Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(183) Tea Time

"Please, I'm going to die if you leave me there all alone!" Charlie exclaimed rather dramatically at the twins who didn't look phased at all, "Charlie, you're not gonna be alone. Mum, Dad, and Bill will be there too, silly." George reminded him.

It was the day before the weekend that the Delacours were coming to the Burrow to have tea and discuss wedding plans with their future in-laws. Fred, George and Florence had found fullproof and solid excuses for them to miss that day, further solidifying them by repeatedly expressing to Molly how they were sad that they couldn't go. Charlie, meanwhile, had been off work for the month and was simply lounging about at the Burrow, with no valid reason for him to miss such dreadful event.

Realizing that he was going to be in the middle of what was going to be so much tension, he went and begged the only other siblings he could persuade to join him there. Fred and George held firmly to their no, and Charlie was not having it. Florence was listening to the scene unfolding from the couch, a small smile on her face as Charlie groaned in annoyance for the umpteenth time, "I'm gonna end up being the buffer. I don't want to be the buffer, its so much work."

"I doubt you'll be much of a buffer. Knowing Bill he's probably already strategized with Fleur how they are going to handle their parents when they're under the same roof." Fred quipped in, "I mean, they would be dumb not to already have a plan."

Charlie looked to Florence helplessly, "What say you, future sister?"

She looked at him, Charlie putting on the best sympathy-inducing face he could muster, making her sigh, "I suppose I could come with."

"What?" Fred and George said simultaneously, just as Charlie cheered. "What do you mean you're going? We already said we couldn't make it." Fred asked his fiancée, who shrugged in response, "Yeah. But I can't really think of anything better to do with my time, you know? I hate being unproductive, especially now when I have to keep my mind off of my evaluation next week." Florence said, getting up from the couch and heading to her and Fred's room, "What are we talking, Char? Formal? Semi-formal?" she called behind her shoulder.

"Er... mum wants me to wear a dress shirt so... semi-formal? I guess?"

Fred sighed dramatically, "I guess I'm going too, then."

"You don't have to." Florence called from their room, "I just want to accompany Charlie so he won't have to face all the awkwardness all alone."

"A saint, that woman." Charlie sighed happily.

"Well I'm still going. What kind of man would I be if I let my fiancée suffer alone?" he muttered, getting up from his seat, George ruffling his hair in frustration, "Looks like I'll be showing up after all."

Charlie chuckled at this, "Florence, the power you have over these two is astonishing. Do teach me your ways sometime."

"This is free will!" George said, before slamming his bed room door.

"Sure it is." he said sarcastically, "I'll be on my way then. I'll see you lot there."
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Molly was pleasantly surprised to see the twins and Florence when they had arrived at the Burrow. She had been running about the house, cleaning and cooking and planning. All her fancy tablecloths and dinnerware had come out of their hiding places, and were now being arranged as meticulously as possible. She had been barking orders at Arthur, Charlie and Bill when Florence knocked on the door, hearing the woman mumble and grumble on her way to the door, her expression completely changing at the sight of the twins and Florence.

"Oh! Florence, how wonderful of you to come by! I thought you were busy today?"

"Hey mum, nice to see you too." George said sarcastically, making Florence chuckle, "We ended up with a clear schedule today. I told the boys we might as well stop by and offer our help when we've got nothing else to do."