A Picture's WorthThe door shut with a soft 'click' as Ron moved towards his bed, the Chudley Cannons bedspread slightly askew. He ran a hand through his fiery red hair, which had grown long over the past few months. His long legs took him the two strides to the side of his bed as he bent down and pulled out a box from the darkness beneath. Straightening up, he sat on the edge of his bed, laying the box on his lap. The youngest Weasley male stared at the plain box for several moments, his eyes glistening with the beginnings of tears. It had been years since he'd laid hands on this box.
With a shaky breath he lifted the lid outwards, revealing several trinkets. Several old and faded muggle photographs lay on top of a pair miniature brooms and a faded hospital bracelet. Ron reached and let his fingertips brush against the pictures. Two small redheads were staring up at him. One wore a slight grin while the other was serious. Ron felt a tear roll down his cheek but he made no move to wipe it away. He picked up the pictures and set them gently on the bed beside him. Next he picked up the small brooms, a sad smile spread across his flushed face. The wood on the handles were rough and worn. The bristles were dry and sharp. After cradling them in his hands for several more minutes, he laid them down with the pictures and pictures up the paper bracelet.
"It's not fair," he muttered to himself, more tears spilling from his sapphire colored eyes.
His thumb caressed the worn object, the print long faded but slightly legible. He moved his thumb to reveal the text printed on it; Edward Weasley, St. Mungo's, April 17th, 1984. Ron's eyes fixed on the name, totally drawn into a nostalgic state. He didn't hear the door open and close.
"Ron, are you ok?" his sister asked softly, sitting on the bed beside him.
"What?" Ron asked, looking at her. It suddenly registered that his sister was there and he had tears spilling down his cheeks. Hastily he wiped at his cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Ginny pressed.
"Nothing. What do you want? You shouldn't just barge into people's rooms," Ron shot back angrily.
"Don't get snappy with me. I just came to tell you that Harry is going to get here around six tonight," Ginny replied in a huff and stood to leave.
"Gin, wait ok. I'm sorry...I didn't mean to snap at you," Ron muttered.
"What's the matter Ron? Why were you crying?" she questioned, sitting down again.
"You were so young when it happened. You probably don't remember," Ron said softly, picking up one of the pictures and showing it to her.
"When what happened? What are you talking about?" his sister queried.
"Here," Ron murmured and handed her the pictures.
Ginny stared at them for a moment. A look of confusion crossed her gentle features as the two boys stared up at.
"Why are there two of…Ron you had a twin?" Ginny gasped.
"Edward," Ron whispered, his voice shaking with emotion.
"I don't remember him. What happened to him, Ron?" Ginny pressed, tucking her legs beneath her and moving closer to her older brother.
"You were only 3 when it all happened. I'm not surprised you don't," Ron replied.
"It was in April. We'd turned four the month before. It was sort of cold out," Ron began, a distant look in his eyes.
"We were playing hide and seek with Fred and George. George was counting. I was hiding in the broom shed out back. I think Fred was hiding in a bush. Ed decided he was going to be cool and climb a tree," the 17-year-old continued.
"The tree out back? How could he reach the branches?" Ginny interjected.
"There were lower branches when we were younger. He managed to get up to the third or fourth branch. Everything was fine for a while. Fred was the first one to be found and then me," he expounded, wiping at his eyes.
"What about Edward?" his younger sister pressed.
"I knew where he was but I wasn't going to rat him out. So I pretend to help Fred and George look. They finally found him. On his way down…" Ron continued but suddenly broke into tears.
Ginny put the pictures down and wrapped an arm around her sobbing brother. She could feel tears starting to well up in her own eyes. She couldn't believe she couldn't remember her own sibling.
"It's ok," Ginny murmured, pulling him close.
Ron continued to cry for several long minutes before regaining some of his previous composure.
"So what happened next?" Ginny inquired gently.
"Well on his way down, his foot got stuck on a branch and was hanging upside down. Fred and George just stood their laughing at him…until he fell. He landed on his head," Ron answered, growing suddenly pale.
"God it was awful. The sound made me want to puke. The worst part was Fred and George laughed at him. I was livid, well as livid as a four-year-old could be. He didn't move for the longest time," Ron spat angrily.
"After about five minutes Fred went and got Mum. She cleaned him up but he was unconscious," Ron murmured, tears sliding his cheeks still.
Ginny felt a shiver run up and down her spine. She felt anger well up in her at her older brothers finding humor in Edward's situation. Ron took a loud, shaky breath before finishing the tale.
"He woke up about three hours later but he said he couldn't feel anything. Mum finally realized something was wrong and took him to St. Mungo's," Ron relayed, handing Ginny the hospital bracelet.
"There wasn't anything they could to make him better. He had been bleeding internally for the last 3 hours and his spine was fractured…" Ron finished, sobbing once more.
"Oh Ron," Ginny breathed, hugging her older brother tightly, letting him sob into her shoulder.
"Why…why does not one talk about him?" she asked softly, rubbing her brother's back.
"Losing him was devastating for everyone. Fred and George felt guilty as hell…at least they said they did. Mum just tries to forget because if she didn't, she'd never stop crying," the redhead muttered.
"I feel horrible that I don't remember him. Which one is he?" she asked, pointing to the pictures on the bed.
"He's the serious looking one," Ron replied, pointing his twin out in both photographs.
Suddenly Ron's face hardened, his eyes growing dark. Ginny scooted several inches away from him, scared.
"It's not fair," he spat.
"W-what's not fair?" Ginny inquired nervously.
"Fred and George have each other. It's their damn fault."
"Ron, they didn't mean to…I'm sure it was an accident," Ginny stated.
"They've always grown up together. I feel like part of me is missing…like when he died, a part of me died with him," he murmured.
"It's understandable. They have something you lost," Ginny affirmed.
"I just wish they would talk about him. They act like he never even existed," the seventeen-year-old growled.
"Come on," she said, standing up and taking her brother by the hand.
"What?" Ron asked.
"We're going to make them talk," she said firmly, dragging her brother out of the room.
The pair found their parents and older brothers in the kitchen. They all looked up as the youngest two Weasley children entered.
"We need to talk," Ginny stated firmly.
"About what? What's wrong dear?" Molly asked in a concerned tone.
"About Edward," Ron said coldly from behind his sister.
The room grew silent. Fred and George squirmed uncomfortably in their seats. Molly's eyes began to well up with tears, Arthur's eyes cast towards his hands.
"You all act like he never existed and that's just wrong. Ginny had no clue I ever had a twin until an hour ago. So from now on we're going to talk about him and visit his grave on holidays," Ron exclaimed firmly.
Everyone nodded fervently at the teen.
"Thank you," Ron said and walked out. Fred and George rushed after him.
"Ron," they called in unison.
"What?" he asked, turning to face the twins.
"Want to go hang out with Ed for a bit?" they inquired.
"Yeah I think I do," Ron replied.
"Ginny! Come on!" he bellowed.
The foursome headed out to the cemetery, finding the small headstone of the fallen Weasley child. They took seats on the blush green grass and began to just talk. Ron couldn't help but smile. Somehow he knew Ed was smiling back him from heaven.