July 28th of 1998
Crying filled the room, waking both Fred and I from our sleep. Fred groaned and reached out to swat my arm.
"Your turn." He mumbled before he rolled over and pulled his pillow out from under his head to cover his head and drown out the sound.
I sat up with a sigh, rubbing my eyes as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, standing up.
Fred and I took turns during the night whenever Nick would cry. Our baby was four months and two weeks old — his eyes were brown like mine. His colour had already settled.
I walked around the bed to the crib where it stood on Fred's side. I cooed at Nick as I reached into the crib and lifted him up into my arms.
"Hi baby." I whispered, having him lie against my shoulder while I rocked him to get him to calm down while I walked back to my side of the end to sit down. He needed feeding. When Nick latched on, he stopped crying and ate happily.
I looked back at Fred to see him rearrange his pillow so he laid on it again, his eyes closed while he yawned.
"You're a good mum." He mumbled, reaching out to touch my back. I smiled softly at how adorable he looked, before I looked down at Nick in my arms.
His brown eyes were open, staring up at me as he ate. I brushed my knuckles over his cheekbone, smiling at how beautiful my son looked.
I loved him more than anything. I never knew such love existed and in the four months of Nick's life, I had found myself wondering if my parents ever felt this way when they were holding me in their arms.
I will never be like my parents. I'll take care of my son. I'll raise him to be a good person, I'll raise him with love and kindness and he'll have the childhood I didn't have.
August 2nd of 1998
"Look at you!" Fred cooed, holding out son up into the air to look at him while Nick's laughter filled the flat as he stuck his fingers into his mouth. "You look just like your dad, don't you?"
He placed our son on his hip, his head resting against his shoulder. Fred placed his hand against our son's head to support him. He cried just minutes ago but he always laughs when he gets lifted into the air.
"I wonder if he'll be able to know the difference between you and George while growing up." I said. "You look almost identical."
"Almost?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "I mean— I've always known the difference. Maybe not right away but since we got to know each other. You don't look completely identical anymore. Your face is softer put together, though your personality is rougher."
Fred raised his eyebrows as he leaned his head on top of Nick's.
"No one's ever put it like that." He said as he smirked. "Does that mean I'm the better twin?"
I chuckled and leaned back on the sofa, crossing one leg over the other.
"I'm dating you for a reason, aren't I?"
He gasped enthusiastically before he walked over and leaned down, holding Nick against his shoulder as he pressed a kiss to my lips.
"I'm so gonna tell George you said that."
"No you won't!"
"Yes, I will." He laughed. "Because this is the first time you ever agreed with me. I'm the better twin. I rock, George sucks."
"Give me my son." I glared at Fred and he chuckled as he carefully handed me Nick. I lifted him into the air, making him laugh before I brought him down so I could smother him in kisses. I turned him around in my lap, holding him as I pressed another kiss to his head. I looked up at my boyfriend. "He really do look like you. I love that."
January 14th of 1999
"You think he'll walk soon?" George asked as I supported Nick by placing a hand against his back. Lately he had be pulling himself up to stand, holding onto the sofa for support. He then bounce a lot while giggling, and the sound melted my heart as always.
"Maybe." I said. "I mean— he's ten months old and he can crawl— and stand with support."
George walked over to sit on the sofa next to where I sat on the floor, making sure my son didn't fall.
Nick had these giggles that turned into small shrieks and it always made everyone so happy, because it was the cutest thing ever.
Right now, he was wearing his Weasley jumper that Molly had knitted him. She knitted a new one for each month he was alive, because he keeps growing so much. It has his initial on the front and he looks adorable with it on.
"I don't believe I ever thanked you." George said, making me look at him.
"For what?"
"For giving me a nephew." He smiled as he looked at Nick. "He's the best one I could ask for."
Nick moved alongside the sofa and reached me, then held onto me instead, grabbing my shirt with his closed fists as he used me to climb onto the sofa. I helped him and he then crawled to George.
"Dada." His tiny voice came out, causing me to laugh along with George who received Nick's hug.
"Did he just—" Fred's voice appeared by the door. "... again?"
"Hi, love." I smiled at my boyfriend who kicked off his shoes and hung his jacket on the wall. "To his defence, you two are identical. He's not even a year old. He doesn't know the whole concept of identical twins. Or... twins for that sake. I don't even think he knows the concept of siblings. He knows his parents and he recognises people."
Fred pouted and walked over to lean over the back of the sofa, holding out his hands towards Nick.
Our son looked up at him and his eyes lit up.
"Dada!" He repeated as Fred lifted him into his arms.
"See?" I smiled. "He sees the same face on you both. He thinks you're both his dad, but when he grows up, he'll learn to know the difference and he'll call George his uncle."
Nick is definitely a daddy's boy. When he's crying, it's always Fred he reaches out for and he also learned to say 'dada' before 'mama', though it's alright. My son obviously loves me too and I love the special bond that Fred and Nick have with each other.
"Oh, I went and got the newest Daily Prophet paper today if you want to read it." Fred told me. "It's in the pocket of my jacket."
"Great." I breathed as I pulled myself up to stand before walking over to the rag on the wall. A rolled up newspaper stuck out of his jacket and after pulling it out of the pocket, I walked back towards the living area while unrolling the paper.
My eyes scanned the front page, and I stopped in my tracks as my heart dropped.
On the front page, was four mugshots with very familiar faces. I suddenly felt dizzy as I stumbled towards the sofa to sit down.
"Jules?" Fred questioned as he stood there with Nick on his hip. "Babe, what's wrong?"
The first mugshot was Nate. Next to him was Melba, under Nate was Seth and under Melba was Callie. They didn't look happy and Callie was crying. All the pictures were moving. Nate looked scared as he stared into the camera, then turned around to show his side profile.
Melba's face didn't show at expression. She stared into the camera with cold and bored eyes before turning to her side as well. It wasn't because she didn't feel anything. Being cold had always been her way of coping. She hated showing feelings.
Seth's face showed fright as well as he mimicked the actions of turning to his side.
Then there was Callie. She was a wreck, crying her eyes out, her lips trembling.
"They found them." I muttered, looking up at Fred, then at George. I looked down at the newspaper again to read the headline. "Nathanial Twig, Melbourne Striker, Seth Doe and Calliope Dendron finally found after hiding in Mexico."
I gulped as I started reading the lower case sentences.
"The four friends were found in Mexico this Tuesday, hiding after they together killed Adrian Pucey in July of nineteen-ninety-seven. It is believed that Twig committed the murder, Striker was present and Doe and Dendron helped them get rid of the body. The four will be trialed this Friday in the Ministry's courtroom."
I stared at the picture again, folding the newspaper before I threw it on the coffee table. The room was suddenly very quiet apart from Nick's laughs and giggled while he kept hitting Fred in the face.
I took a deep breath to not cry as I looked at George, then up at Fred.
"That's tomorrow."
January 15th of 1999
When I saw my friends in that courtroom, I started crying. Molly was babysitting Nick so I sat here with Fred and George.
My friends all sat together down on the floor and when they saw me, Callie especially started crying.
I hadn't seen them for eighteen months, and here they were, and the fact they were gonna get trialed. I knew what the worst sentence was, and I was fucking scared that just one of them were gonna get that.
I sat between Fred and George, Fred holding my hand tightly. I barely listened to what the minister said. All I could focus on what my four friends who sat next to each other, all cuffed to each of their chairs.
This was too hard. I couldn't stop crying, but it was a silent cry. No sound came from me, but it was like I could hear my heart breaking.
Callie was pregnant. It was clear when I looked at her. She was pregnant, maybe halfways through, maybe more.
They all looked so good, considering the circumstances and I had missed them so much but it's not like I was gonna be able to see them anymore — not if they were going to Azkaban.
Then the sentencing came. One by one. He sentenced them one by one, and it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. The fright I felt, the fear of what they were each gonna get.
I just wanted everything to go back to normal. I wish they'd never left, I wish they had never killed Pucey.
"Seth Doe." The minister spoke. "Fifteen years in Azkaban."
I clamped a hand over my mouth, closing my eyes for a moment as I let out a sob.
"Calliope Striker... fifteen years in Azkaban."
I inhaled sharply, tightening my grip on Fred's hand. He let go of my hand to wrap his arm around me but gave me his other hand to hold and squeeze.
"Melbourne Striker... life in Azkaban."
I let out another sob, squeezing my eyes shot at the thought of never getting to see Melba again unless I visited her in Azkaban.
"Nathaniel Twig..." the minister spoke, earning my full attention. I took a deep breath and saw the minister's eyes flick to Nate. "... will receive the dementors kiss tomorrow, for the murder of Adrian Pucey."
He banged his hammer down to legalise the sentences and I felt my heart drop to the bottom of my body. I didn't know how to react.
Callie started screaming. She screamed in pain, trying to get out of the cuffs so she could hug Nate, but they were sat at each their ends of the row of chairs.
I let go of Fred's hand and covered my mouth and nose with both hands.
This isn't happening.
"Family and friends will be able to visit Twig after this trial in the waiting room, so say their final goodbyes." The minister said before he stood up and left. Guards appeared and led Melba, Callie and Seth out, but Callie was struggling against them, trying to scream and reach for Nate who just hung his head low.
When the three had been led out of the room, a guard then approached Nate who looked up towards me. Our eyes met, he was crying and he shook his head at me to tell me he was sorry.
Then my cries came out louder and my entire body was shaking. As soon as he was led out into the waiting room, I rushed up and nearly ran out there.
I stopped in my tracks, and I looked at him. He looked back at me and while the guard stood behind him, I ran up and threw my arms around my friends.
"Why did you do it?" I cried into his shoulder. He couldn't hug me back due to the handcuffs, but he let me hug me as we both cried. "Why did you have to do that, Nate?!"
"I'm sorry." He sobbed. "It was an accident. My anger exploded and— please, Jules... you have to take me and Callie's baby when she gives birth in a few months. Don't let them give our baby to someone else. It has to be you."
I pulled back to look at him.
"It's a girl." He told me. "And we've already made a will that says the baby goes to you and Fred if anything happens. I know I can't just do this, but our baby can't land with a stranger."
"Fuck." I cursed. "Yes, of course we'll take her. I can't believe this is happening. Nate what the fuck. This isn't how it was supposed to go!"
Nate shook his head and inhaled sharply to hold back his sobs, but then they just came pouring out.
"I'm so fucking sorry about all of this, Jules." He said. "We uh— Seth has something to tell you. Visit him one of the days, alright? It's important and it'll explain a lot."
I didn't understand this. I didn't understand how or why this was all happening. It started off by us losing a friend, and now I was losing them all.
"We want our daughter to be named Olivia." Nate told me, trying to stop his crying. "After Callie's mum, y'know? Please do that for us."
"O-Of course." I stuttered, wrapping my arms around myself. "I don't want to say goodbye. Nate, I don't want you to die."
"I know." He said in a whisper. I threw my arms around him again, hugging him tightly before the guard started ripping him out of my arms. "Stop! Stop it! Don't fucking—"
I felt Fred's presence as he wrapped an arm around me while Nate was dragged towards the exit of the room.
"Take care Jules!" Nate called. "Of yourself, of your baby, of my baby... and make sure to visit them in Azkaban. Make sure Callie doesn't break. I don't want her to live the rest of her life broken. Please promise me!"
"I promise." I cried. "Fuck... Nate!"
The guard sighed and let Nate stop by the door so he could hear what I had to say.
"I uh— we named our son after Nick." I told him. "Nick Arthur Weasley."
A small smile spread on his lips, through the tears showed in his eyes.
"He would've loved that." He told me, before he looked at Fred. "Weasley, take good care of my best friend."
//NARRATOR//
And with those words, the guard dragged Nathaniel Alastair Twig out of the waiting room, and Julie Evangeline Pegas never saw the boy again.
The very next day, Nate had his soul sucked out by the dementors. A fate that's known to be worse than death.
Julie grieved. She grieved all of her friends, both the ones who had died and the ones left in Azkaban. But while she grieved, she still cared for her son. She tried her best, even on the days she couldn't get out of bed.
Callie, Melba and Seth sat in Azkaban, having their own cells. Callie never recovered the loss of her love. She lived the rest of her life, grieving Nathaniel. When she gave birth to their daughter on April 2nd of 1999, she didn't get the chance to name her, but Julie and Fred who happily agreed to raise her as their uncle and aunt, named her Olivia like Nate and Callie wanted.
Olivia Nathaniel Dendron-Twig. Olivia after Callie's mother. Nathaniel after the girls father even though it's not commonly used on girls, and the she had both of her parents surnames.
Julie and Fred eventually bought their own house not far from the shop so they didn't get too far away from George. They raised their son, they raised Olivia, letting her know who her parents were, told her stories. Eventually Julie and Fred had two more kids of their own. Another boy named Nate, because even though Olivia had his name in her, Julie still wanted her middle child to have a piece of one of the most important people in her life.
Nate Vincent Weasley. That was the name of Julie and Fred's second-born. Fred was the one to choose the middle name. He thought it was cute and fitted the little boy.
When Nick was seven and Nate was two, the couple got married and had a little daughter who was their last child. Fred chose her full name.
Madison Molly Weasley.
In 2014, 15 years after the arrest of Julie's four friends, Calliope Cheyenne Dendron and Seth Ackley Doe, were released from Azkaban and came to live with Julie and Fred until they could find their own places.
Callie got a relationship to her daughter but Olivia stayed in custody of Julie and Fred while still getting to know her biological mother.
Though life moved on, the four remaining friends never did. They never moved on from their lives in school. It may have seemed like it, but they couldn't move on. They lost two important people in their lives and they tried to move on by thinking of the memories, but truth is— they couldn't move on, they simply learned how to live through every day without breaking.
-
Nick Crane
Sleeping peacefully
✞ 1978 - 1996 ✞
Nathaniel Alastair Twig
Loving son, brother, friend and boyfriend
✞ 1978 - 1999 ✞
-
I'm crying so much right now. This has been the most painful ending I have ever written. I truly bonded with my own characters — the friend group so killing two of them off and sending the rest to Azkaban, was really hard but I felt like it was the right ending for the story.
So yeah, this was the end of 'His Hufflepuff', I hope you liked it until you didn't.
There won't be a sequel as I believe it's right to just leave it here and leave yourself to wonder what happened later.
I love you all and I hope you don't grief for too long.
- Julie