Chapter 62 – Surprises Here and There
GN
More death, more disappearances came as the weeks ticked on. The days were short and dark which resulted in Cedric and me huddled together most of the time in the house, doing little assignments for the order in between. Not that we complained, being at the house together was a way to get our heads off the war, even for just an hour or two. When we're dancing through the house, the music blasting through the radio, it just felt like in Australia. Or when we watched documentaries on the telly, it brought me back to Africa.
Tonks' father had been on the run for a while now and hasn't been heard of in weeks, creating an unhealthy situation for the pregnant Tonks. I spend a lot of my time with her, either at my house or at theirs. To keep her mind occupied, with her father missing, Remus away on missions or the full moon, she grew rather restless. I just apparated back from Tonks' to my house, when there was a knock on the door. Wand drawn, I leaned against the door.
"Who is it?"
"Your favourite twins." Fred's voice called back.
"What happened the night I went to put my name in the goblet?"
"We crashed in the room, and the door slammed your nose." George answered.
"Blood everywhere." Fred snickered.
Then George asked. "How can you tell us apart?"
"Your nose is a little more crocked, and Fred's eyes are droopier." I answered as I opened the door. The twins were grinning at me as their large frames filled the door.
"And you still recognize my voice." George's eyes twinkled. I smiled as I stepped aside telling them in.
"What can I do for you gentlemen?" I asked as I shut the door behind me.
"We need your help."
"Oh?" I gestured for them to sit down.
"We're closing shop." Fred said with difficulty.
"They know we're with the Order. It is just a matter of time..."
"Right." I nodded, sad at the fact they had close down their dream. "What can I do?"
"Before we close, we want to give you a tour, since you still haven't been around to our masterpiece." Fred winked.
"Then we need your help to destroy it." George's face was gloom but with a hint of excitement.
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"Why me?" I asked as I boxed up the rack of fireworks.
"We know you're going mental with Cedric away. And we thought you could use a fun distraction."
"We're going to blow up your shop." I pointed out.
"But in a fun way." Fred grinned over his shoulder.
So, the plan was to blow up the front of the shop with a large number of products in it. They would stash away all the other items at our place, while a part of them would get destroyed in the blow out. They wanted to blow up their own shop in a controlled manner before the death eater would come in and put it entirely in ashes. It was a shame I never had seen it in full glory with the lights and people crowding the shop, but maybe someday... when all of this was over.
"Where are you going to live?"
"Maybe the burrow, or at Lee's flat." George said as he stacked the boxes in the corner.
"You can stay at our house." I blurted out. Cedric has been gone for a week now, and I was feeling rather lonely. He sends me regular updates and he and Kingsley are just observing, not coming in direct contact with Voldy-warts followers. "At least until Ced's back. And if you want to stay longer, I think I can convince him." A little smile tugged my lips.
"What about it, Georgie?" Fred asked as the last packed up box of candies flew over to his twin. "Want to annoy our queen Guinevere?"
"If she can handle us." George snickered.
"Oi, I think I've proved I can handle myself around you two quite well, thank you." I stuck out my chin.
"She's got a point."
"If you're sure..." George said slowly.
"I am." I nodded. "But let's get these boxes over to the house first. Then we can come back for your things, and then-"
"BOOM!" The twins yelled.
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"So, this is the Weasley bachelor pad." I grinned as I looked around the bright flat. "Pretty nice, actually."
"What?" George laughed. "What did you think it would look like?"
"I don't know." I said as I inspected the pictures on the mantle. "Leather sofas, bare and tight walls, poster of girls and quidditch. A few porn videos here or there." I grinned as I followed them to their bedrooms.
"You're right about quidditch." George chuckled. His room was a light beige colour, dark blue sheets on his bed, and a quidditch shirt and poster on the wall. Still, not what I expected. The jersey that was hanging on the wall, was the one George had given me when we were together, and I looked away quickly.
"But what are porn videos?" Fred asked, already with a bag over his shoulder as he leaned against the doorframe of George's room.
"If you don't know, I'm not going to explain it." I laughed. "You can do your own research, just don't ask your mum."
"Now I'm intrigued." Fred smirked, and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Let's go." I pushed him out the door as George had finished packing. "What are you doing?" I asked when George leaned down to place and little box in a nook of the wall next to the front door, while Fred pointed his wand at it.
"Just a little disillusionment trick." Fred shrugged.
"If we're lucky, the death eaters that are going to ransack our place will be lazy idiots, who don't want to look any further." George reached for my arm and pushed me in front of him. The nice, clean, bright hallway was gone. It now looked like it was just a burned down storage room.
"That's amazing!"
"Hermione inspired me actually." Fred blushed a little and George nudged me with a smirk. "She told us about those muggle movies."
"So, it's like a projector?" I asked as we walked down the steps.
"You know what that is?" George asked surprised.
"When we were younger, Bash took me out in the muggle world a lot. So, I've seen my fair share of movies, introduced Ced to them too." I looked at nearly empty shop before turning to the twins. "Please tell me you've seen a movie?"
"Well... no." They frowned.
"Then I have my own mission now." I grinned; the twins face brightened at the idea. "But now..." My face fell when I looked at the shop. "Destroying your dream."
"We're not destroying it, Guinevere. We're slightly altering it." Fred said.
"You know what to do." George said as he took one side of the shop. Fred took the other and I stood in the middle. We took a few paces back and pointed our wands at the shop's window. "Three, two, one."
"Bombarda!" Our voices yelled in unison.
GN
After we stored the product in the garage, we went upstairs. The twins trailed behind me as they fired questions about the house.
"Of course, you don't see garages at magical houses." I laughed. "The purpose was to put away the car. But nowadays a lot of people use it as storage."
I stopped in at the back of the hallway. "You can each have your own room." I pointed to the doors opposite of each other. "They're the same, so no fighting over it." I smiled. "And that's the bathroom."
"Do we need to have a secret knock in case you're in there?" Fred asked, glancing inside the bathroom.
"That won't be necessary." I chuckled. "I'm over there." I pointed at the first door. "And I have an ensuite. So, go crazy." I turned to head back. "Just clean up after yourselves." I couldn't resist, and they both sent a soft stinging hex at me. "Make yourself at home, I'll order in dinner." I laughed as I headed down.
GN
A week later, Cedric still wasn't home. We exchanged letters and I informed him of the twins stay. He didn't mind, he was happy they were keeping me company and he sees it as an extra safety. Living with the twins went easier than I thought. They cleaned up after themselves and switched who was going to make dinner. They warned me not to go into their bedrooms, because all the clutter they put away from the rest of the house, disappeared in their rooms. They used the garage to make products to keep them busy, and they were kind enough to let me help. We went by the burrow the day the shop blew up, to let them know it was them and not the death eaters. Molly was besides herself and wanted the boys to stay at the burrow. But I put up my puppy dog eyes, enlarged it for full effect, and told her I was lonely without Ced there, and they are the perfect people to have fun with. I didn't miss the way her eyes flickered between George and me, but she never mentioned it and let the twins stay.
The microwave just beeped when the twins emerged from the garage.
"Do I smell popcorn?" Fred said already grabbing a few from the bowl, tossing them in the air from the heat.
"Yes, and since I just took them out of the microwave, they're a bit hot." I chuckled. "Go sit down, Tonks should be here any minute." I grabbed the drinks in my other hand, but George quickly intercepted it. With a smile he took everything out of my arms and walked over to the living room. Fred was already on the couch, his shoes kicked off and feet on the ottoman. George was just putting everything down when the fire roared, and Tonks stepped out.
"Wow, Nymph. You look ready to burst!" Fred gasped.
"FRED!" George and I yelled. "You don't say that to a woman, pregnant or not." I added.
"Sorry. You look radiant, Tonks." He smiled his charming smile.
"Thanks." She chuckled. "Better close the floo, Gwen."
"Yeah." I nodded and waved my wand over it as Tonks shrugged of her coat. She sat down in her favourite armchair. With a happy sigh, she leaned her head back. "How long?" I asked.
"About two months left." She rubbed her belly with a happy smile.
"I know." I laughed as I sat down next to George. "How long have your feet been that swollen? They weren't last week."
"Just a few days." She said looking at her ancles.
"You should keep them elevated." I said.
"Already on it." George stood up and dragged the second ottoman to Tonks and placed her feet on it. I grabbed one of the pillows from the couch and George had already taking it without even looking at me. As George lifted her feet on it, Tonks looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
What? I mouthed, but she just shrugged. Fred was already hand deep in the popcorn bowl. "Leave some for the rest of us, Freddie." I grabbed the bowl out of his hands and laughed at the face he pulled. "Now my dear uncultured friends."
"Oi."
"Except you, Tonks." I grinned. "I will now introduce you to not only movies, but to a cinematic experience, only smaller." I turned on the couch and clicked on the projector as Tonks dimmed the lights. Even though Tonks seemed at ease, the way she rubbed her stomach absently, I knew she was worried about Remus. It was the full moon tonight and he had locked himself in somewhere. And then the movie Braveheart began, the picture showing on the bare wall in front of us.
GN
When the movie ended, I stood up and stretched. "Why don't you two figure out how to put in the next movie, but don't break it." I wiggled my fingers in front of Tonks. "Come on, let's take a stroll around the house. It's good for your ancles." She took a hold of my hands, and I pulled her up carefully. I locked my arm with her and looked over my shoulder. The twins were already looking at the projector with a frown, their hands feeling around it. "If-" I started, and they jumped a little. I held back a laugh. "If you can't figure it out, wait until we get back." I turned back and led Tonks to the kitchen.
"You and George are quite ... in sync." Tonks said after a few minutes.
"I know the twins for a while now, we're friends."
"But with George it's different."
"You don't know?" I asked surprised, my eyebrows high.
"Uhm, no?"
"George and I dated back in school."
"Really?" Her eyes large. "Was it serious?"
"I think so, as serious a relationship in school can be, I suppose." I shrugged a little. "We were together for over a year."
"I think that's pretty serious." She nodded. "Did you love him?"
"Yes."
"And Cedric doesn't mind him staying here?"
"No, they're friends. And he knows I would never do anything, he trusts me. I love Cedric, more than anything. Maybe not more than anything..." I looked down.
"Gwen?" She looked at me worried.
I took in a deep breath. "I think I'm pregnant." I said as I rubbed my stomach.
"What!?" Tonks squealed excitedly. And I quickly hushed her, looking over my shoulder. I led her into the sunroom and put a Muffliatio over the door. "Have you been to the healer?"
"I don't want to risk it." I said as I sunk into a wicker chair.
"Why do you think you're pregnant?" She asked sitting on the table in front of me. "Are you late?"
"No." I shook my head as I looked at my hands. "But I have this feeling..."
"Like you're changing but you don't know what it is?"
"Yeah." I looked up at her. "Is it -"
"A shapeshifting thing? I think so. I had too, I knew within days after conception. Remus smelled it on me after two months."
"Is there a test we can do so early in the pregnancy? I know there are muggle tests, but I don't know if it's wise to go to the local shop right now."
"I know a spell." She took her wand out of her pocket. "May I?" I nodded and watched her swirl her wand over my flat stomach. Then a gold glow circled my stomach.
"Is that-?"
"You're pregnant." Tonks smiled. "About three weeks by my guess." She took a hand in hers, as my breathing became rapid. "Is - don't you want this?"
"No, I do." I said between deep breaths. "I didn't think it would be so soon or even at all. You heard the healers, the chance of me getting pregnant was slight to nothing, and we're still fighting a war. I-"
"I know it's a lot." She gave me a sad smile before pulling me in a hug. "But we will win. And after, our kids will have a better future because of it."
"But what if something happens?"
"There is always that chance, Gwen. War or not."
"You're right." I pulled back. "I'm pregnant." I whispered as a smile filled my face.
"You're pregnant." She repeated with her own broad smile. "Congratulations. You're going to be a great mum."
"No, we are." I corrected as my hand rested on her belly. "Can you keep it to yourself for now? I need to tell Cedric first, and I want to wait until I'm further along before I inform the others."
"Of course." She glanced at the door. "We better get back before they send out a rescue party." I laughed as I stood up and helped Tonks off the table. "I don't want to put extra pressure on your plate but..."
"But?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"We're going to ask Harry to be this one's godfather, but we wanted to ask you to be the godmother."
"Me?" I asked shocked. "But we don't know each other for that long."
"Maybe not. But you've been here for me for months now, Charlie speaks very highly of you, in case you don't know. And if he gets our abilities..."
"If you say it like that." I chuckled and squeezed her arm as we entered the living room. "I would love to be this little man's godmother."