Hello guys! This is my first fanfic. Um, some of the events in these stories aren't actually mine, they belong to a wonderful author named Spectrum24 so this story would've been out earlier but obviously, I've had to ask permission. Please go check out some of Spectrum's stuff, it's amazing. Obviously, it gave me inspiration for this little story here.
"Oi, get up."
A voice pierced Harry's dreams as he suddenly sat bolt upright in his bed. He felt a hand against his chest.
"Wow, I didn't expect you to get up that quickly mate."
He squinted his eyes to see better but all he could see was a ginger-haired blob. It didn't take him long to figure out that it was Ron. Harry and Ron had been best friends for years, Ron had been there through everything. He reached for his glasses on the table next to his bed and put them on.
The world cleared up, he remembered that he was in the Burrow. He smiled to himself, it was pleasant not waking up in the Dursleys' house. Plus, there was something about being with his best friend that made him feel safe, in fact, it was something about the whole Burrow. He felt at home there.
"Yeah, he's up." Ron called out of the door.
A young girl walked in the door, she looked tired, she hadn't been sleeping by the looks of things, he put it down to her insane study habits. She smiled at him and he smiled back warmly. This was Hermione, he had also been best friends with her for years.
They'd conquered a lot together, they were the famous three. Him, the boy-who-lived, Hermione, the smart, rational one, and of course Ron, the not so smart one with a heart of gold.
"It's about time you got up." Hermione scolded him, but he could see from her smile that she was only joking.
"I actually didn't sleep very well last night" Harry replied calmly, pulling his feet up so Hermione and Ron could sit at the end of the bed.
"Why not?" She looked confused, she worried about Harry at night because he had nightmares quite often about the Dark Lord.
"The same as usual." Harry's smile faded.
Ron reached out to place a hand on his knee "It's okay mate, you're safe here." He smiled.
Harry smiled back at him. "I know, but sometimes...nowhere feels safe."
Harry was just finishing his transfiguration essay when he heard a loud crack.
He looked up from his parchment to see two ginger boys standing with huge smiles across their faces. "Afternoon Harry" George smiled. "Yeah, afternoon Harry" Fred repeated before they both crossed directions before sitting down either side of him on the sofa.
"Hey Fred, hey George" Harry replied.
George looked at Fred "I'm Fred" he bluffed.
"Sorry Fred" Harry laughed.
Fred cracked a smile "No I'm Fred!" he stood up, George did the same.
"You're Fred, you're George." Ron pointed at them, before slumping down on the sofa where they were sitting a few minutes earlier.
Fred and George's smiles fell. "Well, you're no fun." Fred sighed.
"Yeah yeah" Ron waved his hand. "Did you tell Harry about the party?"
"We were getting to that." George replied. "Harry guess what?"
"There's a party?" Harry smirked at him.
"You're just about as much fun as Ron" George moaned. "However, you are correct. We're hosting a party at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to celebrate the launch of a new product."
"What's the new product?" Harry asked.
"You'll find out in good time." Fred replied.
"All in good time" George smiled before they both disapparated again.
"What just happened?" Harry asked, visibly confused.
"Fred and George happened." Ron replied. "Are you going to the party?"
Harry shrugged "I don't know, depends if I feel like it or not."
"You need to get out of here before we go back to school Harry." Ron kicked his arm softly but enough to make Harry pull away.
"Maybe." he replied "Don't hold me to anything."
"You're going Harry." Ron insisted. "Everyone in our year will be there, people from the year below aswell. Neville will be there, I'll be there, Hermione, Ginny, Luna."
Harry tensed up at Luna's name. He had hoped he wouldn't have to see her more than absolutely possible. He hadn't told anyone but he really liked Luna. The way she could ramble on about anything and everything and he would still hang on to her every word. It wasn't just as easy as telling her though. There was the matter of Ginny. He knew that a few years ago Ginny had loved him, he didn't dare ask her if she still felt strongly but he still didn't want to hurt her feelings by getting with another girl.
Harry was snapped out of his trance by Ron pulling at his arm. "Come on." he urged. "We'll go early and help set up."
Harry sighed before allowing Ron to pull him up. "Fine."
Harry definitley felt out of place later that evening. He let Ron pull him around and introduce him to friends of the family and he even spent some time talking with Hermione and Ginny.
He was in the middle of a conversation with the girls when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Ron was beckoning him. Harry rolled his eyes and began to walk over to Ron when he felt a tug on his arm. He span round to see that Ginny was pulling at him.
"I need to talk to you Harry." Ginny whispered.
Harry nodded his head and remained silent, but a thousand thoughts were running through his head. Why did she need to talk to him? He stood and waited for Ginny to talk. She just looked at him.
"Alone." she insisted.
He nodded again and more panic rose in his chest, he led her to a secluded corner of the store. "What is it Ginny?" he asked sternly but soft enough not to make her feel threatened.
"I need you to know something Harry." she began.
He seemed to go into autopilot, he knew the words were coming.
"I know, I used to like you a while ago. But I'm gay."
He felt relief rush through his body before pulling her into a hug. "I'm happy for you" he smiled, he looked over her shoulder and spotted the very girl he'd been trying to avoid. She spotted him too and rushed over to him and Ginny.
"Hi there" She smiled at him.
He smiled back and pulled away from his hug with Ginny. "Hi" he tried not to stumble over his words.
"I'm sorry to interrupt a moment..." Luna began "But Ron's brothers are getting ready to reveal the product."
"Okay" Harry smiled then quickly looked at Ginny then back at Luna "It wasn't a moment." he added quickly.
"I'll...see you guys in a minute, I'm going to go and watch with Ron" Ginny said slowly, noticing that Harry was acting differently to usual. She just shrugged it off and said goodbyes to him and Luna in case she didn't see them again that night.
"Ladies and Gentlemen" Fred began, walking in front of the crowd that had now gathered on the bottom floor of the shop. Him and George were standing on the balcony with a suspicious looking box on a small table.
"Boys and Girls" George added.
"Functioning members of society." Fred continued
"And of course, not fitting into any of the other categories, our brother, Ron." George joked, earning him a small laugh from most members of the audience. However he also earned a boo from Ron.
"As lovely as we are, we're pretty sure you didn't all come here just to see us this evening?" Fred began the speech again.
"So, without further ado, we give you the latest addition to our little prank family!" George said, opening the suspicious box and watching as a small creature flew out of the box and hung on the light.
"You may think this is just a pixie, but it's not. It's a pixie that can tell what you're thinking." Fred gestured his hands to George's head.
"So think safe," George laughed "Because it might just tell everyone else what you're thinking too."
Fred held his hand open for the incoming pixie who landed on it and walked up to his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Oh, very interesting." Fred smirked.
"Well, now you've met one, let's meet all of them." George exclaimed, opening the box once more and allowing a steady stream of pixies to fly out and circle around the shop.
Fred and George automatically regretted their decision as the pixies decided to wreak havoc everywhere, they ran along the walls, pulled hair, scratched and bit people.
Harry ducked as a pixie flew over his head, narrowly missing him. He turned to Luna, who was looking up at the ceiling, admiring them.
"We need to get out of here." Harry said, looking over his shoulder for pixies.
"You're right..." Luna replied "But it's not their fault..."
"I know," Harry softened looking at her expression. He was interrupted by a smash just above his head "But" he carried on "You're going to get hurt if you stay here."
Harry grabbed Luna's arm softly and led her out of the shop swiftly.
When they were outside, there was hardly anyone else out there.
"Everyone's still inside I guess" Luna shrugged, opening her hand, which had been clenched up until now. In the palm of her hand was a small pixie.
Harry almost flinched when the pixie stood up straight in Luna's hand.
"This little guy wasn't having any fun at all" Luna sighed, she stroked the pixie gently then lifted her hand, urging it to fly off. The pixie flew off into the distance.
Harry found himself mesmerised by Luna's love for the pixie. He was snapped out of his thoughts by her voice.
"Wow, night is beautiful isn't it?" She whispered.
Harry just nodded.
"We should go out at night more, Harry. Shall we make it a regular thing at school? I don't have to think so much when it's night."
Harry nodded again.
"I'm going to head back inside, are you coming?" She asked, walking back to the shop.
"No it's okay" he replied "I need some air."
She walked back and disappeared into the shop. Harry hung his head and sighed loudly.
This was going to be a long year.
Hope you like the start! At the moment it takes me a few days to write chapters, so expect the next one around saturday/sunday. Another huge thanks to Spectrum24 for giving me permission to run a story alongside hers.