Fred swayed absently to the sound of music drifting around the dining table. Seated on his right, his wife leaned into his shoulder more heavily, setting her glass of elf-made wine down to wrap both arms around his torso.
Contented smiles and heavy lidded eyes surrounded him. Mum's cooking was brilliant, as always, and now that she let Angelina and the rest of the wives in the kitchen the dinners only served to expand their waistlines almost as full as their hearts.
A slight pinch on his other arm, the one not wrapped around Tracey's shoulders, brought his attention to his twin.
"Never thought you'd be happy to sit idly by and let all these unsuspecting people walk through an April Fool's Day without a single prank, brother." George's equally relaxed face and tone took the sting out of the ribbing.
Teddy's song ended with a trill of his acoustic guitar and the smattering of applause caught their attention.
Fred's lips quirked mischievously, and he planted a kiss on his wife's head before disentangling from her gently. "You underestimate me."
Tracey laughed under her breath, capturing her husband for a moment in a kiss. "It's like you've learned no subtlety from me at all."
"You'll just need to continue being Slytherin enough for the both of us," Fred whispered, a full on smirk lighting up his face.
The family really should have noticed the disappearance of the birthday boys, their mother keeping a closer eye on the two. As it was Teddy and Victoire played their parts very well. An interview of sorts was underway for the two, as well as a way to test one of the inventions the twins were developing behind the scenes.
"Did everyone…?"
George scoffed, walking just ahead of Fred onto the porch outside. "Absolutely."
Bright lights and loud bangs from out on the lawn made the children scream in delight and a wave of family pour out of the house, sure they were about to witness another legendary Weasley Wizard Wheezes light show.
What they didn't expect was the effect of the substance mixed into everyone's slice of birthday cake to kick in and start to change their internal molecular structure. Just slightly. Just enough.
"Momma, I can fly!" squealed one of the youngest boys, reaching out for Susan Bones-Weasley's hands, even as his mother began to float gently just above the ground with each step.
Harry swiveled his head around to find the twins, easy to catch by their extra dose of Bouncing Brew projecting them high enough for their mother to screech at them to get away from those fireworks or you'll lose your other ear! A swift wink in the brother's direction, he shot them a thumbs up and propelled towards Ginny even as his wife bounced to meet him. A dull thunk made several of the family around them groan in sympathy of their surely aching heads.
Teddy with his guitar fueled the brew as he continued to play through the night. Victoire sat cross legged next to him the entire time. She took notes of the effects so studiously an onlooker may mistake her for Hermione, if the two women weren't so physically different.
It wasn't the meanest, or cleverest, or most intricate April Fool's prank they'd ever pulled, but the night spent leaping into the air and starting pick up games of Quidditch certainly was one of the most memorable ever. Fred and George couldn't imagine a better way to begin their thirty eighth year.
[A/N] 4.1.2016
Thank you for sharing a happier ending with me, and to the endless support of my tumblr buds m1sch1efmanaged, chiseplushie, and all the other wonderful bloggers. They are here on FFN as well!