𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞 | 𝐇.𝐏.

𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟔 - 𝟐

A week before we were due to leave for Hogwarts, all of us went with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to Diagon Alley to get our school supplies and see Fred and George's new joke shop. Mrs. Weasley still seemed a little flustered by her two sons running off and creating a business instead of getting a "nice, secure job at the Ministry," but at least she didn't yell at them in front of all their customers.

In the depressing grey of the new, rundown Diagon Alley, the purple brick building with bright orange trimming stood out like a beacon. Over the front entrance a huge, animated statue of a red-haired boy that looked suspiciously like the twins was taking his hat on and off, a white rabbit disappearing and reappearing every time.

The second we walked inside, it was like a very colorful bomb went off. There were firecrackers shooting through the air, the whole place was filled with smoke, and each shelf was lined with something even more dangerous than the last.

The business men themselves were standing on one of the many high landings leading up to the second floor, wearing matching orange suits and identical grins.

"Step up! Step up!" They shouted. "We've got Fainting Fancies! Nosebleed Nougats! And just in time for school, Puking Pastilles!"

Over the lowest floor, attached to two rickety staircases with Muggle police tape on them, was a tightrope that a mini Professor Umbridge was riding a unicycle on, screaming "I WILL HAVE ORDER!" and "I REALLY HATE CHILDREN!" 

The twins showed Potter some Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, apparently a "real money spinner." According to their marketing, when the sparkly black outer layer cracked, a dark shimmering cloud would momentarily blind anyone in the closed vicinity. 

They strolled over to Hermione, Ginny and I, where all three of us were inspecting the love potions.

"Hello, ladies," they said simultaneously. 

"Love potions, eh?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, they really do work," George added. 

"Then again, the way we hear it, sis, you're doing just fine on your own," Fred smirked.

"Meaning?" Ginny asked, crossing her arms defensively.

"Are you not currently dating Dean Thomas?" George prodded.

"It's none of your business," she replied, but she had a small smile on her face as she looked back down at the potions.

Weasley went up to the twins as they were walking back up the stairs, holding a small, red-striped box.

"How much for this?" He asked.

"Five galleons," the twins answered together.

"How much for me?" Weasley asked again, like they had been joking.

"Five galleons," they repeated.

"I'm your brother!" He protested.

"Ten galleons," they shrugged and kept walking. 

Weasley turned back to Hermione, Potter and I. We were really trying not to laugh. "Let's get out of here," he grumbled.

As miles upon miles of yellow fields rolled past the Hogwarts Express's windows, I sat with Potter, Hermione, and Weasley in a closed compartment. They wanted to know more about my father trying to wrap Draco and I into the Death Eaters, and so I reluctantly told them everything.

"When I refused, that's when my father did that to my cheek," I finished. Potter did not look very happy at this news. "But Draco... he agreed. I know he didn't want to, but he agreed because he knew that one of us needed to keep my father content. He was always the rule-following twin anyway." In other words, the favorite.