The Last Prank
Leonard Mckally was surprised to see two Weasleys roll through his door even though one of them, George Weasley he guessed, called him at seven two days ago, demanding an appointment. Of course, the past Ravenclaw had argued back at first, saying that his schedule wasn’t lean enough to make time in such short notice. But as he heard the client’s name, Percy Ignatius Weasley, the one who always helped him with his homework, Leonard knew he owned the man that one. So he made time, called off some other appointments and made sure to be all clear for Percy.
Leonard had asked for Audrey’s papers a day before and made a plan according to that. Magical healing was way different than muggle healing so he had to be a bit tricky, but if he couldn’t solve this one then was he really a true Ravenclaw? The answer to that question is no, because if he hadn’t been able to solve the problem, he would’ve betrayed years of medical training and studying, his old professors and teachers and the time he had put into getting that diploma. So of course, by the time Percy had arrived, he already prepared a four page long schedule-plan.
The Weasleys had a lot of questions, especially Percy but Percy always had some sort of problem and the man had been curious from the day they had met. And even before, as his friends in Hogwarts had told him; he asked every questions one could, driving the professors straight into madness, and their years of training was worth nothing compared to the questions Percy had asked, because that boy had imagination and logic as well, and those two always made a powerful pair. If Leonard had learned one thing in Hogwarts, it was to be always prepared for the craziest questions, especially if the person you were talking to was a redhead with glasses.
At first, Percy had physicotherapy almost every day then as time passed, the meetings became less and less frequent. The first time he had walked through the whole living room by himself was a miracle. Even George was awestruck. He had been reading an article of explosive candies when Percy arrived. He was leaning on the wall for support and as he looked around, his eyes stopped on the doors of the balcony; those two glass doors, which were around 10 metres away from him. George had seen that sparkle in Percy’s eyes before, they were always there whenever Percy had decided to do something crazy. And when George realized what “crazy” thing his mind was clicking on this time, he put the article down and slightly leaned forward in case Percy might lose his balance and fall. The Weasley took a shaky step, then another one and the third was more confident than the first and the fourth was from full energy. Halfway he did almost trip but kept himself up on his feet, not stopping for a single second to regain himself. The sixth step was a bit more sluggish from the previous accident but by the seventh, his energy pulsed back into his feet and the goal in front of him fed his brain with even more determination. The eighth and ninth step was done in a rush, and the tenth could’ve been justified as a fall, which the double glass-doors stopped. And he had done it. Percy turned his head towards George, whose eyes were wide, mouth set in a grin and the next moment he had hugged the living soul out of Percy. Leonard thought that this was big process, and from then on, they practised harder exercises.
Tom Liverpool was one of the first people, who the Weasley revealed the big announcement to. The man was shocked at first, not really believing what he just heard but when Percy stood up with George’s help, Tom was in ecstasy. Him and Percy actually got George to ride Tom’s car somehow and they didn’t even know how they got in the car in the first place but George was driving and he was horribly trash at it. Tom tried to help him from the passenger’s seat, yet the Weasley couldn’t keep anything in mind and the wheel got taken from him when he almost accidentally crashed the whole car into a tree. That was the first and last time George had ever sat in the driver’s seat but he was more than glad for that.
“When we tell the others,” Percy had said, “I want it to be very shocking. I don’t want to straight up tell them but rather do something unexpected. Got any ideas, George?” and the younger Weasley did. He had been planning this moment ever since Percy first felt his leg, and the excitement on his face told Percy everything.
So, as they got to the Burrow, Percy had sat in his wheelchair. George had requested the whole family there, since it was a big announcement they wanted to make. When Molly asked if there was a problem, George simply shook his head.
“Let’s sit down to eat,” the boy spoke, “I’ll tell you guys everything then,” Molly had prepared everything with the help of her children and at first, nobody knew what to say. George did sit down and start eating but he didn’t utter a single word and he was making everyone irritated and nervous. Before anyone could speak though, George looked up at Percy and smiled, “Percy, could you go get me a glass of water?” his voice wasn’t mocking but the others still felt something weird about it. Charlie spoke up first, looking troubled.
“You don’t have to, Perce. I’ll get it for you George-”
“No need. I can do that myself,” and Percy had done something he hadn’t done in months. He pushed his seat away and stood up from the Burrow’s dinning table. At first, it didn’t click. And then, Ronald went pale.
“Holy crap Perce, are you standing?!” and that’s when the sound of cutleries instantly quietened. Everyone looked at him at the same time, blinking away surprise or tears, Percy couldn’t tell. However, the show wasn’t over. He fully pushed himself away from the table and made his way towards the kitchen with only a slight shake in his legs and got what George wanted. The table was silent but not awkwardly, rather the ‘what the fuck was that?’ type of silence.
When Percy came back, he gave George the glass and sat down once again, looking like nothing had happened. And for a moment, nobody spoke yet only for a single second; from then on, chaos erupted.
Molly broke into tears, giving out a high pitched scream at the same times as Bill and Charlie stood up, giving their little brother a hug. Ronald and Ginny had huge smiles on their faces and they looked smug. Proud. Perhaps they did something good, aye? Arthur joined his two eldest sons and gave Percy his biggest congratulations. From then on, they could only chatter about this subject and nothing else. When the two Weasleys got back to the flat, Percy gave George a grateful smile and thanked him for the plan. The family dinner went greater than what they expected, there wasn’t that much shouting, and a lot less tears than they originally got themselves ready for. They were glad. The two had cried a lot already, there was no need for more.
The first person, who visited them after that was Charlie and the first question he had asked was how far Percy could walk. That was one of the things they didn’t try before and Charlie was eager to help. The three went on a walk that day and set 200 metres as a record. Percy didn’t think it was much but his brothers had a different opinion.
Ginny asked him to teach her how to dance. Percy knew all types of dances and Ginny wanted to learn in case she might ever need it. With Ginevra’s clumsy legs and Percy’s shaking ones it was a lot of fun and they promised to have another “lesson” together.
Ron showed him the beauties of gyms. They spent about two hours looking through all sorts of equipment and getting opinions from trainers. They recommended some machines for them and the two worked out. They scheduled two hours of gym every Saturday.
William agreed to do yoga with him for George’s sake because there was no way George would do yoga. To be told the truth, by the end Bill had grown to like doing yoga so for the time he was home, he went out with Percy as much as he could. He also planned to continue doing yoga at home, perhaps Fleur would be interested.
George had also spent a lot of time with his siblings. Something about Percy going out with them pulled George into the package too and he participated sometimes in their activities. The puzzle what they called their family finally began to put itself back together.
By the end of the year, Percy was a confident man both in a chair and on two legs. And the end of the year also brought George an opportunity to visit his twin brother.
The graveyard always being cold, dark and scary was a rumour that George didn’t believe up until the point he had started to visit it frequently. Maybe the feeling of loss was what fed the vibe of the place. Fred was somewhere in the back, resting peacefully in one of the more quieter places. The twins may have been loud but Fred actually liked silence like any other people did, especially when he was resting. That’s why they choose to bury him there. Under a sad tree, half of a man lay. The other stood proudly in front of the stone, composure so much different than the last time he had visited. He was now happier and less angry. Acceptance had finally reached him with the helping hand of some guilt and understanding.
George ran his hand along the gravestone as the other set the colourful flowers onto Fred’s grave. They weren’t ordinary flowers however, they were explosive flowers, which would spark a bit then fade completely at New Year’s Eve. Amazing what magic could do.
“Hey Gred,” George has said, a bit of sad slipping into his voice. But the man was sure his twin didn’t actually mind it, since if they would have switched places, Fred surely couldn’t be able to keep it together, “Merry early Christmas, sorry I couldn’t come sooner, there’s a lot of work to do both at home and at the shop. I hope you’re not mad. You never liked when I was late,” he recalled when George was late from work because of detention and Fred had given him the silence treatment for a whole hour. Whenever George thought back at that memory, he just wished to have Fred mad at him rather than to have him dead but his prayers were never listened to. He learned to come to terms with that fact too, along with everything else he had tried to deny and avoid in the beginning, “So, you’ve probably been wondering of what has happened in the past months. To be honest, me too!” George laughed. It was something he had never done next to Fred’s grave, “Percy and I moved in together and we sort of became friend. Can you believe that? Our big prat brother was never actually a prat! Or well, he isn’t now. He’s actually kind of cool. I wish you could’ve seen this side of him, surely you would be surprised too,” a tear rolled down on George’s cheek and left a thin layer of water after itself. The Weasley didn’t let the other ones run free, he kept himself from bursting out, “Our neighbour Tom is cool too, he owns a taxi, it’s a muggle thing, and he helped us a lot too. He showed us loads of muggle stuff. I also almost crashed his car…” another set of giggles, which almost turned into a sob but George bit the cries back once again, “Percy stood up. Not metaphorically, like actually stood up and now he can walk! It’s awesome. We do a lot of stuff together but without you, it isn’t the same. Merlin, I still can’t process that I’m talking to a pile of rocks,” a sigh, “Freddie, are you proud of me?” that question was what crossed his head after each and every single one of his actions. Moving out, protecting that stranger, hitting Percy, reopening the shop, making up… He wondered if Fred would support him.
A bird flew down onto Fred’s grave. It was mostly white but it’s head had a small bit of orange in it. George had looked at it and for a moment, he spoke no more. Then the bird gave out a small sound. It might have been a word, an expression or even a burp but it was all that it would say and that sound meant the world to George. The bird didn’t waste it’s time more, it flew away.
“Thank you, thank you Fred,” he looked up onto the sky and finally let his tears fall. The sky wept with him quietly, preparing the first snowfall of the year. And as the rain began to turn more bitter and cold, George knew that Christmas was climbing on the hill to meet him. So he spared on more look onto the graveyard and turned away. He left, feeling the heavy weight from his chest disappear the moment he got through the gates of the graveyard. Fred must be happy up there and so was he. George promised his twin brother that he would try to live life accordingly.
When the security guard looked through the graveyard at night, he was surprised to see the only Weasley grave completely bare, no signs of flowers or other memorial gifts. And at New Year’s Eve, George revisited the graveyard only to watch the chimney of the graveyard keepers house light up in many shades and colours. The man had screamed out of shock and surprise, making George laugh. There was only one person, who would do something so unmistakeably mischievous and he lived just a few metres away. The Weasley laughed proudly, letting the tears fall as he felt a cold weight set on his shoulders.
The twins had managed to pull off their last prank together.