No copyright infringement intended. The song lyrics are the intellectual property of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and any one else involved in the publishing of the song. Don't sue me.

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After dinner and George's birthday cake, the youngest were put to bed. Since Charlie was in town, they'd all taken a couple of days out of work to visit with him before he went back to Romania. The women opened bottles of wine and shared memories about Hogwarts with the older children. Victoire was particularly interested in the Sorting ceremony. She wondered if she would end up in Gryffindor like the rest of her father's family.

Harry, Ron and his brothers went outside with bottles of Butterbeer and sat, looking up at the stars, also in the mood to reminisce.

Arthur Weasley smiled at his sons. He loved having (nearly) all of his boys home, spending time. The Burrow was so quiet without them. He brought an old wireless out and fiddled with it until he found a clear channel. The music wafted up around them. They laughed heartily, remembering Ron's incident with a skunk.

"Those two devils told me…" Ron was laughing too hard to complete his thought. "And then, whoosh!" He said, miming the skunk's spray hitting him in the face.

Yawning, Arthur stood and announced he was going to bed. They all said goodnight and watched him walk back to the house.

"Charlie, do you think they'll ever move? This house is too big for them…" Percy said, looking up. The roof would need to be redone soon. He grimaced thinking of his father up on the rickety roof by himself.

"Naw, they're not going anywhere any time soon." Bill said.

"We were all kids in this house." Charlie said, "They won't sell it."

"Fred lived here. They won't sell the last place where we were a whole family." Bill added. They all nodded.

"But it would be better for them, wouldn't it? If they didn't have so large a house…" Ron attempted.

Charlie scoffed. "Ron, you more than any of us are tied to this house. You're probably the biggest reason Mum will never sell." Charlie said, looking a Bill.

Ron questioned him with his eyes, "What the hell does that mean?

His eldest brothers laughed.

"You were born in that house." Charlie said.

"I was not! I was born at St. Mungo's, same as you…wasn't I?" Ron looked at his brothers. George sunk down in his chair some. Bill and Charlie exchanged looks.

"You were born in the kitchen." Bill said. "We figure that's why you eat the way you do, the first thing you smelled was Mum's food."

"You're taking the piss out of me, right? Right?" Ron said.

"True story." Charlie said, shaking his head.

"Why was I born in the house? Why am I just learning this at 28 bloody years old?" Ron yelled. Percy spoke up.

"Well, there wasn't time to get Mum to hospital." He said simply.

"We're wizards, we have Floo powder, we can Apparate, for fuck's sake. I was there with Hermione the night she had Rose, it took hours. Why couldn't Mum get to Hospital?" Ron said looking at his brothers for answers.

No answer came. His brothers looked at each other, laughing.

"Why the fuck was I born in the house?"

Mrs. Weasley came outside with a tray of hot chocolate. George jumped up to help her.

"Mum, why was I born in the house?!" Ron yelped.

He watched his Mum's expression harden. She looked at George and smacked him in the back of the head before walking away.

"Oh, naturally you and that ruddy carbon copy of yourself played a part in it- why was I bloody born in the bloody house?

"It was the pantry, actually." George finally answered. Mum went in there to fetch us breakfast and Freddy and I…sort of…locked the door behind her."

"You…what?!" Ron was gob-smacked. Harry leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "Just a minute, that door doesn't lock."

"Not anymore, no." Bill said, laughing.

Harry laughed heartily, "You two tossers locked a pregnant woman in a pantry?"

Percy came to his brothers' defense, "They were only two, Harry. Not even two."

"But we were already pranking at a five year old level." George joked.

"You want to know what happened, fine Ronniekins." George breathed deeply and passed the mugs of hot chocolate out. "Freddy and I found Dad's old wand and we were playing with it. Mum took it away and put it up in the kitchen cupboard. We waited until she went into the pantry and we locked her in. Freddy climbed up on my shoulders and got into the cupboard for Dad's wand."

"And…" Bill said, knowingly.

"And Fred tried jumping down from the counter. He hit the floor really hard. Mum heard him crying and that's when she realized she was locked in the pantry. She got so upset, she went into labor. Dad was at work." Charlie finished the story.

"Where were you two?" Ron asked, eyeing his eldest brothers. Bill and Charlie exchanged guilty looks.

"Ok, ok. It wasn't entirely Fred and George's fault. Mum asked us to help her mind them but we skived off. We went to the orchard. Dad just bought a new broom and we wanted to have a go. We dragged Percy along with us." Bill admitted.

"We unlocked the door as soon as we came back, but…" Charlie said.

"But there you were, all gooey and screaming." Bill said.

"Oh, I'll bet Mum was screaming louder when you opened the door…" Harry laughed.

"You have no idea." Charlie said, grimacing.

"You even cocked up my birth." Ron said, glaring at George. Eventually, they were all roaring with laughter.

Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glass pipe and a clear bag. He placed the glass pipe on his knee and skillfully balanced it there while he stuffed the pungent smelling herb into it. Bill watched him.

"Oh, there's the Charlie Weasley I know and love." He joked.

"I thought it would be a fitting tribute to Fred." Charlie said smiling. He took a long drag from the pipe, filling his lungs. He arched his head back and exhaled.

"Ugh, that smells like that skunk's arse." Ron said disgusted.

"Yep. Hand it over, Charlie." Bill said, reaching his hand out. Bill copied Charlie, taking an even longer hit. "Caw, they're on an entirely different level in Romania, aren't they?" He said, praising the quality.

Bill handed the pipe to Harry. "It's been a long time, I don't know if I should." He said.

"You should." George, Bill and Charlie said all at once.

Harry chuckled. "You've convinced me." After taking his turn, he passed it along to George.

George took two long hits, one for Fred of course. He stood to pass it back to Charlie when Percy chimed in.

"Oi, do you not see me sitting here?"

George screwed up his face, he handed it to Percy. "Since when are you fun?"

"Oh, ha ha." Percy said sarcastically. He took his hit and held it out for Ron. "I do take the stick out of my arse, occasionally. The Ministry sent Audrey and me to Amsterdam for a conference. Let's say we walked into the wrong pub, and stayed." He said, laughing.

Ron held the hot glass pipe in his hand and looked at it. "Harry?" He said quietly. Harry teasingly rolled his eyes and showed Ron what to do. "Wait a tick, how is it you've done this before without me?"

Harry grinned. "Ginny. Those girls on the Harpies throw a helluva victory party." He said. Ginny had long since retired from professional sport but she still saw her old teammates from time to time.

Ron held the pipe to his mouth and did what Harry said to do. He tried to breathe deeply but he sputtered and coughed loudly when ashes flew into his mouth, singeing the back of his throat.

"Sounds like it's just about cashed." Bill said to Charlie. Charlie held the plastic bag out to him.

"Help yourself." Charlie said.

Hermione, Ginny and Angelina came outside finding their husbands lounging comfortably.

"Audrey and Fleur fell asleep. We thought you'd be out of beer by now." Angelina said.

"Oh, we don't need any." George said pointing to Bill.

"Is that what I think it is?" Hermione asked Ginny. Ginny grinned.

"It's relaxing. Once in a while." Ginny said perching on Harry's knee.

While Bill filled the pipe again, Charlie tended to the wireless. As if Fred was there with them, the staticky radio sprang to life and a song played loudly. George smiled to himself.

"Appropriate. He loved this song." George said.

"Anyone who doesn't love this song is just plain wrong." Charlie nodded.

Hermione paused, listening. "Ooh, I love it. It's so beautifully sad sounding."

The Muggle singer crooned:

Childhood living was easy to do.

The things you wanted, I bought them for you…

Still passing the glass pipe around, they listened.

Wild horses, couldn't drag me away.

Wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away.

Hermione cuddled into Ron's lap, he chased her shivers away by rubbing his hands up and down her legs and arms.

No sweeping exits or off stage lines

Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind

Wild horses, couldn't drag me away

Wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away

I know I've dreamed you a sin and a lie

I have my freedom but I don't have much time

Faith has been broken tears must be cried

Let's do some living after we die…

The song concluded and Hermione exhaled, coughing a little. They gaped at her when she took a second hit.

"Is that Hermione Granger, breaking a rule? Heavens, what will the Department of Magical Law Enforcement say?" Bill teased her.

Hermione smiled sweetly after blowing the smoke into Ron's mouth, "I think there are enough Ministry employees here who I could black mail."

Ron grinned, "She's broken her share of rules, Bill."

George kissed Angelina and addressed his brothers and Harry. "Mates, I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Charlie asked.

"Time to do what we all said we'd do." George said, patting his right bicep.

The Weasley brothers nodded at each other, agreeing.

"Next weekend, then?" Percy asked sleepily.

"No time like the present." Bill said, checking his watch. "There's still time tonight."

"I know a place." George said, standing. "You ladies wait here. Your husbands will return, manlier than they are now, if that's possible." He kissed Angelina again.

"Can I come? Am I intruding?" Harry asked.

"Of course, Harry. You don't even need to ask." Ron said, kissing Hermione.

"Where are you going? What's the secrecy about?" Hermione asked. Ron shook his head.

"We'll be back. Ginny, are you coming?" Charlie asked.

"He was my brother, too." Ginny nodded. Hermione and Angelina looked at each other, they were clearly out of the loop.

"Sorted." George said.

One by one, they followed George to the house. Taking a pinch of Floo powder each they made the smoldering fire glow green.

"The Black Lotus, London." George instructed them.

The Weasley siblings and Harry vanished into the green flames of the Floo network.

"I wonder what the hell The Black Lotus is." Angelina said.

"I think I know." Hermione said smiling.