5 years. -open-

[ronald bilius weasley]

His hands scanned the shelves. It had been awhile since he last helped George in the shop. Right after the battle, Ron started working here. That was until he became an auror. George had really needed the help. And Ron was there for him every step of the way. He was still there for him. He just didn’t work there as often as he once had. Today he stopped in to check on George. But George seemed to be rather busy, running the shop today. It was a bit crowded. This would be because it was the Fifth Year Anniversay of the Shop. So much was going on.

Ron slightly chuckled as he watched children beg parents for certain jokes. One parent even muttered something along the lines of ‘ what did I get myself into!?’ which caused a grin from Ron. The kids and parents both had the reactions the twins craved for. Ron now picked up a random item and opened it up. Getting dust all in over his face. He let out a cough and spluttered.

“ Oi! I should have been expecting that!” he let out.

[ginevra molly weasley]

"You do know where you are, don't you?" Ginny teased, appearing over her brother's shoulder with a smirk.

5 years to the day that this place had opened. It didn't feel that long, and yet in some ways it felt much longer. George had mentioned the anniversary to her in passing last time he'd seen her, but they hadn't really spoken properly about it. They didn't need to; there was a sort of unspoken understanding between the whole family which often meant that Fred's name didn't need to be said out loud. They could remember him without it hurting too much that way.

But she'd decided to pay the shop a visit anyway. She hadn't even considered that Ron might be there too, but when she entered the shop, blinking slightly at the onslaught of colours and taking a second to take in the sights around her, she noticed a puff of dust about a familiar shade of red hair. She recognised him immediately.

[ronald bilius weasley]

Ron let out a huff. Setting the box back on the shelf. He should have never stopped working here. If he hadn’t he would have known what to expect. He started to learn the tricks of the trade when he worked with George here. Now George was coming up with so many new ideas. Some old ideas as well. There was a small corner in the back of the shop. George had called it the Fred’s corner. It was a corner that had some of Fred’s best known pranks. And, also had a picture of Fred, and a memorial in dedication of him. It was a corner that Ron avoided. He feared he’d break down.

His eyes would narrow over to it once in a blue moon. But he tried to not let it happen often. He got lost in thought for awhile. That was until his little sister came up and startled him. “ Bloody hell!” he said jumping, and turning to face her. “ I do. I do. I just forgot to be more aware of what I do in here. You really have to watch your every step in this place…” he said giving her a small smile. As a small awkward silence washed over the two. Ron averted his eyes to Fred’s corner again. “ So. Err… when was the last time you were in here?” he asked her.

[ginevra molly weasley]

Ginny was very aware of what was going through her brother's mind, noticing where his eyes were very pointedly not going, but she didn't read too deeply into it. While she personally liked that George had set up the corner, she understood why it might be difficult for others. She might've assumed that Ron would like it too, but if he didn't, she wasn't going to question it. Especially not today.

"Oh, I had lunch with George a couple of weeks ago," Ginny replied, smiling slightly as she picked up something round and sticky, then raising her eyebrows at Ron in an 'I wonder what this is' kind of way. "I met him here. Haven't seen you for a while, Mr Evasive - work been busy?"

She tossed the sticky thing at him. It was true that whenever she was with Ron for too long, she usually ended getting up frustrated with him, but he was still her brother and she still - although she rarely, if ever, told him out loud - loved him, and sort of missed him when he wasn't around.

[ronald bilius weasley]

Looking around at the shop Ron was always amazed. Amazed at just how far his brothers had come. Of course, now just George. But both of them had brilliant minds. Many often assumed that they'd never become anything good. That they'd be stuck in mum and dad's place forever. For where could they end up with their pranksters way!? And, the question was answered for everyone. They ended up in a brilliant shop. And even without Fred, George came up with some decent ideas on his own. Ron never admitted it out loud but he was proud of them both.

He nodded his head. " Yeah. Been busy..." he stated simply, averting his eyes to the ground. He really had been avoiding people as of late. He had gotten into a fight with Harry about drinking. And, he just... was slowly falling down. After so many months of trying to act strong, his own down fall was just around the corner.

He nearly jumped out of his seat when something slimy was thrown at him. " Eww!" he jumped, dropping it on the floor, wrinkling his nose. " What is that!?" he questioned with disgust.

[ginevra molly weasley]

Ginny laughed at him, snatching the sticky thing up off the floor, "It's a snot ball, according to the label," she smirked, tossing it between her hands. She imagined it wasn't actual snot - at least she hoped not - but Ron's reaction to it was funny either way. It was like he'd completely forgotten everything they'd grown up with! Then again, he never seemed to have gotten used to it back then either.

But she wasn't completely distracted. Harry was busy at work too, and last time she'd spoken to Neville, he had explained that things at work were still a bit hectic, but neither of them had been quite as shifty about it. Ginny knew Ron, and she knew those shifty eyes. What was he up to? If he and Harry (and probably Hermione) were up to their old sneaky, secretive ways, she was not going to be pleased. She'd had enough of that.

"Yeah, but it must be alright at work, getting to work with your mates, right?" she asked casually, placing the snot ball back on the shelf, wondering if she kept digging, she might get somewhere. "You and Harry off solving mysteries again."

[ronald bilius weasley]

Ron wrinkled his nose. " And, you're playing with it?" the disgust apparent in his voice. Of course, he knew, that it hadn't been real snot. Or so he hoped not. You could never be certain with Fred and George. But, Ronald didn't know where they'd get that much snot anyways. But he was certain that if George knew a way to get a lot of real snot, that he'd make something real with it. It would be just like the twins.

His face froze at her questions on Harry and mysteries and work for that matter. Not sure how to respond. Trying to think quickly on his feet. Harry and him? He couldn't tell his sister the two were fighting. If he did it would bring up more questions, that he wasn't prepared for.

" Oh, yeah fun working with friends. And, yeah, mysterious, lots. Harry and I have lots of fun solving them. Lots yes." he said, face going beat red. " Oh look..." he said pointing at a pink fuzzy object. " Looks like a new toy George invented..." and then it bit his finger, and Ron dropped it with a hollow. " Oww! Bloody Hell!"