Magic Tricks

Chapter 5

"What is the function of a rubber duck?" Emma said her head swivelled to stare at George.

"Yeah," he nodded, sounding absolutely serious. "Dad keeps pestering Harry, a friend of ours. But Harry's got no idea how to explain what a rubber duck is for,"

Emma blinked. "It's a bath toy," she said uncertainly.  Was it a trick question? That was the wildest joke she had ever heard. The function of a rubber duck?!

"Bath toy?" George said.

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "For kids, you know,"

"Ohhhh!" Goerge said, then chuckled lightly. "Dad will be happy. He is a complete nutter when it comes to muggle stuff,"

"Muggle?" Emma said.

"Yeah, muggle, that's what we call non-magical people," George explained. "Dad collects plugs. Eklec-trik-city or something," he shrugged.

"It's electricity," Emma corrected, amazed by the extent of unpredictability George displayed. How was he coming up with all this?! 

They were taking yet another walk, going towards the hills she had only ever stared at form afar. George was talking about his family, and honestly, it sounded huge.

George was going on about magic, and witches and wizards. Emma actually found it pretty entertaining. She wondered how long he could keep up his story for. It was actually quite imaginative. People with magic hiding among the others, and having a huge castle for school, which they go to by train.

"Well, Bill works for Gringotts, the wizarding bank," George was saying. "He is a curse breaker. Charlie, he works with dragons. Ron's still in school, so is Ginny,"

"One person's missing," Emma said. "You said you had five brothers,"

George's pulled a scowl on his face. "That's Percy. He is a prat, we don't talk about him,"

"Why?" Emma asked. "I didn't mean to pry. Sorry," she added hastily.

"Nah, it's fine," George said. "Percy...well, he is sticking with the stupid Ministry who are all morons, by the way,"

"The Ministry," Emma muttered.

"Yeah, the Ministry of magic," George nodded. "There is so much you have to learn. Maybe Dumbledore can make an expectation or something for you. You should get a wand obviously. Ollivanders has the best, of course, but...he is currently unavailable," 

George didn't think divulging the fact that Voldemort was at large and his Death Eaters had kidnapped the wandmaker and was making life difficult for everyone was the best thing to tell Emma at the moment. She was still in the first stages of accepting that she can do magic. 

She had been quite stubborn, trying to tell him to drop the joke and that she was not a witch or have any magical abilities.

Emma kicked the snow lightly with her boots, watching it scatter around. George was really good at making things up. Really good. 

He had even made up a game, which was supposed to be played on broomsticks, in the air. Called Quidditch. 

Emma chuckled lightly as he talked about a violent ball trying to knock people off their brooms while flying. That was the most ridiculous yet interesting story she had ever heard.

"Why do you need all those players," she said. "If the Seeker can get the Snitch and end the game?"

George looked at her as though she had sprouted three heads.