Hi everyone!
This is the last chapter before the epilogue. Just thought you ought to know. :)
The song I added to this chapter means a LOT to me, so please listen to it, as I think this is THE song for my fanfic and it is absolutely amazing and... Well, yeah.
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, please tell me what you think, what I can improve on and whatnot. :)
Thank you so much for reading!
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Had Percy taken a long time to get upstairs, George was much worse. It felt like Fred had been waiting for hours... Though it just as well could've been only a few minutes. But then, at long last, the door opened, and Fred's final visitor appeared.
George looked unexpectedly well, considering the situation. Compared to Percy he looked like an incredibly happy sun celebrating the world's mere existence.
Though that might be a bit exaggerated.
George didn't hesitate at all and, with a smile on his face, picked up the stone. It barely took a second for him to look straight at Fred. “Well, hello again!” he said. His voice betrayed him, it sounded joyous, but fake. It was a mask, Fred thought, a mask of happiness to conceal the pain underneath. Fred felt a little ashamed not to have noticed that earlier. When he had still been alive, he had been able to tell what George was thinking at almost all times.
A lot had changed indeed.
“Hi.” Fred said, not knowing exactly what else to say. This was the last time they would ever talk, after all. What do you say to someone who's practically you when you have to say farewell? “Are you doing well?”
George nodded, though he didn't reply. Something stirred in his face and the mask of happiness dropped slowly.
“I know,” Fred said, searching for words, something he'd never had to do before while he was talking to his twin, “I … I don't want to say goodbye either.”
George looked up to him, watching him carefully. “But you'll have to go anyway. You can't stay, otherwise – ”
“The second brother, the fading ghost of his lover, I know, I know. I'll just slowly drown in my own unhappiness because I don't belong in this world and all.” Fred sighed. “I felt it, the depression. It's terrible, and I don't want to feel like that ever again, like I don't belong... But that doesn't mean I wouldn't stay if I could.”
George didn't look at him, he seemed to take in the room for the first time. Then, so quietly that Fred was doubting whether he'd actually heard him say it, he mumbled. “I know. I'll miss you.”
There was an uncomfortable silence, one that had never appeared between the brothers before, not even when they'd heard their dad had been attacked by a giant snake and he was on the edge of dying.
“Anyway,” George said, his voice almost back to usual again. “We might as well make the best out of the time we've got, right?”
Fred nodded, cracking a smile. “So... Those omniscience hats are a real laugh, aren't they?” He knew it was a stupid subject to talk about at that moment, but he felt like everything would do right now. As long as they started talking
“Yeah...” George hesitated. “Yes, you did a pretty great job on them.”
“We did.” Fred corrected him.
“But you came up with the idea.” George argued, a slight smile appearing on his face.
“Yeah, but since I can't even hold a wand right now... You made 'em.”
George opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. “That – that... Is a good point.” He admitted finally.
“Of course it is. I said it.” Fred couldn't keep a grin off his face.
“Oooh, your modesty is admirable.”
“It's a gift.” Fred nodded, now really laughing. George laughed along with him and he was glad. This was the way it was supposed to be. If there had to be a goodbye, they'd do it with a smile on their face.
However, Fred realised he had to ask a few things before leaving, a few things he was eager to know.
“George?” Fred asked, suddenly remembering his earlier thoughts. “You remember the clock, at home?”
George nodded. “'fcourse.”
“Well,” Fred swallowed. “Where does my clock-hand point to, now?” He looked at George carefully.
George didn't answer straight away, he bit his lip as if he was thinking hard. Not about the answer, obviously, but about whether or not to tell Fred. “Lost.” he said finally.
“What?”
“The clock-hand. It pointed at 'lost'.”
“Pointed?” Fred asked, having noticed the fact that George had used past time.
George shrugged. “Yeah, well... It was kind of depressing, you see,” Fred nodded. “So I didn't look at it after that one time, about a week after you... after you...”
“Got lost.” Fred helped him out.
“Exactly.”
Fred could see the pain in his brother's eyes and knew now more than ever that this was going to be the hardest thing he was ever going to do. He took some time to think about how things would have been had the roles been reversed. Fred would be dying inside, he knew that. And he also knew that George felt that way right now.
At least Fred himself went on, to a new place, where – that's what he hoped – he'd be at peace, never to worry about anything ever again. George, however, had to live on. Without his brother. Again.
“You were lost, weren't you?” George asked suddenly, his voice harsh.
Fred thought for a moment, then sniffed and grinned. “I haven't got the slightest idea. I don't remember a thing... Apart from a few 'flashes' of Hogwarts, and your kids, apparently, as I told you before.”
“That's right!” George smirked. “Fred Junior making mischief, Fred Senior watching over him.”
“'Fred Senior'?” Fred repeated. “You're joking! That makes me feel like I'm in my eighties or something!”
George laughed.
“What?”
“Well, saying you were in your eighties...” George explained. “Would you have the same beard as we got when we tried to put our names in the – ”
“The Goblet of fire!” Fred interrupted him, finishing his sentence. “I don't know, I sure hope not, we looked incredibly ridiculous back then.”
“Definitely.” George agreed.
At least he was able to say he'd seen himself grow old – Sort of. At least they'd still looked alike back then, Fred thought. Nobody had been able to tell them apart, not even their own mum, though that was mostly because Fred and George confused her themselves. 'He's not Fred, I am!' 'Honestly woman, you call yourself a mother?'
Not to forget the times their best friend Lee (Yes, Fred remembered him clearly again now) had mixed them up during Quidditch matches, where Lee often did the commentating. 'Nice bludger from Fred Weasley! I mean, George Weasley. Oh, who cares, one of them.'
Even Ron had once doubted whether it was George or Fred who'd he seen putting a Dancing Feet Spell on one of the toads in the Transfiguration class room. It had been George, of course. Fred himself was quite busy at that time, jinxing the feathers professor Flitwick used while teaching the first-years the Hover Charm, which turned out to be quite hilarious.
Ron hadn't warned mum, of course. Another Howler in the Weasley family wouldn't have been something to be extremely proud of.
Ron, Fred thought, his little brother with the note...
“Oh, can you do something for me?” Fred asked. “Can you take Ron's little note, write 'Little Ickle Ronniekins is getting emotional!' underneath it and tell him to frame it and hang it in his living room?”
“What?”
“Nothing, just do it, it's the last time I'll be able to make fun of him.”
George raised an eyebrow. “Sure, whatever you please. If it involves making fun of Ronniekins I'm all in!”
Fred wanted to reply by saying something funny, but before he could, the room around him seemed to blur. “W-what is going on?” he asked, a bit of panic showing in his voice.
“What do y– ”
But George's words became inaudible, as the room, along with all the noise in it, disappeared. Fred flew, through colours and sound, it felt a bit like apparating, including the nauseous feeling you got when you apparated for the first time. Fred didn't like it at all. Had this been it, then? His goodbye? His end? That couldn't be, he wasn't ready yet, he hadn't even had the chance to say a proper farewell!
But just when he had convinced himself he would never see this world again, the colours seemed to blend in within one another, creating shapes and contours and silhouettes. And slowly, really slowly, Fred could distinguish a bed. A lot of beds. And... Trunks? The room around him became clearer and soon he realised he was in a Gryffindor dormitory, though not the one he used to have back at Hogwarts.
There was nobody else present. It was quite tidy, only one bed lay full of clothes, dresses, skirts, and something that looked a bit like a tent. There were bits of make up on one of the bedside tables and that was all Fred needed to realise he was in a girl dormitory.
A girl dormitory at Hogwarts? What on earth was he doing here?
Just as he was trying to figure out what had happened, the door to the dormitory opened and two little male third-years shuffled in, carefully checking the room for people.
“Of course, I should've known!” Fred laughed, understanding. Hermione might just have been right with her theory: George had told him that Angelina had heard from Hermione that she thought Fred appeared on the Marauder's Map whenever someone was causing mischief, that that was why James and Fred II had seen him while pulling that prank in the Kitchens.
Fred watched the two as they beamed at one another. They were definitely 'up to no good'.
“That was actually quite easy!” Little Fred whispered, still looking around as if he was expecting a teacher to jump out from behind one of the beds at any moment.
“Definitely!” James laughed, who didn't even try to keep his voice down.
“Shhhh!” whispered Fred.
“Ah, no worries! There's no one here, everyone's still at dinner, anyway.”
“Yeah, and they're right. I would kill for another one of those – ”
“Yes, everyone knows you're hungry, Fred. The common room almost trembled when your stomach growled. It was like a wild animal held captured for years...” James said, rubbing a hand over his own stomach. “Better get this over with, then.” He took something out of his pocket and walked to one of the beds. “Now, do you think this one's hers?”
Fred Junior looked at it for a second and then shook his head. “No, it's that one!” He pointed at the bed on its right, which was extremely tidy. There was a book named 'Hogwarts, a history' on her bedside table. “Obviously.”
James nodded and put the things he had in his hands – which Fred now recognised as dungbombs – underneath the covers. “She so deserves this.” he said and Fred nodded.
Fred II took out his wand and used it to straighten the covers again. James looked at him and sighed. “What?” Little Fred said. “Otherwise she'll notice!”
James shrugged and laughed, then they left the room again.
“I'm so glad your dad taught you how to get into the girl's dormitory, by the way!” James voice sounded.
Right after that Fred's vision blurred again, leaving him with that awful feeling of being sick again. A moment later he was back in the attic, George stood in front of him, the stone clenched in his hands and his eyes huge with fear.
“FRED!” He nearly yelled as he saw him. “I thought – I thought you were gone! What... What happened?”
Fred shrugged and rubbed his temple with his hand, he had a headache from this sudden sort of travelling. “It was your dear son. He and James put dungbombs in a girl's bed. James says thanks for showing them how to get in there.”
George raised an eyebrow, relieve and amusement to be seen on his face clearly. “Of course... Those two just can't help it, can they?”
“He's your kid, what did you expect?” Fred replied, smirking. “I can't believe they put dungbombs in her bed though, whoever she was. They could've done so much better than that!”
“I know right? I'm even a little disappointed!” George said, casually playing with the Resurrection stone between his fingers, having relaxed again now his brother had returned. “I'll teach them better once this term ends and they get back home.”
“You'd better!” Fred laughed.
George's face fell again. “Too bad you won't be there to teach them.”
“Don't say that!” Fred said, afraid he'd be saying goodbye to his brother without a laugh after all. “I won't be really gone.”
“What'd you mean?”
“Well, we'll see each other again, I hope, and you're going to have a great life with Angelina and Roxanne and Fred and everyone else. And I'll be with you the entire time. Somehow.”
“No need to say goodbye?” George asked, unconvinced.
“No need whatsoever.” Fred said. “But I'm going to do it anyway.”
“You're sure you won't get hurt or anything, right?” George said, looking down at his shoes. “I mean, you won't stay here, stuck forever without anyone being able to see you or something like that, right?”
George's concern didn't exactly make things easier for Fred, yet he was touched nonetheless.
Maybe it is really time to go now, at last.
The very moment Fred had thought this, three figures appeared next to him, like ghosts, like himself, in some way. They talked to him, and Fred couldn't believe his eyes... He wasn't alone.
“Nah,” Fred said, eying the people around him but talking to George. “I’ll be OK. There are three weird-looking wizards here, telling me they’re looking for a fourth member. They call themselves Moony, Padfoot and Prongs… Sound familiar?”
“Definitely.” George smirked, obviously not being able to see the Marauders. “You shouldn't let them call you Wormtail though. Maybe Rodent is a more fitting nickname.”
“Rapier!” Fred replied automatically, laughing. The three makers of the Marauder's Map beamed at him, but didn't say anything. He recognized them, Lupin, Sirius... And someone who looked an awful lot like Harry, but not quite. That must be his dad, James, Fred thought. He wasn't really surprised to see them standing there, he had always imagined Sirius doing extremely irresponsible things during his years at Hogwarts, and since Lupin had been like his best friend – Well, this made sense somehow.
He beamed back at them, grateful he didn't have to do this on this own after all.
“It's time, Fred. You have to let go.” Lupin said.
“You'll see him again,” James Potter added, “you'll see all of them again.”
“Just not too soon, hopefully!” Sirius laughed.
Fred laughed too, turning to George one more time.
“You're really gonna go now, aren't you?” George asked, his eyes teary.
Fred nodded. “But you'll be alright, won't you? Keep smiling, keep joking and learn those little prankers how to use these dung bombs properly!”
George grinned. “Will do.”
“Well,” Fred threw a look at the three men next to him again. “I'll go then, I think.”
“I love you, Fred.”
Fred smiled sadly. “I love you too, George, in a totally not creepy way, I mean.” George laughed and Fred felt this was the time. “I might as well say goodbye in a suitable way.” He took a deep breath. “Mischief managed!”
George nodded one more time, murmured a goodbye and let go of the stone, a smile on his face.
Unlike the other times, Fred didn't stay in the attic, bound to the stone. He seemed to be bound to the Marauders now, they were the only thing he could clearly see, as everything else around him was blurred, disappearing slightly.
“Where are we going?” Fred asked.
“Home.” All three of them answered at once, smiling at him reassuringly.
~
Holding the bag in which he'd put the Resurrection Stone tightly in his hands, George went downstairs again. He didn't think Fred was still in the room, able to see him, but he kept muttering 'goodbye Fred' under his breath anyway.
He felt numb, he had laughed when Fred had said his goodbyes, and he had meant it, but now that his partner in crime was really gone... He just didn't know what to do anymore.
At least he had gotten a proper goodbye this time, instead of having Fred torn away from him like 19 years ago.
Once he got downstairs, a dozen faces turned to him, looking from his eyes to the bag in his hands and back. Angelina, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Percy, Bill, Charlie, his mum, his dad... They were all there, waiting for him.
“He's gone.” George whispered, his voice sounding terribly husky.
Angelina immediately walked towards him and hugged him. It took George a while to realise what was happening, but then he hugged her back. His mum was crying silent tears, his dad held her and rubbed her back. Ron stood in-between Harry and Hermione, they didn't speak. Ginny, Percy, Bill and Charlie made their way to George and hugged him too. They stood there for a while, some crying, some comforting the others, some saying nothing at all.
“Let's go then.” Hermione said after a few minutes, her voice shaking. They had agreed to put the stone away, on a place where no one would ever find it again. It was too much of a curse to leave it lying around. George didn't know where they would hide the stone, but he expected the others to know it, so he decided just to follow them.
All of them went outside and followed Hermione, who wandered into the forest without looking back. Ron hurried past them and grabbed Hermione's hand, walking next to her. It looked like some kind of funeral march, George thought. It would've been funny, had Fred been there to joke about it.
George looked at the bag in his hands. It felt so heavy, like there was a brick in there instead of a tiny stone. He wondered, if he took the stone again, would Fred appear again? Maybe he hadn't said everything he wanted to say after all. Maybe he needed to talk to him one more time.
But George realised he couldn't. Fred had been right. It wasn't natural, what they had been doing. It wasn't good. And this was the best way to put a stop to it.
After walking for about ten minutes, they reached a little well. Hermione made her way to stand next to it and then she turned around, blushing slighty. “Luna told me the muggles think this is a Wishing Well. And well... I thought it might be suitable.”
George raised an eyebrow. “A muggle Wishing Well? You want to throw Fred into a muggle Wishing Well?”
“Luna said the muggles might be right. Maybe the Well does have some magical powers.” Ron shrugged. “She was right about those invisible horses too, wasn't she?”
“Thestrals, Ron.” Hermione sighed. “They're called Thestrals!”
George, however, wasn't convinced. “Luna? She isn't exactly... trustworthy, is she?” He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Ginny, who smiled reassuringly.
“What's life without believing in magic?” she said. “It would all be rather dull, wouldn't it? And someone once taught me everything is possible.”
George looked around at all of the people around him. His friends. His family. They had something to say in this, too. And none of them seemed to think the Well wasn't a good idea.
“Okay then.” He walked towards Hermione and tried to hand her the bag.
“No no!” Hermione contradicted him. “You're going to do it yourself.”
George looked at her, frozen. He didn't want to do this. Letting go of Fred in the attic had been so much easier, at least he'd still had the stone back then, he'd still have the opportunity to bring Fred back if necessary.
But if he threw the stone away...
Another hand on his shoulder, this time from Bill. “C'mon George, it's time now.”
“I know.” George said. “But that doesn't make it easier.”
“We know it doesn't.” Charlie said. “But you're not alone.”
“You'll never be alone.” Angelina smiled at him.
George nodded, lifted the bag till it was above the Well and then turned it around. The tiny black stone fell – as if in slow motion – out of the bag, into the Well.
It was a few meters down when the stone suddenly shone a bright blue, enlightening the entire Well. Only a second, then it was gone and they heard the stone drop in the water deep down.
A silence fell and George felt truly horrible.
“What was that light?” Ron asked after some time.
“I don't know,” said Hermione, her voice shaking, “but I think Luna might not have been that wrong after all.”
But George didn't care whether Luna had been right or wrong. He didn't care about anything at all at that moment.
He had let go of Fred. There was no way back right now. With the bright blue flash of the stone edged in his memory, he walked back. He didn't talk to anybody and no one tried to talk to him. They all understood that he needed some time alone.
Alone. What a terrible word.
~~
I'm going home, home to a place
A place I must go
A place you will go someday
I'm going there, where I'll be awake
Though my eyes are closed
I'm going home, I'm going home
Let's Lumos – One Last Goodbye
So, only the Epilogue is left now. I really hope you enjoyed this story so far, please let me know what you think. Thank you so much for reading! xx