The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

One Without The Other

Far off, Dorcas Meadows sat hugging baby Hannah. She rocked her gently, singing a song about a raven - or a magpie - or some sort of big black bird which collected things - little treasures - to carry home to his lover.

No finer jewels than the stones he carried home,
So much more beautiful than gold
Our nest is filled with precious things
Full of heart and strings and love...

A breeze through the open window fluttered pink gossamer curtains, and through them flew the silver form of a magnificent peacock, which landed, his lovely feathers long and fanned behind him on the floor, like a bridal train...

Dorcas stood up, pulling baby Hannah closer, pressing her tiny form to her heart.

"Gid?" Dorcas asked, and the peacock looked up at her with sad eyes.

But whatever he'd been sent to say died on his lips as the patronus disappeared like a puff of evaporating smoke.

The first thing Gideon Prewett ever felt was his brother.

Fabian was a kicker in utero. Gideon spent months being punched and kicked by Fabian before they were born. Gideon was born slightly smaller - Fabian slightly stronger.

He was born first, Fabian was. For the first seventeen minutes of his life, he was alone.

And then Gideon was born. And when they were both out, breathing in the air of the world together and laid side-by-side, it was Fabian that reached out and took his brother's hand.

He never wanted to be one without the other again.

Inseparable.

That was the word that everyone used to describe the twins. There was never one without the other. And they went through everything together. If one fell down, the other would throw himself to the ground to share the pain.

Even when they were apart from one another, it was as though they shared a mind. They could feel each other's aches and sufferings, could sense each other's whereabouts. They had a unique connection - something akin to love magic but rooted in their blood, natural between them, because they were the same cells duplicated and grown together, side by side, their magic was of the same seed, too. It connected them powerfully, even more than usual twins might be.

Gideon thought Fabian was still stronger. But Fabian thought Gideon was.

Gideon stared into Fabian's eyes.

He'd been lashed with spells. They both had - repeatedly. Blood dripped from Gideon's nose and his cheek, from his left shoulder. There was a burn in his shirt that revealed a dark black bruise spreading across his skin.

Fabian was dizzy.

He was sure he had matching cuts and lacerations.

They shot spells, magic flying over one another's shoulders, turning and jumping in unison, a well oiled mechanic they'd perfected over the years, unpredictable because nothing had to be discussed outloud, no hesitation to make sure they were on the same page, they simply moved and shot. Sparks dazzled the air around them like a fireworks display, lighting up the night with red and white and yellow sparks...

Four Death Eaters against the two twins and they were holding their own.

Gideon was thinking how bloody good of a fighter Fabian was.

Fabian was thinking how bloody amazing of a fighter Gideon was.

And bloody hell, they both thought, what a team we make together.