Raven (Fred x oc)

30. Ton-Tongue Toffee

"You shouldn't have done that," I said, sending Fred a reproachful look as he smiled widely in anticipation of finding out if the candy he left for Harry's cousin was eaten. "His parents aren't going to let anyone shrink his tongue." Before he could respond, Harry appeared in the fire and staggered out with his things.

"Did he eat it?" Fred asked excitedly, helping Harry up.

"Yeah," Harry replied, standing. "What was that?"

"Ton-Tongue Toffee," Fred explained. "George and I invented them, and we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer."

"How're you doing, Harry?" Charlie asked, holding out his hand to Harry. Bill stood just before Mr. Weasley apparated into the kitchen.

"That wasn't funny, Fred!" he shouted. "What on earth did you give that muggle boy?"

"I didn't give him anything," Fred lied with a grin. "I just dropped it. It wasn't his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to."

"You dropped it on purpose!" Mr. Weasley accused. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet!"

"How big did his tongue get?" George asked eagerly.

"It was four feet before his parents would let me shrink it!" Everyone apart from myself burst into laughter, but I couldn't help letting out a chuckle.

"It isn't funny!" Mr. Weasley cried. "That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizard-muggle relations! I spent half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of muggles and my own sons!"

"We didn't give it to him because he's a muggle!" Fred protested indignantly.

"No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git," George added. "Isn't he, Harry?"

"Yeah, he is, Mr. Weasley," Harry assured.

"That's not the point!" Mr. Weasley raged. "You wait until I tell your mother-"

"Tell me what?" Mrs. Weasley asked, walking right into the room. Noting Harry, she said, "Oh hello, Harry dear." Turning back to her husband, she asked, "Tell me what, Arthur?" I could tell by how Mr. Weasley hesitated he hadn't been planning on telling Mrs. Weasley at all. Hermione and Ginny appeared behind Mrs. Weasley eyeing the scene. "Tell me what, Arthur?"

"It's nothing, Molly," he said. "Fred and George just - but I've had words with them-"

"What have they done this time?" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes-"

"Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping, Ron?" Hermione suggested awkwardly.

"He knows where he's sleeping," Ron replied, not thinking. "In my room, he slept there last-"

"We can all go," Hermione said pointedly.

"Oh," Ron realized. "Right."

"Yeah, we'll come too," George said.

"You stay where you are!" Mrs. Weasley roared. Giving Fred and George a sympathetic smile, I gently rubbed Fred's shoulder before leaving the room with the others. A small frown replaced my small smile as I went outside into the warm summer air. Sitting down by a tree, I stared out over the yard.

"You okay?" Bill asked, leaning against the tree by mine.

"Yeah, it's just..." I trailed off.

"You don't like how Mum handles Fred and George," he guessed.

"I don't mean to speak bad of her," I insisted. "I'm sure she's doing what she thinks is right, but she just doesn't seem to understand them. She just yells at them all the time." After a pause, I said, "I shouldn't have said that. It's not my place."

"Maybe not, but I get what you're saying," Bill admitted, sitting down next to me. "She just wants what's best for them, just like they do. They just disagree on what exactly that means." With a small smirk, he asked, "So how long have you and Fred been together?"

"How'd you find out?" I asked, looking over at him.

"Just a guess," he replied. "So how long?"

"About a two months," I replied. "We got together after we won the Quidditch House Cup. He didn't want to tell your parents because your mum's kind of iffy on me. She likes me better now that she's seen I kind of keep Fred and George in line, but...she doesn't like my father and assumes I'm just like who they say he is."

"That's odd wording," he remarked. "You don't agree with what they say?"

"It's complicated," I said, not wanting to possibly implicate anything.

"I don't think Mum's mad at them because of the toffee," Bill said when he realized I wouldn't say anything more.

"Why else would she be mad?" I asked, looking at him in surprise.

"Well, the fact they want to run a joke shop instead of working at the Ministry," Bill explained. "And O.W.L. results."

"Yeah," I sighed. "They're smart, they just would rather pull pranks then apply themselves."

"How'd you do on O.W.L.s?" Bill asked.

"O's on DADA, Charms, Ancient Runes, Potions, and Transfiguration," I said. "E's on Herbology and Arithmancy. A on History of Magic."

"You know what you want to do?" Bill asked.

"I'm honestly not completely sure," I admitted. "I've thought about going professional with Quidditch. I've also thought about teaching. And also maybe being a curse-breaker."

"If you do become a curse-breaker, don't drop anything other than History of Magic," Bill advised. "You'll need the rest of those subjects, especially DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions, but you'll need all of them."

"Figured," I chuckled. "I just don't want to wind up sitting at a desk in twenty years and feeling like I wasted my life."

"I get that," he replied. "That's how I felt too."

"Fred and George as well," I laughed. "Hey," I said, looking up as Fred approached, looking irritated.

"I've got some stuff to do," Bill said, getting to his feet. "See you guys later." Once he'd gone, Fred sat down next to me.

"You okay?" I asked. He shook his head, but remained silent. Grabbing his hand, I lay my head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about your mum," I said, rubbing his back comfortingly. He nodded but remained quiet as Bill and Charlie came out with tables to set up. Bill smirked, but otherwise pretended he didn't see us. Squeezing Fred's hand comfortingly, I got up. "I'm going to go see if I can help with dinner. I'll see you later." He nodded, giving me a small smile as I headed inside.