Magical Mugwort

The weekend had finally arrived once more, and I was looking forward to it immensely. Work had been exceptionally dull lately, and I had been spending some time thinking on quite a few things in my life. I was pondering the practicality of getting an owl of some sort. As often as I was corresponding with witches and wizards now, it would make sense. It still amused me to know that the Muggle world was oblivious to the wizarding world.

Thanks to our trip to Wheezes the other day, I felt we had successfully thrown Fred and George off our scent, at least temporarily. And Andrew had, of course, made out like a bandit with the discount they'd given him that day. Our whole reason for going had merely been to make them believe we were looking for ideas in their shop. I had had Andrew owl Ginny and let her know how everything had gone. Ginny had gotten hold of Lee Jordan and he had apparently been very keen on the idea of participating in our scheme. So far, everything was falling into place. I knew that Fred and George were expecting me to pull something soon. Hopefully they would be thrown off when nothing happened right away.

I had plans to see Fred and George on Saturday, tomorrow. It was going to be difficult being around both of them and not being able to make out with them. I figured it would be a little tacky to kiss one in front of the other. Of course, when I stopped to think about it, there was a little voice that whispered to me of taking that chance and seeing what they did. After all, from the way they had introduced themselves to me in Diagon Alley, I didn't think I was so off the mark in thinking that they had other plans they had not revealed to me yet. And that thought made me very, very curious.

Several of my friends from work had persuaded me to go out with them tonight, and I was looking forward to the distraction. It was frustrating not to be able to share a part of my life with them, but it was something I had become very well practiced at. I couldn't even share news of the twins. How jealous my friends would be!

As I dashed around my flat trying to put myself together, I found myself anticipating a normal night out. Between me and my friends, we could locate the most entertaining spots in the city. Glancing at the clock, I realized that I still had plenty of time before I had to get down to Leicester Square.

Just as I was fastening my boots, a knock at the door disturbed me. I quickly stood up and made my way over. I certainly wasn't expecting anyone. I was meeting all the girls at the pub.

“Coming!” I called.

When I opened the door, I found myself faced with the double onslaught of Fred and George. I felt myself break into a wide grin.

“Fred! George! What a surprise!”

“Hello, gorgeous.”

“How's my favorite girl?”

I kissed each of them on the cheek and stepped aside to let them enter. “Come on in.”

Closing the door behind them, I happily faced them. They were, of course, wearing identical clothes, jeans and long-sleeved shirts. Seeing them both together after being with them individually was just tempting. I knew what each of them looked like beneath their clothes. I knew what sorts of sounds they made in the throes of passion. And before I even knew it, I found myself already wanting them more and more.

Must calm down, I ordered myself, even while staring at their bodies.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” I asked, motioning them towards the couch. “I thought we weren't meeting up till tomorrow.”

Fred spoke first. “We needed to come see you, Maggie.”

“Oh? Am I just that irresistible?” I teased as I took a seat on the couch, waiting for the men to join me. They didn't.

Surprisingly, neither one of them rose to the bait. I frowned slightly as I noticed the nervousness that seemed to possess each one of them.

“We're not interrupting anything, are we?” asked George, fiddling with his belt loops.

Frown deepening, I kept very still as I spoke. “Not really. I was about to leave to meet up with some girlfriends tonight, but that can wait.” I looked between the two carefully, suddenly seeing a look of guilt flickering in their eyes. “Care to tell me what this is all about?”

For several long minutes, neither guy spoke. I waited patiently for one of them to break the silence. I knew something was going on, and odds were always on the side of misfortune. It wasn't a question of good or bad news, it was a question of the degree. I tried not to let my own fears speak for me, nor let paranoia rear its ugly head. Whatever it was, it couldn't be as bad as I feared.

At last, George took a deep breath and faced me. I had never seen his face so serious. “Maggie,” he began. “You know I think you're an amazing woman. We both do. Meeting you is one of the best things that's ever happened to me.”

“To us,” Fred corrected.

I stared at them with a narrow gaze. “Okay...”

George sighed, and reached for the chair that was nearby, sitting carefully. “Look, Maggie,” he said uncomfortably. “I have to be honest with you. I think too much of you to lie to you.”

His words made me sit very, very still. In an instant I was already thinking, This is why I don't let my guard down with men.

“Have you been lying to me?” I asked quietly.

He shifted, clasping his hands together nervously. He chewed on his lower lip for a moment. “In a sense,” he answered. “It hasn't been directly lying, but I haven't told you the truth either.”

Flicking my gaze up at Fred, I asked, “And have you been lying to me as well, Fred?”

Fred stood very still, as if afraid to move. It was a very strange expression on him. “Not really,” he said uncertainly.

Looking back at George, I decided that whatever was going on, he was the brains behind. “So what is it?” I inquired. “Are you really a woman? Are you gay? Are you under the legal age of consent?”

Not even a flicker of a smile. George just shook his head, staring at his hands. “No, nothing like that.”

“Well, are we going to play twenty questions or are you just going to come out and tell me what's going on?” I asked impatiently.

Meeting my gaze, George suddenly looked resigned. Nodding once, he said, “All right. Here it is. You remember our first date, when we went out to that club?”

“Of course I do. I remember it perfectly.”

Shifting slightly, George continued. “And you remember what happened down in the loo.”

Oh, Merlin, I groaned to myself. I'm so fucking stupid. I know I'm clean, but I have no idea about him. About either of them.

“Yes...?”

George closed his eyes for a moment, before meeting my gaze without reservation. “Look. I have to confess something. I was not trying to hurt you in any way, please understand that. All I wanted was to test something.”

Royally confused, I frowned hard at him. “George, what the hell are you talking about?” I demanded. “Test what?”

Another pause. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device no bigger than a tube of lipstick. I stared at it for a moment, trying to figure out what the hell it was. It appeared to have rounded sides, but nothing remarkable about it.

“What is this?” I asked.

George took a deep breath. “It's similar to a Muggle device called a camcorder. Instead of taking photos, it records images and plays them back. Once the images are removed from this, they can't be retrieved.”

I continued to stare at the small object, taking it gently and turning it over in my hands. As I stared at it, I let George's words play around inside my head. Like a camcorder, records images. Very small device.

Wait a minute. Didn't something fall out of his pocket that night? I didn't pay attention to what it was, but I remember he picked it up afterwards.

Sudden horror began to fill me as the conclusions jumped out at me. My skin blanched. “Wait a minute,” I whispered. “Are you trying to tell me...” I tried to wrap my mind around it, but I couldn't quite handle the deception. “Are you saying that--?”

“I recorded us having sex,” George finished, his voice steady but cowed. “Yes. That's what I'm saying.”

I stared at him as if I'd never seen him before. The betrayal of that admonition was mind-blowing. I stared at his face: those mischievous eyes, those sensual lips, that soft red-gold hair. Never mind all that. George had just told me that he had recorded us having sex. Without my knowledge or permission.

“You... did...what?” I asked in a low, dangerous voice.

George met my gaze, anxiety in his face now. “I'm so sorry, Maggie,” he said. “I can't begin to say how sorry I am.”

“Why... why would you do that to me?” I demanded shakily. Shock was the only thing keeping my rage from boiling over. “What the hell made you think of doing that to me?”

George looked distraught, apologetic in the extreme. “I was just trying to see if it would work,” he said. “And to be frank... the idea of recording us was intriguing. You're such an amazing girl, I guess I couldn't help myself. Not much of an excuse, but it's true.”

Staring at the device as I began to tremble with anger, I asked in the same, dangerous voice, “And what were you planning on doing with this video?” I flicked my eyes up to stare at him. If I could set him on fire with my gaze, he would be in ashes.

“Nothing,” he said firmly. “I wasn't planning on doing anything with it, other than keeping it for myself.”

“Nothing except for showing Fred.” I felt myself begin to snarl as I looked from one to the other. “You wanted to show Fred, didn't you. And you watched it. Didn't you, Fred.”

Fred remained standing very still, biting his lip. At last he nodded once. “Yeah. I saw it,” he admitted quietly.

I stared from one to the other. I couldn't even cry. I just felt hot waves of anger rising inside of me. “Anxious to compare notes?” I demanded. “Wanted to see if I was different with one over the other? Is this what this has all been about? Some sort of game you two play to fuck the same woman and see how fucking gullible she is?”

“No!” insisted Fred. “It's never been like that, Maggie, I swear.”

“Never,” repeated George. “We both care about you, Maggie. I never wanted to hurt you. Neither does Fred.”

Staring at him, I spat scathingly, “If you cared an ounce for me, then you would never have recorded us having sex without my permission.” Turning on Fred, I gave him the same glare. “And you wouldn't have watched. But you are male, so I suppose it's to be expected.”

I stood up abruptly and marched towards the kitchen, leaving the boys in the living room. I reached up to the cabinet and brought down a bottle of vodka, and took a long swig. As the alcohol burned its way down my throat, I tried to control the trembles that were ransacking my body.

Keeping hold of the bottle, I returned slowly to the living room. Fred and George looked at me with guilty looks, remorse plain in their faces. I shook my head, taking another drink. “You two have got some nerve,” I said, still holding the device in my hand. “Here's a question, though. You said you've already seen it, right?”

They each nodded slowly.

A horrible thought began to dawn on me, and I felt icy chills run down my spine. “And once the images are removed from this thing, they can't be retrieved. Right?”

“Yeah,” George confirmed quietly.

I stared at him, disbelieving. “So where's the recording?” I asked. “If you felt the need to suddenly come here and tell me about it now instead of right when you did it, where is it?”

They were both silent for so long I thought someone had cut out their tongues. Neither one of them would look at me. And in that moment I realized that my worst fear had actually come true. It really was as bad as I had feared.

“Where is it?” I demanded.

George took a deep breath, as if rallying his strength. Running a hand through his hair, he finally spoke. “Well, you see, luv, um... the thing is, it's, well... we lost it.”

“You lost it,” Fred corrected.

“Fine. I lost it.” George looked up at me, his eyes pained. “I'm sorry, Maggie. I've looked everywhere, and I don't know where it's gone. I am so, so sorry.”

Hearing the words spoken out loud was like a breaking of my reality. Suddenly I wasn't trembling anymore. I was quite steady, as a matter of fact. I let the shock of it all wash over me, take control of me. I wasn't the fainting sort. Hell, I didn't even feel dizzy yet.

I slowly walked over to the windows, and stared out at the dark city lit up by luminescent electric lights, billboards, and neon. It was a very large city, not even counting the suburbs, rural towns, and what not. Hell, Heathrow Airport was large enough to be its own town. I had made London my home, and I was proud of that. I had made a life for myself that was exciting and fun, if not a bit tedious due to necessity at times.

Is this what happens when you have too much fun in life? I found myself wondering. After all this time, after trying so hard, life finally bites me on the ass. How poetic.

“Maggie?” George spoke tentatively. “Please say something, luv.”

Taking a deep breath, I let the shock begin to wear off a little bit. And underneath it was a well of rage so deep I had not tapped into it for a very long time. “So what you're saying,” I said softly, “is that right now, there is a porno of me in existence, and it is no longer in your possession. In short, it could be anywhere.” I slowly turned, and faced the two of them wearing the iciest expression I could manage. “Does that about sum up the situation?”

Fred cast a worried look at his brother, who was facing me with the look of a man facing his executioner.

“Yeah,” George said quietly. “That's about the lot of it.”

More silence. I wanted to cry, but at the same time there were no tears available. I just couldn't quite comprehend the level of betrayal that had occurred. I was all about having fun, enjoying one night stands for what they were, and on occasion repeating the performance. No one I had ever been with had been this calculating, this devious, except for one. And he had learned his lesson. With the Weasley twins, I had taken a risk. I had made a conscious decision to see them as more than a one night partner, instead as perhaps friends and even lovers. They had introduced me to their family, who I got along with very well. But beneath all that was something else.

It felt as if someone had set my heart on fire within my chest. The pain of it was beginning to leak through now, the rage beginning to boil over. I vaguely thought that if I possessed any sort of magical ability whatsoever, then I would have hexed them both until neither one was recognizable. My chest began to ache so badly I wanted to rip out my own heart to ease the pain.

Abruptly I turned and flung the vodka bottle as hard as I could. Both twins ducked and the bottle hit the wall, spraying the room and glass flying everywhere.

“Bloody hell!”

I glared at them. “You stupid, fucking bastards!” I screamed. “I trusted you! Both of you! This is what happens when I actually open myself up to someone. Two of you no less! I get screwed over.”

Pacing rapidly, I swallowed hard, letting the rage burst out. “I don't believe this!” I screeched wildly, trying to comprehend the situation in all its messy glory. “Two no-good, worthless, sodding twins... what the fuck was I thinking? I knew better! I knew better than to get involved with guys like you, just out for thrills and to see how badly you can play with some poor girl before she finds out.”

“Maggie, no--” began Fred.

“It's not like that!” George added desperately.

“Not like that?” I repeated venomously. “Isn't that exactly what's happened? I truly, believed that the two of you...” I broke off and laughed bitterly. “Oh, Merlin, what was I thinking? How could I possibly have let myself believe that? I'm so stupid. After all this time...” I trailed off, shaking my head and wanting to scream again.

I stopped pacing long enough to look at both of the twins with a disappointed look. “And you never would have told me about this if you hadn't lost the video, would you,” I said quietly.

George wiped his face, then looked up at me. His expression was raw. I was unmoved. “I don't know,” he said at last.

For several long minutes, there was silence. I was trembling again. I wanted to throw everything in sight. I wanted to cast out my fury by breaking everything I could lay my hands on. I didn't trust myself to get near either one of them, otherwise I'd be going to jail for assault.

At last, George spoke, quietly. “Maggie,” he choked out, and I could see tears in his eyes. “I'm sorry. Please. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it. I'll do anything to make this up to you.”

Fred nodded, though wisely remained silent.

Again I was silent, pondering. It was sadly amusing that he was so eager to make up for something that he had known was wrong from the get-go. I looked at both of them, the identical faces, the matching remorse. I could not have pretended that I knew them both as well as I thought. It was obvious I didn't know them very well at all. The ache in my chest only increased when I thought about how good they had made me feel.

At last, I said in a deceptively even voice, “What can you do? Pretty simple, really. Find that video. Bring it back to me. I don't want to see or hear from you until you do. I don't even want to hear your names mentioned. And if you can't find it... then you best stay the hell away from me, or else I will show you how Muggles get revenge.”

I kept my stony face, just watching them. Their faces seemed to fall even further, although I could tell they had been anticipating a blow like this.

George nodded and stood up, but wisely did not come near me. “We'll find it, Maggie. I swear we will.”

I held up a hand, not wanting to hear anything else he had to say. I could feel the tears starting to build now, and I would not show them that weakness. “Get out. Both of you. Now.”

Without a word, both twins slowly headed for the door. I watched as they glanced back at me once, then turned and walked out, closing the door quietly behind them.

As soon as they had gone, my knees gave out on me and I fell to the floor. The tears came hot and fast then, and I reeled from the shock of it all. I felt as if my heart were bleeding with the pain of it all. That ache inside swelled into a violent pain as I realized that I had trusted them far more than I had trusted anyone in so long, and it had only served to destroy me. I cared for those damn twins, again something I had not allowed myself to do in a very long time. As usual, life had proven to me that I was not supposed to open myself up to anyone.