"Children, there are still two hours before lunch. Until then, feel free to explore and show our guests around," Molly said, her eyes narrowing at the twins.
"And no trouble! George? Fred?"
"Mum, this is Fred."
"I'm George!"
Molly didn't even glance at them. "Doesn't matter. If either of you causes trouble, I'll deal with you both!"
The twins exchanged grins and raised their hands in surrender.
They had wanted to take Ted to their secret stash of magical oddities to discuss their booming second-hand goods trade.
Over the past month, they had raked in seven or eight Galleons just by reselling what others deemed useless.
Their excitement was through the roof.
But before they could drag Ted away, Arthur Weasley intercepted him, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Ted! Perfect timing! I have questions about Muggle technology."
Ted barely had time to react before Mr. Weasley launched into his inquiries about televisions.
Ted sighed, but patiently explained.
However, Arthur looked more and more confused.
Realizing he needed to simplify, Ted said, "Mr. Weasley, Muggle technology builds upon itself in layers.
There's too much involved in television alone. Maybe start with radios? I heard someone in the wizarding world is already working on that."
Arthur's eyes lit up.
Now they were in his territory.
After all, he was the Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office.
Granted, he had only one subordinate.
But when it came to magically modified radios, he was the authority.
Arthur Weasley: My time to shine.
He and Ted eagerly discussed the potential for mass-producing enchanted radios, the principles behind them, and even possible legal regulations.
By the end of the conversation, Arthur gave Ted a hearty clap on the shoulder. "Brilliant, my boy! Your insights will help me draft new laws."
Ted blinked. "Wait… laws?"
Arthur grinned. "Indeed! You've given me valuable ideas for regulations!"
Ted turned to glance at Molly, who was orchestrating enchanted pots and pans in the kitchen, before nodding cautiously.
"Well… if you're the lawmaker, I guess what you say goes."
Meanwhile, in the yard, the others were busy catching potato sprites.
When they saw Ted finally escape Arthur's clutches, they called him over.
Ron reached into a hole about as wide as an arm and yanked out a weird-looking creature, larger than a potato but far stranger.
It had an oversized head, a lumpy, knobbly body, and facial features that barely made sense—like a confused, scruffy potato with eyes full of mischief.
As Ron prepared to fling it across the yard, Ted stopped him.
"Wait, Ron! Let me see that. I've never encountered one before."
Ron hesitated, then handed it over.
"Careful, they bite."
Ted held it by its lumpy head as it squirmed. "So, these are potato sprites?"
George shrugged. "Goblins, potato spirits, gopher mice—call 'em what you like. They burrow in the yard and ruin the vegetable roots. Mum hates them, but Dad won't let us get rid of them, so we just chuck them as far as possible and hope they don't come back."
Fred grinned. "Doesn't work, though. Maybe we should get a weasel. They love hunting potato sprites."
Ted examined the creature closely. He could sense a faint magical aura—very weak, but present.
"Are they male and female?" he asked curiously.
This sparked a discussion as everyone tried to determine the sprite's gender.
But no matter how closely they examined it, they found no distinguishing traits.
"That confirms my theory," Ted said.
"These things probably aren't born through normal reproduction. More like magical constructs—like redcaps, brownies, or even house-elves.
They form in response to strong magical energy. The Weasleys live here, and they're wizards, so the magic in this place probably spawns them."
"You mean," Neville said slowly, "if we moved away, they wouldn't exist?"
"Exactly."
"Blimey," Ron muttered. "I thought they were just weird garden pests."
Lunch was hearty and filling—not extravagant, but the kind of comforting home-cooked meal that left everyone satisfied.
With so many people at the table, the Burrow felt livelier than ever.
Aunt Molly made sure everyone had plenty to eat, piling food onto their plates until Jerry leaned back, groaning.
"I surrender!"
As they ate, Mr. Weasley shared some troubling news.
"A wizard living in a remote village was attacked by a creature from another world," he said grimly.
"An elderly wizard was killed. We still don't know what the attacker was."
The table went quiet.
"A monster from another world?" Ted repeated, his mind immediately flashing through countless possibilities—
'Maybe some of those creatures were from Azeroth, DnD, even the witcher, and who knows what else got mixed up in this mix-match world.'
"That's what people are calling it," Mr. Weasley confirmed.
"The Ministry is struggling to get answers. Some wizards living in isolated areas are thinking about moving. Panic is spreading."
"And what's being done about it?" Hermione asked.
"The Ministry's investigating. I've even been temporarily assigned to help track down illegal Dark artifacts—we raided nine houses yesterday alone!" Mr. Weasley said proudly.
"Mundungus Fletcher tried to hex me when my back was turned! But that's not the best part. In two days, we're searching Malfoy Manor!"
He looked downright gleeful at the idea of giving Lucius Malfoy a headache.
But Ted was less focused on that and more on monster from another world attack.
...
After dinner, Ron led Neville, Ted, and Jerry up to his room to hang out, while Hermione and Harley went with Ginny to her room.
Ginny, who was starting at Hogwarts in September, let out a startled squeak when she saw Neville.
Her face turned bright red as she ran off, only to peek around the corner moments later.
Neville, unsure how to react, stood stiffly, looking like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
Since this place was called The Burrow, it wasn't exactly the most symmetrical or well-structured house, but it had plenty of space.
Thanks to magic, the whole building seemed to defy logic, stretching upwards and sideways in a way that would make any Muggle architect faint.
If they ever needed more room, the house could simply be expanded with a flick of a wand.
Ron's room wasn't fancy, but it was cozy and packed with personality.
Quidditch posters lined the walls, a small fish tank on the windowsill housed a peculiar frog with tentacles sprouting from its head, and the shelves were cluttered with all sorts of odd trinkets and gadgets.
As the four of them entered, Ron glanced at his friends nervously.
"It's pretty ordinary, isn't it?" he asked hesitantly, almost as if expecting criticism.
Ted threw an arm around Ron's shoulder with a grin.
"Are you kidding? Are you showing off to me? I don't even have my own house!"
Jerry smirked.
"Mate, my room barely fits a bed, a table, and a stool. Compared to mine, this is a palace."
Neville nodded, his voice almost a whisper. "I don't even have toys in my room. I wish I had all this."
Ron blinked in surprise, then quickly relaxed.
That little knot of insecurity he'd felt vanished.
Maybe his room wasn't so bad after all.
On the other side of the house, Ginny was questioning Hermione and Harley about life at Hogwarts, though most of her questions suspiciously revolved around Neville.
When the subject of Sorting came up, Hermione and Harley exchanged a mischievous glance.
Harley put on a grave expression.
"The Sorting Hat test is really difficult. You have to prove yourself worthy."
Hermione let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking her head.
"I still shudder thinking about my own test. It was so intense."
Harley nodded solemnly.
"Yeah, I barely passed. If I had to do it again, I don't know if I'd make it."
Ginny's eyes widened in horror.
"I-I thought we just put on a hat…" she stammered.
Hermione placed a comforting hand on Ginny's shoulder.
"Oh, don't worry. It's a Hogwarts tradition for first-years to figure it out themselves."
Ginny looked like she was about to cry.
Harley and Hermione exchanged glances again.
Maybe they'd gone a little too far with the joke.
Then again, it was a Hogwarts tradition to mess with first-years.
Ginny would figure it out soon enough.
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Word count: 1471
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