Hi! So, I hope this doesn't suck too bad and makes some sense. Thank you, XxXRegretXxX, for beta-ing this.
And umm...I do not own any of these characters or Harry Potter. If I did, it wouldn't be as totally awesome as it is now.
Chapter 1: Hope
There was a flash. A loud bang. George remembered the terror and adrenaline pounding through his entire body. He had jumped away just as a light crossed the room, and a deafening crash filled his ears. He opened his eyes to see if everyone was safe; if the Death Eater had hurt anybody. He saw Ginny and Ron slowly getting up, and Harry groaning from pain. But there was a single body on the ground, unmoving. A body identical to his, from the flaming red hair to the long, skinny legs.
Still in shock, he walked the short distance to that body, hoping with all his strength that it would hop up, grin, and then anxiously check to see if everyone was alright. But when he approached Fred, he was met with an already pale face and the ghost of his last smile. George tried to pull his twin up and smiled at Percy, exclaiming that it was bloody time Percy came to his senses, only to be answered with still silence. And that was when he realized Fred was dead.
The body was flooded by the Weasleys and the others, leaving George to just stand there unmoving. He knew that he could no longer go on. He knew that he would never be whole again. He knew that he would only be half of who he was from then on. He knew that Voldemort was going down. And nothing would ever be the same again.
It was two years later, Voldemort was dead, and everyone had gone off, attempting to live out a full and normal life. George knew that that could never happen for him. He would lie down on his bed alone, and cry out shamelessly for his lost twin. He had been forced to go out and have fun with Harry and the gang, but it just wasn't the same. He had tried running the shop alone, but would always find himself turning to that reliable friend who wasn't there, and could never be there.
He was living with only half a heart, half a soul. He wasn't even sure this was considered living anymore. It was a dull existence, to still be breathing and in this world, when he knew his other half could never have the same.
All he knew was that he couldn't go on alone anymore. After all, what was life without your best friend and companion? George lay on his bed, wishing that he didn't need to live with half a life, when a sharp knock startled him.
"Blimey George, get out of bed and do something already," Ginny yelled out in frustration. George smiled at the normality of the annoyance in her voice. She entered his room noisily, saw him lying on the bed, eyes wide open and with tears still streaked across his face. Her tone immediately softened as she took in the situation. "Come on, George. You have to get out sometime," her voice lowered, "You know that he wouldn't have wanted this for you."
"How would we know what he wanted? He never told us and he's not here to tell us anymore," George pouted, knowing that he sounded like git, but not caring.
"George, please, stop acting like this. This-" she motioned across the bed and around the depressing room, "is not you! This is not who you are, what both of you used to be." She frowned slightly as George snorted. "Oh, George! Just come out with us today and try to feel better, ok? Not just for your health, which is important, but for the rest of the lot. Look at Mum, do you really think she can feel better when all you do is mope around all day? Help her get over this too!" George sat there, still, staring blankly at her throughout her whole rant. "So…? Will you come? What do you think?"
George stared at her, smiling, and sitting up straighter with a sudden, rare gleam in his eyes. "I think that's…spiffing. Absolutely spiffing."
Ginny giggled and promptly jumped up and clapped. "Now that's the George I remember. Get dressed and meet us downstairs. You might want to wait awhile, though, Mum's yelling at Bill for getting sacked. Again." Ginny ran out of the room giddily and ran down to tell about George's consent to joining them today. As soon as she was out of the room, his smile disappeared and he sighed, as he dragged himself across his once shared room and attempted to dress properly.
Ginny ran down into a room filled with Mrs. Weasley's screams, yelling about how no one seemed capable of holding a decent job.
"Mum! Mum!" Ginny continued yelling as no one seemed to listen to her. "Harry! Ron! Hermione! Guess what we'll be doing today?"
"Hopefully getting some sweets, right? Mum says that we're all out," Ron replied, slightly grumpy from the lack of food.
Hermione smacked Ron in the back and turned to Ginny. She smiled sweetly to excuse Ron's behavior. "What is it Ginny? You seem hardly capable of containing your excitement."
Ginny stood there, watching Mrs. Weasley continue yelling, waiting for her to stop. Molly seemed to notice her, smile sheepishly, and pulled Bill into another room, muttering about how 'they weren't done with the conversation and there was more to come.'
Ginny smiled at the silence, and the three of them watched as Ginny began bouncing up and down to yell out, "George said that he'd be coming with us today!"
The trio stared at her blankly before Hermione stood up straighter, with a slightly guilty expression, to ask, "Coming with us where exactly?"
"I don't know! Anywhere! The point is George has been cooped up in his room since forever ago! He hasn't been able to actually come out and have fun. Can you even remember what he used to be like?" Ginny took in a deep breath, smiled, and continued. "So, where are we going today?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other, before Hermione nudged Harry, who mumbled out, "We...kind of have plans already, Ginny."
Ginny stared at them for a minute before yelling out, "What do you mean 'already got plans'? Ron, you're own brother! And not just you Ron, but all of you. He needs this, please help." She looked at the trio, who stared out the ground, afraid of making eye contact. "Anyways, what 'plans' do you have? You lot aren't really the busiest people in the world."
Hermione looked up apologetically and said, "We were just going to go back down to Diagon Alley and meet someone there."
"That's it? Who is it? Take George with you!"
"Well..." Hermione turned back to Harry and Ron. "Do you think-?"
"Yeah. Yeah. We'll take him with us. No problem," Harry interrupted, to be replied with a glare from Hermione for interrupting her. "Are you going to be coming with us, Ginny?"
"Do you want me with you? Aren't you lot meeting a secret person there?" Ginny replied dryly.
"Yea-no...wait." Harry stumbled, confused with which question he was answering. "Yes, Ginny, we want you with us. So come, please?"
"Yes, I'm going with you. I don't trust all of you enough to leave you alone with George." Ginny smiled. "But first, what the bloody hell is wrong with Ron? He hasn't said a word the whole time!"
They all stared at Ron, to find him staring at a space in the corner. They turned to stare at the wall. Hermione sighed, "I did it last time, Harry, it's your turn."
Harry glared for a few seconds, before raising his wand, muttering a spell, and sending the minuscule spider out the door, allowing Ron to finally move.
The odd redhead sighed in relief before raising his head and saying cheerfully, "So, what were you people talking about?"
He was answered with glares and a slap from Hermione and Ginny. Harry slowly pointed his wand at Ron, and muttered "Silencio."
George took off the Extendable Ear and smiled to himself. Having heard the entire conversation, he felt a longing to go back to his old life and strong love for his family. Today, things were going to change. George would try to get better, if not for his happiness, but for the others' happiness too. He knew that Fred would've wanted him to continue on. So he would. He raised his wand and readied himself to apparate into the kitchen. George sighed and thought to himself, "Today is going to be a very long day."