Chapter 3
“This place sucks.” Fred stared at the dirty walls to the room he and George were supposed to be staying in. George made a noise of agreement.
“This summer sucks.” George declared, tossing a bag down on the bed. They both stared at the dust that puffed up as he did so, and then shared a look.
“Percy got married, that was a highlight,” Fred pulled out his wand - thank goodness they were finally 17- and cast a few cleaning charms. Their mum had forced them to learn them before their sixth year.
“Yeah, and now he’s in Spain.” George scoffed, pulling his wand from his jacket to do the same. “Have you heard from him and Audrey?”
Fred chewed his lip as he vanished the pile of dust he’d just created. One of many, he was sure. “Yeah, Audrey wrote back.”
“Not Percy?”
“She said he tried, but the tremors got too bad. Apparently he can’t even hold a quill now.”
George was silent, so Fred continued. “They saw the doctor. She said part of it is definitely a curse, the memory stuff and everything, but she’s not sure which one. Now they’re trying different counterspells and treatments, but too much magic makes it worse so it’s slow going.”
“And the other part?”
“Isn’t going to go away.” Fred swallowed hard, thinking of the year prior, when Percy had been happy and healthy before all this tournament stuff. He was supposed to be working a good job in the ministry, living near home. Instead, he was suffering in Spain and there was nothing any of them could do about it. Bill and Charlie had tried to convince Percy to stay, but he was stubborn and said he was going for as much normalcy as possible.
“That’s it? He’s just stuck with it?”
“Yeah. Audrey said the doctor is hoping it’ll improve when they finally remove the curse, but there’s definite nerve and muscle damage. It’s going to bother him forever.”
George angrily shoved his wand back in his pocket. “That’s so dumb.” He dropped to sit on the bed and put his head in his hands. Fred stood over him awkwardly. “He was fine last year! And then Voldemort and Malfoy had to come in and now he’s never going to be okay again!”
“He said he’s doing okay,” Fred offered softly. “Audrey made sure to mention that.”
George shook his head. “He’s such a liar.” He kicked the floor. “I hate this. I hate that Percy’s lying to us and that he’s in Spain and that June happened. I hate that we’re here and Voldemort’s back and Harry’s going to have to fight him. I hate that instead of spending my summer with my girlfriend I’m stuck in a filthy room in London, but I can’t even leave the stupid house. This whole thing is dumb and I hate it.”
“I’m not going to take offense to the fact that you’re pissed you have to spend time with me,” Fred said, feeling actually a little hurt.
George huffed and offered him a small smile. “You know that’s not it Freddie. It’s just, I want to see Angie. I want to spend time with her, I see you all the time.”
“Every day for the last 17 years,” Fred said dryly.
George flopped back on the bed. “Seen Percy pretty much everyday for the last 17 years too,” He said.
Fred shook his head. “Nah, there was his first year, and then all those days we didn’t see him because he was skipping meals to study or hang out with his friends.”
“It’s so weird that he’s in Spain for two years now. Think he’ll come back to visit?”
“He promised to be at our graduation.” Fred said.
George scoffed. “Yeah, if he’s well enough. At this point he might get stuck there because he can’t travel.”
“Don’t say that-” Fred started, ready to chide his twin when the door burst open. The two of them jumped.
“Mum!” George exclaimed, sitting up. “Don’t you knock?”
“Why are you sitting down, up! We’re supposed to be cleaning!” Their mum eyed the room in disgust. Fred brandished his wand at her.
“We are! George was just taking a little break, he’s back now!”
George sprang to his feet. “Oh, by the way Mum-” He sent Fred a meaningful look, and Fred realized what he was trying to address.
“-we wanted to mention-”
“-we have our apparition test next week-”
“-going to have to leave for that.”
Their mum eyed the two of them with nearly the same distaste she’d been using for the walls. “I don’t know boys. There’s a lot to do, and it’s not entirely safe.”
“Send Bill with us, we don’t care.”
“But we’re going.”
“Fine.” Their mum turned. “Owl Bill and tell him which day. If he can’t go you’ll have to find another escort.”
The twins grinned at each other as their mum left. “That went better than I thought.” George said, high fiving Fred. Fred grinned in agreement. His grin faded as they turned back to the room, and Fred sighed. It was going to be a long and dreadful summer.
“-SO YOU HAVEN’T BEEN IN MEETINGS-” Fred fell off his bed with a thump as Harry’s furious voice filled Grimmauld place. George shot up from where he was sprawled reviewing product notes, knocking his head against the wall as he did so.
“Harry’s here, I hear.” Fred observed. He reached for the extendable ear he’d accidentally thrown when he’d fallen.
George groaned as he cradled his head in his hands. “Sounds pissed.” He agreed. They both listened as Harry continued to yell.
“Think we should join them?”
“Might as well update Harry on our summer.” George agreed. “Wonder why he’s so pissed. He was at Percy’s wedding just a few weeks ago.”
“Probably the Dursleys. Bet they did something horrid.” Fred paused as Harry finally finished. “Temper on that kid. No wonder Percy gets along so well with him.”
George snorted, obviously thinking of Percy’s temper. “No wonder our whole family gets along well with him. Come on.” George stood, snatching his wand from the bed as he did so.
Fred pushed himself off the floor. “Gonna apparate?”
“Gotta remind the wee little ones we are older and therefore cooler.” George winked. Fred grabbed his wand, and the two of them turned on their heels. They were greeted with Hermione’s shriek.
“Hello Harry.” George started, beaming at Harry, whose face was slightly red. “We thought we heard your dulcet tones.”
Fred grinned. “Don’t want to bottle your anger up like that Harry. Might be a few people fifty miles away who didn’t hear you.” George hooted in amusement.
“Passed your apparition tests, did you?”
“With distinction.” He brandished the extendable ear he and George had been using before Harry had started yelling at Harry, who shied away.
“It would’ve taken you thirty more seconds to walk downstairs.” Ron sulked.
George grinned. “Time is money, little brother.” He turned to face Harry. “Anyway, Harry, you’re interfering with reception. Extendable ears.”
“Which are?”
“Help you hear from long distances Harry, keep up.” Fred jumped as Ginny popped in. “Bell! You need a bell!”
“Oh, hello!” Fred frowned as she ignored him. “Thought I heard you Harry. It’s a no go on the ears, by the way. Imperturbable charm.”
George swore. “You’re sure?”
“Threw dungbombs at the door, they all curved away.” Ginny frowned at Fred. “What’s wrong with your face?”
“What’s wrong with your attitude?” Fred shot back. Ginny rolled her eyes. “Don’t roll your eyes at me.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll tell Mum you’re bullying me!”
“Err,” Harry coughed slightly. “Hello? I still have questions.”
“Oh, yes.” Fred said. “What?”
“Rude.” Harry muttered, like Fred had a history of being polite. “Who’s all here?”
“Oh, loads of people.” George flung an arm over Ron’s shoulder. Ron shoved him off. George did it again. “Tonks, Moody - the real one this time, Snape, Dumbledore, Lupin-”
“Snape?” Harry snapped. “Why him?”
“Dunno.” Fred shrugged
“Bill doesn’t like him either.” Ginny chimed in. Fred rolled his eyes. Like that solved anything.
“Our family obviously. Sirius, because it’s his house.”
“This is Sirius’ house?” Harry lit up slightly. Fred hoped maybe Sirius could calm Harry’s temper. That would be nice.
“Yeah. There’s a few others, but barely anyone is here full time. They just come in for meetings and stuff.”
“Why are you here?”
“Hell if I know.” George leaned against the wall. “Against our wills, let me tell you.”
“It’s awful,” Ginny added. “Because we’re here, Percy and Audrey moved to Spain two months early!”
“They’re already gone?” Harry raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. Percy was getting worse, health wise and stuff, and they said a doctor there might help.” Harry got very quiet at that, and Fred abruptly remembered Harry had also been there that night. “Not that it’s anyone’s fault other than Malfoy’s.” Fred added hastily. “And, er, you know who.”
“And Avery,” Harry said thoughtfully.
George swore ferociously. “I knew there was someone else!”
Harry blinked in surprise. “Percy didn’t tell you?”
“Didn’t even want to tell us about Malfoy, but we grilled him and he accidentally let that slip.” Fred explained. “Wait-”
“Do you remember all the spells that were cast that night?” George finished Fred’s thought, looking hopeful. He deflated when Harry shook his head.
“I was busy running away from Voldemort.” Harry said. “I do know they cast a couple at him. Uh, one was red. Another was purple. I think there was a blue one in there.”
“Red, purple, and blue.” Fred said skeptically.
Ginny hummed. “I’m going to go owl Audrey.” She announced. “Maybe that’ll help narrow it down.”
“You’re writing them too?” George demanded.
“You’re not?” Ginny shot back. Ron blinked.
“Are we supposed to?” He asked slowly.
Hermione sighed deeply. “Honestly, Ronald. He’s your brother.”
Fred tuned the rest of their argument out, his mind racing. George sidled over to stand next to him.
“Could ask for Harry’s memory.” He said softly. Fred nodded in agreement, thinking back to when Percy had tried to offer his memory of the event. Only the aurors had seen it, but they had told them it didn’t tell them much, too broken up and dark.
“Could,” He agreed. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by footsteps. He and George shared a look and then apparated out, taking the extendable ears with them.
“We can ask later,” George said, once they were back in their room. He offered a box to Fred, and Fred shook his head, shoving the ear in his pocket. George shrugged in response.
“Think Harry knows about the Prophet, yet?”
“What, them calling him a nutter?” George pursed his lips. Percy wasn’t mentioned, mostly because Audrey had threatened to sue. “I bet not. He’d start yelling again.”
“Yeah,” Fred listened as their Mum left the room where the rest were downstairs. “Come on, dinner time. I’m starving.”
“Go ahead. I’m gonna finish up this letter to Ange.”
“You were supposed to be looking over how we’ll do taxes,” Fred raised an eyebrow at his twin. George blushed.
“I’ll do that later.” He leaned over. “Tell Mum I’ll be right down.”
“Sir, yes sir.” Fred ducked out of the room, already planning his next letter to Percy. If George wasn’t going to look over the tax stuff he’d have Percy check his work. He glanced down, catching sight of a group near the door. He started lowering an extendable ear, only for them to leave. He swore softly, and pulled it back up. If only they would stay in one place. He started down the stairs, wincing at the crash, and hoped that Bill was still in the kitchen. He wanted to talk to him about what Harry had said - he knew their older brother wrote to Percy just as frequently as he did. He ducked into the kitchen in time to see Bill vanish some scrolls.
“Bill.” He said.
Bill turned to look at him. “What?” He glanced over Fred’s face again. “Uh oh.”
“Nothing bad.” Fred hurried to say. “Talked to Harry-”
“Let’s talk elsewhere,” Bill said quickly, glancing towards where there Mum was busy talking. Fred nodded and followed his older brother to the drawing room. “Sorry, Mum gets tense everytime Perce is mentioned. I assume that’s where this is going?”
“Yeah. Harry said he saw some purple, blue, and red curses being thrown that night. Any idea what they might be?”
Bill hummed thoughtfully. “Might have a few. I can add them in my next letter, see if the doctor thinks they might be the cause.” Bill hesitated. “Did you hear from Audrey?”
“Yeah.”
“Did she tell you?”
“What, that they haven’t found the cause?”
“No then.” Bill shook his head. “She did say they wanted me to do it. Merlin knows why.”
“Do what?”
“Percy and Audrey are going to be in Spain for the foreseeable future,” Bill said after a short pause. “They weren’t planning on coming home for Christmas anyway, but now they can’t. Medical reasons. Percy can’t travel by magical means, and muggle means take out his already weak immune system.”
“So…”
“They’re hoping it’ll be better by the time you and George graduate, but they wanted you to know ahead of time just in case.” Bill said softly. Fred bit his lip. “Worst case scenario we’ll go there to celebrate after-”
“Yeah, unless Percy’s immune system can’t handle that.” Fred snapped. Bill opened his mouth to say something but they were cut off by a crash from the kitchen, and his twin’s name being screeched. “Forget about it. Thanks for telling me.” Fred ducked out of the drawing room and into the kitchen, where there was butterbeer everywhere and a knife in the table.
“What’d you do?” Fred muttered, sidling up beside George.
George winced. “Something stupid.” He shook his head. Their mum continued her rant about how none of their other brothers did stuff like this, cutting herself off at Percy’s name.
“Mum?” Ginny asked, clearly worried. Their mum glanced at her, and then turned to the table.
“Let’s eat,” She said in a wobbling voice. Their father clenched his jaw and sat down, but the Weasley kids remained standing.
“No, what was that?” George demanded. “Percy’s the best ammo you’ve got, why not mention him and how different he is in regards to us?”
“Let’s just eat George.” Their mum said sternly. Fred heard Bill come in and turned, desperately seeking his help. He paused in the doorway, earring swinging as he took in the scene.
“Uh,”
“Let’s eat.” Their father repeated.
Bill blinked. “I feel like I missed something.”
“Your parents don’t want to mention your brother for reasons unbeknownst to your siblings.” Sirius cut in helpfully. “Butterbeer Harry?”
“Thanks,” Harry accepted the mug Sirius handed him, watching with wide eyes as Fred and George faced their parents.
“Why not?” George demanded hotly.
“Please, George, let’s just eat.”
“What are you mad at Percy for?” Fred asked, as he sat down. The rest of his siblings followed suit, except for Bill who was still standing in the doorway.
“Nothing, Fred. Stew?”
“Thanks. What did Percy do?”
“It’s more of what he didn’t do, I’ll bet.” Tonks said brightly. Both of Fred’s parents turned to glare at her. “Come on, we all know you’re upset he’s in Spain with his new wife instead of here helping, let’s at least be honest about it.”
“You’re seriously mad at Percy for that?” George asked in disbelief, so clearly him and Fred were on the same page. As always.“Spain’s awesome - he’s getting a mastery in transfiguration! You should be proud.”
“He could’ve had a great, safe, job here in Britain, but he made his choices.” Their mother said. “I’d like it if we could please stop discussing this and eat dinner in peace.”
“No!” Ginny exclaimed, taking the words right out of Fred’s mouth. “You don’t get to be mad at Percy for this.”
“We’re not mad,” Their mother was quick to soothe Ginny. “Just-”
“Just disappointed.” Their father said. “That’s the end of this conversation. How we feel regarding your brother is our business and ours alone.”
“He’s our brother though.” Ron said, inputting his two cents for the first time. Fred was very proud of him, he did have the emotional range of a teaspoon so this was a big step.
“Well.” Their mother said uncomfortably. “Yes, there is that.”
“This is stupid.” Fred declared. “Percy’s hurt, and he’s not obliged to help an illegal group if he doesn’t want to.”
“Big word there, Freddie.” George muttered. Fred shot him a look and continued.
“And besides all that, he and Audrey are working on getting a safe house for the order, so it’s not like they’re not doing anything!”
“Fredrick, I said this conversation is over.” Their father yelled. Fred dropped his fork. The room fell silent, and his father’s ears turned red. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell.”
Fred just stared at him, before standing up and turning to leave. Bill blocked the doorway. “Fred-”
“Don’t.” Fred pushed past him and hurried up the steps, listening to his mum and the rest of the order tear into his dad as he did so. He slammed the door to his and George’s room, and sat on his bed. His mum was usually the one to yell, never his dad.
“Brought dinner.” George pushed the door open. “Ginny promised to sneak up some butterbeer.”
“I’m not hungry.” Fred managed.
George rolled his eyes. “Dad was out of hand. Mum’s tearing into him right now.”
“I heard.”
“Bill’s pissed too. Said some things about how they’re managing to push away a fourth and fifth child now too.”
“What’s that mean?”
“I’m starting to think there’s a reason Bill and Charlie and Percy all moved out of the country.” George handed Fred a plate and sat down next to him. He was quiet for a moment, and then snorted. “Can you imagine if they were here?”
“Who?”
“Charlie and Percy.”
Fred felt his lips quirk up despite himself. “Oh, Charlie would lose his mind. And Percy would say something mean yet devastatingly true.”
“Probably why they’re mad at him, I bet he said something.”
“Or Audrey did.” Fred and George shared a grin at that, and Fred felt like he was on even ground for the first time in weeks. “Dad still mad?”
“Nah, I think he feels bad about it.” George shook his head. “Definitely milk this though.”
“Oh, definitely.” Fred took a bite of food just as a knock sounded, and Ginny poked her head inside.
She held up the flagon of butterbeer triumphantly. “Ron’s coming up with dessert.” She said. “And Harry and Sirius are planting the extendable ear for us. Hermione said she’d bring it up.”
George whooped, and made room on the bed for her. “Come join us!” He said gleefully. “Weasley kid party!”
“No adults allowed.” Fred agreed.
Ginny gave him a sympathetic look. “Sorry Dad yelled at you,” She said. “We were all pushing it.”
“Yeah, well, I pushed it the most.”
“You didn’t deserve that though. Wonder what’s getting them all riled up lately?”
“Percy getting hurt, the wedding, Percy moving out of country,” George listed. “Any number of things, really.”
“They’ve never been like this before.”
“Yeah, they have.” Fred said softly. “You wouldn’t remember it. It was during the first war.”
“Really?” George said. “I don’t remember that.”
“I barely do,” Fred shrugged. “Hey, what kind of dessert?”
Ginny took the hint and began to babble about the dessert Ron was stealing. A few minutes later he, Harry, and Hermione burst in, and they had a Weasley/honorary Weasley kid party. Bill joined them, his face red, an hour later, and Fred carefully did not ask about their parents. Hopefully some time away at Hogwarts would do them all some good.