alphafoxxy: I'm so glad to hear! :) This one is a longer one so I hope it's good!

EviColt: She's definitely got some fire in her :P :D

Haunted Veela: Thank you! Hope you enjoy the update!

Thank you for the continued support! Unfortunately there won't be an update next week because I'll be out of town. Made a longer chapter to make up for it :)

With Love,
sparrowlina

George dragged himself out of bed slowly. He tried to rub the sleep from his eyes, but if he had to be honest with himself he hadn't gotten much sleep the night prior. No matter what he tried to do, whether it was count sheep or pace back and forth to waste away his extra energy, the impending decision that was coming from Tori that morning was tugging at his mind.

After she had left the night prior, he and Fred were at a near loss at her sudden exit. Neither one knew just how to handle her story or her reaction to their helpful offer. Was it really helpful? That was the big question that had been bouncing around in George's head like a rubber ball. They were sort of just inserting themselves into her life without really thinking about what her reaction would be. He thought that maybe they'd assumed that she'd be happy for the help and would just go along with it. Did they understand the risks? Of course. But Tori made it seem like she was a poison needle that they were playing with - one prick would be the end of it.

The door swung open quickly which caused George to sit up just as suddenly. His brother stood with the same tired expression he imagined his own face was holding.

"What if our offer is a mistake?" Fred asked groggily. His hair was wild from his rest, or lack thereof, and his matching pajama top and bottom were disheveled.

"Good morning to you too," George smartly replied as he stood and stretched his arms over his head. He pushed past his brother and walked towards the kitchen where the welcoming scent of coffee was awaiting him.

It didn't take long for Fred to catch up. "I'm serious, George."

"Really? Could've sworn you were 'Fred' just last night."

Fred shot his brother a stern look as he grabbed a mug for himself.

Taking the silent treatment as a sign of Fred's concern, George sipped his brew as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Look, it's not a mistake. Did he want to help her? Yes. Does she have to accept the offer? No. We made that perfectly clear last night." Part of his speech almost seemed to George as if he was trying to convince not only his brother, but himself at the same time.

"You saw how quick she bolted out of here. What if we're getting too in over our heads?" Fred stared into space as he held his mug in his hands to warm them.

George smirked into his mug as he took a sip. "We left school early to open up a joke shop and only now you think we're too in over our heads?"

Fred's stern expression broke slightly as he smirked and took a deep breath.

"Tori's smart. She's gotten us out of a few jams ourselves when we were in school. We kinda owe it to her to at help give her a fighting chance, right? She did the same for us."

His mind immediately took him back to when he and George were in school. It was a memory so clear that he could draw it out to anyone who asked. The first time Tori had helped them in a situation outside of Charms was when the toad-woman Umbridge had started her detentions with students. Fred vowed he was going to steal and destroy that quill when he had the chance, but he just never found an opportunity.

The twins had been walking back to the dorm, blood dripping from their hands as they plotted against Umbridge. They turned a corner and crashed into Tori. She had a bewildered look on her face since, one, she wasn't supposed to be out after curfew and , two, she had run into the twins. When she saw their hands, their excuses couldn't cover up what had happened. She had a way about her that always managed to make the twins fess up the truth. It was like they could never, ever lie to her when it came to serious things.

"Hold out your hands," she had instructed, and they did so with no hesitation. Quickly pulling out her wand, she uttered a spell that Fred had never heard before. For some reason, he had always liked when Tori would cast spells. There was something in her voice that would change when she'd speak her incantations. It depended on what she was doing, and at that moment it was smooth and caring. Just her tone alone could have healed the trauma that Fred had endured. In a few seconds, it felt like it had. Their hands were left with only a few small scars.

They had thanked her profusely and all she had said was, "It's no problem. We have to help each other during times like this."

And it wasn't the last time that she'd helped them.

The two had stood in silence for quite sometime until a knock came at the shop door.

"Merlin, don't people have any idea what time it is?" George muttered to himself as he walked to where the loft could overlook the store. He could see a girl standing outside in a dark cloak peeking through the glass of the shop door to see if anyone was around. "Fred!" he shouted as he started down the stairs.

"Wha?" Fred called back, a piece of toast hanging from his mouth. The absence of his brother heightened his attention and he immediately raced down the stairs after him.

They wasted no time and George flew the door open to greet the girl.

But they were confused.

Just as they were about to greet them, they took a good look at their visitor. A girl stood before them, but she had strawberry blonde hair. Freckles danced across the bridge of her nose and her eyes were a piercing blue.

"Oh - uhm - err…sorry to startle you, ma'am," Fred finally stated. "We were expecting someone else."

"George -"

"-and Fred Weasley at your service."

The girl giggled as she stepped past the two of them and looked around the shop. "So what do you need me to do?" Her voice was sweet and soft, almost reminding them of Luna Lovegood's. It was whimsical and light.

The boys looked at one another, nearly wanting to pinch themselves as if this was an odd dream.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Is there some way we can help you?" Fred asked.

The girl paused to look at the boys again and a large smile started to run across her face. Soon, she couldn't contain her giggles. She had to hold on to a nearby shelf just to contain herself.

"You know, Freddie, I'm usually one for jokes. I don't quite see what's so funny here."

"Beats me, Georgie."

As the girl collected herself and wiped a tear from her eye, she stood tall and pulled out her wand. Placing it to her throat, she continued, "I must be really convincing."

The mystery girl's voice had changed tone and a rich voice that Fred and George could pick out anywhere widened their eyes.

"Tori?" George asked as he looked her up and down. "Is that really you?"

"In the flesh! Well…maybe it doesn't look like it, but it is me." She turned around in front of them, showing off her changes. "It's sort of my…disguise I suppose."

"Bloody hell — you've done a great job. I don't think I could have spotted you if you hadn't said anything," Fred gushed. He walked closer to her and inspected the details of her face more closely, making Tori's cheeks turn rosey. "There is one giveaway, though."

Panicked, Tori checked her outfit and ran to a mirror to look over her facial features again. "What? What is it? I changed my jawline, my nose, my height, my hair color —"

"Tori, Tori, Tori," George tutted, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Your eyes."

"My eyes? What about them? They're not hazel anymore — they're blue!"

"Ahh, but what you seem to lack in the memory department is that time that we, Georgie and myself, had fed all of the girls in Ravenclaw those Valentine's chocolates during fifth year."

Tori rolled her eyes immediately. How could she forget? "Oh, those awful chocolates that you two gave away."

The twins stood proudly on either side of her as they all looked at one another in the mirror.

"It was the perfect prank."

"We got all of the girls that year in Ravenclaw. So many different colors in their hair, their noses, their hands, their cheeks…"

"All except you," Fred remembered, nudging Tori.

She shook her head with a smirk. "I was too smart to eat them. But then you peer pressured me."

"Yeah, seeing your eyes change through so many different colors was crazy!" George raved

"We've never managed to make it happen again."

"Well thank goodness for that," Tori huffed. "After they stayed gold I was absolutely beside myself."

George chuckled. "And then when we turned them back to hazel, there was that one fleck we couldn't get out."

"Your right eye was especially stubborn," Fred reminisced.

"So that's my giveaway then, is it?" she asked them.

"Suppose it is." George ruffled his hair as he continued, "So if anyone comes around here claiming to be you—"

"—we'll know exactly what to look for." Fred nudged Tori with his shoulder and winked at her before walking towards the stairs leading up to the loft.

"Brilliant," Tori chuckled under her breath.

George looked briefly around her and noticed no travel bags with Tori's belongings. "Did you need to go back later for anything?"

She shook her head. "All of the essentials are right in here." She tapped her cloak gingerly where her pocket had been sewn in. "Extension Charm."

"I've seriously never thought about putting one of those on clothes," George reveled. "I could hide so much more pranking ammo in my jumpers…"

"I was going to say something about it saving my life a few times, but pranking is good too," Tori teased as she walked past George to follow Fred upstairs.

+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+

The end of the day didn't come soon enough. Tori found herself collapsing on the couch in the loft, tapping her head with her wand so that she'd return to her regular self.

"Was it all too much for you, Tor?" Fred asked as he leaned over the couch to look down at their guest.

"I thought running from Snatchers was hard. How do you two even keep up?"

"We hire people and elves and don't really do much," George called from the kitchen.

Tori chuckled as she sat up and stretched her arms over her head. "It's fun, but it's mighty exhausting."

Fred nodded as he took off his suit jacket, tossed it on the chair next to Tori, and sat on the couch as well. "It's worth it though." He turned to her. "Are you okay with being near that amount of people though? Nothings stopping any Snatchers from coming in…"

The thought had crossed her mind multiple times throughout the day. She helped a few gentlemen look for products for their sons. A few children had dragged her around the store begging her to show them every little item and knick knack. A group of kids too young to attend school were asking questions about what was allowed in school. Tori had probably interacted with more people in the past day than she had in the whole time she had been on the run.

"I should be okay," she answered, but with less confidence than Fred was looking for.

"If it's too much trouble, we can have you work in the back or something. You can ship orders or tend to inventory…"

She placed a hand on Fred's as his knee bounced up and down in nervousness. "Thank you, Fred, but I'm fine." Tori tried to give her most convincing smile to the twin next to her. It seemed to have worked for the time being. Fred had simply nodded and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath.

"And dinner is served," George announced, bringing out a tray of food and setting it on the table.

"Sandwiches?" Tori asked.

"Weasley Twin Specialty," George proudly explained as he took up residence on the chair that Fred tossed his jacket on. "And luckily for you, this is all we know how to make."

Tori chuckled. "I guess I'll have to help in the kitchen then if we'd like to eat anything otherwise?"

"Or we can order something. Or visit Mum," Fred chimed in, sitting up and reaching for the topmost sandwich of the pile.

The trio ate in silence, the length of the day settling in and taking over. It had been an unusually busy day at the shop. With the school year nearly in full swing, they had hoped that people would already be stocked up for the new year. With the number of parents in the store today, it seemed that it wasn't quite the case.

"So, Tori," Fred began as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, "have you been keeping in touch with anyone since you finished school?"

She shook her head. "Just Ren. That's actually who the letter was from."

"You two were practically inseparable," George noted, grabbing another sandwich and taking a large bite out of it. "Are you two a thing?"

She paused briefly, her chest tightening and her heart pounding as if the protective cage within her was too small to contain it.

The sun kissed her skin as she stood at the edge of the lake in a cami and shorts. She and Ren were there, as the usually were, to clear their heads and talk to each other.

"So what are you gonna do now that we're all graduated?" Ren asked her, slowly collecting a pile of smooth skipping rocks.

She shrugged. "Take over the family business of course."

He chuckled. "Well, I for one am very shocked at your decision."

She shoved him playfully, a broad smile still on her face. "None of your sassiness, young man."

"Apologies, my lady." He shot her a smile that melted her from the inside. He was always her confidant, her rock to lean on, and her ear when she needed to vent about anything and everything. This summer was going to be the shortest one yet, even if she was spending every day with him and his family.

She stood with her hands on her hips. "Grandad was telling me that he's arranged for me to study wand lore with one of his former students. Somewhere far, he says. But the experience will be the best I can get. He says there's only so much I can learn sitting in the shop and listening to him all the time. I told him that's a lie, though. I've learned so much from him already."

Ren nodded. "And how far is 'far', exactly?" he asked.

Tori gazed over the water, bent down to grab a stone, and sent and sent it skimming across the top of it. "Pretty far, I suppose? Grandad hasn't exactly told me where yet. He's being very secretive about it."

Ren chuckled weakly. "Well, you know your grandfather — he is the best so I guess he's only trying to get you the best he can."

"I guess so…it'll be weird going off by myself." Tori stood and held her next throwing stone in her hand. She felt its smooth texture and admired how perfect it really was — molded by the many years of being eroded and formed by the lake's water.

Ren walked closer and stood almost right behind her. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on her shoulder. He gave it a quick squeeze.

Tori turned to him and could see distress written all over his face as he looked at her. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He gave a weak attempt at a smirk. After a few silent beats, he replied, "Nothing. Just gonna miss you, that's all."

She returned his weak smile and quickly captured him in an embrace, feeling his arms close slowly around her. Tori looked up at Ren and tried to read into his piercing green eyes hidden behind his brown hair to find what he was hiding. "Are you sure that's all?"

Ren laughed for the first time since they reached the lake. "Merlin, you're just getting right to the point today, aren't you?"

"When do I not?" Tori replied with a chuckle.

He sighed deeply and brought one of his hands up to Tori's face, brushing her hair out of the way to that he could take in every freckle and wrinkle he could find.

Their close proximity made her heart race, unsure of what was happening between them. The longer he looked her over, the more self-conscious she became. What was he looking for, she wondered? What answers could he find written in her features?

"So…?" she asked, feeling her cheeks getting hotter by the second.

"I…I dunno," Ren finally let out. "I'm just worried about you."

"I'll be fine," Tori reassured, letting Ren out of her grasp and then skidding her rock across the lake. "I'll be fine," she whispered to herself again.

Somehow the second one didn't sound as convinced.

The next day, she found out her grandfather had been taken by Death Eaters.

And she disappeared from Ren's life without a trace.

After a few more beats of silence, George recovered, "Is it just complicated?"

Tori shifted uncomfortably as she realized she had zoned out for a moment. "Things between Ren and I…I'm not sure. I guess there was something there? We just never really got around to talking about what we were feeling. During the school year we'd be busy within our own houses and with studies, during the summers we were taking care of his family and mine. Practically growing up together also makes it hard to put those feelings out there…"

"That and he was in Slytherin so maybe that kind of relationship during school wouldn't have been so fondly reacted to," Fred noted.

Tori shot him a cold stare. "Not every Slytherin is born evil, you know. They're placed there for other reasons too - Ren was very cunning and quick on his feet."

Fred's head hung a little lower in shame both at his remark and the tone that Tori took. His experiences with Slytherins weren't the best, and he was surprised at Tori's stance considering her experiences with all of the other Slytherins aside from Ren were pure rubbish.

"Have you thought about writing back to him?" he asked, trying to shift the mood of the conversation.

She shook her head. "It's too risky. Either I'd be found or they'd question Ren."

The rest of the dinner was eaten in silence. For the progress the twins had made in learning more about Tori today, they felt more cut off than ever. Tori had a lot of baggage, and that didn't refer to all of the things she had stored in her cloak pocket. It would take time for her to trust them completely. And it would take a lot of effort on both ends to make that happen.

George cleaned up the leftovers from dinner. Fred stood up and nudged Tori's shoulder.

She was staring off into space, thinking about her grandfather, Ren, and his family. "Hm?"

"I'll show you to your room."

"Fred, you folks didn't have to make a room for-"

He rolled his eyes with a smirk, shaking his head as he motioned for her to follow him. He led her down the same hallway that she had sprinted down the previous night. They passed two doors that were right across from one another, Tori assuming these were the twins' rooms.

"Bathroom is right across from you," Fred mentioned, gesturing to a door on his left. He then opened the door to his right. It was the one right next to the door she had burst through in a panic.

It was a small room, nothing to boast about. Immediately to the right of the door was a chest of drawers that came up to around Tori's waist, a mirror attached to it. A closet was nestled into the next wall and a window showed her a view of the alley directly across from her. The bed was parallel to the door, already made up and ready for her to sleep in.

She couldn't think the last time she had slept in a real bed.

Immediately she dove on top of it, grabbing one of the pillows and clutching it to her chest. She could smell the scent of a woman's perfume and noted that the blankets had been knitted.

"You like it?" Fred asked, leaning against the door frame and chuckling at Tori's behavior.

She sat up and faced the door, pillow still in hand and legs dangling off the side of the bed. "It's wonderful. I can't…I can't thank you and George enough for your help." She ran her hand along the blankets. "Would it be a silly question to ask if you two made these?"

"Are you mad?" he asked, walking over and taking a seat next to her. "Our mother's handiwork. She gave them to us when we moved into the loft. They remind me of home. I think they still smell like Mum's perfume."

Tori nodded as she took a deep breath and looked around the room once more.

"You'll be safe here."

Tori's eyes rested on Fred whose gaze seemed so much softer than earlier. She returned it with a small smile, one that was still hinted with doubt.

After a few moments of the two of them staring at one another, Fred cleared his throat and stood up. "Well, if you need anything, I'm next door and George is next to the bathroom. If you hear any explosions or smell any odd odors, we are probably working on new products so there's no need for any alarm."

"Duly noted," Tori acknowledged as Fred made his way to her door.

He started to close it, but turned back for a moment. "Good night, Tori."

"Good night, Fred."