Dusk Till Dawn: A Fred And George Story

July 1, 1997

Knock knock knock. "Izzy." I opened my eyes to the ceiling of my bedroom. Knock knock.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Isabella," came George's voice through the wood of the door. "My father's here. He wants to talk to the three of us."

Immediately my mind asked why Mrs. Weasley would send her husband to check that we were behaving when she already did that plenty.

I rolled over. "At two in the morning?"

"Please, Isabella. He says it's urgent."

"Okay, fine." I got up and opened the door to see George's retreating figure in sleep robes. I followed him to the little living room where Fred and Mr. Weasley sat waiting.

The latter looked pale and his eyes were hooded. His hair was in a mess and he had a vacant stare. He only looked up when Fred asked, "Dad, what is it?"

Mr. Weasley took a deep breath. "Hogwarts has been breached."

"What? How?" I asked.

"A Vanishing Cabinet in a Room of Requirement, led by the Malfoy boy."

There was silence. Finally Fred asked, "Is everyone alright? Ginny, Ron?"

"They're fine. But...you see, members of Dumbledore's Army - Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville - and Order members Tonks, Bill, Remus and other professors were on patrol while..." he faltered. "Dumbledore and Harry were away."

"Dumbledore and Harry left the castle? Why?" asked George.

"We don't know; Harry won't say anything to us. Anyway, the Death Eaters got in and there was a fight. Fenrir Greyback was with them, and...he won't be a full werewolf, he'll just have some more ravenous tendencies, but...Bill was bitten."

"No," the twins said in unison. George fell back in his seat while Fred stood up and said, "What are we waiting for? Let's go see him, then!"

"No," said Mr. Weasley.

"But he could be dying..."

"He's fine, Fred."

"I'd still like to see my brother!"

"No, Fred. Hogwarts isn't safe anymore. And there's more. Dumbledore's dead."

It was my turn to exclaim in disbelief. "No. No no, it can't be true!"

"Who did it?" asked Fred. "I'll...I'll rip his head off."

"Well, Severus," answered Mr. Weasley.

"No, said George disbelievingly. "Dumbledore trusted Snape."

"Well, it was very misplaced. Harry saw the ordeal. He said Dumbledore made him freeze under the cloak; he couldn't do anything about it."

By now, tears had begun streaming down my face, and it wasn't because of Dumbledore himself. Things were getting worse every day and I'd been too caught up in the shop to notice. Who cares how many Ton-Tongue Toffees we should be producing when people are dying? When there's danger in the world?

"When's the funeral?" I managed to ask.

"Sometime this week. Dumbledore will be buried at Hogwarts."

I nodded. "Excuse me." I went back to my bedroom and began to write a letter to my family telling them the news. As I wrote, I soaked the parchment with my tears but sent it anyway with Mirelda.

As I began to climb back into bed the door opened a little farther. "Izzy?"

It was George again. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"Me too." I got back up and hugged him.

"You know, when I came to wake you, I learned something."

I looked up. "What?"

"You snore."

"Ugh!" I pushed him away and he just laughed. I moved past him to find Fred.

I found him in his room and walked right up to him and hugged him too. Our first physical contact in over a year. He was startled at first but then relaxed.

"Sorry about Bill," I said.

"It's alright." He rested his head on mine. "I'm sorry about Dumbledore." I held him closer to me.

"It's not even about him," I admitted with a sigh. "Why are we even saying sorry? It's not like anyone could have done anything about it."

"I don't know." And then he leaned down and kissed my forehead. I was such a mess I forgot to be surprised. It felt so right wrapped in him; it eased the pain ever so slightly.

After a few more moments in his arms, I left Fred's room and cried myself to sleep.