Chapter 7
As night fell upon Hogwarts, I was pleased to be introduced to the twin's 43 work in progress products. They went over each and every one, sometimes being interrupted by Lee explaining how the idea came to be.
"Saving last for best, this is what we're going to use for project Sevy surprise!" George smiled.
George held out a slim purple bottle labeled, 'HAIR COLOUR CHAOS!!!!!!'
Fred snatched the bottle from George's hand and inspected it, "The name is still under construction," he said, shaking the bottle, "but the product is pretty much finished and works beautifully."
I looked around the room, "Y'know what," I said at once, "I'm absolutely terrified for my well being while I sleep."
"Valid." Lee responded, "These two assholes scared off our past roommate, Kenneth Towler. Putting Bulbadox powder in his pajamas was not a fun idea, I guess."
"Hey! But at least we get the mighty Liam as a roommate instead!" Fred retorted.
"It's nice having you here, Liam!" George smiled in my direction.
I grinned, feeling warm inside, "Thanks, mates." I paused, "But please don't show your love and appreciation by sabotaging my pajamas."
"No promises!" Fred winked.
I groaned and laid back onto my bed, staring at the ceiling, "I hate you guys sometimes."
"Well, it's a shame you can't get rid of us!" George said.
"Even if you tried!" Lee added.
I groaned, but smiled on the inside. It felt nice to have someone say that, even if their intentions were to prank me until the day I died.
The roof of the dorm was covered in textured paint. I looked over each and every bump, trying to imagine what I could see in the pattern. I focused and saw a few stars, triangles and occasionally a few circles. But nothing that remarkable.
I heard something click closed. I sat up and saw George pushing the box full of products underneath his bed completely, other than two viles. One was the hair potion, and the other was—
"Food colouring!" George held it up high, "It worked wonderfully over the summer!"
George began to unscrew the cap of the bottle and poured it into two seperate, clear, cups. I raised an eyebrow at the colour of it. Both liquids were inky black, swirling around the containers.
"You folks continue on, I'm going to head to bed." Lee said with a yawn, walking slowly to the bathroom with a toothbrush in hand. He turned on the sink and shut the door closed.
Fred sat down on his bed, kicking off his shoes, "I agree with Lee." Fred closed the curtains to his bed, "Good night, Liam!"
George looked over and called out, "What about me, you prick?!"
Over exaggerated snoring filled the dorm room. George shook his head and turned his attention back to the cups.
I debated whether or not to close my curtains and head to sleep as well. But, eventually my curiosity overpowered me. I crawled out of bed and sat on the floor next to George. I looked at him and whispered, "How'll that dye Snape's hair any different from what it is now?"
George held up one of the cups and handed it for me to take. I took it and placed it on the floor in front of me.
George paused a bit, looking from me to the cup. He reached over and grabbed it, putting it into my hands again.
"Imagine a colour. It can be any colour."
I looked over to George and quirked an eyebrow. I had no clue what imagining a colour had to do with this.
George smiled and huffed, "C'mon, just do it."
I sighed and imagined a rich violet purple. The color filled my brain, yet nothing happened to the liquid. I frowned at the cup and turned to George to ask why I needed to imagine that.
But as soon as I moved my head left, the dye in the cup started to fade to a more greyish colour. Then it faded into the exact colour I had imagined only moments earlier.
I stared at it, mouth agape. It made no sense. How did it just do that? I brought it closer to my eyes, and sure enough the bubbling liquid was there... and purple too!
George grinned, staring at me. He took the food colouring from my hand and set it onto the hardwood floor. He looked at me and said, "That's a very nice shade of violet."
I looked at the cups, whispering, "It seems so familiar..." yet I couldn't describe how it was. The colour was attached to a memory that seemed to be locked away.
"Hm," George said after a while, "I see it too..." He then shook his head and held up the cup, half shouting, "This was my idea. A dye that changes colors based on thought."
"So Fred had nothing to do with it?" I responded, certain that he was proud of that part.
"Well of course, how could the product be this good if he had worked on it?" George remarked, turning the food colouring orange.
"How does it work? I've never seen anything like it before!"
George smiled once again, then teased, "Nothing like it? Ah if you don't like it you can just say it bluntly."
"Alrighty then, I don't like it."
George's smile faltered just a tad.
"I think it's brilliant! What spells did you enchant it with? What ingredients? Tell me everything." I picked up the cup and turned the liquid into an emerald green, "Magnificent."
George's eyes sparkled with excitement and he began to explain how he had to research different spells and how they can connect a person's mind to the object they were touching. I nodded, listening and adding on every couple moments.
The door to the bathroom swung open and Lee stepped out. He looked over to both me and George, scratching the back of his neck.
"I'm going to switch off the light, so both of you, shut up." Lee groggily uttered.
George tapped my shoulder and whispered, "I'll finish the hair dye. You can go to bed."
I nodded and stood up, "Goodnight, fellas!"
"Night!" Lee and George chimed. Fred's light snoring already filled the room, so I dared not to wake him.
The lights flickered off and I stared at the ceiling, breathing heavily.
Night was a time for me to decompress after the long, usually eventful due to the twins, day of school. Replaying embarrassing moments. Reflecting on moments that had happened during the day.
Today's nightly special of Liam's amazing thoughts!!!!!!!! was sponsored by lunchtime. The faces of Lupin and Snape were strange. Why did both of them share the same solemn expression?
My mind was cut off by the sound of George getting into bed. He must've finished the solution for tomorrow. I heard the curtains close shut.
I closed my eyes and decided to not think of things that I didn't have the answer to. I smiled and imagined the look on Snape's face tomorrow.
Reality began to fall away, and I drifted off into a deep sleep.
***
My dreams were filled with violet.
Violet flowers, violet light, violet water... It smelled sweet. The colour smelled safe.
Everything came into a focused blurry mess. A scene began to unfold inside of my head
I felt tired, tears streaming down my face. A person walked over and sat next to me. They handed me a bouquet. A bouquet of violet purple flowers. Their face was blurred, I couldn't quite recognize it.
They rested their head onto my shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
***
Sunlight shone into my face. I opened my eyes, squinting at the blinding light.
"Rise and shine, princess! Todays the day!" Fred shouted in my face, ripping my curtains wide open. He snatched my pillow from under my head and tossed it onto the floor.
I groaned, sitting up, "Why'd you do that for?" I whined. Yawning, I made my way out of bed to retrieve my pillow.
Fred yanked it from the floor, throwing it to the other side of the room. He grinned, "Everyone get up! Project Sevy surprise has officially begun!"
The rest of the morning was filled with pure chaos, Fred keeping everyone's pillows captive, George trying to not drop the oh so precious hair dye, and Lee having the sleep deprived giggles.
I moved out the door, Fred and George in front of me. Wait, we're missing something... I thought to myself. I turned around and saw Lee cackling over the pile of pillows.
"Lee, you were the second one to fall asleep. What happened, mate?!" After saying that, I made a hurried gesture for Lee to get his arse out of the dorm room.
Lee and I tried to catch up with the twins. While doing so, Lee responded, "Maybe because some people made our dorm smell more rancid than Fred's feet."
I put up my hands in defense, "Hey, it was for the greater cause. Plus, it'll all be worth it at the end of the day." Both Lee and I entered the hall together, sitting down near the twins.
I looked up, searching for Snape. Behold, there he was. Sitting with his signature sneer plastered on his face. He seemed to be in a discussion with Professor McGonagall about something.
"When do you reckons the best time for project S.S.?" I whispered, not looking away from our target.
Loud snoring could be heard from behind me. I snapped around, only to see the one and only Lee Jordan sleeping on his pile of pancakes.
I had an urge to borrow that second years camera and snap a picture. But I refrained from asking. Instead, I kicked Lee in the shins.
"Oi!" Lee barely even spoke, his eyes fluttering open. His head swung upwards, only for him to fall asleep two seconds later. His face returning to the pancakes.
Fred stared at Lee, "Eh, he's fine." he paused for a moment, then slammed the table for dramatic effect, "Okay, during free period we will infiltrate the staff room on the second floor."
George turned towards Fred, clapping slowly, "Bloody brilliant, now we have the lemon drops Dumbledore is so obsessed with. What's next? Finding Lupin's chocolate stash?"
Y'know what, I thought, chocolate does seem pretty good right about now. But I dismissed the thought and continued to listen to the plan.
"I've heard from some first years that they once saw Snape showering in there when they were lost. I am deeply sorry for their eyes, but it gives us something to work with." continued Fred, dipping his french toast inside of maple syrup.
Both me and George cringed at that.
George looked upwards, "So we'd have to find out what shower he uses. Eh, we could always ask the first years again. Then we would add in the hair dyes to the pipes."
I nodded, "Seems like a solid plan, fellas."
George tapped Lee's shoulder. Lee awoke nearly immediately, butter and syrup dripping from his hair. He frowned at the mess, trying to wipe it off with his robes.
All three of us took turns interrupting eachother to tell him the plan. Lee nodded along, staring at his food. He seemed to be debating whether or not to eat the pancake he had just took a nap on top of. He shrugged and began eating them.
"And if there's another teacher in there, we dye their hair too, for fairness of course." Lee muttered, mouth full of pancakes.
All of us agreed.
I put my hands inside of my pockets, then realized that I had forgotten my wand. It was all Fred's fault.
"Guys, I think I forgot something at the dorm. I'll try and get back here before class." I said, standing up from the table.
George looked up at me saying quickly, "I can come with you if you'd like—"
"No, I'm okay. Just stay here." I half smiled at all of them, and began to head out of the hall.
I passed by two Hufflepuff girls and then went out into the hallway, determined to make it back to breakfast before class started.
I probably didn't need to hurry, so I slowed down, walking slowly through the halls.
I paused near the open doors showing the lake. It seemed nice out. It may be nice to just spend time with my friends. It didn't seem too crowded out there. I shrugged, a detour wouldn't set me back too far.
I headed outside, the fresh air was a pretty nice change. I looked around at the castle, frowning at the dementors guarding. It is what it is, though.
Before I could head further out into the grounds, something collided into my legs.
I looked downward and saw a furry black dog staring into my soul.