Fool Me Once (Book One) - Fred Weasley

22. Memories

Fred and George Weasley were ten years of age and were lying on the grass just outside the front door of the Burrow. "Do you ever think about the future Freddie?" George asked seriously. "All the time Georgie. Really I do." George hummed as he looked at his younger brother with a small smile playing on his lips. "What do you think about? I think about the joke shop. That would be fun. Just you and me forever Freddie. Stuck side by side."

"That's nice Georgie. But I want more than that" When George looked at him puzzled Fred continued. "I want a family, Georgie. A big family. Like what we have. So that nobody is ever lonely you know? The way that I always have you. That's what I think about. And the joke shop of course. That's going to be bloody brilliant."

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"Freddie, what's going to happen when we get there?" Aaliyah turned to ask Fred when they were half way done their journey to London on the Hogwarts Express. "Well, I'm assuming that mum is going to look straight at you and throw you out of the house.' Aaliyah looked at Fred with a scared expression on her face. 'Godric I'm joking Aaliyah. If your a friend of mine and Georges mum will love you"

"How can you be sure though Freddie. My family hates yours, what happens if your mum hates me because of that" Fred shook his head and chuckled. "Princess, don't worry your little head about it. She doesn't care about that stuff. Trust me, okay?"

"Okay Freddie Bear, I trust you"

"Lee man what's your problem. I was trying to take a shower." Fred said as he walked out of the bathroom door. Lee looked at Fred as if he was scared of the words that he wanted to say. "I like George, Fred." Lee admitted, looing down at the ground. Afraid to meet his best friends' eyes.

"Yes, I know Lee. We all like George. Very likeable that one" Fred said with a laugh, causing Lee to look at him, suddenly both sad and serious. "What?" asked Fred when he saw the expression on his friend's face. And then Lee done the most unexpected thing. He started to cry. "Lee?" Fred ran over and pulled his friend into a hug. "You didnt mean that you liked him as in as a friend, did you?" Lee shook his head and Fred sighed pulling his friend closer. "I dont know what to do Fred. Do I tell him? What if I tell him and he hates me? Godric I dont want him to hate me. He's going to think that I'm a weirdo and he wont want to be my friend anymore." Lee started to cry harder at this.

Fred really didnt know what to do with himself. He had never even seen Lee cry, never mind have the boy crying into his shoulder. So, he done the only thing he could think of and rubbed his friends back. "Godric, I didnt even think. I'm here crying about liking George when your stood here and Liyah is petrified in the hospital wing" Lee said with a small laugh before wiping his tears away with the sleeve of his jumper. "Lee, its fine. No matter what happens you can always talk to me. Now. What do we want to do about Georgie?" and with that the two boys sat on Fred's bed, coming up with a plan for what Lee was going to say to George.

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When Fred and George were fourteen, they were home at the Burrow for their summer holidays. They were just about to go into fourth year and Fred was at a rocky patch in his relationship with Aaliyah. But he always found that talking to his twin helped. The two boys were sitting in the old garden shed that was falling apart, slyly sipping on a bottle of fire whiskey that Fred had managed to get out of Charlie's bedroom without anyone noticing. The two boys were somewhat drunk. George however was slightly more gone than Fred.

"Freddie, can I tell you something?" George hiccupped. "Anything Georgie. Shoot" Fred said sitting up straight and turning towards his brother so he knew he had his full attention. "I well- I erm, I think that I like guys. Like in the way that I'm supposed to like girls" George hung is head as if what he had just admitted was something that should have remained unspoken.