Dusk Till Dawn: A Fred And George Story

August 5, 1997

It is not fun when you are staying with only three other people who have to be secretive all of the time. Not fun.

It is also not fun when you have no alternative clothing and the only other girl who could lend you some is way smaller, and so you are stuck in a very uncomfortable party dress.

But most of all, it is not fun to be bored. With no pen to write down new prank ideas with, no twins to joke around with, and no Fred to be lovey-dovey with, I was miserable. I was desperate for contact with the outside world. So naturally, I was excited (but at the same time nervous) when I heard Mrs. Black's blood-curdling screams.

"Mudbloods and filth dishonoring my house-"

I ran down the stairs from my bedroom to find the trio facing the door, wands drawn. I looked across the hall to the man standing there, arms up in the air. He muttered something I couldn't hear.

It must have been something happy, though, as Ron lowered his weapon and Hermione moved to silence Mrs. Black.

"Show yourself!" exclaimed Harry.

The man stepped into the light and I instantly recognized him as Lupin, but Harry was not entirely convinced it was his old professor.

"I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Moony, one of the four creators of the Marauder's Map, married to Nymphadora, usually known as Tonks, and I taught you how to produce a Patronus, Harry, which takes the form of a stag."

"Oh, alright, but I had to check, didn't I?"

"Speaking as your ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I quite agree that you had to check. Ron, Hermione, you shouldn't be quite so quick to lower your defenses. And Isabella! Your wand wasn't out at all! Where are your wits?"

"I'm sorry, I - I..." I stammered.

"I'm just messing with you," Lupin said. "But next time, be prepared."

We jogged down the steps to him.

"No sign of Severus, then?"

"No," responded Harry. "What's going on? Is everyone okay?"

"Yes."

"Where are the twins?" I asked.

"To be truthful, I don't know."

I looked down at my feet. "Is it safe for me to go?" I whispered. I needed to see Fred.

"I wish I could give you a definitive yes, but I am not sure. We're all being watched. There are a couple of Death Eaters in the square outside-"

"Lupin," I interrupted. "Can I go?"

He looked at me with compassion but also of pity. "You can. Apparate to the Burrow, though, first. Tell everyone you're all right."

I hugged him. "I will." Then I turned to the trio and said, "Okay. I'm going. Now I can get out of your hairs." I hugged them all. "Good luck with whatever you're up to." I pulled out my wand and Apparated myself away.

The darkness all around me switched places with the landscape of the Burrow and I ran inside.

"Who's there?" Someone asked. Ginny stepped into the room with her wand out, but as soon as she saw me in the dress I wore to the wedding, she lowered it and left to go find her mother.

"Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" She gave me a hug. "We've been worried sick! What happened?"

"I grabbed Hermione's arm as she Apparated. You were expecting the three of them to leave, but not me. I'm sorry."

"But they're alright?"

I chose not to mention the attack we'd experienced at the coffee shop. "Yes."

"Oh, that makes me feel better. You know, I didn't want them to leave, but they insisted. I just hope they will be safe whatever they are doing."

"Me too," I agreed, though I knew they wouldn't. We all looked at one another, glad to be in each other's presence.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said after a while. "I suppose you'll want to stay with the twins, then. Let's gather your things and get you out of that dress."

"Yes please." I followed her up to Ginny's room and helped her get my stuff. We did it all in silence, just as we had the night I had arrived. We carried it all down the stairs by hand.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. For everything." We set down my things and hugged.

"No worries," she kept saying, patting my back. We broke apart when I could not keep myself from Fred any longer. I picked up my stuff. "Bye," I whispered, a bit hurriedly.

"Bye," Mrs. Weasley repeated. I walked out of the Burrow and to the Apparation point and left.

Reappearing in a field, I saw a small little house and ran up to it. I knocked on the door, hard.

"Go get that door, boy," I heard Muriel say. "Rather you get hurt than me." Footsteps followed. The door opened. George stood there, pointing his wand at me. When he saw me he lowered it and just stood there, shocked. I realized I'd forgotten to change my clothes in my rush, even though I'd been so anxious to get out of my dress.

"Hi, George." I stepped in and looked around, taking in Muriel's house.

"Who is it, boy?" Muriel said from another room. "Who is it?"

"It's me," I said, knowing she wouldn't know my voice, but I was banking on someone else recognizing it. Immediately, I heard footsteps crash down from the second floor. Fred stopped on the last stair, looked me over, and walked toward me. I set my stuff down and put my hands on my hips, smiling from ear to ear. Fred attacked me, hugging me and pulling me as close to him as I could ever get.

"Love," he whispered. "You're alive."

"I'm sure George would be concerned at this sight if I wasn't."

"Love," he said again. "You're here. You're alive. You're okay. I can't believe it...oh, I missed you."

I breathed in the scent of him and smiled. "I missed you, too."