Not A Coincidence (Fred Weasley)

Ch 43: George!

"Here they are." I say as my parents and I walk in to the Common Room to find the boys sitting in front of the fireplace, hunched over sheets of parchment.

They quickly hide the papers, smiling in our direction as we make our way over.

"What are you boys up to?"

"It's a surprise." They both say.

"Mmm hm." I shake my head at them.

"My boys." Mum cheers, beckoning them in to her arms.

"Mia." They both smile. 

"And Percy." Dad walks up to them, putting them in to headlocks.

"Ahhhh, it's like a family gathering." Fred grins.

"What are you guys doing here?" George asks, as Fred pinches dad's weak spot causing him to let go.

Dad has this nerve ending on the tip of his elbow that causes his arms to weaken for a second, got it when we went sledding in Canada and he broke his arm attempting a leap off a snow mound, was a great holiday spent in the emergency room.

We discovered it one day when the boys and I were outside playing soccer with him. Comes in handy when for example; he puts you in a headlock.

"Cheater." Dad pouts. "No fair."

"There there." George pats his back. "Next time we'll let you win."

"Where's the fun in that?" His eyebrows knit together as the twins attempt to look innocent.

I dissolve the childish behaviour in the room, going back to George's question. "They're here because I needed to tell them about Padfoot."

George and Fred look at them. "You know Padfoot?"

We don't say his name in case someone eavesdrops, wouldn't want them getting word of our friendship with Sirius Black. Even though we're in the Gryffindor Common Room, gossip spreads like wildfire in this school.

"We don't just know him, we lived with him." Mum laughs.

"You lived with him?!"

"The most child-like teenager I've ever met, I bet he's still as childish."

"You have no idea." I shake my head at them, remembering all the stories Sirius told me, getting all excited as he remembered the best bits, jumping up and down. When I was telling him my own stories he always insisted I tell another when I finished and he had the widest set of eyes as he got engrossed in my tales.

"What's that?" Dad points to my left hand, Mum catches on to it.

"Is that a ring?" She looks at Fred, getting all excited.

"Oh nonono, not allowed." Dad shakes his head, father-mode slowly setting in.

"It's a promise ring." I smile at them.

"How sweet, oh it's gorgeous." Mum admires the ring. "Good taste Fred."

"So it's not an engagement ring?" Dad stares down Fred.

"Not yet." George elbows Fred, passing him a grin. He looks to dad who is glaring at him. "I mean what? Marriage smarriage, pfft."

"Percy, they're only 15. They're not getting married anytime soon." Mum rubs his arm.

"I know, I just don't want to lose my baby girl." He pretends to tears up.

"Aww daddy." I give him a squeeze. "That's impossible, I'll be here forever. You're stuck with me."