Fred Meets His Match Chapter Seven
Family, The Ties That Bind And Gag.
Fred woke up to what sounded like a small explosion in his apartment. The family had arrived. He got out of bed and quickly changed into his day clothes. When he entered what served as his living room and kitchen combined, he found his parents there. His mother was of course making breakfast, while his father was reading the muggle paper that Fred had delivered every day. Fred cleared his throat. "Good morning." His mother Molly just glared at him and continued to fry the eggs in the pan. His father Arthur lowered the newspaper for a moment and glanced at his son. Neither of them seemed inclined to begin the conversation Fred knew they had come for. Fred took a big breath and continued. " It look's like it's going to be a beautiful day today. By the way, why are you here?" He thought he might as well get the question out of the road. Molly smashed down the pan that she had been using and turned on him. " When were you going to tell us? It's all over the community that you are dating that Adams girl. She's little better than a squib you know." Arthur Weasley almost chocked. He looked uncomfortable. " Molly. Since when did you become prejudiced."? Fred suddenly felt angry. "She comes from a family of good standing. Why should it matter if she is not pure blood, or a squib? She is smart and has a pleasant personality. Her family is nice too. I met her grandmother. She is a full-blooded witch. A nice lady she was. Do you have anything against her too?" Molly did not respond but continued to fry the eggs in the pan. Arthur cleared his throat. "Listen Fred. Your mother is sensitive on subjects such as this. Especially with that cousin of ours. You know the accountant?" Fred cleared his throat. He knew whom they were talking about. Personally he thought he was a nice chap. Arthur continued. "Well you see, it's more that we heard it from a third source that got your mother upset now. We had always hoped you would tell us when you found someone you liked." Fred felt embarrassed. "Well to tell you the truth, I've only just been out with her a couple of times. Just for lunch really. We are just getting to know each other. I don't know if this is any thing serious yet or not." Arthur frowned. "It seemed serious enough for you to put a spell on her establishment. Why was it not serious enough to tell us?" Fred did not know how to answer that. After breakfast, Fred wished them goodbye. He quickly shaved, brushed his teeth and hair, and headed for work. He did not look forward to dealing with his other family members, and for some reason, he had a feeling a lot of them would be paying him a visit while he was at the store. Because his visit with his parents had delayed him somewhat, he decided to teleport to the storeroom in the back of the building they rented. He walked into the main part of the store. George was already there. He had his usual insipid grin on his face. "Good morning Fred! I can see you're just in a spiffy mood today!" Fred groaned. It would be like this for the rest of the day. He just knew it. As he expected, family members from all over seemed to crawl out of the woodwork in order to find out what was going on between him and the Adams girl as they all seemed to like to refer her as. Even Percy, the Pratt gave him a call on the phone to try and give him advice. Fred put him on speakerphone and him and George had a good chuckle after. They would not mention the phone call to any of the others. They knew if they did it might get back to their parents. Percy was still not on speaking terms with them after what had almost happened to Harry. Just before noon, Lee Jordan showed up. George handed over the responsibility of the store to Fred and left with him for lunch. Shortly after they left Christine showed up. She smiled as she opened the door. Fred was glad to see her. Finally he had someone to talk to who would not be asking questions he did not want to answer. She got to the point. "So. Have your family been asking you questions all day as well?" Fred laughed. "Yes and no. Half the time they were asking questions. The other half of the time they were trying to give me advice." Christine laughed. Fred loved to hear her laugh. It was an honest laugh. Not one of those fake-sounding ones that is made to sound good. This one came from the heart. Christine put a package on the counter. "Listen. You have treated me to lunch twice now. It's my turn. I thought maybe we could go to the park not far from here?" Fred smiled. "I'd love too. We would have to wait though. George left already." Christine looked disappointed. "Oh." Fred thought for a moment. "Why don't we just have it here? There is a table at the back. We can have our lunch there, without me having to leave the store." Christine nodded. "Sounds fine to me." Together they headed to the back of the store. As they were passing some of the more interesting stuff in the other room, Christine slowed down. "You know, maybe you can help me! My granny's birthday is coming up. I would like to get her something special. Unfortunately I do not have access to most magical establishments. Could you help me find something for her?" Fred straightened up hoping to be of help. "Gladly. What would you like me to find for you?" Christine blushed. "Well you see, granny has this odd sense of humour. She loves a good joke. I had heard that there is a new brand of wizard chess out there that have there own bad sense of humour. Instead of using weapons, they tell bad jokes to their opponents, and the opponent falls over from laughter." Fred was stumped. He would have to check into this. It sounded like if it were true, it would be a good item to have in stock. " I'll see what I can find." He promised. They sat down and ate. Christine had made turkey sandwiches. It was one of Fred's favourites. All to soon lunch was over. Christine was just leaving when George and Lee Jordan returned. Christine nodded to George as she left. Lee was silent for all of ten seconds. "Wow." He said. Fortunately that was all he said.
Family, The Ties That Bind And Gag.
Fred woke up to what sounded like a small explosion in his apartment. The family had arrived. He got out of bed and quickly changed into his day clothes. When he entered what served as his living room and kitchen combined, he found his parents there. His mother was of course making breakfast, while his father was reading the muggle paper that Fred had delivered every day. Fred cleared his throat. "Good morning." His mother Molly just glared at him and continued to fry the eggs in the pan. His father Arthur lowered the newspaper for a moment and glanced at his son. Neither of them seemed inclined to begin the conversation Fred knew they had come for. Fred took a big breath and continued. " It look's like it's going to be a beautiful day today. By the way, why are you here?" He thought he might as well get the question out of the road. Molly smashed down the pan that she had been using and turned on him. " When were you going to tell us? It's all over the community that you are dating that Adams girl. She's little better than a squib you know." Arthur Weasley almost chocked. He looked uncomfortable. " Molly. Since when did you become prejudiced."? Fred suddenly felt angry. "She comes from a family of good standing. Why should it matter if she is not pure blood, or a squib? She is smart and has a pleasant personality. Her family is nice too. I met her grandmother. She is a full-blooded witch. A nice lady she was. Do you have anything against her too?" Molly did not respond but continued to fry the eggs in the pan. Arthur cleared his throat. "Listen Fred. Your mother is sensitive on subjects such as this. Especially with that cousin of ours. You know the accountant?" Fred cleared his throat. He knew whom they were talking about. Personally he thought he was a nice chap. Arthur continued. "Well you see, it's more that we heard it from a third source that got your mother upset now. We had always hoped you would tell us when you found someone you liked." Fred felt embarrassed. "Well to tell you the truth, I've only just been out with her a couple of times. Just for lunch really. We are just getting to know each other. I don't know if this is any thing serious yet or not." Arthur frowned. "It seemed serious enough for you to put a spell on her establishment. Why was it not serious enough to tell us?" Fred did not know how to answer that. After breakfast, Fred wished them goodbye. He quickly shaved, brushed his teeth and hair, and headed for work. He did not look forward to dealing with his other family members, and for some reason, he had a feeling a lot of them would be paying him a visit while he was at the store. Because his visit with his parents had delayed him somewhat, he decided to teleport to the storeroom in the back of the building they rented. He walked into the main part of the store. George was already there. He had his usual insipid grin on his face. "Good morning Fred! I can see you're just in a spiffy mood today!" Fred groaned. It would be like this for the rest of the day. He just knew it. As he expected, family members from all over seemed to crawl out of the woodwork in order to find out what was going on between him and the Adams girl as they all seemed to like to refer her as. Even Percy, the Pratt gave him a call on the phone to try and give him advice. Fred put him on speakerphone and him and George had a good chuckle after. They would not mention the phone call to any of the others. They knew if they did it might get back to their parents. Percy was still not on speaking terms with them after what had almost happened to Harry. Just before noon, Lee Jordan showed up. George handed over the responsibility of the store to Fred and left with him for lunch. Shortly after they left Christine showed up. She smiled as she opened the door. Fred was glad to see her. Finally he had someone to talk to who would not be asking questions he did not want to answer. She got to the point. "So. Have your family been asking you questions all day as well?" Fred laughed. "Yes and no. Half the time they were asking questions. The other half of the time they were trying to give me advice." Christine laughed. Fred loved to hear her laugh. It was an honest laugh. Not one of those fake-sounding ones that is made to sound good. This one came from the heart. Christine put a package on the counter. "Listen. You have treated me to lunch twice now. It's my turn. I thought maybe we could go to the park not far from here?" Fred smiled. "I'd love too. We would have to wait though. George left already." Christine looked disappointed. "Oh." Fred thought for a moment. "Why don't we just have it here? There is a table at the back. We can have our lunch there, without me having to leave the store." Christine nodded. "Sounds fine to me." Together they headed to the back of the store. As they were passing some of the more interesting stuff in the other room, Christine slowed down. "You know, maybe you can help me! My granny's birthday is coming up. I would like to get her something special. Unfortunately I do not have access to most magical establishments. Could you help me find something for her?" Fred straightened up hoping to be of help. "Gladly. What would you like me to find for you?" Christine blushed. "Well you see, granny has this odd sense of humour. She loves a good joke. I had heard that there is a new brand of wizard chess out there that have there own bad sense of humour. Instead of using weapons, they tell bad jokes to their opponents, and the opponent falls over from laughter." Fred was stumped. He would have to check into this. It sounded like if it were true, it would be a good item to have in stock. " I'll see what I can find." He promised. They sat down and ate. Christine had made turkey sandwiches. It was one of Fred's favourites. All to soon lunch was over. Christine was just leaving when George and Lee Jordan returned. Christine nodded to George as she left. Lee was silent for all of ten seconds. "Wow." He said. Fortunately that was all he said.
