March To The Sea - George Weasley ✔️

- 1 4 8 - A NEW JOURNEY

GEORGE AND LORELEI STOOD ON THE EDGE OF THE POND, BOTH NOT MOVING AS THE NIGHT BECAME LATER. He didn't want her to leave, and she didn't want to go. She held her wand in one hand and George's hand in the other. He squeezed gently before he let go.

Lorelei watched as he sat down curiously. She took a deep breath before she began to strip, starting with her shoes. George had brought a bag that he would bring her things home, so as she stripped, he gently placed the items in the bag. Once she only wore a thin shirt, she stepped into the pond, allowing the transformation to happen. She rarely went in the water since her mother's death, so her body was a bit sore as it became accustomed to the tail again.

She grinned mischievously at George before she took off her last article of clothing causing him to widen his eyes and look away a bit flushed. "W-What're you doing, love?"

"Merfolk don't wear tops. They'll cast me out the moment they see it," she said with a laugh, leaning over the grass to get a final look at her fiancé. He finally glanced back over at her, face red but a smile on it. Lorelei's tail came up causing George to glance at it, beaming brighter.

"Your tail has a few new colors," he stated, moving closer to look at it, "grey and orange dots. It looks beautiful in the different blues. I still remember the first day I saw your tail."

"What a time that was," Lorelei teased, grabbing her wand from the grass next to George.

"Where'll you put it?" George questioned.

Lorelei frowned thinking of her first stop. "I have yet to go to our old cove... Mum had a bag she used to collect seashells. I'll put it in that."

"When you come home, you can bring anything from your cove," he whispered with a tight smile. "Where does your grandmother live?"

"Near Italy was the last my Mum said. Before I go," Lorelei said, pulling off her engagement ring, "here. I don't want to lose it." George frowned as he reached out his hand for her to lay it in his palm. "Take care of it."

George nodded, knowing their time together was over. "I love you, Lorelei."

"I can't wait to marry you," Lorelei whispered as he gently caressed her face. "I love you more."

"Not even possible," he said with a grin. "Be careful, please."

"Don't worry too much," she said, matching his grin. They were both trying to hide their anxiety. "Tell Dumbledore I left."

"I will," he said. She turned to look at the water. With one more glance back, George quickly leaned over the water to kiss her. After the short kiss, she gave him a shy wave before diving into the water toward her home.

George could see her silhouette disappearing. Once he couldn't see her anymore, he let out a choked sob as he stared at the ring in his hand. He wanted her to come right back in his arms where he knew it was safe. Leaning against their tree, he pulled his knees up as he stared at the ring with a heated glare. He had just given it to her, and now he held it again. She was his fiancée, and she would be in South America soon. She promised every Friday, but he knew how unlikely that was.

A crack was heard near the Burrow itself, but George paid no mind to it. He gripped his hair with one hand and tightened his fist around the ring with the other. He felt his shoulders shake as another sob left his mouth.

A body sat next to him, and George leaned over to allow his brother to hold him. Fred frowned at his brother's actions, quickly pulling him into his embrace. "It'll be all right, Georgie... she--she'll be okay."

George only sobbed harder. Fred tightened his hold on his brother while he cried, trying to provide any sort of comfort.

Fred could see George open his hand for a second, a flash of Lorelei's engagement ring was shown. Fred backed away, reaching into his pocket for anything useful. When he pulled out a chain for one of their products, he broke off the product itself. He gently opened George's hand, grabbing the ring. George was about to protest, but he saw his brother slide the ring on the chain. "Come on, turn around. You can wear it until she returns," he said with a grin, watching as George wiped his eyes and nodded. After Fred put it on him, George looked at it once more before sticking it under his shirt. "Mum'll have a dessert of some sort. Want to get some?"

George sniggered, keeping his eyes on the water. "I keep thinking if I stay here, she'll come back up and tell Dumbledore no to the mission."

"It's bloody freezing, mate. Let's go inside," Fred implored, standing up and extending an arm to his brother. George stared at it for a moment before nodding and taking it. "Mum'll be shocked to see us, yeah?"

George glanced at the Burrow to see the kitchen light on. Smirking slightly, he said, "I think she knew we'd be here."

Lorelei swam down to her cove, heart getting heavier by the second. She didn't want to leave, not at all. All she could think of was how hurt George and Fred were by her leaving. She thought for a moment as her tail flowed through the water. Lorelei went through the water as if she never left all those years ago. She almost felt as if she would see her mother as soon as she reached her cove.

Once she made it, she found her mother's bag. She dumped out the uglier shells and replaced them with her wand. Once she knew her wand would be fine, she glanced around her home once more. She found her mother's old breast-covers, quickly putting them on since she wasn't as comfortable as she used to be. Lorelei knew the merfolk hated covering, but they tolerated handmade breast-covers like the one she was wearing. The last thing she grabbed was her mother's compass that was mermaid enchanted to lead her where she wanted to go.

Finally ready to start her journey, she began to swim out of her home. Lorelei followed the compass, knowing it would take her to her grandmother.