Escape ↣ Harmione

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter 24 - April 1st

George Weasley walked down the hall from his room stretching. He was going to put the kettle on then wake Fred up. Their birthday had fallen on a Tuesday, they had agreed that they couldn't close the shop all day but might knock off early. They were having dinner at the Burrow, and George wanted to spend some time before they left, working on the formula Hermione had sent them.

He wasn't sure what made him stop as he stepped into the kitchen, but something told him something was different. He paused looking around, nothing looked out of place. He felt for the wards, nothing there either, no one had tried to get through them. Was it Fred, then? He stood for a moment more, thinking. If Fred wanted to prank him then he would just have to find out how, and turn it back on him, but what had he done? Just then Fred appeared behind him.

"What are you doing?" Fred asked as he made to brush past him. George's arm shot out and caught his twin before he could step past, his instincts still telling him something wasn't right.

Fred cocked his head looking at him. "Ahhh no, I didn't prank you, so what is it then?" he said. Answering as if George had explained his misgivings out loud. It was a twin thing; they could do that to each other.

They stood side by side staring at the kitchen until George finally noticed the small brightly wrapped parcel on the side by the kettle. "You didn't leave that there?" pointing to it.

"No search brother mine, I didn't."

Two wands appeared in two hands, and they approached carefully. Having played as many pranks as they had, they knew to exercise care when approaching mysterious parcels. There was also a war brewing, and their family was front and centre as part of the Order. Mysterious packages left by mysterious means did not necessarily mean good things.

The paper was not wizarding, the detection charms they cast came up negative. The charm they cast to reveal less harmful jinxes which they used to check their products, came up clean too. They were left staring at a small wrapped parcel no bigger than a matchbox, and no further along in working out what it was, or who left it.

"Well then."

"It is our birthday."

"Maybe we should open it."

They exchanged a glance that communicated that this might be one of those times that go down in history, for all the wrong reasons. Fred snatched the present up from the counter, he paused, but nothing happened. No latent hidden jinxes were activated; he was simply stood in his kitchen with George, feeling overly suspicious about a birthday present. George undid the ribbon, nothing happened. Fred pulled away the paper to reveal a small wooden box. George picked it up and turned it over in his fingers. He put it back down on the kitchen side, and exchanging yet another loaded glance with his search brother they stood wands drawn, as slowly, he lifted the lid.

"Happy Birthday! Surprise!" two voices shouted out of the box. A burst of brightly coloured paper confetti rained down, Fred and George exchanged a glance. The voices had been unmistakable, Harry and Hermione had sent them a birthday present. The concern melted away into broad grins. They looked at the defensive stance each was holding over the small, now innocent box, and started to laugh.

George moved to flick his wand at the kettle boiling it instantly as Fred fished inside the box. He laid out two rings and a small plastic muggle tape? He thought it might be, he had seen them in his Dad's shed. It looked like they might need a trip to the Burrow sooner than tonight.

George handed Fred the cup of tea he'd made and picked up the box to examine it. He ran his wand over the edge followed by his fingers feeling for any hidden devices or catches. Hermione was devious, she might have just sent two rings and a muggle tape in a box, but she might not. He felt around the inside of the box as well for good measure.