Recnac Transfaerso

39 - Phoenix Part Two

The next in were the twins. They plopped down in the chairs on either side of his bed. At the same moment, the two reached over and hugged Harry. Harry tensed at the touch, then forcing himself to relax, mentally berating himself for constantly freaking at the unexpected physical touch thing. The twins broke away, ruffling his hair with a laugh. They each had to wipe a quick tear away from their cheeks. Harry smiled at the similarities of their actions. Some things would never change.

"Harry, mate, we're going to need to have a serious conversation about this whole 'save the world at any cost' thing you've got going on," Fred said with a grin.

George's tone was more serious. "Yeah, Harry, you don't know what it was like when you..." he trailed off, not able to say the word.

"Died?" Harry offered quietly. George nodded with a shiver.

"Harry, it was like losing one of the family," Fred added solemnly.

"You can't let us go through something like that again, it was too horrible," said George seriously.

"So no more dangerous stuff, okay?" said Fred.

"Does that include accepting sweets from you two?" Harry joked, trying to lighten the mood. The twins gave slight smiles, but their expressions immediately turned back to serious.

"Harry, we're serious. Please, you can't do something like that again," said Fred.

"We couldn't handle it."

Harry blushed a bit. "Never thought I'd be getting the serious talk from you two," he said with a smile. "I mean are you guys all right?" he asked worriedly. He didn't know what to make of serious Weasley twins.

"Well, we haven't been in the past week..." started George.

"...but we will be now," finished Fred. "Promise there will be no more self-sacrifices?"

Fred and George each held out their hands for Harry to shake to seal the promise. Harry grinned and crossed his arms, right over left, to shake their hands.

"Promise," he said firmly.

"All right, enough seriousness. We developed a new prank," George said excitedly.

"You know those two sidekicks of Malfoy's? The big ugly ones?"

"Crab-face and Gargoyle or something?" George said waving a hand dismissively. Harry laughed and nodded.

"Well, they ate some very interesting cupcakes and the strangest thing happened," said Fred thoughtfully.

"Yeah, their tongues fell right out of their mouths. Really bizarre," George added. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Caused a bit of a ruckus at the Slytherin table."

"Screaming, panic, and other sorts of mayhem."

"They sort of had to carry their tongues to the Hospital Wing."

"Quite disgusting really."

Harry was laughing now. "I can't believe I missed that! I think we need a repeat performance, just to make sure my investment's going to good use and all."

"Oh of course. Purely a business thing," said George in mock-seriousness.

"A purely professional prank," Fred piped in.

"Well, best be off."

"Mum's next and she's ready to rip off the door with her teeth to get in to see you if we make her wait any longer."

"I doubt even Madam Pomfrey could hold her off," George mused. "She's a bit scary sometimes."

"We'll see you soon since we're going to force you to come over so much you'll get sick of us."