A Web Of Magic

The next day Magnus was up and ready with his sling bag just when Mrs. Weasley rang the door. "Good you are ready. Shall we go? Now just hold my hand dear. We'll go to the Burrow through apparition. This will be a bit unpleasant, but it'll be over in a moment," she said apologetically. Magnus read about apparition before. It was essentially teleportation that is featured in those muggle games he used to play, only a bit rough. He knew it could be avoided if his house was connected to the Floo Network, but his family didn't want that. They didn't put much trust in the Ministry and these networks could be monitored and controlled easily on their side. Magnus was still torn on if he should get a connection to the floo network. It would make life much easier, not to mention it would appear normal. Everyone has it and they don't seem to have any problems, moreover his family's problems were from beyond the ministry not from within it. A thought for another day he decided as he felt a twist in his navel and he was off with a pop.

A moment of dizziness later, Magnus felt normal again and looked at his surroundings. They both landed in an open space in front of what must be the Burrow. 'How is that standing?' Magnus wondered as he looked at the building. There was no way something like that would hold up unless it was by magic. He didn't understand why they couldn't just build a normal house with magic, but that was none of his business. They could live however they want. The surroundings were a typical British countryside and was nice and peaceful.

"Welcome to the Burrow Magnus. We shall have a quick breakfast and then we'll be off," Mrs. Weasley smilingly said. Just as they were about to enter the house, she quickly turned back to look him in the eyes and said," Mind the twins Magnus. They can be a bit naughty but they are good at heart. They just have a weird way of showing it." Once she confirmed that he listened carefully, they both entered the house to only quickly duck as something flew over their head.

'Nice welcome. Must be the twins,' Magnus smiled wryly. The scene he saw was two ginger haired boys dangling something out of the reach of another smaller ginger haired boy as he tried and failed to snatch it out of their hands. There was a dining table further inside where a ginger haired girl younger than them was sitting and drinking milk as she laughed at the boys.

"Fred! George! What in the blazes are you doing? And Ron too, stop it this instant. Don't you see we have a guest?" Mrs. Weasley screamed at them. Magnus was inwardly shocked at this version of Mrs. Weasley. He didn't know voices could get so loud. But it did stun the boys into silence. The twins Fred and George looked about his age but they had an inch over him. The boys sheepishly muttered a sorry to their mother and sat at the dining table along with their sister. The younger boy, Ron, genuinely looked scared while the twins looked like they really didn't mean it.

"Everyone, this is Magnus whom I told you about. Magnus, these are the twins, Fred and George. That's Ron and this is Ginny," Mrs. Weasley quickly made the introductions as she moved towards the small kitchen area to the right.

"Hello Magnus!" they all greeted loudly as Mrs. Weasley kept making signs at them with her eyes. Once she was satisfied, she moved onto the cooking.

"Hello, nice to meet you," Magnus greeted back politely as he sat next to Ron. The twins were seated to the left of Ron while Ginny sat opposite them. All the freckled siblings looked at him appraisingly.

"Ooh a polite one George"

"Yes Fred"

The twins kept making funny signs with their eyebrows causing Magnus and Ginny to smile. Ron looked like he was contemplating something and he finally shouted loudly," I'll not let you take her!"

Magnus looked at him blankly, not understanding what the guy was going on about. The twins seemed to have some inkling as they tried to hold back their laughs. Ginny too looked in doubt.

���I'll not let you take mum! No one will make pies if she's gone!" Ron said loudly once again.

Magnus understood what was going on. The little guy was jealous. He decided to have some fun with him. "Oh, and how are you planning to stop me?" he said smirking.

"I-I-I will---challenge you to a duel!" Ron finally sputtered.

"A duel? Go on then, pull out your wand. Don't go back on your word now. The ministry knows when someone declares a duel and if you withdraw, they'll make you read old lady books," Magnus started making up some nonsense. The boy didn't look like the sharpest tool in the shed and his next words proved to right.

"The Ministry? Oh, not the old lady books! Fred showed me once and it was icky," Ron said teary-eyed.

'What? Old lady books exist?' Magnus was baffled on the inside. He only just made up the term on the spot!

"Stop crying Ron. And really? Pies?" Mrs. Weasley smacked him on the head softly as she laid down sausages and toast on the table.

"But-but Fred said he is your sixth son and you'll give me away so you could bring him in," Ron w.h.i.n.ed.

"Hey I did not. George did"

"Hey, I'm Fred"

"Sixth? No, I'm the fourth," Magnus replied smirking. His reply stunned the siblings. The twins started looking back and forth between Magnus and Mrs. Weasley. Ginny just looked over with an open mouth. Ron went into full blown crying.

"Woman, how could you do this to us? We demand cake!" the twins said determinedly to their mother. Ginny looked to be in thought for a moment and she too started nodding her head as if agreeing with them.

"Cake?" Ron didn't know if he should stop crying or not.

"Oh, shut it! Magnus don't encourage them," Mrs. Weasley chided them. She looked at the twins warningly but she only gave a smile towards Magnus. The twins looked outraged but one look from their mum and they quieted down. Magnus looked at the family dynamic with a smile. They looked like a closely knit family. Thoughts of his own family emerged in his head, but he quickly squashed them down. Now wasn't the time.

Breakfast was a quiet affair except for the twins poking around Ron's plate and him jealously guarding his food even if they never actually took anything. Once breakfast was done, Mrs. Weasley quickly cleaned up the table with a flick of her wand. She went upstairs along with Ginny and her instructions could be heard from afar, "Ginny dear, go wake up your brothers. We'll be leaving soon."

Magnus was idly looked at the Weasley family clock wondering how it really worked. He didn't notice when the twins sat on either side of him and kept looking at him intensely.

"So, mum says we should make friends with you" one twin started.

"What do you think?" the other continued.

"That depends. Are you any fun?" Magnus replied with a stoic face mimicking them.

"Any fun he says" one twin scoffed.

"We are all about fun" the other snorted.

"Then I don't see why not," Magnus nodded sagely.

The three started laughing suddenly as they looked at each other.

"Alright mate-"

"you'll do nicely" the twins decided.

"Hey, why are being friendly with him? Didn't you say we should sic the ghoul on him," Ron exclaimed.

"Oh, sod off Ron."