Chapter 8: Fred and George get the Order of Merlin
The next week passed quickly, with the preparations for Harry's birthday and Fred and George's awards. Mrs.Weasley was the happiest that Harry had ever seen her, she had been cooking for days, all in preparation for the two parties that would be happening in the next two days. The first was Fred and George's celebration for their Order of Merlin, the second was for Harry's sixteenth birthday. Ginny and Hermione had been assisting her the whole morning, making sure that everything would be ready for the party, which was to take place that very same evening.
"Ginny dear, have Bill and Charlie prepared the tables?" she asked.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Yes mum, and Ron and Harry are carrying out the dishes, and Hermione and I are going to make sure that everything looks good. We'll all be ready to go in one hour," she told her mother.
"Very good dear, do be sure to wear the dress robes that Fred and George bought for you. I think that the color suits you, Ginny dear," Mrs.Weasley told her, as she rushed from one side of the kitchen to the other, preparing a feast for the evening's celebration.
Before Mrs.Weasley could direct them to more chores, Ginny and Hermione escaped out the back door and into the decorated garden. There were faeries in every bush and tree, to assist with the lighting, banners congratulating Fred and George for their awards, and Bill and Charlie had set up celebratory fireworks, to be set off when the cake was brought out.
"What do you think, Ginny?" Bill asked her. She just stared at him, a faerie had landed on his shoulder and was playing with his earring.
"The yard looks great, Bill," Hermione told him. "But Ginny is fascinated with the faerie on your shoulder.
Bill looked over at the pretty blue faerie, "Are you back again?" he asked, putting his hand up for her to perch on. "You can sit on my shoulder during the party, but now I have to go and get changed." He walked over to the closest bush and deposited the small faerie on one of the branches, then he headed for the house.
Ginny and Hermione went in search of Harry and Ron, just to make sure that they were ready to go on time.
"There you are!" Hermione said, as she spotted the two boys grabbing at the last two garden gnomes and flinging them out of the yard.
Ron grinned at her, "Had to be sure that they were all gone, mum would have a fit if they messed up the yard while we are gone."
An hour later, everyone was in their dress robes and ready to leave. Mr.Weasley handed an empty soda can to Charlie, "This is the portkey for you, Bill, Ron, and Harry. I have a separate one for your mum, Ginny, Hermione and myself. It will take you into the Great Hall at Hogwarts in exactly one minute," he told them. Everyone in the room reached out and touched their respective portkey and waited for it to activate. "Remember, you have your portkey pins to bring you back home, your mum didn't want us to travel by floo and get our robes dirty. A few seconds later the portkeys activated, and with the feeling of something pulling behind their navels, they were transported to Hogwarts.
They appeared in the Great Hall, surrounded by guests, and Albus Dumbledore. "Arthur, Molly, so good to see you. Bill, Charlie, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry, I am so glad that you could make it," he said, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "Fred and George are waiting at the front table for you all, please follow me and I will show you."
They followed the headmaster to a table in the front of the hall, all heads in the room following them and pointing. "We will be starting shortly, as soon as the Minister of Magic gets here."
Molly and Arthur each hugged Fred and George, so did Hermione and Ginny. Bill, Charlie, Ron and Harry clapped them heartily on the back.
"I never expected the two of you to earn Order of Merlin," Molly told them. "I couldn't be prouder, didn't even take your N.E.W.T.S and you managed to help the injured and take out two Death Eaters."
Fred and George just smiled at their mother, and then leaned toward Harry, Ron and Ginny. "Our generous benefactor," said Fred.
"We have new products for you," George finished. They handed Harry a large box. "The contents of this package.."
"Are top secret, we had to get permission from Mad-Eye Moody.." Fred continued.
"To give them to the four of you," George said. He leaned close to Harry and whispered in his ear, "Keep this stuff with you, there are four smaller boxes in here, one for each of you. Stuff to help you out of a jam, because you four seem to get into them a lot."
Harry put the box on the floor under the table, "What kind of stuff is it?" he asked.
Fred and George shared a look, "Well, there are some pea soup bombs. They emit a thick fog that you can't see through, unless you have the counter," Fred told him.
"A piece of candy that increases you eyesight so that you can see through it, it's great for when there are a lot of Death Eaters," George said.
"It's all stuff that we developed to help with the war, the Aurors are using some of these things," Fred continued. "There are invisible nougats, you eat one and you become invisible for five minutes."
"And the most useful of them all, the stupefy stickies. You stick them or throw them at the enemy, then wave your wand and say 'active' and it will stupefy the person it is stuck to," George told him, a look of glee on his face.
"I can't believe it, you guys are providing the ministry with weapons for the war?" Hermione asked, a shocked look on her face. "I didn't expect you to do something like that."
Fred and George looked at each other and then at Hermione, "We wouldn't even have our shop if it wasn't for Harry, so we're making products that can help to protect him, and defeat Voldemort."
A few minutes later, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge stepped up to the podium in the front of the hall. "I would like to thank you all for coming. Today we are awarding the Order of Merlin Second Class to Mr. Fred Weasley and Mr. George Weasley for their brave actions during the attack on Diagon Alley. We are also awarding them the Order of Merlin First Class for their work in providing effective weapons for our Aurors to use," Fudge said. He looked over at the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "Albus also has an award for the two gentlemen, but I will allow him to tell you about it." He stepped back and found a seat behind the podium.
Albus Dumbledore looked over at the table where the Weasley family was sitting. "Madam Pomfrey, could you please come and assist Arthur with his wife, I believe that she has fainted," he said, beaming at the two men that were being honored. "I believe that she will want to be awake for this next award."
Madam Pomfrey came forward and waved her wand over Molly, who blinked several times and straightened her robes.
"Now that everyone is once again ready for an announcement," he said, looking around the room. "To Mr. Fred Weasley, I award your Certificate of Graduation, and to Mr. George Weasley, I award your Certificate of Graduation. Please come forward to receive your awards."
Fred and George stepped up to the podium.
"Order of Merlin First Class for your work to assist the Aurors with weapons that are easy to use and quick to act," he said, handing the two men their awards. "Order of Merlin Second Class for your assistance to the injured, and stopping the Death Eaters during the attack on Diagon Alley," he told them. He handed them two more awards. "And finally, Certificates of Graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each of your inventions to the Aurors has been examined by the examiners for the N.E.W.T.S, and they have found you more than adequately skilled to be graduates. Congratulations."
The hall broke into cheers, people rushed forward to congratulate Fred and George. Molly just sat next to Arthur stunned, "Order of Merlin First Class, Second Class and Certificates of Graduation. I've never been prouder," she told her husband.
A/N: Two chapters in one day, hope that you enjoy them. Thanks again to my reviewers, as long as you review, I'll continue.
The next week passed quickly, with the preparations for Harry's birthday and Fred and George's awards. Mrs.Weasley was the happiest that Harry had ever seen her, she had been cooking for days, all in preparation for the two parties that would be happening in the next two days. The first was Fred and George's celebration for their Order of Merlin, the second was for Harry's sixteenth birthday. Ginny and Hermione had been assisting her the whole morning, making sure that everything would be ready for the party, which was to take place that very same evening.
"Ginny dear, have Bill and Charlie prepared the tables?" she asked.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Yes mum, and Ron and Harry are carrying out the dishes, and Hermione and I are going to make sure that everything looks good. We'll all be ready to go in one hour," she told her mother.
"Very good dear, do be sure to wear the dress robes that Fred and George bought for you. I think that the color suits you, Ginny dear," Mrs.Weasley told her, as she rushed from one side of the kitchen to the other, preparing a feast for the evening's celebration.
Before Mrs.Weasley could direct them to more chores, Ginny and Hermione escaped out the back door and into the decorated garden. There were faeries in every bush and tree, to assist with the lighting, banners congratulating Fred and George for their awards, and Bill and Charlie had set up celebratory fireworks, to be set off when the cake was brought out.
"What do you think, Ginny?" Bill asked her. She just stared at him, a faerie had landed on his shoulder and was playing with his earring.
"The yard looks great, Bill," Hermione told him. "But Ginny is fascinated with the faerie on your shoulder.
Bill looked over at the pretty blue faerie, "Are you back again?" he asked, putting his hand up for her to perch on. "You can sit on my shoulder during the party, but now I have to go and get changed." He walked over to the closest bush and deposited the small faerie on one of the branches, then he headed for the house.
Ginny and Hermione went in search of Harry and Ron, just to make sure that they were ready to go on time.
"There you are!" Hermione said, as she spotted the two boys grabbing at the last two garden gnomes and flinging them out of the yard.
Ron grinned at her, "Had to be sure that they were all gone, mum would have a fit if they messed up the yard while we are gone."
An hour later, everyone was in their dress robes and ready to leave. Mr.Weasley handed an empty soda can to Charlie, "This is the portkey for you, Bill, Ron, and Harry. I have a separate one for your mum, Ginny, Hermione and myself. It will take you into the Great Hall at Hogwarts in exactly one minute," he told them. Everyone in the room reached out and touched their respective portkey and waited for it to activate. "Remember, you have your portkey pins to bring you back home, your mum didn't want us to travel by floo and get our robes dirty. A few seconds later the portkeys activated, and with the feeling of something pulling behind their navels, they were transported to Hogwarts.
They appeared in the Great Hall, surrounded by guests, and Albus Dumbledore. "Arthur, Molly, so good to see you. Bill, Charlie, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry, I am so glad that you could make it," he said, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "Fred and George are waiting at the front table for you all, please follow me and I will show you."
They followed the headmaster to a table in the front of the hall, all heads in the room following them and pointing. "We will be starting shortly, as soon as the Minister of Magic gets here."
Molly and Arthur each hugged Fred and George, so did Hermione and Ginny. Bill, Charlie, Ron and Harry clapped them heartily on the back.
"I never expected the two of you to earn Order of Merlin," Molly told them. "I couldn't be prouder, didn't even take your N.E.W.T.S and you managed to help the injured and take out two Death Eaters."
Fred and George just smiled at their mother, and then leaned toward Harry, Ron and Ginny. "Our generous benefactor," said Fred.
"We have new products for you," George finished. They handed Harry a large box. "The contents of this package.."
"Are top secret, we had to get permission from Mad-Eye Moody.." Fred continued.
"To give them to the four of you," George said. He leaned close to Harry and whispered in his ear, "Keep this stuff with you, there are four smaller boxes in here, one for each of you. Stuff to help you out of a jam, because you four seem to get into them a lot."
Harry put the box on the floor under the table, "What kind of stuff is it?" he asked.
Fred and George shared a look, "Well, there are some pea soup bombs. They emit a thick fog that you can't see through, unless you have the counter," Fred told him.
"A piece of candy that increases you eyesight so that you can see through it, it's great for when there are a lot of Death Eaters," George said.
"It's all stuff that we developed to help with the war, the Aurors are using some of these things," Fred continued. "There are invisible nougats, you eat one and you become invisible for five minutes."
"And the most useful of them all, the stupefy stickies. You stick them or throw them at the enemy, then wave your wand and say 'active' and it will stupefy the person it is stuck to," George told him, a look of glee on his face.
"I can't believe it, you guys are providing the ministry with weapons for the war?" Hermione asked, a shocked look on her face. "I didn't expect you to do something like that."
Fred and George looked at each other and then at Hermione, "We wouldn't even have our shop if it wasn't for Harry, so we're making products that can help to protect him, and defeat Voldemort."
A few minutes later, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge stepped up to the podium in the front of the hall. "I would like to thank you all for coming. Today we are awarding the Order of Merlin Second Class to Mr. Fred Weasley and Mr. George Weasley for their brave actions during the attack on Diagon Alley. We are also awarding them the Order of Merlin First Class for their work in providing effective weapons for our Aurors to use," Fudge said. He looked over at the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "Albus also has an award for the two gentlemen, but I will allow him to tell you about it." He stepped back and found a seat behind the podium.
Albus Dumbledore looked over at the table where the Weasley family was sitting. "Madam Pomfrey, could you please come and assist Arthur with his wife, I believe that she has fainted," he said, beaming at the two men that were being honored. "I believe that she will want to be awake for this next award."
Madam Pomfrey came forward and waved her wand over Molly, who blinked several times and straightened her robes.
"Now that everyone is once again ready for an announcement," he said, looking around the room. "To Mr. Fred Weasley, I award your Certificate of Graduation, and to Mr. George Weasley, I award your Certificate of Graduation. Please come forward to receive your awards."
Fred and George stepped up to the podium.
"Order of Merlin First Class for your work to assist the Aurors with weapons that are easy to use and quick to act," he said, handing the two men their awards. "Order of Merlin Second Class for your assistance to the injured, and stopping the Death Eaters during the attack on Diagon Alley," he told them. He handed them two more awards. "And finally, Certificates of Graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each of your inventions to the Aurors has been examined by the examiners for the N.E.W.T.S, and they have found you more than adequately skilled to be graduates. Congratulations."
The hall broke into cheers, people rushed forward to congratulate Fred and George. Molly just sat next to Arthur stunned, "Order of Merlin First Class, Second Class and Certificates of Graduation. I've never been prouder," she told her husband.
A/N: Two chapters in one day, hope that you enjoy them. Thanks again to my reviewers, as long as you review, I'll continue.