Today was the day the Weasley twins entered Hogwarts. Percy Weasley sat at the Slytherin table looking forward to the feast and the sorting. He is wondering where the two would wind up. The rumor about the twins being well-known as troublemakers reached the entire school long before they even enrolled. How did that happen when they haven't entered the school yet, Percy will never know. This year is also the year Bill will not be at Hogwarts. He has already left the country. Percy missed him.
Percy is no longer wearing hand-me-downs. The scholarship he has been awarded has helped him get better uniforms, books, and school supplies he needed. He even got enough money to buy some clothing for himself. It turns out that getting the top student in the school also gave Percy a bonus on his scholarship fund. Not only is OTOS paying for his school fees, uniform, and books, he gets a monthly stipend. This has helped alleviate the funds of his family. Charlie and Percy both got the scholarship. The twins will plan to take them after the year. Percy's things may not be the same level of quality and price as his Slytherin classmates but he now looks the part.
Percy was curious about what house the twins will be in. In the past, he would assume with how they always do their pranks that they would be more likely to be in Gryffindor. However, as someone who has been sorted in Slytherin, it gave him more perspective and awareness about reading people. He noticed the amount of work the twins do with their pranks amazed Percy. People would often think that their pranks were just a nuisance but Merlin, these two are geniuses. They are less likely to care about grades but that doesn't mean they are not doing something amazing.
The twins have the potential to be Ravenclaws with the amount of research they use to create their inventions. Hufflepuff because they are persistent and are taking in a lot of effort to plan their elaborate pranks or the creation of their products. Gryffindor because these two are not afraid to take a challenge. And more likely Slytherin. The two are ambitious. Percy already caught wind of their Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. He has to admit that with such an ambitious endeavor, they could wind up in Slytherin. Many Slytherins often forget that ambition is not about politics but just wanting to get what you wanted even if it is a business franchise or a joke shop.
At that time the house was noisier than it used to be. Mostly because Seamus Finnegan and Godric Potter were visiting and are zooming around the house. It was a shame Charlie didn't become Prefect, Bill was Head Boy last year and Percy would often accompany him on his rounds. While Percy is ranking very high in the school, in Slytherin this does not guarantee Percy the chance to even get the prefect position. Prefects in Slytherin are based on power, Hufflepuff is the responsible one, Ravenclaw is based on grades, and Gryffindor can be a combination of grades or success.
It's more likely that Montague will get the prefect position when they reach their fifth year. Percy got along with all of his year mates in his house. The higher years weren't happy about him at the beginning but it was thanks to Marcus, Gemma, and Graham that they stopped pranking and cursing him. Gemma Farley is the only girl in their group and Adrian Pucey likes to prank her. That was the first time they learned to never pissed off Gemma Farley.
Nobody in their house or any house for that matter would mess with Graham. He was pale, tall, intelligent, and bulky for his age and Percy once noticed Graham's eyes turned an electric blue. Percy has a sneaky suspicion that Graham could have creature blood down his line. Whatever that was, it would mean something dark and powerful because even the older years were too afraid to mess with him.
Marcus was nice to him but is mean to everyone else, mostly outside their house. Percy has to restrain him sometimes from hurting others too much – especially Roger Davies, Ravenclaw student of their year. Davies keeps bothering Percy mostly because he keeps getting second in the rankings and he didn't like the fact that a Slytherin was able to outrank him. He was one of the reasons why the other houses wouldn't dare cross Percy. Cross Percy and you'll cross Marcus Flint. Marcus Flint may not be the sharpest knife in their group but man he can produce a lot of hexes that would scare anybody.
Oliver and Marcus are rivals and Oliver at first didn't like Percy. He and his fellow Gryffindors like to tease him for being a snake that is until he and Percy were among the students who got into an accident with one of the cursed vaults during their second year (A/N: The cursed vaults are based on the Hogwarts Mystery game that I play). Percy was able to help them get out so easily. Oliver became a friend after that, but that doesn't stop Marcus and Oliver from getting into a fight.
"So, Perce." Percy glanced from his book when he saw Fred and George at his bedroom door.
"What is it? I don't have time for your pranks." He replied and continues to read.
The twins glanced at each other.
"We want you to tell us..."
"...about the houses in Hogwarts."
Percy frowned at the twins. "I thought Charlie gave you a book on Hogwarts a History." Originally it belongs to Bill. "It was all in there."
"He did..."
"...but it was boring."
Percy rolled his eyes. "You'll never get anywhere if you don't exert a little effort."
"But we're more of a hands-on..."
"...kind of fellows. We hate reading it from the book."
"Besides we're bored..."
"...Bill's too busy..."
"...Charlie's going to crash his broom..."
"... Ronnikins is being a brat..."
"...Ginny's too mesmerized by Godric..."
"...and the Boy-Who-Lived is being chased by gnomes..."
"He is?" Percy glanced at his bedroom window. The little gnomes were chasing the boy around the yard. It would seem that Ron tried to teach Godric degnoming. It didn't pan out. Those guys are nasty little buggers. He chuckled.
"So you'll tell us?..."
"...yeah, c'mon Perfect Percy..."
"Books can't always tell everything."
"...all mum talks about is Gryffindor this..."
"...and Gryffindor that..."
"...it's annoying really..."
"...dad didn't want to feel Mum's wrath..."
"What it's like in the Snake pit?"
"Snake pit?" Percy blinked at them.
"Yeah, Snake pit..."
"...Lion's den..."
"...Badger hole..."
"...Raven's nest..."
"...we decided to call them that."
"That sounds a little weird in an untrained ear," Percy muttered. "And I thought Curly Tops was a bad nickname."
"Curly tops!" one of the twins smiled excitedly.
Percy groaned. Did he say that out loud?
"Someone called you Curly Tops! Who called you curly tops!?" the other cried excitedly.
"Nobody!" Percy hissed.
"C'mon Percy!" they both whined. Did they seriously whine?
Percy only groaned. Stupid Sirius Black. Just because Percy is the only curly-haired Weasley does not mean he should be called curly tops. Weasleys already get the carrot top joke. His new nickname sounds like a brand of candy.
So, to shut the two up, Percy decided to give in and told them some of what he knows about the other houses.
"Slytherin is the house of ambition. They are not willing to help you without expecting anything in return and wouldn't risk their neck for anybody. They prefer self-preservation. They have a lot of connections because most pure-bloods wind up in that house. They'll do anything to succeed in their endeavors. However, ambition comes with power and sometimes power can be corrupted. This is why there are a lot of evil lords who came from Slytherin."
"You mean dark lords?"
"No, evil lords." Percy corrected. The term dark lord was a sore spot in Slytherin and Percy understood why. Many of the Slytherin students have dark cores but that doesn't make them evil. "Hufflepuff are the loyal and the hard workers. It doesn't mean they are leftovers because they don't fit anywhere else. They have as many connections as Slytherin. They believed in trying their best and tend to be more ethical which some people find as a weakness. Hufflepuffs are also very loyal and if find yourselves getting sorted in that house, I can guarantee you that they are more likely to help you with your pranks while making sure that they do not be excessive or dangerous."
"Ravenclaws are the ones who value knowledge. They love books and reading and learning. They are amazing researchers. Gryffindors are the ones who value bravery. But they were also the house that values nobility – something that is forgotten by most people. They are supposed to be concerned about what is right but they can be reckless."
Then Percy told them about Hogwarts and how each house is difficult to find but when Percy told them he found all four dorms the twins wanted to know. Being Slytherin, Percy never told them how to find his dorm except that they were in the dungeons.
"...I got into Gryffindor once last year when you guys have to go to France to visit Grandma. It was just me, Bill and Charlie. I and Oliver were curious about Hufflepuff and followed Cedric to his dorm. They don't have a portrait like the Gryffindor or a wall like the Slytherins but it was really hard to know what it is. There were barrels. Oliver tried to find the right code but we got sprayed with thick, apple cider. We smelled of apples for a week."
Fred and George were now cackling and rolling around his bedroom floor.
"Oh my god Percy!" one of them exclaimed.
"Who knew you were a little sneaky! What were you trying to do in Hufflepuff anyway?"
Percy shrugged. "I was interested in Hufflepuff because it was the only house I never managed to get in. Still is."
"What?"
"What do you mean..."
One of the twins widened their eyes. "You got into Ravenclaw? How?"
Percy shrugged. "Roger Davies was a prat because he winds up the second rank in our year. Marcus didn't like that he talks bad so about me so he and the guys wanted to prank him but they couldn't get into Ravenclaw so I tag along. It turns out you have to answer a riddle in Ravenclaw to get in. It isn't very reliable security by the way because I managed to answer it easily. Let's just say Mr. Davies came out sporting spiky blue hair, green skin, and being chased all day by transfigured ravens."
The twins are gaping at him. "Percy, who knew." One of them said.
"I cannot believe you had it in you."
"And you have to yell at us always about behaving and rules you, little hypocrite."
"Who said I'm a hypocrite?" Percy grinned. "You don't have proof I said anything, not proof that I did what I did."
The twins frowned. Percy was right. All they have is hearsay at this point. "Touché, Percy."
"Touché."
****
Fred and George Weasley are twins, identical, brothers, and pranksters and the best thing is people can't tell them apart except probably their father. Arthur Weasley always seemed to figure out which one is which. However, it drives everybody else crazy.
It was their first year at Hogwarts and they stood there with the first years as they watched this magical hat sing about the four houses. Bill, Charlie, and Percy never told them how the sorting could go. Charlie teased that it was going to hurt a lot but they caught Percy and Oliver rolling their eyes – after all, Oliver was the victim in his first year.
The twins scared their fellow year mates when they claimed that their sorting require them to fight a troll. This only resulted in panic, especially from the muggle-borns who don't know what is happening. They even annoyed the higher years, especially the prefects that they almost deduct points except they couldn't because they were unsorted first years.
So here they are standing, grinning like loons while the rest of their year glared at them. When the sorting started, they watched as one by one the first years went to their respective houses. Fred and George don't care which house they ended up with as long as they are together. They do hope for Gryffindor though – so far, they can get away with their pranks in that house (at least that's what Charlie said).
The twins didn't want to work with the ministry just like their father. They wanted to make a name for themselves and make pranks. They like quidditch but they aren't aiming to become professionals, they like to be creative in everything they do and to have fun. They both wanted to open a joke shop in the future, one that will rival Zonkos.
They watched as their newly formed friend from the train Lee Jordan was sorted into Gryffindor so is a couple of girls Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson (whom George thinks is cute), and Katie Bell.
"WEASLEY, FREDERICK GIDEON!"
Fred climbed on the stool and put the hat on.
"Another Weasley."
"Uh, Hello? Did I just hear that?" Fred thought.
"Yes, you did."
"The hat just talks!"
"Of course, I can talk!" Fred could feel the hat roll his eyes (if it has eyes).
"Okay. That settles it then." Fred piped.
"You have no idea how many years I've been saying another Weasley."
"Then think of something else. Like here comes the carrot tops or well it isn't the freckly redheads or..."
"I get it. Let me go back to your sorting."
"You started it!"
"Well young Frederick (call me Fred!) I can see that you are quite a naughty boy (Fred seemed to find that a compliment). You are outgoing, daring, and a bit sarcastic. A Gryffindor trait if I must say so. You are loyal to your family, especially to your siblings and your parents and the amount of effort you make for your pranks is amazing Frederick, a Hufflepuff trait you may deny all you want young Frederick but you are a very intelligent child, and oh ho? A shop that will rival Zonkos? An amazing goal yes. It's very ambitious."
"So, Gryffindor?" Fred asked.
The hat chuckled. "No."
"What?!"
"SLYTHERIN!!"
Fred sat there gaping.
He had never really been concerned about what house they will be in but getting into Slytherin was the last thing he thought about.
Severus stared at the hat. He was nervous. Really nervous. He knows what kind of troublemakers the twins are. If he has any say in it, he'd rather they stay away from his house. From what Severus understood from Percival Weasley and Minerva, the twins are worse than the Marauders! Minerva can have them or Pomona or Filius! Just not his house! He doesn't know what to do if they would be in Slytherin! It would be a disaster!
"SLYTHERIN!!" Severus wants to bang his head on the teacher's table.
Charlie and Oliver were anxious as well. They wanted Fred and George in Gryffindor. It isn't because Charlie doesn't like the other houses. Sure, they know how brilliant they are with their inventions and pranks and can be a bit cruel with them but they needed them for their quidditch team. They have played with them many times and they were very good beaters. Oliver commented that they were like human bludgers themselves and with the twins as the Gryffindor beaters, the quidditch cup was a sure win.
"SLYTHERIN!!" Charlie and Oliver almost screamed no!
George watched his shocked twin's face as he glanced at him and then walked towards the Slytherin house and sat beside Percy.
"WEASLEY, GEORGE FABIAN."
There was a long pause before George almost jumped when a voice called out in his head. "Your twin brother is quite the character and yes I can talk." There was another pause.
"The hat can read minds?" George thought.
"Of course, young George. I delve into the students' psyche and find the trait that best puts them in the house. You have typical bravery and recklessness like your brother but unlike your brother you have limits and it is very noble of you young George. You prefer to be loyal to those who are important to you and you are quite the intelligent little man, aren't you? Most of the research was done by you, I am impressed."
"Uh, thank you?" George wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Is he going to wind up in Ravenclaw?
"Oh, so you already know."
"Wait. You can't do that!"
"Do what?"
"You can't separate us!"
"You think you and your sibling are alike. You like wearing the same clothes or exchanging each other's clothes matter and even try to act alike. You love your brother and you would do anything for him but you wanted him to avoid getting hurt from his recklessness. You keep him leveled from getting too dangerous."
"Of course, I do! We're twins!"
"But you cannot achieve what you want if you are always behind your brother George. You would do well in Slytherin, but you'll do better in Ravenclaw."
"RAVENCLAW!!"
Five minutes. It was taking five minutes. Charlie thought. It's Percy all over again. He has this strange feeling that he is never going to have a qualified beater for Gryffindor.
"RAVENCLAW!!" It's over. Charlie groaned and dropped his head on the table.
Since Percy was sorted to Slytherin, none of the faculty and staff was surprised when another Weasley is sorted there. They were however curious about why the twins were sorted into different houses. Twins rarely ever are sorted into different houses.
Fred was gaping. He was going to be separated from George! No! That can't happen! Can it? It just did! Fred has never been without George. The two were inseparable. They even shared the same room! Why didn't he beg the hat to let his brother be sorted in the same house?
"It's okay Fred." Percy consoled him. "Now I know which one of you is Fred."
"Huh?"
Percy knew sooner or later these two terrors are going to probably switched places soon. Possibly tomorrow. Little did they know that was the least of the school's problems as the twins garnered the reputation as the terror twins and were known to switch places a lot. Not to mention they managed to secure or transfigure uniforms from other houses as well so that nobody could tell which houses, they belong to.
That was the start of all the chaos in which there is an occasion when the twins are in the same house wearing the house colors (like both of them in Slytherin or Ravenclaw attire) or even wearing the colors of the houses they are not sorted in (Hufflepuff and Gryffindor). There will be a time in which the twins played beater on all four of the house's matches (they hex their beaters and replaced them) and nobody noticed until later.
And the teachers couldn't know what points to deduct because they are not sure if they are dealing with Fred or George or Ravenclaw or Slytherin Weasley. There was a time when they forgot which houses, they were in, and Hufflepuff and Gryffindor got deducted points because of their prank. And that they were wearing that house's uniform at the time. It got so bad all the houses got negative points because the teachers got tired of guessing which is which. Slytherin still won with only 4 points (the rest is negative).
The amount of times Percy has been dragged by the teachers to ask him which one is which as Percy has finally identified which twin is based on the freckles features and the mole is going to annoy him for the next few years until he graduates.