Roses and Riots | f. weasley

Chapter 19: Trouble

"Alright, everyone, I've set the Dursleys' house up to the Floo Network just for today, so we ought to get in and out easily with no hassle. We don't want to frighten the Muggles, though I would love to know how a Macrowove works. Fascinating, truly fascinating."

They all stood around Arthur at the fireplace in the Weasleys' kitchen the following month, getting ready to take a handful of Floo Powder.

"Alright, Emilia, you go first."

Emilia took a handful of the powder and stepped into the large fireplace, green flames rising around her like a warm breeze, she threw down the powder, "Number Four, Privet Drive!"

She closed her eyes as dozens of fireplaces zoomed past her, and then she found herself in darkness, crashing into a wall. She'd just barely managed to put her hands up to stop herself from headbutting it.

"Oh, shit," she said aloud.

Green flames lit up again, and George appeared and stumbled forwards, "what the bloody hell-" and then Fred landed almost directly on top of both of them.

"This doesn't look right," George said.

"No shit, George," Emilia said, and then the space got even more cramped as Arthur appeared.

"Ouch, Fred, that was my foot!" Emilia protested as they were all pressed up together.

"Well, I can't bloody see, can I!?" Fred retorted, but he had to put his hands on her shoulders to steady himself as George turned around and jostled them all.

"George, don't move-" Arthur began, "Fred, don't stand there- something must be wrong-"

"Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad?" Fred suggested, into the blackness.

"Harry? Harry, can you hear us?" Emilia called out, knocking her hands on the wall in front of her face.

"Emilia? Mr Weasley? Can you hear me?" Harry's muffled voice came from the other side.

"Harry! Oh thank goodness," Arthur said loudly.

"Mr Weasley, the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there," Harry shouted to them.

"Why didn't you tell us the Muggles didn't have a proper fireplace, Emilia?" Fred asked from somewhere above her head.

Emilia scowled, though she knew he wouldn't be able to see her face, "oh, I just thought this would be a fun detour, Fred. They bloody well had a fireplace the last time I was here!"

"They've got an electric fire now!" Harry explained from the other side of the wall.

"Really?" Arthur replied in awe, "ecklectic you say? With a plug? I must see that- ouch, Ron!"

Ron had just appeared in a flash of green, and he pushed into Emilia who ended up pressed flush against Fred. She felt her face heating up with embarrassment, thankful that they were standing in darkness so that no one could see.

Fred, also embarrassed and not sure what to do, lifted his hands up slightly, not knowing where else to put them when Emilia was pressed against him like that.

"What are we doing here?" Ron cried out into the darkness, "has something gone wrong?"

"Oh, no, Ron," Fred replied sarcastically, "no, this is exactly where we wanted to end up."

"Yeah, we're having the time of our lives here," George answered.

"Could we maybe do something about this? I'm getting claustrophobic," Emilia complained, sticking her elbow into George who had moved slightly on top of her in his attempt to get from under Ron's feet.