Part Two
When she finally knocked on his door, no one answered. Of course not. He probably hadn't even hear her. Hesitantly she pushed down the doorknob when suddenly the door was opened. Appalled, Ginny pulled back her hand and soon met her brother's empty got even more scared because, if the view of Percy had horrified her, it still was no comparison to George's. He was as pale as a sheet, the shadows under his eyes seemed to never go away again and his was thinner than she ever remembered him to be.
As well as Percy, he was still in his Pyjamas and now looked her in the eyes but it seemed as if he didn't really meet her gaze. More, as if he looked right through her – as if she wasn't even there. But Ginny saw him and she saw that he had tear lines all over his pale cheeks. He probably had been crying until now and then quickly wiped his face. Typically for him, he'd never really liked to cry in front of others just like herself. They just stood there for a while until George's gaze really met her's. „Ginny!" he croaked then cleared his throat.
„How long have we been standing here?" he asked, his voice a little stronger. Ginny shrugged. „I don't know". Her voice was as soft as his. He looked back over his shoulder into his room. „Why don't you come in? Everything's… everything's clean." As if she'd matter. She followed and both sat on George's bed. And both stared on Fred's tidy bed. For a while they just sat there, each with his own sad thoughts. Suddenly, George slowly raised an arm and pulled her close to his side.
Ginny rested her head on his shoulder, astonished that he'd let her near him. For a long time he hadn't someone hugged or even looked at them. He took a deep breath before he spoke, his voice now throaty again. „I sometimes imagine him to still be here, with me… with us. I keep his illusion and sometimes catch myself talking to him although no one's there I could talk to. Please, don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't want to move on but I just can't. I can't even look into a mirror, Ginny, because I always would see him. There's no more George. There's just Fred trapped in another world and even when I break the glass – he's never coming back. Never again!"
With these words he started crying; she could hear and feel his sobs. That's when she started crying, too. She just wanted to tell him that everything's would be alright someday but she also knew that she couldn't lie to him. And now he started talking to himself, to a surreal picture of his lost twin… was he going mad? In her mind, Ginny saw how George together with Gilderoy Lockhart was out for a walk in Saint Mungo's. But then, George was only sad and she knew for sure that he wasn't the only one who wouldn't let a loved one go. She wanted to help him so badly and then got an idea. She cleared her throat, preparing herself for the upcoming. „What is he saying?", her voice threatened to crack but she fought the sobs coming up her throat. „George, what is he saying?
He looked at her, somewhat suspiciously. "Are you making fun of me? Because if you do, then…" She rolled her eyes, interrupting him hurriedly: "Merlin, George, I'd never do something so cruel to you! But really, what is he saying when you imagine to talk to him?" He thought for a moment. "That I… should move on. Let him go and r-rest in peace. That I should laugh again and… Oh Ginny, now this is ridiculous!" She shook her head. "No it's not. In fact, he's very right. You shouldn't stop laughing. That's like you'd betray him. I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good, remember that? You two used to laugh so much..."For a moment there was silence.
„Listen Ginny. Fred is dead so how will I be able to ever laugh again?" His voice was too soft to really sound angry, still his eyes got small. Ginny responded: „But that's the point. Fred's dead. Shall we all slowly forget about him? If no one's here to keep his spirit alive, then how will we be able not to forget? You gotta move on, George. We all want you to. And I'm sure somewhere else where we can't see him, a certain redhead is quite pissed about the fact that you just quit living and chose to exist." George let go off her and now glared. „Ginny I don't wanna move on, okay! I don't want it to be over, not like this.I don't want him to leave. He tells me to let go off him but if I do then I'll be alone!" Suddenly he froze. „ Oh my… I said it. I spoke it out loud." His sentences weren't exactly connected, but Ginny thought she'd get the point.
„That's alright. He is dead. And the only chance to keep something of him is to move on and to try and keep his spirit alive in this family." George stared forward, suddenly snorting.„Well I guess this will be my task, won't it? I hardly can Percy imagine to be able to keep the spirit of mischief and fun alive…" With these words, both of them suddenly gasped for air as if they had just broke through a water surface. It all started with a little grin in the corners of their mouths. And suddenly George started to laugh.
At first it was hoarse and seemed to be somewhat clumsy, but then he became louder. He seemed to be hysterically, yes, and tears were streaming down his cheeks but he laughed and laughed and didn't stop it. Ginny soon began to laugh, too, and then they heard people coming up the stairs and the door was opened quickly. Bill, Charlie and Ron stormed in grinning with deep glee and stared disbelievingly yet happy from Ginny to George. Then Percy came in, hesitantly but also smiling. And when they finally laughed all together just like in old times, their parents came in. Molly Weasley cried of luck to see her George laugh and to see her kids finally being happy and Arthur hugged her tightly to his chest and grinned all over his face. Eventually George stopped laughing yet smiled widely and wiped his face, exclaiming: "I'm gonna go get ready. After all, it's Christmas Eve!"