Dusk Till Dawn: A Fred And George Story

April 27, 1998

Not much happens in quarantine, although, Muriel did end up getting me a Christmas gift after Fred refused to talk to her or obey any of her commands until she did. It was one of her bracelets George had mentioned I might like.

And things got better. She stopped criticizing me as often as she had been, and she even started to help out around her own house.

And when we found out another person would be joining us, she suggested I move my things upstairs and that Fred and George share a room.

She said, "Ollivander is old like me, so he can't climb stairs very easily. He will take Isabella's room."

There was a knock on the door. I rushed down the stairs. Fred had opened it. "Hey George!" he yelled. "Bill's come!"

Bill helped Ollivander inside and set his things down on the floor just as George came down the steps. "Bill!" He turned to Ollivander. "Hello there, Mr. Ollivander. I'll show you to your room and you can get settled."

"How are you, Bill?" I questioned.

"We're doing alright. But we sure have a lot of guests to attend to."

"Why don't you stay for a bit?" Fred suggested. "You can update us on everything."

He faked it being a difficult decision to make. "Oh, alright, I suppose I could," he relented. Fred grinned and led the way to the living room.

"Bill, my boy!" called Muriel from her usual seat in the living room. "How's the married life?"

"Well enough," he replied. "Though I haven't been able to take advantage of it as of late."

George entered the room and sat down next to Fred and I on the couch. From another seat, Bill relayed the happenings of the last months. Fred was listening eagerly, ready to report everything with Lee on Potterwatch. We learned of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's adventures (which was limited because they insisted on secrecy) and also of the death of Dobby, the house elf, and how they had buried him the way Muggles bury their dead in the ground at Shell Cottage.

"Oh, how terrible!" I said. "Poor Harry. He's been through too much."

"That's for sure," Muriel said. "It's a shame. It's either me or him that dies before I'll have met him since he didn't attend your wedding, Bill." I was so sure he would have come."

I smiled along with the three Weasley boys, remembering how Harry had taken Polyjuice Potion to look like another red-headed boy for safety.

"Well," Bill said. "I promised Fleur I wouldn't be gone long." He stood.

"Thank you much for coming by, Bill," Muriel said. "It was good to see a person other than these three. Send my love to your wife and that Harry Potter!"

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None of us saw Ollivander again until dinner. He claimed he had been taking a nap, and after looking at him closely, I didn't blame him. He was feeble and frail. I didn't know exactly what he'd been through, but it was evident that the past years had not been kind to him.

I had prepared a mellow tomato soup. No one spoke; there was so much weighing Ollivander down, and it was affecting all of us.

Finally, he addressed the group. "I know that you are all wondering what has happened to me to make me this way."

We looked down in uncomfortable silence.

"I shall tell you. I was imprisoned in the cellar of the Malfay Manor for over a year. Apparently, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named saw my knowledge of wandlore as valuable and useful to him. Do you remember Harry telling you about how his wand acted strangely when he was being transferred to the Burrow?"

"I do," George said in a small voice.

"Good." Ollivander sipped more soup from his spoon. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named became worried that Harry could overpower him. You see, Harry and his wands have a twin core. Feathers from the very same pheonix. He wanted another wand from me, one that would give him more power. More precisely, the most power. He tortured me for information on the Elder Wand."

"Really?" I was in disbelief. "It's real?"

"Him and Harry Potter both seem to think so."

"Is it possible? From the Tale of the Three Brothers story?"

"It is entirely possible. Harry and his friends questioned me about it. Harry also wanted me to fix his wand, but it was broken beyond repair."

We sat there quietly, taking in all the information we'd been given.

"That's nonsense," Muriel finally spoke up. "Stop trying to scare the kids, Garrick."

Ollivander smiled, though it appeared to strain him. "I'm just telling them what I know."

Later, when we were supposed to be in bed, I paid a visit to the twins' room. I sat on the floor. They sat on their beds, in their pajamas, staring at me.

"It's kind of a lot to take in," I was saying. "If the Elder Wand is real, then..."

"So are the Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of Invisibility," Fred finished.

I shook my head in wonder. If Harry was looking for the Deathly Hallows, and he found the Resurrection Stone, I could bring back my father...

"You can't." George said.

I looked up at him. "What?"

"I know what you're thinking. Even if we had the Stone, it'd be wrong to bring him back. Remember in the story? The second brother's love was in misery, and it caused him to commit suicide."

I stared at George. I'd never known him to be so thoughtful. But his logic made sense. "You're right. I don't like it, but you're right."

Fred had been watching our exchange silently. "I knew you were thinking that too, you know."

I smiled at him.

"Guys, You-Know-Who is obviously on the hunt for the Deathly Hallows to make him the most powerful wizard ever," George said.

"That must be what Ron, Harry, and Hermione are doing, too!" Fred exclaimed. "Harry said Dumbledore left him a job to do. That must be it! They're going to find them so You-Know-Who doesn't."

"Yeah, that's got to be it," I agreed. "Ollivander was talking about Harry, too."

"I just hope they're doing okay and that they succeed."

"Me too." I got up and crossed the room to give Fred a hug and kiss. "Goodnight," I whispered.

"Goodnight, Love," he whispered back.

I left for the door, but when I got there I turned around. "I guess I should say goodnight to you too. Night, George."

"Night, Izzy." I smiled and left.