A/N: This fic is for Hogwarts assignment 9, RE, Task 7: Following Taboos - Write about someone being rewarded for following rules/orders, or punished for breaking them. It's 714 words. Warning: there is spanking as a punishment for children.
George knew that what he and Fred were doing was wrong, but Ron had told on them everytime they were naughty and they wanted to make sure he didn't do it again.
They had overheard their dad telling their mum about how someone had made an Unbreakable Vow and because of that they weren't able to get someone into trouble. They had thought that it would be a good idea to persuade Ron to do it; that way they wouldn't get punished all the time.
The only thing was that you would need a wand to do it, and they had all been taught that you shouldn't use someone else's wand and that you don't get yours until you were eleven. They had decided to borrow their older brother Bill's wand to do it as he wasn't allowed to do magic outside school. If they were caught though, they would be in big trouble. It was a good job that they had decided to do it in their bedroom where no one would see them.
"Hold hands with Fred, Ron," George said as he lowered the wand towards their clasped hands.
"Ron, do you promise-"
"What is going on?" their father said angrily.
"Nothing, " Fred said whilst George tried to hide the wand behind his back.
"Do not lie to me, Fred. I saw the wand that George is trying to hide behind his back," he said sternly.
"Sorry, dad," Fred said.
"What are you sorry for?"
"For taking Bill's wand and trying to make Ron take a vow."
"What kind of vow were both of you trying to get him to do?"
"An unbreakable one," George said quietly.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU ACTUALLY MADE IT?" Arthur shouted.
The twins looked down shook their head.
They knew that they had messed up very badly if their dad was telling them off like this as it was usually their mum who got this mad.
"He could have died! Did you know that?"
They shook their heads.
"I never, ever want to find out that you tried making a vow with anyone ever again. How many times must we tell you that wands aren't toys, and that magic can hurt you?" Arthur asked firmly.
Fred and George kept their heads down in shame.
"Give me Bill's wand back, George," he ordered holding his hand out for it.
George slipped the thin piece of wood into his dad's outstretched hand.
Arthur turned to Ron and said gently, "Ron, you're not in any trouble as you've done nothing wrong. Why don't you go outside and help your mother?"
"Okay, daddy," Ron said and walked out of the twins bedroom and down the stairs.
"I am going to punish you with Grandpa's slipper. If telling you something doesn't get the message to sink in maybe this will."
"Dad-" whatever Fred was going to say died with from the withering glare his father gave him.
A moment later a tatty brown slipper came flying through the open doorway. They had never been given this punishment before, although they had seen it happen to Bill once, it was only used when you had done something incredibly wrong.
Their dad sat on the chair in the corner of the room and called George over.
"Pull your trousers and pants down and sit over my knee. I am going to give you seven swipes with the slipper then you are to go to bed until supper,"
George did as he was told softly crying which became harder after each smack of the slipper. Although the smacks weren't hard enough to bruise, it would still be hard to sit down for the next few days.
Once Arthur had finished with George he repeated the punishment with Fred.
At the end both boys were crying in their beds and it broke his heart.
"I love you both very much. It hurts me to have to punish you like this, but you have to learn that what you did was wrong. Your mother will call you for supper," he said calmly and left.
"I'm sorry, Freddie. I didn't mean to get us into trouble," George sniffled.
"It's okay, Georgie. It's my fault too," Fred said.