Going Round in Circles (Summer 2012)

Lucy gave a smug smile as the elder boy turned to walk away, glad that Fred and she had managed to scare him off. She was also just simply glad that he was going away; she didn't like him much, and he'd been really mean to Fred. As much as Lucy didn't always seem to get along with her cousins that well, she really didn't like it when anybody else was mean to them. That was one advantage to them having a big family - everyone stuck up for each other, at least in Lucy's experience they always did.

She watched the elder boy's retreating back, before the sound of Fred's voice made her spin round. "Oh right, yeah..." she agreed with a nod. For a moment she'd forgotten all about getting lost, she'd been too preoccupied with that mean kid! "I bet Mum and Dad are getting really worried."

Percy was working himself up into a frantic frenzy, darting from store to store, looking desperately for his little Lucy. Merlin, she was only five! Who knew what sorts of people were lurking about in Diagon Alley on such a nice day? It was so busy, and Merlin, what if she had followed some hag with candy down into Knockturn Alley? Oh dear, Percy wasn’t sure what to do with himself. Audrey was looking at the other end of the alley while Molly was holed up in George’s shop. Hopefully, she would have enough sense to stay put.

All Percy could remember was coming up to Eeylop’s Owl Emporium, and then moving on to the next store, assuming that Lucy would follow like she normally did. It had taken the family a few moments to realize that the younger daughter was not there. It had been Molly who first queried as to the whereabouts of her sister. Miraculously, Percy had been able to stay calm long enough to lead the group back to Eeylop’s, where Lucy was nowhere to be seen. It was then that he had lost his cool and started pushing people aside, looking for his daughter.

So, a few minutes later, Molly had been left with George with firm instructions not to leave the shop, and Audrey and Percy had split up to search.

“Lucy? Where are you?” he called out, trying desperately to keep his voice level. Merlin, where had she gone? He hoped she wasn’t in trouble!

[Fred Weasley II]

He opened his mouth to make a comment to Lucy and agree that her parents probably were worried when he suddenly heard something. He knew that voice. Oh...it would seem that uncle Percy was looking after all. "Hear that?" he asked, "you're dad's looking for you just like I knew he would be." He seemed to be very proud of himself at the fact that he had been correct and Percy was looking for his child. Without waiting for Lucy to say anything the older Weasley grabbed the girl by her hand and started dragging her towards the voice. He could just make out the red hair above some of the other people and if possible his grin got bigger.

"Uncle Percy," he called still dragging Lucy along, "I think you lost something." He finally got close enough to the other man and let go of Lucy's hand so that the girl could go to her father. "I found her and was gonna take her back to the shop," he explained. He kind of felt like it was his fault that Lucy hadn't been there when her parents had arrived since he had gotten sidetracked by that older kid.

[ Click for OOC Comment ]

Sorry I kinda grabbed and dragged. If you'd rather I didn't let me know and I'll change it :D

Lucy's head automatically moved upwards as she heard her name being called out. The voice sounded very much like her father, and she almost started running off towards the man straight away. However, she didn't want to get stranded all by herself again, and so she stuck close to Fred. She stood up on tip-toes, trying to see over the bustling crowd to spot her parents before she ran off. "Is it Daddy?" she asked eagerly, turning to grin at her cousin as he spoke. As soon as her thought was confirmed she went to sprint off into the crowd, although fortunately Fred was there to drag her in the right direction.

Lucy allowed herself to be dragged along by Fred, it meant that she could focus all of her attention on looking around eagerly for Percy. "Daddy!" she exclaimed as he came into the sight, her hand dropped away from Fred's and she raced up to her father, wrapping her arms around his legs. She looked up at him and nodded at Fred's words, "Yeah, Fred looked after me."

Percy ran down the street, looking every which way and calling out Lucy’s name every few steps. He was about to give up and check in with Audrey when he heard his name being called. It didn’t sound like an adult, though. That was weird. Turning towards the voice, his heart leaped into his mouth. There was Fred, his nephew, dragging his beloved youngest daughter behind him! Lucy was safe! He had found Lucy! Lucy was… with Fred. Merlin. Who knew what sort of trouble he had gotten her in to. Running the few steps to close the gap between him and his rapidly approaching daughter, he dropped to one knee and threw his arms around her, not wanting to let go.

“Lucy, thank Merlin you’re safe! Your mother and I have been looking everywhere for you! We were so worried; we never thought you’d run off in a crowd like that,” he exclaimed, not really meaning to sound so judgemental, but it came out as that because he was so relieved that he had found her.

“Fred, I- thank you for looking after her. I’m sure you were just about to head back to the shop. Your father and Lucy’s sister are waiting there,” he said, again, not meaning for his voice to come out clipped. It was just all of the worry leaving him and being replaced by utter relief.

[Fred Weasley II]

Fred watched the father and daughter reunion with a small smile on his face. He was glad that uncle Percy had found them, even if he had been headed straight towards the shop. He blinked at older male's words about Lucy running off. "I don't think she ran off uncle Percy," he told the man, "it seems you all just got separated in the crowd." He didn't like the idea of his younger cousin being blamed for something that had been a simple accident.

The way his uncle said the words towards Fred made the red head keep quiet about anything else he might have said. The older Weasley sounded a bit angry or annoyed at least that's what the boy took the clipped words to be. Instead he turned his attention to the ground and kicked at invisible pebbles as he waited for the other two to be ready to go. They were going to have to go back to the shop so he might as well walk with him.

Lucy clutched onto Percy tightly, glad that she'd managed to find him. Although their reunion had been inevitable really, it was still a great relief to Lucy to be back with her Dad once again. She took a small step backwards so that she could look up at his face as he spoke. She pouted as she heard his words, and gave a small shake of her head. "But... I didn't run off," she replied quietly, and then nodding after Fred had also spoken in her defense. "I was just looking at the owls, and then when I turned around you were gone."

She fell silent for a moment, glancing back round at her cousin as Percy began to speak to him instead. "Fred really did help, Daddy," Lucy added once her father had finished speaking. "I didn't even know where I was until I found him. And then there was this really big boy, and she sounded really mean, and Fred made him go away." Lucy said all of this so quickly that her words almost blended into one. She took a deep breath once she'd finished and glanced back at her cousin again.

The next part of Percy’s lecture caught in his throat as Fred and Lucy explained more. He felt bad about blaming first one, and then the other for what had happened. What mattered now was that his daughter was safe. Shuffling a bit so he still had an arm around Lucy, but was now able to face Fred directly, he willed himself to be calm and looked down at Lucy.

“I’m terribly sorry, I was just so worried. We thought you were with us, Lucy, and we got really frightened when we couldn’t find you. I’m only upset because I was scared, not because I’m mad,” he explained softly. He then turned his head so he could look at Fred.

“Fred did that? Well, again, thank you very much. I’m not mad at you; I was just so worried only a few minutes ago,” he said. So, Fred had protected Lucy. That was good.

“Shall we head back to the shop? Fred’s father can watch you while I find Mum,” he first asked the question, then glanced down at Lucy for the comment. “I’m sure she’s worried sick, not being able to find you,”

[Fred Weasley II]

Brown eyes blinked when Lucy started defending him to her dad. It wasn't that he thought she'd let him get in trouble on purpose or anything, but with what she'd been through today he had believed that the girl would forget to say something or something. He winced at the memory of the bigger male that had appeared earlier. That boy had terrified him and he hoped he never had to go through that again. Fred nodded slightly as his uncle spoke about being worried. He didn't understand why the man was worried, but he pretended to understand. The mention of going back to the shop had Fred shrugging. He'd snuck away from the shop for a bit, but it was probably time to go back. "Why don't you just send one of those light animals to tell her?" he inquired.

Lucy leant into Percy's side as he wrapped an arm around her. She was applying the same theory to her Dad as she had to Fred - if she was touching them, then there was no way she could lose them again. And Lucy wasn't risking getting separated from her father again. "I was really scared too..." she replied quietly, adding a small nod of her head. "Until Fred found me anyway."

As the conversation turned towards Fred Lucy slipped her thumb into her mouth, sucking gently on it until Percy was done speaking to her cousin. She nodded firmly at the suggestion that they went back to the shop - all she really wanted to do now was go back home, away from the crowd that filled Diagon Alley. She lifted up her arms, indicating to Percy that she wanted him to carry her. After all, what was the point in walking if her Dad could just do it for her.

Percy nodded at Lucy’s words, keeping his arm wrapped around her. He had been so worried, and now he had her back again. Then, he noticed she was lifting her arms up. He couldn’t see any shame in carrying his precious daughter, considering what she had just been through, so he bent down and lifted her up, balancing her against his side. Only then did he think about what Fred had suggested. He was shocked that he hadn’t thought of it himself, but then again, he had just been through emotional turmoil…

“That’s a great idea, Fred,” he said, reluctantly taking one arm away from his daughter to grab his wand and focusing on the joy he had felt upon seeing her safe. Casting his patronus, he gave it the message to send to Audrey and watched as the shining peacock strutted away.

“I think we’ve had enough excitement for the day. How does home sound to you, Lucy? And Fred? I’ll be telling your father how big a help you were today. I’m sure he’ll be proud of you,”

[Fred Weasley II]

Fred watched silently as his uncle pulled out his wand and sent the patronus to inform his wife about the missing child. He probably wouldn't have thought about it had he been as old as his uncle or as worried as they probably were. He had heard adults talking when he was out exploring sometimes about how panic and fear made people forget things. He didn't really understand how those worked together, but he'd never been terrified over something and didn't much care.

The younger red head grinned at his uncle when the man mentioned his dad being proud of him because of what he'd done. That made him happy. It always made him happy when his dad was proud of him. He followed happily behind the other two Weasleys, hands slipping into his pockets he felt something and for a moment frowned because he couldn't remember. Then it hit him. It was the stuff he'd been planning to use earlier before Lucy called out to him. A devious grin came over his face and he didn't have to worry about hiding it since his uncle and cousin were in front of him. Pulling them out he glanced down at the small, spider like objects sitting in his palm and then glanced around for the right victim...er...person.

Finding a couple getting a little to close for public he slipped up so they wouldn't see him and slipped one of the spider like items onto the man's shoulder and another onto the woman's head. Then hurried to place the gumball looking items and a the last few spider like objects. As soon as everything was in place he only had to stand back and watch the amusement. It started with an explosion of neon orange and green smoke followed closely by a woman's shriek, and then chaos set in.

Lucy smiled as her father bent down and picked her up. "Thank you," she murmured quietly, before burying her head into the man's shoulder. Somehow she was still worried about losing him again, which was the main reason why she'd asked to be carried, this way there was no chance of them getting separated. She was tired as well though, and her eyes slowly started to flicker shut. Who could blame her really, she was only five?

Lucy remained like this, until she felt one of her father's arms fall away, and her head popped back up again instantly. She looked around, her mouth falling open slightly as she saw his wand extended out. Her eyes followed the silvery peacock down the street until it could no long be seen. Lucy was still fascinated by magic, even though she saw it every day. In fact, she was so entranced by the patronus, that she didn't even hear Percy's question.

The peacock disappeared from view, and Lucy returned to looking up and down the street, and then down towards her cousin. But, Fred wasn't there! Lucy hastily looked around, and looked back behind her just in time to see the explosion of orange and green smoke. She gasped loudly and then began tugging on Percy's shirt. "Daddy. Daddy, look!" she exclaimed, her mouth still open in shock at the mayhem that was unfolding behind her.

The explosion registered in Percy’s consciousness first, and for a split second, all he could hear was laughter. He was back in Hogwarts, and Fred was… Lucy’s voice cut through his thoughts before he had the chance to completely panic from the memory. Turning quickly, checking his balance holding Lucy, he saw the neon orange and green smoke and heard the woman shriek. It was complete and total chaos, and he thought he might have an idea what, or who, was behind this.

“I have to put you down, Lucy. Stay close. Hold my robes if you have to,” he said, putting her on the ground as he spoke. It was only then that he glanced around and noticed that Fred was missing. That only heightened his suspicions. Just like his father…

A few choice spells diffused the smoke, so he could see clearly again.

“Fred? Where are you?” he called over the chaos.

[Fred Weasley II]

Fred was enjoying the happenings. He was at just the right point (a nice little table set just on the other side of a flower table thing) so that he could see all the chaos unfold, but not get touched by it. He was laughing so hard tears rolled down his cheeks and his sides were starting to ache. The little spider-like items had exploded creating what looked like gooey spiderwebs all over the victims. The woman's head was covered in it and half of the man's face had gotten it. The gumball looking things had exploded and caused the smoke and a mess of colors all over those who got hit with it.

Sadly his fun was being cut short as the smoke suddenly disappeared and his uncle started calling out for him. Trying to get his laughter under control he stood up on his chair and waved his arms about. "Over here uncle Percy!" he called still laughing.

"But..!" Lucy began to protest as Percy said that he was going to put her down, but no sooner had she started to speak that she was on the floor. She let out a small huff of frustration at this, annoyed that she'd not even been able to say anything before being landed on the ground. She stepped in closer to her father so that they were almost touching, and even though there was virtually no-one around them she took a hold of the man's robes. There was no way she was getting lost again, of that she was sure of.

She coughed a little at the multi-coloured smoke, but then it suddenly vanished and she could see clearly again. Even she had to let out a laugh at the gooey mess all over the man and woman. Now that she could see properly, she searched around for her cousin, still giggling at the mess before her. "Did Fred do all this?" she asked, her eyes finally landing on her cousin as he called out to Percy.

He felt bad, putting her down so soon, but Percy knew what he had to do. Feeling Lucy grip his robes, he took comfort in the fact that she was staying close. He continued looking around, trying to locate Fred in the chaos, too frustrated to laugh at the sight of the gooey mess. Nodding to the couple, Percy felt that he would have some explaining to do once he got a hold of his nephew.

Hearing and seeing Fred, he frowned. Lucy asked him a question, and he glanced down, somewhat hurt that she was laughing at the mess. “I think so,” he said, a little more harshly than he meant to. Making sure Lucy was following him, he walked over to the boy and crossed his arms across his chest.

“Were you responsible for all of this?” he asked the boy, breathing through his nose to keep calm.

[Fred Weasley II]

Fred was still laughing a bit at the whole thing when his uncle came over to him. The last little bit of laughter and amusement slipped away as he looked at the man who didn't seem the least bit amused by the entire thing. Actually his uncle looked a bit mad. "Well," he said as he hopped down from the chair he'd been standing in, "not all of it. Dad made the items I used. They're some of his newest products that he wanted tested out before he actually started selling them. I'm only responsible for placing them."

Alright so they both knew that he was responsible for the chaos that had just happened and the couple that were now glaring over at the red haired boy, but his uncle had asked if he was responsible for all of it. Which he wasn't. Just the chaos and placing them to make other people miserable.

[ Click for OOC Comment ]

Sorry for the short, and really rubbish, post. I just couldn't think of anything I could make Lucy do :L

Lucy's giggling stopped abruptly at her father's sharp response. Finally her eyes moved away the colourful mess in front of her and up towards Percy's face. He certainly didn't seem to find the scene funny, and instantly Lucy removed any trace of a smile on her face. Obviously she'd been wrong; this wasn't funny at all.

Her eyes moved back across the scene, lingering for a moment over the couple, who also didn't seem to think that it was funny. In fact, the only person laughing was Fred. Lucy stepped in closer to her father once again as they walked towards her cousin, her eyes still moving around to take in all of the scene.

Percy was not amused, and it showed in his face. He reached out to grab Fred by the arm, offering his hand over to Lucy.

“So you used products that haven’t been tested yet? I’m disappointed in you, Fred. What if something had gone wrong? You could have harmed innocent people,” he lectured, glancing down at Lucy. “I hope you never do something like this, Lucy,” he added, frowning. Surely, he and Audrey were raising both her and her sister to be respectful. He hoped so, at least.

“We are going back to the store now, and I don’t want any questions.”

[Fred Weasley II]

Fred flinched away from his uncle when he man grabbed his arm. He didn't like it when people were angry and tried to grab him. It always wound up hurting. Not that the people who grabbed him meant to hurt him. It was just when you were angry it was harder to remember that some people were a little more delicate and couldn't take being grabbed very hard. Sadly for Fred his uncle seemed to be one of those and the grip on his upper arm was rather tight and painful.

The red head let his head hang when his uncle scolded him about what he'd done. "I..." he started, but just let whatever he was about to say trail off. There was no point in trying to defend himself. His uncle wouldn't care about what he had to say anyways. "Can you let go now?" he whispered, "you're hurting me." The last three words were added so quietly that it would be rather surprising if Percy had heard them at all.

Lucy tilted her head upwards, looking up at Percy's face, although she regretted it almost as soon as she saw his expression. She'd never seen him this angry before; whatever Fred had done to make all of this mess, it must have been bad. She knew that her Dad wasn't angry at her, but that expression still scared her. She moved her eyes away almost instantly, instead hiding her face in his robes.

Lucy's face only moved again as Percy suddenly addressed her. "I won't," she replied quietly, her eyes only momentarily making contact with her father's, "Promise." There was no way that she wanted to be on the receiving end of this in the future. She looked down at her feet as they started walking back to the shop, all she wanted now was to be back at home.

Percy nodded over to the couple, apologizing for his nephew’s behaviour (although they still weren’t impressed). Then, he began walking briskly. Fred’s words caught his attention and he glanced down at the boy. “Stay close and don’t wander off again. We are going back to the shop,” he said shortly, releasing his grip on his nephew’s arm but holding his hand tensely, as if he expected to have to grab at the boy again. It was time to get home. This visit to Diagon Alley had been quite the train wreck, in his opinion. Glancing down at Lucy on his other side, he tried to arrange his face into a smile for her benefit. He wasn’t angry with her, honestly. Just frustrated with his nephew.

[Fred Weasley II]

Fred didn't see why his uncle was making such a big deal out of all of this. The boy did things like this on a near daily basis and never before had he gotten in trouble like this. He didn't like it one bit. It was like his uncle didn't know how to take a prank or something. When his uncle let go of his arm Fred made to rub the spot to try and sooth the slight ache from where he'd been grabbed. Sadly he didn't get a chance because Percy took up a hold on his hand and mentioned going back to the store. "Why do I have to go back?" he asked starting to get annoyed, "I have permission to be out here."

Lucy looked upwards at her father, forcing her face to return his smile. She still felt a little scared though, she just wanted to get home - away from Fred. Although she did like spending time with her cousin, she didn't like how Percy was acting towards him; she was pretty sure he'd never been that angry at her or Molly before. Her annoyance grew as Fred started arguing about going back to the shop, she didn't think that her Dad would appreciate that much either.