afternoon of June 13th: Exploring

[chessmate]

Ron wandered down the cobbled street of Diagon Alley. The best part of being an adult was that he didn't have to justify where he was going to anyone. Just grab your coat, out the door, and Bob's your uncle. He didn't have any particular idea what he wanted to do today, but there were a few people he hadn't seen in a while, and he couldn't think

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[chessmate]

Ron's face lit up as he saw the boarded up ice cream shop. "Let's have a look then." He grinned at the twins. "Much rather go poking around and see what's going on in there than go to some stupid Muggle place, wouldn't you?"

He peered curiously at the building, wondering what lay inside.

[gredisfred]

Fred looked around the Alley, noted that it appeared practically deserted and cast a quick desception charm. "I'm game if you are, George." Looking once at George to get his nod, Fred grabbed Ron around the waist and apparated them both into the store.

[chessmate]

Ron squawked at the sudden invasion of his personal space, but the odd squeezing sensation of Side-Along-Apparition was over before he could entirely wrap his head around it.

"Do you ever get used to that?" he asked, massaging his temples for a second. But then he realised just where they were and his eyes widened. "Whoa. This is great!"

[forgeisgeorge]

George had apparated at the same time into the store and was taking a mental inventory of the place. It was definitely deserted, but it had the look of disarray. Something had happened before the shop closed down.

"Anything interesting over there?"

[chessmate]

"Lumos." Ron stared around the shop, wide-eyed. He'd expected it to be dusty, with big bloody spiders that he'd have to pretend he wasn't scared of. He was expecting dust and cobwebs and dark, mysterious corners.

What he wasn't expecting was a shop that looked like it had been ransacked yesterday instead of a year ago. The tables were overturned, the glass display case smashed. The signs were hanging crookedly, and the chairs were broken. Pictures and newspapers lay strewn about the floor.

But it was all perfectly preserved. Ron peered into the ice cream pails, which were colourful and full and ready to eat. "This is bizarre," he said, picking his way across some of the broken chair legs.

[forgeisgeorge]

"Ron, you're reading my mind." George was walking around carefully . Everything was as it was.

"I have a really bad feeling about this."

[gredisfred]

Fred, throwing caution to the wind, not that he'd ever been all that cautious to begin with, walked around behind the counter, ad cast a charm to ensure that, yes, the ice cream was in fact edible. Grabbing a cone from the counter he scooped up some Bertie Botts Bean Cream and offered it to Ron. "And behold, ice cream for Ronniekins, after all. Come on, I know you can't resist." He waved the cone temptingly.

[chessmate]

Ron made a face. "I am not eating year-old ice cream," he said, crossing his arms. "Not unless you eat it first, that is." He stared at the ice cream curiously. "And honestly, how would you even know Bertie Botts ice cream tastes off?"

He glanced at George. "Since when are you the cautious one?"

[forgeisgeorge]

"Since I've been working full time with my esteemed twin, Ron. Plus doing the books for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes will do that to you. Plus, you haven't been on the tail end of our product testing. Anyway, I'm not comfortable with the state of preservation in here - something is not right here."

[gredisfred]

Fred rolled his eyes. "I actually am capable of casting a detection charm. The ice cream is fine. As for the rest of the place, that's anyone's guess." He took a giant lick of the ice cream. Bertie Botts was always white and odorless.

"Chocolate. I'm quite glad you decided not to have any Ron, more for me." He took another large bite of ice cream. The fact that it was actually sardine flavor did not bother him. It would be worth it to see Ron's face.

[chessmate]

Ron couldn't resist the challenge and leaned toward Fred. He didn't bother grabbing the cone away from his brother, instead taking a big lick while Fred held it. His eyes widened and he nearly spat it out.

"Bloody hell! I think you need your tastebuds checked, you great git!" Ron snatched up an ice cream scoop, gouged a chunk of Puffskein & Pistachio out of the nearest tub, and lobbed it at Fred. He was too pleased with himself as it thunked against Fred's chest to pay George's worries much heed.

[gredisfred]

Fred ran his finger through the ice cream on his chest, popped the finger into his mouth and said, "Mmmmmmmm." As he was doing this he had surreptitiously drawn his wand and he used it to banish half a container of Biscuits and Dream at Ron. He did the victory sign when a large dollop caught his brother on the ear.

[chessmate]

Though Ron had known to expect retaliation, he hadn't quite been prepared for it.

"Bugger," Ron said, grinning in spite of himself. He used his own wand to levitate three scoops- chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, and pelted them at Fred. They landed one, two, three on the crown of his head, and Ron said sweetly, "Neapolitan."

[gredisfred]

Fred laughed outright. "Now all I need is a cherry." He leered at Ron, chuckling so hard that the ice cream started sliding off his head and down his neck. "Care to offer yours?"

[forgeisgeorge]

George watched his brothers with amusement. While their attention was on each other, George surreptitiously levitated the cherries and send them flying at Fred and Ron.

"Cherries on command, brothers!!"

[chessmate]

Ron rolled his eyes at Fred, completely missing the point. "I don't usually walk around with a cherry in my back pocket, prat," he laughed.

He saw the cherries from George coming just in time and dived under a table, rolling until he found some of the oddly preserved newspaper and burying his head in it.