Pranking hearts

"That's the main road," said George, peering down through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes...Just as well, it's getting light..." The group of five have been travelling in the flying car for the remainder of the night. Fred driving the best he could far too excited to be behind the steering wheel to even think about falling asleep. Unlike George who was trying with all his might to stay away so he could navigate his twin brother. Rhea, trusting her two best friends and being tired from the previous day fell asleep, her head falling on George's shoulder, using it as a pillow. She has been in dreamland since they flew out of the city so good hour or so. George didn't mind much her laying on his shoulder

A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east. Signalling that it was indeed beginning to get light outside. Their mother is used to waking up with the first rays of sunshine so they might need to hurry home. Or else Mrs Weasley would have their heads. And that is something no one is looking forward to.

"Might want to wake up the sleeping beauty then," Fred said, not tearing his eyes from the sky. Merlin knows what could happen if he swerved the wrong way now. They might as well crash into a flock of ducks or something. George tore his eyes from the road below them and turned his head to the sleeping girl on his shoulder. Being the gentler twin of the two, he just gently shook her shoulder, trying hard not to startle her.

Rhea opened her eyes with a start. Pale green irises lightly hazed with the fog of sleepiness looked around, trying to remember where she was. When it finally clicked to her she slowly lifted her head off George's shoulder, looking outside at mesmerising view of the sunrise. It was truly beautiful. But there was still a question where exactly was the flying car now.

"Where are we?" Rhea asked, her voice still slightly raspy from the sleep. She rubbed her eye, trying to get the sleep out of them.

"We're a little way outside the village," George told her kindly. "Ottery St. Catchpole." Rhea nodded at his answer, sending him a tired smile as she leaned a bit further back into the seat so her back was pressed flat against the backrest.

"Freddie, do you know how to land this thing?" Rhea asked the important question, just out of the blue when she saw the tip of the roof of the Weasley household. Her attention turned towards Fred who wore that ever-so-confident smirk on his face.

"Honestly I never tried it yet, but how hard can it be?" The easiness of his voice was ironically making Rhea very uneasy. The sleep fully left her as she felt wide awake when hearing Fred's carefree statement.

"Every time someone says that in my books, there is a death following." She couldn't help but put that input in. Feeling the need to point out that this might not be as good of an idea as the ginger behind the steering wheel was hoping. Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees. Rhea squeezed her eyes shut, getting ready for the landing. That as she assumed wouldn't be as smooth as she would like it to be.

"Touchdown!" Fred yelled as a warning, as the car bumped against the ground causing Rhea to squeak. The sound brought so much enjoyment to the ginger behind the steering wheel who was glad for the new teasing material that he had on his friend. They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard right in front of the randomly constructed house. It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic, well it was most probable. In the house, the Weasleys lived for so long and the fact that it is filled mainly with boys was most prominent in it.

Rhea remembers the twins and Charlie joking about when their dad was building the house along with their uncles from their mother's side, who unfortunately are no longer around. They said that their mum was too busy with kids to keep an eye on them and so while constructing it, Arthur along with Gideon and Fabian drank a bit too much Firewhiskey. Hence why the house looks so crooked.  Of course, it didn't have to be true. But it was too funny to not be considered as.

"It's not much," Ron said from the back seat, realising the scrutinising look Harry was giving to the house. Of course, Rhea knew he was not judging it. More like admiring it as it radiated a homey feeling even from the outside. Something that Harry probably didn't feel often or at all back at his house.

"It's wonderful," Harry breathed out, amazed by the construction. Rhea chuckled, fully remembering the time when she came here for the first time. She was also struck in awe. Just staring at the funny-looking house at that time fully covered in snow, making it look even more magical. It was giving out such an inviting vibe it felt insane. Rhea felt someone nudge her in the ribs causing her to look away from the two younger boys in the backseat and at the grinning ginger on the seat of the driver.

"So, how did I do?"

"Terrific," Rhea remarked with an eye-roll. Not giving away if it was meant to be praise or an insult. Of course, Fred being Fred took it in his own way.

"I know I am incredible in everything I do." The cockiness was soon smacked away by Rhea who punched his shoulder.

"Shut up Weasley." She growled turning towards George, wanting to get out of the car. While her back was turned to him she was not able to realise the lopsided smile that Fred had on his face. His eyes going soft as he watched the blond gentle waves fall down to Rhea's waist. Once he snapped out of his little stupor he reached for the handle on the door to get out of the car. Once all of them clambered out of the vehicle that steadily made their way towards the house.

"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," Fred instructed, making it sound as if they were about to go on a life-threatening mission. Which was most probable since they all knew, except for Harry, how Mrs Weasley can get when angry. "And wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going: 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the car."

Everyone nodded, silently agreeing with the plan. Fred took a deep exaggerated breath as he carefully reached for the handle of the door. Pushing them gently open so they wouldn't creak. With the house as old as this one, it was a remarkable skill to open door or walk on stairs without making any noise. It could be considered almost impossible.

Fred was the first one to slip inside the house. Looking around the large kitchen which was connected to the living room to see if their mum was anywhere around. They seemed to be lucky so far because it seemed like everyone was still asleep. They didn't have to worry about Mr Weasley. Two reasons. One he wasn't at home and two he would not be far as horrible as if Mrs Weasley would have found them.

"Come on. Okay, come on." Fred whispered, signalling for them to come inside. The first to come in was Harry closely followed by Ron. As Rhea was passing she forgot about the threshold and tripped over it. Fred quickly reached forward grabbing her arm to save her from falling but still a small gasp escaped her lips. "Shh! Shh! I got you," Fred assured, still holding onto her arm as he pulled her further inside the house so George could come in as well.

"Do you think it'd be all right if we had some of this?" Ron asked mentioning to the plate filled with scones. George looked over towards him and shrugged.

"Yeah, Mum would never know." Ron took two in his hand immediately stuffing one into his mouth. George grabbed one as well and went to throw it towards Fred when he noticed that his brother seemed to have his hands quite full. Well, at least one hand for sure. Fred gave him a weird look, confused why his brother was looking at them like that until George nodded towards the hand with which Fred was holding Rhea around her wrist.

Fred quickly dropped her hand. Redness reaching his face and to cover it he walked over to the plate and grabbed one of the scones. Taking a bite out of it, whilst avoiding the gaze of both Rhea and George. Confused, Rhea walked over to George and followed him and the other Weasleys plus Harry towards the stairs so they could have a little shut-eye before breakfast. Not that Rhea feels tired. She slept through most of the car ride but Ginny might get suspicious if she wakes up and Rhea is not there.

As the group thought they had successfully managed to sneak out of the house and get back without being spotted by anyone, thunder-like steps were heard descending from the stairs at a fast pace.

"Where have you been?" A figure of Mrs Weaskey appeared in front of them causing them to halt their actions. The eyes of all three Weasley boys widening as they hid the food they had in their hands behind their backs. Fred and George even going as far as putting Rhea in front of them to cover behind her from their mother. "Harry, how wonderful to see you, dear." Her voice softened when talking to Harry but then she turned her sons, her eyes narrowing at the three gingers. "Beds empty! No note! Car gone! You could have died! You could have been seen! Of course, I don't blame you, Harry dear. And you lot even dragged poor Rhea into it," Mrs Weasley scolded the twins who were covering behind Rhea who gave the angry mother of the gingers a sheepish smile.

"It's not like she was protesting much," Fred muttered from behind Rhea, earning himself a kick in the shin with Rhea's heel which effectively shut him up.

"They were starving him, Mum. There were bars on his window!" Ron said, trying to make the situation better for the three Weasleys so their mother wouldn't scold them quite as much. Fred and George we nodding in agreement, the first time in so long agreeing with their little brother.

"Well, you'd best hope that I don't put bars on your window, Ronald Weasley!" Her eyes once again softened when she looked over at Harry. "Come on Harry, time for a spot of breakfast."

***

The siblings and Rhea with Harry were waiting for Mrs Weasley to bring everything to the table before encouraging them to tuck in. Harry didn't have to be told twice. The boy only had a good chance to eat at Hogwarts and during the whole Summer, he was practically starving. Rhea who said the opposite to him just chuckled at his eagerness. She wasn't feeling too hungry at the moment. Never being the one to eat breakfast. Even if it was said to be the most important meal of the day.

It was always up to Fred to force her into eating something. And today was no different. Rhea could only manage to blink before a slice of bread with butter and jam was placed in front of her on the plate. Rolling her eyes with a smile she looked over at Fred who was not even looking at her. Pretending to be oblivious to it. Just as she was about to bite into her bread there we heard footsteps coming down and Ginny come from upstairs. Sending a smile to Rhea, she was slightly concerned when she didn't see the girl on the spare bed she had in her room.

"Mum-Mummy, have you seen my jumper?" Ginny asked her mum, now fully coming down from the stairs so Rhea could see that she was still in her pyjamas, having a bathrobe around her. Her bare feet were in fluffy slippers which Rhea got her for last Christmas.

"Yes, dear. It was on the cat." Mrs Weasley answered kindly. Ginny nodded and went to turn around to find it when her eyes landed on Harry.

"Hello." The boy said politely. Ginny only managed to give out a squeak and run off back upstairs. From Rhea's left, she heard Fred and George chuckling to themselves. Elbowing Fred who was next to her she tried to shut them up so they would stop making fun of their younger sister. Rhea heard everything about Ginny's crush on the raven-haired boy. It was the main topic of their talks every evening. Even if it could get quite annoying how Ginny would idolise the boy with glasses Rhea was always glad to listen to her and never laughed at what Ginny had to say, even if some points of Ginny's view were quite amusing to her. "W-what did I do?" Harry asked confused and slightly panicked. Thinking that he had done something wrong.

"Ginny. She's been talking about you all summer." Ron answered whole stuffing some food in his mouth. "A bit annoying really." He said through a mouthful of food.

"Reminds me of someone else two years ago," George commented, throwing a knowing look his younger brother's way who immediately let his head fall low to avoid meeting the eyes of anyone from the three people that were sitting opposite to him.

"Blimey, I'm tired," Fred yawned, setting down his knife and fork once he was finished with his breakfast. He stood up and went to go upstairs to his room. "I think I'll go to bed and..." His action of leaving was quickly stopped by his mother.

"You will not," snapped Mrs Weasley pointing a finger at the older twin. "It's your fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me, they're getting completely out of hand again." She instructed the boy who huffed in annoyance.

"Oh, Mum!" Fred whined, feeling tired and his head hurt a little from being up the whole night driving.

"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and George who hung their head down in defeat. Knowing better than to argue with their mother about this. "You can go up to bed, dears," she added to Harry and Rhea, smiling warmly. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car." Rhea smiled back at her gratefully. Knowing she wouldn't go to sleep but she might speak to Ginny. The younger girl seemed quite startled seeing her crush in her kitchen in the morning after she just woke up. Must have been a scary experience for the young ginger.

"I'll help Ron. I've never seen a de-gnoming." Harry said quickly. Most likely feeling bad that the boys were taking the blame for coming to rescue him.

"That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work," said Mrs Weasley to the boy who just shrugged, not caring what kind of work it was as long as he could help in some way. Rhea on the other hand started backing away towards the stairs, only getting stopped by Fred who caught her around the waist.

"Oi, where you going?" He asked suspiciously, holding the girl away from her escape route.

"Upstairs."

"You not going to help?" George asked walking over as well.

"I was going to check on Ginny, see if she needed any help with her hair or something," Rhea said trying to wiggle her way out of Fred's grip. She truly wanted to see if Ginny was alright. Seeing Harry here must have shocked her quite a bit. Mrs Weasley was more than understanding of her intentions.

"Oh, that would be sweet of you dear. Fred, let the poor girl go." At last, saved by Mrs Weasley Rhea was released reluctantly from Fred's arms as the boy frowned displeased.  Rhea gave the twins a cheeky smile, making her way upstairs to Ginny's room to help the girl with her struggles.