No Laughing Matter

Chapter Thirty-Four

"Hey Lee!" George called as they entered the shop. He immediately noted that two of the shop's delivery owls were missing from their perches.

"Hey guys," Lee said, coming out of the back, wiping his hands on an apron. "That fur growing stuff is ready to be bottled up. The bottles should be delivered anytime, now, in fact. Have you decided what you're going to call it yet?"

"Still working on it," Fred said, taking off his cloak one-handedly and tossing it onto a hook in the tiny office. "But it worked great on Charlie."

Lee grinned at the two boys he'd basically grown up with. He was glad to see them looking so well after witnessing the grief and pain stamped into their faces the day before. "I wish I could have seen it," he said.

"You still might," George smirked. "He was out cold when we put it on him, and I don't know if he knows how to get the stuff off. He might show up here, or at least in the fire anytime. Got drunk as a lord last night, so we're hoping that he won't quite remember what he might have done to cause it."

"Good one!" Lee laughed. "Well business here has been all right. I was kind of surprised; I thought that people would be too spooked after Halloween to come out here, but they are. And there hasn't been much decline in Owl Orders. A big one came in from Beauxbatons on Saturday, and I had to charge them extra for postage and hire an Eagle Owl from the Owl Post Office to take the load. There's also someone at Durmstrang who makes regular orders for Skiving Snack Boxes. I think that he might be buying them and then re-selling them at an inflated cost. Might be worth it to send some discreet advertising to some of the students there."

"Good thinking," George said, slapping him on the back. "So do you think you can hold things down here for one more day? Fred and I should be okay to come in tomorrow, and you can take a couple of days off."

"Sure," Lee said. "No problem; I love it here!"

"Great," Fred said. "We'll stop by later this afternoon to check on stuff."

Lee waved them off, and they wasted no time in heading off to Gringotts. As they walked, George told Fred about Rowan's little encounter with Rita Skeeter.

"And she was wearing the same shoes as the kind Eunice said she saw on the person who tried to break into the girls' flat weeks ago?" Fred asked thoughtfully. "Interesting."

They agreed that it bore more investigation, and decided to brainstorm over it later, when Rowan and Carly were present. They might be able to shed some light on the subject. They reached the bank, and had a short meeting with a goblin named Gashmark concerning some Weasleys Wizard Wheezes business, and then went to their personal vaults to withdraw some money. They had a busy day ahead of them, and it was already coming up on noon. It was time to meet Ron, Harry and Ginny at the Leaky Cauldron by the time they finished their banking.

Ginny stepped out of the Floo almost the moment the twins entered the pub; Harry was next, followed closely by Ron. They dusted themselves off and chose a table in a corner where they could talk privately, but still see most of their surroundings. They all ordered when the waitress came, and sat back with warm Butterbeers while they waited for their meals to arrive.

"So did Charlie ever wake up?" Fred asked curiously.

Harry, Ginny and Ron immediately began laughing hardily. Ginny was able to compose herself first, so she told the story.

"Nigel and Suzette came in, and we were all at the table," she said, still laughing as she spoke. "When Charlie stumbles into the kitchen and says "Why the hell are my hands and lips covered in hair?"

The three began to laugh even harder. George couldn't remember ever seeing Harry carry on like that, but the tears were streaming from his eyes, and making him and Fred laugh because of it. He supposed it was one of those things that happen when grief strikes; the bad things make the funny things even funnier sometimes.

"Then Nigel," Ginny continued after gasping for air, "says, 'I don't know about the lips, but I know was causes hair to grow on your palms, and I must say..." she paused to catch her breath, but only laughed harder because now the twins were roaring as well. "And I must say that if you would like, I could introduce you to some very nice young ladies...."

Ginny couldn't finish the story, for all the laughter going on. Ron picked up the story from there, and said, "Charlie turned soooo red, and I swear you could have fried an egg on his face! It was Suzette who finally calmed him down and figured out how to get rid of the hair."

They all settled down slowly as their lunches were delivered, wiping their eyes. Fred hoped that people didn't think it improper or callous that they were acting so happy the day after they had buried a brother. He guessed that it didn't matter much what other people thought; his family was healing, and laughter was looking to be the best medicine.

"Oh yeah," Harry said suddenly. "Nigel said to tell you that he wants the biggest container of that stuff you can get him by next Thursday."

"Excellent," Fred smiled. "The ultimate seal of approval!"

"And Ginny," Harry said, blushing slightly. "How did you know about the whole hairy palms thing?"

"Harry - please," she said, her tone one that said the answer should be obvious. "I have six brothers. I've heard all of the old wife's tales in one form or another practically since I was born."

Harry didn't have a reply to that, but his face was still pink as he picked up his sandwich.

"So," George said after he had paid for the meal and they finished their Butterbeer. "Do you two guys think you can keep yourselves busy for an hour while Fred and I take Ginny on an errand?"

"No problem," Ron answered, looking at Harry with a grin. 'Quality Quidditch Supplies here we come!' was written all over both boys' faces.

"Good," George said, then pulled an item that looked as if it had come from a Skiving Snack Box out of his pocket. It was orange on one side and black on the other. "Harry - eat this."

"I don't think so," Harry said, leaning as far away from it as his seat would allow.

"Don't worry," he assured Harry. "It'll just help you blend in a bit better, so no one will recognize you."

When Harry still didn't take it, Fred said, " I swear by all I hold to be funny that this will not hurt or humiliate you in anyway."

He studied the serious faces of the twins for a moment, and then took the candy-like item from George. "Which end?" he asked bravely.

"Orange," came the answer from both Fred and George at once.

Taking a deep breath, with Ron and Ginny watching in fascination, Harry bit into the chewy pellet and chewed. He didn't feel any different as he swallowed, and took it as a good sign. Ginny was now grinning at him, and pulling a small mirror out of her bag for him to see himself in.

"You're a Weasley now," Fred grinned.

Harry looked into the mirror with trepidation to find that his hair had turned from coal black to Weasley red in color. Everything else about him was the same.

"Just eat the black end when you're ready to be Harry Potter again, otherwise it'll take a couple of days to wear off." George said. "No one will recognize you now. Meet us at our shop in two hours."

Harry thought that, as nice as the Weasley's were, he much preferred his own hair color. Still it was a great disguise, and would allow him to travel around Diagon Alley for a couple of hours with out the guard he hated so much. Ron nudged his arm, and they waved to the others before they left the pub eagerly.

"Okay," Ginny said, gathering her cloak and beating a little more of the soot from it before putting it on. "What's this errand you need me for?"

"We need a female's opinion," George said.

"We're going to buy rings," Fred added.

"Let's go then!" Ginny smiled gleefully. Her brothers were going to give her twin sisters! She could hardly contain herself at the prospect as she followed them down the cobbled street to an offshoot of Diagon Alley called Vertic Alley, and into the goldsmith's shop. Fred and George examined ring after ring, getting Ginny's opinion, and making her try each one on. Finally Ginny gave he approval on two separate rings, and her brothers agreed, and paid for them. It was all so perfect and romantic in Ginny's mind, and she only laughed at the slight green color in George's face as they exited the shop with two pretty carved ring boxes in their pockets.

"Wow," Ginny said as they walked. "I can't believe that the two of you are really going to get married."

"Believe it," Fred answered firmly. There was no doubt in his mind at all about the decision he had made; he was ready. He wasn't really too concerned that George looked faintly ill; they had just spent a pretty large amount of money, and a lot more was going to be changing in a very short amount of time, after all.

"George," Ginny said, somewhat more concerned about him. "You know, you don't have to get married just because Fred is. This is something you need to be very, very sure about."

"I am sure!" George assured her vehemently. "It's just a big decision, and I just got a sudden thought in my head as we were paying for the rings. What is she says 'no'?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ginny scoffed. "I've seen the way she looks at you, especially when you're not paying attention. If that girl isn't head over heels in love with you, then I'm a Crumple-Horned Snorkak! And don't you dare let on that you had the slightest doubt in your head, or she'll mop the floor with you."

"Ginny's right," Fred said seriously. "She loves you. Enough to put up with you forever."

"You don't have any doubt at all that Carly might say 'no'?" George asked with a hint of skepticism in his tone.

"Nope," Fred replied airily. "Let's face it, I'm irresistible!"

Ginny snorted, but was quite pleased with the choices her brothers were making. She had no doubt at all that Rowan and Carly would accept the challenge of becoming Weasleys. They still had about twenty minutes to spare, so they took Ginny to Madam Malkin's and bought her a pretty new cloak as a thank you gift.

They arrived at the shop to find that Harry (whose hair was back to normal) and Ron were already there, filling a basket with several new items. Lee was demonstrating the self- filling self-launching water balloons (Weasley's Wild Wet Ones), and they all ducked when one came flying toward them, and sailed out through the open door to burst in the street.

"Hey Guys!" Lee said when he spotted the twins and Ginny. "Those bottles came in right after you left, so I packaged them up. Tell me what you think!"

He retreated to behind the counter and brought out a blue bottle with a wide mouth. The label bore the WWW logo and below that read 'Bearding Balm' with instructions for use on the back.

"Brilliant!" Fred said, passing it over to show the others.

"What would we do without you?" George said with a grin, wrapping a playful arm around his friend's neck.

"Let's hope you never have to find out," Lee retorted, struggling to get out of the headlock George had put him in.

"We won't," Fred said confidently. "Because as of today, you're a part owner in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."

"One-sixth, owner, in fact," George told him, releasing him and producing a folded piece of parchment from his pocket. "It's official."

"Happy Birthday," they said together, grinning at the stunned look on Lee's face.

Ron whispered, 'Wow!' reverently in the background as Harry and Ginny looked on in amazement. Ginny smiled and slipped the bottle Harry had just handed her into her pocket while everyone was occupied, and winked when he looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"And," Fred continued, "because it's long past due, ta-da!" He produced another piece of parchment and held it out to Harry.

Harry, much as he had with the orange and black chew they had offered him earlier, backed away and held up his hands in protest.

"Go on, Harry, take it!" George urged. "If it wasn't for your Tri-Wizard winnings, we wouldn't have been able to pull this store off of for at least another few years."

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "And then I might have never met Carly. Take it."

"Are you mad, Harry?" Ron hissed, as Harry still appeared apprehensive. "Take it!"

Harry looked at everyone gathered around him, looking at him expectantly, and at Lee Jordan's still surprised, but happy, face and made a decision. He took the parchment.

"Good man!" Fred said, and slapped him on the back.

"I don't know what to say!" Lee stammered, as the rest of them got ready to leave. "I never expected this."

"I don't know why not," George said, as he bagged up the items that were going to be making the trip back to Hogwarts. "You've been in on the planning of everything since we were eleven; it's only right that you own a piece of it now. We're all going to be very rich men eventually."

They left a beaming Lee behind the counter and walked back toward the Leaky Cauldron. Fred was feeling content and satisfied with the way the important people and things were falling into place in his life, and intended to work hard to keep it that way. When Harry fell into step beside him, he wasn't surprised; he had half expected Harry to approach with him or George, or both of them about what they had done. He was confident that he could convince Harry that they had done the right thing.

"Fred," Harry began. "I really appreciate what you and George did just now, but I have to ask you a favor."

"What's that?" This was certainly not the conversation he had imagined.

"Change the name on my share into Ron's name," Harry said quietly not wanting to be overheard.

Fred stopped in his tracks, and Harry did as well. The others hadn't noticed and walked on, unconcerned. "Are you sure about this?" Fred asked, after seeing that Harry was in earnest about his request.

"Yes," Harry said firmly. "I have more than I could possibly need from my parents."

"If this is what you want," Fred said thoughtfully, "I'll certainly do it, but I don't want you to feel like you have to."

"I don't," Harry said. "In fact, I don't want him to even know about it until after he leaves Hogwarts. Just open a vault in his name, and put his share of the profits away for him until then."

"You got it," Fred said, sealing the deal with a handshake. 'It looks like we're all growing up,' he thought as they caught up with the others.