Joke Shop

"We see," Fred and George said together, glancing at each other. They had a dark look on their faces, which was quickly replaced by humor.

"Say, why don't we go and see what's in the joke shop," Fred said, apparently changing the subject.

"That's all the two of you can think of," Hermione stated, and Ginny nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm sure the Hobbit's would like to see it. There's Wizarding Firecrackers," Fred hinted at.

"You mean those things that Hermione used at school to get us out of trouble," Irumi muttered. "DON'T show them those… Pippin is, how to put it, full of mischief without intension."

Fred shook his head at them. "Nah… I won't show him any of those… in fact, I'll be escorting him myself so Ms. Figg can have a break, and…"

"…Ginny can take the other Hobbit, Hermione can take the blond Elf, I'll take the other," George interrupted, but obviously Fred agreed. Ms. Figg sat down on the fountain edge and decided to take a short nap and told them to wake her when they were finished. They then followed the others into the massive shop and each group moved in separate directions.

George and Irumi headed over to a small display, George showing more interest then her in what was there. "How did you know… almost no one can tell the difference between the two of us."

"It was Fred's idea to separate the way we did, wasn't it, not yours? The only reason he didn't decide to guide me around is that I mentioned that Pippen could be a problem," the Elfling stated, her emotions not changing.

"That doesn't answer my question at all," George said, shaking his head.

"Yes, it actually does. Fred did most of the talking before, he's the eldest so he's the dominate twin, he always looks out for you, but…" Irumi stopped part way through.

"But what, something is bothering you, isn't it," George said, suddenly fiddling with the display, trying to empress her.

"Something happened to him before time rewound itself, didn't it?" Irumi stated, still watching what he was doing without any interest, "That I wouldn't know, except you interrupted him the way you did, instead of letting him finish… he also wasn't expecting it."

"Yeah, something did happen to him… he died two years after we got out of school," George said. He then added the comment, "You notice way too much. I mean, you're like nine, ten years old."

"I am in a position where I am expected to act mature for my age, though at times I feel free to act my age," Irumi stated.

"Well, why aren't you acting your age right now," George asked, trying to continue the conversation.

"To put it bluntly, I hate male human wizards… I had a cousin who ended up, one might say, in a rough spot because of them… there is also my status among my people," Irumi said.

"First off, I and Fred, one might say we're like Pippin, we're more mischievous then harmful," the boy said.

"Then I expect you to also act like him when those you care about are in danger… my trust is not easy to gain," Irumi said, following him to the next thing, still showing no interest.

"Well… still, ones rank shouldn't mean you should act like a snob to people," George said making a face.

The laughter from the Elfing surprised him, and he saw a smile flash across her face. "Your comparing me to that boy we met earlier, into pure that pure blood junk. I wasn't referring to that kind of rank… more of one where, I'm expected to be a role model in certain situations. This trip is completely political. I might also add, even if I enjoy things, my people, the Eldar, or Elves, tend to not show emotion. It's the way we are."

"Then that would be why that friend of yours, the Elf that came to our school our first year, acted the way he did, when you joke, you keep a straight face. But… there was something else too I think," the boy said.

"Something is bothering you and your brother about him… what was it?" Irumi asked.

"Let me ask you something… is he a good person?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, he takes care of Ai and me… he's like family," Irumi stated, giving him a confused look.

"Then why did he end up in Slytherin…" George imputed, only to confuse the younger one. "It is said that only bad wizards come out of Slytherin."

"Ainel is… he's confused… his grandfather, an Eldar cares nothing about him, or so it seems. His mother is divorced from his father, who apparently comes from a long line or Dark Wizards… possibly one of those pure blood families? I can not be sure, as I leave those things alone… I just knew that he stopped writing to Ai and… Ai became very sad, and wasn't himself for a long while,"

"So… he would be a half breed then…" George said, shaking his head.

"Because he, Ai, China and I are ostracized, it is easier for us to make friends with others who stand outside the box, who are different. And for him, it's harder because there is no one his age."

"I need to tell you this, don't tell anyone I told you, except maybe him… right around the time he disappeared, we heard that one of the other students, an older one in the Slytherin house got expelled, even perhaps time in Azkaban… which is serious," George said. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"Yes… I have an idea of what you're getting at…" Irumi said. "I can not interfere though… not in this case. Ainel, he is skeptical of the time rewind… he would not believe me and is much less trusting of Wizards than I am."

"I see… I'll talk to Fred… perhaps we can make friends with him… at least try too," George said, he then turned to Irumi. "What exactly is the political business you're here for."

"Because of Fudge, I got selected as Seeker for the Anwe Quiditch team… and it became political because of the women by the name of Umbridge,"

"Quiditch, huh… I take it you don't know how to ride a broom?"

"I know that those who go around the kamieh use it as a form of transportation. Old Tavor, he used to make brooms, but decided to no longer make them about twenty five years ago,"

"Tavor… that's a rather unknown broom, and a lot of work went into each one, they are rare to have one… their antiques. But one of them is as good, if not better then a good deal of the brooms made today… but then, any of them that aren't mass produced tend to be that way,"

"Old woodpecker, he makes other things now, things that can be sold to any one, I doubt he'll make another broom. He's done quite a good deal of work for Grandada…" Irumi said, looking off distantly and finally messing with one of the displays, jumping backwards when it startled her.

"Woodpecker,"

"Tavor is Sindarin and means woodpecker. He has had over the years different variety of them… he prefers it to the humans form of mail carrying, though I prefer the old fashioned by hand mode,"

"You defiantly are an odd duck… ahh, its time that we be meeting mum back at the pub for lunch!" George said.

"Shush!" came from three different places, one being Irumi.

"Did somebody say lunch?" Pippin asked, popping his head around the corner, only to have Irumi shake her head.

"You have to wait Pippin," Irumi said, seeing Fred come around the corner too.

"This Hobbit… he wouldn't stop about who's related to who among Hobbit's," the boy groaned. "Is this the kind of mischief he gets into?"

"No… Hobbit's always go on like that about their linage. Rumor has it that Tolkien left out in his book that Pippen and Merry set off Mithrandir's firework, but there was no proof for Frodo to put it down for Tolkien to translate into his book," Irumi said, only to have Pippin shake his head that it wasn't true.

"You're mistaking something I did much later, for something earlier. He seems to like… I won't mention the word, but anyways, big fireworks."

"I see… come on George… oi, you guys want to meet our mum? She'd love to meet all of you,"

Irumi was about to protest, but Pippin and Merry nodded their heads in agreement. China also nodded her head as she was excited to be meeting the people she had read about in her book.

Author's note – Ainel comes onto the screen, "The big shocker… I was in Slytherin and didn't last even a year… and I don't remember this. The author is debating on whether to put me into another house this time around, or not. She's in favor of a certain decision, but another is still up there and she's tossing it around her head. What do you think about that? First 'good' person out of Slytherin, or a different house getting me out of the problem all together, baring in mind, she has the final decision."