Lets Talk About It.
● ● ● ●

Make it three shots of Swotts.

The last couple months had gotten away from him. Fred had been made aware that all work and no play is bloody dull. It wasn’t as though he didn’t find time to relax. In his mind, reading was as decent a pastime as anything else. Reading the daily prophet. Reading…alright, maybe he didn’t have a library in the apartment above the shop but there were books there. And he read them. Sometimes.

All work. Very little play.

Fred’s birthday just flew by and he was officially another year older. Normally he’d go out to a club or wander home for a Weasley-Potter clan extravaganza but this year he just needed…different. Quiet.

Which was weird, right? His whole life was loud and bright. He thrived off that kind of environment. After the fall out with Quidditch and moving back into the family business things just shifted for him. Fred wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing with his life at the moment but one thing was for certain…

He needed to get out. And he needed someone to talk to that wasn’t his sister. Every birthday of his was spent with Roxy and this year wasn't any different. Just spending time with his sister was brilliant- truly- but doing something a bit...different wouldn't hurt. Rose was family but she was someone he’d gone out on the town with. She was someone he’d decided to owl in the hopes of grabbing a drink after a long day serving the people.

So here he was, at The Leaky Cauldron. Waiting. He’d just shut down the shop and walked the oh so long street to the inn…so truthfully, he'd just arrived. Motioning to the bartender, “A shot of Swott’s if got it.” Swott’s Malt Whiskey. It was a personal favorite. After paying for his drink he found a table for two and plopped down in the seat facing the door.

ROSE CHARLOTTE WEASLEY
# # #
**winging it**

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[googlefont="Comfortaa"]

FRED WESLEY WEASLEY

Her early arrival to work was always in her best interests, if they ever needed her to clock in early it meant extra money for her, however they were quite slow at the moment. No doubt it would pick up later on in the evening and into the night but Rose was a good worker, especially when she enjoyed what she was doing. For now, her fulfillment was put on hold.

Nonetheless, her eyes were always scouring the inn for new faces, or old faces, or anyone she just hasn't seen in quite some time. In fact, as she finished off an ice cold glass of water, one face came walking in that made her immediately perk up in excitement. From the back room, the brunette heard his order and immediately stood up, and said to her co-worker, "I'll bring it. Can you order me some chicken and chips?" After a quick thank you, Rose picked up the shot glass and carefully brought it over to Fred.

"Here you are, Mr. Weasley. Fine day today?" She set it down in front of him, gave a quick kiss to the cheek, and then slid in the seat across from him with a bright smile. A smile that faltered slightly as she saw his face. Rose sat up straight, eyebrows furrowing. "What's wrong?"

Lets Talk About It.
● ● ● ●

Make it three shots of Swotts.

Fred smiled when he heard his cousin’s voice and took the drink from her. He gave it a glance and looked to the bar door where she’d come from before meeting her eyes.

Her question made him pause, “Huh? Oh uh just…” Just what? He wasn’t sure where to begin or if there was really a beginning at all. Words weren’t his strength. Fred could admit that. “..too much time to think.” There. That felt accurate. Right?

He ran a finger over the rim of the glass. Tilting his head, “Are you working?” For some reason he thought he’d catch her off hours. There wasn’t a plan in place necessarily but he liked having the freedom of options. Stay for an hour. Talk for five minutes.

Did it actually matter? You’re coming to her, Freddie.

“Cause I thought you had tonight off.”

ROSE CHARLOTTE WEASLEY
# # #
**winging it**

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[googlefont="Comfortaa"]

FRED WESLEY WEASLEY

Concern ran through her. What was it with the Weasley/Potter men lately? Everything just seemed to be crumbling down around them. Whatever it was with Fred, she just hoped he didn't have a drinking problem, too.

Rose lifted her eyebrows. Too much time to think? What on Earth could that possibly mean? Fred clearly had something on his mind that was bothering him. Something he must be thinking too much about. Although, Rose was not a Legilimens. Reading his mind would not be an easy task, and she looked at him as if to say that, a small smile crossing over her lips.

"Not yet. I am very early. We've got time, Fred." She stood up and moved her chair to sit beside him rather than across, tilting her head to look up into his chocolate brown eyes. "Now, what is it that you are thinking about?" She flicked his glass, and then pointing up to his lips. Drink, she silently ordered.

Lets Talk About It.
● ● ● ●

Make it three shots of Swotts.

Fred wasn’t the type to complain because in his mind that resembled negativity. He was quite good at avoiding all matter of seriousness- after all he ran a joke shop. He was typically charged with joking too much. And he wouldn’t classify himself as depressed or…sad even. Not really. It was more like-

It was more like he was having this monologue inside his brain instead of actually speaking verbally to the person he’d come to see. He smiled at her nagging, the Weasley-Potter women had a knack for motherhood. They all seemed to look after the whole clan and for that he was very grateful.

Taking a rather large sip, Fred scratched at his chin, “You ever…I don’t know…find yourself in a slump? I’ve made a connection of sorts that I tend to stay in the perimeter of the shop and not…venture out. You know?” Was he making sense? “Like I sit home after working all day, all week- which I don’t mind! I love working. I’m rambling…eh…”

Wrap it up smart one. “I feel boring. You ever feel…boring?”

ROSE CHARLOTTE WEASLEY
# # #
**winging it**

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[googlefont="Comfortaa"]

FRED WESLEY WEASLEY

The confusion did not settle within the Weasley girl as he rambled on. Brunette brows furrowed together while she listened, and it was not until his final question that she had a small inkling of what was bothering Fred. Something that also seemed to be bothering herself as of late.

"I do. More often than not lately," Rose tilted her head at her cousin. "As if all we do is work, eat and sleep, and then do it all over the next day." She had been wanting a new job, but unsure of what path would work best for her. Rose had always promised herself, and her parents, that she would refuse to do anything that made her unhappy; so leaving The Leaky Cauldron would only happen if she found her dream job.

But what was her dream job?

She inhaled deeply, "Perhaps trying not going home after work. Go meet people, enjoy life while we are young." It was no surprise that Rose went out a lot, but that was just to find a nice guy to suit her fancy for the night. "I could go with you somewhere, too."

Lets Talk About It.
● ● ● ●

Make it three shots of Swotts.

He started nodding excitedly as his cousin described exactly what was going on inside his head. It wasn’t so obscure of an idea but Fred just wasn’t use to feeling ordinary. There were days where all he wanted to do was hold up in that upstairs flat over the store and just drink his cocoa. Then there were others where he felt the itch to get out but had no idea where.

So when Rose mentioned going out and possibly tagging along? Fred seriously considered it. They’d gone out before but it had been a…well it’d been a hot minute. For him that could be anything from a few hours to a couple months. There really wasn’t a definition for a timeframe in his book.

“Yes. Just…yes,” Fred nodded again, this time stopping the motion just after. “After the whole Quidditch debacle I just manage the shop and bloody well walk upstairs to sleep. Perhaps I do need a- a party or a club or something…oh I don’t know…”

After a second of thinking he snapped his fingers and grinned, “Loud. Loud is the word I’m looking for.”

ROSE CHARLOTTE WEASLEY
# # #
**winging it**

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[googlefont="Comfortaa"]

FRED WESLEY WEASLEY

"Oh, a party?" Rose lifted an eyebrow, total excitement crossing her features as her brain began racing, thinking of all the ways her and Fred could have fun for one night. There were plenty of bars and clubs, but a party would be something knew, especially thrown by the two most fun Weasley's there ever were!

In fact, maybe a loud party was just what they needed. She tapped her index finger to her lips in thought, and then an idea came to mind. "Could always use The Shrieking Shack. And since it's summer time, there would not be any underage students joining us." Rose winked at Fred. Perhaps allowing him to lead in the invitations or decorations would get him feeling better, and would also give him something to do rather than go right to sleep after work.

Rose interlaced her fingers and leaned forward on the table with a large grin. "What do you think?"

Lets Talk About It.
● ● ● ●

Make it three shots of Swotts.

Fred looked at his cousin in contemplation, slowly running a tongue over his lips. He was thinking. Psh, as if there was anything to consider. Hosting hadn’t been the original idea but… what a genius idea that was and he should have come up with it himself.

“You…” Pointing at her. He sounded so serious, his voice on the cusp of true excitement. “You’re brilliant.” It was a fact.

Leaning forward on the table, “You’re brilliant, cousin! It’s been ages since we Weasley’s have thrown a bash hasn’t it? Keep waiting for someone else to light the fire but we’re holding the matches.” Oh yes. He could see it now. No professors to hide the firewhiskey from. No thread of detention.

Fred’s brown eyes were bright and he gave the table a smack as he picked up his drink, “This isn’t Hogwarts. We’re adults now, yeah? You and me? We’re going to host the biggest bloody bash this village has ever seen.”

ROSE CHARLOTTE WEASLEY
# # #
**winging it**

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[googlefont="Comfortaa"]

FRED WESLEY WEASLEY

Rose felt her eyebrows rise at how much of a switch went off within Fred. He had just been so down and depressed, almost like a little slug, and the second she mentioned something different than his typical day to day schedule he brightened up. Regardless of what her cousin was feeling, a day would never go by that Rose would not be there for him. The Weasley's and Potter's were such a close knit family that they all felt like siblings; some more than others, but siblings nonetheless.

She began to laugh and sat forward as he did. Hosting a party would perhaps be good for the both of them and not just Fred. Rose herself had been in a bit of a rut lately, trying to decide what she wanted to do with her life and if living at home was the best for her at this age. She knew her parents would be behind her in what she truly wanted. Either way, a night off from stress sounded phenomenal.

"Hell yeah we are," she nodded in agreement. "Now, do we want a theme?"