AN: This is the first and only Harry Potter fan fiction I've ever written. I wrote it when I was like 14 and it sucks but feel free to read it anyway, even if it's just to amuse yourself or a way to procrastinate from whatever you're supposed to be doing right now.

Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, if I was this would be a LOT better. I'm just a 16 year old who entertains herself by borrowing real authors' characters and writing (mostly unfinished) stories with them at ungodly hours of the night.

A New Hope

It was March 31st, 1999, and here I was, standing on the roof of the building that had brought me so much joy in life. How ironic that this was the place that I chose to end it all. It just isn't the same without him. He had been by my side for 20 years, he'd been my, slightly less handsome, partner in crime and he'd been my best friend. Tomorrow would've been our 21st birthday, the day we've planned since before I can remember, but Fred will never turn 21 and I refuse to do it without him.

I had never seen Diagon Alley look as empty as it did as I stood on top of building number 93, not a soul was to be seen and I was alone with my thoughts. I looked down and was surprised at how high up I was, WWW premises had never seemed so tall from down on the ground!

A sudden gust of wind nearly knocked me off my feet but I caught myself just in time. I had to admit, I was starting to have second thoughts about this. But death was better than a life without my twin. Death I could face.

"George! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

That voice. I'd missed that voice so much, the only thing I've ever missed more is the person it belonged to. Despite the voice in my head telling me it was impossible I turned around, knowing that with Fred, anything was possible. Sure enough, there he was standing in front of me just as I remembered him, if not slightly paler.

"Wha- How are you- I thought you were DEAD!" I spluttered, barely capable of forming anything resembling a sentence.

"I'm just here to visit. It's a reward from the Reapers, they're rather pleased with me,"

I raised an eyebrow, that didn't sound like Fred at all!

"Well, not really, they told me to make myself scarce while they straightened out all the trouble I'd caused or they'd banish me for good…"

I couldn't help but smile, that was more like it, death hadn't changed my brother one little bit.

"So anyway, I decided to go visit Angelina but I found myself here instead. Even though I'm dead I still seem to have this sixth sense that lets me know when you need me and it seems like you do. Why are you up here, Georgie?"

"I can't carry on without you by my side, Fred. There's no way I'm turning 21 without you. The pain all ends here."

"Killing yourself isn't gonna make the pain go away, George, it'll just pass it on to everyone that loves you,"

"That's not what I-"

He cut me off, "Mum, Dad, think of what it'll do to them. Mum cried herself to sleep every night after Percy left, and I'm sure she was even worse after what happened to me, you know you can't do this to her! And I bet Dad hasn't gone near his shed since I died, he'd be a wreck if he lost another one of his sons"

"I know but-"

Fred was determined not to let me interrupt. "But nothing, George! What about Ginny and Ron? They've gone through enough without having to cope with this too. And Bill, Charlie and Percy? They're just gonna blame themselves if you die too"

"IT'S NOT THEIR DECISION THOUGH! IT'S MINE!" I'd never been this angry with him before.

"But it's the wrong one. You know deep down that you can't go through with this. Not without tearing our family apart. Is that really what you want?"

I let out a deep sigh "No. Of course not."

"Then promise me you won't do anything stupid. Not now, not ever."

"I promise." I whispered, and I truly meant it.

"Shake on it."

I smiled remembering the silly handshake we had made up, back when we were kids, for when we were promising each other something. It felt strange to be using it now, after so much had changed.

"Hey, Fred?"

"What?"

"Remember when we were 16 and we tried to enter the Triwizard Tournament, even though we were too young."

"Yeah, I remember. And we used an Aging Potion but it backfired horribly."

"I kinda wish that wasn't the only time I ever saw you old…"

"Aww, George, don't go all sappy on me. You're gonna make me cry."

"It's okay to cry, Fred. If there's one thing I've learnt from all this it's that crying doesn't make you weak, it just makes you human."

"I never thought I'd say this but… You're right. I have to go back now, can you promise me just one more thing before I go?"

"Depends, what is it?"

"Tell everyone that I'll never really be gone. I'll always be with them, for as long as they keep my memory alive."

I smiled, "That I can do. I miss you, Freddy. More than you could ever believe."

"I know, Georgie. I miss you too."

And with that he turned away.

He'd never realise that he turned my life around that night; I had a new happiness in me that I knew would last for as long as I lived.

And so I went home, looking forward to tomorrow so much more than I had been earlier that night, knowing that it would mark not a year of my life without Fred, but a new chapter, a new hope.