AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, so I had to re-upload this story because one of my reviewers said I wasn't adhering to the rules. So I had to take out the lyrics. However, I am uploading the story with the lyrics to mugglenet,com's fanfiction section so look me up there, I have the same penname! And if you're curious as to the song that was originally used, it was "Untitled" by Simple Plan; look it up, it's a really good song that went great with the story! Hope you enjoy!
Percy just stood there, not really taking in what happened. He had been laughing with Fred, his brother, whom had neglected for two years and missed very much. He finally got his jokester brother to laugh; that was a feat all in its own, for Percy knew that he didn't really have a sense of humor himself. But now Fred wasn't laughing – why? Why wasn't he laughing now? He could see him smiling, even now as lay on the floor, covered in concrete.
Percy's heart was racing. This has to be a joke! Fred is just playing a joke, to just get back at him for being a prat for these last two years. He bent down, grabbing his brother by the shoulders and giving him a slight shake. "Ok, Fred! You've made your point! Get up!" Percy said, a hint of hysteria in his voice. But Fred remained motionless, staring up at the ceiling with glazed eyes. "This isn't funny, Fred!" Percy choked out. But he knew Fred wasn't joking, knew he wouldn't jump up and say 'gotcha!' like all those other times Fred and George pulled pranks. He knew it was his fault that no one would ever hear Fred's carefree laughter anymore. Percy broke down and cried over his brother's lifeless corpse.
"Fred! No! NO!" Someone roughly pushed Percy out of the way. Looking up, he saw that it was George. He threw himself onto the floor at Fred's side. Percy's heart shattered as George grabbed his twin's lifeless body and hugged him, wailing in agony over the loss of his best mate, his other half, his twin. There were no words that Percy could say, and even if there were, he wouldn't say anything. Nothing could possibly describe what he was feeling at that moment, or even what George was feeling. Fred was his brother, but he was George's twin, and that in itself was the strongest of all bonds.
Percy watched as the rest of his family rushed over to him and George, who was still cradling Fred. He watched as, one by one, his brothers, parents, Ginny, and Harry and Hermione dropped to their knees, crying over the loss of this carefree spirit. Percy felt confused, not knowing what to do, feeling as though something needed to be said, explained. He just knelt there, to the side of his family, feeling completely numb; he couldn't hear anything going on around him, his vision was drifting in and out. It wasn't until he felt a pair of arms wrap around him in a tight embrace that his heart swelled with such great emotion that he thought he was going to faint from the anguish. He wrapped his arms around Ginny, and cried into her shoulder as she cried into his.
Percy knew it was his fault. If he hadn't distracted Fred with his stupid joke, he would have seen the curse hit the ceiling, would have seen it crumbling: He would have been able to get out of the way in time. But Percy just had to make his joke right then! He just had to get on his brother's good side again! But that was it. That was why Percy had said what he did – because he was afraid that something like this was going to happen, without him reconciling with any of his brothers.
This was not how Percy wanted to reconnect with his family. Truth be told, he imagined helping them to win this hate war with all of them safe and sound. He imagined Bill and Charlie welcoming him back with opened arms; Ginny hugging him with tears of happiness; his mother completely blubbering with tears of joy; his father hugging him with pride; Ron just smiling with happiness; and Fred and George pretending to be angry with him, and calling him a prat, and then jumping all over him, giving him a knuckle sandwich, while he, Percy, would pretend to be angry at that. But Percy would have welcomed it all the same.
But instead, Ginny was crying into him with tears of sorrow; his mother and father were crying into each other; Ron was crouched low at George and Fred's side, crying hysterically; Hermione was trying to comfort him while tears continually poured down her face; Harry looked just as confused and hurt as Percy did, tears streaming down his face as well; Bill and Charlie watched in pain at George, who was rocking back and forth, still holding his twin close to his body, not wanting to let go. Percy was glad that his pounding heart wasn't allowing him to hear; it would have been ten times more painful to hear the screams of sorrow emitting from his family.
Percy knew there was nothing that could be done. Fred was now lost to them forever. And although he would ultimately live with the guilt of his brother's death, in this moment in time, he was going to do something about it. He looked up from his sister's shoulder; the Death Eater that had cast the curse watched them momentarily before turning away, running through the double doors. Percy slowly lifted his sister off him and stood up, causing his sister to look at him in alarm.
Ginny watched as Percy got up and started chasing after the Death Eater that killed Fred. She knew that he was going after him, to avenge their brother. She got up and started running after the man too, eventually catching up with Percy.
Percy looked up at Ginny, who had joined him at his side; he gave a feeble smile: He had won his sister's love back. He quickly turned to look at the rest of his family, who hadn't realized his and Ginny's absence; they hadn't moved at all. Percy glanced down at Fred; the ghost of a smile was still on his face. Percy looked forward, and ran faster.