Fred is dead.
George knew it before anyone else, he could feel it. He knew he was alone. He dropped his wand and begged the Death Eater to kill him too.
"Oh, I will," the raspy voice said, but before he could raise his wand Voldemort's voice echoed through the castle.
"You have fought valiantly, but in vain. I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilt is a terrible waste. I, therefore, command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your debt with dignity. Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonor. Join me in the Forbidden Forest and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child who tries to conceal you from me." The Death Eater in front of George disapparated immediately.
Numbly, George stood up, unsure of whether his legs would hold him or fail him. He took a few hesitant steps before bolting to where his brother once stood. When he got there, his mother was standing over Fred's body screaming 'Ridikulus!'
George ignored his mother and dropped to his knees beside his brother. He couldn't cry, he couldn't scream…he couldn't live any more. Fred was half of his soul.
Eventually George broke down and sobbed his breathing shallow and quick. He cried out the pain, sorrow, and loss he was feeling. He laid his forehead on his brother chest and beat his fist on the floor next to him. "Fred." He whispered.
George felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. Harry was standing above him with tears in his eyes. "Go," George told him gently. "You have to."
Harry nodded woodenly at him before walking away.
"Fred, Mum told me I should write you a letter. Leave it here instead of talking for hours. She said it's not good for me; said you'd be able to read it. Bill told me it'd make me feel better. They don't understand," George said, a tear sliding down his cheek. He was at Fred's grave, where he went every day. "But I did it for them. I know you'd strangle me if I left it here for you to try and read, so I'm going to read it to you."
"I don't know what to do anymore Freddy. It's not worth it; nothing is. I can't handle it anymore. I'm making everyone miserable, which I can't stand. They tell me it's been four years; I should be over it by now. But I can't get over it Fred. I told you, it's like part of me died with you.
"Remember back when we made that aging potion, when we put our names in the Goblet of Fire? I'm sorry I threatened to kill you. I wish that wasn't the only time we'd seen each other as old men.
"Ginny's the only one who gets it. She tells me its okay if I don't get over you. She says it's not fair for everyone to expect me to get over you. I know I can always talk to Ginny. Not like I can talk to you, but she's always there.
"Angelina had an appointment at St. Mungo's today. We found out we're having a boy. We didn't want to know until the last minute, but we found out. We're naming him after you.
"I found the Mirror again. I saw you and me together again. We were both dead though. It's bad Fred. It's like I told you. It's not worth living now. I can't even produce a patronus anymore. After all that work we did, it's just gone. I'm trying to hang in there, but I don't know how much longer I can stand it.
"Our birthday's coming up, less than a week now. I never thought I'd turn 25 without you Freddy. I don't even want to. I just want you back.
"Percy's disowned me. He says I've gone around the bend; that no one can hold guilt like I can and keep sane. But I am guilty, if I'd only been there, I could've had your back, just like always. I never should've let them separate us.
"I have to go now; Angie's been knocking on the door for ages. I love you Fred, and I'll never forget you."
"Happy birthday baby brother," Fred said sadly.
"Hey, happy birthday," George replied and rolled over in bed. "I've been waiting for this dream for a year."
"This one's not a dream Georgey."
"You say that every year, but every year I wake up and you aren't here. Call it what you want, but this is a dream to me."
"You don't feel it do you?" Fred questioned.
"I don't feel anything. I haven't felt anything in four years."
"Almost five," Fred answered nonchalantly. "You shouldn't have let me dying get to you like this George. I hate seeing you like this."
"I'm sorry Fred, but I can't help it. It's too much. I'm dead, but I'm alive. The best part of me died with you."
"You're wrong," Fred said, looking at the ground. "You died with me. Your soul died. Your body stayed here, but all of you died with me. Your body was strong, it took a while, but the depression finally got you."
"I'm dead?"
"You are. Look behind you."
George turned around to see his own body lying in bed, half covered by the thick quilt. The door was cracked and light was pouring through, illuminating his blue-tinged face. The bags under his eyes had gone grey, giving him a sickly appearance. White shone in his red hair, making him appear almost blonde.
But the mirror behind the bed showed a different side of George, the twenty-year-old carefree George, who still had a twin brother, and a positive outlook on life.
Angelina chose then to walk into the bedroom they shared. She flicked on the light and looked down at George's body, frowning. Tears were falling down her cheeks. She was sad, but not heartbroken. She'd lost George before they were ever married. She kissed George's cold cheek and said 'Happy birthday love,' before covering his body with the blanket and calling Molly.
"Well brother," Fred said, "I've been waiting for you. Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Dumbledore, James, Lilly, even Snape. They've all been waiting for you."
"You ready to go cause some chaos?" George smirked.
"I died ready," Fred replied, flashing the smile that George had missed so much.
Reunited at last, Fred and George walked into their new lives, one they would share forever.