The Cupboard Series 3: Potter Haven

Chapter 19

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Twin red-haired heads poked out of the stairwell that led to the common room. Each surveyed one side of the common room before a satisfied smile crossed their faces. The heads turned towards each other and nodded. As one, two left feet stuck out and the two sauntered into the empty room.

"You see, George, I told you that no-one would be here this time of the morning," one said.

"George? I thought you were going to be George today," the other protested.

"You're right, brother, I was going to be George today. But I decided that I'd like to give Fred a whirl."

The one who was now deemed to be George, shook his head. "Alright. But I get to be Fred tomorrow."

"Absolutely," the other agreed. "Now, Gred, we're well behind schedule."

"That we are," the other, possibly George or even Forge, agreed. "We've been back at school for a week and we still haven't checked each other out."

"Well, to be fair, we were going to do it yesterday until Lee and the girls suggested that game of pick-up quidditch."

"You're right. And it simply wouldn't be right to disappoint those lovely chasers."

"Lee, not so much."

"Exactly," his brother nodded. "Do you want to go first?"

With a nod, the twin stepped back and held out his arms, readying himself. Meanwhile, his brother also stepped back and away, reached into his robes and pulled out his wand. Then, with a circle of his wand that seemed to encompass his brother, followed by a rapid cross and a jab, he cast a spell on his brother.

A gentle blue wave washed out and around the twin standing still until it faded from sight, leaving behind six pulsing red splotches.

"Looks like Mum hit us good this time, George," Fred frowned.

George looked his body over, locating the slight warmth that accompanied the red glow. There was once each behind each knee; one on his right wrist; one on his stomach; one on the back of his neck; and the last one, his ass.

"I don't think these are all from Mum," George commented. "Two of them feel a little different."

Fred leaned in close to his twin to examine the redness. "You're right. This one and this one," he said, pointing to the splotches on his brother's wrist and neck, "aren't Mum's normal tracking charms. I'm sure that she's learnt a new one."

"Well, she's definitely been getting a lot of practise with it considering how many times we've found it and had to disperse it over the holidays," George commented. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

In response, Fred stepped back and began to systematically undo the tracking charms on his brother. To be sure, as was their standard practise, a second detection charm was sent over his brother, which thankfully came up clean. Both knew that it'd never do to allow their mother to continue placing tracking charms on them, even while at school, and especially while they were at the Burrow. That way led to too much interference in prank planning.

"Right, you're clean. Do me," Fred stated, stepping back and raising his arms.

With a nod, George pulled out his own wand and began the incantation to detect the monitoring charms on his brother. Unfortunately, the two brothers hadn't taken into account that there might be others who would get up at a ridiculously early time on a Sunday morning. Just as the blue wave of magic left George's wand, a bushy-haired girl stepped off of the stairs and right into the spell.