fred said, tapping the side of his face with his quill as though he was thinking very hard about it, "But we surely couldn't be talking about the same Hermione. The one I'm thinking of has only stayed at our house for many summers past, served as a test subject for a few of our inventions, tried to get us to join an absolutely barmy elf protection agency, and is currentlydating our little brother." And has devilishly cute hair, a sparkling personality, and a wit to match even my own, he added silently to himself. Not that he would ever mention that to George, of course. Some things were better left unsaid. George shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, right. The same one. Funny you should mention her, really-"

"You mentioned her."

"Same difference. Well, erm…" Fred was starting to get curious, not much could make George fidget like a school girl. Actually, quite a few things made him fidget like a school girl. He was sort of a ponce when it came right down to it. Of course, Fred would likely be doing the same thing if he was in George's place, but he didn't bother thinking about that.

"Spit it out, man."

"I fancy her," he said in a rush. Fred blinked.

"Well, I'm fond of her too. So is Harry, and Ron, and Ginny, and most of the teachers…"

"I hope Snape doesn't fancy her in the way that I fancy her," George said, looking at him pointedly. When he realized what he said he started to laugh a bit, unable to help himself. Fred, however, didn't seem to find it very funny.

"You fancy our little brother's girlfriend? Who just happens to be two years younger than we are?" Fred asked. George nodded and started laughing. Now that it was all out in the open, he found it all a bit amusing. It was Fred's turn to look like a tombstone.

"This isn't funny, because I fancy her too!" he said, which promptly shut George up. While normally it would be very funny indeed, both of them knew these were special circumstances. There was a reason this was a 'dark little secret' after all.

It was special for many reasons. First of all, it was very obvious that both twins were now planning to act upon this "fancy" (and my, were they getting sick of the word very quickly). You see, it's one thing to notice your brother's girlfriend, a purely "look but don't touch, and let no one know of the infatuation" kind of notice, but another to act off of it. In fact, to prevent just such an occasion the Weasley brothers (barring Percy) had gotten together and made it one of the official Weasley taboos to take a brothers' 'significant other'. Percy was excluded because, honestly, no one would want a 'significant other' of Percy's under any circumstance.

It was this taboo that was now making Fred and George very quiet and contemplative. A taboo was a taboo, after all, and a decision made by the Weasley brothers (that both twins remembered agreeing to) was not to be taken lightly. Family is family, after all.

"Well," Fred said after a pause.

"Well indeed," George said, looking at his brother in annoyance.

"It was specifically said significant other…" Fred said slowly. George nodded eagerly, annoyance vanishing as he caught on.

"They've only been seeing each other for what, a month?"

"Hardly enough time to be really significant," Fred said, grinning.

"And she's a bit short to be significant, anyways." They laughed.

"Well, since she's not significant then it doesn't apply, right?" Fred asked, not needing to mention the taboo for George to know exactly what the 'it' he was talking about was.

"Of course not. Now that that's settled, I'll plan a bit to make them split, for their own good mind you, and then I'll ask her out. Problem solved," George said, leaning back in his armchair. Fred rapidly grew grim again.

"And what makes you think that you're going to get her?"

"Well, I brought it up first, didn't I? I say that means I get her, since you obviously weren't going to mention your thing for her unless I brought it up first." George looked pleased with his reasoning, but Fred only soured more.

"I think not, brother dearest," he said with a touch of sarcasm, "I say we have an equal chance at her, and the one she likes more gets her." George snorted.

"I'd like to see you try; it's hardly a competition. You're less intelligent, less mature, and far less handsome," George said, turning a bit red as he got worked up. Fred looked at him incredulously, trying to figure out which part of that argument to start on first. He decided for the obvious.

"We're bloody identical, how did you figure out you were better looking?! Which you aren't," he added as an afterthought.

"Almost identical, Freddie boy. Or need I remind you of that rather embarrassing scar you got when you fell down the stairs nine years ago?"

"It adds roguish charm!" Fred retorted, his voice rising slightly. They looked at each other, getting more and more annoyed.

"Fine," George said, breaking the tension, "Here's an idea. We fight for her." Fred mulled this over. The idea had merit.

They both knew that George wasn't talking about a fist fight, or even anything where physical blows were exchanged. They had discovered long ago that punching the other twin was disturbingly like watching yourself get socked in the eye, which made the fight very eerie to participate in. George was talking about a fight of pranks, pitting one twin's tricks against the other. It really was the ultimate challenge for them, and much more suited to their abilities than straight out attacking each other. Fred nodded.

"Same rules?" he asked. George also nodded. They had only had one such fight previously, and so the rules were already set up. In essence, there were no rules. "Well then, may the best Fred win," he said. George growled.

"You wish!"

"I don't need to wish," Fred said flippantly. They glared at each other before heading in opposite directions to plan. Only someone who either knew the twins or was familiar with the first 'fight' was aware of the severity of this conversation. They had just declared war.