It was her first time in the flat above Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Tensions were already running high when she and Fred started spending time together and he didn't think it was wise for her to be associated with him. Looking around, the apartment was so Fred. Well-used mismatched furniture paired with walls plastered with parchment detailing product ideas. The occasional photograph stood out. It was such organized chaos and exactly what she expected.
Ella wiped away the straggling tears leftover from her breakdown back in the alley. She hated crying in front of other people, especially knowing that George had felt Fred's death a thousand times harder than she had. They were twins, for Christ's sake.
"Go ahead and take a seat. How do you like your tea?" George asked.
"Oh, it's really okay, I don't want to trouble you," she declined, twisting her hands to try and tamper down her nerves.
"It's no trouble, really, Milk, sugar?"
"Ah...no milk but I'll take sugar." She slid down onto the couch that felt far less lumpy than it looked.
"How much?" She felt her face heat up.
"Um, five cubes." It sounded like more of a question than a request, but instead of the usual appalled look she got over her tea preferences, she got a laugh in return.
"No wonder Fred liked you, he finally found someone who shares his horrible tea tastes." He went to set up the kettle and looked over at her. "Isn't it just sugar water after two cubes?"
Ella felt herself bristle in defense.
"Better sugar water than leaf water," she retorted. George kept a smile, though a little smaller than before. He'd heard that same phrase from Fred dozens if not thousands of times before. While the kettle heated he went and took a seat in the chair across from this unfamiliar woman in his living room. What little bit of tension that had left while on the safe subject of tea seemed to have rebounded in full force.
"It's nice to finally put a face to the name," he offered. "Fred spoke highly of you."
He could tell by the way her face tightened into an almost grimace that it was still a sore subject for her.
"You, as well."
They both averted their eyes and an uncomfortable silence settled over the two. For the whole of the seven months Ella and Fred had spent together, George and Ella had heard Fred going on and on about the other. Of course they had wanted to meet. How could they not with Fred constantly jabbering on about how great they were. They just never imagined they'd meet without him there.
"I supposed we should just get the obvious out there," she blurted out. "I'm about five months along. It's...Fred's, obviously." Her voice cracked as she forced his name out. It felt like ages since she said it aloud.
"And you're...sure?" Even he winced as the words came out.
"Quite." Her eyes narrowed a bit, clearly annoyed at his question. "It's not like there was an endless line of blokes leading out of my bedroom."
George tensed. He hadn't meant to imply that, but this was quite the twist of events. If this was real, it changed everything, a break in the cloud of sorrow that seemed to hover over his family as they learned to live without Fred.
"We can go to St. Mungo's and test it if you don't believe me."
"We probably should," he agreed, rubbing a hand down his face. "It'll take that to convince Mum it's real."
Ella's indignation faltered at the prospect of telling the rest of the Weasleys.
"You're going to tell them, then?" she asked.
"Were you ever going to tell us?" he countered. "If not for today, what would've happened with...it?"
Sadness clouded Ella's eyes again.
"Honestly? I don't know." He wasn't surprised to hear it but it still stung. He didn't want to lose any more of his twin than he had to.
"Is that why you stayed back at his funeral, because you weren't sure if you wanted to tell us?"
Ella started shaking her head as he was talking.
"You don't understand, I didn't even know then. I found out two months after the funeral and I was still grieving. I am still grieving." She let out a short laugh. "I chased you down the bloody street, George. I saw you put him in the ground and the second I saw you on the street from behind I ran after you like a madwoman. I hardly leave my apartment unless I have to and when I do go out I avoid people like the plague, especially since I started showing. I told you I was fine but I don't even know what that means anymore. I hardly sleep because every time I close my eyes I see him. And it hurts."
She looked away, trying to pull herself together before her emotions overcame her again.
"I love your brother," she said, her eyes locking back on George's. "He was everything to me. I considered giving her up but the thought of giving away the last connection I have to him...I can't do it."
"She?"
The whistling of the kettle broke their focus, just as Ella had opened her mouth to respond. George hopped up and hurried to get it off the stove and into their mugs. Ella allowed herself to relax a bit into the couch, thankful for a break in the conversation. It was emotionally draining to be there talking through the things she didn't talk about, with someone who had Fred's face but was painfully not Fred. Fred had always made jokes that he and George would have to wear colored collars so that she'd be able to tell them apart but from where she was sitting she couldn't imagine not seeing the differences.
They were laying on the floor of her living room surrounded by crumpled parchment. Fred was showing her a new type of roll that he and George had developed to put a little pizazz in note passing. He scribbled something down and tapped it twice with his wand.
"Charta avolare"
The parchment jumped to life, folding itself up into a swan. It shot into the air, flying circles above their heads before fluttering to a rest on Ella's forehead. She giggled and reached up to open it.
"What do you think? Think it'll sell well?" he had written.
Ella rolled over, beaming at her boyfriend.
"It's absolutely brilliant."
"Sorry, can't hear you," he said loudly. "My ears are...sleeping-just use the parchment!"
He pushed the roll and quill towards her. Still laughing, she rolled onto her stomach and wrote quickly and copied Fred's charm.
"I love it!" she wrote back.
He grinned at the parchment and scribbled away.
"Charta avolare." He tapped it three times. Ella watched it fly around the room. It was amazing, the things those two came up with. She raised her hand up and the swan landed on her hand and then unfolded it.
"I love you."
She rolled her head to look at him and her heart just about stopped at the goofy grin on his face. It was infectious. And she could stare at it for hours.
"I love you too." She reached a hand out and threaded her fingers through his. "So what does George think of it?"
"He likes it, it's not inconspicuous enough for note passing during class or anything but it's novel enough it should sell." Fred rolled onto his back and used his free arm to support his neck. "He loved your idea of expanding to different animals!"
"I'm glad." Ella winced at the way her tone fell a little flat. She hoped he wouldn't notice but when he glanced a quick, worried look at her, she knew he had.
"I can't wait until you two meet," he offered up. "We'll have to get old Georgie and I different colored collars so that you don't mix us up."
"Like you're dogs?" she laughed.
"Well, we can't have you boxing me in a dark corner to have your wicked way with me, only for it to be my own twin, now can I? Although, imagine how many women that sob story would get me! Betrayed by my lover with my own flesh and blood. My twin, no less! On second thought, maybe we'll swap collars-ow!"
"You are absolutely awful, Fred Weasley!" She tried scolding him, but it didn't make much impact with the smile she couldn't wipe off her face. He watched, still rubbing the spot she'd whacked him, as she got up and made her way to the kitchen.
The clink of George setting down the teacup on the coffee table snapped her from the memory.
"Oh!" She quickly wiped the stray tear away and sat up straight. "Thank you."
"S'alright." He took his seat and watched her as she took a sip. He recognized the lonely look in her eyes. He stared at that same look in the mirror most days.
"Ella." He waited for her to look at him. "I know this is hard to talk about-"
"It's fine, it's just been so long since I've talked to someone who knew him. For the last few months, it's like he only existed in my memory." She sniffed a bit but was determined to keep the tears at bay. "It's nice to talk to someone who understands what I lost."
"He never met your parents, any of your friends?"
"No," she said, shaking her head and looking into her tea. "He wanted to keep it quiet while everything was bad. And then…"
"They didn't understand?" He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
"They're Muggles, of course they didn't understand. I told them there was a war and they asked where."
"What about when they found out you were pregnant?"
She let out a laugh, but there was no humor in it.
"That was after they found out. They thought I was made up the war because I didn't know who the father was and didn't want them to know that."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he sympathized.
"You have to understand, though, they're Muggles. So much of the magical world sounds like fairytales to them. And I didn't make it any easier by not telling them about Fred. I mean, it was seven months and I said nothing. And at the time it all made sense but now…" She trailed off, trying to find the right words.
"You've been grieving alone?"
She nodded, but they both knew it wasn't really a question.
"I wish you'd come to me sooner," George said. His voice was heavy with an emotion she couldn't quite place. He opened his mouth to respond but before he could his fireplace roared to life behind Ella.
"George, you in?" Ginny called, her face sticking out from the green fire. George stood and walked over so his sister could see him.
"Yes, a bit busy right now though." The Fire Gin rolled her eyes.
"Mum wanted me to pass on that Charlie, Bill, and Fleur are coming 'round for dinner next Saturday."
"Seems like you could've written that in an owl, Gin."
"Obviously but you went off in a hurry today after that woman mistook you for-is that her there?" Ginny tried to crane her neck to see who was sitting on the couch. "George, what's going on?"
"Now's not the time Ginny." He stepped to the side, totally blocking her view of Ella.
"Honestly, George-"
"Talk to you later, Gin," he cut her off, then tapped his wand to the mantel. In a flash, the fire extinguished, taking his sister with it. When he turned, Ella was standing and looking at him with uncertain eyes.
"Sorry about that," he apologized.
"It's alright, I should be going anyway, I've taken up enough of your time." She took a step towards his door but he quickly walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"Wait, promise me you'll come back." His voice only held a hint of the urgency his eyes did. "I want to help you."
She hesitated before giving a short nod.
"When?"
"I have work tomorrow but I'm free the day after," she said slowly. "I can meet you at St. Mungo's, if you'd like. So you can know for sure."
Right, he thought. The test.
"Sure," he agreed, nodding. "I'm opening the store alone but could get away around half-past two. Things tend to slow down then."
She managed a small smile his way.
"Right then. I'll meet you there." She hesitated, unsure if the protocol for this situation called for a handshake or high five, or settled for a quick nod before making her way to the door.
Once the door shut and he was alone with his thoughts, he found himself gravitating towards his twin's room. He didn't go in there much but he felt overwhelmed by everything he had learned today. Normally he would owl Gin or Ron, hell, even Charlie, to share the burden of knowledge with them but he knew he had to keep this to himself until he knew for sure.
He made his way over to Fred's desk and dropped into the chair. He swung a hand out and whacked his fist to the front of the drawer to his right. When it sprung open, he snaked his hand to the back of the drawer, feeling around for the photograph he knew was wedged on the top. He'd only seen it a couple of times, the first when Fred had shown him and the second, the first time he'd been back in the flat after Fred's death.
He stared at the photo of Ella and Fred sitting on a couch. Fred's arm was thrown over her shoulder and they were looking at each other, wide smiles across their faces. Something catches Ella's attention across the room but Fred keeps his eyes on her.
George had tried to memorize what she looked like, hoping to spot her in the crowd and tell her what happened to Fred. In all the months since then, he had not crossed paths with her once. Not before today.
Instead of putting the photo where he had found it, he tucked it into the frame of a larger photograph of his family taken four Christmases back. Back before things really started to pick up with the war. Back when they were still whole.
He stared at the grinning face of his twin. They were still identical when it was taken. George rubbed a hand down his face and sighed.
"Oh, Forge."