Shadow Brothers

A/N: Howdy y'all! My brain's been fried in American summer heat, and boy did it murder me! I'll stay here in the cold for the rest of my life if that's what people call 'warm'. Shudder I think I'll go bury myself in the snow as soon as it falls. And I finally figured out a ACCEPTABLE continuance for Dark Temptations yay. Whatever. Eat your heart out, Marsha, Dahling!

Summary: Five years have passed, George has finally become the famous movie star he promised to be, and Lee hopes to find his old friend in the city of dreams. But what if his old friend is long-gone and a shadow remains?

Could you tell I was lazy with the summary? I'm plotting while writing this, so give me a break! Jeez . . .

S.O., dearheart, I am touched deeply!

Shadow Brother- Chapter 2

Bleeding Glaciers

"George! It's me, Alicia! Can I come in?"

George had been reading on the couch, lounging around in a sweater two sizes too big and some leather-black pants. He had gone to a couple of pubs and some clubs before making his way home to his apartment.

"Alicia?" he mumbled, rolling off to land on his bare feet in a crouch, moving towards the door in a slow step. "What's up? You sound funny today."

He didn't bother to look through the eyehole to see who it was, immediately unlatching his door to allow her access.

To his horror, it wasn't Alicia.

"Long time no see, PAL." Lee bit the last word out, to show his clear irritation towards his would-be host. He pushed his foot in the gap before George had a chance to close the door on him.

It took George a moment to recover, his shock being replaced by reluctant acceptance of his existence. "Well, look who's here," he greeted in a mocking voice, "I thought you'd have left by now." He was trying to wedge Lee's foot out of the way for him to close the door again.

"Sorry, but I'm missing the money for that." Lee put his weight against the door, refusing to leave. "George! Don't you even want to know what's happened since you've left?" He started to sound a little desperate if not disappointed in his friend. "You're dad died two years ago! Three years and we hear nothing from you! No letters, no phone-calls! He died on an alcohol overdose in his blood! You practically killed the man!"

"Shut up and go away!" George noticed his neighbors walking by and starting to stare, the worst being they were the neighbors that gossiped their whole life away with spreading rumors and whatnot. If they remained in the hallway fighting like this, the next would be Lee being his former lover or something. Absolutely messed up.

"You still haven't paid me back my money from back then, too!" Lee yelled in his ear, startling him out of his thoughts. "GIVE IT BACK, NOW!"

"SHUT UP!" George yelled back, grabbing Lee by the collar and pulling him into his apartment, slamming the door behind him. Not before giving his neighbors a dirty look, though. 'Damn Dursleys'.

George's Apartment

Lee had spread himself out on the black couch George had been sleeping on the previous evening, seeming as content as a cat napping in the sun. "Hey, George", he said, interrupting the silence between them, "how's about some coffee for the guest?"

George was sitting on one of the stools around his wooden counter. He had been skulking ever since Lee 'Made himself at home'.

"Go make it yourself!" He didn't turn when he heard Lee approach him, his second mistake twice today.

"Hey George?" he tapped him on the shoulder.

"Now what?" Spinning his seat around, George wasn't prepared for the blow that came from his left. "N-not in the face!" he managed to sputter, his nose dripping blood freely. "I have a movie-shot tomorrow!"

Lee ignored him, smacking his head from left to right and back to left again. "With that face, I don't think anyone could care less, let alone tell the difference!"

"Lee, you-" George started, getting himself together, his fists clenched, "you Jackass!" He landed a blow square in the middle of Lee's face.

But Lee's flames of fury didn't diminish; quite the opposite. "You acted like I was air or something!" He got back on his feet and went for a tackle.

"Why the hell do you show up in those rags anyway?!" George successfully blocked it and they both went down in an all-out schoolboy's fistfight.

They finally settled down after half an hour of releasing the frustrated tension. George and Lee sitting on the floor next to each other, their backs against the wall, both panting from a 'good workout'.

"You've really gotten strong", Lee managed between breaths, being in much better shape than he looked. A smile even managed to creep on his face. "You always used to come crying when the dogs chased you in the neighborhood."

George was silent next to him, his breathing more regulated. At first he didn't say anything, having a soul debate if he should tell him the truth.

"I . . . I'm not the George Weasley you knew", he confessed, his gaze burning a hole into the carpet. "Ever since that first movie, I've been going around looking for jobs everywhere. Snape said that I should keep in touch, just in case they might have an opening for me.

"But I couldn't come back home. I didn't want to see the disappointment in your eyes, the sympathy of having failed my dream. I was desperate, I couldn't let you down. That's when I started looking around. I washed dishes where extra hands were needed, helped walk some dogs when a bellboy was feeling sick, even sold my body into prostitution until sex has no meaning for me anymore. During that time I changed, and they weren't the greatest, either. Alicia is nice, but she's had a steady success, she wouldn't be able to understand, and you don't know how I longed for you, Lee. The home-sickness had me crying for weeks, sometimes.

"I did anything, anything, to make it in this city, Lee. I couldn't come back until I had it made." Tears were shimmering in George's eyes, sparkling in the corners of his eyes, beading his eyelashes.

"You idiot", Lee said, feeling close to crying himself, "all I ever wanted was to see you again."

George and Lee made eye contact for some precious seconds before he couldn't help but let his head fall onto Lee's shoulder. "George?" he asked, his voice soothing, gentle, absolutely comforting.

"I haven't slept in three days", he admitted, his eyes already closed, the tears shimmering down his cheek. "Just be here when I wake up."

Lee felt an unfamiliar lump in his throat, doing his best not to sob. "Of course I'll be here," he whispered. Those last words wrapped him in a sheltering blanket, the memories of their childhood threatening to drown him. "I promise."

George never heard him, only felt a serenity fall upon him, a hand on his shoulder guiding him back to lost days that never really existed.

George's Apartment – Morning, the next day

Lee had changed into some of George's more casual clothes as well; a maroon sweatshirt and some khaki shorts. George had been standing in the kitchen, finishing his coffee and getting ready for work.

Lee walked past the front door, stood there and waited as her saw the mail slide through the slot. He moved over as if to pick it up, found another that seemed old and discarded at the side.

"Addressed George Weasley", he read aloud, heard George's hurried footsteps come behind him and snatch the letter out of his hands. His green tinted brown eyes shimmered with tumult. "George?" Lee asked, concerned.

George turned away without looking at him, grabbing his overcoat as he started to open the door. "It's nothing", he muttered over his shoulder, still refusing to look him in the eyes, "I'll see you this evening, then." He tried to close the door gently behind him, but barely managed to subdue a slam.

"Oh, does that mean you two are friends again?" Alicia had dropped by for lunch, wanting to ask George how things went. She was absolutely overjoyed that they had settled their differences, her blue eyes shimmering with delight.

"Yeah, I found some of his movies that I was getting ready to watch", Lee admitted, directing his gaze towards a small pile of cassettes he'd seen scattered around the apartment. "I was watching 'Sweet Dreams' when you came in."

Alicia scooted over to the couch, sitting herself in a very dainty manner, her skirt tucked neatly underneath her. She reached out for the case, twirling it around and around, as if fascinated by the very sight of it.

"'Sweet Dreams' was our first movie together, you know", she said, "the angel on the cover was sculpted by the director himself. They loved it so much, Crystal Palace paid him a fortune for it. And it resembled George so much." her face took on a dreamy look, like a teenager thinking of her Hollywood crush. "He was so sweet to me on the set, I was under his spell in an instant. But lately he's been so cold, and always having private meetings with the director, Severus."

Lee had stretched out on the love seat across from the TV, doing his best to pay attention to the movie and not think about what George and Creepmaster would do together in private. (A/N: Not what you are thinking!) Shaking his head to ward out disgusting thoughts, he watched the axe- murderer chase George down an ally and throw the weapon after him, the blade hitting him square in the back. Lee's gut clenched and froze at the same time, sending shivers up his back.

"I don't like this movie", he concluded, looking away from the screen.

Alicia looked up at him, an understanding smile on her delicate face. "Because George dies?"

"Exactly," he said, picking up the remote from the floor and rewinding the tape, "it's way too realistic. Here, this part right-" Lee jumped off the couch and crouched in front of the TV, a frown appearing on his face.

"What is it?" Alicia asked, sliding off and crawling up next to him, though she doesn't notice, her shoulder touching his.

"There was something strange", Lee muttered, doing his best to keep his hormones in check. "Right about . . . There!" He paused it at the close-up of when the axe hit George in the back.

Dead eyes gone wide stared back at him.

Lee's stomach rolled at the sight and reality struck. Constant shivers going up down his arms, bits of ice were running through his blood stream. He looked completely ashen, taken aback.

Alicia had to do a double take on what she saw, her hands going up to her mouth, suppressing the terrified scream that threatened to tear her throat apart.

Both stared at the corpse in the movie, and the corpse stared back just as relentless, brown hazel eyes burning into and through them.

"George?" Lee uttered silently, no more than a whisper, a gentle prayer confined to the living room, forever ringing unheard through this little space in time. But George would not, could not answer him. George was no more.

Durmstrang Inc. – Filming Corner

Lee's POV

They say these places are supposed to be guarded by high security, but I managed to sneak in past all the guards. And when asked, I easily passed for a stuntman. The security of today.

I spotted you near the trailers, talking to that freak of a director. At first you didn't see me, but when I called out to you, it seemed like the sun had just moved into your soul.

"Lee, hi!" You waved, that smile never leaving your face once, reflecting in your hazel green eyes.

I smiled back, clutching the paper bag with preserves close to me. I swallowed once, twice, refused to blink. "Hey, George, got a minute?" I asked, hoping to give you your gift.

"Sure thing," you nodded, walking towards me, but not before Snape grabs you by the arm, whispering something in your ear.

You shook him off, aggravation written all over your face. "What does it matter that he's still here? He's my friend, and if he wants to stay, then I won't make him leave!" You stormed past me, grabbing by the arm and pulling me behind you without a second look back.

I did my best to keep up while walking backwards. But the Snape's ice-cold glare after us was burned into my memory. I still think I saw flames smoldering in his depths, evil, malicious flames.
George's Changing Room

You finally let my arm go, I having feared you would crush my bones to dust. Sitting down on a cushioned oriental-style chair, I watched you pace for a few moments, you still being slightly pissed at him. At last you relaxed and I dared to speak.

"I just wanted to drop by and bring you some preserves from Cho Chang, your old flame", I held out the paper bag, glad you took it when you did. Every minute longer I stand here weakens my cool and brings forth that vile and forgotten mistress of aches, Lady Betrayal.

You sighed, smiling to yourself as you peeked into the bag, seeing the strawberry preserves, your favorite. "Ah, Cho, how long has it been?"

She drew her bow and arrow and in that instant as those words passed your fibbing lips, Betrayal struck me deep again. "Who's Cho?"

You glanced up at me in confusion, but I would tell you everything. "Her name was Angelina Johnson and she worked in the café near the city." You looked even more surprised as I grabbed your arm and pushed your sleeve up to reveal your skin. Smooth, unmarred, soft to the touch. "Lee?" you asked, unsure of what was going on, holding on to your arm as if I had singed it with fire, a freezing fire.

I backed away from you, tears threatening to spill. "The mark would not have faded away," I explain slowly, pulling back my own sleeve to show the gash from the lost promise, "it wouldn't have faded like a real blood- swear."

I could tell I had caught you off guard, this being the last you had expected. Your expression of sudden realization remained only a moment before you stormed into the back room. "You're not the real George", I called through the door, knowing he would listen, "you're his supposed lost twin Frederick Waltman."

There is a slight thump in your room, but I ignored it, figuring you were putting something in front of the door, probably dropped against the wall yourself.

"The corpse in the movie 'Sweet Dreams', the part where the axe was flung towards George's back was real, and so was the corpse." My breathing became labored and I had to consistently swallow, "in the close-up you could see his pupils were dilated. We showed it to a doctor specializing in such cases and he agreed as well." My fists clenched and unclenched, I hit the door with the flat of my hand. "Why?!" I screamed at you, "Why did you kill him?! Were you jealous of his sudden fame?! Damn you, why did you steal his identity?"

"Shut up!" you yelled through a sob, I could hear you crying through the door, making me even more angrier at you. You had no right to cry. "I admit, I WAS jealous of his success, but I didn't kill him! Do you hear me? It wasn't me!"

I rested my forehead against the door, shutting my eyes, wanting to forget, not hear, not feel this hurt, this pain. "Then why? Why his name?" I managed to regulate my breathing, but only barely so. I still wanted to throttle you.

"Remember when I told you I had to make it in this place, no matter the cost? That wasn't a lie. Nothing I told you in the apartment was a lie." I laughed out loud, wanting to tie a rope around you and spin you like a top. "Well, not the part of my life, at least."

You cleared your throat, probably still crying. "I had been going down the drain, auditioning so many times on Broadway, barely ever truly making it into a play. When I had given up, Snape found me and said that I had been what he was looking for." Your voice went up a pitch, sounding fervent, "he had asked if I had a brother and I told him yes, and then he smiled and told me he was going to make me famous. He told me that I was going to be George Weasley. And when I heard that he had such a great friend, I couldn't resist the temptation to have someone like you always be there. I lost all feeling of sadness for him and thought that if I played my cards right, you wouldn't be able to see through me."

You fell silent, even your weeping had ceased. It was too quiet on your side, so I gently tap the door, concern overpowering the loathing I felt towards you. "Fred?"

The sound resonated like the first evening of me finding you again, but this wasn't a slap. A small silver pearl appeared out of the darkness and slashed through the silence, the air, only to be embedded in your chest as you crashed against the wall.

"Fred!"

I rammed the door down with my shoulder, hitting the floor with a resonating 'crack'. "Fred!" I turned to where you lay, the blood all over you, the floor, seeping through the soft material. Where the silver messenger of death is embedded in your chest is a gap, slowly breathing your life away. Once again my gut clenches and I can do no other but weep. "I've got to get help. Security!"

I caught my hand, and I turned towards you, remorse the only feeling flooding throughout me, threatening to drown me. "Please, don't leave me," you silently uttered past your lips, each second stealing a little more of your life.

I kneel back down and cradle your head against me.

"We'll always be the best of friends. Right, Lee Jordan?" you whispered, grief gripping my lungs in a choking grasp.

"Of course we'll be, George." To give you the gift meant for your brother was the least I could do, any kind of hatred towards you vanishing in an instant.

"Lee, Snape's angel – in the angel," but you could never finish telling me. In that moment, which you smiled at me, joy reflecting in your eyes. In that moment, you grasping life's last kiss of air and becoming cold.

And in that moment, my whole being dropped and I swore justice for my best friend, my blood-sworn brother, for you.
Crystal Palace- Two days later

The day after your death, I figured out what you meant with the angel.

I had followed Snape to a party the next afternoon, leaving him a message to meet me in the secluded garden where the angel statue stood, gazing coldly outwards.

"You say you can prove I killed George Weasley?" he laughed, thinking I was bluffing for him to confess.

I grinned, twirling it in my hands. "Tell me, Director," I spit the last word out at him, "what was it that the axe murderer killed George with in 'Sweet Dreams' again? An axe, wasn't it?"

I swung out the same weapon they had used to end your life, a silver blade, short and stubby, and extremely sharp and deadly. "This here is your proof director, this!"

I raised the axe as if to strike him, and as expected, he shielded himself and immediately screamed for help. But I wasn't aiming for that bastard of a director, I aimed for the statue, for your heart.

The cracks slowly inched their way upwards, creeping over your neck, across your face. And as the bits of clay shattered and fell, I saw your lovely, blackened face covered still in bits of the clay.

"Oh my-!"

"Somebody call the police!"

"Quick, grab Severus!" random shouts erupted behind me. But I ignored them. Just then, the world existed for only us two.

"Hey pal," I mumble, unshed grief finally being released, "long time no see. Sorry I'm too late."

Gryffindor Bus Terminal

They arrested Snape and gave you the most beautiful funeral I had ever seen. The last I would ever see before my own. Alicia had bought me some extra clothes and I had stayed with her until the end of the week, her insisting to do so. She even gave me the money that you owed and paid for my ticket back home.

"I'm so sorry for your loss", she said again, embracing me closely one last time. "This should never have come to pass."

I shake my head, wanting to tell her that life goes on, but my mouth refuses to work.

"The next time your in town, promise to drop by?" she asked, standing at the entrance, watching my retreating back. I waved at her in a fare well.

"Not likely", I shout over the crowd, "because I'm not ever coming back."

I turned to look ahead, not once looking back to see her tear- streaked face, saddened by losses all around her.

This lady of our harbor is a cruel mistress, all the lights in New York not softening her features one bit. The town is full of clowns, dancing and performing for their life, until no one even remembers their name. And when they pass away, more clowns and fools rush to take their place. This lady is cold and bitter with her judgement, relentless and without mercy.

But as the light glimmered off your face, you truly had become a fallen Angel.

Fin
A/N: Go on, say you hate me. I know exactly you want to murder me now; I can feel it all the way over here. And I'm not offending any New Yorkers if they read this, I'm just fascinated with it so much, until I don't even trust to live there. It's something about the big apple that truly does capture your heart. Sadly, Hawaii does not have the same effect, and Florida DEFINITELY doesn't. But you guys stay true to your home-states and cheer like the rest of 'em! Hope you liked it! And any schemes for 'Dark Temptations' is highly valued info!