The next day was an exciting day at the Burrow. Molly was rushing about making sure the house looked nice for when Bill and Charlie got home. It was now Wednesday. Ron had sent Pig off with a letter to Hermione and was hoping he would get back soon so he could send one to Harry. Around noon, Bill arrived with all of his luggage.

"Bill! Oh my baby!" Molly cried as she through her arms around her eldest son. "How are you? It's so good to see you! I've missed – WHAT HAVE YOU GOT IN YOUR EAR!" Bill gulped.

"An earring Mum."

"When did you get an earring?" Molly asked harshly.

"Last month…"

"WILLIAM ARTHUR WEASLEY YOU WAIT UNTIL YOUR FATHER SEES THIS! HE WILL POSITIVELY HIT THE ROOF!"

"Hey Bill."

"So what did you do to infuriate Mum this time?" Fred and George had just come down to greet their brother.

"I – er…"

"Woah! Cool earring!"

"Nice! I think we should get some Fred!"

"NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

"Absolutely not what?" Asked Charlie who was walking up the sidewalk towards the Burrow.

"Charlie! How are you dear?" Molly asked rushing over to hug her other son. "Let me look at you. You haven't got any foul artificial body holes do you?"

"Not at the moment." Charlie replied. "Why?" He looked at Bill. "Hey Bill! Woah! Cool earring!" He grinned.

"Thanks! George just said that exact same thing." Bill went over to give his brother a hug.

"Actually I would be Fred." Fred corrected him.

"Oh whatever."

"Oh, it's so wonderful to see you again! Now let's get your things upstairs. You'll be staying Fred and George's room while-"

"What? Wait a second." Fred started.

"Yeah, why were we not informed of this?" George added

"You were. You were just too intrigued in your grotesque little inventions to pay attention to what was being said to you." Molly snapped at them.

"Fine. But where are we sleeping? The garden?" Fred asked.

"Of course not. You'll be rooming with Ron."

"Ooh! Rooming with Ickle Ronniekins! This could be fun…"

"George! I forbid you to experiment on your brother in any way, shape, form, or matter! You too Fred!"

"Darn it." The twins muttered under their breaths. They escorted Bill and Charlie up to their room (although they already knew perfectly well where it was, but Fred and George wanted to have a word with them). Bill and Charlie seemed speechless when they saw the twin's room. Both stood staring, mouths slightly open, at the horrendous mess.

"Is this a room or a dump?" Bill asked.

"Hey, this is tidy!" George sounded offended.

"You've obviously never heard of organized chaos." Fred said.

"Does the mess just occur on its own or will you burst into flames if your feet actually touch real ground?" Charlie remarked.

"Fine! If you two are going to whine about it, we'll get Mum to clean it." Fred said.

"No need." Bill said and with a flick of his wand, the room was clean.

"Nice." George said admiringly. "But down to business."

"Business?" Charlie asked.

"Yep. My good mate George and I have spent the last 6 months of our young lives, finding ways to express our more creative sides." Fred said.

"The last six months? Try sixteen years." Bill said.

"In other words," Fred continued, ignoring his brother, "we have been inventing."

"Now we know that many of our things seem quite impressive and you might find yourselves fighting the desire to-"

"Just get to the point." Charlie said.

"DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!" Fred and George practically yelled at them. Bill and Charlie looked slightly taken aback.

"Wow, usually it's the older brothers telling the younger brothers not to touch anything." Bill commented.

"Yeah, well, times change Bill old boy." Fred said.

"Fred just called me old." Bill whined jokingly to Charlie who smiled sympathetically at his brother.

"A few more things." George said. "That ghoul in the attic still hasn't gone away so any strange noises, that's what that is."

"Anything suspicious-looking you may find in the next few days is to be ignored and left alone." Fred said.

"Oh, and any strange smells, well…you'll get used to them." George concluded. Bill and Charlie just stared at them.

After quite an enjoyable dinner (though with a bit of argument over Bill's earring), Bill and Charlie made themselves feel quite at home. After playing a bit of Quidditch with Ron, Fred, and George, they went upstairs to shower. After changing, they came back downstairs to spend more time with their family. Fred and George, for once, had not disappeared into their room since it was occupied and Molly had threatened to take away their World Cup privileges if they isolated themselves any longer. Arthur and Percy (who had worked through dinner) walked in the door as the rest of the Weasleys were crowding into their small living room. Bill and Charlie got up to greet them.

"Hello boys! So good to see you!" Arthur said as he hugged his sons.

"Good evening." Percy said, sounding as though he had never seen them in his life. "I'll be up in my room for the rest of the night. Lot of work to be done." And with that he disappeared upstairs.

"Hasn't changed a bit." Bill muttered.

"Well, let's have a look at you boys." Arthur said, turning back to Bill and Charlie.

"Look a little closer at Bill's ear." Molly said disapprovingly.

"Why Molly dear? Oh! What have we here?" Mr. Weasley looked impressed.

"Well? Don't you have something to say to him?" Molly asked.

"Well, I remember I always wanted one-"

"Arthur!"

"Oh, I mean…erm…Molly, what do you want me to say?"

"Oh never mind. Tonight is supposed to be a night that we're happy we're all together. I don't want to argue about it anymore tonight." Bill looked relieved. "But don't think you're off the hook William!" All the Weasley children (save Bill) snickered. Bill, Charlie, and Mr. Weasley went to have a seat on the couch.

"So, how are your jobs?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Fun." Bill said.

"Exciting but exhausting." Charlie said.

"Why do you say that? They're not working you too hard are they?" Molly looked concerned.

"Oh no. It's just that we've been a person short for a bit and my boss decided I could handle some things by myself that others would need a partner for." Charlie explained.

"Well, you're not exactly a weakling, Bro." Bill told him, eyeing his brother's muscular arms. "Ow, where'd that come from?" He asked, pointing to a large, shiny burn on Charlie's right arm.

"Oh. Marshmallow."

"Marshmallow?" Bill said blankly.

"Yep. Marshmallow."

"Who in the world would name a dragon Marshmallow?" Ron asked.

"Gabby." Charlie said disgustedly.

"Oh, that really annoying girl who had a crush on Bill?" Fred asked.

"Yeah. She's still trying to get me to set you guys up."

"Please, don't give me that honor." Bill pleaded.

"Don't worry. I'm not that cruel."

"Charlie, let me see that burn." Molly said.

"Mum, it's fine! I've had it since December. Besides, it's not even a burn anymore. Just a scar."

"I just want to see it." Charlie groaned, but held out his arm to his mother. "I don't like the way that looks. You are careful out there, aren't you dear?"

"Yes Mum." Charlie said. They had had this discussion about a million times since Charlie had started working in Romania.

"Haha, now you're getting nagged!" Bill teased.

"Be quiet or I'll sic Marshmallow on you."

"That sounds like you're talking about a kitten or something!" Bill laughed.

"I know."

"Hey Charlie, how's Norbert?" Ron asked, suddenly remember the baby dragon he, Harry, and Hermione had helped Hagrid hatch in 1st year.

"Who's Norbert?" Molly asked.

"One of our dragons." Charlie replied. "He's doing fine. Not exactly easy to cope with when he's hungry though."

"How does Ron know Norbert?" Molly asked. Ron had chosen not to talk about all the adventures he and his friends had at Hogwarts because he knew his mother would go into pure hysteria if she knew, for example, he had stood inside the Shrieking Shack with an escaped believed-to-be murderer and a werewolf just a few months ago.

"He-"

"Charlie told me about him last year." Ron interrupted catching Charlie's eye.

"Yeah." Charlie said.

"Oh. Well, what is he?"

"A dragon." Ron said.

"Yes, I'm aware of that dear. What breed?"

"Oh. A Norwegian Ridgeback." Ron replied.

"Those are dangerous aren't they?" Molly looked a bit scared. "Oh Charlie, please tell me you're careful out there."

"I am, don't worry Mum."

"OK." She still looked uneasy though.

"Bill, how's Egypt?" Ginny asked.

"It's awesome. Rahul and I found about a million Galleons in gold just before Dad's letter came."

"Wow." Ginny and Ron both looked impressed.

SQUAWK!

6 of the Weasleys jumped at the noise. They then turned their attentions to Fred and George who sitting by the fire, eyes wide, with oops-that-wasn't-supposed-to-happen looks plastered on their faces. Fred also happened to be holding a rubber chicken.

"What do you two have?" Molly asked.

"Nothing." Fred and George replied.

"Give it to me."

"Mum come on! We're not 2!"

"Prove it. Give that chicken to me."

"It's not JUST a chicken." Fred said.

"Yeah! It's a wand! A JOKE wand!" George said proudly.

"What did I tell you about inventing all that prank rubbish?" Molly asked sternly.

"But Mum-"

"No buts Fredrick. Give it to me." Reluctantly, Fred handed the chicken to his mother. No one saw him give George a wink that said, 'Very convincing! She has no idea we have a whole box-full hidden under your bed!'

Later that night, Ron was trying to figure out how he was expected to survive the next few days, having to room with Fred and George. They were particularly noisy, not to mention nosey.

"Hey Fred! Come here and look at this!"

"Ooh, I didn't know Ickle Ronnie kept a diary!"

"A what? I don't keep a diary!"

"What's this then?"

"Give me that!" Ron grabbed his diary out of the clutches of his twin brothers, who were snickering uncontrollably. "Why are you two going through my stuff anyway? It's not like you've never been up here before."

"Yeah, but it's much more fun when we know that you know that like it or not, you're stuck with us for the next couple of days." Ron rolled his eyes and flopped onto his bed.

"I hope Pig gets back soon." He said without thinking about it.

"Why?" George asked, though uninterestedly, as he and Fred were still busy going through Ron's things.

"Because I want to know if Hermione can come." Fred and George froze. "I also want to write to Harry." Ron added. Fred and George turned around and looked at Ron, evil grins on their identical freckled faces.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh." They both said as if they had just unveiled some great secret.

"What?" Ron asked.

"That is just so cute!" Fred said gleefully.

"What is?" Said Ron.

"Positively precious." George agreed.

"What?"

The twins looked at each other. "Ickle Ronniekins has a crush on Hermione!" They said together.

"WHAT?" Ron looked positively appalled. "No I do not!"

"Denial." Fred said, shaking his head.

"I do NOT like Hermione! She's one of my best friends!"

"As were Mum and Dad when they were at Hogwarts." George said knowingly.

"How do you know that?" Ron asked.

"It is the knowledge that comes with being older brothers." Fred said. "So when's the wedding?"

"Can I be your best man?" George asked, batting his eyelashes.

"There is not going to be a wedding! I don't have a crush on Hermione!"

"Why are you getting so worked up about it then?" Fred asked slyly. Ron scowled at him.

"Oh, Ickle Ronnie in love. He's growing up so fast!" George pretended to wipe away a tear.

"Seems like just yesterday he was running around the house in those Magic Touch Diapers he used to love so much." Fred said wistfully.

"No, that was you two." Ron said irritably.

"That's a bit below the belt, don't you think?" George asked.

"No, not really." Ron said truthfully. There was a few minutes silence.

"So can we be expecting Ronnie Jr. and Little Hermione anytime soon?"

"FOR THE LAST TIME! I – DON'T – LIKE – HERMIONE!"

"Who's Hermione?" Bill wondered. He and Charlie were standing at the door.

"Ron's girlfriend." Fred replied before Ron could say anything.

"She's not-"

"Ron, I didn't know you had a girlfriend!" Bill said with a grin.

"I don-"

"You'll meet her soon! She's probably coming to the Cup with us." George smirked.

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Ron shouted.

"RON! WILL YOU KEEP IT DOWN?" Percy bellowed from his room. Ron growled in frustration.

"Well, we just came in to say good night." Charlie said. "So good night."

"Night." Bill said to them as he and Charlie walked away.

"Don't do anything to our room!" Fred and George yelled after them.

"We won't!" They called back.

"Older brothers. You can never trust them." George said to Fred who nodded in agreement.

"You got that right." Grumbled Ron, glaring at them.

"No, not us Ron. We were talking about those other two."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather be rooming with them than with you two."

"Oh Ronnie, you don't mean that!"

"Yeah, actually I do."

"Just because you refuse to admit that you're hopelessly, head-over-heals in love with Hermione-"

"I'm NOT!"

"-gives you no reason to be cranky with us."

"That's it. I'm asking Mum if I can sleep on the couch."

"Oh Ronnie! No! That'd be no fun!" Fred whined.

"For you." Ron remarked as he stood up to leave.

"Oh no you don't. If we have to live without our precious room, you have to live without your precious privacy." George said as he and Fred shoved Ron back onto his bed. Even though Ron was taller than his brothers, they were buffer and stronger than he was.

"Now Ickle Ronniekins, you will stay there for the rest of the night." Fred told him.

"What if I have to go to the bathroom?" Ron asked sarcastically.

"Too bad!" Fred and George said together as they started getting ready to climb into their own beds.

"Why can't you two go and room with Percy? He has a bigger room." Run muttered.

"Because Little Mr. Work Addict has all this important Ministry stuff to do and Dad thinks we would disturb him." Fred said.

"Don't know what gave him that idea…" George said thoughtfully.

"But we know how much you love having us in here, so we wouldn't switch even if we were given that opportunity."

"Lucky me." Ron said.

"I know. You should be thankful Ron." George told him. "Now good night." He switched off the light.

"George, did it ever occur to you that we, powerful as we are, do not possess the power to see the in dark and that I have no idea where my bed is now?" Fred asked.

"Nope. Oh well." He said as he started feeling his way back to bed. After he and Fred managed to find their beds, the room was silent for a few minutes.

"So Ron, are you going to greet Hermione with a kiss when she –" George began.

"OW!" Fred yelped as Ron's wand ricocheted off his forehead. "Ron you git! That wasn't me!"

"Oops. Sorry about that."