Summary: A boring day is turned into an interesting adventure when Fred and George lead their siblings in a play about their very
interesting neighbor.
Categories: Humor Fics Characters: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 1
Completed: Yes
Word count: 1589
Read: 2794
Published: 08/02/08
Updated: 08/18/08
1. One Shot by tc015
Author's Notes:
Dedicated to Shanae/Roommate_of_the_Quillster. This was written for her for the summer SPEW story exchange. Thanks to Laura/bookofsecrets for betaing. In this, Ginny is seven, Ron is eight, and the twins are ten.
Ron sat down, looking glum. “I’m bored.”
“Me too,” Ginny replied. “It’s boring without Bill and Charlie and Percy here.”
“They just left yesterday, Sis,” Fred replied.
“Yeah, but Bill always has good ideas about what to play, and Charlie lets me ride his broom,” Ginny said.
“What about Percy?” George asked.
“Well, he’s just boring,” Ron stated matter-of-factly. Ginny nodded in agreement. Fred and George glanced at each other. Their smiles widened.
“We could “” Fred said.
“But should we?” George asked.
“But they’re perfect for the parts.”
“Of course.”
“And without Percy around “”
“We can’t get in trouble.”
Ron and Ginny exchanged confused glances.
“What are you guys talking about?” Ron asked. “Just because you’re twins, and you can read each other’s minds doesn’t mean you can hide stuff from us.”
“We were just talking about a fun game we wanted to play today,” George replied.
“George and I came up with it the other day.”
“But we can just sit here and mope if you two don’t want to join us.”
“Of course we do!” Ron replied excitedly. “What’s the game called?”
“Mr. Lovegood,” George replied.
“It’s not so much a game as a play, really,” Fred said. “We each get a special part in it.”
“Why are we doing a play on Mr. Lovegood?” Ron asked curiously.
“He’s crazy, and so’s the rest of the family,” Fred replied. “They’d be fun to act as.”
“But what if Mr. Lovegood sees us? Who know what he’d do to us then?” Ron asked worriedly.
“Stop being a git,” Fred replied. “Even if he does see us, he probably won’t know what we’re doing.”
“Yeah, Ron,” Ginny replied. “It’ll be fun.”
“Wonderful,” George replied, smiling mischievously. “Fred, would you be our director?”
“Sounds fabulous,” Fred replied. “You can play the part of Mr. Lovegood, George.”
“What about me?” Ginny asked.
“You can play Luna and Mrs. Lovegood,” George said.
“But how can I play two people at once?” Ginny questioned.
“Well…” Fred said, glancing over at his brother.
“How ‘bout you just play Mrs. Lovegood? Luna’s not too important to plot,” George suggested.
“How do I play someone who’s dead?” Ginny asked.
“It’s a play, so it isn’t real,” Fred replied. “I could even include a dragon if I wanted to.”
“Really?” Ginny said excitedly. “Sounds cool.”
“What about me?” Ron asked. “I get a part too, right?”
“Of course,” Fred replied. “You’ll get yours later.”
“Enough with this chatter,” George said. “Let’s begin.”
“Now, it starts off with Mrs. Lovegood sitting in her parlor, waiting anxiously for her husband to come home from his trip to Tanzania,” Fred said. “Ginny, go stand at the center of the stage.”
The stage was actually a small spot next to the ground, surrounded by overgrown weeds and odd wild flowers. Ginny walked into the center and looked around.
“I wonder what my darling husband is doing,” Ginny said, adopting a high-pitched voice. “He better come home soon; I’m starting to get worried.”
“Good,” Fred muttered. “Keep going, Ginny. Or should I say Mrs. Lovegood?”
Ginny glared at her brother before continuing with the play.
“Maybe I should prepare an infusion of Gurdyroots; it’s his favorite,” Ginny muttered to herself as she paced around the perimeter of stage.
A sudden clanking interrupted Ginny’s pacing. She lurched to a stop, searching for the source of the commotion.
“I wonder what that was,” she said dreamily. “Maybe my husband has come home.”
Ginny walked dazedly to the edge of the stage and pushed some of the weeds out of the way, as though she were opening a door.
George came strolling in, though one couldn’t tell it was him by his outer appearance. He had on a large pair of orange dress robes that dragged several feet behind him. A pair of purple sunglasses, one of the Muggle knickknacks that their father kept in the garage, shielded his eyes, while on his head sat the silver pail that usually contained the chicken’s food.
Ron tried to hold back his laughter while Ginny gave her brother an odd look. Fred gave his twin a thumbs-up. George did not notice any of this as he bumbled clumsily onto the stage. He had already started to hum and dance awkwardly around the stage.
“Good evening, my dearest wife,” George said as he began to skip around Ginny. “I have had such an amazing evening. You won’t believe what I found while searching the woods today.”
“That’s lovely,” Ginny replied. “But first, drink this. It’s your favorite “ an infusion of Gurdyroots.”
“Really?” George asked, looking curiously at the cup Ginny handed him. “That sounds delightful.”
The mixture looked disgusting: a combination of dirty water from the frog pond with various flowers and weeds blended in. George’s expression was apprehensive as he took a sip from the glass.
“That’s…” he stuttered, choking on the foul liquid. “That was wonderful.”
“I’m glad,” Ginny replied, an impish smile on her face. “Now tell me more about your discovery.”
“Well, I managed to find a dancing bumbershoot.”
“A what?”
“It’s a dancing bumbershoot,” George replied brightly. “They’re the plants I was telling you about last night. You know. The trees with spunk.”
“Of course,” Ginny replied, giving her brother a puzzled look.
“I’ll bring it in now,” said George as he walked to the outside of the stage. He gestured to Ron.
“What?” Ron asked, giving his brother a confused look.
“You’re the dancing bumbershoot, pillock,” Fred said as he pushed his little brother towards the stage.
Ron seemed stunned as George dragged him onto the stage. George smiled brightly as he pushed him towards Ginny.
“Isn’t it wonderful, darling?” George asked.
“Yes, but what does it do?”
“It dances,” George replied, nudging Ron.
Ron glared at his brothers as he pathetically raised his arms in the air.
“Come on, Bumby,” George whispered as he patted Ron on the shoulder. “Don’t be afraid.”
“Bumby?” Ron yelled. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Shut up, Ron,” Ginny said. “You’re ruining the play.”
Ron muttered under his breath as he moved his arms up and down.
“Go on,” George said. “You can move your roots too.”
Ron jumped up and down while he continued to move his arms sporadically. Next to him, George smiled brightly. Meanwhile, Ginny was trying to hide her laughter. Fred was so gleeful that he was almost crying.
“It’s such an amazing plant,” Ginny laughed. “I’ve never seen such an amazing dancer.”
George nodded in agreement, while Fred giggled happily. Ron, however, appeared to be the only one not amused. He had stopped dancing, and his face flushed bright red.
“It’s not funny,” Ron grumbled.
“But it is,” Fred replied.
“Yeah,” George agreed. “You would be laughing, too, if you could see yourself dancing.”
“Nice hat, George,” a deep male voice said from behind them.
George jumped. “Hey, Dad,” he said quickly.
“What are you doing home so early?” Fred asked.
“It’s not that early, Fred,” Mr. Weasley replied. “It’s past five already.”
“Oh. Must’ve lost track of time,” Fred replied casually.
“So, what have you been doing out here that involves George dressing up in such a ridiculous costume?” Mr. Weasley asked curiously.
“We were performing a play, Dad,” Ginny said, beaming brightly. “Fred and George made it up.”
“That sounds like fun. What was it about?”
“Well, George played Mr. Lovegood, and Ron had to be a dancing tree. It was really funny.”
“Why is Mr. Lovegood in the play?” Mr. Weasley asked.
“Fred said it would funny to do a play on Mr. Lovegood because he is so crazy,” Ginny replied happily. Next to her, George was turning beet red, while Fred was trying to find a safe way out of the yard.
“Boys,” Mr. Weasley said, glancing at his twin sons, “you have no right to make fun of the way Mr. Lovegood chooses to live. He is extremely kind to us, and contrary to your belief, he is not crazy.”
“We’re sorry,” George muttered softly.
“Just don’t tell Mum,” Fred pleaded. “She’ll murder us.”
“I won’t,” Mr. Weasley replied, winking at his mischievous sons. “Just find another subject “ an imaginary one, please “ for your play next time.”
“Yes, Dad,” Fred replied.
“Of course,” George chimed in.
“Good,” Mr. Weasley said. “Now get changed and come in for dinner. Your mother has made roast beef.”
“Mmm,” Ron mumbled as his stomach growled loudly.
Mr. Weasley smiled as he walked out of the garden and towards the house.
“So, meet here tomorrow for another production of Mr. Lovegood?” Fred asked once his father was out of earshot.
“I don’t know,” Ginny replied. “Dad told us not to.”
“We’ll just change the name then,” George said. “It’s Mr. Harvey, now, instead of Mr. Lovegood.”
“But isn’t that breaking the rules still?” Ron asked timidly.
“Techinally, no,” Fred replied.
“Mr. Harvey isn’t a real person, so it’s fine,” George continued.
“Oh,” Ron replied.
“Great,” Fred exclaimed. “We’ll see you here tomorrow.”
“And Ron, please polish up on your dance moves,” George said. “We don’t want you to embarrass yourself again.”
Ron stomped off angrily, leaving his other sibling laughing in the distance.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.