Disclaimer: If I owned Harry potter the pairing would be very different.
Author note: THis is my first fan fiction after reading lots of others. Please read and review
It had been over a year since the war had ended but the wounds of the war haven't healed. Every child at Hogwarts had been forced to grow up fast and many lives had been drastically altered. Harry couldn't handle the British wizarding world so he fled to the French muggle world where no one knew his name. Ron had gone off the deep end and kept pressuring Hermione into marriage which inadvertently drove Hermione into Draco's arm. Ginny disowned Hermione and Molly made it her mission to get Hermione back in Ron's life.
George had been quiet and reclusive throughout the year. He mourned Fred's loss and he refused to talk to anyone about it. Hermione had been a source of comfort for George as she tried to make him better and he had improved slightly but after Ron pushed her away he felt as though he lost his sister. Ron wasn't compatible for his sister and he tried to explain it to Molly and Ginny but they wouldn't listen. In the end he gave up and told his parents that he wanted to go on a solo camping trip. Camping was the activity he enjoyed most as a child with Fred as they would come up with innovative ways to prank Percy. One time they hexed Percy bed so that it was always damp. At first George's parents were reluctant but after a promise that he would owl every day they agreed. It was unspoken but George knew that the owl everyday was Arthur and Molly's way of checking that he wouldn't commit suicide.
George camped in the middle of the Forbidden forest. The war didn't even leave Forbidden Forest unscathed. The acromantula spiders became extinct, the centaur fled to Nottingham forest and the unicorns were hunted by Black market dealers and all that remained was small magical vermin's. A wondrous Forest full of life had been turned into a corpse. However, George wasn't here for the view he was here on a mission.
George heard from Ron one afternoon that the Deathly hallows were real and that Harry dropped the Resurrection Stone in the Forbidden Forest. Although if you heard Ron's version then you would believe that he defeated Voldemort whilst Hermione and Harry stood on the side-line. Honestly it was hard for George to believe that Hermione stayed with Ron for over a year. Contrary to his parent's belief George wasn't suicidal he knew Fred would be disappointed if George even thought about that. He was stronger than that but he would be lying to himself if he didn't want to see Fred again. Many people might not understand this but to George Fred was his soulmate; they were inseparable, they did everything together, they understood each other, they trusted each other. They loved each other. Now that Fred had died George felt as though one of his limbs was missing. George knew the Deathly Hallows Story and he knew the Resurrection stone wouldn't bring Fred as a whole but surely something was better than nothing…Right?
It had been a month or so he thought since he came to the forest. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. In fact; that would have been easier. He was on his knees searching everyday frantically for a small stone. Randomly he would pick up a stone and think about Fred hoping that something would happen…but nothing would happen. He even tried accio'ed resurrection stone but that yielded no result. Then in a moment of desperation…
"Accio Stone!" George waved his wand. That was a stupid mistake. As he spoke those words every stone big and small came hurtling through space in his direction. He could see the rocks comings towards him as though it was happening in slow motion. He tried to think of a repulsion spell but couldn't think of one. He wanted to jump out of the way but his body wouldn't listen.
He stood their frozen.
The first few rocks hit him; pushing him to the ground. Pain streamed through his body like it was blood flow. Eventually his brain couldn't take it anymore and he was knocked out unconscious.
This was the end for George. At least he would see Fred again
Everything was dark but sounds were flooding in her ears. His Head hurt. His Chest hurt. His right leg hurt. Boy George needed to expand his vocabulary. George wasn't aware of his surroundings but he felt comfortable. He remembered falling on the cold hard ground but now he felt warm and cosy like he was back at the burrow. He remembered the smell of dead unicorns rotting in the forest but now all he could smell was vanilla. He felt relaxed and even though his was training told him to open his eyes get up and run; he couldn't help but feel sleepy. If nothing bad has happened so far then surely nothing bad will happen if he quietly…falls…asleep.
Suddenly a wet moist sensation trickled down his right cheek.
"No Benji. He is not dead" said someone in a sweet melodic voice
George's eyes scrambled open. He was face to face with a small grey-black, skeletal horse with wings with cold black eyes staring intensely into his own. It was a threstal. The threstal then tried to lick him again but as a reflex George slapped him away. The threstal screamed and immediately ran crying into a petite dirty blonde lady's arms who immediately wrapped her arms around the small threstal and gave him a tight hug. There is only one girl in the entire wizarding world who would think about doing that.
"Luna?" George asked
"That was very rude! Benji is a baby threstal he thought you were dead so he tried to eat you." Luna answered sternly…well as sternly as possible as she could.
George wanted to shout back that Benji tried to eat him but Luna sliver grey eyes focused heavily onn him as though she was disappointed.
"don't worry Benji. It's alright now. I'm here to protect you." Luna spoke sweetly whilst comforting the threstal and turning her head towards the baby threstal.
"Beside George just got scared and that's why he accidently hurt you. For which he is now going to apologise to you." Luna and Benji both turned their head to George
"sorry" George rolled his eyes.
"I don't think you were sincere" Luna crossed her arms and shook her head slightly.
"I'm sorry I hurt you Benjiiiiiiii" George said reluctantly. Benji pouted but then nodded as though he accepted George's half-arsed apology. Benji then turned to Luna and licked her hand and then ran out the door.
Only at this moment did George take in his surroundings. He was on a comfy bed in a living room which was painted in baby blue and bronze with a few paintings of mythical creatures which had been painted by hand on the wall. There was a fabric sofa which looked very expensive and there was a button on side of the sofa. George had heard about these sofas from Hermione who said they were called recliner sofas which meant you could sit and have your legs up at the same time. George wanted to try this muggle invention but he never got a chance. There was a mahogany table and the east wall was stacked with books and three doors on the other side which George assumed led to bedrooms and finally to his left was a fully equipped open planned kitchen with purple granite top with ebony white cabinets and a kitchen island. This place was expensive.
"How are you feeling now?" Luna smiled
"I'm fine thanks for taking care of me. Where are we? What are you doing? how did you save me" George asked
"we're in the forbidden forest I'm here trying to protect unicorns and Threstals. Benji and I saw you accioing stone. Then I administered a sleeping potion and nursed you back to health. You have been out for 2 days. There was an owl from your parents so I replied to them telling them what had happened and explaining how the wrackspurts made you do funny things." Luna answered
"Oh thank you…wait a minute there aren't any houses in the forbidden forest."
"This isn't a house. It is a tent" Luna said sincerely
George looked around at the environment once again taking in awe of the magical tent. This tent was considerably more elaborate, classy and luxurious than the one he stayed in during the quidditch world cup.
"This must worth hundreds of thousand Galleons"
"Actually it's worth 1.3 million Galleons" Luna simply stated and not at all bragging
"How can you afford it?"
"Well it was a Gift"
"A GIFT!" George's jaw just dropped.
"Yes a gift" Luna tilted her head
There a moment of pause as George was waiting for Luna to elaborated but he soon realised that it wasn't going to happen.
"Who got you this gift and why?" George thought to ask 'and why' as Luna would probably just answer the questions that he had asked.
"During the time I was Kidnapped by the Death eaters Draco took care of me. After that we both returned to Hogwarts for the final year and we became Friends. Then Draco found out from his mother I'm his seventh cousin from my mother's side. So technically Draco is sort of like my big brother. Anyway as a graduation gift he got me this tent so I could go around the world discovering new magical creatures." Luna explained
It wasn't surprising to George that Luna and Draco were related as pureblood families tried to maintain blood purity but there are only so many permutations and combinations of 28 families before they had to resort to incest. In fact, George was sure that if he went far up enough his family tree then he could find a common relative between Draco and himself. However, looking at Luna now he couldn't help but see Draco's platinum blonde hair, pale skin and silver eyes.
"So I'm assuming you are here looking for resurrection stone to resurrect Fred"
George couldn't believe it. He was shocked.
"How do you know?"
"well you tried to accio stone which mean you are looking for a stone. The only magical stone is the resurrection stone and Fred died during the war and during Hogwarts you and Fred were indivisible unlike the Patil twins and so you must be sad and have resorted to finding the resurrection stone." Luna answered smilingly
"Sad. SAD! You don't know how I feel" George answered with anger pulsating through his veins.
"Yes I do." Luna answered calmly whilst maintaining her innocent smile which just made George angrier.
"NO you don't know Luna what is like to loved one."
"I do know" Luna said calmly. Still smiling which annoyed George more and creased formed on his head.
"NO LOONEY YOU DIDN'T LOSE ANY FAMILY DURING THE WAR!" George shouted
"Well that true but I did lose my mum when I was aged nine." Luna said calmly but the smile disappeared. George's anger had vanished and guilt enveloped him. He realised that he went too far. George wanted comfort her but he didn't know what to say. He couldn't bare to look at her so he averted his gaze.
"You feel as though a part of your heart has been ripped out. You ask yourself what you could have done to save them. You blame yourself for their death. You wish you were in their place and wished you died instead of them." Tears rolled down Luna cheeks.
"I'm sorry Luna." George cowered his head
"I shouldn't have said that I went too far. Please forgive me"
"It's ok I understand George what you are going through."
Luna's smile had returned as she wiped her tears but there was also a hint of tension on her forehead as though she was confused about something.
"Come with me." Luna offered her hand.
George took it and they headed out of the tent. They crossed through the forest in silence and they came to their destination the great lake where the giant squid laid. Luna sat down at the edge of lake and offered a seat to George which he took beside her.
"when you find the resurrection stone do you think Fred will be happy to see you?" Luna question shocked George.
"What do you mean?" George nervously asked
"well the resurrection stone allows the user to interact with the dead and so Fred will be able to talk to you. Do you think he will be happy to see you like this?"
"Yes of course why wouldn't he be?"
Luna glared into him intensely. George couldn't help but avert his gaze and focus on the lake. The giant squid would bob up and down every 10 seconds. Weirdly this provided a source of comfort to George as at least the red squid had survived and hadn't changed. The squid now saw the couple and were advancing towards them just like when Fred and George were younger and the squid wanted a treat.
"Everything has changed since the war" Luna snapped the silence. George turned his head to find Luna focused on the red Squid.
"No one came out unscathed. Not even the Giant squid." Luna pointed to the squid's eyes. George couldn't see what Luna was trying to show him but then as the squid came closer he noticed a thick blood-red scar which ran from his forehead, through his left eye and ended at his cheek. The scar was so thick that it left the squid's left eye permanently closed. The squid was partially blind.
"Here" Luna held out some small treats to George. George fed the squid just like he used to do as a child. The squid was just as playful as George remembered and he tickled George's hand with his tentacles. After a few minutes of playing the giant squid returned further back into the great lake.
"George Fred is dead and nothing you can do can change that. That is fact of life you are going to have to accept. But just because he is dead; it doesn't mean he is gone." Luna spoke patting George's back comforting him.
"Even the giant squid has lost half of his vision. It still hasn't lost his playfulness and spirit"
As Luna spoke the red squid was flapping his tentacles in the water which made George smile.
"Fred's soul lives on every time a child plays a prank on their older brother. Fred's achievement lives on the fifth floor of Hogwarts where you both built a swamp to fight Umbridge. Fred's memory lives inside every story Peeves tells about both of your shenanigans. Fred's legacy lives inside Weasley wizard wheezes where students dream about living up to his and your name. Fred's love resides in all of your family and friends' memories and Fred's happiness lives in your smile." Luna's paused to let her words sink in.
"George the resurrection stone will let you see your brother again but he will cold and upset to see you like this. I'm not saying you shouldn't mourn Fred's death but if you want to make his spirit happy then you should recognise his achievement, his memory and his legacy and continue to advance it. Reopen Weasley wizard wheezes. Invent new pranks. Tell students about both of your adventures and turn them into pranksters and then see Fred's spirit in each of those soul."
George understood now what Luna was trying to say. The resurrection stone would only let him see a physical manifestation of Fred but his metaphysical spirit now lay in all the places Luna said. If Fred was here he would want George to be happy and by not doing so George was disrespecting Fred memory.
"A whole new generation of pranksters; sound like mum's nightmare." George joked which make Luna giggle. Luna reached into pocket and pulled out a small black pebble. The resurrection stone. Luna offered it to George.
"Benji found it a couple of days ago. I was going to throw it in the lake but then I saw you. I think now you can now see Fred one last time."
George took the stone and immediately saw Fred in his robes that he wore at the Yule ball dancing as though he was top on the squid. He had a ghostly grey complexion but it was still had Fred fun free nature.
"hey Holey get your ugly Merlin's ass back to work!" Fred truly smiled as though he had heard everything Luna had said.
George Smiled.
George threw the resurrection stone into the lake with the intent of trying to hit Fred. However, Fred disappeared as soon as George released the stone. The stone bobbed around the lake before being swallowed by the Red Squid.
"Well that's going to be bad for his stomach." Luna pointed and George laughed.
The End