The Unbreakable Vow
Disclaimer: I own nothing remotely related to Harry Potter. All belongs to the brilliant JK Rowling.
Ron walked cautiously down the hallway, pausing after every footstep. He'd seen his older brothers, Fred and George, scheming something in the backyard earlier and he wasn't going to get mixed in with it, he promised himself, not this time. However, fate had a different plan in mind.
At the end of the hall, two shadows darted from one doorway and quickly disappeared through another. Ron flinched and crouched closer to the wall. There they were, the twins, sneaking into Charlie's room. Up to no good, of course. Ron knew for a fact Charlie had disappeared for a shower just a few minutes ago, and Fred and George were reaping the reward. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with it, he told himself. It was better to just leave the two to their own business and not get caught up in it. Unfortunately, Ron's sense of curiosity overrode his reason and instinct. So, as quietly as he could, Ron snuck in behind his brothers.
The twins stood next to Charlie's bed, facing away from the hall, and bent over his nightstand. Ron crept ever closer to inspect, making sure to create as little noise as possible. Once he was close enough, he peeked through the sliver of a gap between Fred and George's elbows. Charlie's wand lay on the table, right beside his schoolbooks. However, In Fred's hand was also . . . Charlie's wand. Those two really needed to be applauded for their ingenuity. The twins had somehow managed to find a stick in the backyard that looked exactly identical to Charlie's wand. Without any hesitation, Fred switched the two.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked nosily, causing his older brothers to jump back with guilt. However, they instantly covered up their guilt with masks of indifference. They were becoming quite good at that.
"Mind your own business, Ron," George shot back.
"What do you need with Charlie's wand this time?" Ron continued on doggedly.
"None of your concern," Fred instantly replied. His speed confirmed in Ron's mind there was more behind this plot than a little missing wand.
An unknown frustration swelled up in Ron. His brothers were always so secretive about everything. They never let him in on their plans; he wanted to know what was going on for a change. If it was bad enough, of course he would turn Fred and George in, but he wasn't against fun. If anything, he wanted to help his brothers so they would get away with their scheme. It would probably save everyone's ears from Mum's scolding, at any rate.
"Why won't you tell me?" Ron asked. He knew he sounded whiny and just like the little brother he was, but that was the exact question he wanted answered. Before George even opened his mouth to respond, however, Ron easily guessed what was coming.
"Because you'll tell Mum!" George said angrily, confirming Ron's worst fear. The unfairness of the statement stung him hard. Didn't he know Ron wanted to help?
"I won't! I won't tell Mum! I just wanna help!"
"Promise it, then!" Fred said harshly.
"I promise!" Ron immediately answered, feeling hopeful. Was he finally going to be involved in one of their pranks?
Fred narrowed his eyes skeptically. "I don't believe you. . . ."
"Please," Ron begged, "I'll do anything to prove it to you!"
George cocked an eyebrow towards the ceiling, and his eyes lit up with that mischievous look the rest of the Weasley family was coming to dread. He leaned in and whispered something to Fred, who nodded vigorously. They both turned to Ron, who began to have the terrible feeling he made the wrong decision.
"Make the Unbreakable Vow." the twins said in perfect unison.
"The—what?" Ron looked blankly at his brothers.
"The Unbreakable Vow," Fred repeated, holding his gaze steady.
Ron wasn't sure what that was, but agreed nonetheless. If this was how he was allowed in on the prank, he figured, then of course. After all, he said he would do anything.
"Alright," George muttered while Fred stepped closer to Ron. Looks of uncertainty crossed both faces; neither seemed to know what they were doing.
George decided to take charge. "Ron, grab Fred's hand."
Ron grasped his brother's right hand just as voices floated up from downstairs. He recognized Charlie's whiny complaining and the deep grumble of his father's voice. Apparently his other brother had discovered the intruders and had made a beeline to the nearest authoritative power.
"Hurry up, George! Dad's home," Fred whispered urgently.
"I'm going, Fred," George replied exasperatedly "Er—" he stammered, "oh right! I pull out the wand—" he whipped out Charlie's wand as the voices grew louder as their owners headed upstairs. "Er— then you— er—"
Before he could stammer out his next thought, the door burst open. "FRED! GEORGE! RON!"
Fred and Ron jumped apart guiltily and George dropped the wand, which rolled right to Charlie's feet. He snatched it up hurriedly and glared at his brothers from behind their father's back.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Arthur continued to yell. Ron took a distinctive step back as his world turned upside down. Mum was the one who yelled, not Dad. . . .
"We were just trying to make him promise—" Fred tried to explain, but Dad cut him off.
"YOU COULD'VE KILLED HIM!"
"Dad, we didn't know, I was just—" Ron argued, hoping to at least get Dad to calm down.
"RON, GO TO YOUR ROOM!"
As much as Ron loved his brothers, he quickly ducked out of the room to avoid harm. Charlie followed him soon after, quickly slamming his bedroom door shut. Ron's eyes pricked with tears as he ran back to his own room to muffle the yells still issuing from down the hall, where Fred and George were locked, stuck at the mercy of Dad. . . .
Ron never found out what his brothers were planning, and now he really didn't want to know. Around supper time, the twins came hobbling down the steps, looking much worse for wear.
"We'll never sit again," George groaned.
"I'm deformed," Fred wailed. "My left buttock will never be the same!" He gingerly rubbed his buttocks as he said this.
Charlie glared at them when he entered the room. "Don't take my stuff again," he muttered, trying to look threatening. He clutched his wand very close as if afraid he might lose it just being in their presence.
Dad followed after this, looking strained. He crossed the room and crouched down next to Ron. "Ron, this is very important," he began, and the look in his eye confirmed his statement. "Did you agree to anything when holding hands with Fred?"
"No," Ron answered innocently, "just before."
Dad let out a breath he seemed to have been holding for a while. "Good," he muttered absentmindedly, standing up and running a hand through his hair.
"Are you going to tell Mum?" Ron asked apprehensively. He was keen to keep his promise, even if he didn't make the Vow.
Dad looked carefully at the twins, who both looked, surprisingly, genuinely ashamed. "No," he muttered finally, "I think you've been punished enough." At this, Fred and George nodded vigorously. "But-" he added, causing the twins to cringe nervously, "just don't try to kill each other again, otherwise you will have your mother to deal with, understand?"