Thank you Heather Sidenwood and Alexandra for reviewing!
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Talking about opening the shop, and actually doing it were two very different things. Fred enjoyed the distraction at first, but after the worry on his family's face, and the ever growing fame he seemed to be getting, Fred was worried about leaving the Burrow. He felt safe there, and now he was going to leave. Of course George would be with him, so Fred did not feel completely lost, but being back on Diagon Alley where so many travelled, worried him. Molly most of all tried convincing the boys of staying, but George had to assure her that they would be fine.
"Mum, it'll be alright. It's time to go and try to get back to normal." George gave his mother a sympathetic smile.
Molly nodded, but wanted to protest. "Well you know I am just a snap away, if you two need anything, let me know."
"We will, Mum." Fred hugged her, thinking about not letting go.
When Fred and George returned to their flat, memories of the night he returned swam through his head, but soon the inventions and pictures lying about made him remember all of the good times he and George had since they left home. Fred's eyes landed on their broomsticks sitting next to the fireplace.
"Remember our first night here?"
George laughed. "You mean the excited terror we felt for dropping out of school and hiding from Mum?"
Fred smiled a little. "Yeah."
"We couldn't wait to get the store ready, we had all these plans and inventions just waiting to be displayed. We got to work almost as soon as we walked in the door."
"Thought Mum would kill us when she found out what we did. Said Umbridge trying to whip us was the least of our worries." Fred shook his head, happy that their mother was no longer angry with them.
"You reckon she still thinks this is a waste of time?" George was standing next to Fred now.
"Dunno, maybe she'll support us once she sees how happy it makes us, 'specially after."
George smiled at his brother. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."
Fred nodded and followed George down to the shop.
Over the next few days the two boys got everything together to open their shop back up. Almost everyone came to help at different times. Ron stacked the shelves asking if he could get anything for free, which George waited until he was done to tell him no. Percy came to look at their finances and proceeded to tell them how they needed to improve. Lee was there the most helping them get everything together. They had got to the point where they felt like they could open almost anytime. George was just finishing some things up in the front of the store, while Fred went to the back to grab a couple more boxes of merchandise. Lee made his way back to help when he saw Fred on the floor looking like he was having a panic attack.
"Fred? Hey Fred, are you okay?" Lee knelt down and put a hand on Fred's arm, but the man swatted him away.
"Please, just leave me alone. I don't know what you want." Fred was not looking at Lee.
"I just want to help you Fred, tell me what's wrong."
Fred squeezed his eyes shut for a minute, but when he opened them he looked at Lee like he had not noticed him there yet. He looked around the room.
"Fred, you're freaking me out, what's happening?"
Fred shook his head. "I can't…"
Lee met Fred's eyes. "You weren't talking to me just then were you?"
Fred looked down. "No, look there's just been some problems happening for a little bit, but I'm figuring it out."
"You're shaking and talking to things that aren't there, that doesn't really scream "figured out" to me."
"I've got this under control alright, so please just don't say anything to George about this."
"What?" Lee could not understand this. "Why? You two don't keep secrets, and this is a pretty big deal, he needs to know."
Fred shook his head. "No, he's got enough to worry about right now with everything else going on. He already has to take care of me so much, I-I can't add this to it."
"Fred, this could be bad, George would want to know, he wouldn't care about it adding more to his plate, and you know that. I don't want to keep secrets from him." Lee started to get up, but Fred grabbed him.
"No, Lee, please just give me some more time, okay? I'll tell him, just not yet, please." Fred gave him a desperate look.
Lee sighed. "Fine, fine, but this can't stay kept for long."
Fred nodded. 'Thanks."
"Come on, let's get this stuff up front." Lee grabbed the box Fred had dropped on the ground and headed towards the front of the store.
George noticed something off with the two as they came in the main area. "Everything okay?"
Fred met eyes with Lee before nodding. "Yeah, just getting a bit tired is all."
George gave him a nod in return and took a look at the store. "We've gotten a lot accomplished today. I think one more day and then we'll be ready for are re-grand opening."
"Yeah, it's practically there," Fred agreed.
Lee left after helping with the final things for the night, and the two headed upstairs to their flat. The first night they went back to their home, George had decided they were putting their beds in one room. Fred was still not sleeping well, and George knew he would worry all night about his brother in the other room. He decided to keep their beds apart to see how things went. Fred still had nightmares, but he tried to stay awake for as long possible each night. No matter how hard he fought sleep, Fred always managed drift off at one point. He blamed this for still being so weak since he got back. It was early in the morning when the whispers sunk in and forced Fred awake. His eyes went straight to George's bed, but he found him missing. Fred got up and walked into the living room, but he was not there either. Fred worried as he began to search the house. Finally he stopped when he saw George standing in his bed-less room staring at the wardrobe.
"George?"
George kept his eyes on the wardrobe. "I thought we could wear our first dragon scale suits for the opening, but when I went to get yours I realized it's not here."
Fred stepped closer to his brother. "Where is it?"
George turned to face his brother. "We buried you in it."
"Oh." Fred looked at the floor.
Ever since he got back everything had been happening so fast. First there was the shock of his return and then all the questions, but now that the two brothers were home by themselves again, everything was beginning to sink in.
"It's okay Georgie, we can wear something else."
George nodded. "Lee said people are already talking about the shop. You think everyone really wants to see the store or you?"
Fred shifted a little. "Probably a bit of both. Me being back and the looks that come with it is something we'll both have to get used to."
"I'm just worried they will all be too much for you."
Fred smiled a little. "I can handle it, besides you'll be right there with me."
George nodded.
When the time came to finally open the shop, Fred and George had enlisted the help of Lee, Ron, and Percy to help handle the crowd they knew they were going to have. There was a line outside of the store, each witch and wizard trying to look through the windows to see a glimpse of the man who came back from the dead. Fred knew that was what they were doing, and the longer he stood there, the more nervous he became. George nudged him a little with his elbow.
"You alright, Fred?"
Fred nodded. "Let's just do this, shall we?"
George plastered on a smile and pulled out his wand to unlock the door. As soon as the doors opened the people began to poor in, their eyes in wonder of the magic flowing through the shop. Many eyes averted their attention to the twins, but after their looks of shock, they made sure they drew their attention elsewhere. Fred was relieved by this; he was not sure if he could handle a ton of questions getting thrown his way. Of course the two could hear the people talk about Fred and how he was back, but no one dared talk to him.
As the day went on, Fred made sure to keep his distance. He was not ready to be as involved as he once was with the shop. He could not face anyone directly yet, but supervised at the top of the stairs where there were not many people. George too kept his distance more than he would, always keeping a close eye on his brother. He was thankful for Ron, Percy, and Lee who were practically running the store for them. By the end of the night, however, George was thankful. The first day was a lot on everyone, so he was glad to be done with it.
"I never thought your insanity would turn out to be so profitable." Percy was counting the drawer to the register.
"People always need a good laugh, right Fred?" Ron looked up at his brother.
Fred smiled a little and nodded. "That's what I always say." He gave a George a look.
George nodded and smiled. "Alright Ikle Ronniekins, we've decided you finally deserve to have something from our shop."
Ron gave him a skeptical look "You mean at double the price."
George shook his head. "No, pick something you like, but don't get greedy. We appreciate everyone helping today."
Ron's face lit up. "Alright!" He went around the shop trying to decide what he was going to pick out.
Lee grabbed some nosebleed nugget and held it up. "Mind if I have this?"
"Yeah, you're always welcome to pick out what you like Lee." George smiled.
"What? No fair, how come he's always welcome to and I, your brother, am just now getting something?" Ron pulled himself away from the shelves and turned to his brothers.
"Because Ronnie, Lee is practically a partner in the business. He was there when we made most of this stuff, and he helped distribute it around the school. People would not know about our products as much if it weren't for him." George eyed his brother. "Now hurry up and pick something before we change our minds."
Ron sighed, but went back to finding something he really wanted. Once he had found the perfect item the boys made sure the shop was all ready to close and said goodnight. Fred and George headed up to their flat where Fred plopped himself down onto the couch before George could shut the door. George sat down next to him.
"How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted." Fred leaned his head back on the couch.
"Today was a big day, but it felt good."
Fred tilted his head towards his brother. "It did, wasn't as bad as I expected. There were a lot of stares of course, but no one asked us outright which was nice. Today felt almost normal."
"Maybe you'll actually sleep tonight then." George was hopeful.
Fred gave a small nod. "That would be nice."
For the first few hours of the night, Fred did sleep, but then the nightmares creeped in.
"Fred, wake up and look at us."
Fred opened his eyes and realized he was no longer at home, instead he was back in that world, the one he so desperately fought to escape. Fear gripped his chest as he tried to wake up from the dream he hoped he was having. He was back at Hogwarts, where it all happened, where he had relived over and over again. He was alone. At least he thought he was, but a noise made Fred turn around. In front of him stood a large shadowy creature; it was more man shaped than a dementor, but did not quite have the edges of person. Deep purple eyes stared at Fred.
"You brought me out, but one must go back."
"I'm not going back there." Fred shook his head.
The shadow came closer to him. "They'll all die. I will take them all. You will go back and I will thrive on this world."
"I won't let that happen."
"You'll have to find me to stop me. My darkness will spread through the shadows." The creature soared at Fred, going through him.
The man shot up in his bed out of breath. The same fear still held him. He had no idea if that was just a dream, or something real. He was starting to lose his grip and he had no idea what to do about it.
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AN: Thanks for reading!
