Twin Dilemma

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series does not belong to me but rather to J.K. Rowling. The only thing we have in common are hair coloring and funny noses. I do not, will not, and have not made any money from my scribbles. I merely play with a few of her beloved characters.

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Chapter 23: The Mirror Broken, The Mirror Whole

On the far side of the pond was a wooded glen bordering the Weasley's property. In the middle of this glen, a young boy was stirring from a fitful dream. He awoke next to a small campfire from which his fire salamander was peeking out at him. He was pleased to see his salamander had returned to its normal size. The boy sat up and said, "Fred, I had the strangest dream." George looked around for his twin- his lifelong friend who was always there for him. He didn't see Fred anywhere. Flashes of his dream came back to him. He groaned when he realized they were not shreds of a dream but actual events. He remembered the scared look on Fred's face right before the flames had begun to spin and he found himself holding a large Fire Salamander in the middle of the woods next to an abandoned campsite. His eyes filled and spilled over as he choked with his grief. Surely Fred had been left behind to die.
George tried to control his sniffling. He reached out and coaxed the salamander towards his open hand. The salamander crawled up onto his hand. George stroked it's back and wished he could go back home, back to his and Fred's bedroom. He closed his eyes as he felt woozey. He tightened his grip on the fire salamander. When the dizzy feeling passed, he opened his eyes and saw that he was back in his room. Rather what was left of his room for he was staring at the charred rubble. George let go of his salamander and dropped to his knees, scrambling around and pawing through the debris---looking frantically for Fred. After several desperate moments George was forced to come to the conclusion that Fred couldn't have survived the inferno. He gave in to the despair that enveloped him at the thought of living without his best mate, his other half. He sank to the floor and began to keen his grief.


Molly and Arthur were climbing down the steps from Bill and Charlie's room where they had tucked the distraught Fred into bed with Bill. The calming potion Molly had brewed for Fred had finally kicked in and he had drifted off to sleep. Watching Fred lament the loss of his twin had pierced Molly's heart and bitterly reminded her of her own loss, her twin brothers, Gideon and Fabian. She had put on a brave front for Fred because she had to. Now, as she walked along with Arthur, her sorrow welled up and she began to shake with sobs. Arthur hugged her to him and kissed her tear streaked face. She could feel his tears splash onto her cheeks as he held her and patted her back. Eventually they pulled part, calmer, and continued their dissent.As they walked past the Twin's blackened door, Molly stopped. She heard a high pitch sound emitting from the room. She motioned Arthur over. They both took out their wands. Carefully they opened the door. Molly paused at the threshold. Near the spot where the twin's beds had stood, a blackened figure was hunched over rocking back and forth as it made the loud sound.
"George!" Molly gasped.
The figure looked up and blinked several times before propelling itself into Molly's waiting arms.
"I've killed him! I've killed him!" George sobbed over and over.
"Hush little one," cooed Molly. "You've done no such thing."
"Fred's asleep up in Bill and Charlie's room," said Arthur relief shining through his wide grin.
George's sagging demeanor immediately brightened up as he beamed with absolute happiness. Before Molly or Arthur could say another word he bolted out the door and straight up the stairs to Bill and Charlie's room, taking the steps two at a time.He burst through the door and through himself on Bill's bed where Fred was sleeping fitfully.
"Freddy!" George screamed in delight and scrambled over a startled Bill to launch himself on his brother's prone body. Fred's eyes flew open and he froze. Was this another one of his dreams? He felt a pair of solid arms wrap around him and he looked down to see arms identical to his own flung around his neck.
"George?" he asked amazed.
George nodded his head too choked up to reply.
"Ah, Georgie! I was so scared I thought you were dead!" Fred gripped his twin back in a fierce bear hug.
"It would take more than that to get rid of me," said George, his tears flowing freely.
Fred reached up and wiped his brother's tears away. "Let's promise to never fight again. I couldn't bare to loose you," he whispered determinedly.
George nodded and whispered back, "I couldn't stand to loose you either. Nothing is worth that!"
Molly conjured up a spare cot. Arthur tucked the two boys into it where they lay with their arms wrapped tightly around each other. They immediately fell into a peaceful sleep.
Both Molly and Arthur's eyes were glistening with tears as they looked down at the two identical angelic sleeping faces.
Across the room Bill cleared his throat and Charlie scrubbed away his own tears before he said, "Too bad we all know those angelic faces are only a ruse. They are probably plotting in their sleep tomorrow's mischief!"
Everyone laughed at that. Molly was still chuckling when she closed the door to their rooms before retiring for the night.