FIC: Not Worrying About You-Know-Who
Title: Not Worrying About You-Know-Who
Pairings: none
Notes: missing moment, one-shot, ~700 words
Summary: The twins sell Instant Darkness Powder to Draco
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling
I've read this so many times that I can't tell if it's comic or tragic. I may revise later, but we're sick of each other for now...
Not Worrying About You-Know-Who
"Verity, have you finished the fake packaging of the Hogwarts Owl Orders?" asked George.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley," the sales associate replied. "Actually, I wanted to ask you and Mr. Weasley about one of the orders. It's from a Slytherin, a Draco Malfoy?"
"Ha!" exclaimed Fred. "Not above doing business with blood traitors, are you, Malfoy? Let us savour this moment, George."
"Bloody brilliant, Fred." agreed his twin.
Verity waited patiently through the savouring, and cast circumspect glances at her two employers. She had started the job confident that she would learn to tell them apart, but that confidence was now wavering. The situation had been complicated Friday night, when she and Miranda had run into the twins at the Gathering Club. She had only disturbingly fuzzy memories of the rest of the evening, but it seemed likely that she had ended it on a first-name basis with at least one of the brothers. If only she could remember which one. At least neither of them seemed to expect anything of her - a boyfriend was the last thing she wanted.
Her mother had warned her that Miranda was trouble, and once again Verity was forced to admit that her mother had been right. Verity shuddered: she hated admitting that her mother was right. She shook her head; no sense worrying about that now. 'I will never drink again,' she repeated, 'and this time I really mean it.'
That was enough savouring, she decided. "Is there a policy about selling to Death Eaters or suspected Death Eaters?"
Fred tried for a pensive look and failed. "Our policies tend to be more Galleon-focused than anything else…"
George grinned at Fred, but turned to answer Verity. "Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater? I don't know, he's the same age as our kid brother. It's not like we're selling to You-Know-Who, or even to Lucius. Malfoy probably just wants to pull a prank -"
"And who better to equip him for a spectacular prank than Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" interjected Fred. "This could raise our product visibility in a new demographic!" He looked over at Verity, expecting her to be impressed by his vision and eloquence. No reaction. The witch was as cool as a cucumber - what did she want from him?
Verity was unconvinced, but thankfully the Weasleys' morals weren't her concern. Besides, she needed this job to support a nasty internet poker habit. Which would only grow, she mused, if she was giving up the drinking. She suppressed another shudder at the thought. "Product invisibility, more like." she said. "He's ordered a box of Instant Darkness Powder."
"Brilliant!" enthused Fred. "That hasn't been selling at all well - we haven't even recouped development costs."
George, who (along with the rest of the wizarding world) was more perceptive than Fred, could see that their associate was troubled. And given how close she and his twin had appeared on Friday, George sympathized. When Fred hadn't flooed her Saturday as promised, George had anticipated a scene. On Monday morning, however, Verity had surprised him by greeting the two brothers with equal amiability, and continuing to address them both as Mr. Weasley. Her aloof behaviour was starting to affect Fred, he knew. Had no one played hard-to-get with him before? George smiled to himself. Poor Angelina - if only she had known.
He tried again to address Verity's concerns. "Well, it's a defensive product, after all. It's not as if Malfoy could hurt anyone with it." He was distracted by a sudden thought. "Ooh - tell you what - package it in one of those Flashing Flatulence boxes."
And, to the sound of Weasley guffaws, Verity did.
****
"Fred," George asked later, when they were tallying the weekly accounts, "do you reckon we should warn Ron about Malfoy's powder? In case the prank's on him and Harry?"
"Nah," said Fred, "we can't be held responsible for every box that leaves the shop. Besides, it will serve Ron right for being too cheap to buy anything when he was here."
The twins exchanged grins and went back to counting their profits.
Pairings: none
Notes: missing moment, one-shot, ~700 words
Summary: The twins sell Instant Darkness Powder to Draco
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling
I've read this so many times that I can't tell if it's comic or tragic. I may revise later, but we're sick of each other for now...
Not Worrying About You-Know-Who
"Verity, have you finished the fake packaging of the Hogwarts Owl Orders?" asked George.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley," the sales associate replied. "Actually, I wanted to ask you and Mr. Weasley about one of the orders. It's from a Slytherin, a Draco Malfoy?"
"Ha!" exclaimed Fred. "Not above doing business with blood traitors, are you, Malfoy? Let us savour this moment, George."
"Bloody brilliant, Fred." agreed his twin.
Verity waited patiently through the savouring, and cast circumspect glances at her two employers. She had started the job confident that she would learn to tell them apart, but that confidence was now wavering. The situation had been complicated Friday night, when she and Miranda had run into the twins at the Gathering Club. She had only disturbingly fuzzy memories of the rest of the evening, but it seemed likely that she had ended it on a first-name basis with at least one of the brothers. If only she could remember which one. At least neither of them seemed to expect anything of her - a boyfriend was the last thing she wanted.
Her mother had warned her that Miranda was trouble, and once again Verity was forced to admit that her mother had been right. Verity shuddered: she hated admitting that her mother was right. She shook her head; no sense worrying about that now. 'I will never drink again,' she repeated, 'and this time I really mean it.'
That was enough savouring, she decided. "Is there a policy about selling to Death Eaters or suspected Death Eaters?"
Fred tried for a pensive look and failed. "Our policies tend to be more Galleon-focused than anything else…"
George grinned at Fred, but turned to answer Verity. "Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater? I don't know, he's the same age as our kid brother. It's not like we're selling to You-Know-Who, or even to Lucius. Malfoy probably just wants to pull a prank -"
"And who better to equip him for a spectacular prank than Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" interjected Fred. "This could raise our product visibility in a new demographic!" He looked over at Verity, expecting her to be impressed by his vision and eloquence. No reaction. The witch was as cool as a cucumber - what did she want from him?
Verity was unconvinced, but thankfully the Weasleys' morals weren't her concern. Besides, she needed this job to support a nasty internet poker habit. Which would only grow, she mused, if she was giving up the drinking. She suppressed another shudder at the thought. "Product invisibility, more like." she said. "He's ordered a box of Instant Darkness Powder."
"Brilliant!" enthused Fred. "That hasn't been selling at all well - we haven't even recouped development costs."
George, who (along with the rest of the wizarding world) was more perceptive than Fred, could see that their associate was troubled. And given how close she and his twin had appeared on Friday, George sympathized. When Fred hadn't flooed her Saturday as promised, George had anticipated a scene. On Monday morning, however, Verity had surprised him by greeting the two brothers with equal amiability, and continuing to address them both as Mr. Weasley. Her aloof behaviour was starting to affect Fred, he knew. Had no one played hard-to-get with him before? George smiled to himself. Poor Angelina - if only she had known.
He tried again to address Verity's concerns. "Well, it's a defensive product, after all. It's not as if Malfoy could hurt anyone with it." He was distracted by a sudden thought. "Ooh - tell you what - package it in one of those Flashing Flatulence boxes."
And, to the sound of Weasley guffaws, Verity did.
****
"Fred," George asked later, when they were tallying the weekly accounts, "do you reckon we should warn Ron about Malfoy's powder? In case the prank's on him and Harry?"
"Nah," said Fred, "we can't be held responsible for every box that leaves the shop. Besides, it will serve Ron right for being too cheap to buy anything when he was here."
The twins exchanged grins and went back to counting their profits.