The Battle of Hogwarts had raged on for hours. Families had been torn apart and no family felt that stronger than the Weasleys had. George Weasley had been fortunate enough to be born with a lifelong best friend, someone to share in his antics, to laugh with and even cry with. The two had been inseparable from birth. He had never thought that life would be cut short after only twenty years. The smoke cleared to reveal his mirror image lying motionless amongst the rubble and debris. A shrieking howl escaped his mother’s lips when she noticed the ginger wasn’t moving. There was no consoling George when he threw himself down over Fred. Every head in the remains of the Great Hall turned when the young man sobbed uncontrollably.
It had been days since the battle was over. Those who were injured had been transported to St. Mungos. George had been given his own bed beside Fred’s. The healers worked around the clock to try to do more for him. The corridor that had collapsed on them had dropped a large chunk of the stone ceiling directly on Fred. It was enough so that he hadn’t moved in those days. The only sign that he was even alive was the ever so slight rise and fall of his chest. Even that was mostly due to strong magic.
George was the first to notice when Fred’s right hand gave a small twitch. It was nothing at first, barely noticeable, but George noticed. He gave a shout and Molly came running into the room. Arthur was close on her heels. “He moved! I saw it! He moved!” George shouted. He was getting worked up but the excitement was flowing through him. Within moments Ginny had pushed her way into the room with Ron. Bill and Charlie filled the doorway peering over each other to try to get a better look.
Fred’s eyelids fluttered for a moment before opening just a crack. There was a roar of cheers throughout the room. George couldn’t open his mouth to say a word. For the second time that week his body was racked with sobs for his brother. This time, however, it was pure relief that shook him. George threw himself over Fred once more while his mother took the other side. “Crushing me,” Fred gasped out before laughing, “Heavy as a stone.” The joke was met with half-hearted laughs between sobs. “It’s what you get,” George grinned at him through tear filled eyes, “Gave us a right scare.”
Silence fell over the room as the one Weasley who had been absent for the past several days finally showed his face. “Sorry,” Percy muttered. His face was lined with shame and he didn’t meet a single eye. The ever so brief amendment of their family had fallen apart when the corridor had collapsed on Fred. Sure, Percy had mourned with them all at the castle, but he felt a large portion of the blame resting on his own shoulders. He should have been there for them. He should have never put his work first. He couldn’t help but think they would be better now without him. Percy turned to go before he could ruin the happy occasion. Before the young man could flee from his family, Arthur grabbed him in a tight embrace. “You’re my son, and no son of mine will ever leave again,” his gruff voice got out. “You’re all here and none of you will leave me again,” he finished. For the first time since the second Wizarding War had begun, his family was all in one place and they were all going to be okay. He was going to be okay.
Written By: Alice Bulstrode