evelyn | h.potter

18

[CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ]
CAULDRON BOTTOMS

𓆏

Evelyn spun faster and faster, elbows ticked tightly into her sides,blurred fireplaces flashing past her. Then, when at last she felt herself slowing down, she threw out her hands and came to a halt in time to prevent herself from falling face forward out of the Weasleys' kitchen fire. Harry tumbled out and fell on top of her and she let out a small 'oof'

"Did he eat it?" said Fred excitedly, holding out his hands to pull Harry and Evelyn to their feet,

"Yeah," said Harry, straightening up. "What was it?" asked Evelyn.

"Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred brightly. "George and I invented them, and we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer. . . ."

The tiny kitchen exploded with laughter; Harry was introduced to Charlie and Bill and they were all engaged in conversation. Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mr. Weasley appeared out of thin air at George's shoulder. He was looking angrier than Evelyn had ever seen him.

"That wasn't funny, Fred!" he shouted. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?"

"I didn't give him anything," said Fred, with another evil grin. "I just dropped it. . . . It was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to."

"You dropped it on purpose!" roared Mr. Weasley. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet —"

"How big did his tongue get?" George asked eagerly.

"It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it!" Evelyn, Harry and the Weasleys roared with laughter again."It isn't funny!" Mr. Weasley shouted. "That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizard Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons —"

"We didn't give it to him because he's a Muggle!" said Fred indignantly. "No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git," said George. "Isn't he, Harry?"

"Yeah, he is, Mr. Weasley," said Harry earnestly, "That's not the point!" raged Mr. Weasley. "You wait until I tell your mother —"

"Tell me what?" said a voice behind them.
Mrs. Weasley had just entered the kitchen, "Uh oh" Evelyn murmured as she stood up and got ready to leave. "Oh hello, Harry, dear," Molly said, spotting him and smiling. Then her eyes snapped back to her husband. "Tell me what, Arthur?"

Mr. Weasley hesitated. Evelyn could tell that, however angry he was with Fred and George, he hadn't really intended to tell Mrs. Weasley what had happened. There was a silence, while Mr.Weasley eyed his wife nervously.

Then both Hermione and Ginny appeared behind Mrs. Weasley, "Tell me what, Arthur?" Mrs. Weasley repeated, in a dangerous sort of voice.

"It's nothing, Molly," mumbled Mr. Weasley, "Fred and George just — but I've had words with them —"