This is just a thing if Fred wrote a letter to George for him to read when he died, and George found and read it. Enjoy:)
PS. This is written for the Quidditch Leauge Fanfiction Competition with the prompt of writting a letter to a sibling, and the additional prompts of the word 'old', the emotion, 'jealousy', and the quote "The most important thing in life is to see to it that you are never beaten" by Andre Malraux. :)
Letters from the Sky
"The most important thing in life is to see to it that you are never beaten" – Andre Malraux
Dear George,
I'm not sure when you'll get this, but I hope it's later rather than sooner. If you've found this letter, then it means that I'm already gone from this world. I know you'll be the only one to read this, as you're the only one who'll know where to look. I'm writing this in seventh year, I thought you should know, and- (Breaking up this letter to tell you that I just heard half a dozen first years simultaneously throw up on each other, so I guess that one works)- and we're just planning our flight from Hogwarts. There's not much point of telling you all this, seeing as you're here and know it as well as I do, but there are some things I feel like I might need to remind you of.
In a way, I hope you read this, because it means that you've outlived me, and because I know that I'd never be able to bear it if it were the other way around. Of course, I would try, and you will too (won't you, George), because that's what we always said; never be beaten. Don't let life (or lack thereof) beat you. And keep the joke shop. Don't let my legacy die with me.
You know, the more I write, the more I realize that there's not much to say, other than that I hope you do get to read this, in a very long time. Maybe we'll grow old together, and everything we're doing now will just be a distant, childish dream. Maybe you'll be reading this with grey hair, surrounded by our grandchildren. But maybe not. The good die young, George. We both know that.
It could have been both of us- and it would have been fitting, wouldn't it have been? Born together, lived together, died together. But it's better this way, that you're still around, so at least I can trust that there's someone causing mischief in the world. And on the chance you're still young and reading this (God forbid, but one must be prepared), I don't know, name a kid after me or something. And teach him all the things we learned. Make sure he gives his professors hell from his old Uncle Fred.
And- no. There's footsteps coming now. I'd know your footsteps anywhere. Oh, Merlin, you can't read this yet. But I wasn't done.
I guess I am.
Sincerely, your brother, always,
Fred
Dear Fred,
It's been two weeks, four days and seventeen hours. I'd take your place, but of course I can't do that. And after reading your letter, I'm not even sure you'd let me. And I'd join you, too, but I know you'd never forgive me if I did. So I'll stay here, and keep the shop, like you asked. I'll start it up again, after a while, but I can't make myself go there now. You understand, don't you? It's just a sick reminder of all the things we could do when we were together, all the things you'll never be able to do again. Merlin, I don't know how I'm going to be able to make myself be how I was.
Every time I look at our old pictures, it's like seeing a ghost. How is it that there's only one of us, Fred? We were never two people; we were two parts of a whole. We were one person, one mind, and now I'm only half.
I saw the Patil twins yesterday. They told me they were sorry about you, and they wanted to talk to me, but I couldn't even look at them. It was childish of me, because they're not at fault, but I couldn't help myself. Why do they get to stay together if we don't? They aren't us. They're not even in the same House. And we did everything together. I bet half our House couldn't even tell us apart. How do they have the right to be whole, when look at us, Fred. Look at me- look at you.
We could have grown old together, in another world. But in that world, we might not have won the war either. But to be honest, right now, I can't even tell if that could have been that much worse. You're a hero, and I know that as well as the next guy, but sometimes I can't help wishing you weren't. I'd rather you not be a hero at all if it meant that you'd still be with me. That we'd still be together.
And I'm selfish, I'm so bloody selfish. But the truth is, three weeks ago, I could have pictured the fall of the Wizarding World before I could have pictured us being separated. I probably could have handled it better too.
But you're right. We're still the Weasley twins, no matter what separates us. I'm still me and you're still you and we're still us. And someday we'll meet again, and we'll be together, like we always should be. Just because we're alone for now, doesn't mean we always will be. They haven't beaten us, Fred. They never have, and they never will. We're unbeatable, because there's no way to beat a man who isn't scared of life or death. I will live, and I'll live for both us. And when I die, I'll die for both of us too, and we'll finally be whole again.
I'll see you soon, Fred. Promise.
Your brother, always,
George
Dear George,
No need to come too soon, brother. I can wait.
Fred
