If You've Got the Nerve

“Ow! George, that’s my foot!”

“I’m Ron, not George!” Ron sounded appalled that someone had mistaken him for his brother.

“I can’t see a thing in here!” I shot back in frustration. I shifted as much as I could in the tiny space, trying with all my might to gulp in air that didn’t stink of soot, sweets, and dust. It wasn’t working.

“Move over.”

“I can’t.” Fred and George both snapped back.

There was a muffled voice. We all went silent.

“Mr. Weasley, it’s Harry…the fireplace has been blocked up. You won’t be able to get through there.”

I groaned and Mr. Weasley cursed. The exchange continued. Something about a…an…electric fireplace? Whatever it was, it set Mr. Weasley off with interest.

“Let’s just get out of here?” I suggested.

George agreed with much enthusiasm.

“Yes…only way…” Mr. Weasley was muttering.

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through my ears. I stumbled out of the fireplace coughing as I was assaulted by debris.

“Bloody hell…” I muttered after spitting out a disgusting mouthful of dust.

After righting ourselves, everyone exchanged greetings with Harry who stood with a grin on his face. The Muggles, on the other hand, looked terrified and furious all at once. I ignored them though.

“Like the cake?” I asked Harry lowly so his relatives didn’t hear.

“Oh, it was great.” He replied with a growing grin.

“Got your trunk packed?” Mr. Weasley asked merrily.

“It’s upstairs.” Harry replied.

“We’ll get it,” Fred offered with a wink Harry’s way. I smiled as he and George left the room. No doubt they would ruin any peace left in the house.

Ignoring the obvious glares from the Muggles, I moved to fall onto one of the rather large armchairs. I zoned out of the conversation Mr. Weasley was trying to pick up with the older Muggles, settling instead to look around the room at all the strange things that were collected on shelves. I spotted picture frames all over the floor, scattered by the blast from Mr. Weasley’s wand. The pictures smiled up at me but they made no movement. I furrowed my brow having heard about the stock still pictures Muggles had. It was an odd thing. How could you capture life in a motionless frame?

My attention was caught when who I guessed was Harry’s cousin entered the room. Rather large, he could barely hope to find shelter behind his father, but he tried anyway. Fred and George entered soon after him with Harry’s things in tow. Their gazes landed on Dudley and a grin split the identical faces almost instantly. At the sight of the twinkle in their eyes, I shot out of my seat to stand beside Mr. Weasley causing the Muggles to jump in fright.

“Me first!” he blinked at me a few times then nodded.

“Right…Best to get going…” he took out his wand (the Muggles backed against the wall in terror) and directed a spell at what was left of the fireplace. “Incendio!”

Flames flew into life. I grabbed a pinch of the floo powder that Mr. Weasley was holding out to me in a small bag. I tossed the powder into the flames and they instantly roared higher still and caught an emerald light. With a step and a cry of “the Burrow!” I was off in a dizzying spin.

I collapsed out of the familiar fireplace as soon as the spinning had begun to slow. Luckily, someone was there to catch me before my face kissed the floor.

“Careful,” Bill steadied me on my feet again.

“Still not used to that system – ” I was suddenly knocked hard into Bill as the next person arrived.

“Woah! Clear the landing space!” Fred shouted as we tumbled to the floor.

“Ugh,” I groaned. “Fred, get off. You’re smashing both of us.”

Fred leapt to his feet. “Right. Sorry, Nox. Sorry, Bill.” He helped us both up and we hurried out of the way as his mirror image arrived in a burst of green fire.

Soon after our mishap everyone but Harry and Mr. Weasley had arrived. I took a seat on the couch next to Fred while Bill, George, and Ron joined Charlie at the kitchen table.

I nudged Fred with my elbow. “Why’s your brother here anyway? Charlie I mean.”

He glanced behind him at the kitchen table. I felt his hand wrap around mine gently. My heart pounded in my ears.

“It’s the Qudditch World Cup. Or did you forget?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Well, he’s staying much longer than that. You saw all his stuff. I would think he’s got to go back to Romania as soon as he can.”

Fred looked back at the fireplace and adopted a thoughtful face, then shrugged, “He never told us. I suspect he told mum and dad if he's got business here, but he’s keeping it all hushed up from us.”

“Well that just makes me want to know even more.” I complained. “Maybe I can weasel it out of Bill…”

He gave me an odd look with one raised eyebrow, “I’ll pretend not to be worried about how exactly you plan to do that.”

Before I could reply the fireplace burst into life again.

Fred was on his feet instantly to help Harry up. “Did he eat it?”

“Yeah,” Harry brushed the soot off his clothes. “What was it?” Fred grinned wickedly.

“Ton-Tongue Toffee.” He stated brightly. My eyebrows shot up.

“You used him to test those?”

He nodded and bounced a little where he stood. “George and I invented them,” he explained to Harry. “and we’ve been looking for someone to test them on all summer.”

I shook my head. “That poor boy.” But I couldn’t help the smile spreading across my face.

Bill and Charlie introduced themselves to Harry. I was about to offer to take Harry’s things upstairs when a familiar snap sounded in the air and Mr. Weasley appeared next to George in a huff.

“Uh-oh…” This couldn’t be good.

He started shouting immediately.

“I didn’t give him anything,” Fred defended though his evil grin didn’t help his case very much. “I just dropped it…”

I was trying desperately not to burst into a fit of serious laughter when another voice jumped in.

“Tell me what?” My giggle fit ceased immediately. Mrs. Weasley had heard the argument.

They were in for it now.

My escape route appeared soon after Mrs. Weasley's words had started to take on a loud, angry tone in the form of Hermione and Ginny in the doorway. I hurried after Ron and Harry who were leaving the room with their friends.

Fred looked at me with an expression that screamed “get back here right now!” I curled my fingers in a wave and rushed up the steps passed the small group of friends.

“What’s Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes?” Harry inquired referring to Mrs. Weasley’s earlier words.

I chuckled lightly. “Fred and George are finally starting their joke shop.” I replied happily. Hermione did not look as amused at the others.

The angry shouts of Mrs. Weasley carried easily up the steps.

I sighed heavily. “I’d best go to them…” I murmured and made my way back down the steps. It was only a split second after I'd touched the bottom step that I was joined by two others.

“You nasty little girl!” I yelped like an injured dog as I was tossed over someone's shoulder.

“Put me down!”

“After you left us to be slaughtered?” The person holding me whispered in my ear. A chill ran through me and I felt my heart flutter out of control as it always did when Fred Weasley was near.

“Never!” both twins yelled together.

“Oh, come on! It’s not like getting yelled at is new to you!”

“What should her punishment be, Fred?”

They were obviously ignoring me.

“I don’t know, George. I suppose we could always keep her from Bill until school starts.”

“No! Not my darling Bill!” I yelled desperately even though my face was split in a wide grin.

“Oh, yes, ” Fred grinned wickedly.

“Your darling Bill.” George finished with the same smile.

“Molly!” I screamed.

Fred immediately dropped me back on the floor and they both took off running.