A moment of horribly uncomfortable silence ensued.� Snape and Harry stared at the redheads, who stared right back at them out of identical freckled faces.� To the twins, it must have been a strange sight: the cold, callous Potions Master, at the bedside of a sick student- his least favorite student, to be sure- and holding a civil conversation.

�What are you doing here?� demanded Fred and George of Snape at the same time Snape and Harry asked, �How did you get in here?�

It would have been funny if the situation weren�t so serious.

Damn, thought Severus.� This is exactly the type of situation we wanted to avoid.� How in Merlin�s name did those two get in here?!?� I thought Pomfrey was supposed to make sure none of Potter�s friends came in until this evening!� His first instinct was to Stupefy then Obliviate the twins (he had already drawn his wand in reflex), but he got the impression Harry would disapprove.� Fred and George were, after all, his friends.� Severus wracked his brains furiously, trying to come up with a plausible explanation for being there.�

Harry, for his part, instinctively thought to attempt to trick the twins into believing he and Snape were actually arguing.� But he knew that, since Fred and George had obviously overheard part of the conversation, they wouldn�t buy it.� The twins were too clever for that.� But how much had they overheard?� Did they know that Harry was Snape�s son, or was their surprise merely due to seeing Snape acting civilly towards his most-hated student?

�You first,� Severus told the twins shortly.� �I believe you owe us an explanation as to why you�re in here when Madam Pomfrey specifically said Mr. Potter was not to have any visitors until this evening.�

�We came to see Harry-�

�Because we heard he wasn�t feeling well, and we thought that-�

�Showing him some of our latest inventions would-�

�Make him feel better,� they finished together.

�How�d you get in here?� asked Harry.� Now that he thought about it, Fred and George could not have come through the same doorway Dumbledore had.� But how had they got in, since that was the only visible entranceway?

�Secret passage,� said George.

Snape glared at the two of them.

�There�s a doorway hidden by that curtain over there that�s the exit to a secret tunnel,� elaborated Fred quickly.

�Who else knows about that tunnel?� demanded Severus.

�Just us, I think,� said George.

�How much did you hear?�

The intensity of the question took the twins aback.

�We heard Dumbledore saying something about telling him or Harry�s father if Harry had any more strange dreams about- about You-Know-Who.� But, Professor, that just doesn�t make sense� because� well, everyone knows Harry�s dad is dead.� You-Know-Who killed him, so how could Harry talk to him?� said Fred.

�Unless�unless Harry�s not a Potter.� But everyone says he looks just like his dad, so that doesn�t make sense, either,� continued George.

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger, dark brows furrowed in thought.� This was bad.� This was really, really bad.� What was he supposed to tell them?� Perhaps he could just say that Harry�s father was alive but leave it at that?� No, knowing the insatiable curiosity of those two, they�d figure it out anyway.

Meanwhile, Fred had grown very still and was staring hard at Snape.

�It�s you, isn�t it?� he asked quietly.�

Severus� heart thudded painfully in his chest, and his eyes widened barely perceptibly.

�You�re Harry�s father, aren�t you?� He doesn�t look like you now, but he did a little bit, yesterday.� I didn�t put it together until just this moment�it makes sense, though.� That�s why you gave him detention yesterday, that�s why you�re here now�� the redhead trailed off.

George swallowed.� Then he turned to Harry, who had grown very pale.

�Harry, mate, are you all right?�

Harry knew George meant well, but that didn�t prevent him from allowing a flash of irritation to cross his face.

�Oh, I�m perfectly all right,� said Harry sarcastically.� �Considering I just found out last night that Professor Snape�s my father and that our lives would be endangered if anyone found out, having you two figure it out makes me feel really at ease.�

Eyebrows rising in slight surprise, Severus glanced at Harry.� That was exactly the sort of thing he himself would say- since when had his son picked up that brand of sarcasm?� He had never noticed it in Harry before.� Must�ve been lying hidden there all these years, he thought.

Both the twins� ears were turning red now, just like Ron�s and Mr. Weasley�s did when they were under pressure.� They shifted uncomfortably where they stood, uncertain of what to do or say.

To Severus� surprise, Harry sighed deeply, his expression becoming slightly apologetic.

�Fred, George, I�m sorry, I didn�t mean it to sound like that.� Well, I did, sort of, but�it�s just- this whole thing�you two finding out�and I can�t even tell Ron and Hermione about all this�I dunno.� Right now, I haven�t the faintest idea what to do about it!� frustration was evident in Harry�s voice.�

�Look,� said George.� �You can trust us, you know.� We won�t blab.��

The twins glanced at Snape earnestly.� He cocked an eyebrow at them, skepticism written plainly upon his face.�

�Professor, Harry�s our friend.� We may have a reputation for playing loads of pranks, but we�d never deliberately put him or any of our friends into danger.� And we can keep our mouths shut,� added Fred firmly.

Mentally, Harry had to concede that the pair could keep secrets.� After all, they had certainly kept mum about attempting to get their money back after being swindled by Ludo Bagman last year.� But, however slightly, their behavior had still been surreptitious enough that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had noticed something was up.� Could Fred and George truly be trusted not to let something slip with a secret like this?

Harry wasn�t as close to the twins as he was to Ron; the twins were-well, twins, and that meant best friends unto themselves.� But he got the impression they could be trusted.� In fact, Harry was fairly certain that any of the Weasleys (except for Percy, who was almost fanatically loyal to the Ministry) could be relied upon.

Looking at his father, he said, �I think we can trust them.�

Severus regarded Harry silently for a few seconds.� It was as though he were seeking something written upon the boy�s face.� Confirmation, perhaps.� Whatever it was, he seemed to find it, for the next thing he said was simply, �All right.�

Then he turned to the twins and growled sternly, �I will trust the two of you on this.� Now listen closely, because I�m only going to say this once.� Firstly, if I catch you breathing a word about this to anyone- other than Professor Dumbledore, who already knows- I will make you wish you�d never been born.�

From the expressions on the twins� faces, they clearly believed him.� Severus was, after all, highly skilled at intimidation.� Harry hid a small grin.� His father should be teaching �The Art of Intimidation,� not Potions.

�Secondly, don�t go pestering Harry for details.� He can tell you if he wants, but it�s far better- and safer- if you simply avoid dwelling on what you�ve found out today.� Is that clear?�

Fred and George nodded vigorously.

�Yes, sir.�

�Yes, sir.�

�Good.� Now you had better leave.� Madam Pomfrey will have your heads if she catches you in here.�

The twins� shoulders slumped in disappointment.� Apparently they had been hoping to stay and talk to Harry.� Seeing this, Severus added firmly but not unkindly, �You�ll be able to talk to him later.�

Reluctantly, Fred and George left through the secret passageway from which they�d come.� Harry felt a bit let down himself- he could have used a good laugh at some of the twins� new pranks.� In any case, however, he knew he�d get to see their latest inventions soon enough.��