LOVE ISN'T EASY (but it sure is hard enough)

APRIL 1ST, 1995

Fred and George Weasley's favourite day of the year had arrived.

April Fools Day.

(It was also their birthday, but that was nowhere near as important.)

Every year since their first, the twins would team up with Peeves to unleash hell on the students of Hogwarts. The morning started with the annual Molly Weasley Howler, her screeches filling the hall, promises of punishment should they go too far with their pranks. However angry she sounded, the message always ended on a sweet note, wishing them a wonderful birthday.

Minerva McGonagall waited for these howlers all year round, enjoying it almost as much as the one they would receive a few days later once she had sent their mother a full list of everything they had done.

For days before, first year students heard rumours about years passed and the stunts pulled by the older boys. When they walked through the corridors, people would part like the sea and avoid eye contact, anticipation bubbling amongst the student body. Most students were excited to see what they would come up with, others would run in the other direction as soon as they saw a flash of red hair approaching.

Lee, to his dismay, was always target number one. And this was the year he would finally get them back.

Somehow, he had managed to rope Liv and Juno into helping him.

"Do you wanna explain why we're in the kitchens at one in the morning?" Juno had asked, as Liv rested her head on Lee's shoulder and tried not to yawn.

"This is it. This is the year I finally catch them off guard."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, ladies, that I'm finally pranking those pricks. And I need your help."

Juno raised a brow at Liv, who shrugged sleepily. For a moment, she considered leaving, but then she remembered every little stunt pulled on her over the past month. George was usually hesitant to target Olivia, but Fred had absolutely no problem pissing off Juno.

"What do you need us to do?"

Lee had woken up after very little sleep that same morning, his hair the same bright red as his roommates. A bright flash went off as he grumbled, flipping off the boys hovering above him who were currently crying laughing.

"Watch your backs."

The twins laughed at the thought of Lee attempting to prank them successfully. Lee smirked to himself as they left the room, knowing that they would not be expecting what was to come.

The trio walked into the hall, a couple of people wishing the twins happy birthday as they walked past. A sea of flaming red greeted them, pretty much everyone's hair having been dyed to resemble theirs. They spotted Juno's face set in a scowl at her new look, whilst Liv seemed fairly unbothered.

"I'm gonna kill you."

"Not even a nice greeting for the birthday boys?"

"Get fucked."

George took a seat opposite Liv, smiling at the way a ribbon of deep sapphire was delicately wrapped around her (now bright red) hair.

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you. The red fades in a few hours, in case you were worried."

"I don't mind it! Always wanted to be a redhead."

He laughed slightly, grinning as she looked back down into her book and handed him a muffin without breaking her gaze at the pages.

Having her back sitting with him, even if she was in a world all of her own, was better than he ever thought it would have been. The first morning they had sat together again was slightly awkward, the five of them not really knowing what to talk about. It took a couple of days for things to feel normal again, and nearly a full month for them to really feel okay.