Cast Aside

Prideful Loved Ones and Prejudiced Old Men

"Still won't stop an Avada but... should do for most anything else."

Arthur smiled and patted George on the back. "Well... they're amazing. I know they're going to save lives. You should be very proud of yourself."

George smiled down at his feet as he thanked his father. "Hopefully... if they sell."

"About that..." Fabian snatched a hat from Bill's head and tickled his side on his way over to George. "I was thinking. How about a demonstration? Diagon's been cleaned up and put back to rights and I was there yesterday, people are starting to come out again. Fewer families but..." He shrugged and set the hat on his own head. "Enough people to spread the word. I know we were already planning on doing one for the auror department, but some regular people seeing them in action would be good too. Especially since that's really your target market."

As George mulled that idea over, Hermione was stopped from adding her two knuts by a pair of chubby hands on either side of her face. Percy's blue eyes were locked on hers as he asked in his babyish voice, "Me turn?"

Laughing, she grabbed one of the shield hats from the table and plopped it down onto his much too small head. "Maybe we ought to make child sizes, George."

He smirked and crouched beside her. "What do you think, Perce? This one a bit big?" His smaller brother screeched with glee as George grabbed him off Hermione's lap. "Alright Fabian, you heard the lad, his turn!"

Charlie and Bill danced around dodging tickling jinxes, cackling madly when they were hit with the mild spells. The honest joy on George's face as they played, family magic swirling around the kitchen so strongly even Hermione could feel it, not for the first time made her glad they had landed in the time that they did. It wasn't their ideal, but if they'd had to get it wrong they could've done a lot worse. George was able to enjoy his family again and they had the chance to end the war years early.

<GH>

"Ladies and Gentlemen!"

"Witches and Wizards!"

The lunch hour bustle of the busy Ministry atrium slowed as workers paused to see what the fuss was about. Gideon and Fabian stood on either side of the massive fountain, hands on their hips revealing their best jackets beneath the charmed robes.

George stood beside Hermione amongst the gathered auror department, arms crossed and mouth turned up in an amused grin. After some consideration, they had decided to move their public demonstration to the Ministry atrium. It felt in poor taste to advertise their product in Diagon Alley so soon after the attack. At lunch, there would be more than enough people around to get the word out.

"May we have your attention please. We, the handsome and dashing scions of the Ancient and Noble House of Prewett, Gideon..."

"And Fabian, are proud to announce our new line of defensive wearables!"

"Fed up with the incompetence of the Ministry to protect the magical people of the United Kingdom, we have decided to do something to help the people. This was meant to be a private demonstration for the Auror department but we wanted to give all of you good people the opportunity to protect yourselves and your families as well." Gideon pulled one of the shield hats from an inner robe pocket and placed it jauntily upon his head. "Through the use of complicated shielding charms and layered arithmancy, we've achieved something never done before on a mass scale."

"Witness our premier design in practice." Fabian drew his wand and with his free hand, gestured grandly at the hat on his brother's head. "Our patented shielding hat."

Without further flourish or description, Fabian cast a vicious blasting curse at his brother. Gideon didn't so much as flinch as the curse dissipated harmlessly. A few people in the crowd sounded impressed, shouts of alarm and disbelief were heard as Fabian threw several more obviously powerful and deadly curses at his brother, not a single one causing any harm.