Probably won't be posting more until mid-March. Midterms are starting up. I'm sorry that this is so short. I will explain more of Fred/George being present in a later chapter.

Fred and George were intercepted by Ron on their way to the infirmary. Ron could tell that something had happened in the dungeons, as the twins had been away too long. He was surprised to see the twins actually carrying the dittany. "What happened? You've been gone from detention for half an hour AND you are carrying the dittany for Malfoy. Don't tell me you got caught up in pleasant chat with the greasy git," began Ron.

"That's actually exactly what happened, Won-Won," Fred began teasingly. "Actually, we're in detention with Snape tomorrow night, along with Harry. How is he doing?"

"He's still moping around. I dunno, if I could have hexed Malfoy and stayed at Hogwarts, I'd be bloody pleased. He's a basket case. He keeps mumbling about Snape knowing his aunt's name. I thought Harry's mum was muggleborn, so her sister would be a muggle, how would Snape know her name? Did Snape even know Harry's mum?" Ron giggled.

"Merlin's beard, Ron, have you talked to 'Mione lately?" cried George.

"Not since she went to ask miserable Moaning Myrtle what really happened," answered Ron, "why?"

"SHE DIDN'T TELL YOU? Rita SKEETER was here! She knows EVERYTHING and she's going to print it in the Daily Prophet! Harry could be – we asked Snape for help. Snape is at least good at staying out of Azkaban!" exclaimed the twins together.

"Bloody hell... Harry doesn't know? Wait, how does Hermione know?"

"She's apparently not warded from Hogwarts, she was in the lavatory and Great Hall and saw what Harry did! It'll be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow. We need to keep Harry out of Azkaban... he would positively die with the dementors and all... Merlin forbid he be sentenced... He couldn't go through what we..." trailed Fred's words.

"We what? Fred? Why do you know so much more about Azkaban than I do? We all know Sirus, but... why do you speak of it with a personal fear?" asked Hermione, who had caught them almost inside the infirmary without anyone noticing.

The twins blanched. "Well after we left school last year, we ended up running afoul of the Ministry... the old toad caused it mostly. Salazar be praised, she handled it without publicity. We were in Azkaban for a week. Ron – that was the week we said we were visiting Charlie. Mum would have never let us visit Charlie. Dragons are too dangerous in her opinion. But with Umbridge pushing, Mum and Dad couldn't keep us out of Azkaban, no matter how hard they tried. Professor Dumbledore ended up getting us out," whispered George, while Fred appeared abashed from letting their secret out.

"Why were you in Azkaban, Fred? George? This better not be a bloody prank. Explain yourselves" asked Harry, as he heard the last two sentences as he walked to the infirmary.

"Why are you here, Harry? You were still in Gryffindor Tower, moping over Malfoy and Snape's tanning. Are you still sore?" Ron interjected, looking worried and confused.

"Professor McGonagall sent me a Patronus – I assume it's hers, it's a cat that looks just like her Animagus – that said the twins were supposed to fetch dittany from Snape to heal Malfoy with. She said they never got back to the infirmary and asked me to walk along and find you. I couldn't find the Maurader's Map – did one of you take it? None of that's important, why were you in Azkaban, Fred?" Cried Harry.

"Harry, we can't tell you. You will absolutely despise us... more than you despise Snape," responded Fred, quite seriously.

"You better be joking. I think everyone living that I know and care about is unharmed, except of course Sirius..." replied Harry apprehensively.

"We decided to test a bunch of our joke products. The Ministry was not pleased with our results, but we found them quite educational. The results, we mean, not the stint in Azkaban," the twins replied, smirking.

"You got sentenced to dementors for joke products? The ministry is battier than I thought. Even I was only threatened..." began Harry.

"You've been threatened with it now, Harry! Skeeter was here, in animagus form of course. She heard all about what happened and is surely going to print it in the Daily Prophet. I don't know what to do; Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore are both not answering their office doors. You need defense; you can't just appeal to lack of truth this time. It's very serious!" exclaimed Hermione, seeming like she was ready to cry.

Harry sprinted off to the owlrey. He needed to sit and think with Hedwig for a while. Snape was being kind to him while his head of house and headmaster deserted him; the twins had endured dementors when Harry would have gone mad (without a wand, he wouldn't have been able to cast his Patronus); and Rita Skeeter was going to do her best to get the Chosen One a tidy sentence in Azkaban. How was Voldemort to be defeated? Dumbledore had been training him for the task. He couldn't handle constant flashbacks to his mother... he had never met her, yet he knew what she looked like. Harry began silently crying, his shoulders shaking. His bottom hurt, and despite having an avid fan club that swore to help him out, he felt desolate. Alone. Abandoned.

All his training had failed him because he lost his temper with Malfoy and Parkinson. He was going to Azkaban for life. He was sure of it. The twins and Hermione... oh Merlin's beard. He had let the whole wizarding world down. He was a dark criminal. He was as bad as Lord Voldemort. Perhaps someday, he would also murder others and split his soul. He would join the Dark Side.

"Mr. Potter," interrupted someone in a soft voice.

Harry turned around, wondering who would interrupt him. Clearly he wished to be alone, all alone. He was surprised to see Snape.

"Your thoughts are running wild. Typical Gryffindor courage and bravery in action. I'm glad you still smart from your paddling. I was lenient with you because I chased the Dark Arts at your age. I was always either harshly punished or let to roam. That should not happen to you. You will not end up in Azkaban if I can help it. I hated your father, but you... you are very much like Lily. Please do not feel so alone. That is what drove me to the Dark Lord. That is what drove me to betray the prophecy to the Dark Lord. That is why you are the Chosen one," Snape replied heavily.

"Sir?"

Snape hissed in pain. "The Dark Lord calls, Potter. He has learned of your... escapade. Do try to avoid trouble during my absence, please. And the Ministry doesn't know of the Shrieking Shack," finished Snape, apparating away.

Harry was left mightily confused. How could this happen? He knew not.