stardust ⋮ george weasley

fifty-one :

F I F T Y - O N E

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The next day at Grimmauld Place was spent thoroughly cleaning the rooms of the townhouse that hadn't been touched in so long. Adeline and George – along with Ron and Hermione – had been assigned to the library, so the four teenagers spent most of their day going through old and moldy books and ridding the room of dust and small creatures.

Well, Adeline spent about half her time trying to keep George from teasing Ron about how he was constantly trying to pair off to work with Hermione.

Adeline pulled out a book and flinched back, letting out a small scream when a beetle-like creature came flying out from the space. George jumped forward and sprayed something at the creature, causing it to fall to the floor before he picked it up and pocketed it.

"Why are you pocketing that?" Adeline questioned. "What even are they?"

"Doxys," George explained, pulling the unconscious creature out of his pocket to show it to her briefly. "They're poisonous pests that can infest a place, but I've got the antidote if we need it."

"Oh, so they're like cockroaches if they were poisonous!"

"What roaches?"

"Cockroaches," Adeline repeated with a small laugh. "Stop being inappropriate."

"I don't know how I couldn't be," George responded in a teasing tone. "It's in the name."

Adeline swatted his arm and decided to change the subject before George said anything else that would get him in trouble with Mrs. Weasley if she overheard. "Why did you pocket it anyways?" Adeline asked again.

"Fred and I need the venom for the Puking Pastilles," He explained as the couple turned back to continue dusting off the books. "This is a lot better than shelling out the Galleons to buy them."

"Puking Pastilles? Is that a product for the joke shop?"

George nodded, an excited gleam beginning to appear in his eyes. "It's like a little candy with two halves. You eat the orange half, you start throwing up. But once you eat the purple half, you're completely back to normal again."

"I'm guessing they're for skipping out of lessons?"

"Precisely. Problem is, Fred and I end up puking so much that we can't eat the second half."

"George!" Adeline exclaimed in horror. "You're making yourself vomit endlessly? Are you two alright?"

"I'm standing here, aren't I?" When Adeline couldn't seem to formulate a response, George grinned as he leaned down to kiss her temple. "Always the worrier, aren't you, Addie," He laughed. "I'm pretty sure Mum and Dad like you so much because they think you'll keep me in line."

"I don't think anyone could keep you in line. I can try my best, but you'll always find a way."

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The news of Harry using underage magic and getting put on trial spread quickly around the townhouse. Adeline, George, and Fred were hanging out upstairs in the twins' bedroom when they heard loud yelling from downstairs in Ron's bedroom.

"But why should I know what's been going on? Why should anyone bother to tell me what's been happening? Can't have wanted to that much, can you, or you'd have sent me an owl, but Dumbledore made you swear! Four weeks I've been stuck on Privet Drive, nicking papers out of bins to try and find out whats' been going on! I suppose you've been having a real laugh, haven't you, all holed up here together–"