Chapter 1
Fred and George Weasley were sitting in a corner of the commons room, very inconspiciously eyeing the stairs to the boys' dormitories, waiting for their youngest brother. Ron emerged, late on this tuesday morning, Harry in tow as Hermione already waited for them, tapping her foot impatiently. It had been a fabulous year for the Weasley twins. They no longer attented school, they had their own shop, and they were only back at the castle for an extended weekend to do a bit of... promotion. Preferably with a live example, a.k.a. Ron.
"Fancy a chocolate, Ron?", Fred said non-chalantly, strolling past with the box in his hand, "Mom sent them."
Ron, who should have known better (but apparently thought that his mother's food ought to be above suspicion), reached out, but Hermione was faster. She took three chocolates, popped the heart-shaped one into her mouth, handed the other two to Harry and Ron and shoved the box back at Fred. "No time for chocolates, we'll barely have time for breakfast before we run late", she commented, and disappeared through the portrait hole, followed by Harry and Ron. Fred and George watched her disappear, with the sinking certainty that what had been intended as a joke was now a disaster waiting to happen. Hermione had swallowed the love potion.