(Corridors) Strolling Ain't A Crime!

[Aidan and Derryl Parkhurst]

Aidan and Derryl were innocently strolling along a corridor when a loud shriek behind them echoed through the corridor. They spun around and looked down the corridor to see a young gryffindor girl with her head stuck in a pail of green paint. There were many people in the corridor and many rushed to her but Aidan and Derryl just laughed and pointed.

'What an idiot,' Aidan chuckled.

'The oldest trick in the book and she fell for it,' Derryl chirped and doubled over with laughter.

Then suddenly there was a mad break and everyone started running away. 'Oh dear!' the twins said in unison and turned to run but someone had caught them by the scruff of their necks and as much as their legs ran they stayed in the same place.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan was walking down the corridor trying to make his way to the Hufflepuff common room for a group game of explosive snap when he heard a loud scream. His first instinct was to carry on walking and let someone else deal with it, but the small nagging feeling in the back of his head was telling him to be the teacher he is meant to be and help out.
So after reaching the scene of the crime and trying not to laugh in at the state of the poor Gryffindor Dan looked around the dispersing crowds to try and see anyone with green paint on their hands. He spotted nothing apart from the Parkhurst twins standing in the back ground laughing.

With a frown Dan broke into a jog and before the boys could even move he had got hold of them. Pulling them closer Dan lowered his head and gave a small laugh at the twins as they struggled to get away.

“Well then boys, imagine this scene for me. A Gryffindor covered in green paint and you two just happen to be in the same corridor. I am sorry lads but you repetition almost condemns you as guilty.”

Dan continued to look at the twins waiting to hear there defence.

[Aidan and Derryl Parkhurst]

It was Prof Hubbles that had caught them and as soon as they figured that one out, Aidan and Derryl stared wide eyed at each other. Derryl was still furiously trying to run away but Aidan looked up at the professor with a cheeky smile.

'We were just strolling by, Professor,' Aidan said.

Derryl caught on and stopped struggling too. 'Strolling ain't a crime, Prof,' he said matter of factly.

They smiled innocently at the professor. They both knew that the professor wouldn't fall for that one so Aidan hurriedly added, 'We have no idea how that bucket of paint ended up hanging above that girls head.'

'That's right,' Derryl said, 'she should have watched where she was putting her head.'

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan looked from twin to twin with a suspicious look. It just seemed to much of a coincidence that something happens and these two are in the area and then they try and play the innocent and pretend they had nothing to do with it. Dan let go of the two of them and placed his hands on his hips.

“Well if you are innocent then I will have to let you go. Do you know who did it? I have always hated that Gryffindor and want to thank the person who did it, she will never live it down now and it might shut her up for once.”

Dan gave a quick glance back towards the twins to see what they were doing. The chances where that this would not work, he was not the bets actor around and his sudden change in mood might affect the response. But the one truthful thing was that he did really not like that Gryffindor, so in a strange way it was funny and once again if he was not a teacher he would have been in the crowd laughing at her.

[Aidan and Derryl Parkhurst]

The professor put them on the ground. Derryl wanted to run but from the look on Aidan's face, Derryl stood where he was, looking up at the professor. He seemed to have come to some sort of conclusion and Derryl's face lit up. He smiled, wide mouthed at is brother who had much a similar look.

Thank them! Aidan thought but Derryl was quicker then his brother and his smile quickly disappeared. But he didn't have time to tell his brother before Aidan said, 'brilliant. It was easy once we'd lured the stupid mudblood to that spot ...' Derryl violently gabbed his elbow into his side.

Derryl hit a hand to his face and sighed. It that didn't prove them guilty nothing would. Derryl quickly put a hand over his brother's mouth and said hastily, 'what my half witted brother means is that if we had done it the trick would have been to get her to stand in the right spot.' Aidan pushed Derryl off him, frowning, and glared at him.

'No I don't.' And no sooner had the words come out of his mouth had he clicked. He frowned at the coming punishment as he slowly turned to Hubbles. 'I mean I do mean that,' he tried.

[Professor Daniel Hubbles]

Dan creased his brow as he watched the twins bicker over whether they were or were not responsible for the whole prank. He stood back slightly and looked at one twin to the other unable to work out who was who and which one if any was telling the truth. Dan had always thought he was good at spotting trouble makers but this had totally thrown him. After running over what the twins had said to him a small smile filled his face.

“Ok then this proves two things. The theory that twins can read each others minds clearly does not apply to you two. Also the one flaw with your argument is that one of you was clearly lying to me at one point. Derryl particularly as he has admitted to committing the crime but then you changed your mind.”

Dan stroked his stubble on his chin trying to think of a way of punishing them although he did quite enjoy trying to work them out, it was better then marking anyway. With a small smile Dan looked over his shoulder and noticed that the girl was being escorted away by a pack of other Gryffindor’s. It was hard for him not to start laughing as she was a total mess. However knowing that he should try to act more mature around such individuals Dan turned his attention once more to the Slytherin’s.

“Ok so have you both decided that you did not do this? I can give you tine to confer if you need it.”

[Aidan and Derryl Parkhurst]

'A common misconception,' Derryl said with a wave of his hand, 'even though we're close, Aid's not got much between his ears so reading his mind would be both scary and dangerous.' Derryl chuckled but stopped abruptly when his breath was knocked out of him by his brother's fist connecting with his gut. Derryl stumbled back a pace, hunched over his stomach and frowning at Aidan. But soon both twins were laughing at each other, and turned back to the professor who was still talking.

'I said we did it,' Aidan said indignantly, 'I'm Aidan.' He crossed his arms and pouted. He hated being confused with his brother seeing that they weren't exactly identical. Derryl's face was longer and his nose was flatter. Derryl stood up straight and stepped back into the circle. He too did not enjoy being confused for his brother, he was the smart one! Not Aid.

Derryl, jumping at the professor's suggestion that they talk, put a hand on his brother's back and lead him away a bit. 'Are we or are we not going to take the fall for this on, Aid?' he asked, glancing at the professor, a worried look on his face. 'Hubbles is know for his punishments, maybe we shouldn-'

Aidan cut him off. 'It was brilliant, let's!' he said. 'We don't want someone else taking all the glory, do we?' Shaking his head, Derryl dropped his arm. The twins rejoined the professor, Derryl's face fallen and Aidan's with a proud smirk. 'We did do it, Professor,' Aidan said and buffed out his chest.