Pretty Kitty (completed)

Chapter 32

It was the night before Christmas, and all 'round the house, nobody stirred, not even the cat.

Until two mischievous redheaded twins crept into his shared bedroom, shook his awake, and dragged him out, grinning like maniacs.

"Gerroff," Harry mumbled blearily from his perch atop Fred's shoulder. "Whaz 'appenin'? Voldem'rt 'ttacking?"

George chuckled and flicked Harry's nose with his finger. Harry wrinkled his nose and glared at the twin, hating the two more than anything he'd hated, ever. Who went around waking people up at this time?!

"No, Voldemort isn't attacking," Fred assured cheerfully, opening the door to the twins bedroom and walking inside, shutting it again. Harry grimaced as his world was turned right-side-up, his feet touching the floor.

"Right," Harry said, deciding not to question what was happening any longer. Who knew what crazy plans the twins had thought up? He instead looked around the dimly-lit room, eyebrows rising when he realised everything wasn't right.

For a start, there was no bed, which might not have been so unusual considering the twins blew up their beds on regular occasions and were punished by having to sleep on the floor for a night. What was strange was the floating candles arranged into a large circle in the middle of the room, casting light and shadows, and the lack of other furnishing, including the wardrobe, desk and drawers. The room was totally bare.

"What the bloody hell?" Harry asked quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear outside of the room. If Mrs Weasley came storming in, only to see this weirdness, who knows what the twins would be punished with.

"No need to keep silent here, Harry. Silencing wards and all," Fred said, gesturing around the room. Harry couldn't actually see the wards, so he took Fred's word for it.

"Mind explaining what's going on?" Harry asked. It was, most likely, another prank that they were conducting in the middle of the night, on Christmas eve. "And why I've been dragged into this?"

Harry had been steadfastly avoiding the twins since he'd spilled the truth to them, mostly because he felt betrayed at their quite cruel tricks, and partly because he'd sounded like a right girl when he'd emptied his fears onto them. He was such a wimp.

George cleared his throat loudly and, from mid-air, produced a golden, glowing scroll of parchment, which he opened and held to his face. Harry rolled his eyes as George re-cleared his throat.

"Dear sir," George started, before casting a dubious look at Harry. "Or madam." Harry hissed at insinuation. "You are hereby formally invited to Fred and George Weasley's bonding party, on the night of Christmas Eve, at a quarter to twelve. Please RSVP as soon as possible, sincerely, Fred and George."

Their bonding. They were holding their bonding on Christmas eve? Bit sappy, if you asked Harry. He never took the twins for being sappy.

"If it's your bonding, why am I here?" Harry snapped, wanting to just go back to bed and not watch Fred and George becoming connected for life. He heard Fred sigh behind him, and then a hand was in his hair, ruffling it up.

"Because you're a very important part of our lives, kitten-"

"- And this bonding won't change that at all," George finished, the two sounding quite serious and affectionate at the same time. Harry wanted to tear up and smile and bloody well jump for joy at the most reassuring words he'd heard in a while, never mind that he was furious at them for the truth serum.

Instead, he plastered a neutral look on his face, as if the words didn't affect him. Wouldn't do to boost the twins egos or anything, make them think they'd done something right. The twins shared a knowing smirk, and Harry scowled at them. Damn, they'd seen right through him!