lioness

July 21st, 1994

LIFE BEFORE THE exam results were out was great, as usual.

Her Father's presence and his gathering preparation did hinder Daisy from visiting the Burrow often, but she managed to come over at least once every week and enjoyed some quality time with her favorite set of siblings.

Sometimes she had girl talks with Ginny —who had gained some 'handsome but short' and 'charming but a bit slow' and 'snobbishly smart' admirers at school, but don't tell any of her brothers that— squealing while hugging their pillows. She was definitely still smitten by Harry Potter, though.

Sometimes she spent the afternoon just sitting in Percy's room, listening to him ramble on about his application to the Ministry of Magic, which had been thoroughly prepared, checked by his parents and older brothers, and will be personally sent by Percy himself once his N.E.W.T.s owl arrive. He was very excited, and he couldn't stop studying things he didn't even need to study, because 'knowing more things, be it relevant or not, is still a plus point'.

Sometimes she reread the books she got from Hermione on the ground as the four youngest Weasleys played a two versus two Quidditch. Sometimes she acted as the referee, and sometimes the twins or Ron made her ride along with them.

Most times she helped the twins with their joke shop preparation in their bedroom. They began collecting their previous inventions, making new ones, drafting fill-out order forms...

At first, Daisy was bewildered by their bizzare and, quite frankly, reckless decision. She was tempted to challenge them, but she didn't want to turn into her father. That was exactly what Mr. Allen had been doing.

Mrs. Weasley was happy about her lively house.

Mr. Weasley was still endearingly funny.

They had promised their children good tickets to the World Cup as rewards for their hard work last school year.

Things took a turn for the worse nearing the end of July, though.

"Fred? George?"

The twins, Daisy, Ginny, and Ron looked up from their game of Exploding Snap on the dining table. It was rare for Mrs. Weasley to call her sons in a tone that... dangerously soft.

"I was cleaning your room and I found... What is—" Daisy watched Mrs. Weasley came out of the twins' room with a paper in hand and a confused look etched on her weary face, and the former's eyes widened in recognition, "What is this? Weasleys'... Wizard Wheezes."

"M— Mum!" George immediately stood up, paling, "That's nothing! Really."

"Yeah, rubbish!" Fred added, chuckling dryly. He sent George signals with facial contortions to go on upstairs and get the papers out of their mother's reach, but George simply returned the look. None of them dared to stand too close to her upcoming wrath.

"Fake wands? Trick sweets, Ton-Tongue Toffee, Nosebleed... Nougats? Love Potion... What—" Mrs. Weasley's words halted at the tip of her tongue, and she swallowed, "Somebody explain to me what this is."

"It's... Uh, our inventions, Mum," Fred dared to speak. "George and I decided to open a joke shop. For once our mischief is directed to something useful and profitable, so, yay...?"

"Open a—" Mrs. Weasley frowned, taking some steps down the stairs, "A joke shop? Tell me you two are joking."

"Exactly!" George grinned, "And we will be selling them, our brilliant jokes. Make some money. Think about it, Mum—"

"Wait. Wait a second, don't you want to work for the Ministry? Like, like your Dad, or Percy?"

"No, we don't. Wait— Hear us out, Mum, Mum—" Fred stepped back, raising his hand in defense, "Can you really picture us doing that? Wearing robes, doing paperwork, and sitting in a desk all day? Don't you think we are meant for more?"

"Well, NO!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. She stomped the rest of her way downstairs and pulled out her wand, pointing its tip to Fred's nose, "I get that you two want memorable childhoods! I guess you're still in those pranking and playing age, yes, but for Merlin's sake you two will be adults soon! You won't be boys anymore, you'll be fully responsible, respectable men! Please act and think like one— two! Whatever!"

"But—"

"No BUTs," she shifted her wand to George, "If you don't want to work at the Ministry, fine! But get a proper job like— like Bill, at Gringotts! Or Charlie, or something! Joke shop. It's RISKY, it's CRAZY, it's— it's— it's MAD! And THIS!"

With a flick of her wand, the entire stack of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes order forms came flying down into the living room.

"THESE ARE DANGEROUS!" Mrs. Weasley roared, like a very angry lioness, "You're making people faint?! And— and have nosebleeds?! And explode?! What, are you two insane?! That's what you call jokes?!"

Ron and Ginny, who had been silently watching caught a flying paper each and read its contents.

"Wow," Ron breathed out in a low tone, "Brilliant! I never knew they'd been inventing all these! Dee, did you know?"

Daisy turned beet red, "I— I did."

"So that's why we've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages. I thought they just like the noise!" Ginny whisper-yelled.

"Jokes are knock-knock jokes! Or stupid puns! Not THESE!"

"Mum, please, this is our decision!"

"And as your mother, I am responsible to stop you from ruining your lives! Worse, actually, killing someone else's child!"

Percy stuck his head out to take a look on the commotion, but decided to return to the safety of his room once more.

"We'll be testing them ourselves, Mum! It'll be completely, one hundred percent safe!"

"Testing them— So you're gonna kill yourselves trying?! No, cut this out—" Mrs. Weasley snarled threteaningly, "I am serious, you two are NOT allowed to make any more of these dangerous rubbish. This dream of yours—"

She flicked her wand, and all of the papers —including the ones in Ron and Ginny's hand, were swallowed in flames and turned to ashes. The twins were silent, looking down.

Mrs. Weasley sighed, "Wake up from it, please. I love you two."

The five children went radio silent as she stomped her way back up, and they all jumped on their seats as the sound of door slamming echoed loudly throughout the house.

Daisy was the first to break the silence, "Uh, well... I'm sorry, Fred, George."

"Personally, I think it's brilliant!" Ron said, grimacing, "Sorry about your forms."

"Don't bother," Fred lifted his head and genuinely grinned, "We have a handwritten copy in our drawer. It's all good."

✿ ❀ ✿ ❀ ✿

July 28th, 1994

DAISY WAS IMMEDIATELY engulfed in a tight hug the moment she entered the Burrow that morning after Breakfast.

"Got the N.E.W.T. score!" The boy exclaimed ecstatically in her ear, and Daisy knew it was Percy, "I got them all! Twelve N.E.W.T.s, Dee, twelve!"

"Congratulations! That's wonderful!" Daisy returned the hug, "I knew you can do it."

"Dad said I'm going to get into the Ministry, he's sure—"

A sharp pain radiated from Daisy's lower back, where Percy's hands were resting, and she reflexively hissed, causing him to let go. The older boy frowned behind his new horn-rimmed glasses, "What is it? Mr. Allen?"

"It's fine."

"Dee," he said warningly.

"Alright, it's bruised, but I'll live." She smiled then raise the paper she had in her hand, "Look! I got my report, too!"

"Let me see," Percy took it from her hand and switched it with a roll of parchment, "That's my score."

They opened each other's report and walked side by side into the house with their eyes glued to the pages in a similar gait.

"Wow, nearly all O's. Only three E's. This is very brilliant, Perce."

"A's and B's," Percy nodded approvingly, "That's my girl. Except for P.E., not surprising."

"You definitely scored higher than Bill or Charlie. Best N.E.W.T.s this house has achieved and ever will, I suppose."

"If you're looking to improve your overall GPA, you should ask Ginny to exercise with you. But all the important, academical courses received superb evaluation. Yes, yes..."

"What division in the Ministry are you aiming for again?"

"I dunno. International affair, perhaps, or transportation. Your passion in Science is strongly inclined to Physics and Chemistry, right?"

"Yes, that's right. Biology is interesting, too, but I like Physics more. International affair... Transportation... If that's so, then Astronomy, Herbology, and Divination will not be essential."

"You're better with logic than theoretical memorization, I see. Works in your field." Percy raised his head and saw that they were already standing before Mrs. Weasley. "Mum, Daisy has a bruised back."

"What?" Mrs. Weasley immediately got in action, "Sit down, sit down! What happened this time?"

"Just some kicks. Exceptional, Perce," Daisy said, returning his report. He did the same. "Excellent on your end, too. I'll give you and Mum some privacy. Go on up to my room once you're done, I need some proofreading help."

"Okay!"

"What is that? Is that your report card? Show me the bruise, dear."

Daisy was wearing two-piece flowery hem and snow white skirt. She sat down in front of Mrs. Weasley on the sofa and lifted the back part of her shirt, just enough to unveil a constellation of bluish, greenish, slightly purplish galaxy of broken blood vessels on her lower back.

Mrs. Weasley clucked her tongue disapprovingly, "That man... What excuse does he give you this time?"

"This," Daisy proudly held her report in front of her face so the elder lady could see it over her shoulders, "See here? I scored lower on Law than AP Science. He thought I failed the test on purpose."

"Failed— Honey, you got B! That's like... E in Hogwarts, right? I am very, very proud of you," she said sweetly. The ointment on Daisy's back felt cold, but it was not as soothing and touching as Mrs. Weasley's charming compliment.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. That means a lot to me."

"Dee-dee! Oh— Oh, sorry, I didn't see anything, I swear."

"Hey, Fred," Daisy greeted without looking behind her back. Mrs. Weasley continued fixing her, unfazed by the intrusion.

"Hey," his voice was soft, "Okay, I did see something. Should I come over and jinx your dad for revenge?"

"Fred."

"Just kidding. But if that's really what you want, just say the word. Right, Mum?"

Ice cold. Total silence. Eerie quietness.

"Mum," came Fred's voice, "You're not still mad at us, are you?"

Mrs. Weasley put Daisy's hem down and smiled, "This should numb the pain for today and heal everything in three or four days, if you take good care of it."

"Mum..."

"Here," she gave Daisy a box, "Put this on your back for a week. You have someone to help you at home?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good," Mrs. Weasley stood up, "Go on then, Percy's waiting for you. I'll be fixing lunch for five! I promised my son, Percy, to cook his favorite today. Twelve N.E.W.T.s!"

"Five?" Daisy wondered, "Who's not home?"

"What are you talking about? I have two sons and two daughters, all at home. Who else should I cook for?"

Daisy blinked.

"Mummmmmmmm..." Fred whined. "Mummyyyyyyyy, my beautiful, lovely motherrrrrrrrrrrr."

Daisy watched in amusement as her best friend acted out like an exaggeratingly sad toddler, while his mother sauntered into the kitchen like nobody was even there.

She laughed, "What did you do, now?"

"We got our O.W.L. results. Are you okay?"

"I'm good," Daisy nodded. Together, they began to climb up the stairs.

"Good, then. George and I wanted to perfect our plan for our joke shop next school year, so we made sure that we only took necessary O.W.L.s, you know, making sure that we won't be distracted—"

"Excuse me," Daisy interrupted, frowning, "One second. Just how many O.W.L.s did you get?"

Fred grimaced, admitting, "...Three."

"Three?!" Daisy exclaimed with wide eyes, "Why, Percy got twelve N.E.W.T.s!"

"Exactly what Mum said! She was so furious, she yelled at us nonstop for more than an hour then turned complete, radio silent. She just pretends like she has two sons less. It's just bad timing. Why do we have to do our O.W.L.s the same year as Per— wait, where are you going?"

Daisy turned left, while the twins' room was on their right. "Oh, I'm going to Percy's room."

"What? Why?" Fred crossed his arms, "Are you turning into Mum?"

"I don't know," Daisy teased, "Your O.W.L.s... It's quite disappointing..."

"C'mon! Stop messing with me," Fred groaned dramatically.

She playfully gave him a cold shoulder and he yelled, "Daisy! Oh, so you're choosing Percy over me and George? You traitor! Fine, go on and hang out with him, make the super smart people club or something!" until she winked at him and closed the door standing between them.