Author's Note: Sorry about that last chapter... I really don't know what I was thinking, but I gotta write something. Anyways, I'm actually going on vacation Sunday, I think, so I'll probably update before I leave, I promise! Anyone wanna guess on where George went? C'mon, I can't give it away! Here's the next chapter, please review!
No new reviews, but I can live with it... for now. But thank you to TwinFan for favoriting me!
Bold and Italicized- thoughts
Italicized- dialog
Bold- sign language
Nothing- well, you get it.
Chapter 9: Dial V For Voice
Fred's Point Of View
"Won't you, take me by the hand, take me somewhere new?
I don't know who you are, but I-
I'm with you, I'm with you."
-Avril Lavinge, I'm With You
Okay, okay, in my last nightmare, I may have tortured George to the point of him dying, so what? It's not like he thinks that I'm actually going to kill him, right? Anyways, I've pretty much checked the whole school for him, but still, he hasn't been seen or heard (I would be worried about the 'heard' part) by anyone. But it's Saturday, so I just get to run about the school for my brother even more. Monday, however, is Quidditch tryouts, so maybe I'll find him by then- maybe.
Fred, wait up!
Lee, I gotta find him!
Well, exhausting me isn't the answer, pal.
Lee caught up to me as I waited at the end of the hall for him and Luna- we've sorta became the new trio, I guess.
Fred, can't we get some Nargles to help? They are mean at first, but once you get to know them-
Luna, sorry, but I really don't care about Nargles.
It's okay, neither do most people...
Okay, Luna, you go check around the Ravenclaw tower, while Lee and I go check around the outside of the school.
Sure.
As Luna skipped off, Lee and I walked down to Hagrid's Hut- gotta check somewhere...
Hey Hagrid!
Hey Fred, hey Lee. How's it goin'?
Good- have you by any chance seen George lately?
Hmm, not really. I heard someone walk to the forest over there, but-
Really? Thanks Hagrid!
Well, okay.
As I (Lee chickened out) ran over to the sun-filled forest, I hear someone walking as well, and I have a good idea on who it might be. I saw a couple of pixies flying around, and after a minute, one of them flew right into a tree, causing me to lose my silence and burst out laughing.
I heard a couple of sticks break, so I run after the noise. I keep laughing as I remember the little pixie that wasn't paying much attention to its surroundings. Unfortunately, I heard a noise, but not just any noise, a loud yell. I follow that noise, but the trail brings me to something that I couldn't believe.
A giant.
H-Hello?
The giant stood there with a pouty look on its face, so I try again.
Uhh, do you have a name?
GRAWP.
Okay, weird name, but okay. My name's Fred. Why're you here?
FAMMWY.
What?
FAMM-WY.
Fammwy? What kind of word is that? Fam- fami, fam- Ugh! If George was here, maybe he would help.
CONFWUSED?
Yes, I'm confused! I need my brother here, but- wait. Fammwy... Family? Who's your family?
HAGWID.
Hagrid? What, is he like, your cousin?
He points his large finger at me, and then in a what-you-said-before sort of way.
Umm, he's- your brother?
He nods, and I wipe my aggravated head on my hand.
Well, I'm leaving now, so-
NO.
What?
PLAY.
Listen, I have to find my stupid brother who I for some reason scared off, so I can't stay, even if I wanted to.
But I guess this guy has selective hearing, because he walks over to a pile of whatever and pulls out chains with bludger-like things somehow attached the end.
PLAY.
What do you want me to do with this? Play fetch?
He nods his head, while I stand there, mentally stupefied.
Okay, then.
I go to throw the dirt-covered contraption, but then I drop it, landing on the ground before me.
The chains, attached to bludger-like balls, wrapped their way around his ankles. He twisted his way around to be on his back, and he looks to see his hands scratched up and slightly bleeding from his fall.
I slowly blink a couple of times to reveal that I am crying slightly. I wipe my dirty cold hands on my face, to either get the water on my hands, or off my face. As I sat there cold for a few seconds in shock, I heard a couple of sticks crack and it woke me up from whatever daydream I was living. I heard someone apparate, probably from seeing either me or the giant.
Grawp? I-I have to go now.
The giant looked at his feet sadly, and nodded. I apparate my way back to the school, and I drag myself upstairs to the common room. I enter it, and sit on the couch with my knees up to my chest, and my head and hands lying on top of them. Lee came in exhausted not even a minute later, and literally fell onto the ground.
Fred- did- you- find- George?
G-George was in the- the f-forest.
Well, where- is- he- now?
I- I don't know.
Hey, what's wrong?
George- nightmare- torture- kill...
Umm, why don't you go lie down in bed?
I shake my guilt-filled head, and I bury my now tear-covered face into my arms. Lee, obviously creeped out, awkwardly walked out of the common room and probably to talk to someone else than me. I look up and into the fire, which was burning miraculously, and I sigh.
George...
George's Point Of View
Seeing Fred in the forest... yea, not my first choice of- well, anything. C'mon! He was even holding the exact thing that practically killed me! Well, in my dream- nightmare- anyway. I just cannot shake the feeling of not trusting him. I know I've trusted him since we were born, but a lot has changed, and maybe he has too. I just need anything to help me see that he is still trustworthy, and still the fun-loving older brother that I've known and loved for the past 18 years of our lives.
As I sit and think in my tent, I want to take another walk. So I sit up off my bed, and walk outside. It's a nice, cool fall day, and instead of walking, I decide to just sit in the nice, soft grass. I lay down, and I take a couple of deep breaths, taking in the beautiful day as how it is.
George...
Who said that?! And how come I can hear you?
It's all in your head, George. You're not going crazy, no, but being lonely has just been too much.
Who is this?
Not so much a specific person, but just a voice.
So only I can hear you? I must be going crazy!
Or maybe anxious? Your head is filled with anxiety, George.
Well, I'm not so much of an 'easy-going' person. Too much to worry about.
Like what?
I don't know, normal stuff. Like what if I die? Or what if-
Those are only what-ifs. Where's the George that everyone knew? Fun-loving, loud, scare-free. That George?
That sounds more like-
Fred?
Yea- everyone loves Fred. It's always 'Fred and George'. Not 'George and Fred'.
It doesn't sound good that way.
That's because he is Fred, while I'm just George. It's never 'George this' or 'George that'. It's always Fred. He's loud, he's fun, he's got- well, everything!
He doesn't have you, and that's what he needs.
Yea, right. He doesn't need me. He's probably out with one of his friends. I really don't have any of those...
What about Seamus? Or Padma?
Yea, but-
But what? Seamus is loud, Padma is funny, and you're cool and friendly. You three could be the new trio. Fred's got Luna and Lee, but maybe it's time for some change.
I guess you're right. But how do I know Fred's trustworthy? I mean, he could change, and be like the dream-Fred.
He's like you, right?
Yea, so?
So, if you can trust yourself in trusting him, than he's trustworthy.
Wha?
If you believe in yourself in trusting him, then he's okay to be trusted.
Umm...
IF YOU TRUST HIM, THEN HE'LL BE TRUSTWORTHY.
Why didn't you say that before?
...
He's yelled at me one too many to be trusted in, right?
He only yelled at you out of fear. He was scared that you were or are hurt.
Well if that git only said so...
He did say so. Remember 'WHY DID YOU JUST LEAVE ME HANGING THERE?! WE JUST WANTED TO HELP YOU!'?
That- that- that I had a reason for! See, now I'm stuttering in my thoughts.
Okay, Mr. Nervous Breakdown.
What?
You tick, you twitch, you cringe, your mind is jumbled- face it, you're in a nervous breakdown.
I AM NOT!
Someone's got anger issues...
I just... can't control it very well. If you don't mind, my ear was cursed off by dark magic, of course I would have been affected by it, thank you very much.
If that's what you say.
You must have a name. What is it?
By Merlin- I am just a voice, George.
Still...
Well, then. My name's F- Humphrey.
Humphrey? And I thought my name was funny.
Didn't say it was a good name.
You know what, Fred seems like a good person- I've made my mistakes, he's made his, and I now mark this 'dispute' over. As soon as he finds me in a couple of days, then this won't happen again. As long as my head stays out of anyone's way of serious damage.
Well, that's good.
So, are you going to be here forever, or...
Nah, I think my work here is done.
Are you like a traveling psychologist that lives in people's heads or something?
Not really, just in yours. But I won't be freaking you out by talking again.
Humphrey?
Yes, George?
I'm not stupid by the way- I know your name isn't really Humphrey.
Eh, I knew you'd come around sooner or later.
'Humphrey' left just about then. I knew I'd see him again, though. I knew from the start that it wasn't a 'Humphrey' that was talking. More like a 'George'. It was me that was talking, me from the heart. I know Fred is trustworthy, and I know that to be myself, I have to be different and spontaneous. I almost laughed at the point where I almost called myself Fred. But I know that he's my better half, so I thought to be better, I'd have to think like my better.
I sit back up in the grass, and I go back to my tent. Just before I do, however, I look up at the sky, and I see two identical clouds, that are right next to each other. One, however, starts to change a bit, become a bit darker. That cloud, would be me. To be me, I have to be different. And I have to look the part to be the part.
I walk inside, and I look at the small fire, which, now that I think about it, always is there to warm me and make me happy. Always there. I grab a thin blanket and I curl up in front of the fire, looking in it, and think to myself again.
Fred is doing the exact same thing.
So, how'd you like it? I got the name Humphrey from a '150 Things Not To Do At Hogwarts' list. One rule is 'The boggart's name is not Humphrey' or something along those lines. Please review, and I will update tomorrow-ish, maybe. And yes, I meant to say the exact same thing from the last chapter a couple of times, it makes a good point. Does anyone wanna guess yet? I'm going to keep asking until someone answers my question with a guess.
(review, please)
