Harry and Amelia Potter

6.3

It's utter madness. Ever-Bashing Boomerangs whip through the air, Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start No-Heat fireworks spit sparks, and Nose-Biting Teacups bare tiny porcelain teeth. Fred and George Weasley, in screaming magenta, stand upon a counter, selling to the masses.

"Step up! Step up!" They say in unison.

"We've got Fainting Fancy..." George goes on.

"Nosebleed Nougats..." Fred adds.

"And just in time for school..."

"Puking Pastilles!"

A boy stops chewing, turns pale green, literally. Fred hands him a cauldron and looks over at me. His face brightens and he strides over.

"Mia! How are you?"

"Great. Fantastic. Terrific." I stutter out.

"Great." He says, not buying it. "Now tell me the truth."

I lose my smile and glance to the floor. "Well, I've been better." I tell him, then look up into his eyes. He opens his arms for me and I jump into him, embracing him with everything I have in me. "I just miss him."

Fred knows I'm talking about Sirius. He knew how close Harry and I were to him. We watched the only family we had left die right before our eyes. It wasn't easy, and he knew that.

"I know. I miss him too." He tells me and gently pries me off of him to look into my eyes, deeply. "But you'll always have me."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Freddie." I say quietly. "Whoever I get close to, always ends up in danger. And I'm scared for you. I can't lose you too."

"Look at me." He moves his finger below my chin and lifts my gaze to his. "I'm not going anywhere."

I smile and give him a quick peck on the cheek. Just in time for both of our brothers to come up to us. They stare at us with wide eyes, then glance at each other. Then back at us.

"What'd you think, Harry?" Fred asks, trying to diffuse the awkward tension.

"It's um..." he clears his throat. "Amazing, really cool."

"Oh stop it, will you." I tell my brother. "I had to watch you with a different girl every week the entire summer."

"Yeah, but you weren't best friends with their siblings." He mutters and I glare and hit his chest. Fred and George just look to one another and laugh. Then George turns his head.

"Pocket that and you'll pay in more than Galleons, my friend." He says to a browsing boy.

"We've got eyes in the back of our heads." Fred adds.

The boy, working a screaming yo-yo, blanches as Fred and George turn, reveal they do in fact have eyes in the back of their heads. Phony, but unnerving. As the eyes wink, the tiny boy bolts.

"Bloody urchins." George mutters.

I smirk and turn my head at a display. Noticing orange and black lumps, I pick one up and examine it. Harry looks over at it.

"Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder?" He questions.

"A real money spinner that." Fred says and then sees Hermione and Ginny. "Handy if you need to make a quick escape. Hello, ladies!" Fred gestures for me to keep the darkness powder, so I smile gratefully and place it in my pocket.

George drops one of the lumps in Harry's hand, turns to Ginny and Hermione, who peruse a display of Wonder Witch Love Potions. "Yes, they do really work."