Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I did see the spot in Scotland where J.K. Rowling started writing it.

Author's Note: My first full length Harry Potter fic! Woo! This is pretty much entirely for my friend Jade and I, so if no one else likes it, hah! Too bad. Also, we're both writing this so the chapters will alternate. Anyways, here goes…

OH! Right, almost forgot, our main two characters are original characters. Hope no one minds, hehe… At least the twins are in here too. Got to love Fred and George, right?

XXX

"So you've managed to get yourself into trouble again?" Fred grinned at Ron, who looked less than thrilled that he needed a chaperone to come and pick him up from school just so that he could go to Hogsmeade. Unfortunately Fred was the only Weasley that was able to help Ron today, as everyone else was too busy. George had to keep the shop up and running, especially with the weekend influx of Hogwarts students, and Ginny was obviously too young. All of the others were out of town or working.

"Stuff it, will you?" Ron muttered under his breath, hands in his pockets as he nodded sheepishly to McGonagall on his and Fred's way out the doors. She smiled kindly, obviously at least aware of the humiliation he was going through at the moment. Hermione and Harry had already made their way down to Hogsmeade, apparently unable to wait for their friend and his brother.

"But really mate, what'd you do?" Fred of course did not let the matter drop, even slowing his pace as they reached the courtyard.

"I said shove it!"

"Ooooooh, I got it," Fred winked playfully, leaning down like he was in on a precious secret, "It was Ronnie, with Lavender Brown, in the broom closet!"

Fred had maybe a second's warning before Ron hit him with the first snowball. He laughed and packed his own ball of fluff, and chased after Ron who took off across the courtyard. He ducked behind a statue, and Fred ran around the other side ready to launch. Ron had backed up and ran along the walkway towards Hogsmeade. "You're gonna get it, Ronnie!" Fred laughed but only saw the girl leaning against the wall at the last minute. It startled him just enough to throw off his aim, which thankfully made him miss her. She jumped, obviously startled, and glared at him. Fred could feel his cheeks go almost as red as his and Ron's hair, and Ron was laughing all the way to Hogsmeade.

XXX

She shivered again and pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, covering the last of her blonde hair that was not under her pink and yellow hat. The snow was falling, and at this time of year Alysia always felt as though the snow would never stop falling. Hogsmeade was coated with a thick blanket of snow, and it looked like the perfect winter postcard. Alysia smiled, thinking it would be the perfect card to send home to the United States for the holidays. Still, she and her younger sister Jem would be heading home for the holidays and she knew they'd easily beat the owl home anyways.

Besides, sending an owl across the Atlantic was probably animal cruelty. If that Hermione Granger that Jem was always gossiping about got wind of it, there would be protests cropping up all over the Wizarding World and that would be disastrous. She should not even consider it if she planned on hanging on to that internship at the Ministry of Magic over the summer. She worked in the Department of Muggle Affairs as a specialist, considering she still attended a muggle university as it better suited her talents and interests.

Alysia sighed and checked her watch again. Hordes of Hogwarts students were pouring out of the school now towards the small village they were permitted to visit on the weekends, but there was no sign of the spirited Jem. Alysia was growing impatient, though that had more to do with the cold creeping up her through the stone wall she leaned against. It was rare enough for her to have a break from University on a weekend, but this weather made her crave one of the coffees she only seemed to be able to find at home. The blonde jumped when a snowball hit the wall three feet to the side of her, and two boys dressed in homemade sweaters ran by yelling a not-so-heartfelt apology between laughs. She settled against the wall again, narrowing her blue eyes at them. One looked to be about her age if not a couple years younger—and should really know better than to run around having snowball fights on the slick pavement of the school!—but the other appeared to be Jem's age. Both had fiery red hair, the effect of which was not lessened in the slightest by the maroon and green hats they wore.

"Aly!" came the familiar voice at last.

"Jem!" her head snapped to attention and she hopped up to run over and embrace her younger—but unfortunately taller--sister. "Took you long enough, kid."

"Sorry, I came down late and ended up at the end of the line," Jem explained.

"Meh, make me wait when it's warm next time, alright?" Alysia joked and squeezed her sister's shoulder. They meandered their way over to Hogsmeade, trying to keep each other from falling over in the snow, but of course Alysia managed to knock herself and Jem down within the first five minutes of their walk.

XXX

"Took you two long enough!" George called when he saw his brother come into their shop, Fred paused to shrug out of his winter clothes, but George blinked in surprise when he did not see Ron. "Where's the kid?"

"Met up with Potter and Granger for some Butterbeer, you know," Fred winked and George laughed.

"Lavender Brown in the broom closet?"

"He says no, wouldn't admit it," Fred shrugged his shoulders, weaving his way through the customers back to the counter where he put on his own apron and took over while George took his ten minute break to grab a drink from the Three Broomsticks. Judging from the crowd Fred was now handling, George would certainly need it.

"Tough luck, we'll have to torture him later," George conceded on his way out, and helped one of the younger Hogwarts students reach something on the top shelf. Fred took over the cash register, ringing up Neville Longbottom first. He shook some of the remaining snow out of his hair as he did so, oddly reminded of the girl he'd accidently startled with that snowball. She was certainly not a student he'd seen before, and he didn't think Hogwarts was that big. He tried not to think too long on it, but he found himself searching the crowd of customers for her pink and yellow hat.

XXX

George zipped his jacket all the way up to his chin, though it did nothing for the snow on top of his head. His mother would be scolding him for forgetting his hat by now, but it was not far to the Three Broomsticks and he just needed a quick Butterbeer. Besides, it was his turn to give Ron a hard time if he was still in there.

He stomped his feet as he got in, knocking at least some of the fresh snow from his boots. The warmth of the Three Broomsticks was a stark contrast from the weather outdoors, his nose, cheeks and fingers were already turning pink in protest of the rapid climate change. George walked over to the bar, barely watching where he was going as he looked around for Ron but there was no sign of him. He stumbled into someone when he backed into the bar, and found himself the reason for a girl about two years his junior having her drink spilled all over herself.

"Oh no, sorry there," George pulled out his wand and muttered one of the charms his mother had used many times over the years with a house full of boys and her shirt began to dry itself.

"Oh, thank you," she blushed, looking up at him with a sheepish grin. An American accent too? That was new… The girl sitting next to her looked less than pleased, and George chuckled nervously. As soon as he got his Butterbeer he knew it was his cue to go.

XXX

"God, the manners here, why is it so crowded over here?!" Alysia grunted in exasperation as soon as they had left the Three Broomsticks. She came from the West coast of the United States, and she certainly was not used to crowds nor was she fond of them. Jem, on the other hand, came from the South and so was used to a far different lifestyle. Obviously, they were not sisters by relation but sisters by heart.

"But at least he helped me clean up, he was really nice about it," Jem defended the red-headed stranger, since he had tried to make it right after all.

"Pfft, yeah, because none of us around here can fix things with a wand," Alysia muttered sarcastically. She and Jem finally just let the subject drop, silently agreeing to disagree. Alysia did not mention that he'd been the same guy who had nearly nailed her in the face with a snowball.

"Oh!" Jem suddenly stopped and pointed excitedly.

"Hm?" Alysia stopped and looked where the girl was pointing, seeing a shop that seemed to have too much fun flair and craziness for its own good.

"Weasley's Wizarding Weezes! I told you about this place, it's the best one! A couple of new Hogwarts alums run it!" Jem bounced up and down excitedly and Alysia caught a hint of the excitement as well.

"Alright, let's go!" Alysia wiggled her eyebrows at Jem and they raced for the door.

XXX

George had only just gotten his apron back on when a pair of girls crashed into the shop through their door. "Safe!" yelled Fred with a laugh.

"I won! I won!"

"You did NOT, I SOOOO won this time!"

"Liar!"

"Cheat!"

"Skank!"

The American girl's voices began to grow higher in pitch as they faked an argument, causing a few of the customers that were nearest to the door to conveniently walk out so as to escape the noise. And that was saying something for a shop as accustomed to chaos as the Weasley's Wizarding Weezes.

"Ladies, ladies, we appreciate the excitement, but we like it more when you direct that towards our merchandise," George finally stepped in, smiling kindly to the two American witches.

"Hey, it's you," Jem grinned widely when she recognized George from the Three Broomsticks. He laughed nervously, taking an extra minute to make the connection.

"Oh boy," Alysia murmured, recognizing the tone in Jem's voice. It was best to just get out of the way at this point, so she busied herself by looking at the various things on the shelves and counters.

"I'm Jem," Jem introduced herself with an extended hand, George held out his own as well.

"George Weasley," George replied. "Do you go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes! Transferred from an American Wizarding school," Jem smiled, pouring on her most flirtatious body language. "You know, no one's really properly showed me around yet." Alysia's eyes flickered above one of the displays to catch Jem's flirting, and her eyes widened at how this George guy blushed. He actually blushed.

"Ugh, gag me," Alysia said under her breath only to realize she was not the only one who had said something. She glanced over to see who possessed the voice she heard to her left, only to do a double take when she saw what looked like a mirror reflection of George. He seemed rather pleased by this reaction, and laughed quite a bit.

"We get that a lot," Fred chuckled. "I'm Fred Weasley."

"Alysia Newton," Alysia replied. "Quite the shop you've got here."

"We're rather proud of it," he beamed, "anything you might like to see?"

"Anything that will either help me cheat on a test or keep my roommate out of my stuff," Alysia answered automatically.

"I have something that can do BOTH!" Fred nearly ran over to the box of their newest product, Snorflax Spies. By now, Alysia's attention was completely distracted from keeping an eye on George and Jem. Which of course means that she completely missed George working up the courage to start flirting with her right back.

"Which house are you in?" George asked her.

"Gryffindor," she answered with a proud smile, her brunette hair spilling around her face as she unconsciously leaned forward. The scarlet bangs and tips framing her face were not wasted on George, he recognized house pride when he saw it.

"Gryffindor… " George repeated in an approving tone. "Suits you well." How on earth have I never met you before? Was the question he really wanted to ask. He was about to go on when the door distracted him, and out of habit he looked up to greet the customer.

"Hey Weasley," a familiar voice followed the jingle of the bell announcing another customer, but the shop went silent when all of the patrons recognized Draco Malfoy and his two cronies behind him. "Wait until my father hears that one of your weezes," Draco overemphasized the word as he turned to lift some of his pale hair from his left ear, "did this to me!" Only instead of a human ear, it was a pink pig's ear. Muffled laughter broke out in the shop, only to be silenced by Draco's glare.

"Oh brilliant, quite an improvement actually--" Fred began.

"—but maybe a couple of rings now, it needs some bling," George finished with a large grin.

"When my father—" Draco hissed, face fully flushed now.

"Your father can't manage to separate his work life from his social life, and forgets that he in fact does not run the Ministry of Magic," Alysia glared at the pale boy, and managed to ignore the way that all eyes in the shop were on her. If it were even possible, the boy's face went even paler than it started out.

"I suppose at least he doesn't specialize in Muggles," Draco finally managed a comeback, and the two Weasley boys present at the time moved forward with grim looks of anger on their faces—but it was the young American that beat them to the punch.

Or kick, as it were.

"That's for being a snotty little prick," Jem clarified as Draco doubled over, moaning in pain. "A'ight?" she added, her drawl playing along the word beautifully. Crabbe and Goyle looked positively mystified—after all, they could hit most of the Gryffindors but this one was a girl. It'd be humiliating to admit later… Or to explain the bruises she might leave. Instead, they took the coward's way out and dragged Draco back out the door despite his protests.

"Blimey… " George muttered without thinking, "Marry me."

At Jem and Alysia's sudden laughter, he turned redder than his own hair.