Mischief | Fred Weasley

Two

Elaine was beyond anxious when Monday morning arrived. She tried to take Fred's advice in her attire for the day, but she couldn't help that her sense of style was vastly different. After searching for at least a shirt with brighter colors to pair with her most basic pair of jeans, she finally gave in and willed herself to ask for her little sister's help. 

"No," Alyssa said as soon as Elaine entered her bedroom, not looking up from where she was doodling in a notebook that was meant for notes when she got back to Hogwarts or turning down the rock music playing from the radio. While her muggle mother was aware that they typically used parchment and quills at Hogwarts, she always made sure to send her daughters with more modern methods of writing as well for their own personal convenience. 

Elaine crossed her arms and glared at her sister as she leaned against the door frame. "I haven't even said anything yet." 

"You didn't need to. It's still no." 

"Can you stop being an angsty teenager for just a minute?" 

Alyssa rolled her eyes as she reached over to the bedside table and turned down the music. "What do you want?" 

"I need to borrow a shirt," Elaine said, already making her way over to the closet and opening the door. 

"You have plenty of clothes in your room," Alyssa argued. 

"They told me to wear something brighter." 

Alyssa gave a look of disapproval at the thought. "I don't know how you think I would be able to help." 

"You change your style every month," Elaine said and pulled out a light purple tank top that flared at the bottom. "What about this?" 

"A little slutty for a normal job," Alyssa shrugged. "I think they would like it." 

Elaine blushed deeply. "That's not really what I was going for." 

Her sister groaned dramatically. "Just wear a sweater and get out." 

- 

When Elaine arrived at the front doors of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, it was already growing warm outside and she began to regret the sweater. She showed up thirty minutes before the shop was meant to open, just as she had been instructed by George in a letter that she received via owl the night after she first met them, after he apologized for blowing her off that day. She wasn't sure how he got her address to send the letter, but she ultimately decided that she did not want to know. She found the door already unlocked and let herself in, finding Fred, George, and Lee setting up various toys and displays around the shop as she took in the surprisingly cool air. She wasn't sure if they had adopted the muggle method of air conditioning or if it was a spell, but either way, it was a relief. 

"Good, you're here," she heard Fred say toward the back of the shop. "Come help me with this." 

Once she was able to locate where his voice was coming from, she found Fred near a stack of full boxes against the back wall. Today he wore a similar purple shirt but lacked the vest that normally matched the shirt of his twin, with the sleeves again rolled up, showing the strain in his arms as he tried to lift one last box above his head to finish the stack. Though she wouldn't be able to reach the top, not being nearly as tall as he was, she helped him at least get the box lifted until he could finish the job himself before he had to ask any further. Once the box was in place, he used one arm to wipe the bit of sweat that had beaded on his forehead before looking at her. 

"That's better. The color suits you," he said. "You should probably lose the sweater, though." He noticed the look of doubt on her face. "Trust me, it's fine. We don't need you passing out on your first day."