p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Thank you for reading my FF. This is my first story written in a very long time, ( so long I actually had to create a new account because I couldn't remember my password). I have had this idea floating around in my head for a long time now too, and figured with being quarantined and such what a great time to start writing once again. I accept all criticism as I am always striving to get better. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"-/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The dust was finally beginning to settle, both literally and figurately. Some of the easily repaired rubble had been waved back into place. Blood had been cleaned up off the walls. Families were starting to gather in the Great Hall. Some of these families were reuniting with their loved ones. Others were laying eyes on those who had passed for the first time. Some families happen to be doing both. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George Weasley was gathered with his family around his lifeless twin, Fred. His mother was distraught, as any mother would be at the sight of her dead child. His father stood in silence holding his crying wife. George watched his other siblings and their loved ones as they looked down upon Fred. Charlie and Percy both had tears falling fast from their eyes. Bill still seemed to have a look of disbelief across his face while Fleur held his hand. Ginny was sobbing into Harry's arms and Ron sat at Fred's head in a stony silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George's mind reached back to the last time that his whole family was together like this. Bill's wedding. For the most part, such a happy day filled with such fun memories. Sure it may have ended on a sour note, but at least he could remember everyone's happy faces. His mother smiling and dancing with her whole family. Bill and Fleur just completely enamored with each other. And he and Fred figuring out where they could release their newest product for the best laugh. How could the last time they were all together be such a happy memory and now was not./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George stood up. He had to take a walk. He had to be anywhere but here. He could no longer see his brother in this way. Though the family was still so focused on Fred they didn't see George rise, Harry did. He gave him a look as if to ask him if he were ok./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I've got to get out of here, I just gotta take a walk. I'll be back," he told him softly and turned away. He made his way toward the entrance to the Great Hall. He did not quite know where he was going yet, but he had to be anywhere but in this place. It was just too sad. He exited the hall and noticed a small crowd of people. He walked over to see what was going on and found Madame Pomfrey working on healing the injured. She looked tired but determined. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He walked away and headed up the stairs. He still wasn't sure where he was going but his feet seemed to be leading him somewhere. George observed the many portraits on the walls as he walked by. Many of them hung empty, while others filled to the brim. Some of the occupants seemed to be celebrating the death of Voldemort while others were less than cheerful./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George found himself coming up to the third floor when heard a voice coming from the other staircase. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh no!" the voice said, and George looked to see a witch holding on as the staircase changed its direction. As it switched into place she carefully walked back down to the landing in which George was now on, mumbling under her breath. She did not look familiar at all to George./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Now where do I go?" she asked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanGeorge walked up behind her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Can I help you find something?" he asked. She quickly turned around. She was a tiny witch, barely coming up to George's shoulders. She had long blonde hair and crystal blue eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm looking for the Hospital Wing. I was helping the matron heal some of the injured and she asked me to run-up to the hospital and grab a few things we needed. I don't know if she realized I never went here," she told him. George noticed she had an American accent, explaining why she was so lost. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yeah, now you've gotta go back downstairs to go up to the third floor now that it has moved," he told her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm sorry, what? I am so confused," she said scratching her head. She looked exhausted. There was dust all over her robes, a couple of scratches on her face, and her arm was bleeding a bit as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Follow me, I can get you there. I've spent enough time there to know where it's at," he told her, even attempting a half-hearted smile. She nodded and followed him down the stairs. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm Alex, by the way. Alexandra Mason," she said attempting to catch up with him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""George, George Weasley. And this," he stopped in his tracks. He was about to introduce his brother out of habit. Alex stopped next to him and gave him a sad smile. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It's ok, it takes some getting used to," she told him, "I saw you guys down in the Great Hall a bit ago. I lost my twin brother to some death eaters a few months back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I just…forgot. How could I forget? It just happened," he said quietly. She gently put her tiny hand on his shoulder. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It happens. You are going too, but it gets, I don't know if I would say easier, but you just get used to it," she tells him. They stand there in silence for a few moments. /span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; padding: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Come on, the Hospital Wing is this way," he says, and he takes off. She once again followed behind him. They walked together in silence./span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Thank you for reading. Please review./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"-/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"The dust was finally beginning to settle, both literally and figurately. Some of the easily repaired rubble had been waved back into place. Blood had been cleaned up off the walls. Families were starting to gather in the Great Hall. Some of these families were reuniting with their loved ones. Others were laying eyes on those who had passed for the first time. Some families happen to be doing both. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George Weasley was gathered with his family around his lifeless twin, Fred. His mother was distraught, as any mother would be at the sight of her dead child. His father stood in silence holding his crying wife. George watched his other siblings and their loved ones as they looked down upon Fred. Charlie and Percy both had tears falling fast from their eyes. Bill still seemed to have a look of disbelief across his face while Fleur held his hand. Ginny was sobbing into Harry's arms and Ron sat at Fred's head in a stony silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George's mind reached back to the last time that his whole family was together like this. Bill's wedding. For the most part, such a happy day filled with such fun memories. Sure it may have ended on a sour note, but at least he could remember everyone's happy faces. His mother smiling and dancing with her whole family. Bill and Fleur just completely enamored with each other. And he and Fred figuring out where they could release their newest product for the best laugh. How could the last time they were all together be such a happy memory and now was not./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George stood up. He had to take a walk. He had to be anywhere but here. He could no longer see his brother in this way. Though the family was still so focused on Fred they didn't see George rise, Harry did. He gave him a look as if to ask him if he were ok./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I've got to get out of here, I just gotta take a walk. I'll be back," he told him softly and turned away. He made his way toward the entrance to the Great Hall. He did not quite know where he was going yet, but he had to be anywhere but in this place. It was just too sad. He exited the hall and noticed a small crowd of people. He walked over to see what was going on and found Madame Pomfrey working on healing the injured. She looked tired but determined. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He walked away and headed up the stairs. He still wasn't sure where he was going but his feet seemed to be leading him somewhere. George observed the many portraits on the walls as he walked by. Many of them hung empty, while others filled to the brim. Some of the occupants seemed to be celebrating the death of Voldemort while others were less than cheerful./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"George found himself coming up to the third floor when heard a voice coming from the other staircase. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Oh no!" the voice said, and George looked to see a witch holding on as the staircase changed its direction. As it switched into place she carefully walked back down to the landing in which George was now on, mumbling under her breath. She did not look familiar at all to George./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Now where do I go?" she asked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanGeorge walked up behind her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Can I help you find something?" he asked. She quickly turned around. She was a tiny witch, barely coming up to George's shoulders. She had long blonde hair and crystal blue eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm looking for the Hospital Wing. I was helping the matron heal some of the injured and she asked me to run-up to the hospital and grab a few things we needed. I don't know if she realized I never went here," she told him. George noticed she had an American accent, explaining why she was so lost. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Yeah, now you've gotta go back downstairs to go up to the third floor now that it has moved," he told her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm sorry, what? I am so confused," she said scratching her head. She looked exhausted. There was dust all over her robes, a couple of scratches on her face, and her arm was bleeding a bit as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Follow me, I can get you there. I've spent enough time there to know where it's at," he told her, even attempting a half-hearted smile. She nodded and followed him down the stairs. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I'm Alex, by the way. Alexandra Mason," she said attempting to catch up with him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""George, George Weasley. And this," he stopped in his tracks. He was about to introduce his brother out of habit. Alex stopped next to him and gave him a sad smile. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It's ok, it takes some getting used to," she told him, "I saw you guys down in the Great Hall a bit ago. I lost my twin brother to some death eaters a few months back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I just…forgot. How could I forget? It just happened," he said quietly. She gently put her tiny hand on his shoulder. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It happens. You are going too, but it gets, I don't know if I would say easier, but you just get used to it," she tells him. They stand there in silence for a few moments. /span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; padding: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Come on, the Hospital Wing is this way," he says, and he takes off. She once again followed behind him. They walked together in silence./span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"strongspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Thank you for reading. Please review./span/strong/p