Chapter III: The Torture Curse
A/N: I've had this chapter written up for ages, I just never got around to typing it up XX. It's not beta'd yet...but my beta isn't around right now, so the moment she edits it for me, after her return, I'll give you the edited version. I've just had the urge to put it up straight away, so please bare with me. Hints of DracoxHarry begin in this chapter.

The moonlight dashed wondrously through the half-opened half-closed window of the room Fred and George had grown up in…well since the day they had learned to talk and walk till the last year. It was a room he'd grown quite fond of. One that had witnessed most, if not all the twin's secrets. They had spent every waking moment alone together in this room…whenever they could go without being interrupted that is. Yet now…

Fred wasn't with him anymore. It had been nearly two weeks now and yet it felt like years since he'd last seen his face…touched his smooth skin and felt Fred's arms and fingers graze his own body in the heat of lust and passion…he missed it. He missed it quite dearly.

A sudden movement caught his eye, and George sat up lightly to glance around. He was sure he'd seen something in the far corner of their room. A movement he wasn't used too. It resembled their drapery in the light breeze. "…Hello?" he said softly, eyes narrowing in the darkness. The room went still once more…before he was sure he heard the sound of light footsteps. "…Hello?" George called out once more, biting down on his bottom lip. There was defiantly something in his room that shouldn't be there…

A chill ran down his spine as he slipped back under the covers. It was nothing, he told himself, just a fragment of his imagination. Probably due to the lack of his sleep over the last few days. Sighing softly he turned to his side, starring at Fred's virgin bed. Due to the moonlight entering the room he could see it clearly. Neat and untouched…it looked so foreign to him. Anything of Fred's was NEVER that clean. Even at home, if the two were to have some sort of slob competition to see whom the biggest slob between them was, Fred would defiantly win. He wasn't even close to being able to compete with him.

A soft escaped his pursed lips as he pulled the quilt his mother had made him ages ago over his body. "Where are you…?" he muttered to the darkness. His eyes now half-closed in exhaustion he sparred a glance in the direction of the large clock. Everyone's face was pointed at home…

Closing his eyes the rest of the way he quickly let sleep devour him into it's grasp…his mind beginning to cloud with a black relaxation. It was less then an hour later when he'd fully fallen asleep that the soft swooshing sound made itself once more known. George stirred lightly as the cold sensation woke him from his sleep. Until he suddenly grew warm, fighting off the chill. It was as if…something had placed a warm hand on his cheek or forehead and the warmth slowly clouded his veins. "….Mum?" he opened his eyes silently, blinking once as he yawned.

When there was no response, he grunted and layed back down. "Nhn…"

"Be back soon, love…" and with that the room went still once more…

George, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Arthur sat around the wooden table as Molly scurried from one plate to another hastily placing some breakfast on each of their plates humming a gentle tune to herself. After hearing the news of the Hogwarts letters although George was quite sure she was really only joyful that Dumbledore had accepted him back to classes she had grown much more optimistic even with her son's disappearance.

Classes would begin in a week or so, and going back was the talk amongst his family and friends.

"After we eat we're going to head to Diagon Alley to buy your books. Hermoine owled us yesterday night and will be meeting us there this afternoon." Molly said as she finished spooning out everyone's breakfast and fell into seat besides her husband.

"Hermoine? Really?" Ron seemed to perk up and out of his tired state at the mention of Hermoine. "…When?"

Ginny grinned cheekily at this, pushing back a loose strand of red hair from her eyes. "Note how he immediately wakens upon hearing her name." she said with a cheerful and teasing tenor as Ron blushed a bright red.

"Oi! Shut your bloody mouth, Gin." he protested weakly stuffing a spoonful of scrambled eggs into his mouth and glaring silently down at his plate as if it was covered in some sort of plague.

"Does that mean you'll be returning to Hogwarts with us, George?" Harry asked glancing in the other's direction, who nodded limply.

"Yeah, I guess so. Mum won't let me stay at home this year. Rather mental, that she is." George muttered dumping almost half the jug of syrup onto his waffles; the same look etched on Ron's face was now coming clear on his own.

"I will not tolerate that nonsense, my dear." Molly said sternly raising her spoon and pointing it at George. "You're going back to Hogwarts and that's that. And Fred will be going as well. I still do not approve of this joke-shop business." Looking to Arthur for help. He could only smile and shake his head. "I think it's good that they both got a business running at such a young age, Molly. You should be proud of them." He said, only to receive a stern look from Molly.

"…Er…" and with that he quickly pretended to take a quick drink of his coffee. Looking at George over the rim of his cup and nodding softly. The redhead nodded in response as breakfast slowly carried on.

Diagon Ally lay stretched out as far as one's eye could see. They'd left the Burrow an hour prior using the classic 'Floo' to get there and they were now standing in the middle of the cobblestone street. They'd spent most of their time wandering around, deciding that they'd all shop for school supplies after meeting up with Hermoine, much to George's relief.

Shopping for school items was never one of his favorite things to do. Now, especially so. After having spent so much time alone the crowds of students and parents made him feel more then a little claustrophobic. Ron and Harry had scurried off to take a look at the new Quidditch supplies in the window while he stood and watched them from afar, a faint smile coming across his lips as Ginny came up besides him.

"Mum say's we'll be meeting with Hermoine soon and wants you to drag them-" she pointed to Ron and Harry, "to the new book store a few shops back."

George turned to look at her. "…Oh. Alright…why can't you do it yourself?" he asked, as Ginny turned to walk off. "I mean your old enough to do it yourself too." he pointed out, although his younger sister only laughed and ran off in the direction of the shop. "…Oh just you wait, Gin." he muttered, before crossing the cobblestone street towards the two laughing males. "Ron. Harry. C'mon Mum wants us to head back..." when he realized his brother hadn't paid attention to a single word he said, he tossed his arms up into the air in frustration.

"I wonder how long it'd take me to get up enough money for the new Firebolt…" Ron was in the middle of asking, taking no notice to his elder brother.

"…I'd say…at least six months the least." Harry answered, doing the math in his head. "…Depending on how much you've got saved now, that is," he added in, turning slightly to George and raising a brow. "Oi? Already?"

"I don't want to wait six months," he muttered, arms crossed over his chest firmly. "I'm sick of using Fred's old one…it just isn't Me." he had failed to notice his brother stiffening, as he smiled. "Really? Great! Can't wait to see Hermoine and her…parents again." Ron said quickly, ushering for Harry to follow him as he headed towards the bookstore. Leaving George and Harry standing side by side.

"You all right?" the emerald eyed one asked with concern, looking up at George before growing silent. It seemed to be the wrong question, because the redhead only turned away.

"Oh yeah! Bloody great!" he hissed, and stormed off following Ron, now a few feet in front of him.

Harry stood back, watching as he disappeared from view. "…" His outburst had left him more then a little speechless.

George stalked through the shelves of books, half heartily glancing at one that happened to catch his eye every so often. He had to admit this new shop was quite fancy, yet he had no idea why his mother would choose one such as this. More fancy equaled more expensive and even though he tried to forget a bout his families' financial problem, this was one of those times it came to haunt him.

He stopped abruptly when a brush of wind swept passed him. It was a chilling sensation, one he couldn't place. Yet, it felt so familiar. "…Hello?" he breathed, stepping closer towards the large bookcase for a sense of protection.

When he was met with silence, he took a deep breath and allowed his eyes to fall closed. Now I'm seeing and hearing things…could this GET any worse? He thought, sighing softly. The silence seemed to grow upon him as he stood there, his thoughts wandering to better times. Times spent without a worry in the world…

A hand tapped him on the shoulder and George nearly jumped as he turned to face the bushy haired girl behind him. "…George? Are you alright?" Hermoine asked, blinking twice at his shocked expression.

"O-oh…its only you." he sighed, and shook his head. The red mane of hair falling into his face as he did so. "…And I'm just peachy, Hermoine." he looked around, "…Where's Ron and Harry? I'd think they'd be with you."

"I just came in, and I saw you. Ron told me what had happened over an owl…"

"Did he?" George muttered in response.

"Are you going to be alright?" Hermoine asked, voice full of concern. She couldn't bare seeing any of her friends down or depressed, now especially. She hadn't been looking forward to coming once she had heard of Fred's mysterious disappearance, knowing that she could do nothing to help only stabbed at her heart even more then the pained face of the other twin.

"I'll be fine, really." he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Come on…Ron's been ecstatic since he heard you were going to be here. Don't want to keep him waiting, do you?" George couldn't help but grin when he saw the light pink blush come across Hermoine's fair skin. "No. I didn't think you would."

Hermoine looked up at him before chuckling. "Fine, Fine. You win, are you happy now?"

"Yes, actually I am. Now that you're here I won't have to listen to countless hours of 'Hermoine this' or 'Hermoine did that'" he replied, in a knowing tone.

The blush across her face grew rapidly. "…Er…Alright, Alright. No more talk a bout Ron and I! You haven't told him…have you?"

"Now why would I do that?" he asked, as they made there way back to his family…

"Potter," a soft voice whispered in haste so close to Harry's ear he could feel each and every inhale and exhale the owner of the voice made, not only did it make the baby hairs on his neck stand on end but it caused his blood to chill from the neck down to his legs.

"Malfoy!" he gasped upon turning around, only to see half of the blonde Slytherin's body. "What the bloody hell do you want?" he hissed. What was Draco doing here? Well, he knew why he was here, but he didn't know why he was /here/. Standing just inches away from himself. What did he possibly have to say that he couldn't say in front of everyone else? It wasn't like Draco to corner him in the middle of a library, and for a moment it brought memories of their second year to his thoughts. Harry shook them out of his mind as he stepped back.

"I need to talk to you!" he hissed in return. "It's important…it's a bout-" he was halted by yet another voice, cursing he pulled the cloak over the rest of his body.

"'Arry! Hermoine's here…she's with Mum and George and you won't believe who else just showed up. Lucius Malfoy! Alone no less!" Ron scowled as he shook his head rapidly. "C'mon…He's talking with my Mum, and I don't trust him." Ron grabbed Harry's wrist tightly ushering for him to follow.

"Alright let's go," Harry said, looking behind himself to the spot he knew Draco was hiding himself beneath the cloth of the Invisibility Cloak.

"Potter! I've got to talk to you…it's a bout the-" Harry shook his head, mouthing the words "Sod off, Malfoy," before walking away behind Ron.

"The twin…" Draco finished, but by then Harry was gone and out of sight.

"Well, Well, Well…The Weasley's." Lucius Malfoy was drawling on when Harry and Ron returned to Molly's side. He was clasping a silver cane with a golden snakehead on the top in front of him casually.

Molly only narrowed her eyes in his direction, in the same way she used to glare at the twins whenever they did something that was, even slightly, disobeying the rules. It was quite the scary and intimidating look, but Harry wasn't at all surprised to see that Lucius wasn't the bit intimidated by her.

"We meet again…" he looked around with steel cold eyes. "Once more in a bookshop." he grinned as if he was amused by the whole ordeal. Taking in the sight of the bookshop that lay before them. "Isn't this a little…above your spending limit?" he asked simply in a whispered voice.

George was about to respond to him, but Molly put her hand on his lower arm to shush him off completely, shaking her head to tell him too stop.

Lucius knew all the right ways to prod the Weasley's to get under their skin and he was using it too his advantage, as he usually did. His eyes soon left their surroundings to scan over the Weasley children. "Oh…What's this? Have you finally decided to drop a child, Molly?"

George blinked once and went silent, until he realized just what the elder Malfoy was talking a bout. "Shut up!" he growled struggling against his Mother's tightening grip. "You don't know a damn thing, Malfoy!"

Lucius didn't move, but the trademark Malfoy smirk that George hated so much returned to his deathly pale face. "My, how've grown. Molly…you should be proud. I do pay my highest regards to you all. Loosing a cherished family member like that…makes one wonder just where he is." Harry could've sworn he saw a dangerous gleam in Lucius' eyes as he said this. His grin only widened as his son appeared in the back of the group.

"Father…my books are bought. Shall we leave now? I hate to be in the company of these blood-traitors for too long," his eyes upon George with each word said.

Harry turned to face Draco, but said nothing as he pushed through the Weasley family, "Move Potter," Harry grunted lightly but moved to the side anyway. Why bother picking a fight with a slimy git like Draco, it would be a complete waste of time anyway.

"Bloody twit!" George muttered as he passed by. His mum was still holding him back, and by the looking on his face he was resenting it quite completely.

"Yes, Draco." he said simply as the two turned from the Weasley's. His head dipped lower and Harry could only hear the faint whispers as the two exchanged words.

"Fine." Draco said suddenly, much louder then before. "I'll meet you there later on this afternoon." with this said, the elder Malfoy stalked out of the shop. For a moment, Draco stood motionless watching him disappear down the street and running a hand through his hair.

"What is your families problem?" George finally snapped. "Do you receive entertainment from another families pain! That's it, isn't it?"

Draco swirled to face him, his expression a mix of furious anger, disgust and humiliation. "Yeah, that's it Weasley." he scoffed, shoving passed George and Molly. Looking around silently, before glancing back. "Go on a head and think what you want. Just like the rest of your bloody family!"

For a moment there was a weak-swooshing noise and Draco turned back. George was still glaring daggers. "And you make a big deal of me mouthing off you family. Now you know the kind of hell we've got to go through on a daily basis, Malfoy. Not so easy, is it?"

"Look, you don't know a thing. If you don't want to end up like your brother it's best you shut your mouth…" Draco snapped, shouldering his pack and storming towards the door. The baby hairs on George's neck stood on end as Draco passed, and for a moment the lost presence in his head was filled, but as soon as the door slammed shut, after staying open dramatically it was gone. "…Damn Malfoy," the older Weasley son growled weakly before rounding on his brother. "Come on Ron…lets get these paid for."

"Father…How much longer does this last?" Draco asked, once meeting up with his father nearly an hour later.

"As long as our Lord commands it to be, Draco." he replied with a snarl. "I'm starting to believe we will be letting it go upon your return to Hogwarts."

Draco glanced to his side, and sighed. "…Oh." was his mumbled reply, as they trudged on down the streets of Diagon Alley.

"I don't know what it was really…it just, it was kind of like he was here. And your probably thinking I'm mental and that I should be locked up in St. Mungo's in one of those Muggle straight-jacket's I've heard Dad talking a bout."

The Weasley's, Harry and Hermione had gotten home forty-five minutes before. Harry and George were passing the time by tossing a tennis ball back and fourth to one another in the backyard of the Burrow. Ron and Hermione were watching them from afar while catching up on one another's summers. Mr. Weasley had left minutes before to work the nightshift for the Ministry, commenting something a bout being the only one who would take it to himself as he left.

Harry caught the ball with ease and shook his head. "Mental? No…getting there, but not quite," he said with a light chuckle. Curving his hand behind his back and whipping the ball back.

"It was weird, but really comforting." George explained with a sigh. "I mean when he's gone it feels like this major part of me is missing in my mind, and at the shop…it was filled again." a sad smile crossed his face. "I've lost it," he sighed as he caught the ball.

"…You have not, George. You've just got to hang on. We /will/ find him."

"Thanks a lot, mate."

"-And what were you thinking! Letting him sneak out in the middle of the night!" the snake-like hiss of the Dark Lord rose with each word spoken. "Foolish, Lucius! Foolish!"

Lucius Malfoy couldn't help but stagger backwards as Voldemort advanced on him. "My Lord…I knew nothing a bout this, I swear." he pleaded, bowing his head low.

Voldemort's eyes flashed dangerously, before he turned to face the one besides him. "What do you have to say to this, boy!" placing his hand on the Death Eater's forehead, the skull mask toppling from his face.

Red hair and freckles was the first thing that Voldemort laid his eyes on. "Well?"

He didn't answer him, averting his gaze quickly. "My….My Lord." he started, but never got the chance to finish. Voldemort had gotten close, much to close then he liked, and hissed, "I asked you a question! Do you find it funny to ignore me?"

"N-No! My L-Lord! I swear-"

Voldemort was flaring now, as he reached into the pocket of his flowing black robes. "I suppose we'll have to do this the harder way now won't we?" it wasn't a question more or less a furious statement, and within seconds a wand was pointed at his forehead.

"My Lord! I didn't mean to offend you. I'm-"

"Crucio!"

"NO!"

A deafening cry of pain echoed through the dark…then all was still.

"No! No! Stop it! I'm sorry…I'm sorry. I didn't know!"

"George!" Molly Weasley cried. She was sitting on the edge of his bed, one hand firmly clasped on his upper arm. "Shh…It's okay!"

His eyes slowly opened, to reveal pained and tear-struck blue eyes. "M-Mum?" he murmured in question his broad frame trembling in horror. That had been the most realistic dream he'd had before.

For the last half hour he'd been tossing and turning, but the cries and screams of pain had on just begun minutes prior. "…It's me, dear…It's me." Molly managed to say clearly as George sat up.

His face was already blotchy with sweat and tears. "Mum!" he suddenly exclaimed, nearly hurling himself into her open arms. Too others, they might've laughed at his childish antics but he was truly terrified. The vivid memory of the torture curse flood through his veins as he buried himself in his mother's arms. "Crucio…" he whimpered against her.

Harry and Ron, who'd been awoken by his screams, stood stock still in the doorway. Ron's eyes were wide and full of fright as he leant heavily into the doorway. "…A nightmare?"

"No…" Harry mumbled from behind him, subconsciously rubbing his throbbing forehead. Specifically his scar. "I don't think it was."

A/N II: Well there you go! Chapter III...The next one (I hope) will be coming up soon! I got my ideas for it out of paper already so now I just have too put them onto words...Hopefully next chapter will have a bit more DracoHarry, and the secrets of Fred may just as well be unlocked. Please RxR...It makes me happy.

Till next time,
Tenshi