A/N: So I know chapters aren't too exciting currently but I promise this story does have a plot line! As I think I've said, nothing really happens until their third year so chapters will all be filler ones until then. So I thought I'd add a bit of unnecessary drama to this chapter just to keep it hopefully interesting until we get to the proper exciting stuff. :D
Chapter 7
The next morning, Fred, George and Bianca got up early and got dressed to head out and practice Quidditch. The three spent a good few hours outside together, flying around the fields before anyone else was even up.
Eventually, however, they decided to head back inside for some breakfast. And so they continued with their little routine. Every morning, they get up, dress warmly, and head out to their secluded pitch to play. Some mornings, Charlie would join them, some mornings, Ron and Ginny would, some mornings, they'd all go out together. But the best mornings, in Bianca's opinion, were the ones where it was just her and the twins.
About three weeks after they started this little, daily activity, Ron and Ginny had joined Bea and the twins out in the crisp morning skies. They were throwing around the ball which Mr Weasley had charmed to act like a bludger. Ginny was chasing after the chestnut which was bewitched to zoom around as a snitch while the twins, Bea and Ron batted the makeshift bludger between them with carved tree branches as bats. Ron, however, was a little unfocused and several times, Fred had to make an epic dive to hit the ball and ensure it was sent in the right direction towards his twin.
"Try and be a bit more accurate, will you, Ron?" Fred yelled, "I'd like to still have my head at breakfast."
Ron turned red and made an obvious effort to hit with more accuracy so as not to behead his brother. The next few rounds, Ron made a clear improvement, but then, his hand slipped and he sent the bludger flying powerfully off towards Fred. Fred dived forwards quickly to intercept the ball before it went flying off into the nearby woods, but the strength of the hit meant that when Fred's swing missed, the 'bludger' slammed straight into Fred's gut. He cried out as he tumbled off his broom, whacking his head off the hoop as he fell. George yelled and tried to get to his brother before he hit the ground, but no one was close enough to help.
With pale faces, the other four, quickly dismounted their brooms (George while he was still a few metres away from the ground) and ran towards Fred, ignoring the ball which was still circling the pitch, somewhat triumphantly.
"Oh Merlin," George breathed, "Fred!"
His brother lay motionless at the bottom of the hoop, limbs twisted at peculiar angles and a small pool of blood leaking out from where he'd hit his head. George looked like he was going to throw up, and Ron was guiltily looking around, trying to find something other than his older brother's broken body to focus on.
"We have to get him back to the house," Ginny said shakily, "Mum will know what to do."
Bianca gulped and nodded. She caught George's eyes and tried for an encouraging smile but it probably looked more like a nervous grimace. But together, the four of them managed to lift Fred and half-carry, half-drag him back down towards the Burrow.
When Mrs Weasley saw them all coming down from the kitchen window, she at first looked glad, their breakfast would have burnt if they hadn't come back soon. Then, she noticed the strange was in which they were moving and hurried out to meet them. It didn't take long for her to realise what was going on, and with worry clearly filling her voice, she shouted for Charlie to come down and help. He took one look at his siblings before racing up the hill, taking Fred off them, carefully slinging the injured twin over his shoulder and jogging back down to the house.
George and Bianca shared a look before racing after Charlie. Ginny glared at Ron and then she too ran off towards the house, leaving her brother to trudge sheepishly after them. He hadn't meant to knock Fred off, it wasn't his fault his aim needed a bit of work!
Mrs Weasley and George knelt down next to Fred who was laying on the sofa in the living room. Bianca sat with Ginny and Charlie opposite them, each shaken and worried. Mrs Weasley performed a few healing charms to stop the bleeding from Fred's head and to put his broken bones back into place, before standing up and saying she'd have to nip out to Diagon Alley to get some potions. George explained what had happened while his mother wrapped Fred's head, arm and legs in bandages. Mrs Weasley shot a brief, irritated glance at Ron, but quickly saw how bad her youngest son felt and went over to hug him.
"Fred will be fine," Mrs Weasley said calmly, "He broke both his legs and an arm in the fall, and cracked his skull slightly when his head hit the hoops but it's nothing to worry about, it's easily fixed. Try not to move him while I'm out, I think his ribs are broken too. I won't be long, I just need a few supplies. Breakfast is on the table if you get hungry."
"Mum," George asked in a quiet voice, "What if he wakes up?"
"Tell him I won't be long and give him a glass of water. Although I doubt he will."
George's face fell and he looked sadly at his brother.
"Don't worry, George," Charlie said, "He's tough, and I reckon he's taken harder hits to the head."
"Try not to make a mess!" Mrs Weasley called as she wrapped herself in a coat and disappeared into the fireplace to Floo to Diagon Alley.
Ron and Ginny got up, seemingly reassured by their mother's words and vanished upstairs to change. Percy passed them on the stairs and entered the living room, demanding to know what all the fuss was about. George clenched is fists but managed to stay silent as Charlie got to his feet and guided Percy away from the living room. Bianca knelt down next to George and took his hand. She studied Fred in concern as he babbled incoherently. His face was deathly pale, with a greenish tint and he seemed to wince in pain every time he breathed in. George was wiping sweat from his brother's brow with a damp cloth.
"Mum said he has a fever," George said. His voice shook even though he knew Fred would be fine, he hated seeing his twin looking so ill and helpless. "That's bad, right?"
Bianca shrugged and said, "She also said he'd be ok, so let's focus on that one yeah?"
"Ron's an idiot," George grumbled.
"Hey," Bianca chided, "He didn't mean to do it, he just has bad aim."
George looked at her in disbelief, "You're joking, right?"
"Of course! He's a massive prat, I'm just trying to be positive because I'm sick of seeing you looking like a depressed and lonely 80-year-old man. I know I'm not quite Fred, but I can dye and cut my hair if you want, I can borrow some of his clothes, and just put a deep voice on, it'll be like, well, like we're twins," Bianca joked.
George laughed, "Shut up. Who'll be you if you're being this great stupid git?"
"We could put Ron in a wig?" Bea suggested, "Think of it as a punishment."
George cringed, "What a horrifying thought," he paused a moment, "You want breakfast? Mum made bacon sarnies."
"Nah," Bianca replied, "You go ahead though, I'll look after this sorry excuse for a brother."
"Ah, so you admit it!" George said, "I am the better twin!"
Bianca pretended to consider this, "No, I mean everyone knows that Fred's better looking, and funnier, and cleverer, and a better Quidditch player."
George put a hand to his heart and gasped, "How could you say that when he just fell off his broom?"
"If you were playing against Ron, Georgie, you'd be naff too," a weak voice croaked from next to Bianca.
"Fred!" George cried, forgetting all about his sandwich and rushing back over, "You're ok!"
"Sure I am! Just gimme a minute to get rid of this awful pounding in my head and I'll be right as rain," he groaned before leaning over and throwing up onto the floor. He grimaced, "Ok, maybe not. Why is the world spinning?"
"Well this wasn't really the warm welcome I was hoping for," a new voice said from behind them. Bea and George turned quickly to see a very familiar face standing behind them.
"Bill!" they shouted and jumped up together to wrap him in a hug. Over the time he'd been in Egypt, he'd become lean and tan, and his hair had grown a good few inches and was now pulled back in a ponytail.
Bill sat down next to Fred and, with a wave of his wand, cleaned up the disgusting puddle of sick which was on the floor, "And what sort of mess have you got into, Freddie?"
"That, Bill, is the very same question I was about to ask myself."
"You don't remember?" George said, "But just now, you were saying that you had to play against Ron!"
"What?" Fred's sweaty brow creased in confusion, "Don't be silly Georgie. I said you had to"
"You really don't remember what happened?" Bianca asked.
"No," Fred said honestly, "Last thing I remember is eating dinner."
"Funnily enough, we've been doing an awful lot of that recently, perhaps you could be a bit more specific?" George said, rolling his eyes.
"We had toad in the hole- that Muggle dish that dad wanted to try. Then mum made steamed pudding for dessert."
"Fred," Bianca said slowly, "That was last week."
"What?!" Fred shrieked, trying to sit up, but deciding that that maybe wasn't the best idea as his face blanched and he lay back down again. "Everything hurts," he moaned.
George was staring at his brother in shock as Bill asked shakily, "Where's mum?"
"She went out to Diagon Alley to get healing supplies," Bianca replied, seeing as George seemed to be in some type of shock.
As calmly and gently as he possibly could, Bill said, "George, why don't you go and get a couple of glasses of water from the kitchen? Then will you nip upstairs and grab Charlie for me?" George nodded a though he was in some sort of trance and got to his feet as Bill continued, "Bea, what happened?"
Bianca explained everything to Bill. From how they always went out in the mornings together, to how Ron accidentally sent Fred flying off his broom, to how Mrs Weasley had left, promising to return quickly. About half-way through the story, George returned with two glasses of water and held them out to Bill who said, "You keep one, take little sips, yeah?" George nodded silently before vanishing up the stairs to get Charlie. As Bianca continued, Bill tried to get Fred, who had passed out again, to drink some of the water without making him choke. By the time Bea had finished, George was getting to the bottom of the stairs with Charlie.
"Bea?" Charlie said, "What happened? What's George mumbling about Bill for?" Then his eyes landed on his older brother, "Bill!"
"Hey, Charlie," Bill said, "You couldn't go and get mum back from Diagon Alley, could you?"
"Sure, why?" Charlie said dubiously.
"Fred woke up before," Bill explained, "After ever so kindly throwing up over Bianca, he was kind enough to let us all know he can't remember any of the previous week and then fainting again. I think he has concussion."
Charlie swore, "Yeah I'll go grab her."
He ran towards the fireplace and in a flash, was gone.
Charlie dashed down Diagon Alley, looking through every shop window until finally, he spotted his mother standing at the till of one shop, holding a few potion bottles. Charlie barged into the shop and pushed to the front where his mother stood.
"Got to get back," he said in between deep breaths of air, "Bill says Fred has concussion and he can't remember any of the last week and George is in some sort of shock and no one knows what to do and-"
"Charlie!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed, interrupting her frazzled son, "What on earth are you talking about?"
"Fred," Charlie said slowly, trying to calm himself down, "Bill said he woke up and was sick and he can't remember any of the last week. Apparently, Fred said he felt really dizzy and everything hurt, or something and then he fainted."
"Bill?" Mrs Weasley asked.
"Yes, you know, Bill, your oldest son, works in Egypt?"
"Yes, I know who Bill is. He's come back?"
"Well obviously," Charlie brushed her off, "But George is really worried about Fred and Bill said I should come and get you because he thinks Fred has concussion but doesn't know what to do. You have to come back quickly mum!" He tugged at her arm like an impatient toddler.
"Yes, right, ok, I'm coming," she turned to the baffled-looking shopkeeper, "Thank you very much, I couldn't possibly have a calming draught too, could I?"
"Sounds like you're going to need it," the shopkeeper said, reaching behind him to grab a vial.
Charlie jumped up and down impatiently as his mum paid the man. Usually, Charlie was good at staying calm in bad situations, but when it came to his family, nothing worried him more.
Together, Charlie and Mrs Weasley hurried out the door and onto Diagon Alley.
"We'll apparate," Mrs Weasley decided, "It'll be quicker, take my arm."
With a sickening crack, the two vanished and reappeared outside the Burrow. Before Charlie had regained his senses, Mrs Weasley was rushing into the house, holding her bag of potions carefully.
Bill stood to greet his mother as she hurried in.
"Oh, Bill," she said, "It's lovely to see you."
"You too mum, I've missed you."
Mrs Weasley smiled, "I'll hear all about Egypt once I've sorted these boys out. Could you give a bit of this to George for me please?" she handed Bill the calming draught.
When Mrs Weasley knelt down next to Fred, he stirred slightly and looked at his mum, "Hey, mum," he groaned, "I don't feel so good."
"Oh, Freddie, don't worry, you'll be fine soon."
"I hope so, I don't want to be ill for the rest of the holidays. I have to train!"
"You won't be playing Quidditch for a little while," Mrs Weasley chided, "I want to make sure you're completely better before you go off trying to get yourself killed again."
"Quidditch isn't that bad, mum, I know how to fly properly," Fred protested, "Besides, I'm just a bit dizzy."
"Do you know what happened, Freddie?" Mrs Weasley asked, tipping his head back so she could give him some healing potions.
"I'm just ill, mum, everyone gets ill every now and then."
Mrs Weasley gasped and pulled a face which looked like she was trying to hold back a wave of tears.
"What? You just said I'll be fine soon, it's nothing to get upset about."
Bill and Charlie shared a concerned look and Bianca looked up at George who was holding his glass of water with trembling hands.
"Hey, George," Fred said, "Tell her, tell her I'm ok."
George gulped and smiled, "Of course he his, mum. Once he stops feeling sorry for himself, he'll be right as rain."
"I'm sure," Mrs Weasley said with a sigh, "Drink this for me, Fred, it'll clear your head a bit, I hope."
"Not more potions," Fred grumbled.
"Fred, could you tell me how you're feeling, please?" Mrs Weasley asked, tipping the liquid down her son's throat.
"Everything hurts," Fred said, "My head aches and everyone looks fuzzy."
"What's the last thing you remember doing?"
"Eating dinner with everyone last night. But Bea said that that was last week." Fred replied. He didn't like the way everyone was looking at him, so he tried to sit up, but his arm shot pain through his arm and ribs and he fell back down again, "Ouch," he said. When he tried a second time, Mrs Weasley tried to stop him, but Fred somehow managed to shift himself into a sitting position.
"So judging by the way I'm being stared at by a freak, I'm assuming I'm not just ill?" Fred groaned as a wave of nausea washed over him. "What really happened?" he asked, closing his eyes to try and calm down.
"Ron's naff Quidditch skills happened," Charlie said.
"Charlie," Mrs Weasley scolded, "It was just a little Quidditch incident, Fred."
"Was it heroic?" Fred asked.
"That's one way to put it," Bianca teased, "You screamed like a girl."
"A heroic girl though, right?"
"Sure, like a heroic girl who was defeated by a puny bludger and whacked her heroic head off a hoop," she paused, "Heroically."
Fred groaned, "I whacked my head off one of the hoops?"
"Yup. It was very heroic though."
"I'm sure it was, I personally think falling off my broom is very heroic. I'll have battle scars to prove it."
Bea laughed, "Battle scars and an embarrassing story which I'm sure you'll be happy to tell everyone."
"Oh yeah, they'll all love to hear how I fell off my broom as I screamed like I girl, cracked my skull and broke all my bones."
"Don't forget how you woke up and vomited everywhere," Bea added, "That was very heroic."
"And how I heroically forgot the previous week."
"You'll be remembered for centuries."
"There'll be statues," Fred said.
"Songs written about your adventures."
"Poems,"
"Books,"
"I could be the next Minister for Magic."
"You won't be anything unless you get better," Mrs Weasley said sharply, despite the smile on her face, "So get some rest before you start your campaign to become the minister."
Fred sighed, "It's the middle of the day! Daytime is prank time, not sleep time."
Mrs Weasley glared at him, "You're ill, and if you know what's good for you, you'll get some rest. Come on everyone, I need some help preparing lunch."
Bianca smiled at Fred and helped him into a more comfortable position before following Mrs Weasley into the kitchen, dragging George behind her.
"So, Bill, how long are you back for?"
"Just a week," Bill said, "Sorry it can't be longer, but it was tough enough getting this time off as it is."
"Not to worry, it's lovely to see you. Charlie, could you start on the parsnips, please?"
"What are we having, mum?"
"I thought I'd make some soup," Mrs Weasley said, "George, dear, there's a chopping board behind you, could you pass it to your brother?"
"Oh stop moping around, George," Bill said, looking at his miserable younger brother, "He's fine and you know it. I don't want to spend all week trying to cheer up my depressed little brother."
And with that, he flung George over his shoulder and started dancing around the kitchen to make him laugh. George bounced around on Bill's back, snickering.
"You smiling yet?" Bill asked loudly, but George was laughing too much to reply. "No?"
Bill started jumping up and down with more vigour, spinning around in circles and throwing George around with ease.
"Stop!" George wheezed through his giggles, "Stop!"
"What was that, sorry?" Bill joked.
"Stop! Please, Bill, stop!"
"Not until you admit that I'm your favourite brother!"
"No!"
"Who's your favourite brother, George?"
"Fred!" George laughed, "Stop, Bill, my favourite brother is Fred!"
Bill gasped and dropped George to the floor so he lay on his back laughing, "I'm hurt, Georgie."
George laughed and got to his feet, spending the rest of the afternoon cooking in the kitchen with his family.
