George and I are inseparable. We were born together, we goof around together, we work on homework together, and now we're planning to open a shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, together. Notice a few trends here?
We're never just Fred or just George. We're always Fred and George. It's like it's been combined into one name. One person. Not even our own mother can tell us apart, and that, I think, is the heart of our problem. George disagrees; he thinks it really only started when we first started calling ourselves Gred and Forge, but I'm not so sure. I think it began the day we were born. That sounds so melodramatic, but hey, I've always been the more cynical brother.
See, our Mum might not be able to tell us apart enough to know who is Fred and who is George, but neither can we. Dad always jokes about how, when he and Mum brought us back from St. Mungo's, the Healers had put us in matching baby clothes, and neither of them could figure out which twin was which. He always assures us that they sorted it out after a while (not-so-subtly glossing over exactly how they sorted it out), but I don't believe that.
I think they just guessed.
And so began a very long tradition of being just Fredandgeorge Weasley.
Over the years, we used various magical means to learn which of us is which, but that only confused us more. The family clock says I'm Fred and he's George, but a name revealing spell labels me George and my twin, Fred. The Hogwarts letter for George Weasley came to me while Fred Weasley's went to him, but the Marauder's map declares my footsteps as Fred's and my brother's as George's.
So eventually, we decided to just pick our names. I'm Fred, and he's George. He's Gred, and I'm Forge. Some people remark on how alike we are, and ask how we don't get upset about being mixed up as often as we are. I always wonder how it could be possible for me to be upset with being called George if there's a 50/50 chance of me actually being George.
Sometimes, when the rest of our dorm-mates are asleep and I'm just left staring into space, I wonder if we'll ever find someone who can tell us apart, no matter which name we use.
Or maybe we'll always be Fredandgeorge Weasley. I guess it wouldn't be so bad. We are inseparable, after all.
George and I are walking through the corridors after classes, debating about which type of blood-replenishing potion we should use in the cure side of the Nosebleed Nougats, when we see a softly humming Ravenclaw girl wandering towards us. Ever since we first discovered our knack for mischief-making and managing, we've always made it our business to keep track of which students are being harassed or bullied, and always make sure to reserve our more devious or experimental pranks for their antagonists.
Thus, we recognize Luna Lovegood instantly.
"Hello, love," I greet the blonde girl, wrapping one arm casually around her shoulders and turning to walk with her, as I know George is doing the same on her other side.
"How's our favorite Raven doing today?" George asks cheerfully, but I can see him scanning her for any signs of pain or tears or general unhappiness. I'm doing the same thing, after all.
"Hello," Luna replies with her typical not-quite-there smile, "I'm doing well today, actually. It was the oddest thing; all of my housemates woke up this morning with their hair colored the most horrid shade of pink. The nargles are watching me suspiciously, but I think that a pair of particularly sleepy deliums are more likely the cause of it."
Do to the fact that we both learned Luna-speak years ago, George and I have no problem understanding what she means. Nargles are bullies (generally Ravenclaws, but really any hostile students). Deliums are friends: people who know that there is more to her than just Loony Lovegood. Sleepy usually means protective or caring, and as such is usually only used when referring to deliums.
I hum quietly in thought. "We'll have to spell our hair as well, Gred, so everyone will know it was us. We can't let a Raven—not even our wonderful Luna—take credit for our hard work, now can we?"
My brother puts his hand over his heart in mock-horror. "Oh, but imagine the scandal it would cause, Forge! Ah well, necessary sacrifices and such. Luna dear, do you mind if we charm your hair as well, so that no one suspects you of being involved?"
"It's set to come off on its own when you fall asleep tonight," I add.
"Of course," Luna agrees, "We wouldn't want the wrackspurts to start anything because of this; you know how they like to encourage the nargles."
We nod in our usual perfect unison. Wrackspurts are gossipers; people who spread rumors and talk behind a person's back but never do anything directly, unlike nargles. "We'd best be off then, darling, to have time to set up the spell again," I tell her as I remove my arm from its place around her shoulders.
George follows my example and gives a few parting words of advice to the somewhat odd Raven. "Avoid the nargles, alright Luna girl? And feed some of the deliums as well; you know they get stressed during the day." Translation: Avoid the bullies, and go visit your friends because they get worried when they haven't seen you.
"Ta ta!" we chirp at the same time, following the words with exaggerated bows.
Luna gives us her usual dreamy smile as she waves us goodbye, but her eyes are sharper than normal as she says happily, "Goodbye Fred, goodbye George." And then she turns and continues walking away, leaving us to stare after her, shocked.
Why, you ask?
She got our names right.
And not in the 'I guessed, but cool, I got it right!' way that we sometimes get from people. It's like she knew without a single doubt that I'm Fred and he's George. Slowly, George and I turn our heads to look at each other, and huge, relieved grins spread across our identical faces.
"Wicked!"
Maybe we won't always be just Fredandgeorge. Maybe there's hope, after all.
A/N: And yes, my lovelies, there are deep, poetic, symbolic reasons for each of Luna's 'creatures'. Bonus points and cookies to any reviewers who can answer any of these:
What quote from the Order of the Phoenix made me decide that nargles are bullies?
What quote made me decide that wrackspurts are gossipers?
Why do deliums get stressed during the day?
Or, if you are now super curious, you can PM me for the answers to these questions.
