Fred and George appeared at the Dursleys' front door just as a light turned on upstairs. They grinned identical grins, and placed the basket of cupcakes on the doorstep. They looked at each other for a second, and apparated away with a pop.
With another pop they were back in The Burrow's front yard. They watched amusedly as Hermione and Ron snuck away "unseen" to the trees by the pond. The twins rolled their eyes. Fred shook his head.
"Young love, eh George,"
"So innocent and naïve,"
"Yes…makes you want to puke, doesn't it?"
"Wise words, as always, my dear Fred."
"Oh yes."
With that they turned away and walked up to the front door. Mrs. Weasley was already in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. Harry was sitting with his head on the table. It was only then that they noticed how thin he was. The dark circles under his eyes stood out against his pale skin.
"Harry, are you okay?" Fred stepped closer to him. Harry looked up. They could see the dead look of his face, and the dullness of his usually bright green eyes.
"I'm fine Fred." Fred and George looked doubtful, but knew they wouldn't get anything else out of him, so they smiled at him, and ran away upstairs, and to their room.
George slammed the door shut.
"He's definitely not fine."
"When did you pick that up?" Fred rolled his eyes. George scowled, but then his eyebrows creased with worry. He looked down.
"I'm scared for him."
Fred sat down beside his brother and sighed.
"I know. We all are. Mum's been beside herself."
"Ginny hasn't come out of her room."
"I heard they broke up."
"Normally, I'd beat the guy up, but… well… "
"Yeah. He didn't just randomly dump her for another girl. Knowing Harry, he probably has his reasons,"
"No matter how ridiculous they are."
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
A bedraggled Ginny slipped into the room. The tears on her face glistened in the morning light that was coming from the window. Fred looked up worriedly.
"Are you ok, Ginny?"
Ginny sniffed at sat down beside George.
"He's here"
"Harry?"
"He's here"
They couldn't seen to get anything else out of her, so they gave up on it and George pulled her into a hug.
"We'll beat him up for you if you like?"
Ginny looked up alarmed.
"NO! Please don't! He hasn't done anything wrong!"
"Except break our baby sister's heart…"
"But…" She sighed. "He had his stupid reasons. He's too good for me. He tries to break up with me, just to protect me. I saw him in the living room. He looks miserable. He didn't want to leave me. And here I am now, mourning because he loves me too much to see me hurt."
"What? He broke up with you to protect you? How is that… Oooh…." Fred trailed off.
"He thinks I'm going to be targeted because of him. He doesn't want me close to him. He thinks I'll get hurt."
"We'll go knock some sense into him…" Fred and George stood up.
"Please! I intend on following him anyway… There's nothing he can do to keep me back… no point in breaking his nose…"
"Sorry Gin, but as big brothers, this is our job!"
Ginny sighed and looked down, as the twins walked purposefully out the door.
Harry was picking at his pancakes when he heard footsteps on the stairs. The twins emerged from around a corner, and glared at him. He averted his gaze and turned it back on his pancakes.
"Harry. We need to talk to you."
"Outside"
Harry stood up, leaving his un-eaten pancakes on his plate, and followed them out the door.
As soon as they were in the yard, George turned around and punched him in the face. Harry didn't even try to retaliate, as Fred barreled him and hit his face a few times. The twins then stood up, and George extended a hand to Harry. Harry stood up on his own, and walked back to the house, and went inside. Fred and George looked at each other.
They found Harry sitting on his bed in Ron's room, looking through what looked like a photo album.
"Harry?" Fred knelt down next to him.
"We're sorry Harry, that was just for breaking our sister's heart… brotherly obligation, you know…"
Harry didn't even look up. Fred stood, sighing, and the twins left the room.
Harry sat there, staring at the picture of his parents on their wedding day, Sirius waving from James' side. Tears pricked at his eyes as he stared at the godfather he would never see again, and the parents he would never meet.
The door creaked open, and Harry looked up. Ron and Hermione walked in, hand in hand.
"Bloody hell Harry! What happened to your face?"
Harry mumbled something incoherent.
"Harry?"
"Just put a glamour or concealment charm on it, please? I don't want to talk about it."
Hermione sighed and stepped forward. She put her fingers under Harry's chin, pushing his face up towards her. She pulled out her wand and muttered a few words. The bruises and black eye disappeared, as well as the scratch along his cheek.
"Are you sure you don't want to tell us what happened Harry?"
Harry nodded, and turned his head back to his album.
Ron and Hermione, sensing that the conversation was over, went around Harry and sat on Ron's bed, Ron's arm around Hermione's shoulder.
It was going to be a long day.