Chapter 5

Ron stood there for a moment, simply looking at the door to the shop. Harry and Hermione could both see that he was conflicted as to whether or not he wanted to go in. Finally, he turned.

“Think I'll come back here another time. Let's go look around and see what else is here.”

Turning to walk down the way, Ron didn't see his two friends exchanging a look. They were seeing a side of him that they normally didn't see.

Ron was laying on his bed in the room he shared with Harry, his hands clasped behind his head. It was seven p.m. here, but it was midnight back in the United Kingdom, so they had decided that they were going to cut their first day short and then head out early the next day.

Harry was snoring softly in his bed, but Ron couldn't settle down. His mind kept going back to that shop, Guffaw. He had felt funny going into it when the other two were with him, but maybe it was still open now. Getting up quietly from his bed, Ron scribbled a quick note on the paper provided.

Going out. Back soon.

Grabbing his money bag from the bedside table, he quietly slipped out the door. A few minutes later, he found himself in Enchanter's Way and standing outside of Guffaw. The shop was still open, and he wasn't sure if he was happy or disappointed. On the one hand, he wanted to go in. On the other hand, he wished it had been closed.

“Oi, Ronald! We already know how long it takes you to make a move on a witch. Don't be tellin' me it'll take ya as long to make a move on a ruddy shop, mate.”

Ron looked around, half expecting to see Fred, but of course he wasn't there. But he also knew that's exactly what Fred would have said had he been there. Taking a deep breath, Ron pushed the door open and heard the merry tinkle of the bell as the door opened.

“Ron Weasley!” a familiar voice called out to him.

Ron turned and looked, and his mouth dropped open as he recognized the grinning face of Lee Jordan.

“Lee! What are you doing here?” Ron went over to his friend, shook his hand, and slapped him on the shoulder with his other hand.

Lee did the same to Ron. “I'm helping out my cousin with the shop. Mike, I'm taking my break now. This is Ron Weasley.”

“Weasley? You any relation to...”

“He's their brother, Mike,” Lee said, casting a meaningful glance at his cousin.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Ron. And I'm very sorry about your brother,” Mike said, giving him a sad look.

“Erm, thanks,” Ron replied, not really knowing what to say.

“Let me show you around, Ron.” Lee pulled him away from his cousin's gaze and down one of the aisles.

“So Mike knows all about the Last Battle and Voldemort?”

“Oh, yeah, but he's known about Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes for years. Have a look.” Lee pointed to the products on either side of the aisle.

Ron gaped as he saw that the aisle was filled with products that his brothers and Lee had invented.

“I see your brothers never told you that they were also selling their products in the States. Then again, Mike only opened Guffaw about two years ago. When I heard he was opening, I told the twins, and well, the rest is history.” Lee looked around the shop. “Not real busy. Why don't we go back to the work room, and we can get caught up?”

A few minutes later, they were in the back room. Lee had his feet up on the work table, and he handed Ron a bottle with a volcano on the front of it.

“This is Lavabeer. Kinda like Firewhiskey back home. So, how are you doing, mate?” Lee opened up his own bottle and looked at Ron.

Ron took a swig of his own drink to kill time. The taste of the drink was not unpleasant; it was hot like Firewhiskey was but had an interesting flavour. “Doing okay, I guess. The three of us decided we needed some time away before going back to Hogwarts.”

“Harry and Hermione are here too?” Lee took a swig of his own bottle and looked interested.

“Yeah, they're back at the hotel. I just needed to, I dunno, take some time for myself.” Ron downplayed what he was feeling, but he wasn't fooling Lee.

“I know you gotta miss him, Ron. The three of you were so close. Fred was a great wizard, and I miss him a lot, too.” Lee didn't look serious very often, but Ron could tell that he meant what he said. “To Fred,” Lee said, raising his bottle.

Ron raised his as well. Just then, they heard someone clearing his throat.

“Well, now, are we having a tea party back here or what?” Mike grinned at the two of them and knocked Lee's feet off the table. “Damn, I guess it's not working.”

“Nah, I just didn't put my feet in the right place.”

“What are you talking about?” Ron asked curiously.

“Put your feet up here, Ron,” Mike said, pointing to a spot on the table.

Ron did as he was told and soon he heard...

“GET YOUR FEET OFF THE TABLE!!”

Ron nearly jumped a foot in the air and landed on the floor while Mike and Lee burst out laughing.

“Mum would love one of these,” Ron said, picking himself up off of the floor.

“I'll send you one when they are perfected. Now, is there anything you would like? We have to close up shop soon, but I hope you'll come back before you leave. Bring Harry and Hermione too.”

A few minutes later, Ron was heading back to the hotel, a bag of products in his hand. The visit had been nice, but it had also made him sad. It made him miss Fred that much more. For the first time since Harry had suggested the trip, he wondered if it hadn't been a mistake. Maybe he shouldn't have left so soon after Fred's death. He stopped at the post office in Enchanter's Way and decided to send a note to his family.

Mum and Dad,

Ron

He'd never really been one to express his feelings, but a lot had changed in the past year. He paid his money and watched as the pigeon flew off with his note on his leg. When the pigeon was out of sight, he continued down Enchanter's Way.

Just before he entered their hotel, the light of the lamps caught the strands of a spider's web dropping down in front of him. Even though he still didn't like spiders, he knew that there were much worse things that he could face. The death of a family member was one of them.

He'd face a whole army of spiders if it would only bring his brother back.