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The Harrington's Cottage
Village of Ottery St Catchpole
- Devon, England
( August, 1995. )

                          𝑶lympia lounged on her bed, her legs crossed lazily as she read a book, Lilac nestled comfortably on her stomach. The violet-colored Puffskein let out soft, rhythmic purring, clearly enjoying the attention as Olympia absentmindedly stroked her fluffy coat. The afternoon sunlight filtered through her half-open window, the warm breeze making her eyelids feel heavy.

The quiet of her room was interrupted by a soft tapping at the window. Olympia looked up, startled, and spotted a sleek barn owl perched gracefully on the sill. Its golden eyes fixed on her, and a neat scroll of parchment was tied securely to its leg.

"Seraphina," she murmured with a faint smile, setting her book aside and carefully shifting Lilac to the side. The Pygmy Puff gave a tiny, protesting chirp before rolling itself into a fluffy ball on the bed.

Olympia opened the window, and the owl hopped in with practiced ease, settling onto the back of her chair. She untied the letter from its leg, reaching for the jar of treats on her desk. "Here you go," she said, offering the owl a small morsel. It hooted softly, accepting the treat before fluffing its feathers and watching her intently.

Settling back onto her bed, Olympia unrolled the parchment. She immediately recognized Seraphina's elegant handwriting and let out a small chuckle as she began to read.

Dear Olympia,

How are you? I hope you're not too bored at home—I can imagine the summer heat isn't making things any more exciting. Thankfully, I bring good news: my family has decided to take a short holiday to the adorable village of Ottery St Catchpole! We'll be staying at the local inn. I believe the official reason is that my father needs a break from the Ministry chaos, but I suspect my mother just wants to "experience rural charm." (Her words, not mine.)

Obviously, this means we must meet up. I insist! I've heard wonderful things about the area, and I know you can show me all the best spots. Plus, I need to hear everything about your summer. I'm also expecting updates about a certain redhead—you know the one.

Let me know when you're free. We'll arrive in a few days, and I'll owl you as soon as we're settled. Can't wait to see you!

Yours always,
Seraphina

                            𝑶lympia smiled, the thought of Seraphina's visit lighting up her mood. She leaned back, tapping the parchment against her knee as she thought about where they could meet in the village. Before she could decide, a sudden clink startled her.

The owl, still perched on her chair, flapped its wings in alarm, letting out a sharp hoot. Olympia's head snapped to the window, her pulse quickening as another clink echoed against the glass.

Grabbing her wand from the nightstand, she crept cautiously toward the window, her grip tight. Slowly, she peered over the sill, ready for anything.

What she wasn't expecting was George Weasley standing in the grass below, holding an orange cat in his arms. His red hair glinted in the afternoon sun, and he looked up at her with a sheepish smile.

"Um, Ols," he called softly, careful not to be too loud. "Are you busy?"

Olympia stared at him, her wand still raised. "George?" she asked incredulously, her voice a mix of confusion and exasperation. "Is that a cat? Oh, don't tell me you rescued it! Your mum will murder you!"

George glanced down at the cat, which squirmed slightly in his arms, and then back up at her. His face was almost guilty, but there was a flicker of humor in his eyes.

"Uh, actually—" he began, shifting uncomfortably, "it's Fred."

Fred, whom had been gone for two weeks now visiting Delphine in France was back, and clearly had gotten in trouble the second he arrived home.

Shocker.

"He's back?" Olympia's jaw dropped, her eyes widening. "Wait—HUH?" she practically shouted, leaning farther out the window as if she'd misheard him.

George winced, looking around nervously. "Shh! Do you want your whole neighborhood to hear?" The cat squirmed in his arms, "stop it Fred!" George barked.

But Olympia was already laughing, her disbelief quickly turning into barely-contained amusement. "And I'm the minister of magic!"

George sighed dramatically, shifting the squirming orange cat in his arms. "Sadly, I'm serious," he said, his tone a perfect mix of exasperation and amusement. "A transfiguration experiment gone wrong."

Olympia blinked, staring at him for a long moment before bursting into laughter. "You turned your brother into a cat? Oh, George, you've outdone yourself this time."

George gave her a mock glare. "It wasn't me! It was Fred's idea! Something about proving he could 'perfect the art of partial animal transfiguration'—whatever that means." He held the cat up slightly, his voice dropping into a low grumble. "And now he's a fucking cat."

Olympia had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing too loudly, but she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "You know your mum's going to kill both of you, right? What was he even trying to transfigure?"

George shrugged, looking helpless. "Who knows? He got halfway through explaining it before—poof! Suddenly, Fred's got whiskers and a tail."

The cat—Fred—let out an indignant yowl, wriggling in George's grip.

"See?" George said, holding him up again. "Even as a cat, he's dramatic."

Olympia clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from doubling over with laughter. "This is... This is fantastic. You're going to have to explain this to your parents, you know."

George shot her a pointed look. "That's precisely why I'm here. I figured you could help me fix him before Mum finds out."

"Me?" Olympia said, her laughter slowing as her eyes widened. "Why me?"

George's smirk returned, and he gave her a knowing look. "Because you're brilliant, and you owe me after I helped you hide Cassie's enchanted hairbrush incident."

Olympia groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "That was one time."

"And this is one cat," George quipped. "Seems fair to me."

Fred—still squirming—let out another irritated yowl, his tail flicking dramatically.

"Alright, alright," Olympia relented, throwing her hands up. "Bring him inside before our neighbors start asking why there's a Weasley holding a cat in my garden."

George grinned. "You say that like it's unusual."

"George," she said, glaring at him.

"Right, right," he said, walking toward the front door. "Coming up. You'd better have a plan, Minister of Magic."

Olympia groaned but couldn't help the laugh that escaped as she closed the window and hurried downstairs to let him in.

Minute later as George stepped into Olympia's room, still holding the squirming orange cat, chaos erupted almost immediately. The sleek barn owl, still perched on Olympia's chair, took one look at the feline in George's arms and exploded into a flurry of feathers, hooting indignantly and flapping its wings.

"Whoa!" George ducked instinctively, trying to shield Fred from the panicked owl. "Alright, calm down! He's not here to eat you!"

The owl clearly didn't believe him, taking flight and circling the room in a frenzy. Olympia tried to shoo it toward the window, but the commotion had already set off another chain reaction.

Lilac, nestled on Olympia's bed, let out a high-pitched squeal of protest, puffing up twice her size and rolling away from the perceived predator. The Puffskein's tiny legs flailed as it tumbled off the bed, landing unceremoniously on the floor with a soft plop.

Fred—still very much a cat—was not amused. He hissed in irritation and suddenly scrambled, his claws digging into George's arm as he attempted to escape the chaos.

"Fred, no! Stay put!" George hissed through gritted teeth, wincing as the cat climbed higher, finally reaching his shoulder. But Fred wasn't done. With the owl still flapping around and Lilac squeaking in terror, Fred decided the best course of action was to claw his way down George's chest and then down his leg, then back up his leg back to his arms, his tiny claws like needles against bare skin.

"Bloody hell, Fred!" George shouted in a loud whisper, hopping awkwardly on one foot as Fred clung to his thigh. "I'm trying to help you, you ungrateful shit!"

Olympia doubled over laughing, clutching her stomach as tears pricked her eyes. "Oh my Merlin, George, he's trying to scale you like a tree!"

"This isn't funny!" George shot back, wincing as Fred launched himself onto his other leg, his claws hooking into the fabric of George's shorts. "He's trying to kill me!"

The owl finally found its way out the window, hooting one last protest as it disappeared into the sky. Lilac squeaked one more time and then rolled under the bed for safety, leaving Olympia and George to deal with the aftermath.

Olympia wiped tears from her eyes, still laughing as she bent down and plucked Fred from George's leg. "Alright, alright, I've got him," she said, carefully prying the cat loose.

Fred let out an indignant meow, his tail flicking furiously as Olympia held him up. George collapsed onto the edge of her bed, rubbing his now-red arms and legs.

"Your brother," Olympia said, holding Fred out at arm's length, "has no concept of gratitude."

George groaned, flopping back onto the bed. "Tell me about it. I should've left him as a bloody teapot or whatever he was trying to transfigure himself into."

Olympia set Fred down gently on her desk, where he immediately flopped onto his side, glaring at both of them. "Well, Minister of Magic," George said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "any brilliant ideas for fixing this mess?"

Olympia smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "Let me think... How do you feel about bribery? Because you're definitely going to owe me for this one."

George sat up from the bed, his grin turning sly as he stood and closed the small distance between him and Olympia. Before she could react, he slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her slightly closer. His touch was warm, and his teasing tone was unmistakable as he leaned in just enough for her to feel his breath on her ear.

"Bribery, huh?" he murmured, his voice low and playful. "What if I'm more interested in negotiating terms right now?"

Olympia's cheeks flushed, her breath hitching slightly as her hands instinctively moved to rest against his chest. Her brain scrambled for a witty comeback, but before she could say anything, an indignant meow cut through the tension.

Both of them turned to look at Fred, who was still sprawled on the desk. His tail flicked sharply, and his fur bristled as he let out another loud hiss, his green eyes narrowing at George. Though a cat—he was obviously still Fred—and understood entirely.

Olympia burst into laughter, stepping back slightly but still caught in George's arms. "I think your brother disapproves of your 'negotiating tactics,'" she teased, gesturing toward the glaring cat.

George sighed dramatically, glancing between Fred and Olympia. "Oh, come on, Fred. Just because you can't flirt right now doesn't mean you have to ruin it for the rest of us."

Fred let out another loud meow, this one almost sounding like a protest, before turning his back to them and curling up into an angry loaf shape.

Olympia giggled, shaking her head as she finally stepped out of George's hold, though her smile lingered. "Your brother may be a cat, but I think he's still perfectly capable of being Fred."

George smirked, watching her with that same glint in his eye. "Cockblocker of the year award. Honestly I think he just wishes he had my moves."

Fred hissed again, louder this time, as if to refute the claim, making Olympia laugh even harder. Even as a cat he was argumentative.

"Alright, enough," she said, holding up her hands in surrender. "Let's focus on turning Fred back into Fred before he decides to claw your face off for good."

George sighed but couldn't hide his grin. "Fine, but don't think I'm letting him interrupt again next time."

"Next time?" Olympia asked, raising an eyebrow, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement.

"Oh, there'll be a next time," George replied smoothly, winking as he sat back on the edge of her bed. Fred, meanwhile, continued to glare at him, his tail flicking with a vengeance.

George leaned back on the bed, glancing around the room as he asked casually, "Where's Cass?"

"Visiting Judeth," Olympia replied, crossing her arms as she watched him.

George raised an eyebrow. "Judy and Atlas broke up, didn't they?"

"Oh yeah," Olympia said, nodding. "Beginning of summer. But it was mutual, so nothing's weird between her and Cass."

George smirked. "Must be a Harrington thing, keeping the drama to a minimum. The Weasleys could learn a thing or two."

Before Olympia could respond, Fred let out a loud, dramatic mrowwwwww, his tail flicking pointedly as he glared at both of them from his spot on the desk. As if saying hurry up.

George sighed heavily, turning to the cat with an exasperated look. "Yes, Fred, we see you. You're very important."

Fred hissed softly in response, sitting up straighter and puffing out his chest like he was trying to remind them of his authority.

Olympia laughed, shaking her head. "I think he's upset you're not treating him like the diva he clearly thinks he is."

George gave Fred a mock bow. "Forgive me, oh great and powerful feline. How may I serve you?"

Fred yowled again, clearly unsatisfied, and swatted at a stray quill on the desk, sending it clattering to the floor.

Olympia crouched to pick up the quill, smiling as she straightened. "I think he wants us to stop chatting and start fixing this mess."

George groaned. "I'm never letting him live this down once we get him back to normal. He's worse as a cat than he is as a human."

Fred let out another hiss, this one sounding oddly offended, and Olympia had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "He probably understands every word you're saying," she said. "You're just fueling his dramatic streak."

George sighed again, looking at Fred with mock seriousness. "Alright, brother dearest, let's get this over with before you start plotting revenge."

                  𝑨bout twenty minutes later Olympia sat cross-legged on the floor, flipping furiously through the pages of the transfiguration book while muttering spells under her breath. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, though the soft pink flush on her cheeks hinted that her focus wasn't entirely unshakable. Especially not when George kept hovering so close.

George, clearly not taking the situation as seriously as she was, sat beside her, his legs stretched out lazily. He watched her intently, but it wasn't the book he seemed interested in. Every now and then, his hand would brush hers under the guise of "helping" or linger just a little too long when passing her a page.

"You know," he started, leaning slightly closer so that his shoulder almost touched hers, "you're awfully cute when you're all serious like this."

Olympia rolled her eyes, though her lips twitched at the corners. "George, focus. Your brother is literally a cat right now."

George shrugged nonchalantly, his hand finding its way to her lower back. He lightly traced circles there, the contact sending a shiver up her spine. "Oh, I'm focused," he said smoothly. "Just... maybe not on the book."

"George," she warned, trying to keep her tone stern, though the blush creeping up her neck betrayed her. "You're bloody mad."

"And yet, you haven't thrown me out of your room," he teased, his voice dropping just a little. "Which makes me think you don't entirely mind."

She turned her head to snap back at him, but before she could, he leaned in and kissed her. His lips were soft and warm, and despite herself, Olympia leaned into it, her hand instinctively resting against his chest.

For a brief, blissful moment, the chaos of the room melted away—until a sharp, furious hiss shattered the peace.

Fred, perched on the desk, had had enough. He launched himself at George with all the grace of an angry orange furball, his claws sheathed but his intent clear. He swatted George squarely on the head with a surprisingly hard paw.

"Oi!" George exclaimed, jerking back and rubbing the spot where he'd been hit. "What's your problem, Fred?"

Fred let out an indignant MROW! before turning his glare to Olympia, his tail flicking furiously as if to say, Get back to work!

Olympia was laughing so hard she had to clutch the book to her chest to stop from falling over. "He's annoyed because you keep snogging me instead of helping!"

George sighed dramatically, leaning back on his hands. "Yeah, well, it's actually rather peaceful not hearing him talk for once. If I'd known this was the secret to shutting him up, I'd have done it sooner."

Fred, clearly understanding the insult, puffed up like an angry balloon and hissed again, his brown eyes narrowing into slits.

From under the bed, Lilac peeked out, her violet fur puffed up in response to Fred's aggression. She let out a nervous squeak, retreating further under the bed and curling into a tight ball.

"Fred!" Olympia scolded, pointing at the cat. "You're scaring my baby!"

Fred turned his furious gaze to her, letting out a sharp meow that sounded suspiciously like an eye roll.

"Okay, okay," Olympia muttered, flipping through the book again. "Let's try this one. It might help." She muttered a counter-spell under her breath, her wand aimed directly at Fred.

A flash of light filled the room, and for a moment, it seemed like the spell had worked. But then Fred let out a horrified MROWWWW! as a second tail suddenly sprouted right next to the first, flicking wildly in all directions.

George clutched his stomach, collapsing onto the bed in laughter. "He's got two tails! Oh, Merlin, this is priceless. Honestly, I think we've improved him!"

"GEORGE!" Olympia snapped, though her own lips twitched with amusement. "Stop laughing and help me!"

George wiped tears from his eyes, still chuckling. "Help you? Darling, I think you're doing brilliantly on your own."

Fred, meanwhile, was spinning in panicked circles, trying to catch his second tail. His movements became more frantic, his angry yowls echoing through the room.

"Alright, alright, let me fix it," Olympia said hurriedly, flipping the book again. She found another spell and muttered it quickly, pointing her wand at Fred.

This time, the second tail disappeared—but Fred's whiskers suddenly grew to triple their normal length, curling and bouncing with every irritated twitch of his face.

Fred froze, his massive whiskers trembling as he turned to glare at Olympia, his expression one of utter betrayal. He let out another loud, dramatic MROWWWW! that was somehow even more offended than before.

Olympia groaned, running a hand through her hair. "This is a disaster," she muttered.

George, still lounging on the bed, smirked at her. "Take your time, Ols. This is better than a Zonko's catalog."

Fred, clearly done with George's commentary, leapt at him again, this time swatting at his knee with surprising accuracy.

"Oi, Fred!" George said, jerking back. "I'm not the one with the wand!"

Fred let out another hiss, his tails—wait, no, just the one tail now—flicking furiously. From under the bed, Lilac let out another soft squeak before burrowing deeper, her tiny form trembling.

"Okay," Olympia said, flipping yet another page. "One more try. If this doesn't work, you're taking him home to your mum."

"Not a chance," George said, still grinning. "But take your time. This is brilliant."

Fred shot him a death glare, his oversized whiskers twitching in fury as he let out a long, dramatic meow. Olympia sighed, her wand at the ready. "Here goes nothing."

Olympia gripped her wand tightly, her voice resolute as she pointed it at Fred one last time. "Alright, this has to work. Hold still, Fred!"

Fred, still glaring at George, gave a reluctant mrow before sitting down, his massive whiskers twitching as if bracing for impact. Olympia muttered the spell under her breath, her wand emitting a warm, golden glow.

A flash of sparkling light filled the room, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Lilac squeaked nervously from under the bed, George leaned forward expectantly, and Olympia held her breath as the light began to fade.

As the sparkles cleared, Fred stood there—human again, but also completely naked. He threw his arms up triumphantly, his grin wide as he exclaimed, "Yes! I'm back! I'M A REAL BOY!" He quoted.

George's eyes widened in horror, and in one swift motion, he jumped up and clamped his hands over Olympia's eyes. "Don't look!" he blurted, his tone frantic.

"George!" Olympia yelped, her hands flying up to pull his away. "Why are you covering my eyes?! What's going on?!"

"Um..." George hesitated, clearly trying to find the right words. "Well... because he's... uh... kind of naked."

Fred, still basking in his newfound humanity, froze mid-celebration. He glanced down at himself, his triumphant expression morphing into wide-eyed shock. "Bloody hell!" he shouted, his hands flying to cover himself. "It looks like I am!"

"WHAT?!" Olympia shrieked.

George, still firmly covering her eyes, turned his head to look at Fred. "Mate, grab something! Anything! My girlfriend doesn't need to see this!"

"Don't rush me!" Fred barked, frantically scanning the room for something to cover himself with. "You try thinking straight after spending hours as a bloody cat!"

"My dad will be home from work any minute!" Olympia exclaimed, flailing her arms to get free from George's grip. "This is not happening right now!"

George, his voice strained, muttered, "Oh, it's happening. But let's make it quick so your dad doesn't walk into this circus."

Fred finally spotted a throw blanket on the bed and lunged for it, wrapping it around himself like a toga. "Alright! Crisis averted!" he declared, still holding it in place with one hand.

George cautiously removed his hands from Olympia's eyes, keeping one arm protectively in front of her as he glanced at Fred. "You decent?"

Fred shot him a glare. "Barely."

Olympia peeked out from behind George, her face still red with mortification. "You couldn't have fixed yourself before you celebrated?"

"Forgive me for enjoying having opposable thumbs again!" Fred snapped, tugging the blanket tighter.

Olympia groaned, running a hand through her hair. "If my dad walks in here and sees you wrapped in a blanket, then we're all dead."

George grinned despite the chaos, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Relax. If anyone asks, we'll just say Fred's trying out a new fashion statement."

Fred rolled his eyes. "Oh sure, 'Naked Wizard Chic.' That'll go over well."

From under the bed, Lilac let out a relieved squeak, as if grateful the ordeal was finally over. Olympia sighed, shaking her head. "I swear, you two are going to be the death of me."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," George said with a smirk, pulling her close as Fred grumbled something unintelligible while trying to fix his makeshift toga.

Olympia didn't wait for further discussion. "Stay here and do not move!" she hissed at Fred and George before bolting out of the room and dashing up the stairs to Atlas's room. Her heart pounded as she yanked open his wardrobe, grabbing the first shirt and pair of trousers she could find that looked like they might fit Fred.

"Why me?" she muttered under her breath as she hurried back down the stairs, clutching the clothes tightly.

Just as she reached her bedroom door, she heard the unmistakable whoosh of the Floo network flaring to life in the living room below. Her stomach dropped.

"Bloody brilliant timing," she whispered furiously, slamming the door shut behind her and spinning around to face Fred and George, her eyes wide with panic.

"Shhhh!" she hissed, holding up a hand like she could physically will them into silence.

Fred, still clutching the blanket toga, opened his mouth to speak, but George shot him a warning look and placed a finger over his lips.

From the bottom of the stairs, Edward's voice called up, "Olympia? Was that you? Is everything alright?"

Olympia froze for a split second before forcing her voice to sound as casual as possible. "Yes, Dad! Everything's fine! Just, uh—girl stuff!"

There was a long pause before Edward responded, his tone a mix of discomfort and sudden disinterest. "O-oh! Um... okay! Let me know if you need anything—or don't—uh—whatever you're most comfortable with?"

There was a long awkward pause.

"Your mum had to work late so she's uh—at work but I can uh—yeah okay yeah."

Olympia exhaled deeply, leaning against the door in relief. "Crisis averted," she muttered, turning back to the boys. Fred and George stared at her, both trying to hold in laughter.

"Girl stuff?" George whispered, his grin widening. "That's the best you could come up with?"

"Worked, didn't it?" Olympia shot back, tossing the clothes at Fred. "Here. Get dressed before my dad brings me a box full of mum's feminine products."

Fred caught the clothes and immediately jumped into the closet to change. "Finally! I was starting to feel like a right idiot."

"You are a right idiot." George quipped with a snicker, earning a middle finger halfway through the cracked closet doorway.

As Fred quickly dressed, Olympia paced the room, her nerves still frayed. "If my dad had come up here and seen you two, I would've had to move out of the country."

George leaned against the desk, arms crossed, watching her with an amused expression. "Relax, Ols. You handled it perfectly."

She stopped pacing to glare at him, her cheeks flushed. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"Can you blame me?" George replied, his smirk infuriatingly charming. "This is the most fun I've had all summer."

Fred, now dressed in Atlas's slightly-too-small clothes, rolled his eyes. "Glad to know my suffering is so entertaining for you."

Olympia sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Alright, now that you're human and clothed, let's get you out of here before my dad decides to check on me."

Fred saluted dramatically. "Agreed. No offense, but I've had enough excitement for one day."

George chuckled, slinging an arm around Olympia's shoulders. "Lead the way, Minister of Magic. Let's get out of here before your dad's curiosity outweighs his discomfort."

"Don't push your luck, Weasley," Olympia muttered, though she couldn't quite hide the small smile tugging at her lips as they prepared to sneak out. "Now get out that window."