The big house felt empty. Empty and dirty and unfamiliar, even after
spending all of last summer there.
Problem was, Fred and George weren't there much anymore. They spent days at their new shop, and spent nights at the Burrow, experimenting in the garage and then sleeping in their old rooms.
Which was good in a way - the Burrow hadn't stopped being their home, just because they were staying at the Black House now. But their mum still worried about the twins staying there.
They had made the decision last summer to stay at the Black House because with the Order coming back together, mum would have been spending most of her time at the house while dad was at word. And they didn't want to leave their children alone. It was too dangerous in times like those, especially given the grudge You Know Who could have against their family for their support of Muggles and Muggle-borns.
So there they were for the second summer in a row. Wasting their days trapped inside the Black House, helping clean and get rid of the few remaining curses. And being left out of everything else.
It was better the summer before, when Fred and George were there with their Extendable Ears. Now, though, it was just Ron and Ginny most of the time. And Ginny was great, of course, but she didn't come with Extendable Ears.
Ron had to admit it - he was bored off his rocker. Funny considering that he was living in the center of the anti-You-Know-Who movement.
Well. Hermione would probably show up soon. It would be too dangerous to leave her with her Muggle family for long. She was a prime candidate for attack, and Muggles just couldn't protect her.
And Harry would be there as soon as they got the all-clear from Dumbledore. Which would be sooner than last year, Ron knew, given how Harry had kicked and screamed about being left in the dark.
So. Soon he would have his best friends there with him to waste the rest of the summer.
Ron wondered why the idea didn't bring him quite as much happiness as it should have.
Oh, he was probably just feeling sulky. Days and nights spent wandering the dirty halls, listening to the ear-splitting shrieks of old Mrs. Black on the wall in the front parlor. It would be enough to do in anyone's good mood.
Boring, though. Boring, boring, boring. You Know Who was apparently lying low again, nursing wounds from the Department of Mysteries fight. It was quiet and tense and boring.
Which was why he was so glad when they got an unexpected new resident, even if it was only Neville.
He showed up in the kitchen one afternoon as Ron and Ginny sat having lunch and moaning about boredom. Their mother ushered him in, tatting all the way and calling him 'poor dear'.
Ron looked at Neville in surprise. "Neville."
Neville saw them and smiled. "Hi." He looked wan. His skin was pale and his round features sagged a bit.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked, smiling at him in greeting. "Are you staying here?"
Their mother shot them a look. "Now don't go haranguing the poor dear with questions, all right? Never you mind why he's here. He'll be staying this summer and you're to make him feel welcome."
Ron looked at her reproachfully. "Mum. Neville's our friend. You don't have to order us to be nice."
She shot him an unapologetic look. "I was your age once, you know. I've seen five boys through your age. You're meanest to your friends, Ronald, and don't deny it. Just sit there and be nice and let Neville here get a few bites of lunch into him before you start pestering him, all right?"
"Yes, mum," Ron said hastily, if only to get her off his back. He loved his mum, honestly, but she harped. A lot. And now all her motherly attentions only had two children to focus on, so she was even worse.
She sat Neville down at the table across from Ron and pushed the platter of sandwiches towards him. "Here you are, dear. I'll get your things taken upstairs. Let me know when you're done here and I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." Neville smiled at her wanly.
She sniffed a bit, patting him on the shoulder. "Poor dear." And left them alone, finally.
Ron and Ginny stared at Neville.
He sighed and reached for a sandwich. "We got attacked. Gran and I."
Ginny gasped.
Ron gaped. "What happened?"
Neville's eyes stayed on his sandwich. He was still a bit shy, despite the growing he'd done last year. He was a much better wizard now, really, and much closer to them all after fighting Death Eaters with them. But he still didn't meet their eyes. "We were just leaving St Mungo's." His round cheeks went red. "We were visiting.you know."
Ron nodded, feeling sympathy for him. Finding out the truth about Neville's family had shocked them all, and Ron had since felt bad for ever having dismissed Neville as just a klutzy kid with hardly any real magic in him.
He had proven that he wasn't even that, anyway. Maybe a bit klutsy still, but he definitely had as much magical abilities as any of the rest of them.
Ginny reached over to Neville and put a small hand on his shoulder. "You were visiting your parents," she finished gently.
Neville nodded. "We go there a lot over holiday. Anyway. We were leaving, going down the street, and out of nowhere."
"What?" Ron demanded, leaning forward.
Neville shrugged. "It's hard to say, actually. All I really saw was a flash, and then Gran shoved me down and started screaming bloody murder, and I saw someone go running off down the road. The Aururs said later that it had been a crucio." His voice went softer. "It barely missed me."
Ginny drew her hand back in shock. "Who would.?"
"Death Eaters," Ron answered grimly.
Neville nodded, and his face hardened a bit as he looked up at Ron finally. "Bellatrix LeStrange got away. At the Department of Mysteries? You Know Who took her when he left."
Ron thought back. The name sounded a bit familiar. "She was one of the ones who escaped Azkaban, right?"
Neville nodded. His eyes were dark. "She was in there for what she did to my parents."
Ginny squeaked in dismay.
Ron's eyes went wide. He met Neville's now-hard gaze and swallowed. "Oh."
"She wanted to kill me. Last year? And now I think she's trying again."
"Oh." Ginny's voice was small.
Neville sighed suddenly, the coolness melting away from his face. "Gran thinks so too. She asked Dumbledore if there was somewhere I would be safe. He said I should stay here. So here I am."
"Wow." Ron let out a breath. "That's awful."
Neville took a bite of his sandwich and chewed slowly, not answering.
Ron glanced at Ginny.
She looked back, upset. She nodded to Neville and then to him, her eyes meaningful.
Ron nodded back, rolling his eyes. Of course he'd talk to Neville some more. Neville was his friend, and had been his dorm mate at Hogwarts for five years now.
She stood up. "Well, Neville. I'm glad you're here, anyway. You can help us finish getting this house under control. Hermione should be coming soon, too, you know. We can have D.A. lessons, maybe."
"Can't do magic," Ron reminded her.
"Well, we wouldn't try spells without Harry here to help, anyway. But Hermione can take us through the book stuff. We're all probably going to need it next year." She sighed and left the table. "I'm gonna go help mum."
Ron watched her go, then faced Neville again.
Neville looked at him, then sighed and finished off his sandwich in silence.
***
"Right. Neville, you'll be staying in here. Now, Ron is right across the hall here, so you feel free to go to him if you need anything at all."
"Mum."
Ron's mother looked back at him from the doorway to the room Neville had been given. Her face was set. "Yes, Ron? Do you object somehow?"
Ron saw over her shoulder as Neville turned to them from inside the room, his eyes apprehensive.
Ron nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Ron-"
He cut her off before she could really get started. "I've got a whole other bed in my room, and I'm bored out of my mind with everyone gone. Couldn't he stay with me?"
Her face softened immediately. "We just thought that Harry would stay there when he arrived."
"But we don't know when he's coming. Besides, maybe he'll prefer to stay alone." Ron couldn't stop a bit of bitterness from coming out in his voice, but maybe she wouldn't notice.
Sure enough, she just smiled. Her eyes were fond. "Well, I think it's a great idea. Neville? Would you like to share a room with Ron?"
Neville looked at Ron for a moment.
Ron nodded with a smile. "Come on, Neville. Spare me boredom."
Neville grinned at that. "Sure."
Ron's mother twittered. "Wonderful! You boys can move these bags in there, can't you? I'll go see about getting a bit of supper started." She reached out suddenly and hugged Ron. It was a bit awkward, Ron being almost a foot taller than her those days. "My little boy," she said affectionately from somewhere around his elbow.
Ron grinned and pushed her back gently. "Geroff, mom! Have to embarrass me in front of my friends."
She tutted with a smile and started off down the hall.
Ron felt pink all over his face as he sighed and went into the room Neville's bags had been put into. "She's going to fall in love with you. You know that, right?"
Neville flushed just as pink as Ron probably was. "What?"
"My mum. She's suddenly without most of her children around, so she's going to be horrible to you. You'll probably get treated as good as Harry."
Neville grabbed a bag and one side of his trunk. He didn't answer. "Help me with this?"
Ron grabbed the other side and the small case left on the floor, and they made their way across the hall.
***
"Are all mothers like her?"
Ron rolled on his side, squinting at the other bed through the darkness. "What?"
There was movement as Neville turned. "Your mum."
"Oh. Well." Ron thought about it. "I don't think so. It's hard to say. I doubt Malfoy's mum's like her at all."
Neville snorted. "Probably not."
"She was a bit much at dinner, wasn't she?" She had been hovering over Neville constantly, refilling his plate or his glass, making sure everything was perfect. Forcing second and third helpings on him.
"No." Neville spoke quietly. "Just odd."
Ron stayed quiet, wondering about Neville's family. His Gran had seemed nice enough at the hospital, if a little prim and proper. But from how Neville talked about her through the years she was strict and a bit cold. Nothing like Ron's mum, that was for sure.
Neville spoke again softly. "I don't remember what my mother was like. I was too young."
Ron frowned, remembering the vacant stare of Neville's mother when she had gone up to him and shyly handed him an empty gum wrapper.
He couldn't imagine his own mother that way. No life in her eyes, moving slow and stiff and being so.not there. And it was all Neville had ever known of her, really. "I think she would have been a bit like mine."
"You do?" Neville's voice was strained.
Ron rolled on his back and sighed. "I guess all she has to give you are wrappers, yeah? But she still gives them to you. She'd give you everything else in the world if she could, I imagine."
Neville sniffled.
Ron pretended not to hear it. Neville had had a long and hard day, and he wouldn't want to be embarrassed with sympathy. He faked a yawn, loudly, and slurred out a 'good night', and rolled on his other side. He listened to Neville sniff in silence.
***
Fred and George were there early the next day, sitting in the kitchen cheerfully talking when Ron staggered in for some breakfast.
"Ronnie! Look, Fred, it's Ronnie!"
"Hey, Ronnie! George, it's Ronnie!"
Ron stopped dead in the doorway and blinked at them.
"Ronnie! Come in! Coffee's still hot."
Ron debated turning around and going back to sleep. He looked around warily, with the knowledge that whatever they had rigged, he wouldn't see it until it was too late.
Coffee sounded good, though. Consciousness didn't really settle in for Ron in the mornings without caffeine.
He moved to the coffee pot, suspicious eyes on his over-enthusiastic brothers.
Fred grinned at him. "Oh, relax. We wouldn't trick you now. It's like cheating to do it in the morning. We know you can't even think clearly before noon."
Ron studied the half-empty pot of coffee, lifting it, sniffing it, twirling the brown liquid around.
George and Fred laughed behind him. "I think our brother doesn't trust us."
"Well, our brother isn't stupid at least."
"Paranoid, though."
"Very paranoid."
"Oh, shut up," Ron grumbled. He saw their two cups of coffee in front of them, watched Fred take a sip from his, and reluctantly decided to trust them. He poured himself a cup and dragged his feet to the table. "What're you two doing here?" He blew on the steam rising from his cup and sipped cautiously.
"Wanted to show dad a few things we've been coming up with. But he took off before we got here."
"Working hard, our old man." George shrugged. "Still, we have one thing that we think might make everyone a bit happier around here."
What's that? Ron asked.
Or would have asked, if any sound had come out when he opened his mouth and formed the words.
His hand went to his throat instantly, and he once again tried to croak the words out.
No sound came.
Fred and George fell over themselves laughing.
Ron glared at them, glared at the coffee in his cup, and angrily stood up. He took his cup to the sink and dumped it out furiously.
"Oh, Ron! Oh, it's brilliant!" Fred had to wipe tears from his eyes. "You never learn!"
George was reduced to high-pitched giggles.
Ron glared at them, then straightened and marched out of the kitchen.
His mother was coming from upstairs, parchment in her hand. A list of chores she wanted done, no doubt. "Good morning, Ron! You saw your brothers?"
Ron stared at her angrily.
She stopped on the last step, frowning. "What's wrong?"
He opened his mouth and no sound came out. He patted his throat.
She had enough experience as their mother to put it together instantly. Her mouth pursed. "Where are they?"
Ron pointed to the kitchen, and followed her angry march with a growing smile.
They wanted to trick him? Fine. He wasn't above putting mum onto them.
He saw over her shoulder as the twins' laughter vanished with horror.
"Mum! Want some coffee?" One quick, desperate, foolish attempt was all Fred had time to make.
Ron stood behind her, arms folded over his chest smugly as she got started.
"-to know WHY you think muting your brother is funny? It isn't enough I have to-"
George stood up fast, cutting her off with the ease of long-time practice. "We just had to test it out one last time, mum! Honestly! Besides, we brought the Quietus potion here for a reason!"
"What reason could you have to bring some silly pranks to this house?"
Ron couldn't see her, but he knew well how dangerous her face must have looked right then.
Freg swallowed and stood by George. "Well. Quietus has been around for a while, yeah? What we've been doing is finding ways to change the potion into.you know. Different forms."
"So it could be slipped into someone's coffee?" She asked, her voice low.
"Right! We've got pills, powders, and this!" George lofted a tiny bottle, like perfume. "We brought this as a present! Watch!" He started for the door.
She didn't move.
George smiled his most winning smile. "Oh, come on, mum. Let us show you!"
She moved reluctantly, letting them pass her and Ron and go into the living room.
George went right to the drapes covering the most horrible painting known to Ron, and pushed the drapes aside with a grin.
Ron covered his ears a moment before the form in the painting, the mother of Sirius Black, started screaming.
"Traitors! Half-bloods! Vermin in my house!"
"George!" Their mother shouted to be heard over the painting. "What are you.?"
George held up a hand with a grin and faced the painting. He lofted the bottle and spritzed the painting with the potion inside.
And abruptly the shrieking stopped. Mrs. Black's mouth kept moving, but no sound emerged.
George and Fred beamed at their mother. "It works on paintings! See?"
Their mother lit up happily. "Oh, boys! That's wonderful! We've been desperate for a way to shut that woman up for months now!" She took the bottle they offered. "How long does it last?"
"About twenty-four hours. You'll have to make it a regular chore and all, but we figured you wouldn't mind."
She studied the bottle, then smiled at them. "Thank you, Fred. George. Now, how about." But she trailed off, and her brow knit dangerously. "You've muted your brother for twenty four hours?"
"No! No! We didn't use a strong dose on him! He should be yakking again in less than ten hours!"
Ron watched with satisfaction as his mother recovered her anger and began blasting away at the twins.
He went up the stairs, feeling that all in all it hadn't been a waste of a morning.
Neville was putting on clothes frantically when Ron came in. "Ron! What in the world was that? Who was doing that horrible screaming?"
Ron opened his mouth, then grimaced. He went to the table between their beds and grabbed a parchment and quill quickly.
Can't talk. Twins cursed me. The screams were a painting. Nothing to worry about.
Neville took the parchment with a frown, read it, then looked at Ron with a growing grin. "You can't talk?"
Ron shook his head sullenly.
Neville was holding back laughter. "For how long?"
Ron held up all ten fingers.
"Until ten?"
He shook his head and held them up again.
"Ten hours?"
He nodded.
Neville cracked up.
Ron sat on his bed despondently, but smiled despite himself as he watched Neville laughing.
Neville didn't laugh often.
It was kind of cute.
***
Problem was, Fred and George weren't there much anymore. They spent days at their new shop, and spent nights at the Burrow, experimenting in the garage and then sleeping in their old rooms.
Which was good in a way - the Burrow hadn't stopped being their home, just because they were staying at the Black House now. But their mum still worried about the twins staying there.
They had made the decision last summer to stay at the Black House because with the Order coming back together, mum would have been spending most of her time at the house while dad was at word. And they didn't want to leave their children alone. It was too dangerous in times like those, especially given the grudge You Know Who could have against their family for their support of Muggles and Muggle-borns.
So there they were for the second summer in a row. Wasting their days trapped inside the Black House, helping clean and get rid of the few remaining curses. And being left out of everything else.
It was better the summer before, when Fred and George were there with their Extendable Ears. Now, though, it was just Ron and Ginny most of the time. And Ginny was great, of course, but she didn't come with Extendable Ears.
Ron had to admit it - he was bored off his rocker. Funny considering that he was living in the center of the anti-You-Know-Who movement.
Well. Hermione would probably show up soon. It would be too dangerous to leave her with her Muggle family for long. She was a prime candidate for attack, and Muggles just couldn't protect her.
And Harry would be there as soon as they got the all-clear from Dumbledore. Which would be sooner than last year, Ron knew, given how Harry had kicked and screamed about being left in the dark.
So. Soon he would have his best friends there with him to waste the rest of the summer.
Ron wondered why the idea didn't bring him quite as much happiness as it should have.
Oh, he was probably just feeling sulky. Days and nights spent wandering the dirty halls, listening to the ear-splitting shrieks of old Mrs. Black on the wall in the front parlor. It would be enough to do in anyone's good mood.
Boring, though. Boring, boring, boring. You Know Who was apparently lying low again, nursing wounds from the Department of Mysteries fight. It was quiet and tense and boring.
Which was why he was so glad when they got an unexpected new resident, even if it was only Neville.
He showed up in the kitchen one afternoon as Ron and Ginny sat having lunch and moaning about boredom. Their mother ushered him in, tatting all the way and calling him 'poor dear'.
Ron looked at Neville in surprise. "Neville."
Neville saw them and smiled. "Hi." He looked wan. His skin was pale and his round features sagged a bit.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked, smiling at him in greeting. "Are you staying here?"
Their mother shot them a look. "Now don't go haranguing the poor dear with questions, all right? Never you mind why he's here. He'll be staying this summer and you're to make him feel welcome."
Ron looked at her reproachfully. "Mum. Neville's our friend. You don't have to order us to be nice."
She shot him an unapologetic look. "I was your age once, you know. I've seen five boys through your age. You're meanest to your friends, Ronald, and don't deny it. Just sit there and be nice and let Neville here get a few bites of lunch into him before you start pestering him, all right?"
"Yes, mum," Ron said hastily, if only to get her off his back. He loved his mum, honestly, but she harped. A lot. And now all her motherly attentions only had two children to focus on, so she was even worse.
She sat Neville down at the table across from Ron and pushed the platter of sandwiches towards him. "Here you are, dear. I'll get your things taken upstairs. Let me know when you're done here and I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." Neville smiled at her wanly.
She sniffed a bit, patting him on the shoulder. "Poor dear." And left them alone, finally.
Ron and Ginny stared at Neville.
He sighed and reached for a sandwich. "We got attacked. Gran and I."
Ginny gasped.
Ron gaped. "What happened?"
Neville's eyes stayed on his sandwich. He was still a bit shy, despite the growing he'd done last year. He was a much better wizard now, really, and much closer to them all after fighting Death Eaters with them. But he still didn't meet their eyes. "We were just leaving St Mungo's." His round cheeks went red. "We were visiting.you know."
Ron nodded, feeling sympathy for him. Finding out the truth about Neville's family had shocked them all, and Ron had since felt bad for ever having dismissed Neville as just a klutzy kid with hardly any real magic in him.
He had proven that he wasn't even that, anyway. Maybe a bit klutsy still, but he definitely had as much magical abilities as any of the rest of them.
Ginny reached over to Neville and put a small hand on his shoulder. "You were visiting your parents," she finished gently.
Neville nodded. "We go there a lot over holiday. Anyway. We were leaving, going down the street, and out of nowhere."
"What?" Ron demanded, leaning forward.
Neville shrugged. "It's hard to say, actually. All I really saw was a flash, and then Gran shoved me down and started screaming bloody murder, and I saw someone go running off down the road. The Aururs said later that it had been a crucio." His voice went softer. "It barely missed me."
Ginny drew her hand back in shock. "Who would.?"
"Death Eaters," Ron answered grimly.
Neville nodded, and his face hardened a bit as he looked up at Ron finally. "Bellatrix LeStrange got away. At the Department of Mysteries? You Know Who took her when he left."
Ron thought back. The name sounded a bit familiar. "She was one of the ones who escaped Azkaban, right?"
Neville nodded. His eyes were dark. "She was in there for what she did to my parents."
Ginny squeaked in dismay.
Ron's eyes went wide. He met Neville's now-hard gaze and swallowed. "Oh."
"She wanted to kill me. Last year? And now I think she's trying again."
"Oh." Ginny's voice was small.
Neville sighed suddenly, the coolness melting away from his face. "Gran thinks so too. She asked Dumbledore if there was somewhere I would be safe. He said I should stay here. So here I am."
"Wow." Ron let out a breath. "That's awful."
Neville took a bite of his sandwich and chewed slowly, not answering.
Ron glanced at Ginny.
She looked back, upset. She nodded to Neville and then to him, her eyes meaningful.
Ron nodded back, rolling his eyes. Of course he'd talk to Neville some more. Neville was his friend, and had been his dorm mate at Hogwarts for five years now.
She stood up. "Well, Neville. I'm glad you're here, anyway. You can help us finish getting this house under control. Hermione should be coming soon, too, you know. We can have D.A. lessons, maybe."
"Can't do magic," Ron reminded her.
"Well, we wouldn't try spells without Harry here to help, anyway. But Hermione can take us through the book stuff. We're all probably going to need it next year." She sighed and left the table. "I'm gonna go help mum."
Ron watched her go, then faced Neville again.
Neville looked at him, then sighed and finished off his sandwich in silence.
***
"Right. Neville, you'll be staying in here. Now, Ron is right across the hall here, so you feel free to go to him if you need anything at all."
"Mum."
Ron's mother looked back at him from the doorway to the room Neville had been given. Her face was set. "Yes, Ron? Do you object somehow?"
Ron saw over her shoulder as Neville turned to them from inside the room, his eyes apprehensive.
Ron nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Ron-"
He cut her off before she could really get started. "I've got a whole other bed in my room, and I'm bored out of my mind with everyone gone. Couldn't he stay with me?"
Her face softened immediately. "We just thought that Harry would stay there when he arrived."
"But we don't know when he's coming. Besides, maybe he'll prefer to stay alone." Ron couldn't stop a bit of bitterness from coming out in his voice, but maybe she wouldn't notice.
Sure enough, she just smiled. Her eyes were fond. "Well, I think it's a great idea. Neville? Would you like to share a room with Ron?"
Neville looked at Ron for a moment.
Ron nodded with a smile. "Come on, Neville. Spare me boredom."
Neville grinned at that. "Sure."
Ron's mother twittered. "Wonderful! You boys can move these bags in there, can't you? I'll go see about getting a bit of supper started." She reached out suddenly and hugged Ron. It was a bit awkward, Ron being almost a foot taller than her those days. "My little boy," she said affectionately from somewhere around his elbow.
Ron grinned and pushed her back gently. "Geroff, mom! Have to embarrass me in front of my friends."
She tutted with a smile and started off down the hall.
Ron felt pink all over his face as he sighed and went into the room Neville's bags had been put into. "She's going to fall in love with you. You know that, right?"
Neville flushed just as pink as Ron probably was. "What?"
"My mum. She's suddenly without most of her children around, so she's going to be horrible to you. You'll probably get treated as good as Harry."
Neville grabbed a bag and one side of his trunk. He didn't answer. "Help me with this?"
Ron grabbed the other side and the small case left on the floor, and they made their way across the hall.
***
"Are all mothers like her?"
Ron rolled on his side, squinting at the other bed through the darkness. "What?"
There was movement as Neville turned. "Your mum."
"Oh. Well." Ron thought about it. "I don't think so. It's hard to say. I doubt Malfoy's mum's like her at all."
Neville snorted. "Probably not."
"She was a bit much at dinner, wasn't she?" She had been hovering over Neville constantly, refilling his plate or his glass, making sure everything was perfect. Forcing second and third helpings on him.
"No." Neville spoke quietly. "Just odd."
Ron stayed quiet, wondering about Neville's family. His Gran had seemed nice enough at the hospital, if a little prim and proper. But from how Neville talked about her through the years she was strict and a bit cold. Nothing like Ron's mum, that was for sure.
Neville spoke again softly. "I don't remember what my mother was like. I was too young."
Ron frowned, remembering the vacant stare of Neville's mother when she had gone up to him and shyly handed him an empty gum wrapper.
He couldn't imagine his own mother that way. No life in her eyes, moving slow and stiff and being so.not there. And it was all Neville had ever known of her, really. "I think she would have been a bit like mine."
"You do?" Neville's voice was strained.
Ron rolled on his back and sighed. "I guess all she has to give you are wrappers, yeah? But she still gives them to you. She'd give you everything else in the world if she could, I imagine."
Neville sniffled.
Ron pretended not to hear it. Neville had had a long and hard day, and he wouldn't want to be embarrassed with sympathy. He faked a yawn, loudly, and slurred out a 'good night', and rolled on his other side. He listened to Neville sniff in silence.
***
Fred and George were there early the next day, sitting in the kitchen cheerfully talking when Ron staggered in for some breakfast.
"Ronnie! Look, Fred, it's Ronnie!"
"Hey, Ronnie! George, it's Ronnie!"
Ron stopped dead in the doorway and blinked at them.
"Ronnie! Come in! Coffee's still hot."
Ron debated turning around and going back to sleep. He looked around warily, with the knowledge that whatever they had rigged, he wouldn't see it until it was too late.
Coffee sounded good, though. Consciousness didn't really settle in for Ron in the mornings without caffeine.
He moved to the coffee pot, suspicious eyes on his over-enthusiastic brothers.
Fred grinned at him. "Oh, relax. We wouldn't trick you now. It's like cheating to do it in the morning. We know you can't even think clearly before noon."
Ron studied the half-empty pot of coffee, lifting it, sniffing it, twirling the brown liquid around.
George and Fred laughed behind him. "I think our brother doesn't trust us."
"Well, our brother isn't stupid at least."
"Paranoid, though."
"Very paranoid."
"Oh, shut up," Ron grumbled. He saw their two cups of coffee in front of them, watched Fred take a sip from his, and reluctantly decided to trust them. He poured himself a cup and dragged his feet to the table. "What're you two doing here?" He blew on the steam rising from his cup and sipped cautiously.
"Wanted to show dad a few things we've been coming up with. But he took off before we got here."
"Working hard, our old man." George shrugged. "Still, we have one thing that we think might make everyone a bit happier around here."
What's that? Ron asked.
Or would have asked, if any sound had come out when he opened his mouth and formed the words.
His hand went to his throat instantly, and he once again tried to croak the words out.
No sound came.
Fred and George fell over themselves laughing.
Ron glared at them, glared at the coffee in his cup, and angrily stood up. He took his cup to the sink and dumped it out furiously.
"Oh, Ron! Oh, it's brilliant!" Fred had to wipe tears from his eyes. "You never learn!"
George was reduced to high-pitched giggles.
Ron glared at them, then straightened and marched out of the kitchen.
His mother was coming from upstairs, parchment in her hand. A list of chores she wanted done, no doubt. "Good morning, Ron! You saw your brothers?"
Ron stared at her angrily.
She stopped on the last step, frowning. "What's wrong?"
He opened his mouth and no sound came out. He patted his throat.
She had enough experience as their mother to put it together instantly. Her mouth pursed. "Where are they?"
Ron pointed to the kitchen, and followed her angry march with a growing smile.
They wanted to trick him? Fine. He wasn't above putting mum onto them.
He saw over her shoulder as the twins' laughter vanished with horror.
"Mum! Want some coffee?" One quick, desperate, foolish attempt was all Fred had time to make.
Ron stood behind her, arms folded over his chest smugly as she got started.
"-to know WHY you think muting your brother is funny? It isn't enough I have to-"
George stood up fast, cutting her off with the ease of long-time practice. "We just had to test it out one last time, mum! Honestly! Besides, we brought the Quietus potion here for a reason!"
"What reason could you have to bring some silly pranks to this house?"
Ron couldn't see her, but he knew well how dangerous her face must have looked right then.
Freg swallowed and stood by George. "Well. Quietus has been around for a while, yeah? What we've been doing is finding ways to change the potion into.you know. Different forms."
"So it could be slipped into someone's coffee?" She asked, her voice low.
"Right! We've got pills, powders, and this!" George lofted a tiny bottle, like perfume. "We brought this as a present! Watch!" He started for the door.
She didn't move.
George smiled his most winning smile. "Oh, come on, mum. Let us show you!"
She moved reluctantly, letting them pass her and Ron and go into the living room.
George went right to the drapes covering the most horrible painting known to Ron, and pushed the drapes aside with a grin.
Ron covered his ears a moment before the form in the painting, the mother of Sirius Black, started screaming.
"Traitors! Half-bloods! Vermin in my house!"
"George!" Their mother shouted to be heard over the painting. "What are you.?"
George held up a hand with a grin and faced the painting. He lofted the bottle and spritzed the painting with the potion inside.
And abruptly the shrieking stopped. Mrs. Black's mouth kept moving, but no sound emerged.
George and Fred beamed at their mother. "It works on paintings! See?"
Their mother lit up happily. "Oh, boys! That's wonderful! We've been desperate for a way to shut that woman up for months now!" She took the bottle they offered. "How long does it last?"
"About twenty-four hours. You'll have to make it a regular chore and all, but we figured you wouldn't mind."
She studied the bottle, then smiled at them. "Thank you, Fred. George. Now, how about." But she trailed off, and her brow knit dangerously. "You've muted your brother for twenty four hours?"
"No! No! We didn't use a strong dose on him! He should be yakking again in less than ten hours!"
Ron watched with satisfaction as his mother recovered her anger and began blasting away at the twins.
He went up the stairs, feeling that all in all it hadn't been a waste of a morning.
Neville was putting on clothes frantically when Ron came in. "Ron! What in the world was that? Who was doing that horrible screaming?"
Ron opened his mouth, then grimaced. He went to the table between their beds and grabbed a parchment and quill quickly.
Can't talk. Twins cursed me. The screams were a painting. Nothing to worry about.
Neville took the parchment with a frown, read it, then looked at Ron with a growing grin. "You can't talk?"
Ron shook his head sullenly.
Neville was holding back laughter. "For how long?"
Ron held up all ten fingers.
"Until ten?"
He shook his head and held them up again.
"Ten hours?"
He nodded.
Neville cracked up.
Ron sat on his bed despondently, but smiled despite himself as he watched Neville laughing.
Neville didn't laugh often.
It was kind of cute.
***