The Trigger
The situation went on for several minutes, and Harry was still as perplexed as ever. He was starting to wonder if it was all a joke, another prank by the twins, but the atmosphere was different. Fred and George were clearly nervous, their gestures more hesitant, as if they were expecting something from him. Still, Harry still didn't understand.
The twins slowly moved closer to him, their gaze insistent and their silence heavy with meaning, Harry, still as bewildered, looked at them alternately, looking for an answer in their faces. Fred, with a gesture a little bolder than the previous ones, put a hand on his arm, and George stood on the other side, his eyes scrutinizing Harry's as if to finally detect a sign of understanding.
"Harry..." Fred said, his voice softer than usual. "You've been told this in every possible way, but you're staying... lost."
George added, in his firmer tone, "You know, we're more than just friends, Harry. You haven't seen all these signs, but we can't continue to play this game. It's time to see the truth."
Harry, suddenly feeling more uncomfortable, turned his head, still trying to find a logical explanation. "But... but... you are my friends. That's all... right?" His words were hesitant, but he had a doubt, a little shiver of anguish rising in him. He felt that something bigger was being played out here, but he couldn't grasp the magnitude of it.
Fred and George exchanged one last look, a mixture of impatience and tenderness. They had tried enough to make him understand in a subtle way, but now it was up to them to take the plunge. Fred stepped a little closer and, in a quick but measured gesture, placed a kiss on Harry's mouth.
It was a shock, for Harry as well as for the twins. The moment seemed to be suspended, as if time itself hesitated to start again. Harry, caught off guard, froze for a split second before reacting, his lips responding timidly, but curiously, to Fred's pressure.
There was a moment of silence, heavy and strange, before Harry, still a little confused, realized what had just happened. He looked for George, who was watching the scene with a shy smile on his lips. Without really knowing what was going on, but carried by a strange feeling that he couldn't define, Harry put a hand on Fred's cheek and pulled him slightly towards him, exchanging a more assertive kiss this time.
It was then that a sound of a door startled the three young men. A flash of light flashed through Harry's mind as teachers and friends, including Ron and Hermione, entered the room. The curious and anxious glances of all the observers instantly landed on the scene. The teachers, although surprised, had anticipated a reaction of this kind, but they could not prevent a palpable discomfort from spreading through the air. Ron, meanwhile, looked stunned, as if his whole world had just collapsed. Hermione, with her arms crossed, watched Harry, bewildered by what had just happened.
Dumbledore, who had been closely following the scene via the listening spell, smiled, but his gaze also reflected a little sadness. "It seems that Harry has finally understood," he whispered, his tone benevolent.
McGonagall, though the firmest, allowed herself to sigh. "Hopefully he is now ready to accept the situation." She glanced at Fred and George, who seemed to have a mixture of excitement and nervousness in their eyes.
Lupin, who had been watching the scene with deep reflection, then stepped forward, breaking the silence. "Harry, now that you know, it's time to think about what you really want."
Harry, a little lost but no longer hiding his embarrassment, slowly turned to the twins. It was clear that he had finally understood the intent behind their actions, but he had no idea what it would mean for him, for them, and for their future together.
"I... I think I just figured it out," Harry says, his voice calmer but hesitant. "But... It's a bit much to digest."
The twins, in an almost simultaneous gesture, smiled at him, and George replied with a touch of humor: "Don't worry, Harry, it's going to be okay. The hardest part is done."
So, although acceptance was not yet complete, a first step had been taken. The road was still strewn with pitfalls, but this moment marked a turning point in the dynamic between Harry and the Weasley twins.
"The trigger is the moment when the unconscious becomes conscious." — Carl Jung