Chapter 7

Molly retook her place on the kerb, Fred closed and locked the back door to the joke shop. She was very aware of the potion sloshing around in its phial in her pocket but chose to ignore it, shoving her hand around the container to keep it in place.

"Ready to go, Mol?" Fred asked his daughter who was staring intently at the door. When she didn't reply, he continued, "Mol, what's wrong?"

"Dad, where's Uncle George?"

"Oh, he's downstairs in the basement," Fred replied easily. Then the realisation hit him and his mouth formed an 'oh' shape. In only a few seconds, Fred had unlocked the door, swung it open and raced back into the shop, returning a few minutes later with a rather disgruntled looking George.

George slapped Fred across the back of the head, grumbling sarcastically, "Just lock me in the basement, why don't you?"

Fred laughed, "Sorry, mate. I really didn't know you were down there."

By this point, Molly could barely stand up because she was laughing so much. This, however, earned her a soft, joking slap across the back of her head from her dad.

"Oi! That right there is child abuse," Molly joked.

"Is not!" Fred protested.

George tutted, "I might have to report that, mate."

Fred faked looking offended, "You wouldn't!"

"I would," George threatened.

"You can't" Fred cried, a grin plastered on his face, "She's all I have! I'll be alone!"

Molly looked up just as Fred's mistake dawned on him. George stood between the two awkwardly; he, of course, knew about the arguments between his brother and sister-in-law, but, having no experience in the matter, could offer no advice to help.

"What about mum?" Molly said quietly.

"Mol, I was only joking. We were messing around, I didn't mean it like that. I love both of you, I-"

"I know," Molly said quietly, "Let's just go home."

George coughed awkwardly, "Anyone want to come back to mine for a bit? You can have dinner with us; Roxy and Fred have been dying to see you for ages, Mol."

In George's mind, taking Fred and Molly home for a bit would reduce the chances of Fred ending up trailing back over to stay overnight. The less time they spent at home, the less opportunity for arguments and, hopefully, the happier his brother is.

"What do you reckon, Mol? Want to have dinner with your smelly old uncle and cousins?"

"Old?" George repeated, "I'm the same age as you, you prat."

"That may be, but I aged gracefully, brother dear. You, however-"

"We're identical twins!" George cried, "Identical!"

Fred raised an eyebrow, "I don't know," he said dubiously, "You need a shave. And you're missing an ear. Prat."

George slapped a hand to his forehead.

"Anyway," Molly prompted, "dinner?"

"Dinner, yes," Fred exclaimed, "To the house of the smelly old uncle."

Molly took her dad's hand and Fred disapparated, still laughing quietly.

When they had appeared outside George's house and Molly's feeling of nausea had passed, she said, "I'll quickly run home and tell mum where we are. Just to make sure she doesn't cook dinner for us too."

"She won't," Fred muttered under his breath to his daughter's retreating back. George glanced up sympathetically and clapped a hand on Fred's back.

"Come, brother dear. Let us announce our presence in my most humble abode."

Fred laughed. "Wow, I haven't seen this place in ages! How long has it been now?"

"Oh, at least 20 hours," George mocked.

After another argument the previous afternoon, Fred had yet again ended up on his twin's doorstep and stayed for a few hours, working on products and messing about with Fred and Roxanne before returning home sheepishly very late at night.

"20 whole hours!" Fred exclaimed, wheezing with laughter, "Too long indeed."

By the time the two had calmed down, Molly had reappeared.

"Mum wasn't in," she said, "There was a note in the kitchen saying she'd gone out for dinner with some friends from work."

Fred raised an eyebrow suspiciously but still said, "Thanks anyway, Mol."

The three of them filed into George's porch.

"Welcome to chaos," he said, swinging open the front door to let Molly and Fred in.

Within seconds, Fred jnr. had launched himself into his dad's arms and Roxanne was waiting excitedly to talk to Molly. Fred jnr. however, beat his sister to it.

"Molly!" he cried, "Molly, I'm so excited! I finally get to go to Hogwarts! And Lily and Molly are starting this year too!"

"Fred, sweetie, let the poor girl through the front door," Angelina chided, pecking George on the cheek and hugging Fred as they entered.

"Molly what if I'm not in Gryffindor?" Fred jnr. suddenly said, "Everyone else is! You and James and Rose!"

Angelina sighed, "Fred, how many times do we have to tell you that it doesn't matter what house you're sorted into. Albus isn't in Gryffindor and he's doing just fine."

"But Albus is a grumpy pants."

George laughed while Angelina shook her head in despair.

"Fred, you'll be fine wherever you are," Fred told his nephew, smiling mischievously, "But just between you and me, I'll be very disappointed if you don't make it into Gryffindor. I can't have you living down the name of Fred Weasley."

Fred jnr's face fell and fear grew in his eyes. George laughed even harder while Angelina turned to face her husband's twin. "Fred!"

"Yes?" both Freds replied, smirking.

"Older Fred!" Angelina said, "Stop winding Fred- no, not yourself, the other one- stop winding him up!"

Roxanne and Molly, who were sitting together on the kitchen counter, couldn't hold back their laughter. Fred winked at his daughter before taking a seat next to Angelina at the kitchen table.

"Honestly," George said, tussling his brother's hair, "I don't think we should be letting this lunatic in our house, Angie. Locked me in the basement, he did. And forgot about me. I reckon he would have left me there if Molly hadn't reminded him."

"Now see here," Fred stood up to face his brother, "You didn't tell me you were down there. Last I saw you were trying to catch that pygmy puff."

"What pygmy puff?" Roxanne asked.

"Your stupid dad let a pygmy puff loose in the shop," Fred laughed.

"It's not my fault!" George cried.

"Sorry mate, but who left the cage wide open?"

"I stood in front of it! I was only showing one to a customer!" George protested.

"They're alive you twit! They can walk around your legs!"

"So anyway," Molly interrupted, "This pygmy puff was running around the shop for about an hour. Knocked over all the Wonder Witch stand-"

"Actually that was Fred," George joked.

"Tripped up at least five customers-"

"That was Fred too."

"Pooed on the counter-"

"Again, Fred."

"Oi!" Fred protested.

"And then took shelter under the cauldron full of Skiving Snackboxes."

The entire kitchen was full of people crying with laughter.

"And little George couldn't even catch it!" Fred teased his brother.

"I didn't see you trying."

"I was busy!"

And so the night continued, full of laughter, light hearted conversation and joy so that Molly and Fred returned home with aching jaws from constant grinning.

A/N: Woah, could this possibly be a decently lengthed chapter? Shame it isn't too exciting aha.

So anyway I'm tossing this idea around in my head about a little side thing in the story and can't decide whether it would be too cliche or make the story too complicated! Obviously it's hard to help when you don't know the idea but what would you do if you had an idea which you wanted to include in a fic but can't decide? Pls give advice!

Thanks for reading, love Fi xx