"If your mother yells at us one more time to hurry up, I'm going to put a garden gnome in her trunk," Cameron growled as she meticulously outlined her eyes in the muggle eyeliner that she favored. I chuckled to myself and fastened the belt around my waist over my dress. We were going to see Fred and George's shop today, and I for one was excited. With their sense of humor, the shop had to be amazing. After that, Molly said she was showing us around Diagon Alley, making sure to note that they had a shop there that made wonderful wedding gowns.
"You and I both know she'll just keep fussing till we get our asses down there," I sighed, pulling my hair up into a quick pony tail. It was surprisingly hot here in the summer, and I didn't feel like having my hair down all day.
"Oi, Ron and Ginny just got here are you two… Hello," Fred grinned broadly as I turned around. I followed his gaze and found it right where it shouldn't be. He is a guy though, I guess I should have expected it. But come on, your brother's fiancée?
Not that Bill would give a damn.
"Eyes up here, Freddie," I reminded him, motioning to my eyes. "They're not yours to stare at."
"Could be though," he countered, sauntering up to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "How about you ditch my prat of a brother and shack up with me," he continued, wiggling his eyebrows for emphasis. I knew he was joking, of course, but it made me laugh. And it honestly gave me a bit of confidence. It's nice to know that someone finds me attractive, even if Bill doesn't.
"I can only imagine what Molly would say about that," Cameron snickered, running a hand through her hair and mussing it up just slightly. George grinned and threw himself onto the bed that Cameron had slept on the night before, instantly taking a mocking tone as he tried to mimic his mother's voice.
"Fred Weasley, how dare you steal your brother's fiancée! He has gone through such a rough time, so what if he's a giant wanker! Blah, blah, blah… and stop testing your products on your brother!" He sighed and rubbed his forehead, dropping the mocking voice. "It'd probably go a little something like that."
"I agree," Fred sighed. "I suppose we'll just have to run away and elope."
"Oh shush you," I snickered, smacking his arm. "Enjoy your time as a single man, it won't last much longer."
"Yes, but having a pretty wife would make me feel so much better," he winked. I rolled my eyes, he really didn't give up. I knew it was a joke, but it seemed like he had a comeback for every damn thing I said.
"GIRLS!" my father yelled, making Cameron drop the chap stick that she had been applying. I groaned and stomped my foot on the ground. I wonder if throwing a fit would do any good? Maybe they'd just let the twins take Cam and I to Dianog Alley.
Wait… no, that's not right. It's Diagon Alley. Like diagonally, but an alley. I'd need to remember that.
"Coming!" I yelled back, my bottom lip jutting out at the thought of having to go through town acting like Bill and I were a couple. Molly and my mother insisted that they wanted to show us off to everyone since we were "such a handsome couple". Fred and George had then proceeded to pinch our cheeks and tell us how cute we were.
Bill tried to shove Fred down the stairs for that.
"I don't suppose you two would give me one of those things you invented that would make me sick, would you?" I asked quietly as we all descended the stairs. George grinned and shook his head.
"Not a chance. We're planning on this being our entertainment for the day. Seeing you annoyed and getting to watch someone hand Bill's arse to him? It's better than watching TB!"
"TV," Cameron corrected with a small smile. Our grandmother Yvonne had been a muggleborn, so she had always insisted we know the basics of existing as a muggle, just in case the need ever arose. George narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't say anything. He had a tendency to do that with her. He'd just look at her rather than saying something funny or snarky as he did with most everyone else.
"There you all are!" Molly sighed, throwing her arms up in relief when we finally stepped into the kitchen. There were two new redheads at the table, and it was pretty obvious which was Ron and which was Ginny. The Weasley's were odd, but they weren't cruel. "It's about time. We were about to leave without you."
"What a shame that would have been," I grumbled under my breath, sticking my tongue out at Bill who was doing nothing but glaring at me. Ron and Ginny seemed to be taking a page out of their oldest brother's book and watched me with steely eyes. One would think that two redheaded teenagers with freckles splattered across their noses and generally friendly faces wouldn't be so intimidating… but they were.
"Ron, Ginny, this is Rhiannon, Bill's fiancée," Arthur began, pointing to me. Feeling a bit out of place, I offered a shy wave, stepping back when their glares intensified. "And her cousin Cameron, who will also be staying with us."
"Why?" Ron asked bluntly. There wasn't a hint of mirth on his face. No, he seemed kind of pissed.
My parents and the Weasleys exchanged a glance, wondering just what reason they should offer. In reality, there were multiple reasons. The Ministry in America was getting worse and going crazy over their marriage law. They didn't want me to be here alone. Cameron needed to find a husband, preferably a non-American one, just to insure that he wasn't corrupt. And honestly, she and I both wanted to help with the war over here.
George however, saved everyone's asses yet again. "We want her here."
"Yeah, got a problem with it?" Fred added, wrapping his arms around Cameron and I's shoulders protectively. "I'm sure I could find a spider to-"
"Fred," Molly's voice came in warning, though relief was shining in her eyes.
"But why is she marrying Bill?" Ginny continued, looking at her brother sympathetically. "It doesn't even look like he likes her."
"I don't," was the growled response. I rolled my eyes.
"Feeling's mutual," I retorted, blowing him a kiss for extra effect. I ignored the scowls on our parents' faces. They honestly couldn't have expected all this to be just sunshine and rainbows. Though I don't think that even I could have anticipated things being this hostile.
"Right then," my father said suddenly, clapping his hands loudly to grab everyone's attention. "Fred, George, you two going to show us this shop I've heard so much about?"
Both of their faces lit up in pride at the mention of their business. They were very committed to what they did, and I have to admit, I was very excited to see what they had come up with.
"Why yes, right this way sir," Fred motioned theatrically to the fireplace, throwing in floo powder and yelling out 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes' before stepping in and disappearing.
Well, here goes nothing.
"Goddess, this place is amazing," I muttered to myself, still exploring the vast store that Fred and George had brought to life. There were so many things here, fireworks, skiving snackboxes (made for getting out of classes), pygmy puffs, Wonder Witch products, they really had all the bases covered.
Now if only their uniforms didn't clash so much.
"They've put a lot of hard work into it."
The fact that Ginny was speaking to me shocked me in itself. The fact that there wasn't a hostile look on her face and she wasn't trying to hex me, left me totally stunned. She'd been sending me glares for most of the day, though she wasn't as bad as Ron I must admit. That boy just seemed to want me dead. He must take after his older brother.
"I can tell," I replied, watching her skeptically. I couldn't help but think that this was all some sort of pretense. She couldn't have completely changed her opinion of me in less than twenty minutes. I wasn't stupid.
After a few seconds of silence, she leant against one of the shelves and eyed me with suspicion. "So, why does Bill hate you, yet the twins seem to consider you their new best friend?"
Ah, there it was her ulterior motive. Shame, I thought she would have had the sense to be more subtle and at least make small talk for a bit. But maybe subtlety is lost over the Atlantic?
"Fred and George don't think I'm their new best friend," I answered in a bored voice, studying the invisible ink selection that they had. "They're just being kind and trying to be friends with me. There's no crime in that. Bill, on the other hand, hates that I exist, and wants me to go home."
"Why don't you?"
I raised my eyebrows in surprise, such venom from such a young girl. You'd think I was some sort of gold digging whore, or plotting to ruin her family. "Because I can't," I answered bluntly. "I'm not allowed to travel out of the country without my husband, or his explicit approval. I have no rights anymore, to do anything. Not until I'm married. Trust me, if I could leave, I would. I'd rather not be around a bunch of people that hate me."
"Well you did throw all of this on him."
I scoffed and shook my head. "Ginny, I didn't know I was engaged until a few days ago. By the time I knew, the contract had been signed. I had no say in the matter."
"Why are you so mean to Bill then?" she huffed, crossing her arms and staring me down. That actually made me laugh out loud. Was this girl serious? Really?
"He started it," I stated simply. There was no other way to put it. I hadn't said a word to him, and he had already had his mind made up that he would hate me.
"That's mature," she scoffed, rolling her eyes and stomping off in the other direction. I stared after her, my mind reeling from the encounter. Had a sixteen year old girl just called me immature?