When Fred dies unexpectedly, nobody knows why. But then George finds that his twin kept a journal; containing secrets that will haunt him forever...

Secrets Unknown

Chapter One: "Now that we're apart"

George looked down at the papers he held in his hand and smoothed them out in front of him on the stand before looking out at the audience of people looking at him expectantly. He felt nothing. No fear, no sadness, nothing. Just emptiness. Clearing his throat he spoke in a loud clear voice.

"Fred was my brother and best friend," he began, his voice steady and strong, "but he wanted no part of this world, magical or mortal." He stopped and surveyed his audience. A few people sniffled, one person in the third row was shaking uncontrollably but most people were silent. Nobody could believe the reason they were here today. It had happened so suddenly. So unexpectedly. Taking a deep breath, George started again.

"I ask all of you, did you have any clue? Did he give any sign? I was his brother and I had my suspicions but never did I dream he would-" his voice cracked and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again he could spoke no louder than a whisper, "How could he?"

When he found he could no longer continue he was escorted gently away from the stand and he walked shakily back to his seat, defiantly ignoring the eyes of the people watching him so closely, as though waiting for any sign that he may try the same tactics as his twin.

When the ceremony had finished, and his mother, father and older brother Charlie had all spoken they all gathered back at the Weasley family home that had become so empty since most of the children had moved out. He had been living with Fred in the apartment above their newly established business in Hogsmeade. Ron had finished at Hogwarts and was now living with his girlfriend, Hermione, in Surrey and Ginny was in her last year of school. The rickety old house had been quite empty for a long, long time and now it was full of people. George almost felt a sense of contentment at seeing his old home so full of people and full of the bustling life he used to enjoy when he, too, lived here. The only problem being the reason for this sudden activity and movement inside 'The Burrow'.

George sat by himself during the small reception. Due to respect for his demised twin, rarely did people talk to him and he liked it that way. He didn't really like being the brooding kid in the corner but for once, the usually outgoing twin felt nothing like looking on the brighter side of life.

"George?" George turned his head away from his thoughts and looked up at the sound of his name being uttered. He tried to smile at the girl but upon being unsuccessful in this feat, merely nodded. The girl sat down next to him and cradled the glass of lemonade she was holding between two hands, watching it carefully.

"Did you have any idea of what he was planning?" the girl whispered, her voice thick with shed tears.

George shook his head, "did you?"

The glass in the girl's hand began to tremble as she started shaking all over. Shaking her head slightly, a tear cascaded down her cheek and she closed her eyes tight, leaning into George as he put his arm around her.

"Do you think it was my fault?" she asked him softly, speaking into his jacket where she was being held.

George shook his head, "why would you think that?" he asked her in surprise, easing her away from himself gently.

The girl shook her head, eyes still closed, "I don't know," she said, her voice still soft, "I'm just trying to think of why he would...do that," she finished lamely, her voice shaking.

George held her tighter, "I want to know why he did it too," he told her gently, "but I don't think it's anyone's fault. Especially yours," he told her with a small squeeze.

She smiled at him and went back to examining her glass of lemonade when someone said her voice, too.

"Angelina? Someone was looking for you earlier." Ginny told the girl. Angelina nodded and stood up.

"Who was it, Gin?" she asked the small, red-headed girl before her.

Ginny pointed towards the other side of the living room where a girl with light brown hair was talking to a boy with jet black hair and emerald coloured eyes, "Katie," she told Angelina who nodded and went off in search of her friend.

Once Angelina had left Ginny looked uncomfortably at George who smiled back at his younger sister to let her know she didn't have to be worried about what to say to him. Ginny smiled back.

"Will you move back here for a while?" she asked her older brother, sitting in the seat Angelina had just vacated.

George thought for a moment. He had been staying at The Burrow for the past week while they made arrangements for the funeral but he hadn't really thought of what he was going to do long-term. He shook his head, "I don't know, Gin."

Ginny nodded, not wanting to press the matter. As much as she hated the fact that she would never see her older brother again, she couldn't help feeling a little happy with the way her whole family was together again. Even if it was minus one of her favourite family members, her brother Charlie was back from Romania, Bill was taking a month off from work to stay with his parents and even Ron and Percy were going to be at the house frequently. She, herself, was going to stay with her family for a few more weeks yet, before going back to school. Since George looked a little distant she murmured her excuses before heading back to the kitchen to grab another pastry to eat.

George watched her go. He hadn't thought about where he would stay. At least their shop was up and running and rarely required their help anymore so he wouldn't me missed for a while. He smiled grimly at the way he still thought of the shop as 'theirs'. Well, it was. They had opened it together; they had invented all the products available for sale and it would continue to be 'theirs' for the rest of the other twin's life.

Getting up from the chair he was sitting on, George walked over to where his mother was sitting, chatting absentmindedly to Mrs Wilks, a neighbour.

"Mum?" he said, trying to get her attention. She looked up from her conversation, her eyes rimmed with red, the bags under her eyes prominently displaying lack of sleep over many nights. She smiled when she saw her son.

"What is it, George dear?" she asked him, grasping his hand with her own.

"Um, I'm gonna go back home," he told her with difficulty as he watched her disappointment grow, crossing her features quickly.

"But, George, I-" she started but he cut her off.

"I'm gonna get some stuff and then come back," he told her and she smiled once more, nodding and letting go of his hand.

Walking through the living room full of people milling around, chatting to each other, reminiscing and remembering he slipped into the kitchen and took a flowerpot off the mantelpiece before stepping before the fireplace. Throwing a handful of the glittery powder from the flowerpot into the fireplace he hesitated before stepping in. He hadn't been back to the store since...well since he was needed at home. Regaining some of his courage he stepped into the flickering fire and said quietly and audibly, "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes."