Chapter 1

Fred Weasley flopped himself down on his usual seat around the dining-room table. Today's meal was his least favourite- liver and onions- but the Johnson's loved it. He supposed it was in their genes to eat strange food. Despite growing up with the disgusting stuff at least once a fortnight, he still hated it.

Unfolding his napkin and placing it on his lap, he glanced up at Mr Johnson. The tall, stern looking man with the thick black eyebrows met his eye and grinned. Sam was on his left, impatiently tapping his foot. Mrs Johnson was still in the kitchen preparing to bring out the food with their daughter Helena, so it was in these five minutes that Fred truly appreciated his foster father without Mrs Johnson nagging and fussing about everything.

Mr Philip Johnson worked as a banking consultant. He was an intimidating looking person, towering over most people at 6'7'', but once you got to know him, you saw his kind heart shining through. He had thick, curly black hair, and intense dark eyes that twinkled if he liked you, and burned if he didn't. He always dressed in his favourite Armani suit, except in the house, when he liked to kick off his shoes and walk around in his striped pyjamas. Fred had seen him sneaking around the house early in the morning, checking on his son, then his daughter, then on him. He also liked to have a packet of biscuits (custard creams, to be exact) on his bedside table so he could eat one in the middle of the night if he got peckish.

Sam Johnson was the youngest child of Fred's foster family. Sam was a quiet, weedy looking boy of 8, and Fred had always felt sorry for him during the long terms at their boarding school. Sam wasn't stupid, or ugly, but he had somehow never fit in, and Fred had had many disagreements with Mrs Johnson that boarding school wasn't the place for him, but she had never given in, insisting that it was the best place for him. Fred was 11, 3 years older than his 'brother'; when they were away at school, he tried to look after him, but Sam was one of those people that just attracted the bullies.

When they were at home, however, Sam was a completely different person. He was a laugh, with a surprisingly smart humour that Fred liked. He enjoyed creeping out of the house on Halloween and hiding behind trees with Fred, terrifying any trick-or-treaters that walked by. Although they didn't share a room, Sam had often joined him in a 'midnight feast' in his room, talking late into the night about their plans for the summer and who they would trick next.

Mrs Johnson then entered the room carrying a large steaming dish of the liver, followed by Helena and two platters of potatoes and greens. There was a sudden silence as there always was when she entered the room. After a couple of trips back to the kitchen to fetch drinks etc. the two women finally sat down, and Fred picked up his knife and fork and lent over to get some vegetables.

"No no, Fred!" warned Mrs Johnson darkly. "We must say grace first."

"You'd think you'd have learnt that by now," said Helena, rolling her eyes. Fred scowled and dropped his knife and fork, putting his hands stubbornly under the table, refusing to pray. Mrs Johnson gave him a scathing look and then nodded at her husband.

"For what we are about to receive," he said, sounding bored, "may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen."

"Amen," chorused Mrs Johnson, Helena and Sam. Fred kept his lips firmly shut.

"Well, tuck in!" The three of them launched themselves on the liver and Fred gave Mrs Johnson a stony look which she ignored.

Mrs Janet Johnson was one of these women who refused to change her ways for anything. She was the typical old-fashioned house wife, who did anything her husband told her to, but had such a dangerous look on her face that most of the time he avoided anything that would provoke her. She had cropped, mousy-brown hair and watery blue eyes. She was fairly short and plump. She was a devout Christian, determinedly going to church every Sunday morning at 9 o'clock. She was also desperate that her children (including Fred) would become MPs in the future.

Her daughter Helena looked very much like her, but had a much kinder spirit. She had the same mousy-brown hair and blue eyes, but she grew her hair long and it curled just like her Father's. She was short and slight, but the thing Fred loved most about her was her smile- it was the most infectious smile he had ever come across, and was partly the reason he always loved to make people laugh, just to see that smile of hers. (Of course, Fred also liked to make people laugh because he loved the trouble.)

Half an hour later, after Fred had watched the Johnson's eat through their third helpings of liver, Helena and Mrs Johnson cleared the table and Mr Johnson retired to the lounge to have a cigar and a glass of port. Sam and Fred went out into the garden to sit on the swings.

"You alright Fred?" Sam asked, as they swung lazily under the setting sun.

Fred looked across at his younger brother and gave him a wide smile and a wink. "Yeah, 'course I am. When am I not?" Sam laughed and punched him on the arm.

"Not often, I admit." There was a short silence as they watched the sun finally disappear behind the hills, before Sam spoke up again, softly his time. "I'm gonna miss you next year, Fred. I can't imagine that place without you."

"I know, mate. I'm not exactly thrilled about leaving either." He sighed. "Just... promise me you won't let them walk all over you. You're so much better than them; simply... stand up to them!"

"It's not as easy as you make out!" he replied, his voice rising. "When have you ever had to hide all your stuff every night for fear that your room mates will steal it all? When have you ever starved for a whole day because they took your breakfast? You haven't, Fred! So don't come all that with me!"

He stopped, breathing hard and staring forwards, a blazing look in his eyes. Fred was shocked; Sam had never blown up like that at him before.

"Sam I... I'm sorry, man. I didn't know they were that bad."

"But you haven't though, have you Fred? They didn't hate you, even though-"

"-even though I never fit in, yeah, I know." Fred sighed deeply, shivering at the sudden cold the evening had brought about them.

"Why didn't you fit in Fred? It's not like you didn't make them laugh, or they didn't like you?"

"I'm just different, that's all," he said, twiddling his thumbs. "It's like... there's something missing. I dunno what it is, I can't work it out."

"Maybe you just aren't destined to be an MP," Sam said quietly.

"No, maybe I'm not. I'm hoping things will be different at my next school."

But Fred had no idea how different things would truly be.

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! It's hard writing stuff like this, because there are no facts- this is an entirely alternate universe, which I've never tried before! I hope I pulled it off though, sorry that it took so long to update, been so busy with school and work, I don't have one day off at all any more. I hope you didn't hate the way I've put Fred in a privilaged childhood, going to a posh school, but I do have a reasoning for it, which will become clear later! :D Please please please review, thanks so much for everyone who alerted and favourited, and thank you to SolelyReader, Ridwa, chocolateMnMs, Laura T, LadyLLib, and Katherine! You guys are awesome!