ORDER ONLY: Private Message to George and Fred

[alt_pansy]

Hey.

I hope you gents are having a good weekend. How's the ruse been working so far?

I just

Sally-Anne had a really mad dream last night. About a battle taking place at Hogwarts. And she woke me up and we talked about it for ages and ages. And it was obviously not us, like a vision of what was going to happen, I mean, no-one from Slytherin was there at all, and there were people there who wouldn't have been, like Per Neville, and Patil and Finnigan were fighting on our side, and other really weird things like that.

It was like her prophecy -- parts of it, at least. Like the people she saw dying died in her dream. And last time she didn't know which of you it was, but this time, she sorted out it was Fred. Only the dream was a tonne more detailed, like she was Seeing the entire battle, just floating around Hogwarts like a ghost, and she couldn't do anything to help, and

Anyways. It was sort of awful, and I just wanted to write you both to sort of make sure you're both all right, you know? Even though I know you are.

I miss you.

Comments

Private Message to Fred

[alt_pansy]

I meant that for both of you, you know.

I miss you too.

I am so very glad George has you, and you have him. And that between the two of you, I get a really wonderful boyfriend, and a really wonderful friend in the bargain.

Re: Private Message to Fred

[alt_fred]

Being apart is hard. For all of us right now.

We hope Sally-Anne doesn't have any more dreams like that.

We have to believe it will turn out all right, and that the Order will win in the end.

Re: Private Message to Fred

[alt_pansy]

Yeah.

I just hope we're around to see it. You know?

I'm sorry. I'm in a morbid mood.

Private Message to George

[alt_pansy]

I love you.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

And I'm just being silly, I know, but I almost lost you not so very long ago, and even thinking about it makes me go all cold all over.

I'm so glad you're alive.

I miss you so much it hurts.

[alt_fred]

The ruse is hard. Not going to lie to you. Business has been good, which makes it harder, because we're both busier than all get out, which makes it harder to hide the fact that George isn't using his wand.

And hang it all, it's even more difficult without Hitty. Without another pair of hands.

George said to tell you he read the private comment you wrote to him, and he feels just the same way. Which, since he didn't tell me what the private message said, may mean that he has a mad passion for, I dunno, pudding at dinner. Just like you do.

Hang on a minute--

Back again. Have been talking with George. The thing is, Pans, we dunno if doing this, running this store, is the best way for us to be spending our time right now. George had me send an owl to Severus, volunteering himself to help with potion ingredient preparation for that Sleeper potion. He may not have magic, but he can chop daisy roots, or de-bone newt tails, or whatever else is in that concoction. He can help at night at least, when the store is closed.

And me, I find myself fretting that I want to spend more time with Fu, working on his defensive gizmos. Sally-Anne isn't the only one sensing that, well--

Maybe not a battle, but something's coming. We feel we could be doing more to help the Order get ready for it. Whatever it is.

We're actually a little ahead financially, right now, so we do have the breathing room to step back for a bit, if we chose to put the shop on a bit longer holiday. Or we could hire a couple of our friends who have left Hogwarts and keep it open half-time, with just one of us on site. Mum's feeling it, too: she's found a half-blood woman by the name of Jia Wang to take over the day-to-day management of the Emporium in exchange for a place to stay (don't worry, she has bonafides that are really airtight--one of Bill's forgers provided them).

George says: maybe this isn't reassuring at all. But we think we need to spend more time developing products that will help the Order, something that would help if it comes down to hand-to-hand hexing. If it does come down to that, we'll probably be in the thick of it, you know. I'll be helping the Muggle fighters, and Fred'll be pulling out his wand to help the Order. Trying not to get hexed by Ron or Justin or our sister-in-law.

Would you be all right if we cut the store hours a bit? It's all right with us; Mum won't let us starve, but you wouldn't be getting your percentage of profit as quickly as usual.

[alt_pansy]

I don't want you in the thick of anything.

Yes.

That sounds best all round, really. Best for making sure you don't get caught, best for the Order, all that.

The cash flow is useful, mind, but I can actually start turning a profit at Brew now that we're in planting season and we don't have to shuffle our raw goods over to the free zones. Now that we are in control of the ports, we might be able to get some supplies direct, so gold will help there -- but I've still got plenty in reserve. So money isn't an issue.

So yeah. Let's hire on two old classmates of yours -- people who really need the work -- and have them take care of our day-to-day. We don't need to keep rolling out brand-new products every few months to keep profitable -- we can bring back some of our limited editions, and the 'classics' will always do well.

I say go for it.