Stumble - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 28: 184 Days Before

Addie did not want to dance a jig. In fact, before that moment, she hadn't been aware that she knew how to dance a jig. But there she was, her legs and arms moving to an imaginary beat, bouncing up and down while Fred sat on the hotel bed, laughing so hard that tears were sliding down his cheeks.

"Fred!" she huffed as she danced, her voice breathy from her involuntary workout. "Please!"

"But you look like you're having so much fun," he said between chuckles, falling back onto the bed and laughing even harder.

"Please!" she begged, but Fred just shook his head.

She was still dancing, her legs now beginning to ache, when George walked through the door. He eyed Addie curiously, laughing when he noticed the spilled cup at her feet. He shook his head and said, "Amateur's mistake."

"I poured it myself!" Addie said as she spun in a circle.

George grinned at his twin. "Potion in the pitcher?"

"Better. Potion in the faucet. Stuck it up there and charmed the phial to dissolve when water hit it. She thought it was perfectly safe."

"Nice," George said, and to Addie's utter exasperation, they gave each other a high five.

"Yes, we get it," she said, trying to bring the attention back to her helpless, dancing state. "He's a genius. But now that we've acknowledged that, can we please let this stop." She tried to gesture at her dancing body, but her arms flung up around her head instead.

"Does that mean you give up?" Fred asked.

Addie hesitated. This prank war had been going on for over a month now, and she had managed to keep up to this point. Giving up now would mean that all the work she had put into her pranks would equate to nothing. Addie glowered at Fred. "For now," she said slowly.

Fred thought about it for a minute. "What do you think, George?" he asked. "Think we should let her out of her misery?"

George turned to look at Addie as well, rubbing his fingers along his chin as he pretended to contemplate. "I don't know, Fred. I don't think she quite appreciates the genius of your prank."

Fred nodded. "Very true, brother."

Addie groaned. "Can you two stop your antics and let me free already?"

"I'll make you a deal," Fred said, and Addie hated the teasing lilt to his voice. "You admit that you are an inferior prankster to me, and I'll give you the antidote." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a glass phial filled with a pink liquid. He dangled it out in front of her, wiggling it so the liquid sloshed around inside.

Addie let out a huff of breath, her body involuntarily spinning around in a circle once more before making a large leap to the right. It was enough to push her over the edge. "Fine, you are a better prankster than me. I'm utterly incompetent compared to a pranking master such as you."

"Thank you," Fred said seriously, unstoppering the bottle and helping to tip the liquids into her mouth as she continued to dance. Her limbs soon came under her own control, and as soon as they did, she pushed Fred so that he fell backwards onto the bed.

"Meet me in the Leaky Cauldron in five minutes," she said, heading to the door without looking back.

***

The Leaky Cauldron was their last hope, and as much as being in the place again unnerved her, she knew they had no choice. As she walked into the pub, she pulled her hood lower over her face, her eyes automatically moving to the left, tracing a line towards the alcove in the back, where she used to meet Avery daily. She shivered, turning in the opposite direction and finding a table that was as far across the pub that she could find.