A/N: This is just a little something I came up with in honour of Fred and George's birthday. I know it's a few days late posting but you know how crazy life can be sometimes, please forgive my tardiness.
Birthday Blues
April Fools Day. The most celebrated holiday in the Weasley household and the birthday of two of the greatest pranksters Hogwarts had ever seen (except maybe the Marauders). There had once been a time when their names had been interchangeable, Fred or George, Gred or Forge. It hadn't matter, they went everywhere together anyways. But not anymore.
This would be the first birthday George had ever celebrated alone. It was almost a foreign concept to him, being alone. He had never entertained the idea that one day it might actually apply to him; he had always had his other half along for all of his adventures. But now, for the first time in his life, there was no one standing beside him. This year there wouldn't be two sets of presents or two birthday cakes. No pranks and worst of all- no Fred.
Ginny was having a hard time accepting this. She had been exceptionally close to her brothers, and she was the only one in her family who didn't have trouble telling them apart. She could always count on them, no matter how overprotective they were when it came to boyfriends. The youngest Weasley hated to see her brother so down and decided to gather everyone important around him to set things right. As she climbed the rickety stairs to the twin's- George's- room, she came up with an idea. Ginny raced back to the kitchen and asked her mum to take everyone out for the day, but to leave her and George alone. After explaining her plan Molly agreed, although it should be noted that she did so with a great deal of reluctance. If her daughter's plan backfired the consequences to the already damaged family would be immeasurable.
One by one the Weasley family, along with Harry and Hermione, flooed to Diagon Alley. They would spend the day shopping to take their mind off of things, before returning to the Burrow for dinner. They studiously avoided walking anywhere near Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Being reminded of Fred and George's final joint attempt at living out their dream of playing pranks for a living would be more than any of the party members could handle. Even Bill and Charlie, who held the family together during hard times, could not bear to see someone else running their brothers' shop. After the accident George had had to hire Luna Lovegood to run WWW until he could go back to work.
Meanwhile, Ginny was rummaging through boxes of old WWW products that had been abandoned in the back shed, hoping to find something of use. After a few black eyes and one incident of green hair later she found what she had been searching for. The teen dashed into the house and up to the second floor, pausing only briefly to knock before barging into the room.
"Go 'way," moaned a sullen redheaded boy from his bed. "I dun wanna talk."
"George-" started the girl, before she was cut off.
"Not now Gin, I wanna be alone."
"Nonsense," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed to stroke his hair gently. "You need company today and that is exactly what I plan to be."
"You can't help Gin, no one can. He's… gone." He barely managed to get this thought out before being overcome with grief. After a time, he composed himself and began to speak. "We had it all planned ya know. Me and Fred. Was gonna be the best prank we ever pulled, in celebration of defeating Voldemort." Ginny smiled ruefully. It was just like her brothers to plan a victory celebration before the battle had even been fought.
"I know," she whispered softly. "I found the plans in the shed." At this she gestured to a few rolls or parchment laying at the foot of the bed. "He would want you to do it you know. He would say that now that he's gone you have to step up and be the one to cheer everyone up." George snorted through his tears, that was just like Fred. "Tears and moans don't do anyone any good, laughter really is the best medicine. That was practially your motto wasn't it?" Again George laughed. He knew Ginny was right, but he wasn't sure he could do it. It was almost as if she could read his mind because moments later she spoke again. "I'll help you if you want. I think he would expect it of me, being your favourite sister and all."
"Gin, you're our only sister!" exclaimed the boy. He was starting to forget his sadness and become excited about having someone to help him with the prank. It would be a fitting tribute to Fred. If he hadn't been so depressed he might have tried to plan a proper prank for the funeral, Weasley style. But this would have to do. Ginny and George set to work fine tuning the blueprints and adjusting them to accommodate the guests currently residing at the Burrow.
After a couple of hours of planning, preparing products and prepping the house, the prank was ready. Not long after that, the Weasley's and friends returned home, weighted down with shopping bags and food. Molly set to work cooking up a large birthday dinner while the others retired to their rooms to wrap presents. Everyone piled into the kitchen for dinner and despite the number of people present, the room was instantly silenced when George walked in with Ginny.
"'S'all right guys," smiled the lone twin. "Don't stop on account of me." Ron and Harry stared blankly at each other then broke out into matching grins.
"George!" they shouted together. "Happy Birthday!"
"Thanks mate. And you too I guess… Ickle Ronniekins!"
"Hey!" shouted Ron, as Harry and Hermione began laughing at him. "Just because you're feeling better, doesn't mean you can abuse me!"
"Oh stuff it. It's my birthday, remember?"
The whole room was suddenly filled with lively conversation, as everyone was finally glad to have George back to normal, well as normal as they could hope for anyways. They knew this good mood couldn't last long so they decided to make the most of it. Dinner was eaten in no hurry and afterwards the group headed into the living room to watch George open his presents, while the bewitched dishes cleaned themselves. The gifts were a huge success and no one once mentioned the obvious lack of duplicates. The new broomstick from Harry was a hit with all the boys and they resolved to try it out after desert. Ginny and Molly brought in plates of sweets and a birthday cake covered in muggle candles, charmed to dance and sing happy birthday. Everything was going along wonderfully when suddenly, Arthur fainted. Molly rushed to his side to check him out and then another curious thing happened. Percy began vomiting uncontrollably. Then Harry's tongue swelled up to tree times its normal size. The panic in the room was contagious and soon everyone was shouting or crying. Then, suddenly, everyone turned towards George, who was standing in a corner with Ginny laughing openly. It dawned on the party guests that they had been the butt of an April Fools joke. With a swift glance at each other Bill and Charlie charged at the laughing Weasley's in order to make them pay for their crimes. George hopped onto his new broom along with Ginny and flew through the house, picking up a few supplies along the way.
"Thanks Harry," shouted the youngest Weasley. "We were wondering how to get out of here!"
Harry laughed and waved, as his tongue was still growing and speech was impossible. Hermione found Harry the antidote quickly and Molly did the same for her husband and son. Then the group raced outside to see where the pranksters had gotten to. No sooner had everyone stepped out of the Burrow than a huge display of fireworks lit up the sky.
CONGRATULATIONS OF DEFEATING VOLDY-MOLDY!
W.
P.S. BETTER LATE THEN NEVER!
The words blazed across the night sky in brilliant scarlet and gold lettering and the spectators gazed in awe at the final prank of the Weasley twins. As an afterthought Ginny and George had added on to the display. A group of tiny explosions went off and a larger than life image of Fred and George Weasley appeared in the sky. They were laughing and shoving each other out in the yard, just weeks before the Battle of Little Whinging, where George had lost his left ear. Meanwhile, a magical recording of the twins' voices shouted out into the night:
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS!
There were tears in the eyes of more than a few of the people left on the ground. Molly was openly sobbing and clutching at Arthur, the wounds of losing Fred still fresh, but happy to finally have the old George back. Ginny and George hovered nearby behind a tree, unseen by the others. She was holding onto his waist and crying on his shoulder. George's tear-wet eyes gazed up at the image of his late brother and himself. "Cheer up Ginny. Fred wouldn't want you to be sad. It's April Fools Day after all! And it also happens to be the birthday of two devilishly handsome twins." Ginny just laughed and rolled her eyes. That was exactly the same thing Fred would have said if he had been there. For a moment she forgot about the accident and let herself believe he was alive and well. And in that moment the world was good again.