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Magical Mugwort	By : Marjay2127 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 10391 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Ginny Weasley had a truly devious mind. When she had explained her idea to me, it had floored me with what she could come up with, and made me seriously consider her a formidable opponent should I ever get on her bad side. Fortunately for me, she said she liked me, and I intended to keep it that way.

We had agreed to keep it as quiet as possible. She would contact Lee Jordan, and I would talk to my brother for his part. Distraction, illusion, and turnabout were the big keys in our plan. I, in the meantime, would go on with life as normal and pretend that I had given up the idea of getting back at the twins. It was going to take some time to complete this scheme. Ginny had explained that it would take approximately a month to brew the potion that we'd need, so we had quite a bit of time to draw this out and hopefully lure Fred and George into a false sense of security.

Before she left that day, Ginny had hugged me and told me she could get used to having this kind of fun. Since she was heading back to school soon, she said that she would keep a close eye on everything. We arranged to communicate periodically for updates, and she assured me that everything would work out. If it did, well, we'd certainly have a claim to fame to be proud of.

The next day, I decided to leave work a little early. My boss had no problem with that, which was part of why I liked my job. I had gotten hold of Andrew, and asked him to meet me at the Leaky Cauldron so we could go to Diagon Alley. I intended to visit Weasley's Wizard Wheezes shop and see what it was truly like. That, and the whole idea was to throw the twins off our scent.

The weather was lovely, albeit a little warm still. I still wore my black pants and white satin shirt, hoping that I wasn't going to ruin the shirt. Sturdy black heels helped me feel at least three inches taller, which is always important in the workplace.

As I entered the Leaky Cauldron, I brushed my hair out of my eyes and went to fix my french twist. The atmosphere was fairly busy for three o'clock on a weekday. It was smoky and the buzz of conversation filled the air. Witches and wizards lounged around the bar or at the tables, some contenting themselves with firewhiskey or butterbeer, other dining on the house stew. A few gave me nods of acknowledgment, as I was becoming more of a regular face there.

A few moments later, the door opened and Andrew entered. He pulled his sunglasses off his face and came striding towards me. “Maggie, Maggie,” he chided. “Taking off of work early? You realize this sets a horrible example for me, your impressionable young brother.”

I lifted my chin and answered, “Please. You're as anxious for this trip as I am. You love Wheezes.”

He scoffed. “Forget the shop. I've been to the shop. I'm just excited about this whole scheme of yours.”

As we walked towards the back where the entrance to Diagon Alley was located, I said, “Just remember. Not a word of anything. No word of what we're planning, no word that we're planning anything, understand? I will kill you if you mess this up for me.”

Andrew looked insulted. “Hold on, sis. You've brought me into your plan to prank the pranksters. This is the greatest challenge I could ask for. You think I'm really going to screw this up? I want to be part of it.”

He took out his wand and tapped the bricks. As the wall began to shift, I nodded. “I know. I can't believe how important this is becoming. I would have been happy just getting them to eat some of their own products, or sending them on a wild goosechase. Between you and Ginny, this is becoming a bloody circus. I'm starting to think that we're all getting ourselves into more than we can handle.”

The wall opened up and revealed Diagon Alley, sunshine beaming down upon the wizard shopping district. We stepped through and began our walk up the street towards where, I assumed, the shop was. Andrew had been there many times before. I had never been.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Andrew looked around happily. “Come on, Maggie. From what I understand, no one's ever been able to do what you're trying to do. I think it's brilliant. Of course it's going to take help. You couldn't do it on your own, you know.”

“I know. I guess the level of enthusiasm is ridiculous to me.”

We walked for a few minutes, just watching the daily goings on around the Alley. Even with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's return, life still had to continue. There were more shops and carts for anti-Dark Magic charms and what not, and the atmosphere was probably a little more tense than it had been before these times. But even the merchants still had to sell their wares. Bright purple posters had begun to cover many storefront windows, talking about precautions to take, and there were the faces of wanted witches and wizards.

It struck me as strange to be walking around Diagon Alley as part of a plot of a particularly intricate joke, at a time when there was such fear as well. I supposed it was because I spent my time in the Muggle world, where we worried about muggings, monsoons, and terrorism, not a wizard war. At the same time, I liked that there was still good humor and a determination to cause mischief, not just fear.

There it is, just up ahead.”

We came to a building, and I stopped in my tracks to see the storefront. One of the windows was filled with eye-popping displays. Various items sparkled, soared, and could make enough noise that I heard them on the street. In another window was a changing advertisement for specials that they were running in the store, including something called U-No-Poo. I decided I did not want to know.

With a grin, Andrew took my arm. “Come on, let's go.”

"Wait. You remember why we're here, right?”

Rolling his eyes, Andrew replied, “By Hecate's cauldron, Maggie, I swear, if you don't loosen up a bit, I'll hex you myself. Let's go in.”

Taking a deep breath, I followed Andrew into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Going from sunlight to indoors made me blink a few times, and then blink a few more once I got a look at the set up of the shop. I couldn't help but gasp and stare. The shop was quite busy, much busier than many of the other shops. There were shelves upon shelves of merchandise, some items screaming as customers held them, others sparking, and yet others glowing. I couldn't begin to understand what most of the merchandise was.

“Brilliant, isn't it?” Andrew grinned. “I'll need to get a job of my own to start paying for everything. And they're coming out with new items all the time. Good thing they're giving me that twenty percent off.”

"Great...”

Iwatched as several school-age younglings hurried towards the front counter to pay for armfuls of things. The witch behind the counter, wearing ghastly magenta robes, smiled and helped the children.

Andrew nudged me, and we moved further into the store. I stared at the merchandise. It was unbelievably creative. Headless hats, portable swamps, Skiving Snackboxes, trick wands, even a selection of Muggle magic tricks. I could almost see why Andrew was so enamored with this stuff, and why Fred and George actually were in the business. It had to be a full time job just to think of all these products.

“If I may recommend, have you seen our selection of WonderWitch products yet?”

Slowly turning around, I found one of the twins hovering closely behind me, a wicked grin on his face. “Well, hello, there... Fred,” I greeted with a smile.

He raised an eyebrow. “That was a lucky guess, wasn't it.”

I shrugged gracefully, still smiling. “You'll never know. But I'm right, aren't I?”

Fred shrugged, still grinning. “Yes, you're right. This time.”

Then I took a look at what he was wearing: the same magenta robes that the witch behind the counter was wearing. It clashed horribly with his fair skin and red hair. “Dear lady of the lake, what in the hell is that?”

“What?” Fred asked, looking down at his robes, then grinning again. “Don't you think they're amazing? Positively guaranteed to get anyone's attention, and makes us that much easier to find in here.”

Turning to my brother, he extended a hand. “Andrew, mate, how's everything?”

Andrew looked around the shop as he shook Fred's hand. “Never better, Fred. You're doing brisk business today.”

“Last chance for this lot before they're shipped off to Hogwarts. How about you, mate, you need anything else? We just got some more Decoy Detonators finished. Could be useful in more ways than one this year.”

“I just might grab some.”

Fred turned back to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “It's always a pleasure to see you, Maggie. What are you doing in this neck of the woods?” he asked.

Exchanging a well-placed look with my brother, I replied, “Well, you've talked so much about this place, I thought it was time I came down here to see for myself. Andy, of course, was only too happy to come and keep you two in business.”

“And what do you think so far?”

I nodded, looking around the store. “You guys are doing really well. I had no idea you had such a large space. And the kids obviously love your products. Obviously.”

Fred looked very proud. “It's been well worth the effort. Took a lot of planning, but nowadays we can't keep certain items on the shelf very long.”

“Like what?”

A second voice spoke before Fred could answer. “Oh, this is trouble. Maggie and her brother, in our joke shop.” George appeared from behind a gaggle of young ones, dressed the same as Fred. He looked between us, torn between a smirk and a look of suspicion. “Come in here to get ideas, have you?”

“George Weasley,” I reprimanded. “What on earth are you talking about?”

George fixed me with a look. “You know damn well what I mean, Maggie. Don't think I've forgotten that you're set on getting us back for that little prank we pulled.”

“Pfft!” I waved my hand. “Please, I've already forgotten about it. I can't believe you even remembered it.”

This time Fred pinned me with the same look, as if I were carrying something explosive on me that might go off at any second. “That's right, I'd forgotten about that.” He turned to Andrew, who was busy checking out some trick wands. “You're in on this too, eh, Andy?”

Andrew looked up, surprised. “Don't know what you're talking about, Fred. Maggie never tells me anything.”

Fred and George exchanged a look. “I see,” said Fred dubiously. “And you both just happen to come in here for, what, exactly?”

“Fred. George. If I were truly planning something against you, do you really think I would come into your own store for ideas?” I asked. “Honestly. Do you think I'm that stupid and obvious? It's an insult, really.”

After a few moments, George turned to his brother. “I suppose she's right, Fred. Not about the stupid and obvious part,” he added hastily, seeing my expression. “But I don't think she'd come in here if she was looking for ideas.”

“Hmm. Perhaps.”

Moving closer to Fred, I lowered my voice and said, “Ever think that I came in here because I wanted to see you?” I raised an eyebrow and left the innuendo hanging.

Then I turned to George and gave him the same look, that subtle flirtatious look that said so much more than words could. “Didn't it cross your minds that I've missed seeing you two? And maybe I wanted to see more of you both?” I smiled knowingly.

This time, Fred seemed to drop his guard. He touched my elbow and gave me a look of his own. “Much as I'd love to show you much more, we are rather busy, luv.”

“Speak for yourself, you prat,” George said, taking my arm. “Come on. I'll show you around the shop.”

There was a shriek from the other end of the store and I startled. “Oh. Looks as if someone's found Snapping Mice again,” Fred commented. He excused himself and headed off in the far direction.

“I'm just going to look around,” Andrew said. “Come find me when you're ready.”

Clapping a hand on Andrew's shoulder, George said, “Take your time, mate. You know everything you buy is discounted. Forty percent today.”

A group of teenage girls came wandering through, moving towards a very pink section. I noticed a couple of them looking me up and down with a sort of appraising, snooty air, then looking at George with flirtatious smiles. As they began whispering amongst themselves, I fought not to laugh out loud.

“Look who's the popular one,” I mused. “Get a lot of jailbait in here because you're rich and famous?”

George rolled his eyes, casually placing a hand on my lower back and leading me away from the giggling girls. “Quite a few, actually. It's quite a bother when you're trying to run a business and some little trollop tries to slip you one of your own love potions.”

I laughed out loud at that. “Aw, but you're just so adorable,” I teased, pinching his cheek.

George playfully pinched my waist in retaliation. “Careful, there, now,” he warned. “Seeing as I am a proprietor of this establishment, I would be well within my rights to take you in back and scold you proper if you cause any trouble.”

His words only brought to mind heated images of our date, and I found my heart beating a little quicker. Instead of touching on that, I said, “Sure you wouldn't want one of your groupies back there with you?”

“Ha ha ha,” he dead-panned, leading me back towards a curtained-off room, and led me inside. The room was darker than out front, less crowded but still filled with rows of items, and there seemed to be a more somber air to the room.

“What's back here?” I asked.

“What started out as more jokes,” George replied. He explained how they had created hats that repelled charms, and they had become such a big success that they had expanded into other Dark Arts repellents. Now it had become one of the most successful lines that the shop produced. When he had finished, I was impressed.

"Wow. That is very creative. A means of helping your fellow witches and wizards. Very nice.”

George gave me a bit of a funny look for a moment. “They could help you too, you know,” he said suddenly, facing me.

I gave him a queer look. “What do you mean?”

“In case you're ever in a jam,” he explained. “You may not be able to do any magic yourself, but most of these items work well enough on their own. I'd be willing to test some of them out for you, make sure they'd work all right.”

The sudden change of tone in the conversation threw me. There was a subtle concern in his eyes that had not been there a moment before. “George, what is this about?” I asked. “Why would I need to use any of these?”

George stood still for a moment. Then he gently took my hand, rubbing fingers over my knuckles. “Just want you to take precautions, luv,” he replied. “Much as we like to flaunt our wares in defiance of the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who, even we realize that these times are getting more dangerous. I figure you can't be too careful. I wouldn't want you getting caught up in something you couldn't get out of.”

The sincerity of his words startled me. It seemed so out of place coming from him. But I could very plainly see that he meant them. Smiling gently, I reached up to touch his cheek, brushing a finger over his lips. I thought about kissing him, but thought better of it. It was his place of business, after all. I wasn't sure what he was really trying to say, or if there was anything else there, but the simple fact that he was concerned for my safety was quite touching.

“That's very thoughtful of you,” I said simply.

George gazed down at me for several long moments, a slight smile on his lips. “Well,” he shrugged, still holding my hand. “You're an exceptional girl. Wouldn't want to miss out on any more energetic evenings spent together.”

I grinned then, and looked up as Fred came in. “Oh, here you are,” Fred said. “George, we've got to get better storage for those mice. Once they get underfoot, it's near impossible to keep the kids from running though the store.”

To me, Fred said, “So what do you think?”

Smiling still, I replied, “It's an amazing store. You guys are doing a fantastic job here. It's always nice to see such entrepreneurial spirit in young men.”

“You hear that, George? I think she's about half a step away from calling us responsible,” Fred said.

“Bloody hell. Looks like we're going to have to come up with something new to correct that,” George replied.

Smirking, I said, “Really, that's not necessary. I did want to ask you, though, if you two had any plans for Saturday night.”

They shared a quick glance, then turned back to me. “All free and clear, as far as I know,” Fred said. “Just planning on dinner at mum and dad's.”

Rocking on my heels, I said, “Well, how about bailing on that and having dinner with me instead? I thought we could hang out at my place, grab some takeout, and maybe watch a movie. Just have some quiet time. You're having a busy day, I thought you might like to relax at the end of the week. I know you're closed on Sunday, so we can have a nice evening.”

My invitation was met with surprised but pleased looks. “Blimey, a girl who actually wants to take care of us after a long day,” Fred said in amazement.

“Well, I'm not one of your groupies, but I think I can give you a comfortable evening. What do you say?” George chuckled. “Are you mental? Sounds great. Count us in.”

I smiled. “Good! Well, you both know the way to my place, so you can Floo or Apparate there. Either way, I'll be expecting you. Oh. And if you wear those robes, I'll kill you both.”
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Magical Mugwort