In George's Eyes

Jedi Goat

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

10/04/11 - Edits.

Chapter 25 - Ever

"Fall on me

Tell me everything you want me to be

Forever with you, forever in me

Ever the same."

-Ever the Same, Rob Thomas

·:·

Spring was something that unfurled itself slowly: the snow melted and ran in rivulets down to the freshly lapping lake, and one eventually noticed that after a time the castle fires were not lit as often, and one could venture outside without bundling in a thick winter cloak.

It was late in March when Madam Pomfrey called George back for his follow-up; that evening Fred followed him to the hospital wing and sat a sort of sentinel, as promised, at his brother's side. To him it seemed George held his shoulders a little higher; and when Madam Pomfrey announced with a smile that George was in good health, he relaxed enough to actually give the matron a hug. It was the first time Fred had seen Madam Pomfrey let her prim composure go in the presence of students, and she even apologized with feeling for not giving him a proper check up sooner.

(George was probably secretly grateful for that, but accepted her apology with good faith anyway.)

Classes progressed in their usual fashion: Umbridge was horrid, as expected, but in his other classes George diligently continued to raise his marks through unconventional efforts. Professor McGonagall had taken him up on Fred's earlier suggestion of oral-based examinations, and if she realized their earlier deception, she said nothing to that end. Very quickly his success at this caught on, and his other teachers chose to test him in the same manner, at McGonagall's urging. Fred, finding himself studying anyway with George and Hermione every night, also found his own grades improving, to his chagrin, and wrote it off as the teachers being overly sympathetic. George and Hermione disagreed, but he refused to listen to any other hypotheses.

Outside of class, the fervent training prior to the last Quidditch match of the season accumulated to the point that Fred had practice every other night each week; George would accompany him down to the pitch, sometimes staying to read in the stadium, others wandering off until Fred found him afterward down by Hagrid's hut, enjoying the company of Teyla the Thestral who, according to Hagrid, was recovering well herself from her injury. Between their practices, Harry somehow found time to keep scheduling the clandestine meetings of Dumbledore's Army, to which they all joined in earnestly in an effort to defy Umbridge's tightening fist on the school.

It was one such evening in April that the twins made their way down the deserted halls toward the seventh floor Room of Requirement. George had twice alerted him moments before one of the Inquisitorial Squad prowling the corridors descended upon them, and with Fred's quick reactions guiding them, the twins hastened to hide themselves. Fred now breathed a long sigh of relief as Draco Malfoy's blond head passed out of sight of the fake tapestry they had taken cover behind; he poked his head out into the corridor, checked both directions, and deeming them to be clear hopped out of the secret passage. George trailed him a moment later, finding his hand again.

"Thanks for the warning," Fred whispered, grateful not for the first time for his twin's heightened sensitivity. George only offered a half-smirk in acknowledgement as they hastened the rest of the way to the hidden door of the Room of Requirement.

Once inside the sanctuary of the untraceable room, Fred breathed a lot easier. Due to their hold-up, they were some of the last to arrive, and Fred cut a way through the murmuring crowd to where Lee, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were chatting.

"Finally!" grinned Lee, sighting them. "Did your guide dog get lost again?"

"Oi, shut it," Fred growled, but before he could sufficiently retort, somewhere from the center of the room came a whistle. Immediately the crowd of students fell silent, all eyes on their leader.

"Right then," Harry announced. "I think we've got the Stunning Spell down pretty well now, so we might as well take a break tonight. How does working on Patronuses sound?"

A murmur rippled through the crowd; it had been before Christmas last time they'd practiced the Patronus charm, and though the subject had been broached in much eagerness in enquiries to their leader, Harry had thought it better they keep on practical work until now.

"All right," Harry grinned at their enthusiasm, "let's get to it. I'll come around in a few minutes to help out."

The crowd split off into their respective groups. Fred drew his wand, as the others had, and flexed his hand experimentally. Lee was already vehemently muttering, "Expecto Patronum ... Expecto Patronum ..."

He closed his eyes in an effort to block out the bustle of motion, trying to recall what memory he'd used last time, when he'd managed to his utter surprise to conjure a flicker of mist. It had been only for an instant, but ... He strained his memory.

It was no good; in the terror and rush of the night's aftermath – and their father's injury – he had lost the distant thought. With a blank slate he tried again. A memory ... a happy memory ...

·:·

George, meanwhile, found the surrounding mumbling and shuffling of the other students distracting; thus, wand in hand, he headed off for a secluded corner of the room. If there were people around him, they moved out of his path as he passed, until the noise had died down somewhat.

George paused. He was usually quite good with gauging his position; now he felt a little lost without Fred's footsteps echoing his. Shaking off the feeling, he raised his wand and tried to focus.

"Oh, hello, George."

That airy tone was unmistakeable; George started and twisted his head in the direction of her voice. "Luna? I haven't heard from you in a while."

"No, I suppose we've both been busy," she concluded amiably. "Hagrid did say you've been to see Teyla, too, but I suppose we always just missed each other."

"Yeah," George said distantly. "She's better now than before. I ... I'm sorry, it's kind of my fault she got hurt."

"I'm sure she doesn't mind overly much," Luna assured him. "I do like her. She's the friendliest of the herd."

"I've noticed." George smiled slightly. "I like her, too."

In the background, Harry was making his usual rounds, his occasional compliment or suggestion distantly registering in his mind. George closed his eyes, trying to block out his surroundings as he raised his wand. Right then ... a happy memory ...

"You're not with your brother," Luna noted. George inclined his head toward her; there was curiosity in the phrase, yet wasn't everything she said in that same airy sort of tone?

"Yeah," George acknowledged quietly. "It was too loud over there." But since she brought his attention to it ... maybe there had been a thought lingering at the back of his mind, an unwillingness to embarrass himself in front of the others, in front of Fred who'd already mustered a sort of Patronus... He shook the uncomfortable feeling off.

A sudden awed murmur swept through the nearby students, and George turned toward Luna. "What's happened?"

"Oh ... Hermione's Patronus," Luna offered dreamily. "It's an otter, I think."

George nodded slightly. Of course the Gryffindor genius would be one of the first to conjure a corporeal Patronus.

He closed his eyes and raised his wand, struggling to find some inner focus. "Expecto Patronum," he said firmly. "Expecto..."

Just then George felt the brush of some short presence rushing past him; at first he thought it to be someone's Patronus, but a moment later he registered that the room around them had gone utterly silent. His concentration faltered and he lowered his wand, shivering in the sudden chill of the chamber.

"Dobby – what's wrong?" Harry's voice was mingled with surprise.

Then George heard the nervous squeaking of a house elf. "Harry Potter, sir ... Dobby has come to warn you ... but the house elves have been warned not to tell..." The elf gave a frustrated sort of cry and his footsteps rushed at the wall. A few squeaks of fear and sympathy went up from the crowd.

"What's happened, Dobby?" Harry appealed to him urgently.

"Harry Potter ... she ... she..."

She. George's blood ran cold and he knew, before Harry spoke again, who they were referring to.

"Umbridge? What about her? Dobby – she hasn't found out about this – about us -?"

Dobby didn't answer; the collective gathering seemed to hardly breathe as Harry whispered, "Is she coming?"

Dobby howled, the pounding sounds of him trying to inflict self-mutilation echoing across the room. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

The terror was palpable in the air as Harry, drawing a haggard breath, announced at them all: "What're you waiting for? RUN!"

And then all at once there were bodies pressing in on all sides, jostling George in their mad surge for the exit; wild panic rose in his throat as he struggled against them, searching with growing desperation –

"Fred?"

A small hand caught his arm, but the touch was foreign, and George tensed. "It's me," Luna said breathlessly.

"Where's Fred?" he demanded of her.

"I don't know..." The crowd was pushing on all sides of them, dragging them slowly along in the torrent. George bit back his frustration and decided he was grateful enough to have her at his side. He followed Luna out into the corridor, hearing the disorienting pounding of footsteps in all directions – George twisted his head, trying to think. They wouldn't be able to reach the Gryffindor common room in time – not like he could bring Luna there, anyway – no ...

"The Owlery," he whispered, getting an idea. "Let's go." Luna tugged on his hand, leading him from the confusion of the seventh floor corridor; they slipped down a side passage and soon the others had faded from his range of hearing. Luna's breath hitched, her footsteps quickened; she did not dare break the silence as they hurried toward the Owlery.

But then George heard footsteps up ahead of them, moving swiftly in their direction; he hissed a warning to Luna, who froze for a split second; then she pulled him sideways. George followed her to a crouch, feeling cold metal at his back and deeming they were hidden behind a suit of armour. It wasn't much for cover, but... He fished his wand from his pocket, just in case.

The pant of heavy breathing at the end of the corridor made him stiffen; two pairs of footsteps marched along the hall, more restrained now, the duo surely on alert. "Swore I heard something," growled a voice he recognized as that of Montague – the Slytherin who had injured Teyla in January. George bit down hard so as not to react and tasted blood in his mouth. He had bitten his tongue.

"Come out, wherever you are," sang the other Slytherin boy, a cruel sneer in his words. George's shaking fist clenched around his wand. He would have given anything to attack them now, to avenge Teyla, but he knew well enough he would only endanger the both of them if he tried. Even with hearing to guide him, that was little help to his aim; so any sort of surprise attack was out of the question, and there was no way to signal Luna to help him here. Their only advantage was the dark: the Slytherins hadn't spotted them yet.

The two passed so close to their hiding place that George swore that, if he reached out now, he could touch their passing rustling cloaks; he and Luna hardly dared to breathe now.

Then a rough hand grasped his shoulder, yanking him upright; by her soft surprised squeak, they had grabbed Luna as well. "What do we have here?" hissed George's captor – Montague. "Look at this – a blind weasel and a rat!"

"Professor Umbridge, we caught 'em!" his fellow called out. "Come on now, you." George didn't know what he did next in the scuffle, but Luna gave a faint whimper of pain.

That was it – it was bad enough to get himself caught in this situation, but he wouldn't stand by and watch the Slytherins abuse the fourth year when she had only been trying to help him! With a low growl he thrashed against his captor, feeling hands tighten on his arms as he tried to work his wand out into the open –

"Watch it," Montague snarled, and a fist hit him, hard, in the stomach; George doubled over, gasping, his knees going weak; Montague yanked him back to his feet, dragging him along the corridor. Montague tried to wrestle his wand from his tightly clenched fist and settled for twisting his arm backward, behind his back, so that he couldn't so much as move to curse his captor even if he could have seen him.

George grimaced and spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. By the scuffle of motion behind him, the second Slytherin was dragging Luna along; this was it, they'd be caught by Umbridge, and expelled before morning ... and what of Fred? Would Umbridge, catching one twin, track him down next? The whole DA was in danger because of his blunder...!

George's mind recoiled with all the force he could muster against that notion: hell, he was a Gryffindor, and he was too proud to go down like this without a fight. The spell was in his mind; perhaps because of the long hours of recent practice, the plan formed in his mind, and without even fully registering what he was doing he growled out, "Expecto Patronum!"

Truthfully, he didn't know what to expect; even later he wouldn't be able to explain how he knew, at once, that it had worked. Warmth coursed down his arm and his wand trembled in his fist, clenched behind his back; and then suddenly there was an unearthly pressure in the air, some unseen knowledge of presence that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

And then there was light: it was a feeble glow around him, but it still made George's breath catch in his chest. He stared, enrapt by the Patronus's presence, too awed to even move.

Distantly George realized Montague had released him; the Slytherin's strangled yell split the air, though the sound, too, came distantly as though through fog. Footsteps pounded against stone; disoriented, George staggered and caught himself against the cold metal of the suit of armour. Somehow he kept his wand aloft, though his arm was trembling.

"What is it?" bellowed the other Slytherin, terror in his voice.

"Curse it, you idiot!" Montague shouted back. There was a fumble of motion, and then – "Stupefy!" Red light flashed against the darkness; George, flinching, knew that if they kept shooting spells at random, they'd only end up wounding the two of them – and where was Luna?

As though commanded by his thoughts, the Patronus closed in: there was another scuffle, a cry from the Slytherin boy, and then a breathless figure clung to his arm. "Thank you," Luna breathed in his ear. George didn't hesitate; raising his wand, he silently called out to the Patronus again.

Chase them off.

The soft hum almost like beating wings filled the air; then the Slytherins were screaming again, footsteps slapping off stone as they ran. Their voices echoed down the corridor until he could no longer hear them and George, suddenly drained, dropped to his knees on the cold stone.

Some sort of warmth slowly seeped into the air and he raised his head, blearily, recognizing the Patronus's glow had returned to his side. With effort he staggered back to his feet. "C'mon ... got to move," he muttered to Luna. He thrust his wand out, directing the Patronus's light before them as a guide; he clamped a hand to Luna's arm, she stumbling after him down the hall.

Their footsteps quickened; George's heart was in his throat. Someone must have heard their scuffle, at least, what with all the Slytherins' racket; it was only a matter of time until Umbridge swept by, and he'd prefer to be far from the area when that happened –

There were footsteps mirroring their hasty pace up ahead and George flung out his wand, sending the Patronus swooping at them –

"Geor – wha -!"

That strangled voice was definitely familiar, and George's concentration faltered; hastily he commanded the Patronus back, back as they stood in the dark hall, panting with adrenaline.

"Fred?" George appealed. "What're you – where're you –"

"We were looking for you," said Fred. Meanwhile Lee's voice demanded, "What the hell was that – nearly dive-bombed us –!"

"Sorry," George shrugged. "Thought you might be Slytherins."

"Slytherins!" Lee repeated with something like great offence, while Fred, possibly noting they were both breathing as though they'd run a race and George was clutching his side, caught on.

"What, are you hurt? I'll kill those –"

"Nah, 's all right," George gasped. Something of a smile flickered at his lips as he went on, "I think we scared them off."

"George..." Lee meanwhile said quietly. "Is that your Patronus?"

He registered the same faint hum of sound at his side, the surreal beast awaiting his command. "Yeah. It is."

"But that's a corporeal..." Lee said slowly, and then settled for an awed whisper, "...Wow, mate."

George only grinned faintly, too tired to say much else. He forced himself to focus on the matter at hand. "Look – the Slytherins could be back any minute, we need to get out of here –"

"Yeah," said Fred firmly. "There's a passage up ahead that'll take us near the kitchens. C'mon."

George felt Luna release his arm and move off with Lee; he hesitated a moment longer, staring at the spot where the light of the Patronus lingered in the air in front of him. Unconsciously he smiled, reaching out his hand. Thank you, he conveyed with all his mind. You saved us.

Something soft brushed against his fingertips in recognition; then he at long last relinquished his focus and the misty shape dissolved beneath his touch. The corridor plunged back into wintry chill and George's shoulders slumped in sudden exhaustion. He welcomed Fred's hand on his wrist, gently tugging him after the others.

"D'you want me to tell you...?" Fred asked quietly.

George considered his offer, leaning slightly against him with his eyes closed. At last he grinned and shook his head.

"No. Besides ... I think I already know."

To be continued...

Author's Note: As you might have noticed, I took out the scene where George sics his Patronus on Malfoy ... but this makes it worthwhile. :D Also ... Luna returns, which is nice, since she kind of disappeared off the planet last time.

Until next time, please leave a review :)