Chapter 7: Diagon Alley
Moira left the day before the Eater Holidays began. She spent that day at Diagon Alley, walking around the shops and talking to the Weasley twins at their store.
"How've you been?" one of them asked. Moira turned around to face him.
"I'm alright," she smiled at him. They had been at Hogwarts together, but she was six years older than they were. She had really met the twins through the Order of the Phoenix. The one she was talking to hugged her and after an awkward pause she hugged him too, but he pulled away.
"Ah," he said, "Sorry. You don't like those do you?" She shook her head as the second twin snuck up behind her.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off somewhere pissing off You-Know-Who?"
"Way to make a customer feel welcome," Moira said sarcastically. She liked the twins, both of them. They were funny and despite not having actually finished school, very smart, very good at magic.
"This stuff's supposed to be for kids who are still in school. You're too old." She rolled her eyes at him.
"Which one's which? I can never tell you two apart."
"Fred, George," said Fred, pointing at himself and then at his brother.
"Well, in that case, Fred, I am not that old and that is a terrible way to make a sale-"
"Ah come here! You know we love you!" he hugged her and picked her up off the ground. She rolled her eyes at George as Fred put her back down.
"A little too much I think."
"What brings you to our neck of the woods?" George asked.
"Got a free day. Well...sort of. The Easter Holidays start tomorrow and I don't have to be anywhere till then so I thought I'd drop by and see you two."
"Shall we show you the sights?" asked Fred.
"And what about your store? You're just gonna leave it?"
"We have employees," George said. "They can hold the fort for a while. We wouldn't miss the chance to show you Diagon Alley's finest."
"Alright then."
"Excellent," they said together. Moira rolled her eyes at them. "You know you love when we do that," Fred said.
"Twins," she said under her breath.
"Come on then," said George, taking her by the arm and leading her out of the shop. They walked with her up the street, talking and laughing together and trying to ignore the posters of Death Eaters and the large purple papers pasted to every shop window. Diagon Alley looked empty compared to what it used to be. There were very few people outside and those they saw were hurrying to their next destination, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Moira, Fred, and George walked arm in arm with Moira between the twins, trying to lighten the mood but to no avail.
"Drinks on me?" Fred asked, leading them to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Absolutely not," Moira replied, and in answer to the twins questioning looks she said, "because I never let men buy me drinks. That situation comes with a this-is-a-bad-decision warning right on it." They boys laughed as they entered the pub. True to her word, she did not let them buy her drinks but they did sit and drink for some time. "Ugh. I have to go. I've got important stuff to do tomorrow," she said. George asked for the bills.
As they walked back toward Fred and George's shop, George turned to Moira. "Here," he held out his fist, which was clearly holding something he wanted her to take. She put her hand under his and he dropped several gold coins into her palm. "Ha. Now we've paid for your drink."
"Moira blinked at the money in her hand, then glared up at George. "You are very frustrating!" she chucked the money at him while he and his brother laughed. "I'm not taking it."
"Neither are we," they said together.
"Then it's just going to lay on the ground," her voice was resolute but now it was a test of wills. None of them would touch the money.
"That's alright. Charity," Fred said, "Now someone else can go and get the same stuff you got. She rolled her eyes, inwardly laughing at their playful bickering.
"I have to leave now," Moira said, "And I will not take your money."
"Ah well, win some, lose some," George said. He pulled her into a hug, kissed the top of her head and let her go again. Before she could move, Fred had done the same thing.
"Thank...you?" she said, rubbing at the spot where they had kissed her.
"You are the queen of social awkwardness, love. Goodnight." George said. He turned and went inside.
"I've been told I'm the queen of something else recently," she laughed, thinking back on Draco's oxymoronic statement, "Goodnight." Fred nodded and followed his brother.
Moira took a deep breath before concentrating hard on the long driveway that led up to Malfoy Manor and turning on her heal into the compression of Apparition.
Disclaimer: Don't own.
AN: Nice comic relief. A bit of relaxation in the middle of the story. Nice I think. Read and Review
