Real Magic

Any characters from the original Harry Potter series all belong to JK Rowling. I only take claim of Jo, Miller and any other characters I create.

Hope you enjoy!

The Village

Fred

Snow was thick on the frozen ground around the Burrow. Fred and George were leaving a pair of footprints as they trod towards the fence marking the Weasley's territory.

Fred thought back to what George had been telling Harry and Ron.

'…We're off to the village, there's a very pretty girl working in the paper shop who thinks my card tricks are something marvelous… almost like real magic…'

At first Fred had been weary of performing magic in front of Muggles, especially since their family was already labeled "blood-traitors." But the girl in the shop didn't seem to suspect too much of George's trick, though she had no idea how he pulled it off. Fred's apprehensiveness disappeared as he and his twin disapparated and reappeared at the local Muggle village.

The village was festooned with colorful lights and wreaths around every door. Everyone was bustling about, wearing jumpers and scarves and gloves. They walked along, greeting some shoppers, who returned the waves with smiles and shouts of "Happy Christmas!" At last, after about a five minute walk, they came to an old shop, which, by the looks of it hadn't been used for decades.

Fred went up to the door and knocked.

'Come in,' said a tired voice. There was the sound of last minute scribbling with a quill and then a chair being scraped back. The door was opened by an elderly wizard dressed in completely Muggle clothes.

'Good morning Miller,' said Fred cheerily.

'What do you want, Weasley….s?' replied Miller.

'Some Muggle money to go shopping in the village,' George answered.

They exchanged 10 Galleons for a stack of Muggle bills. Business was booming at their store in Diagon Alley. Even the Ministry was purchasing their products.

'Cheers, Miller! Happy Christmas!' Fred smiled.

They explored the heavily decorated stores and stopped at a small maintenance shop to buy their father a new set of plugs. Fred was getting a bit bored and was eager to talk to the girl at the paper shop again. She had the prettiest smile he'd ever seen...he hoped to make another one appear on her face that day.

'So, shall we head to the paper shop?' asked Fred tapping his toes.

'Yeah, I suppose…but you seem in a rush to go there,' George added with a sly grin.

'Is that so? If I recall correctly, you were the one to mention the "very pretty girl" earlier,' Fred shot back.

'Oh come off it, Fred! Anyway, what tricks shall we show off today?'

'I was thinking some of the miniature fireworks that we created,' said Fred thoughtfully.

'Well, as long as it's not fancy.'

'It won't be.'

'Hey Fred...about the magic...how about we show her a bit of our charm?' said George teasingly.

'Shut up George.'

Fred pushed the door open and the twins entered the shop.

Jo

Josephina Renee Auclair worked part time in the local paper store. She was seventeen years turning eighteen the next April. Her black hair was growing unchecked past her waist and her features showed there was some Hispanic blood in her. The temperature of the shop was about the same as it was outside: freezing cold. She had every piece of warm clothing on her, and even pinned her braid up on her head to keep in heat.

The day before yesterday, two identical red heads had entered the store. She was the only one in it because the store was closed during the holidays but she needed the money. They showed her some of the most extraordinary card tricks she'd ever seen and she wondered how it was possible without…well…magic.

When she looked up from her notebook in which she was looking over orders she saw the twins heading towards her store again. They were both sporting jumpers, one with an F and one with a G. Fred and George. They had introduced themselves like salesmen that day, but she couldn't recall telling them her name. She didn't want to make anything up, but she was sure that Fred kept staring at her whenever she smiled.

Shaking her head to get rid of her stupid thought, she looked back down at her notebook, but she was just waiting for the tinkling of the bell which meant the door was being opened. Soon enough, the noise of the bell and of shuffling feet made her lift her head from her book. Jo looked up to see the twins wearing the exact same smiles.

'You're back,' Jo smiled. Fred stared. 'Have a seat!'

'We're back,' replied Fred, blinking as though he just woke up. "Do you have any tea, or something to keep this infernal cold out?'

'I made some fresh cocoa for anyone who wants some,' Jo said turning away to pour it into three mugs. 'Careful – it's boiling hot.'

Jo fingers seared as she quickly thrust the cups into their hands.

"Thanks," they chorused as Jo nursed her burning fingers in a pile of snow. Steam seemed to rise uncannily fast from the mugs themselves, and Jo frowned when she saw neither of their fingers were turning bright red as hers had. She saw Fred fiddle with something brown in his pocket before George pulled her into conversation.

'I feel like we never really got to know each other last time...So, what school do you go to?' George asked.

'The name's Jo – I er… studied in a…boarding house a few miles from here…I don't recall seeing you two around town? How old are you?' Jo inquired.

'Oh, we're nineteen this April. How 'bout you?'

'Eighteen, in April as well. So where did you go to school?'

'Oh, we don't live here. My uncle owns a cottage down by the river. We're just down for Christmas.' George lied quickly.

'Really? I live right by the river! Maybe I know him. What's his name?' Jo said enthusiastically.

Fred interrupted their conversation by having a huge choking fit over his cocoa. George thumped him on the back hard while Jo went to fetch a cup of water, their topic of discussion lost.

When Fred had recovered, he produced the object of their visit: a small brown box.

'This time we have a new brand of magic…magic tricks for you, my dear, isn't that right George?' said Fred.

'I'll give you the honor of displaying them today,' George said.

'We present to you Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs!' Fred announced.

'Hang on a second…you know this is a paper shop, right?' Jo said raising her eyebrows.

'Of course! We wouldn't want to catch it on fire now, would we?' said Fred seriously though he winked.

'I'm serious Fred! Damage comes out of my paycheck!' Jo warned.

'I'm just yanking your wan – pulling your leg! Don't worry. These are completely safe,' Fred said reassuringly.

Jo looked at him in surprise. Yanking your wand? Must be from all of their magic tricks. After reassuring herself, she said: 'Fire away, Fred.'

Fred

Are you mad? God, Fred, what do you think you're doing? You nearly gave yourself and George away!Fred thought angrily to himself. What if she found out? Then what would you do?

Fred opened his eyes feeling a sharp pain in his toes. Glancing to his side, he saw George glaring at him. Trying to convey his apology with his eyes, he looked back at him for a second. Fred thought it was pretty unfair to be mad at him when George himself kept lying through his teeth to keep himself out of trouble.

'Hey, Jo, is there a restroom here?' George asked stepping off of Fred.

'Yeah, first door on the left,' she replied.

'Thanks.' George walked down the hall to their right.

'Um…Fred?' Jo looked at him expectantly.

'Right! The fireworks. All right,' Fred said shaking his head. 'I'm just going to show you the small ones, so your precious shop doesn't catch on fire. So why are you working in a paper shop of all places?'

'Oh, I don't know, I guess I like the feel of being around paper that's being begged to be written on or something,' Jo said turning slightly pink as if in embarrassment.

'Isn't there something you really want to do?'

'Well, I'd love to go on an adventure. You see, I read a lot, and I can't help imagining what it would be like to go on a journey like people in books do,' she said turning even pinker.

Fred smiled to himself. Something about this girl reminded himself about Hermione, who was like a sister to him. He took out a small bright red package with a small thread to light. He got out a lighter and flicked it many times with no success in producing a fire.

'Here, let me do that,' Jo said laughing. 'Do you really not know how to use a lighter?'

When Fred looked at her smiling face, he felt a slight lurch in his stomach. Within no time Jo had the thread burning down.

'There you go,' said Jo, still smiling. Fred's face flushed as he snapped his eyes off of her face before she noticed he'd been staring.

With a shrill whistle a mini rocket burst out of the box and exploded creating small but magnificent fireworks. More rockets came out and created different shapes and even words.

Jo's jaw dropped when she saw the fireworks change into a dragon and fly around her room breathing tiny sparks. Fred looked at her excitement at the simple magic. But then he realized, as a Muggle, this kind of "magic" would seem impossible. He suddenly wondered whether it was a good idea to show her this specific "trick."

'You don't get fireworks like that anywhere, now do you?' Fred grinned trying to make himself feel better.

Jo shook her head.

'I don't know how these can work though! I've seen plenty of magic shows and tricks on streets, and loads of impressive fireworks, but these…these are unlike anything I've seen. They're amazing! The same goes to your card tricks; I mean, how can cards just change their designs?' Jo said thoughtfully.

The dragon had separated into three snakes that combined into a red and gold phoenix. Fred had designed these fireworks himself and took great pride in them. Jo's compliments made him feel really good, but highly uncomfortable as well.

'You know something? You and your brother…you're different from anyone I've seen,' she continued.

'Really? I thought we were identical!' Fred joked. 'So what do your parents do?' he said, trying to change the subject. But there was no need. A shadow seemed to fall across Jo's face when the phoenix that was flying around their heads flapped its wings together and disappeared with a great "poof." But at the same time, a loud BANG came from outside.

Jo screamed.

There was another huge explosion.

'What was that?' she cried.

Fred was about to say that he didn't know but when he looked outside the window, his heart skipped a beat. A dozen people wearing black cloaks and scary masks were walking around the village causing havoc with their wands. Death Eaters.

Her face frightened, Jo gripped his arm and peered outside to see what Fred was looking at.

'What's going on out there? Who are those people?' she asked. 'Are they holding…wands?'

At that very moment, a Death Eater shot a curse at their building causing the window panes to catch on fire. As if sensing the flammability of the room, it spread quickly and grew larger, licking at the papers. George ran in from the hall, pale faced. He looked outside, looking alarmed.

'Wait a second,' George said. Fred looked out. More figures were appearing grabbing on to the screaming Muggles and Disapparating. Fred recognized a bald black head of Kingsley Shacklebolt and the wooden leg of Mad-Eye Moody.

'I think the Order is helping people escape,' George said. He and Fred let their faces relax until they remembered someone else was there.

Jo screamed again. A large portion of the roof had caved in almost on top of her.

'Jo!' Fred shouted. 'Jo, I need you to get out of here as fast as you can. George, could you disapparate with her? Take her to…take her to the Burrow and let Mum or Dad figure out what to do with her.'

Jo

Panic was coursing through her, causing her heart to beat twice as fast as normal. Fred and George were talking as if she weren't there, but it wouldn't have mattered, seeing as she had no idea what they were talking about.

There was a huge crash and part of the roof fell, nearly on top of her. Jo shrieked. As though from far away she heard Fred telling her to leave, and to get George to…dis-something with her.

'No! I can't! Or at least I won't, not until I get my records and notebook. Otherwise my boss will – aarrgh!' Jo yelled back.

Another bang ripped through the air and Jo felt her feet leave the ground. Her head hit something hard and her vision blacked out.

Jo

The muffled sound of shouting and bangs made Jo open her eyes. She was lying in the snow five feet from the burning remains of her shop. Her whole body ached and when she tried to move her right arm, intense pain shot through it. She turned her head slightly to see where the noises were coming from. She saw one of the masked men waving around what to Jo looked like a wand, and looked to see who he was fighting.

Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw it was Fred and George. Their faces were screwed up in concentration and as she tried to get up to call out to them, there was a huge crash and her arms collapsed from under her. Black dots appeared in her eyes. Gladly, she gave herself in to the darkness.

When she woke up next, someone was carrying her. She blinked and saw the side of Fred's face. He was talking in hushed tones to George. Jo tilted her head to see where they were going and saw St. Thomas' Hospital. Fred looked down at her and he saw relief in his eyes when he saw she was awake.

'Hey,' he said quietly.

'Hey,' Jo muttered. 'What the hell just happened?'

'Nothing…we're just taking you to the hospital…I think you broke your arm. I'll talk to you later okay. The healer's come to take you.'

Someone was putting her onto a stretcher. Healer?she thought. She saw Fred and George's faces disappearing quickly.

'Wait! Fred!' Jo shouted.

'The surgery shouldn't take very long dear,' Jo heard a nurse say.

'Wait! I need to talk to - ,'

The doctor put a mask over her face and she felt her brain shutting down.