I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 21 – Separation Anxiety
Takes place during Fred, George, and Angelina's seventh year, Harry's sixth.
Dedicated to enrapturedreader
"Hey, how's it going?"
Fred narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
Alicia narrowed her eyes. "Why the suspicion and hostility?"
He squinted at her. "You never ask me how it's going without wanting something."
She squinted at him. "Well if this is the thanks I get when I check on your well-being without ulterior motive then small wonder I don't do it often at all!" Her eyes opened as his closed completely. "What are you doing?"
He shrugged. "I didn't know what to do after squinting so I just closed my eyes."
She snorted. "You look stupid."
"That's the Alicia I know." He batted his eyelashes at her while she sighed. "I'm okay though. Why do you ask?"
"You're by yourself and I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw you by yourself."
"Ah yeah, well George is off doing something that isn't a twin endeavor."
Alicia smiled. "I'm telling Angelina you called her something."
Fred smiled. "That's fine. I'll tell her George told me that before he left." The two laughed for a few moments. "Besides," he continued when the laughter subsided, "you're rarely alone too and here you are slumming it with me."
"True but Angelina isn't my twin and we aren't together nearly as much as you and George."
Fred shrugged. "It was bound to happen. Luckily I like Angelina as a person and a friend so it's no hardship really."
"That's good. I was worried you would be taking the separation poorly."
"You mean acting out, desperate for attention? Throwing tantrums? Playing even more terrible pranks?" His grin widened. "Thanks for the idea Alicia!"
"Wait, no. I wasn't-"
"I'm off to cause a little mayhem and you're my inspiration."
"Don't you dare. Hey! Come back here!"
-0-
"It's so weird to see you here by yourself," Katie commented, sitting at the table.
George looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"I'm used to seeing you with Fred all the time. Though now you're with Angelina a lot too so you weren't really alone. When you're sitting by yourself like this, it's just weird."
George looked at her for a bit longer. "Huh. I never thought about it. She went off to use the restroom and Fred…"
It took a moment for Katie to notice that George had stopped talking, staring into space with an odd expression. "What's wrong?"
"I just realized that I don't know where Fred is. I usually always know where Fred is."
"Because he's beside you."
"Yeah." He looked a little forlorn.
"You okay?" she asked softly.
"I just…I was too busy being happy with Angelina that I didn't really think about Fred."
"Oh that's normal. You're in a relationship. It's not like you abandoned him or anything."
He looked stricken. "Oh Merlin, did I abandon him?!"
"What? No! I just said that you didn't aband-hey! Where're you going?!"
"I have to go find Fred!" George went running out of the common room, leaving a gaping Katie staring after him. She felt terrible, completely caught off-guard with the reaction her off-handed comment had made. She chewed her lip worriedly.
Alicia stomped into the common room, looking frazzled and disgruntled. One look from her sent people scurrying out of her way and she sat beside Katie.
"What happened?" Katie asked nervously.
"Bloody Fred!" Alicia swore. "I tried to be nice and ask about his well-being and he took it as permission to act even more the hellion! I just spent the last hour trying to hold him back from his wilder ideas and undoing his damn pranks!"
Katie rubbed her face to try and hide her smile. "Huh, George had the opposite reaction when I asked how he was doing. He was worried he abandoned Fred."
"Oh that's not just me?" The girls turned to look up at a worried Angelina. "I've been worried about that too."
"Even 'if' George abandoned Fred," Alicia said with a very sarcastic tone, "you're not to blame."
"Aren't I? I'm the one dating George and separating them." Angelina sat down, looking put out. "I'm taking up all his time."
"You are not," Alicia said. "Just the other night I saw those two running around and causing some sort of mayhem."
"But it's usually every night but now it's the other one," Angelina said.
"I mean, you knew this would happen right?" Katie said. "Unless you're dating both of them at the same time. Which would be super weird."
"And super gross," Alicia added, making a face. She shook her head to shake the thoughts away. "You have no reason to feel guilty though. It's as much as George's decision as it's yours."
"I know, I still feel a little guilty though," Angelina said.
"You like being with George though, right?" Katie asked.
Angelina nodded. "Yeah. It's actually really nice dating him. He's always funny and he's sweet."
"He looks at your bum," Alicia added snidely.
"He does do that," Angelina laughed. "And like, I've hung out with him and Fred a lot and I guess now that I'm more aware of George, he and Fred really are different enough to be told apart. Not when they're trying to be the same obviously but you know, in other ways. I would never forgive myself if they ever stopped being brothers and friends because of me though."
The portrait door flew open and George and Fred tumbled in. Heads turned and stared as they watched something not many had ever thought could happen not much would.
The Weasley Twins were fighting, one another.
"I can't believe you did that!" George yelled.
"Why not?! It was my idea!" Fred yelled back.
"Didn't say it wasn't but you knew I wanted to do it too!"
"Well, I offered times and you never took them so there! Besides, like you've never done this to me!"
"When did I ever pull a prank without you?!"
"When you turned Charlie's dragons into pugs!"
"That was accidental and you know it, not to mention years ago!"
"Still counts!"
They tussled with one another, shouting and grunting. Some of the Gryffindors cheered and began laying down bets. The Chasers watched in horrified rictus. Harry came running into the common room and bodily tackled them, shoving his way between them.
"Right! Knock it off!" he yelled, trying to keep them apart.
"I'll knock his head off!" George yelled.
"You couldn't knock a puff off a dandelion!" Fred yelled.
Lee and Ron came to help and between them they separated the fighting Fred and George.
"You know what, fuck off!" they shouted in unison at each other. After a moment's surprise they continued. "Fine! I will!" Fred threw off Lee's arms and stomped upstairs while George pushed Ron away and stomped out of the common room.
"That…was just bad timing," Alicia said, hugging a distraught Angelina.
"It's all my fault," Angelina whimpered.
"No it isn't," Ron said. He missed the surprised looks from the girls. "Fred and George fight. They just usually do it in private. They don't fight often but they do."
"Yeah, I've seen it," Lee said. "Usually it's a bit more lowkey but maybe it's the pressures of N.E.W.T.s and stuff getting to them."
"So it's a sibling thing?" Harry asked, looking and sounding worried.
"Oh yeah," Ron said. "Don't worry, all siblings fight like that. You should have seen some of the fights that broke out when we were all growing up. Bill, Charlie, Fred and George, even Percy. When Percy gets pushed far enough, he fights dirty."
"I honestly can't see that," Harry said with a smile.
Ron grinned. "Next time you see him, ask him about the time Charlie threw him into the pond. It's the only time I saw Charlie lose a one-on-one fight."
"Tyler and I don't fight like that because he knows I'll Curse him, I've done it," Alicia said soothingly. "And I know what you do to your brothers every holiday."
Angelina sniffled. "But, I've never seen Fred and George like that before."
Lee patted her shoulder. "Don't cry. It'll be fine. It'll just take a little time but you'll see."
-0-
Later on, they would call it "The Week of Silence".
It was not truly silent of course. However, a general quiet had taken over Gryffindor tower. There was less noise, less liveliness. Something that was always present before felt all the more missing once you realized when it was gone. The rest of the castle was also calmer, something most appreciated despite not knowing the reasoning.
Fred and George did not speak to one another the entire time. They did not go out of their way to avoid the other, or to do anything to the other, but they were silent to each other. There was a coolness, a pall that hung between them that was almost visible.
People began to grow worried and Angelina still blamed herself despite Fred and George assuring her, separately, that she was not to blame. She was despondent and their closest friends were also concerned.
"I never thought I'd say this," Hermione said, "but I rather them at their usual than this…weirdness. It's unsettling. I thought I'd like the peace but it doesn't feel right."
"They'll be fine," Ron said.
"It's been a while though," Katie said.
"Well, usually they only fight for like a day or two," Ginny said with a sheepish shrug, "but really, they'll be fine."
"Has it ever been this bad?" Alicia asked.
Ron and Ginny looked at each other. "Maybe?" they said in unison, equally uncertain.
"Maybe I should break up with him," Angelina said hollowly. "It's my fault."
"That might make things worse," Lee said. "I know it looks bad and sounds bad but it's not…that…bad. Just give them some more time."
Alicia and Harry exchanged a look and they nodded.
-0-
"You want to play a prank?" George asked, incredulous.
"Yeah, Ron said I don't have what it takes and I think I do," Harry said.
"Won't you get in trouble if you're caught?" George asked. "You being prefect and all."
"Then I shouldn't get caught, right?" Harry asked with faux innocence.
George smiled. Harry had missed that smile lately. "You raise a good point. Alright then, what do you want to do?"
"I think I saw something interesting in the second floor drop room."
"Ah excellent choice. Let's go!" George led Harry down a side passage and opened the door to the secret drop room he and Fred had made there. He looked in and stopped when he saw Fred hanging upside down. "Wait a sec-" He went flying, hit by a spell from the left and he found himself dangling beside Fred. "Harry!"
"I didn't cast that!"
"I did," Alicia said smugly. She appeared in the corner, taking off the invisibility cloak. "Now, this little tiff between you two tits has gone on long enough. You will talk it out and bury the wand." She deftly removed their wands and tucked them into her pocket.
"I can't believe you betrayed us," they said in unison to Harry, looking at each other with surprise.
Harry shrugged. "Desperate times and all. We're worried."
"And if you break Angelina's heart over this, I'll break parts of both of you," Alicia growled. "You have fifteen minutes before the jinx wears off and you both fall head first. As if the stone will break your thick skulls," she said before leaving.
Harry waited for her to go before he cast a cushioning charm on the stones below them. He waved and followed Alicia out, closing the door behind him.
Fred sighed. "I can't believe you got tricked by Harry wanting to play a prank."
"How'd you know?"
"'Cause that's how he got me."
George snorted. "I can't believe you showed him this drop room."
"He already knew about it when I did."
George shrugged awkwardly. "Oh right, I forgot I showed it to him early on."
They dangled there.
"This sucks."
"Us fighting or dangling here or being tricked by Harry or jinxed by Alicia?"
"Yes."
"I'm actually proud of Harry," George said. "It takes some cunning to get us."
"Eh, if we were together he wouldn't have. He took advantage of our state."
"True."
They dangled in silence.
"I didn't abandon you, did I?" George asked.
"What? No. Not really." Fred sighed. "Maybe I've been feeling a little lonely but you didn't abandon me. And maybe I decided to take it out on you by doing the prank I knew you wanted to do too."
"I'm sorry," they said at the same time.
George grinned. "Remember when we swore we'd never let a girl come between us?"
Fred grinned. "Technically we still haven't. That was if we were both interested in the same girl. I guess I can say I've been jealous. Not that you're with Angie, but that you have someone you know? Someone else to spend time with."
"You can try to get a girl too you know," George said. "How about any of the girls you've been spending quality broom closet time with?"
Fred shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, they're a lot of fun to play with and stuff but I don't feel the same about any of them like you do Angie, and I know they don't feel the same way about me. Just fun and nothing more. I guess it's me being hypocritical in the sense I'm jealous of you spending time with her and I kinda want that, but not want a significant other or whatever right now."
"I guess we were so used to being around each other all the time," George said. "Sometimes when I'm with her, I think of something funny to tell you and look around and realize you're not there."
"I'd say that's pathetic but I do that too," Fred laughed.
"I guess I got really guilty thinking I dropped my own flesh and blood for someone else." George admitted.
"I mean, don't. You and Angie are happy and I'd never want you to not be happy," Fred said seriously. "And when I find someone, it'll be like that to you too. You just beat me to it is all. If I got with someone before you, we'd probably be like this only slightly reversed."
George nodded. "Let's just try to actually talk about our issues more yeah? Since we're not doing everything together now and stuff."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
The hung there in companionable sibling silence.
"So, we've been quiet on the prank and joke front," Fred said.
"Awfully quiet," George agreed.
"Let's spend the rest of this time wisely and plan our glorious return, shall we?" Fred asked.
"Read my mind, brother mine," George said.
They shared equally broad grins that dripped with mischief. Miles and miles away, Percy shuddered and he had no real idea why, but he had an inkling that the twins were the cause.
-0-
Later on, they would call it "The Week of Weasley".
While they were never formally caught nor punished for it, everyone in the castle knew that the Weasley twins were responsible for the chaos that week. It was such a startling change from the prior week, it felt that much more impactful.
One day, every stone in the great hall floor made a different sound, resulting in a cacophony of animal noises and noises produced by the body. Another day, a hoard of mice ran through the castle, chasing something elusive and chased by an irate Filch. An odd cloud formation drifted through the halls on the next day, changing the internal weather system of Hogwarts.
The fourth day had all the paintings flipped around. Their occupants screamed and shouted, their voices muffled and incensed. Waves of bubbles filled the halls on the fifth day. They were easily walked through and oddly pleasant for the most part and to Professor Sinistra's delight, mimicked the waves caused by the moon. On the sixth day, all food eaten in the great hall would transform in mid bite. Draco caused a scene by drinking of what he rightfully assumed was pumpkin juice only to spit out mouthfuls of jellied eel. His was the only nausea inducing one however, with others being pleasantly surprised or mildly confused at the transformations.
Everyone walked around on eggshells on the seventh day, waiting for the hammer to drop.
At the end of the day Fred found himself confronted by Alicia, Hermione, and Katie. "Yes ladies?" he said as he looked up from his N.E.W.T.s notes.
"It's almost the end of the day," Alicia said without preamble.
"Yes, yes it is," Fred said, pretending to be surprised when he looked out the window.
Katie smothered a smile as Alicia glared at Fred. "Well, what's going to happen today?"
"I don't know what you mean," Fred said airily.
"We know you and George have played merry havoc all week," Hermione accused. "You just weren't caught doing it."
"If we weren't caught, that doesn't mean we were responsible," Fred said. "It really hurts my feelings when you accuse us without evidence."
"Do you want me to go looking for evidence?" Hermione asked, leaning forward.
He mimicked her movement, his nose almost touching hers. "You don't scare me, Granger. Go looking all you like. I'd be surprised if you found any."
"Just tell us if anything is allegedly happening today," Alicia said, pulling Hermione away.
"I wouldn't know," Fred said smugly. "Why don't you go ask George?"
"Because he's not here and neither is Angelina and I'm not interrupting them," Katie said.
"Then nothing is probably happening," Fred shrugged. "Just enjoy the peace."
Hermione's face was the picture of suspicion. "I have no idea which I prefer more: you two being yourselves or the false peace we had."
"Bit of a catch-22 yeah?" Fred laughed. He got up and left.
"I guess they were fine after all," Katie mused.
Alicia sighed. "Still, it feels more right when they're being a pair of irritating tits."
"I hate that you're right," Hermione sighed too. Her eyes widened when Harry walked back into the common room. "What happened to you?!"
Harry looked down at himself, covered in different colored paint. "Every container or door I've opened today has bombarded me with paint. It falls off by itself after a bit but seriously, literally everything I've opened today."
"You look like a baby's toy," Katie giggled.
"Why are they doing this to you?" Hermione asked, deeply amused.
Harry smiled. "Probably for what I did to them last week to get them to talk."
"Fuck!" Alicia got up and ran up the stairs, leaving a shocked Hermione and Katie behind.
"What's wrong?!" Katie called after her.
"Oh, she uh, was also responsible for getting them to talk," Harry said sheepishly. He winced at Alicia's howl of outrage rolling down the stairwell.
Hermione sighed. "Yup, back to normal I suppose."
Harry grinned as Alicia came running back down, also covered in paint. "Better than the alternative."
-0-0-0-
guest - I'm sure I can think of many reasons to have further cookoffs. Glad you liked it.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - You don't have to twist my arm overmuch. I don't know if I want to try and work it in sincerely or do something over the top like Shokugeki No Soma or Toriko. Guess I have some thinking to do.
Urgwaew - This was one of my favorite chapters and I'm glad it was so well received. I like to cook. I thought it was funny how they all approached it and liked the 'real reason Harry's cooking tasted the best. I will also shamelessly have the little ones love Harry so much so this was also fun to explore. I'm sure I will find ample ways to do more cooking chapters. Thanks for reading, all the best.
Arnie1701 - I will think of something fun for Tonks. I plan on starting a Harmony AU series soon but I'm sure I can think of a Hermione chapter too.
mwinter1 -Glad you do.
diffident-serpiente - You forgot about Luna too! I'm glad you liked your dedicated chapter. I was wondering how to do a dinner/cooking together chapter like you requested and as I was writing, the competition arose and it just snowballed from there. I thought it would fit this Harry to subtly change his cooking based on who he was cooking for and am glad you liked it.
iamchaos98 - I'm glad you liked it. I like the Kids being picky like that too in a different way and am glad you liked it. I just finished a Daphne and Tracy oriented chapter. Should go up next week. It's a silly one too.
alixx33 - You're scared of the babies? But they are so adorable.
Guest - Glad to help you smile.
