A/n: This is written for Camp Potter 2017.
Technology Discovery- Next Gen fics about a given character
Mandatory: Write about Fred Weasley II
Optional: 1. "How was I supposed to know?" 2. Hug 3. Chocolate Frogs 4. "That's no fun." 5. Potions Classroom
So I couldn't come up with any concept ideas for this one and I asked my boyfriend and he said "tongues" (the story behind that is something I'm gonna leave up to conjecture, but basically he has a really long tongue xD) so yeah. This story is about tongues xD
Tongue Tied
"Mummy, all the kids say they don't want to be friends with me because I'm a monster," little Fred II cried the moment his mother came to get him from preschool.
"Oh, no, darling, that's terrible!" his mother cooed as she knelt down to scoop him up and hugged him. "Why would they say something like that?"
"Ith becauth I hath a lon' thung," Freddie said, sticking his long, pink tongue out until it hung at his chin.
His mother wiped his tears. "Well, maybe your tongue is a little longer than the other kids', but don't you think that makes you special?"
"Spethul?" Freddie asked, his tongue still hanging out of his mouth.
"That's right, darling. But first, let's put our tongues back, shall we?"
"What does it mean? Do I have special powers?" Freddie asked, returning his tongue to its rightful place, his eyes wide and shining.
His mother smiled. "Well, you see, Freddie, your uncle, whom you're named after—"
"—The hero that fought in the big war?"
"That's right. Your uncle Freddie had special powers too."
Freddie's eyes glittered. "Like what? Like what, Mummy? Tell me, quick!"
His mother laughed. "Your uncle was the one that thought up how to make all those firecrackers you love so much."
"The ones that go whirrr whewww wham?" Freddie asked with a gasp.
"That's right."
"He's a genius!"
"That he is." She put him down and stood up, holding her hand out for him to take. "Why don't we go home so you can ask Daddy about all the cool things your uncle did?"
"Yay!" Freddie exclaimed, prancing along by his mother's side, excited to go home and hear all about his uncle's amazing super powers.
"Catch that frog!" James yelled.
Freddie dove across the room and wrestled the Chocolate Frog to the ground, sticking his tongue out with the intention of grabbing it and curling it in his mouth when his sister jumped on top of him and yelled, "I caught it!"
"Wrong frog, Roxy," Molly said, and all the cousins laughed as Freddie tackled his sister and tickled her.
"I give, I give!" Roxy yelled, shrieking with laughter. "How was I supposed to know?"
Freddie let go of her and grinned, hopping over her to where the frog had gotten entangled in the duvet.
"Ew, cannibalism!" Rose said, scrunching her nose as Freddie bit the frog's head off.
"What's that?" Hugo asked, eyes wide.
Louis patted him on the head. "Nothing important for you young 'uns to know about."
Victoire snorted. "Yeah right, Grandpa."
James sidled up to him as he sat chomping on the chocolate, laughing as Dominique and Victoire flipped Louis upside down and dangled him by his ankles. "So," he began, his eyes glinting with what Freddie was sure would be his next evil plan, "what say you and I break into the firecracker box tonight and set them off while everyone's asleep?"
Freddie eyed the last of his frog. "I dunno."
"Aw, c'mon, mate. Don't be such a buzzkill."
James grinned at his own pun and Freddie rolled his eyes. "Har har."
"Come onnnn Freddie. I know you have some weird attachment to firecrackers, so we'll hide somewhere we can see them explode and then head back in. Alright?"
Freddie pretended to think on it for a moment and then grinned. "Let's do it."
"Alright, kids, it's well past your bedtimes!" Aunt Hermione yelled over their raucous laughter, shooing them all up the stairs. "Straight to bed! No nonsense!"
"Yes, Aunt Mione," everyone sang as they made their way up the stairs and split off on different floor of the Burrow as they headed to their respective rooms. James and Freddie went straight up to the attic and broke into the chest where they had heard Freddie's dad mention he had put the fireworks.
The moment James opened the chest, though, something exploded in his face, turning his skin pink and his nose into a pig snout. Freddie took one look at him and doubled over, laughing.
"You set me up!" James cried, jumping towards Freddie. "Traitor!"
"I didn't know! I swear!"
"Traitor!"
"What in Merlin's beard is going on here?"
The two boys looked up to see George standing in the doorway. Instead of a frown, he was wearing a huge grin. He waggled his eyebrows. "I see you two have been up to no good. Did you honestly think I'd leave a box full of fireworks without any protection lying around in a house full of no-good brats?"
"It was James' idea!" Freddie cried before untangling himself from the other boy and attempting to run out the room.
His father caught him with a "Nuh-uh you don't," and sat him down beside James—who had now grown pig ears—and began to lecture them slowly, knowing that was the worst punishment he could possibly give the two.
James kept shooting death glares at Freddie every now and mouthing 'traitor'. Freddie just stuck his long tongue out, making James grimace in disgust and mouth 'freak'. Freddie grinned. It wasn't an insult that bothered him anymore.
"Alright, alright, let's take a break," his girlfriend gasped as she pushed him away and leaned back panting. "Goddamnit, Weasley, how are you such a good kisser?"
Freddie stuck his tongue out and winked. "Let's just say I've got the necessary equipment and skill to satisfy all your making-out needs."
Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Why am I dating such a weirdo?"
Freddie tackled her down, knocking over a box of empty vials kept behind the curtains in the Potions Classroom, and kissed her. Pulling away after a moment, he grinned and said, "I already told you, I've got the necessary equipment and skill—"
"Why don't you stop talking and put them to good use, then?" she interrupted, grabbing him around the neck and pulling him in for another kiss.
"By the way," he said after they broke apart, causing her to make a face.
"You talk too much, Weasley. Use your tongue for better things." She grabbed his face and pulled it close. "Like kissing me."
"Man, you sure are impatient," Freddie said.
"That's what happens when you're sixth years in different houses with barely matching schedules," she gasped after a particularly deep kiss.
"Alright, but just answer me this and I'll shut up."
"Fiiiine."
"If you had to describe our kisses in one word, what would it be?"
Rebecca made a face. "You're asking me to think instead of kiss? What's wrong with you?"
Freddie shrugged. "It just suddenly came to mind."
She rolled her eyes. "What would you describe it as, then?"
Freddie leaned in to kiss her long and slow. Pulling away a fraction, he grinned and nuzzled her nose. "Fireworks."
"Here you are," Rose said as she sat down beside him, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Don't take it too hard. It's just one of those days."
Freddie stared at his purple-stained palms without replying.
Of all the stupid mistakes he could've made, he just had to go and ruin his dad's best act on the night of his uncle's anniversary. His dad had just laughed it off and told him that the failure was probably more of a success than the actual thing would've been, but Freddie knew how much it meant to him. All Freddie had to do was light the damn fuse and hold it down down for exactly six seconds before letting go.
But no. He had held it down too long and the rocket had exploded on the spot, covering everyone and everything in coloured smoke and confetti. At least the explosives had shot up and no one had been set aflame. Thank Merlin for small mercies.
Rose took his hand and squeezed it. "Come on. Your dad would feel worse seeing you sitting here all alone and moping like this."
"I had one thing to do, Rosie," Fred said bitterly. "One damn thing."
"I know, love."
"I thought if I held it down for a couple seconds longer the smoke cloud would appear lower and rain down the confetti on everyone. Dad told me that we couldn't be sure it would work, and even if it would be amazing, not to take the risk this time around, but I simply couldn't do as I was told and ruined it."
Rose's eyes darted towards the party, where everyone was laughing and having a good time, already having forgotten about Freddie's failure. He knew his dad wouldn't give him flak for what happened, but it was his father's twin's death anniversary. Every year since Freddie could remember, his dad had set up a magnificent display of fireworks that always wowed the onlookers. This had been the first year Freddie had designed the entire rocket and orchestrated the whole performance under his father's guidance. If only he had listened until the very end…
"That's no fun," Rose said, drawing Freddie out of his melancholic thoughts. She shot him a knowing smile and pulled him to his feet. "I think you've left your girlfriend alone for long enough. She's been going around making sure your absence isn't too obvious, but I don't think she can keep it up for much longer."
Freddie nodded with a sigh and got to his feet. "You're right. Enough moping. Let's go have fun."
"That's the spirit."
They slipped back into the party and Rose disappeared into the crowd, leaving Freddie to stand alone and look around.
"Hey, you."
Rebecca walked up to him and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek. "How're you feeling?"
He smiled. "Sorry I disappeared."
She brushed his cheek gently. "You came back. So it's all good."
"What would I do without you?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.
"Waste away all your talents, for sure," she said with a wink. He stuck his tongue out at her and curled it. She laughed.
"Say," he said, pulling her into the shadows. "You think people will notice if we go missing for a little bit longer?"
She smacked him on the arm. "Have some shame, Weasley! We're at your uncle's anniversary celebration!"
"It can't be a celebration if we're not celebrating," he said, wagging his eyebrows.
She rolled her eyes. "You disgust me."
"Hey!"
Then she looked around and tilted her head. "But, I suppose it won't hurt…"
"I'll be gentle," he murmured, nipping her jaw and making her laugh.
"Your mum is going to kill me."
"Over my dead body."
"You can bet on that."
Freddie laughed and she kissed him, biting his tongue gently for good measure. "Merlin, your tongue is long."
"You know it, baby," Freddie said with a wink and Rebecca swatted his arm.
"Gross. Disgusting. Such a loser."
"Come on, we both know it's the only reason you're with me."
Rebecca pretended to think about it. "You're right," she said and pulled him in for a kiss.
