1st Update: Dec. 30, 2003
Chapter 1 - The Letter
"That's wonderful news, darling." Mrs. Weasley cooed and smoothed over her son's hair.
"Yeah, congratulations, bro," George smiled at his twin. At twenty-six, both twins still looked exactly alike; stockily built, fit, strong and extremely handsome. Only those who were very close to them could tell them apart, and even they sometimes mixed them up.
Fred was beaming, holding his fiancee's hand. Angelina Johnson, a girl whom Fred had been dating on and off for a couple years was finally to become part of the Weasley family. Fred and Angelina's relationship had become very serious a couple years earlier, so the engagement did not come with any surprise, but was still accepted with happiness and excitement.
"When's the wedding?"
Angelina looked at Fred's merry eyes and back at Mrs. Weasley, a woman she was so fond of that she could not think of anything better than being her daughter-in-law.
"We're hoping for sometime this early fall, since that's when George comes back from the convention."
"Yeah, can't hold a wedding without my best man," Fred turned to George and sent him a thoughtful look that only brothers as close as they were could understand.
George laughed. "Glad to see you didn't pick Ron after all!"
"Little Ronnikins? Now George, I thought you had better taste than suggesting our ickle bwuvver...I mean, even Malfoy would do a better job! Well, he wouldn't trip at least..." Fred winked at Ron right before he was pelted with sofa cushions. Apparently, Ron hadn't thought their practical joke earlier that day very funny. Ron, just home from a trip to France with his girlfriend Hermione Granger had walked into The Burrow with unexpected welcomes from Fred and George. He was slightly too tired to realize that something must be up and tripped over Fred and George's latest joke shop addition, Invisi-string. This string apparently had a mind of its own and pitched Ron straight into the kitchen, face-first into Mrs. Weasley's freshly-baked lemon meringue pie.
"That -" Ron began furiously but was unable to continue because everyone in the whole room was suddenly laughing, well everyone except Ron and Mrs. Weasley.
George finally got his laughter under control.
"Well, I'd better go pack a couple of things...see you all in a bit."
"I'll come with you." Fred kissed Angelina on the cheek, got up and followed George out of the room.
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"What time do you leave tomorrow morning?" Fred lay on his bed watching his twin lazily.
"I think at 9 AM, too bad you couldn't come." George was also lying on his bed, flicking his wand with tired motions. Clothes were flying everywhere, chasing a rather aged Pig around the room, and then finally settling in George's suitcase, folded and neat.
"Oh geepers, International Jokers Convention...you'll do Weasley's Wizard Wheezes proud, won't you?"
"Of course...I'm taking the Invisi-string and the Blood Jackets for sure. They will be impressed with those."
Fred nodded in agreement. "Too bad one of us has to stay and watch the shop."
"You are welcome to take my place, you know..." George started hesitantly, for he really did want to go.
"Oh, no, no. After all, Angie would kill me if I told her now."
George beamed for his twin. "You know, I really am happy for you too, truly..."
"Hey mate, we're not getting any younger. I know you were expecting the announcement soon."
"Well...it's still wonderful."
"Maybe you should get settled down..." Immediately after he said this, Fred bit his tongue and silently chastised himself for bringing up the topic of George's personal life. He turned to watch his brother, seeing what kind of reaction George would make.
George suddenly walked to the window and gazed out. Although neither of the twins lived at the Burrow any longer, they came over so often that Mrs. Weasly hadn't bothered to turn their room into a storage area, something she was threatening Bill with if he didn't come home more often. The weather outside was beautiful. It was a late summer day and the sky was starting to show signs of the evening. Gorgeous pink and orange rays were highlighting the golden hoops of the newly built Home-Quidditch-Field set. The grass in the backyard was getting a little too long but the wind lazily carassed it and it gently waltzed around. However, beautiful as it was, there was a melancholy wave in the air and George sighed. He was silent and closed his eyes, as if he were concentrating hard to remember something. Getting frustrated without drawing up some wanted memory, he turned away from the picturesque view and shook his head. Fred let out a sigh of relief.
"I haven't...I haven't met the right person yet. I don't know what it is, I just can't seem to find the perfect girl...and sometimes, sometimes I think that maybe I had already found her and then lost her..." George shook his head again.
Fred froze. Oh god, don't let him remember! he cried silently to himself. Please, don't let him remember...
George walked back over to his bed and began absent-mindedly stroking a beautiful gold and silver ring on his right thumb.
"Just listen to me..." he mumbled. He looked down at the intricate star design on the ring and sighed. Then he put on an overly cheerful smile and changed the subject.
"So, do you know where Mum put the ticket for the convention?"
Fred relaxed. "Oh, somewhere on the drawer." He waved his hand in the general area.
George frowned. "Some help you are. Accio ticket!"
Nothing happened.
"That's odd. Oh bugger, I'll just look for it myself. It's probably wedged in between some thick stack of paperwork."
Fred just closed his eyes, not making a sound. In the background he could hear George rummaging through the drawers, cursing slightly at the mess.
"Oh, there it is!"
"Told you so."
George pulled out a small card that flashed with many bright colours. He smiled and stuck it in his pocket when something suddenly caught his eye. In between newly printed order forms and chocolate frog wrappers was a very old envelope.
"This is odd. What is it?"
Fred opened one eye sleepily.
"Dunno mate. Why don't you open it?"
With slightly trembling hands, George gently pulled out the old envelope. He walked back over to his bed and dropped onto it. The parchment smelled so familiar, of vanilla and berry with a touch of flowery fragrance. So faint, but so familiar.
"Well, what is it?"
George slowly pulled out the letter.
"It's a letter to you...is it Angie's first loove letter?" George teased, but suddenly something seemed wrong. "Wait, it can't be. This isn't Angie's writing...but it, it's so familiar... I KNOW this writing!"
Fred was suddenly wide awake. He jumped out of bed and stared at the letter. Immediately, it dawned to him who the letter was from and he knew that George was to never read it.
"Oh, that, George, don't read it."
"Why ever not?"
Fred didn't answer, but instead leapt towards the letter, intending to grab it from George. George however, saw it coming and quickly dodged his twin. Fred recovered and made a frantic grab for the letter.
"Oi! Fred, sod off!"
"Give me the letter!"
"No!"
"It's addressed to me, you shouldn't read other people's mail!"
"Well that's rich coming from you, didn't you just intercept Ginny's letter from Harr-" "That's different!"
"Well, I haven't read much, just let me finish this."
George gained the upper hand in a small wrestling match and Fred lay pinned on the ground by one of George's legs. Fred could do nothing now but watch in horror as the look of astonishment slowly crossed George's face.
"George?" Fred gasped. "Is that from...?"
George did not reply and dropped the letter on the ground.
Fred turned his head over to look for himself. From the beautiful and neat cursive writing, he could tell that he was right in guessing who it was from.
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Dear Fred,
I fear that the time is coming. I cannot escape this time, for I have been lucky one too many times. If you do not understand what I mean now, you soon will. I am only asking you a small favour.
I know you are the closest to George, and that you know him inside-out. This much is obvious...I also know that you do not keep anything from him. But I need you, this time, to keep this one thing from him.
When I'm gone, please, Fred, for George's happiness and sanity, please never mention my name again. Promise me this, if he tries to talk to you about me, even the slightest bit, do something, change the subject...whatever it does to take his mind off of me. I will never be able to forgive myself for dragging George into this...I need you to protect him. To keep him happy, to let him live again. I love him too much to be able to see him suffer.
I have charmed this letter...if you promise never to mention me again, if you promise now, then within a few months, the memory of me will slowly fade. I will be cleared from his mind and he will be able to be happy again. However, even after he has forgotten me, you must never let him see this letter, or hear my name...the charm might begin to wear. I do not want you to see him mourn, so for everyone's happiness, please promise now. I thank you from the deepest depths of my heart.
Raine
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Fred let out a barely audible breath and turned back slowly to face his twin. George's restraining foot on his chest was now limp. He got up from his position on the floor and stared at George, waiting for a reaction.
Minutes of silence passed and the shocked look upon George's face did not change. Finally, Fred could wait no longer and broke the silence.
"Do..do you remember...?"