Seeing Fred

Addie

She hated lying to him, but she knew she had to do this herself. Lee invited the twins over for a 'guys night' and she found it to be the perfect time to do this. So, she climbed into her bed and placed her back against the headboard. She had told the twins that she and Hermione were having a girls' night in their absence, which was slightly true. Hermione was downstairs watching the telly, wanting to give her privacy, she would come check up on her in about half an hour. So, when she made herself comfortable, she closed her eyes and said "Veni ad me." As she concentrated at one person in particular, one person she had been dying to see since she found out about her ability. She heard the giggle first and opened her eyes to see Addie sitting in front of her on the bed. She too, sat cross-legged on the bed, only a few centimetres away from her. The only difference was that she still looked twelve years old, her bright round eyes and her strawberry blond hair in a long braid on her back. She looked the same as she did the day she died. The same hair, the same clothes. Her breath hitched and her eyes started to fill with tears.

"Addie." Her voice barely a whisper.

"Leah." She smiled. "Oh, I've missed you."

"I- I miss you too. It, it was all my fault." The tears came down as she started crying harshly and uncontrollably. The smile of young Addie dropped immediately, and she reached her hand over, both shocked when her hand didn't go through. "Leah." Addie breathed her name in surprise.

"How?" Leah whispered as she looked up.

"I don't know." A little crease formed between her brows. "Maybe because we're twins, the connection is stronger -" Addie couldn't finish her sentence as Leah leaped forward and wrapped her arms around her young twin.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too." She pulled a bit back to look at Leah. "It wasn't your fault."

"It was! If I didn't-"

"No." Addie pulled her back into a hug, instantly shutting her up. "No, it was a freak accident." When Leah wanted to retort, she redirected the conversation. "Tell me about that boy of yours." She pulled back and took her place next to her, still holding each other hands, not ready to let go yet. So, Leah wiped her tears away and pushed her guilt aside as she talked about Fred, her new life, George, everything that had happened over the last few months. Hermione came to check up on her, but when she saw her talking to someone invisible to her, she respectfully backed out of the room.

When it started to get dark, Addie made a move to stand up, Leah's hand tightened on hers. "I got to go, Leah. You're getting weak."

"No, Addie! I'm not ready, I'm not ready to let you go. Please stay for a little longer." She begged even though she felt her magic drain away fast. Addie looked torn but going against their Nan's advice she sat back down. She too wasn't ready to let her go of just yet.

It's been over three hours since Leah went upstairs, and Hermione grew nervous as she paced in the living room. What Leah told her, the other times she talked to someone it didn't last longer than half an hour. She knew this could be different, could take longer seeing it was her twin sister, but after passing the fireplace for the twentieth time she made a decision and headed back upstairs. She pushed the door open and first she thought Leah had just fallen asleep, but she was lying in bed with her eyes wide open as she started at the wall. Hermione ran over and leaned in front of her.

"Leah? LEAH!?" She started to shake the girl, but she didn't respond. "Fuck!" She jumped back up and grabbed her wand. "Expecto Patronum! Fred, George, come to the house now! It's Leah." And she sends the otter on its way. It took only but a minute before she heard the twins' footsteps run up the stair after seeing the downstairs empty.