Just Like Magic (George Weasley)

Twenty-Six.

It’s Mid-June now, I just finished taking my N.E.W.T. exams a week ago. Draco has been out of the hospital wing for about two weeks now. It was getting close to the end of the year, and I've noticed Draco has been very quiet. I didn't look too much into it. The kid almost died, I'd be quiet too if I were him right now.
   
When the end of the school year had come, I woke one morning to some crazy news. Harry was right, Draco had been working for Voldemort. He tried to kill Dumbledore. He let Death Eaters in and let them try to take over the school. In the end though, it was Professor Snape that killed Dumbledore for Draco, because he knew Draco wouldn't do it himself.
   
Dumbledore's funeral was a beautiful ceremony, and he was buried on the grounds, like he had wished. He’s certainly going to be missed. I sat with my brother, who actually shed some tears, I did too, everyone did except for the Ministry people that were here. Harry took Ginny aside after the ceremony was over, and he broke up with her. He was scared that people would try to use her to get to him. He was just protecting her.
   
Tonks and Lupin actually started dating. Then they decided to get married right away, not to waste any time. It was fast, yes, but they were ready. They knew what they were doing. They got married at the Burrow in early July. It was a beautiful ceremony. Everyone they loved was here, except for Harry Potter, who was at his Aunt and Uncles until the end of the month.
   
I was an official part of The Order of the Phoenix now that I was of age and finished with school. Nadine joined too, saying she wanted to do what was right. I was very proud of her for that. The first Order thing I did was warn my grandparents that they needed to get out of Little Whinging for a few days, and that I would let them know when it was safe.
   
The Order was going to get Harry a few weeks before his birthday. Once Harry turns 17, the protection on the Dursley's house breaks and there is nothing stopping Death Eaters from coming there to hunt Harry down. There were going to be six younger members of The Order that were going to use Polyjuice Potion to turn into Harry, so there will be seven total Harry's, and there will be seven other Order members to ride with a Harry back to a safe house and then back to the Burrow. That way the Death Eaters wouldn't know which Harry was the real Harry.
   
I had convinced Joshua's dad to stay at the Burrow that night for protection. He survived Death Eaters once he didn't need to do it again. That way I would know both he and Joshua were safe. Fred and George were part of the few that were turning into Harry tonight, George and Lupin were actually riding together. Ginny and I were both very worried for what her siblings were going to be running into. We sat at the table tapping our fingers on the kitchen table.
   
"They should all be back by now," says Ginny. She sounded very worried. I was trying not to think about it, but she was right. They should be back by now. 
   
"You're right," I agree, "They should all be back by now."
   
Then we heard the sound of a crash. Both got up to investigate. It was Harry and Hagrid. Harry and Hagrid were supposed to be third to arrive, and they were here first. It made me nervous.
   
"Harry!" Ginny exclaims and the two of them hug.
   
I hugged Harry next, saying, "I'm so glad you made it okay."
   
"Thanks," he says as we hug and then I let him go.
   
I didn't have much time to worry about anyone else though as there was another crack in the distance, and we heard a voice that sounded like Lupin calling for help. Harry ran to see what he needed help with. I ran to the door and watched as Harry helped Lupin walk George into the house.
   
They walked George into the house and laid him onto the couch. George had dried blood on his face coming from his ear. Ginny went to go get her mum, but then Lupin kind of lost his mind. He seized Harry, and then he cornered him. Hagrid shouts, “Lupin!” at him.
   
He has Harry pinned against the wall and is pointing his wand right at Harry’s face as he asks him, “What creature sat in the corner the first time Harry Potter visited my office in Hogwarts?”
   
“Are you Mad?” Harry shouts at him.
   
“What creature!” Lupin demands.
   
“A Grindylow! It was in a tank!” Harry exclaims.
   
Lupin starts to explain what’s going on, “We’ve been betrayed. Voldemort knew you were being moved tonight. I had to make sure you weren’t an imposter.” There’s a crack in the distance, and Lupin rushes outside to see who it is, telling us to wait in the house.
   
I was at George's side the moment he was laid on the couch. George’s ear was basically gone, only remnants of it was left. He doesn’t seem to be in too much pain though, he’s not wincing, grimacing, or even whining at all. He just looks tired, somewhat exhausted. I stroked his hair, avoiding the blood soaked bit of it, trying my best to comfort him.
   
“Oh my boy!” Mrs. Weasley gasps walking over to George. She had just entered the living room and saw what was going on. She left the room only to get some things to clean up and tend to George's wounds.
   
"What happened to you, darling?" I ask as Mrs. Weasley walked away from us into the kitchen.
   
"I didn't see who did it, but whoever it was got me pretty good. I lost a lot of blood very fast, so fast that I thought I was a goner for a second. But Lupin made sure we made it back."
   
I heard Joshua's dad tell him to stay in the kitchen, but he didn't listen. He was at my side now, looking at George, a worried expression on his face.
   
"You okay, George?" My brother asked him.
   
George puts on his best smile, "I'm great, buddy, don't worry about me. I'm going to be okay."
   
Mrs. Weasley returns then, and it takes her a good moment to clean George up, and I hold his hand the entire time. He seems to be in pain now, and he squeezed my hand tightly a few times. By the time she’s finished cleaning off the blood Mr. Weasley and Fred enter the house and Fred is at his twin’s side in a nanosecond, his face full of worry.
   
“How do you feel, Georgie?” Fred asks as he kneels in front of his twin.
   
“Saint-like,” replies George.
   
Fred is confused. “Come again?”
   
“Saint-like,” he brings a finger up to his injured ear. “I’m Holy, Fred. Get it?”
   
Fred acted like he didn’t like that joke, but he had a smile on his face, “The whole wide world of ear related humor and you go for I'm Holy, it’s pathetic.”

George had a smile on his face as well, “I reckon I’m still better looking than you.”
That actually makes me laugh.
   
After that, everyone started to arrive one by one, and before we knew it, we were all in the Weasley’s living room listening to Lupin tell us how they had been betrayed, and he also mentioned that it was Snape who had hit George causing him to lose his ear. As much as Mrs. Weasley tried, she couldn't get it put back right.
   
Harry tried to leave, but Mrs. Weasley wasn't having that. She told him he was staying, and eventually he backed down. After that, we decided it was time for bed. They turned the couch into a bed for George so he could sleep comfortably and then most of the adults went up to the bedrooms, and us kids stayed downstairs.
   
As we all settled to go to sleep, George made me lay down on the bed and he cuddled up to me, his injured ear facing upwards and his head in my neck and his arms around my waist. I started playing with his hair, careful to avoid his ear. He was asleep in no time, lightly snoring in my ear. The familiar sound of his snores helped me fall asleep.
   
I woke in the middle of the night. George was making some whimpering noises. He was slightly shaking. It took me a second to realize he was having a bad dream. I woke him up, he jumped awake, he was startled by my waking him. His chest heaving as he took heavy breaths.
   
"You were having a bad dream, darling," I say, keeping my voice soft.  He wraps his arms around me again, I can feel how fast his heart is beating right now. "That was some dream, huh, baby?"
   
"I don't want to talk about it," he says, his voice soft.
   
"Okay, we won't then," I assure him, and I start to run my hand up and down his back, comforting him. He nuzzles his head in my neck again. I kiss the top of his head, and I say, "I love you."
   
"I love you, too," he says, giving me a little squeeze.
   
We laid like this for a good minute, I kept my hand running up and down his back because I could feel it was helping him calm down. I was surprised when he spoke again, "I had a dream about what happened tonight, but this time you were there."
   
I now understand why he was so scared when he woke up. I must have died or something in his dream. I wrap my arms around him, holding him close to me. He responds by gripping me tighter, too. "It was just a dream, baby. That's it."
   
"It was a nightmare."
   
"Well it's over now, okay?"
   
"Okay," he says, he squeezes me tightly. He was so shaken, and I didn't like it. I had one hand on his back, another in his hair, and it seemed to be calming him down. It worked and soon enough he was sleeping again.
   
I had just fallen back asleep when I was woken again, this time by my brother. "Joshua," I say, rubbing one of my eyes isn't my hand, "Whats up, kid?"
   
"I had a nightmare," he says, his voice shaking.
   
Jesus, what's with people having nightmares in this house tonight?
   
"Come on, Buddy," I say, patting the empty spot next to me on the big bed that was made out of the couch. Joshua surprises me. He nuzzles up to me like George was. His heart was beating so fast. He was just as shaken about his dream as George was about his.
   
"It's okay, kid, it was just a bad dream," I tell him, giving him a kiss on the head.
   
I used to worry that Joshua wasn't like other kids his own age. He was emotional, and not afraid to express these emotions. He was softer than the other kids his age, but that's just who he was. I have grown to accept that about him, and others will too. He's a great kid, he just likes to show his emotions instead of bottle them up. I like that about him.
   
I started running my hand down his back too, to calm him down. It worked, and soon he was fast asleep again, and I went back to sleep myself.

_________________________
Here's part 26!

We're in book 7 now!

We're reaching the home stretch here!

-Emily Winchester.