Title: A Twin's World
Author: RoboTitaness (Fr0st6yte)
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Fred Weasley, George Weasley
Genre: Angst, Family
Summary: Every Christmas, they were considered one and the same. Except this one.
"Mum, this is for Fred! I'm George!" The redhead pouted at the woman in front of him, pushing a gold-wrapped box away from him. The woman sighed, smiling apologetically.
"I'm sorry, dear. Here you go." Taking away the gold present, she handed him the red one in her arms. The boy sitting across from him, identical in every way, down to the very pout he was now wearing.
"No, he's joking, mum. I'm George!"
"No, Fred just wants my presents! My favorite color is red, not gold!"
"Muuum!" both boys cried, staring up at Molly. She looked to her husband pleadingly.
"I told you, dear. You should've just given all the presents to both of them. They do it every year." Arthur shrunk back at the glare she shot him. "Boys, don't tease your mother."
"Not our fault she can't tell us apart," The first boy muttered.
"We don't even look anything alike," the second one agreed.
"Here!" Molly dropped both presents in between them. "You can both open them up! I'll just wrap all your presents in both red and gold from now on." She hurried over to where her youngest son and only daughter were arguing. "Ginerva, you cannot have Ronald's quidditch set! Here, take this doll…" The twins drowned out their mother's sentence with their shouts of excitement.
"Forge, look!"
"Beater bats, Gred!"
"Wicked!" They said together, grinning widely at each other.
"Everyone downstairs?" Molly did a quick headcount of her children and checked for Harry and Hermione. "Now you can start opening your presents."
"George, here, catch!," Ron said, throwing him a gold present, before quickly crossing over to where his girlfriend was looking through the books she got. He didn't notice the odd look on his older brother's face.
"George, it's your turn!"
"No, I did it last year!" The two older boys faced each other, arms crossed, glares on their faces.
"No, you claimed sick last year!"
"That was the New Year's party, git! Not Christmas!"
"I still had to pretend to be both of us then!"
"You take today; I'll take New Year's." George held out his hand for his brother to shake. "Besides, you'll enjoy the show tonight." Fred put on his best mock-hurt look.
"You planned a prank without me? And here I thought we were brothers."
"Someone has to convince Mum we're both at the party. You change clothes faster."
"George? Aunt Muriel is here. Come down and help us greet the rest of the guests!" The redhead pushed himself off his bed, descending the stairs quietly.
Bill watched his brother carefully, mindful whenever he got close to the punch bowl. As the oldest, his mother had entrusted him with prank-watch, and he was on his guard for the slightest whiff of a plan from the third youngest Weasley.
The night passed by quietly.
"Filibuster's?"
"Filibuster's."
"Sweater?"
"Sweater."
"Ears?"
"Ears," George confirmed, holding out the objects for his twin's perusal.
"Seems like we're all ready, Mr. Weasley."
"Seems like we are, Mr. Weasley." They shared a smirk. "This'll teach them to keep us out of meetings." When George turned back to set the charges, Fred felt a small pang of remorse, before squashing it. It was only after they were all set up that Fred brought up any objection.
"George, are we sure about this? Setting Ron up… And just forcing our way in?"
"Fred, Dad's in Mungo's! I think we deserve to know what's happening. As for Ron," here George paused. "Mum would never believe that Ginny was trying to find out what's happening in the Order. It has to be Ron. Mum won't be too hard on him - it's nearly Christmas, after all."
"Just leave the sweater," Fred persuaded. "It'd be too obvious. We don't want to deal with a mopey Ron during Christmas anyways." Plus he didn't really want to get Ron in trouble now.
George hesitated before nodding. "Always the conscience, aren't you?"
"How many times have I told you, Ronald Weasley, to not go through my papers?" All the figures in the room - previously celebrating - froze at the anger coating the man's words. The son in question's face though, was screwed up in confusion.
"Dad? What are you talki-" He stuttered to a stop at the cutting stern look.
"My papers from Kingsley," he answered, still standing rigidly in the doorway to his study. "The Ministry ones labeled classified. They've been gone through."
"Dad, I didn't look at them!" Ron pleaded, looking at their mum for help. "I -"
"Don't," Arthur replied shortly, holding up the Gryffindor scarf that Ron just got as a present. "You're grounded. Go to your room." As everyone alternated between staring at Ron and their father, no one but Percy noticed George's slightly guilty glance.
"George, I think we've outgrown full-time education… Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?"
"Definitely."
"You haven't got a letter on yours. I suppose he thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid — we know our names are Gred and Forge."
"Wow — we're identical!"
"I dunno, though, I think I'm still better-looking."
"Point is, people, don't get lulled into a false sense of security, thinking he's out of the country. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but the fact remains he can move faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo when he wants to, so don't count on him being a long way away if you're planning to take any risks. I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but safety first!"
George shot another stunner, before ducking down behind another pillar. He saw Fred dash off, running after Percy. He didn't follow, trying to shake off the two enemies closing in on him. Suddenly, he heard shouts behind him, just as he felt a sharp pain rip through his chest. He stumbled, managing to stay behind the pillar, out of range of the Death Eaters.
"No! Fred! No!"
And at that moment, George Weasley was no more alive than his twin.
A/N:
Cross posted on ArchiveOfOurOwn (Fr0st6yte)
Wow, my first non-Marauders story! Shocker. I hope I got the twins right. This was really, really, really, insanely hard to write. All the bolded parts are straight from the books/movies. Based on a challenge for angst between me, XtaticPearl, and KiernaSerea. Expect more stories to follow!
Thanks for reading! Feedback is the fuel to this lonely college student!
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