Chapter 1

Everything's changing isn't it, Fred. Dumbledore's dead and I'm afraid!

You'll always have me, Angie. That's all we'll ever need, each other.

Fred awoke slowly. He glanced at his watch and groaned. '5:30! Merlin's Beard!' He tried to fall asleep again but couldn't. Instead he rolled over, facing the sleeping beauty cuddled up next to him. 'Katie?' Fred seemed surprised to see the blonde sleeping in his bed with him. How could he keep forgetting! He had ended it with Angelina after he and George, his infamous other half, left Hogwarts toward the end of their 6th year. It hadn't really been an official separation. He had felt it best to sever all contact with her, so she could focus on finishing Hogwarts and eventually, joining the Chudley Cannons.

A year after Fred and George had started their Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes joke shop, Katie and Alicia Spinnet had come to visit the twins. Fred had been a hurt to not see Angelina with them. At the same time, he couldn't blame Angie for staying away. He knew he had hurt her as well, and he didn't expect to be forgiven for his actions. To get over his pain, he had started to date Katie, newly single from her break-up with Lee. He thought she was cute, and was very attracted to her mentally and physically. 'Especially the physical part!' Fred laughed to himself. Another year had passed since they first became a "couple", and the world had a changed a lot.

His little brother Ron, Harry, and Hermione had all just finished their sixth year. Dumbledore had passed away, and the wizarding world as he knew it was in chaos. 'Blimey!' Fred thought to himself, 'Dumbledore is really gone ain't he?' Fred still couldn't believe his old, beloved headmaster was gone. They all relied now on the order of the phoenix and Harry to get them through the upcoming, inevitable battle between good and evil.

Fred could hear people talking downstairs. The Order had moved to the Weasley house, and would continue to operate under its roof. He could here his mum, Molly, talking to Tonks about married life. That was another thing. Fred couldn't believe that Tonks and Lupin were engaged now; he had missed so much the past year! Arthur was talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt about Telly-fones, and Mickey-Crow-Waves (Telephones and Microwaves!). Fred carefully got out of bed, making sure he didn't wake Katie, and walked to his window sill. He could see Harry already out there with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. They were huddled in a group obviously talking about something important.

Seeing Harry reminded Fred that today something exciting was going to happen. He didn't know what yet, but he had received a note from Harry saying to meet at the Tool Shed in the backyard at 3:00 pm. If he knew Harry like he thought he did, Fred would be in for a wild ride.