all information regarding the ages of the weasleys was sourced from wikipedia, just in case there's someone who disagrees with me enjoy. i had a lot of fun writing this one.

Different

"Bill!"

Ugh. I know that shake and hiss. It's Dad, he's frantic, it's the middle of the night, and that can mean only one thing: my youngest sibling's decided to grace us with his or her appearance.

I get up, nod at Dad, and pull on my dressing gown. I glance at the little clock on the wall above Charlie as Dad scurries out of the room. Twelve minutes past three. No eleven-year-old should be up at this time.

Shaking Charlie awake, I reflect on the time of day… or night, as it were. The first time, I was only two, so I slept through Charlie's birth, only finding out in the morning. Honestly, when Dad said there was a surprise for me in his and Mum's bedroom, I thought somehow it was my birthday; I'd had two, and, despite the fact my second had only been the month before, I had poor concept of time.

Percy's my next victim tonight; I'm working through the bedrooms in the order I come to them, they just happen to be in the order of age. Percy took a while. I was older by then, five and a half, old enough to be woken up and told my next sibling was on their way.

It was only when Fred and George's turn came, did I realise that there was a pattern going on here. Why did Mum insist on having her children in the middle of the night? Seven-and-bit-year-olds needed their sleep, you know! I duck as the indignant three-year-olds throw their pillows at me, telling me to "go 'way." I press-gang Charlie, and the two of us drag the terrible twosome downstairs to the living room.

"What about Ron?" asks Percy.

I ponder for a moment, but decide to leave him be. He's only one, younger than I was; let him sleep. He'll find out all about the sleepless nights soon enough.

Ron was the only one who decided to come out at a respectable hour, but he caused almost as much resentfulness on our part, since Mum was in the process of making lunch at the time.

Fred's voice breaks through my thoughts. I know it's Fred, 'cos he's sporting a beauty of a black eye, courtesy of Ron earlier that day.

"Whatcha think Mum 'n' Dad'll call him?"

"Gideon!" says George loudly, and falls about laughing.

"Fabian," retorts Fred.

"Gideon!"

"Fabian!"

I reach down and pull Fred back, Percy doing the same with George. Charlie's laughing helplessly. I kick out at him and miss.

"How do you know it'll be a boy?" asks Percy haughtily. "Might be a girl."

"It'll be a boy, Perce," yawns Charlie, grinning easily. "We all are."

"So? Maybe this one's a girl for a change."

"We've already had a break in tradition with Ron being born at lunchtime instead of the middle of the night," I point out. "Doubt Mum'll do that again."

"That's what you said after Fred and George were born," hisses Charlie in a stage whisper.

I roll my eyes and settle down to wait. The twins are whining now, so I tell Charlie to read them a story while I go and make some hot chocolate. I glance at the clock on my way past. Mum's pointing at Busy. I stifle a snort.

We've almost finished our hot chocolates by the time Dad comes downstairs, tired but grinning from ear to ear.

"Wake up Ron and come and see her."

We gape at Dad's retreating back. Her? Did he say her?

Ron gets up with some reluctance, and he clings tightly to me as we descend the stairs to Mum and Dad's room. It's quiet. Something else I've noticed with all my brothers is that they didn't come quietly. This one's different.

Charlie pushes open the door and we troop in, eyes on our tired-looking parents sitting on the bed, then on the bundle in Mum's arms. A little face is poking out from the blankets, red fluff sprouting from the top of its head.

"Boys, say hello to your new sister, Ginevra."

I glare at George as he snorts. Percy's looking really smug. Ron, however, wriggles out of my arms and crawls along Mum and Dad's bed into Dad's lap, peering at the little face. "Ginneh," he says.

"No, Ginevra," corrects Percy.

"Ginneh… Ginniver… Ginny!" Ron grins, pleased with himself.

We ignore Percy's insistence of it's Ginevra, and group closer round the bed to have a look at our new sister, Ginny.