Chapter 4
"Are you ready, George?"
"Yup. Let's go!"
The twins were practically bursting with excitement.
They had used the Marauder's Map to make sure that nobody was in the deserted house before creeping in it quietly. They located the machine very quickly, then went inside it into the control center.
The time machine was simple to operate with very few controls. Having familiarised themselves with the locations and functions of various coloured buttons, the twins pressed the 'START' button.
The computer screen in front of them immediately flickered and was turned on.
(C: Computer; T: Twins)
C: Future or Past?
T: Future (the twins pressed the purple button)
C: Please enter the year you want to visit.
T: 2010.
C: Please enter your destination.
T: England, London, the Burrow area
C: Please choose the number of hours you would like to spend exploring in the future.
T: 12 hours.
C: Please confirm your choices by pressing the 'Future' button again.
The twins looked at each other, took a deep breath, and confirmed the choices. They felt a heavy wind sweeping them off the ground, and were knocked unconscious almost instantaneously.
***
The twins stirred. They rubbed their eyes and woke up, finding themselves lying in the garden of the Burrow. "We must have made it!" they thought.
They gave each other thumbs-up and stood up.
"Do you suppose we are invisible to those people?"
"Maybe. We should really test it!"
"Yeah, let's go into the house."
In the house, the Weasley family was having breakfast. The twins were shocked to see Hermione (who looked extremely grown-up and pretty) there, sitting beside Ron (who was taller but more muscular) in her nightdress and enjoying her breakfast thoroughly. They were even more shocked to see her give Ron a little kiss and whisper something into his ear. Ron grinned and turned to Ginny. The twins stared at Ginny. She had grown up to be a very beautiful young girl, more slender and attractive. Curious to hear what the secret was, the twins walked over to them and tried to eavesdrop. They almost jumped out of their skins when Ginny turned to them and said, "Hey Fred, George! I thought both of you were on holiday? Why did you come back acting like you were fifteen or sixteen?"
"Oh no! Why can they see us? We are supposed to be invisible! Something must have gone wrong! Oh no, now we are in deep trouble." thought the twins.
"Er. no. erm. we just. erm." Fred stammered.
"Made a 'Make-yourself-younger Potion'!" George continued.
"Yeah! That's it! The reverse of the ageing potion, remember?" Fred exclaimed, playing along.
"Yeah, we feel that it will be fun to. erm. be younger for the holidays. So we. erm. lied to you guys about the holiday thing and came back when we finally made the potion! Yeah!" George said.
"Oh." Ginny eyed them suspiciously.
"Erm. what's Hermione doing here? And where's Mum?"
"Are you okay, Fred? Don't you remember? Hermione's engaged to Ron! And Mum's on holiday with Dad to Egypt to visit Bill, so they're all not at home!"
Ginny put her hand to Fred's forehead and felt his temperature. "Are you guys sure you are alright? Are there any side effects to the potion?"
"Yeah, some of your memory goes." Fred jumped at the opportunity to account for their weird behaviour.
"Oh, I see. That's why. Really, Fred! How can you just take a potion you have made like this? I suppose George has also lost some of his memory, hasn't he?"
"Yes, Ginny, stop being a know-it-all. Where's Harry, anyway?"
"Harry?" Ginny blushed.
"Harry is staying at Sirius' place nearby," Hermione answered.
"Sirius? Sirius Black? The madman?"
"He's not a madman," Ron snapped. "He's Harry's godfather, and he is not guilty of any crime anymore. Don't you remember these stuff, Fred, George? Remember that time Pettigrew was caught? Really, I think I prefer you older. You really sound like ignorant little kiddies. After Sirius was freed, he built a house nearby and Harry went to stay with him. You can visit him now if you like, and regain some parts of your memory by the way."
"Oh, okay." Things sure are getting complicated. Why is Harry staying with Sirius Black? I thought he escaped from Azkaban and was a wanted murderer? And he killed 13 people with one curse too! Things are weird. The twins were getting more and more confused.
"Is dear Ginny being caught up in a relationship with somebody?" George asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"I. er." poor Ginny stuttered and blushed furiously.
"Who's the lucky young man who took away the heart of our dear little sister?" asked Fred, pretending to be very concerned.
"Oh stop it, you guys. You know perfectly well, as I do, that Harry likes Ginny. Why else do you suppose that he visits us everyday and persuaded Sirius to find a place nearby?" Hermione said.
"Really?" George smirked. "So will he be here today or will he forget to come and leave Ginny's heart broken or will he - "
"Shut up, George." Harry's voice said.
The twins whirled around to find Harry stepping out of the chimney. Ginny leaped up and helped Harry to brush off the soot on his clothes, while the twins stared. Harry had definitely grown a lot taller, and he was very handsome, with his even more greenish eyes and messy tufts of jet-black hair. He was holding a rose in his left hand, and a tiny box with tiny pink flowers on it in his right hand.
"Hi, Harry," the twins muttered, staring at Harry unbelievably. Before they could even think of anything else to say, Harry was already on his knee. He gazed at Ginny and said, "Ginny dear, will you marry me?"
***
The twins gaped at them unbelievably, while Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and smiled, giving a look that plainly said, "It's about time they got together!"
The twins, who still haven't recovered from the shock of being visible to their friends and family were even more shocked at Harry's proposal. To them, Ginny was still their baby sister. And here was Harry proposing to her! They looked at Ginny for her reaction.
Ginny's eyes filled with tears, she trembled, and then fell crying into Harry's arms.
"Why, Ginny! What's the matter?" Harry was startled.
"I'm just so. so happy! I really. don't know what. what to say! I love you, Harry!"
"So do I. oh Ginny. please stop crying! You scared me just now, I thought you were going to say no!"
"Ewwwwwwwww." thought Fred and George. They tore their eyes away and turned back to Hermione, while Harry disentangled himself from Ginny and murmured some comforting words to her.
"Hermione," Fred began tactfully.
"What?"
"Since I have some memory problems, you know, because of that potion, can you help me by answering some of my questions?"
"Okay."
"Well, to begin with, where's Angelina?"
"You really should ask George that."
"Why?"
"Because he just proposed to her a few days ago and she agreed."
"I - I did?" spluttered George. Fred glared at him.
"How could you? You know perfectly well that - "
"Fred! You also proposed to Alicia! And she agreed! And it was all on the same day as George too - you guys reckoned proposing was a twin thing!" Hermione practically shrieked. Then she stomped up to Ron's room and slammed the door shut. "How could they be SO forgetful? I really suspect they are playing a trick!" Hermione thought.
Meanwhile, in the dining room, Ron was stuck in the middle of Fred and George and their relationships.
"Fred! How could you?" George glared at Fred. (Alicia was George's girlfriend in the present)
"And how could you do that too, George?"
"Okay guys," interrupted Ron, "I know last time Fred liked Angelina and George liked Alicia, but that was like. so many years ago! When you guys were still at Hogwarts! But haven't you guys figured out your relationships? I thought you did, some days before the proposal!"
"We did?"
"Yeah! Fred, George, are you sure you are okay? I'm seriously worried for you! Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Where does Angelina stay?" asked Fred.
"Where does Alicia stay?" inquired George.
"I'm not telling." Ron crossed his arms. "I can't help it if you can't even remember these things! You should really blame yourselves for trying out that dumb potion and losing all your memories!" Ron stomped up to his room, obviously deeply affected by Hermione's mood too.
Fred and George sighed. Things in the future were definitely more complicated than in the present.
"Are you ready, George?"
"Yup. Let's go!"
The twins were practically bursting with excitement.
They had used the Marauder's Map to make sure that nobody was in the deserted house before creeping in it quietly. They located the machine very quickly, then went inside it into the control center.
The time machine was simple to operate with very few controls. Having familiarised themselves with the locations and functions of various coloured buttons, the twins pressed the 'START' button.
The computer screen in front of them immediately flickered and was turned on.
(C: Computer; T: Twins)
C: Future or Past?
T: Future (the twins pressed the purple button)
C: Please enter the year you want to visit.
T: 2010.
C: Please enter your destination.
T: England, London, the Burrow area
C: Please choose the number of hours you would like to spend exploring in the future.
T: 12 hours.
C: Please confirm your choices by pressing the 'Future' button again.
The twins looked at each other, took a deep breath, and confirmed the choices. They felt a heavy wind sweeping them off the ground, and were knocked unconscious almost instantaneously.
***
The twins stirred. They rubbed their eyes and woke up, finding themselves lying in the garden of the Burrow. "We must have made it!" they thought.
They gave each other thumbs-up and stood up.
"Do you suppose we are invisible to those people?"
"Maybe. We should really test it!"
"Yeah, let's go into the house."
In the house, the Weasley family was having breakfast. The twins were shocked to see Hermione (who looked extremely grown-up and pretty) there, sitting beside Ron (who was taller but more muscular) in her nightdress and enjoying her breakfast thoroughly. They were even more shocked to see her give Ron a little kiss and whisper something into his ear. Ron grinned and turned to Ginny. The twins stared at Ginny. She had grown up to be a very beautiful young girl, more slender and attractive. Curious to hear what the secret was, the twins walked over to them and tried to eavesdrop. They almost jumped out of their skins when Ginny turned to them and said, "Hey Fred, George! I thought both of you were on holiday? Why did you come back acting like you were fifteen or sixteen?"
"Oh no! Why can they see us? We are supposed to be invisible! Something must have gone wrong! Oh no, now we are in deep trouble." thought the twins.
"Er. no. erm. we just. erm." Fred stammered.
"Made a 'Make-yourself-younger Potion'!" George continued.
"Yeah! That's it! The reverse of the ageing potion, remember?" Fred exclaimed, playing along.
"Yeah, we feel that it will be fun to. erm. be younger for the holidays. So we. erm. lied to you guys about the holiday thing and came back when we finally made the potion! Yeah!" George said.
"Oh." Ginny eyed them suspiciously.
"Erm. what's Hermione doing here? And where's Mum?"
"Are you okay, Fred? Don't you remember? Hermione's engaged to Ron! And Mum's on holiday with Dad to Egypt to visit Bill, so they're all not at home!"
Ginny put her hand to Fred's forehead and felt his temperature. "Are you guys sure you are alright? Are there any side effects to the potion?"
"Yeah, some of your memory goes." Fred jumped at the opportunity to account for their weird behaviour.
"Oh, I see. That's why. Really, Fred! How can you just take a potion you have made like this? I suppose George has also lost some of his memory, hasn't he?"
"Yes, Ginny, stop being a know-it-all. Where's Harry, anyway?"
"Harry?" Ginny blushed.
"Harry is staying at Sirius' place nearby," Hermione answered.
"Sirius? Sirius Black? The madman?"
"He's not a madman," Ron snapped. "He's Harry's godfather, and he is not guilty of any crime anymore. Don't you remember these stuff, Fred, George? Remember that time Pettigrew was caught? Really, I think I prefer you older. You really sound like ignorant little kiddies. After Sirius was freed, he built a house nearby and Harry went to stay with him. You can visit him now if you like, and regain some parts of your memory by the way."
"Oh, okay." Things sure are getting complicated. Why is Harry staying with Sirius Black? I thought he escaped from Azkaban and was a wanted murderer? And he killed 13 people with one curse too! Things are weird. The twins were getting more and more confused.
"Is dear Ginny being caught up in a relationship with somebody?" George asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"I. er." poor Ginny stuttered and blushed furiously.
"Who's the lucky young man who took away the heart of our dear little sister?" asked Fred, pretending to be very concerned.
"Oh stop it, you guys. You know perfectly well, as I do, that Harry likes Ginny. Why else do you suppose that he visits us everyday and persuaded Sirius to find a place nearby?" Hermione said.
"Really?" George smirked. "So will he be here today or will he forget to come and leave Ginny's heart broken or will he - "
"Shut up, George." Harry's voice said.
The twins whirled around to find Harry stepping out of the chimney. Ginny leaped up and helped Harry to brush off the soot on his clothes, while the twins stared. Harry had definitely grown a lot taller, and he was very handsome, with his even more greenish eyes and messy tufts of jet-black hair. He was holding a rose in his left hand, and a tiny box with tiny pink flowers on it in his right hand.
"Hi, Harry," the twins muttered, staring at Harry unbelievably. Before they could even think of anything else to say, Harry was already on his knee. He gazed at Ginny and said, "Ginny dear, will you marry me?"
***
The twins gaped at them unbelievably, while Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and smiled, giving a look that plainly said, "It's about time they got together!"
The twins, who still haven't recovered from the shock of being visible to their friends and family were even more shocked at Harry's proposal. To them, Ginny was still their baby sister. And here was Harry proposing to her! They looked at Ginny for her reaction.
Ginny's eyes filled with tears, she trembled, and then fell crying into Harry's arms.
"Why, Ginny! What's the matter?" Harry was startled.
"I'm just so. so happy! I really. don't know what. what to say! I love you, Harry!"
"So do I. oh Ginny. please stop crying! You scared me just now, I thought you were going to say no!"
"Ewwwwwwwww." thought Fred and George. They tore their eyes away and turned back to Hermione, while Harry disentangled himself from Ginny and murmured some comforting words to her.
"Hermione," Fred began tactfully.
"What?"
"Since I have some memory problems, you know, because of that potion, can you help me by answering some of my questions?"
"Okay."
"Well, to begin with, where's Angelina?"
"You really should ask George that."
"Why?"
"Because he just proposed to her a few days ago and she agreed."
"I - I did?" spluttered George. Fred glared at him.
"How could you? You know perfectly well that - "
"Fred! You also proposed to Alicia! And she agreed! And it was all on the same day as George too - you guys reckoned proposing was a twin thing!" Hermione practically shrieked. Then she stomped up to Ron's room and slammed the door shut. "How could they be SO forgetful? I really suspect they are playing a trick!" Hermione thought.
Meanwhile, in the dining room, Ron was stuck in the middle of Fred and George and their relationships.
"Fred! How could you?" George glared at Fred. (Alicia was George's girlfriend in the present)
"And how could you do that too, George?"
"Okay guys," interrupted Ron, "I know last time Fred liked Angelina and George liked Alicia, but that was like. so many years ago! When you guys were still at Hogwarts! But haven't you guys figured out your relationships? I thought you did, some days before the proposal!"
"We did?"
"Yeah! Fred, George, are you sure you are okay? I'm seriously worried for you! Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Where does Angelina stay?" asked Fred.
"Where does Alicia stay?" inquired George.
"I'm not telling." Ron crossed his arms. "I can't help it if you can't even remember these things! You should really blame yourselves for trying out that dumb potion and losing all your memories!" Ron stomped up to his room, obviously deeply affected by Hermione's mood too.
Fred and George sighed. Things in the future were definitely more complicated than in the present.