*Anne's Prov*
As I'm lying here on the sofa, staring at the ceiling and trying to comprehend just what exactly all of this has to mean, I can hear a knock at the fire place and two familiar faces stumble out of it.
"Hey Shitface we got your stuff-here," Fred throws it towards me.
I couldn't react soon enough and my suitcase hit me straight in the face and other things crash into my body, but my attention is fully given my suitcase.
"Fred!," George exclaims.
"Watch out," Fred adds looking at his brother mischievously.
With a sigh I sit up and put the luggage off of me. My face hurts. I give Fred a nasty glare to which he just responds with an angel face as if he hasn't just thrown all my belongings into my face.
"Thanks for the warning," I mutter and place the suitcase on the floor, looking out what the other stuff was.
Some books, a box and an envelope.
"Are you alright?," George asks, putting his belongings away.
"Kind of," I say going through the books and the box full of chocolate: "How is Ron doing?"
"He is doing alright, unfortunately no improvement left behind, still dumb as ever," he answers snatching a chocolate bar away from me.
"Got some cool scars though," Fred says, making himself comfortable on the couch, fighting his brother for the bar of chocolate.
"How about the others? How's Ginny's foot?"
"She was cured the second she stepped into the Hospital Wing. She's strong, something as simple as a broken ankle won't stop our dear Ginny, will it?," George looks at his brother munching the chocolate.
"No, never. Emione and Arry are don ratha good as well," he mumbles with a full mouth.
I look at George with a raised eyebrow. Harry just lost his godfather, the only person that could have adopt him as a family once his name was cleared. Nowhere near hell is that boy doing good.
"He didn't really talk about that. He mourns for himself and tries to find a way to cope with it," George says, asking for another bar that I give him.
"I just hope his friends catch him when he falls and he doesn't do anything stupid," I say opening a bar of chocolate for myself.
"He is Harry Potter," Fred sits up: "Of course he will be doing something stupid."
George smirks at his brother and stands up: "Anyways, Ron really liked our present to him. The chocolates were a good idea."
"Of course it would be. It's Ron he loves to eat, chocolate is amazing, I don't know why you are so surprised," Fred looks at him.
Soon they start to mock each other, mimicking one another, which is quite ironic. I decide I should rather put my luggage aside and finally put my shirts on again. I'm not complaining about the pullovers George lent me, but finally being able to put on your own stuff is completely different.
When I'm finished, I remember the envelope. I slowly open it and see a message that Logan left me. Being worried and curious and asking me to immediately write her a letter when I have time to meet up. She and Cole have a lot to discuss with me and want to know what happened.
It feels weird. Weird knowing that somehow, without me realizing, I made friends. I wouldn't put Leyla and Christine as friends now, however, I definitely gained Logan as a friend over the last year. Hard to imagine that this girl was once a completely pure-blood-bitch who quite liked to mock other people.
If you ever need an example for a person who was able to grow and change throughout the years into a better version of herself and using her abilities to the better, then it is Logan. I remember the times when she used to hang around with the wrong people and made other people lives hell.
She did grow a lot and I'm thankful for that. In the last two years she worked on herself and she even had the strength to apologize to those she did wrong. Maybe that was also a reason why she decided to look out for me all of a sudden. To ease her guilt she felt for her previous self.
Cole on the other hand always was some kind of friend to me. We just never spoke about that, mainly because he usually would hang out with his friends. I got to know quite a few phases of him. The insecure phase, the fuckboy phase, the annoying phase, the getting way more popular than it would do him good phase, the I'm lost phase and the Maybe-I-want-to-mature-but-maybe-I-don't-phase.
Many of them I wished I haven't got to see. I just know that him getting selected as prefect was a good move from Dumbledore even if it just paid off later on.
Now I can see why they are still together. To people who learned from the past, know the best how to continue growing. That makes me wonder if the Twins ever had drastic life lessons?
"Did you get a love letter?," Gorge teases: "You stare at this letter for quite some time now."
"HU? Oh no, it's just Logan wants to meet up."
"I always thought you didn't have friends," Fred says.
"Me too," I answer putting the letter away.
Fred looks at me confused, he more hoped that I would give a comment back.
I fish for some paper and my quill and some money and write an answer before going downstairs towards the owlery in Diagon Alley.
---
*George's Prov*
The shop is buzzing with people once again and we need help inside the store walls. Even if it's just for the counter work. I don't even have time to discuss this topic with Fred, that's how busy we are. This is all we ever wanted, but even us could use a break from our dream to let go.
"Excuse me?," a familiar voice says behind me.
I turn around and Lee smiles at me.
"Hey mate," I laugh and embrace him in a quick hug: "How's it going?"
"Can't complain, I aced my N.E.W.T's and were able to see Umbridge running of. Best moment in my life I can reassure you," he grins and looks around: "This is awesome, you fools did well I have to admit.
"Lee my best mate," Fred says, coming up from behind and hitting him on the shoulder: "It's good to see your face again. Gave the others hell while we were gone?"
"You can bet your ugly ass on it!"
"My ugly ass will soon sit on your ugly face," Fred says amused and tries to push Lee down onto the floor: "Who are you trying to call an ugly ass hu?"
"Fred," I laugh: "The costumers are watching."
"Hu?," He lets go of Lee: "Oh yeah."
We all start to laugh. It is good to see Lee again.
"Since school is officially over now, what do you guys think of going out? We can do whatever we want now," Lee suggests, looking amazed at a new product.
"Sounds like a great plan, what so you think Georgie?"
"I'm in," I grin before a customer wants my help and I have to excuse myself.
I follow the woman to our puking pastilles.
"Is this to help when someone is feeling sick? My husband has the flu and I want to try new products than the same old potions."
"Tell him to take one and he'll definitely runs again," I say trying my best to sound professional.
"Oh great than I'll take one package of these," she smiles at me: "I hope they do help him"
"He'll feel a new wave coming over him I can promise."
I almost feel sorry. Just almost.
---
"How was the meeting?," I ask once Anne comes into the store and look up from counting the coins.
The girl closes the door and puts all curtains down with a flick of her wand. She moves up to me and sits beside me.
"Weird. Of course both of them wanted to know what happened, so I told them that my Dad died just recently."
"And?," I write down a number of Galleons we have.
"They both were shocked and expressed their blessings and such- I didn't know how to react so I quickly changed the topic- and they told me how Umbridge tried to get out of them were I might be all of a sudden. She even threatened them. "
"She really isn't right in her mind this woman, is she?," I ask looking at her.
"No. She gave them Verita Serum, they found out later due to some complications, however, even under the influence they couldn't tell her where I were and so she let them go."
"Complications? Now you gained my full attention," I grin putting my chin on my palm.
She runs a hand nervously through her hair.
"They ran into Snape, who asked them a few questions and maybe they answered one of them with that his greasy hair shines more than their future."
I let out a laugh: "Oh man, I wish I could have seen his face."
"He wasn't amused about that," she says, yawing a bit.
"Did they tell you something else?," I asks getting out a notebook and my quill and write down some numbers I scribbled onto the parchment.
"Not really, just what they plan on doing now. Logan will go into the Ministry, much to her mother's pleasure and Cole tries to get a foot into the wandmaker scenery. But he doubts he'll find a job soon enough, therefore he'll work in the Pub down the street for a while."
"Cole a wandmaker? Didn't picture him as the type of guy."
"We all didn't. I honestly believed he will go for Auror or something like that."
Then there is silence. I finish the rest I have to do before closing all my books and place them in counter and bringing the money away in a little box charmed with different defensive spells.
I turn around and watch her closely, something is off.
"What is wrong? Spill it," I sit down next to her.
"Does it sound dumb when I say that hearing them knowing what they want to do and what to expect from their future made me feel a tad sad? Because I have no freaking clue what I should do now. I didn't have a plan before school ended and now with no N.E.W.T's I have even less options."
"It doesn't sound dumb I reckon, but they can't anything for the fact that you still need to find yourself."
"I know," she whines a bit: "That's why I hate myself for it."
"You still have time you know that right?," I smile at her and pull up her face with one finger at her chin: "And whatever it is in the end you want to pursue, Fred and I will support you. Even if Fred's definition of supporting you will be very different from mine. Just take some time to sort yourself out first before you make such big decisions mh? At the meantime you can enjoy this little home called the twinning party bunker without worrying where to stay. How does that sound?"
She smiles at me and pushes some hair out of my face: "Like a bloody good deal."
Anne gives me a peck on the lips before standing up: "Then I'd better help you clean up here."
"Oh uhm, about tonight," I start cleaning the counter.
"Yeah?," she puts out her wand and casts a cleaning charm.
"It could be that Lee, Fred and I go out for a drink or two."
"That's alright," she looks back at me.
"Really? You don't have a problem with it?"
"Why should I? Unless it becomes three drinks then we have a problem.," Anne points at me with one finger amused.
"I should better drink four then," I grin.
---
*Anne's Prov*
I look up from my book when I hear another sound. I shrugged of the first crack I heard, the second one made me look up from my book, the third one that followed soon after made me curious and the following made me put my book aside. I hear glass shatter. Now I'm on my feet, wand in my hand, mentally going through every single spell that could be useful.
I would lie if I said that I wasn't scared. With everything that happened lately, everyone could be down there. Maybe they found out where I am? I swallow unable to stop my hand from shaking. On the other hand, if someone knew where I am, they would appear in this room and do short process, right? I mutter Alohomora before stepping onto the stairs. Slowly I walk downstairs, my fingers now pale around the wand, raising my wand at three figures downstairs before the lights go on and I stop.
"Lee?," I ask irritated.
Lee Jordan stands in the middle of the joke shop on either side of him a twin, may I add really drunk.
"What happened?," I put my wand down, not away though.
One of the twin's nudges Lee's cheek and the other has a clearly hearable hiccup.
"Fred can you stop that?," Lee smacks his hand away from his cheek: "Would be nice of you if you could give me a hand with them?"
"Of course," I say stepping closer and taking George from him.
He makes himself heavier than he his while leaning onto me.
"When did they get so smashed?," I ask.
"I have no idea. They left somewhere in between and played a game with some strangers. Fred tried to impress some girls there, as you can see," he pointed to Fred beside him.
I get an uncomfortable feeling inside my belly.
"All I could see was them drinking shots. Guess they lost often. I figured it is best to bring them home. I'm sorry if I scared you. I should have warned you."
George grabs onto my waist very hard to steady himself.
"You know," he starts: "This man right there looks very handsome!"
He stumbles slightly and I try my best to hold him back from falling. Salazar's Sake, how much did they drink?
"Yes Lee looks very good," I agreed and Lee smiles at me, while forgetting about Fred who runs into a chair and falls over.
"NOOO," George makes a hand movement pulling a Face," I meant the other one."
I start to laugh, not able to hold it back.
"Thank you," Fred, who still lies on the floor, points back at George: "I'm hot as hell!"
"I wouldn't go that far," Lee mutters, picking him up, but all he managed to do, was falling on the floor as well.
George snickers beside me: "Do you see these drunks there?," he moves closer to my ear and whispers unclearly: "They shouldn't drink so much if they can't take it well."
He moves back from me and nods heavy.
I raise my eyebrows in response: "Oh and you can drink a lot?"
He nods again, very confident in his drinking skills. Lies over Lies there.
"And it doesn't affect you at all?," I ask further.
"Correct," he nods.
"Okay then, go on your own upstairs." I let go of him, he stumbles a lot and I fear he will fall any second without even bumping into something.
Then he starts to walk, not exactly a straight line, but he gets were he wants to go, well if his goal was to pass the stairs that lead upstairs.
"Where are you going?," I ask, watching him being clueless.
"Solving mysteries," he turns around and has to hold onto the wall: "Could you stop moving?," he looks at the wall.
I chuckle to myself. Remind me why I love this idiot again?
"Come on now," Lee was able to get up and helps Fred: "We need to get you into your bed."
"You shouldn't tell me what to do," Fred starts finally standing.
"Then what do you want to do?," Lee sighs, it looks like he had a hard way coming here with them.
"Sleep." Fred didn't say anything else, he nods once and stands there.
"I'm done with the both of you today," Lee comments.
I look at him: "Your friends probably wait for you?"
He nods: "I just wanted to bring them home, just Merlin himself knew if they even managed to get home safely."
I could hear him mutter: "They probably would have gone to the Burrow instead."
I chuckle slightly, George made his way to his brother.
"Go back, I'll handle them from now on. Thanks for bringing them."
"You sure about that?," Lee asks.
"I think I can handle children for once, go enjoy your night," I smile.
"I will," he smiles too before apparating.
I turn to the fools and clap my hands together: "Okay now upstairs with the both of you."
"You sound like Mom," George starts to go dragging Fred along.
"Are you our Mom?," Fred looks at me before bumping into George.
He shoves back, so does Fred. I decide it's best to go between them, before they just bump into each other and don't actually move.
"So here we are," I breathe out when we managed to get through the door.
It was a lot of work, with them still laughing. I have no idea why they laugh. They started when Fred pointed at the door. Drunk people are confusing.
"Fred," I start.
"Yes?," he straightens to look at me, saluting still stumbling.
"Do you need some water before going to bed?"
He shakes his head.
"Good. George?"
He nods: "Yes because I can drink you know."
I sigh: "Okay you wait here, Fred please go to your room then. Here it is," I go with him into the direction before letting him go: "Please don't break something, just go into your bed okay?"
"Yes Ma'm!" When Fred opens the door I figured I can turn to George who completely clueless stares at the ceiling.
"Do you want anything besides water?," I ask him while going into the kitchen.
He follows me like a puppy, bumping into furniture while doing so.
"Butterbeer please," he points his finger around referring to the 'others' around: "For me and my friends. Wait, where are they?"
He turns around a few times before seeing himself in the mirror:" Oh there he is."
He was about to run into the mirror when I pulled him back and gave him his water to drink. I bit down my bottom lip, trying not to smile at his cute behavior. He gives me the glass back after one sip and I put it down on the counter.
I turn to him again and take his hands into mine. When he told me today that they would have a guy's night, I never imagined him in this state he is now yet his brother too. He looks at my hands and then at me. I move on my tippy toes to give him a kiss, a good night kiss you could call it when suddenly his hand is all over my face pressing me back down. My eyes widen in shock a bit.
"George?," I look at him confused when he removes his hand.
Did I do something wrong now? He looks at me serious and I start to shift uncomfortably.
"I know I'm very intimidating, but I have a girlfriend, so you can't kiss me," he points his finger knowingly: "A girlfriend I very much love."
Now I can't suppress the smile any longer.
"Oh you have a girlfriend?," I ask.
"Yes, you should meet her," he says with a yawn.
"Should I?"
"She is lovely...one of the best people you'll ever meet."
"Okay now, come here I'll bring you to your room," I put his arm around my shoulder.
"But don't start anything," he soon says: "I really really much like her and don't want to lose her."
"You won't lose her George," I feel my cheeks go red a bit.
"How do you know?," you can clearly hear the surprised tone in his voice.
"Because what you told me about her, she seems like a person who wouldn't do that. Can't imagine someone leaving you just like that."
"She would like you," he says out of the blue.
"Why?," I laugh.
"You are very nice. You respect someone's wishes and a no for that matter," he mutters the last part.
"What?"
"Nothing. Thank you for bringing me," we now stand in his room.
"Nothing to thank me George," I look for Fred, he just lies in his bed on top of the blanket, he didn't even bother to pull off his shoes, slight snores come from him.
I go to his bed and remove his shoes.
"Do you think my girlfriend will be mad at me?," George almost sounds like a small kid, looking at my movements.
"Why would she?"
"I have a bad feeling I let her down. She went through so much and I don't want to give her the feeling I don't care, it's just..." I put Freds shoes down and kneel in front of George.
A sympathetic smile on my face and a blessed heart at this point.
"It's okay George. I will tell her what you did tonight and she won't be mad."
"You would do that?," he smiles at me.
"Yes I would do that, but only if you go to bed now and make yourself ready."
"You have to turn around," he demands.
I stand up and go to the door facing him with my back. When he mumbles a done I turn around again. He is covered in his blanket and looks up at me.
"Good night George."
"Good night," he mumbles.
I close the door behind me before going into the kitchen to get myself a glass of water. I laugh quietly to myself at what just happened.
Looking into the mirror I mumble "You have a very loyal boyfriend."
Putting my glass back I undo my messy bun and pull off my pullover before putting on a normal T-shirt I normally sleep in and sit back down on the couch.
I run a hand through my hair, letting go a yawn, I grab my wand and mumble a nox to switch off the lights and close the door. I lay down then, grabbing the blanket and turn on one side. I'm tired. Soon I hear the sound of a door opening and I groan mentally. Don't tell me one of the twins has to vomit, I'm not prepared for that. But then I just feel the couch moving a bit and hands around my waist.
"George?," I have to ask, you'll never know.
"Mhm," he answers.
"What are you doing?," I whisper.
"You are mad right?," he sounds hurt and starts to remove his hands.
I put my hands on his to keep him in place.
"I'm not G, I'm not. Just surprised you are here."
"A girl helped me today."
"Did she?," I bit down a smile again.
"Yes, but don't worry she is nothing compared to you."
He moves his hands around my waist again, pulling me close to him and I can feel his naked chest against my back. In result that my heart is beating fast.
"I trust you, don't worry."
He presses a kiss against my hair and soon drifts off. I take some time to get used to this, however, eventually I drift off as well.