Disclaimer: As ever, I don't own anything here... I wish.
Dear George,
I'm so sorry. I didn't want to leave you behind… You're my best friend, my brother and my twin – you're the person I love the most in the world and I miss you too. I've been trying to make up for it by watching over you. The dead can look back at the people they've left behind, once they've taken the final step of moving on to the "afterlife" or whatever you'd call it. That's how I read your letter. However, I know there's no way you can receive this. I just feel like… Like I owe it to you, I guess, to write it. Anyway, you can read it once you get up here! I hope that is many years away.
You know, George, I think you're coping a lot better than I would have done. You're a true Gryffindor, whatever you say. I know you think that just because I'm louder than you I'm also stronger, but that isn't true. It isn't true at all. I don't think I could have done anything you've managed so far… You're still alive. That's an achievement in itself. Want me to tell you something? I very nearly came back as a ghost. I was going to – I didn't want to leave everyone behind - but I realised just in time that there was no way I could subject you to that kind of half-life when you died. So I left. I feel bloody guilty about it, but I think it was the best thing to do, really.
Merlin's beard it feels odd to be acting so seriously! Yeah, you're right, that was my rubbish attempt to defuse the tension… Speaking of Merlin though, apparently he's actually up here somewhere! Sirius said he's teamed up with Dumbledore and they've been comparing their facial hair. We can go exploring when you get here.
I'll follow the format of your letter for now. So, that means the family first… I can't really bear to watch Mum and Dad much. Don't like to see them crying over me. The only tears we were meant to cause were either ones of laughter or exasperation. I don't like hanging around watching it and being unable to do anything. I'll yell something at them like, "Hey, Mum! Dad!" and make a joke, and they'll be totally oblivious. Weirdly, it's actually harder knowing I can't help them now than knowing that I caused their pain in the first place…
Mostly I stick with watching you. I get a few sympathetic looks from passing-by spirits, or whatever you want to call them, which is always quite nauseating, but I can cope with that. I hate seeing you hurting as well, but… What was that phrase you used? Oh yeah, it's my "duty as your twin," so I keep an eye on you for most of the time, seeing as I failed in my other duty of staying alive… Yeah. Sorry again about that.
The others are all right, mostly. I mean, Harry and Percy are quite difficult on account of the fact that if all three of us were together the world might explode or something. Well, all right, maybe not, but someone'd probably come and stick a sign up saying "Guilt Party this way". They both beat themselves up thinking they caused my death or didn't prevent it, or something stupid like that, and I feel really bad for the fact that they feel bad. Insane, isn't it? I met Harry's parents though. They were checking up on him while I was looking at the rest of you. They're pretty cool, but James has to be careful with what he says or Lily beats him over the head with anything she has to hand. He says she worked out pretty early on that nothing actually causes any permanent damage here, and she's taken full advantage of the fact ever since.
That actually brings me on to an exciting piece of news for you… Well, you see, a few minutes after I arrived, Remus turned up. And I followed him because everything was a bit disorientating and he was a familiar face, and then he bumped into two of his best childhood friends – James Potter and Sirius Black. Nothing exciting there, you're thinking. So imagine my surprise when… Wait for it… Ah, the tension… Sirius yells, "It's Moony!" and there's this whole reunion of Moony, Padfoot and Prongs! (Wormtail turned out to be a total git, so they've left him out now. Peter Pettigrew, you know.) What I want to know is this – how the bloody hell did we hang out with two of our four mentors in the Order of the Phoenix, and even get taught DADA by one of them, without working out who they were! And we somehow managed to give the map to another Marauder's son! I think they were a bit shocked by my reaction, but I couldn't have been any quieter, really! I just wish you could have been there…
Now that I've calmed down a bit… George, listen. Please… Don't be scared. I know you won't ever actually know this, but I am still with you. You aren't alone – I won't ever let that happen. I'm a total hypocrite, because I'd be utterly useless in your situation, but have a go at living, OK? For me? I'm not going to tell you to live your life and stop wallowing in misery, because it's pointless for anyone to go on about "what I would've wanted", and you're actually doing pretty well. What I want is for you to do whatever feels right. I trust your judgement, and I don't think there's any point in rushing you. Once you want to, you'll let people in again. I'm sure of that.
As for looking different to each other… Looks aren't everything, even if it is true that I've always been the devillishly handsome (and charming) twin. All I'm trying to get at here is that it doesn't matter if you physically grow older. We'll still be the same as each other really, and trust me – if you look in a mirror when you're forty, or seventy, or one hundred and thirty-three, you can bet your last Knut that that's what I would've looked like too. We've always shared everything – that just includes a reflection now.
So, I'm getting a niece am I? Blimey! Bill's been working hard, hasn't he? (Better remind Mum to tell me off for that later.) Be sure to tell Victoire exactly how amazing an uncle I am! At least she's got you to show her a few decent pranks anyway. You should probably give the two new couples our older brother speech we've been saving up though – don't want too many new nieces and nephews quite yet.
On to the shop then. I can't deny that I do hope you keep it going – it would be a shame to let it go after all the preparations, and the wizarding world really is in need of a good laugh. But don't do anything until you feel up to it - I'm sure Ron would help you. You could probably even blackmail Percy into it, if he's still guilty about me!
I'm sorry this letter isn't as long as yours was – you've always been better than me at writing. It doesn't matter though, because I'll get the chance to tell you all of this and more, eventually – probably even before I show you this letter.
Miss you…
Love, Fred
P.S. Of course I knew you loved me. I'm not quite that modest.
Author's Note: I think I wrote George's letter better, but I wanted to do a return from Fred and this was the best I could come up with. Please review! Thank you so much to my reviewers from Chapter 1! You're all amazing!
