Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. They all belong to J.K. Rowling
Chapter One: It Happened Again
Lottie's Point of View
"Everyday is like Suuuuuundaay." I sang quietly to myself as I waltzed into the bathroom of 12, Grimmauld Place early on, conveniently, Sunday morning. Today, after two or so months of being open, I was finally being treated to the grand tour of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop that Fred and George now own after dropping out of Hogwarts. As much as I was looking forward to it, I was also fearing for my life. I know what some of their products do. A room full of said products ... Holy shit.
I was taking my best friend of two and a half years along too, but she was taking me if you ask her. Alex Tonks knew how to manipulate and belittle somone. Anyone. Anything. Some call it rude, McGonagall once called it colourful.
When you're in your own home, you would typically feel safe sitting on the toilet lid and leisurely brushing your teeth whilst reading the latest issue of 'Witch Weekly' propped against the side of your sink. I used to feel safe too. But then again, my best friend is Alex Tonks, "RISE AND SHINE!"
"Oh my--" I shot upright off the toilet, dropping the magazine and causing my toothbrush to smash into the roof of my mouth as I moved. I winced, quickly pushing the magazine behind the sink with my foot as I turned and frowned at Alex, "What was that for?!"
"I have no idea what you just said." Alex had apparated into my bathroom, the one and only place in the world I used to consider completely private, and was crouched in the bathtub. I took my toothbrush out, spat and then turned back to face her,
"What was that for?!" I repeated,
"We're going to triple W today." Alex said as if it was obvious,
"Yes. I know. I was there when it was planned." I said slowly to her. Alex was looking up at the side of the shower cubical with her lip curled slightly,
"Who cleans this?"
"Me."
"When did you last do it?"
"Yesterday."
"Fucking hell. Please try harder." Alex said in an automated sounding voice. She then stood up and stepped out of the bath, wiping her hands on the faded green jeans she was wearing. She looked at me and then my attire,
"What are you wearing?"
"My dressing gown and some pyjamas." Alex shook her head disapprovingly,
"Why the bloody hell aren't you ready?"
"I've just got up." I used an open hand to point in the general direction of where my bedroom was, "I near enough know Dad won't even be up yet."
"Ha!" Alex apparated out of the bathroom, and my arm dropped to my side. Fantastic. One day, she will finish me off.
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I was careful to open the kitchen door when I went through it. It had nearly fallen off the frame yesterday morning, "Is that what you're wearing?"
"Yes Alex, this is what I'm wearing." I sighed. All my outfit was was shorts and a long sleeves shirt with Big Ben on the front of it. Nothing criminal,
"It looks like mine."
"It looks nothing like yours." Alex was wearing a plain, dark grey tshirt with her jeans. She was also sitting at the dining table, which sat in the room directly next to the kitchen and was accessible from it, at the nearest head of the table with her feet up on it, swinging on her chair and eating some buttered toast. I noticed Lupin sitting three seats down from Alex in a similar position, with a similar meal in his hand. He nodded once in greeting to me,
"Did you sleep alright?" He asked,
"You literally only woke me up once, about four o'clock." I grinned. Another full moon last night,
"Bugger it."
"Hey, one is better than five okay?" I grabbed the jam jar, a teaspoon then took a seat on the opposite side of the table. Lupin looked completely knackered, but that was expected. At least he might nap today, and won't just try to stay awake to keep me company,
"You gotta remember Lupin, you can't have it all."
"You didn't wake him up, did you?" I asked Alex. She frowned at me,
"You always think the worst of me."
"Wonder why."
"He was already sat here when I apparated in. I came straight here for food, and it was already waiting for me."
"Still in the room, girls." Lupin waved his toast to highlight his presence,
"Wait." I put the jar down, "Is that my fucking toast?"
"It is your fucking toast." Alex nodded once,
"Oh my god, again! Are you kidding me?!"
"I never kid when it comes to toast." Alex said, taking the last bite of what was probably her second sitting of breakfast. I slumped back in my chair and finished off what jam was remaining.
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Walking down Diagon Alley was slightly different. Some of the shops looked to have closed, or at leadt just shut their doors whilst this malarky with Voldemort blows over again. Every door to every store that was actually trading was shut, and there was significantly less advertisements in the windows. It was slightly surreal, it almost seemed like a different place, "Ice cream?"
"We just had breakfast about half an hour ago." I told Alex. She looked down the alley,
"Gringotts says it's half ten. McDonalds changes it's menus from the breakfast ones to the normal ones at half ten, therefore we can eat normal food now."
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We left Florean Fortescues ten minutes later with a banana and fiery mint chilli flavoured ice cream. Alex said it tasted nice, her expression told a different story, "It's ... Amazing."
"And that's why you look like you're about to explode from the inside out." I commented, taking a bite from my 'boring banana flavoured' ice cream. Alex trailed behind for a minute or so as we made our way down the alley, but then she seemed to perk up when we got closer to the twin's shop,
"Shit, look at that." Alex said, finishing the rest of her ice cream and cornet all in a few bites, throwing the tissue that was around it in a passing bin and pointing up towards the shop. I dropped the rest of mine out of shock.
The shop was situated on a corner, and not even a blind man was going to miss that thing. It was painted a neon orange colour contrasting with a purple magenta shade. There was a 'W' shaped sign spinning gently in the breeze, with four shaped wizards sticking out of it. The signature piece was the large, moving model of one of the twins. It rose and dropped it's hat, a different object appearing when it rose it's hat and disappearing when it was lowered. I couldn't drag my eyes away, I almost cried. It was incredible,
"Oh Merlin, I get it. It's like orange and purple, for mine and your favourite colours." Alex said casually, heading again towards the shop. I struggled to move,
"H-H-H-How did ... How the hell d'you figure that one out?!" I shouted, slowly beginning to put one foot in front of the other and move forward. Alex laughed,
"No one is smarter than me."
"I-I thought you told George my favourite colour was turquoise or something."
"Hey, you're not present at every conversation I have with George y'know!"
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We entered the shop and was greeted by the sight of people. People everywhere. Left, right, backwards, forwards. One was even climbing the wall. You couldn't take it all in in one go, it had to be split in to more manageable chunks. Alex's jaw had almost hit the floor at the same time as she was sporting the biggest grin I had ever seen on her. There was a creak above me and I took a step forward, looking around the corner at the stair case. There stood the twins, in their matching work robes and sporting matching beams.
I raised a hand and it caught George's attention. He pointed us out to Fred, who lead his twin across the store to Alex and I standing in the door way. Alex was still way out of it, mostly struggling to shut her mouth. The twins grinned at me, "I see a very successful pair of gentleman before me."
"You're about to hug a very successful gentleman as well!" Fred said, bending down slightly and wrapping his arms around me. I laughed and rested my head on his shoulder,
"Yeah, yeah, I'm successful too!" George whined. I heard Fred tut, and he let go as George went to hug me,
"You're always successful." I whispered to him and then laughed lightly,
"Of course I am, I've got you." He said quietly, grinning as I pulled back and looked at him. I rolled my eyes lightly,
"If we want to talk about success with Lottie, I think I take the prize okay everybody?" Alex said. Her eyes were fixed on something near the ceiling. George pointed out a rope walking Umbridge that was up there, which I just presumed was what had Alex mesmerised,
"Well ladies, welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" Fred beamed and extended his arm towards the store behind him,
"Would you like the tour now, or do you have any questions first?" George asked, his arms folded. I laughed,
"I'd like you to tell me why the heck you though 'wheezes' was a good word, am I right?"
"Up top!" Alex high fived me. Both twins looked a little disheartened,
"It's lovely, you've both done so well." I shook my head and assured them, "Me and my partner would love the grand tour of this place."
"I don't know who the fuck you're talking about, because I am defiantly not your partner." Alex held out a palm towards me. I rolled my eyes and turned my back slightly. George took my hand and Fred took Alex's, to which she stared at him disgustedly but let him get away with it anyway.
The shop was completely amazing. There was toys, jokes, pranking equipment, defence materials, guides, books, spying apparatus, the canary creams, the glow in the dark bubblegum, everything you could imagine. Tons of strange sweets, Shelves of wonderwitch products, even a section with muggle pranks and tricks. When Fred and George were done talking and waffling on about almost everything in sight, Alex took a deep breath and put her hands on her hips,
"Absolutely fucking incredible." She spoke quickly but nodded slowly, looking over the scenery and by the end of her scan, had her vision fixed on the ceiling. But then I was Lottie, so I went and bombed the moment,
"What about the store room? Ooooh, and the flat!" I was excited in the moment, and then Alex's eyes rolled over to the store room door, behind the counter, where a dark haired girl stood. I gulped. Shit, what had I started?
Alex marched over to the counter, but she seemed quite calm and casual even though she was on a march. I had wondered why the twins had kept us away from that area. Alex stopped in front of the counter and the girl looked up slowly. When she caught sight of Alex, she stood up straight in a shot,
"Wow. So, this is your worker then, Fred." Alex said, a disgusted tone in her voice,
"And this must be your girlfriend, Fred." Verity followed, sounding just as disgusted as Alex. For a brief section in time, the two girls stared at each other down their noses until Alex turned on her heels and walked across to the muggle toys, and Verity spun around and walked into the back of the shop. Fred looked a little torn, then went after Alex. I slowly looked up at George,
"Well ... That was ... Erm ... Tame." He resembled slightly the look of a startled deer. I was frowning at the counter,
"For Alex, yeah. I don't even know the other girl."
"It's always about Fred." George huffed, "I've said that before."
"Don't worry, pudding." I leant up and kissed his cheek,
"Pudding?"
"I don't know either, I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You don't need to be sorry. It was a bit weird though. Freak."
"Rude!"
"Has Alex put you on drugs?"
"No! No! Geez, no!" I flailed my hands a little. George lauged,
"I'm kidding! Alex put you on drugs last year!" I squinted my eyes at George and he put his palm on my shoulder, "Now, would you like to see the humble abode?"
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"Okay, so it's a little messy, but we're men so it's okay, okay?" George was standing on the landing area which stretched around up to two walls of the upstairs. You could see over the top of the shop for each side, and there was four doors on the landing. Two offices, an extra store and the flat. George had the key in the door and I stared at him for it to be unlocked. George pushed on the door and revealed ...
Well, a relevantly clean apartment.
Straight through the door lead you into a well lit living room area with a couch, two armchairs and a coffee table. There was a bookshelf and a cd player, why they need them I didn't bother to ask. There was a small step which looked to lead into a hallway, and then another step straight across the room that was attached to an open archway that was into the kitchen. I leapt across the room to that step and invited myself into the kitchen.
Slightly less cleaner than the living room, but there, straight in front of me, was a kitchen island and two spinning bar stools. I went straight to jump on one and was happily twissling slightly. The kitchen was a warm honey and white colour, and it had a full sized fridge and stove, plenty of cupboards, toaster and a small white topped table with four chairs around it. There was a full glass escape door on the left hand wall as you entered the room 'which lead to a small balcony which lead to a stairwell which led down to Diagon Alley'. I wasn't sure how many more times George could have said 'which led to' when he was explaining to me, because all I could hear was myself thinking about how much I would have needed to buy a curtain for that door. I hope Fred or George don't make 2am fridge calls for glasses of cereal, because otherwise the whole of the north side of the alley would be able to see them if they was up at that time. When I thought of that, I hadn't got the heart to tell George.
The only noticeable different between the bedrooms was the colour schemes and the curtain positions, but I'm sure there's more than meets the eye. I didn't want to begin to think about where the laundry had been shoved as to hide it, so I tried to leave them rooms as fast as I could.
A bathroom is a bathroom, and this one was no exception. Apart from the separate shower and bath that was similar to the one at Grimmauld place, it was just a bathroom. There was plenty of room for magazines behind the sink. Oh, what? No, George told me. Not because I checked when he wasn't looking,
"And that is the flat." George said as we walked back into the living room area. He had his arms opened and he looked proud of himself. So he should, it's a neat little place,
"Well, aren't you and your twin a pair of grown up gentleman." I smiled, leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway. George was still beaming when the door got kicked open,
"I AM HERE TO SEE THE ABODE!"
"I really did choose the right girl." George nodded as Alex waltzed into the flat, Fred following close behind. He looked knackered, like he'd just been subjected to an unpleasant lecture on his staffing choices, and he could only just manage to raise his hand as he followed Alex across into the kitchen, similarly to what I had done. George turned back and was grinning at me again,
"I think you want me to say something." I observed,
"D-Do you like it?" He asked. He sounded slightly nervous, as if my approval was all he was looking to gain. I slowly began to smile,
"I love it."
"Of course you do, this place is fucking amazing." Alex's head was sticking out of a hole in the kitchen wall. She had a plate of cheese and crackers in her hand and she was about to stuff one into her mouth when she pulled herself back into the kitchen. I had to check she hadn't punched a hole in the wall, because I wouldn't have put it past her to have done so, but George pointed out that they had a dinner service latch there. I apologised to Alex even thought she didn't know what I'd been thinking, or at least I didn't think she did, but she told me I 'fucking should be' so probably she did know. I mean it's Alex, you gotta be careful.
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"Did you see Fred's laundry sticking out of his wardrobe?" Alex asked me on Tuesday evening. She was sat at the dining table at Grimmauld place eating take out fish and chips whilst I was making mugs of tea,
"I can't say I took that much notice." I tried remembering, "I tried not to notice if I'm honest."
"I saw a robe and a pair of jeans sticking out of the door." Alex nodded, "He couldn't get the door shut, to take a guess."
"They tried so hard, bless." I nodded as I stirred Alex's tea, looking out of the window,
"Did you see the washing up?"
"There wasn't any! ... Was there?"
"I thought of you when I was in there. I genuinly looked for some, but nope. Nothing. I bet George did it all." Alex scoffed,
"It was all a bit unorganised rather than unclean, really."
"They're men! What can you do?" Alex said as I brought over her and my tea,
"Try it and tell me it's okay."
"As long as you ain't pissed in it, it'll be fine." Alex said. She was still eating her meal and she pointed her fork at me,
"The shower."
"Oh Merlin, the shower." I laughed,
"Did you get in it?"
"I didn't literally get in it, no." I shook my head at Alex, "I just took a general look around everything."
"You wouldn't want more than two of you in there."
"You speak like you know."
"Really, Lottie? Of course I know." Alex tutted, "It smelt lemony fresh. I bet they'd done a clean sweep of that place in the morning before we'd got there."
"I bet they'd done a clean sweep of the whole place in the morning before we got there." I chuckled as I brought my tea to my mouth and took the first sip from it. It was still way too boiling for me, but Alex tells me I have to have at least one sip of whatever drink it is when I have a hot drink with her. so I'm actually drinking the hot drinks actually hot. I'm not sure how we're friends,
"And what about Arthur's son?"
"Yes, he's still coming." Lupin answer Moody as they both entered the kitchen. Alex and I turned and looked up at them. Lupin's eyebrows was raised and he pointed at me,
"What are you doing here?"
"Well ... Actually ... I live here." I started, "And she's eating her tea."
"Fiiiiiiish." Alex held up her fork, which had a piece on it, and then lowered it back to her mouth,
"What are you doing here? Kettle's boiled."
"There's an Order meeting in about fifteen minutes." Lupin told me. I nodded slowly and stuck my lip out a little,
"Yep, could've told me that this morning before I decided to put my pyjamas on at half past four ... But no, it's okay." I stood up, "Come on, you're eating in the kitchen now."
"But I--"
"I know, but apparently your hunger level isn't as important as an Order meeting." I placed my mug beside the sink then dragged two dining chairs into the dining room. Alex was reluctant but she finally moved out of one room and into the other. I jumped up onto the counter, rested my feet on a chair and continued with my cup of tea as Alex finished her food tea from off and whilst leaning against the counter side.
Nymphie was next to arrive, who exchanged pleasantries with her sister and stole a chip from her. She was closely followed by Dumbledore, then Kingsley, a few unknown faces piled in, Snape, and Mundungus turned up, McGonagall and Hagrid acknowledge Alex and I before also taking a seat around the table, a few more unknown, and finally Mr and Mrs Weasley. She smiled at me and Alex before scooting down the table towards her husband.
And then, almost a moment too late, entered two people who I didn't but should have expected to see here, in my dining room, at an Order meeting. Fred and George appeared through the dining room door. I felt myself take a small, sharp intake of breath at their presence and intenstly began to wonder why they hadn't mentioned they had joined the Order. Idiots. Then all that got cut short when I realised that if I didn't know, then Alex probably didn't know either. I prayed for their lives and souls and hoped intensely that they would just sit down and there'd be no announcement of them being late or a roll call or something stupid like that. But no. Oh no,
"Sorry we're late! Somebody couldn't remember if they'd locked the flat door or not." Alex's eyes flashed up from her food immediatly, her gaze staring straight and about to cut through the wall,
"It was a bloody accident, man! Really!"
"Whatever." Each twin took a seat. Alex slowly turned around on her heels to face the dining room. Nymphie caught my eye and she was staring at me. All was quiet for a moment, then she raised her eyebrows, winked at me and mouthed 'Here we go',
"Okay, that's Fred Weasley ... And George Weasley." Mad Eye told Kingsley and he wrote their names down on a piece of parchment. Alex's hands slowly curled into fists and she took a few steps forward. Mad Eye had noticed her, and even he didn't dare speak. I got off the counter and sat down on the chair where my feet had been resting,
"Oh! Guys!" Alex said. She had her arms open and was beaming, "Fred! George! You're here?! Oh, okay! S-S-S-So when was it you going to mention you had joined the Order?" Heads turned to look as her as she descended into the dining room. Nymphie had apparated to my side,
"She's brilliant, isn't she?" She whispered to me,
"She's brilliant, but she's crazy." I nodded,
"The Order of the Phoenix! Battling You Know Who, and his deatheaters!" Alex laid her palms, surprisingly, quite gently on the end of the table. She had lent over the table slightly. Lupin was looking nervous,. Alex's voice went slightly more quiet, yet slightly more deadly, "You could die, do you know that?"
"Al--"
"OH! WAS THAT WHEN YOU WAS GONNA MENTION IT?!" Alex slammed her palms down and stood up straight, "Was it then?! After one of you had got killed?! After both of you had got killed?! After you'd been killed at the hands of a deatheater?! Well, fantastic move, Weasley! Other Weasley! Not you, Weasley!" Alex pointed down the table at Arthur, who nodded nervously at her and then her attention whipped back to the twins,
"Alex--"
"Oh. Oh. Well, no. Please. That is ... That is just fine. It is so ... Fine." You could see the anger bubbling up inside Alex in her face. It was astonishing how a seemingly trivial thing like this worked her up, "Two can play at this game. Dumbledore!" Alex stood with her hands on her hips. Dumbledore looked at Alex over the top of his glasses,
"Yes, Alexandra?"
"Sign. Me. Up." Alex spoke slowly and then folded her arms. I took a sip from my tea. Moody's magical eye rolled over and stared at Alex,
"Tonks, this is a serious organisation and it is not a time for--"
"Oh please, you're a group named after a bird." Alex scoffed, "Sign me up."
"Well, Miss Tonks would be an excellent ally to have." Dumbledore said calmly,
"She's only just left school! She's not even qualified!" Moody argued,
"At least she finished school." Lupin said, looking from Moody to the twins to Dumbledore,
"I'm getting a bad vibe." Fred folded his arms,
"So you should, bitch. Join the Order without me, I think not."
"Well, I'm not against it." Lupin raised a hand,
"Me neither." Mr Weasley rose his. Dumbledore looked over as each Order member discussed it among themselves then raised a hand slightly. Even George did. I took another sip and changed over my legs,
"Dumbledore, you can't--"
"Alistair, if that's what she says and there is no objections. I know from experience that Alexandra is more than perfectly capable to look after herself." Dumbledore nodded slowly, "Put her down, Kingsley." He slowly wrote Alex's name at the bottom of the list he had already crafted. Alex nodded slowly and a small smile crept on her face,
"Put Lottie on there too."
"What?" I sat up from my chair, suddenly more intensely involved in the conversation,
"Colette?"
"That's the one." Alex said, grabbing a chair and sitting down at the end of the table,
"What's happening?"
"Is that two t's?" Kingsley asked her,
"What? Oh wait, yeah." Alex nodded,
"I--"
"Sit down man, you're in the Order now." Alex pulled me down into the chair next to her. She then looked over at the twins and stared at them through squinted eyes. I noticed Nymphie was back in her seat the other side of Mr Weasley. I could've have cried,
"I ... I want a vote." I almost begged,
"Nah, that's fine." Alex waved a dismissive hand,
"I ... I'm in my pyjamas." I said weakly,
"Right. First things first ..."
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I made another book thing. Yay.
This is the fourth and final book in an ongoing series, so if you happned to have stumbled upon this and haven't read the first three then please feel free to nip to my profile and read them first, or if you don't fancy it then don't nip to my profile and read them! Don't feel threatened by me. I probably wouldn't bother with reading the others either.
Thankyou for reading, and for the support! It means a lot to me and even though you might just feel like just another reader, you really are special in my eyes. Enjoy! <3
pottersocks x