Here is the fourth part of this story (there will be six parts). Why do you think? Will they be able to save Fred?

Let me know your thoughts! Don't hesitate to review ;D

Enjoy your reading!

ElieNP

Hermione closed her eyes. "I've never left your side George. Sly as you are you perfectly know it. I was just..."

"Doubting," he offered to complete. "It's understandable when you look at the mess we've got ourselves in."

"Why haven't we been fooled by the curse too?"

Bringing along Hermione's, George raised his arm above his head. "Fred's hand is missing. I don't deny Fred and I will always share a special bond, it is a certainty, yet you have undoubtedly succeeded in forming with us another one. Fred and I are a duo. Fred, you and I are a trio. We can't be oblivious when something happens to one of us."

Hermione brought back her hand to her chest. "But your parents, and your brothers, Ginny, Harry, and everyone else! You can't say they have nothing special with Fred," her eyes progressively narrowed to become two thin lines on her face.

Why would she know something Fred's own mother couldn't see? Something was illogical. She couldn't deny George's idea of them three being a trio. A bond had certainly formed between them, the prankster twins and their bookworm friend. Admittedly she'd spent so many days and nights with them that it was impossible to give an exact number, but was it enough? No, it didn't explain why-

"You're thinking too much," her friend interrupted her thoughts. "Perhaps there is no reason. Perhaps the curse can't reach us. Why us, I don't know, but there may be no explanation. Perhaps it's because of the state we were in, perhaps it's because of the hours we've spent together, perhaps it's simply because of who we are. Perhaps the others know, or feel something is wrong without wanting to admit it. They may be afraid. The shock may have been too great for them-"

"And not for us?" she raised an upset eyebrow at him.

"Not in the same way, perhaps more, perhaps less, you know I have absolutely no idea of what is true or false right now. These are nothing but suppositions. To be honest I don't care. The thing which really matters is that we're aware something is wrong, then we can do something to make things right."

They were staring at each other, duelling for their idea to make sense in the other's mind. George wouldn't turn away. He'd come to accept the situation more quickly than Hermione. He wouldn't allow her to remain in the darkness with the others. He needed her by his side to win this battle. Fred was somewhere behind the curse, a curse which didn't seem to be able to reach them. They'd take advantage of that. He understood Hermione's desire to act like his mother, to simply be happy preparing the return of a dear one, but he wouldn't let her. Because what could be true for his mother, couldn't be for her. He didn't know how, but they'd somehow been able to catch the truth behind the lie. They'd partake in the masquerade, and mercilessly thwart it.

He truly believed in his words. There was no way to tell why Hermione and he could see past Fred's appearance. It might be because of the bond he shared with his twin, a bond which might have been extended to Hermione in consideration of the huge amount of time she spent with them.

Now that panic and pain had lessened a little, straying away from his mind, George could also declare his Fred was still there. He'd been a fool not to feel it for three months, to think him dead...

The past had to remain the past, not erasable it wouldn't determine the future for that all.

He was certain his thoughts matched Hermione's. It was only a matter of time before she stopped doubting so much, and so often.

"I'm cumbersome, aren't I?"

George merely approved.

"You don't know what is good for your safety," she commented.

He beamed at her.

"I'm going to try to stop doubting. I can't promise anything. If their happiness is... I don't know if I won't break down tomorrow... But I'll do my best not to, because you're right, this Fred is the curse, and I'll consider him as such until we make things right again." She winked at George then rolled her eyes. "Merlin, stop smiling like that your face is going to disappear behind the goofy thing."

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

They burst into laugher.

"Too many big words tonight, it's time to sleep, don't you think?"

This time it was Hermione's turn to approve.

Exhausted. Empty. Upset. It was time they went back to their room. Unfortunately even this sanctuary couldn't give them relief any more. George had to share his room with a living curse. Hermione with an over-excited Ginny.

They exchanged encouraging – tensed - smiles before going on their separated ways.

The day had been awful, full of joy, tears and lies. The Fred who wasn't their Fred didn't even care to act like him. He wasn't nice to anyone, didn't joke, spoke loudly - only about himself - and seemed to take a sick pleasure to hurt the people around him. How did Mrs Weasley do to still be able to stand on her feet? An unnerving mystery really. Her son had been so odious, so cruel with her and scornful about all her gentle attentions. If George hadn't been there to restrain her, Hermione would have beaten the puppet to dust.

And it hadn't been better with the rest of the family. Percy had been about to scream at his brother, but had held it back, like they'd all done, only because it was Fred. For him they'd accept anything.

"Bullshit,"Hermione spat against her pillow so as not to alarm Ginny.

Even to her he'd been mean. Fortunately she'd been able to keep in mind that he wasn't her Fred - else it'd have truly hurt.

Her fingers tightened their hold on the sheets. She'd been wrong when she'd told George it'd be hard not to drown into the general happiness. It was in reality impossible for her to think everything was all right.

"I'm so glad Fred is back."

Hermione jumped. She hadn't heard Ginny come to her bed, nor had she felt her sit down on it. She slowly got her head from under the cover.

"Of course," she replied with as much sincerity as she could fake.

Ginny took her hands in hers. "Can you believe he is here? Finally..." Ginny's murmur broke Hermione's heart. Could she even think about telling her it wasn't true? She couldn't. It'd be better to have some allies, but, as George had rightly said, to make allies would be very hard, most likely impossible in their situation.

She gently caressed Ginny's hair. "Of course he is back. It's Fred we're talking about after all." The words were burning her tongue. It was the truth though, it was all about Fred. He hadn't totally surrendered to the curse. He was certainly fighting to make it back to them.

"I'm so glad, so so glad," the red-hair sobbed in her friend's shoulder. "It was so scary. He was so scary in this bed. So frail, so far away..."

Hermione tightened her embrace. "It's over now, it's over," she murmured in her ear.

Lie. Monstrous lie.

"Is he really back?"

The wariness in her tone took the oldest girl aback. Ginny had seemed to believe so much in his return, could she have some doubts? Hermione didn't dare answer, fearing she might betray her own thoughts.

"Is he really back?" Ginny repeated a bit louder.

Hermione stiffened. She didn't want to lie. "Hermione?" She kept her lips tightly closed.

Ginny slightly moved away from her friend. "What's wrong?"

The brunette shook her head. "Nothing," she successfully – if she could say so – croaked.

"Are you sure?" Another nod. "Look at me in the eyes," Ginny authoritatively said. Hermione did as she was told. "What's wrong?" One more nod. "Damn it Hermione! I'm not stupid!"

Hermione winced. Of course Ginny wasn't stupid, nor totally blind, and it was, for once, a pity. She refused to lie. However if Ginny kept her offensive behaviour on she obviously wouldn't last very long.

"Did something happen with Fred? Don't tell me," Hermione tensed, "it's because he's been mean with you!" Her muscles relaxed a little. "Oh Hermione!" Ginny threw her arms around her friend's neck. "He's been mean with everyone. I think he is just exhausted, and scared. He's almost died after all! You shouldn't take it for yourself."

Wrong, from the beginning to the end. Hermione held back a sigh. She'd feared Ginny might have understood – she knew her well enough to imagine what her thoughts could be.

"It hurts." Hermione decided it was safer to play along, besides these words weren't a lie.

"But you know he doesn't mean it! Give him a few days."

Ginny's tone was pleading. It only hurt Hermione more to know she was playing with her friend's feelings. She held out a hand to softly stroke the young girl's cheek. "Don't worry, I know," she answered in a breath.

That night Ginny didn't sleep alone. She remained stuck to her friend's side, lulled by the smoothing caress on her hair and the soft warmth which enveloped her. Albeit she'd have thought it'd be the contrary, Hermione didn't wait for long hours to pass before falling asleep too, peacefully... almost...

"Hermione!"

Turning her head in the voice's direction, she met nothing but darkness.

"Hermione!" The tone sounded icy, the atmosphere was made oppressive by the heat. Wait. No, it wasn't hot, not any more. Now it was as cold as the voice calling her name.

"Hermione for Merlin's sake!"

The heat was back in the game. Then why was she trembling? Could she still be cold without knowing it? No, there was something else, somebody in reality for she was firmly held by the upper-arms and shaken rather violently. Violent and icy, she didn't want to face this person. She tried to get away from their grip, fidgeting uncontrollably though it was hard to find the necessary strength. She felt exhausted and was obviously – her nose could tell – drenched in sweat.

"Hermione! You're scaring me! Hermione wake up!"

"What's happening?"

A second voice reached her ears, not icy, neither had been the other one. Had it been her imagination playing with her mind again?

"I don't know, I wake up because of she was moving too much, then her whole face has started to tense and look at the state she is in!"

"For how long have you been-"

"How would I know! I've been almost screaming in her ears she doesn't seem to hear me!"

The first voice was becoming frantic, the second one held an edge of worry which sounded familiar. The heat around her was thickening quickly. She choked on the hot air which was now making its way to her lunges.

"She's stopped breathing!"

"No! Ginny! Don't start to panic! She is breathing. She does breathe! Ginny!"

Ginny was by her side – she should have guessed earlier! - and the second voice belonged to a man. She frowned, having difficulties to remember his name.

"Hold her down! She's going to hurt herself!"

George of course! Ginny and George! She was sharing a room with the girl after all, it was logical she was with her, as for George, well, what was he doing in their room? Wasn't he supposed to be with Fred?

"It's worsening! We have to wake her up!"

"Hermione?"

Everything abruptly disappeared. The heat, the pain where the hands had been holding her firmly, the sweat, the shaking, the voices, everything but this new aura which had suddenly entered the room.

So familiar yet so eerie.

It was him without being him. Scary. Terrifying. She wanted to run away from the curse, to run as fast as possible, as far away as she could. She wanted to escape the icy grip it had around her throat, the fire it injected in her veins.

"What's the matter?"

"Don't worry Fred, it was just a big nightmare. You can go back to bed, we'll take care of it."

The presence slowly faded away, its grip weakening, its fire losing in intensity until there was no evidence of it any more. Soon she was free, yet not successful. She hadn't escaped the thing, the thing had willingly released her. The shaking came back, less violent, as she slowly opened her eyes.

Relief washed over George and Ginny. The latter engulfed her friend in a bear hug. George's hand simply came to rest on her arm, gently caressing the still drenched skin.

"You scared us," he croaked, his eyes boring into her brown ones.

"I'm sorry," she hoarsely replied.

"What happened?"

Hermione's brows furrowed. "I don't know, I can't remember."

"You seemed scared to death," Ginny's voice was faltering.

"I... There was nothing but darkness, everywhere and... and it was cold and hot, one after the other, terrible. And... I heard you Ginny... or so I think, because it wasn't your voice, it was icy and... not nice at all, after it changed and I'm sure it was your voice then. Also, when it wasn't cold it was hot, too hot to breathe. Then something..." She turned her eyes away from Ginny, focusing only on George's. "Then something suddenly came and there was nothing left but its presence." George narrowed his eyes before they widened in comprehension.

"But it's all right now, it's over, you're with us," Ginny softly said. "You're with us."

She tightened her hug around her friend to emphasize her words. Hermione tried to smile at the girl, but soon gave up. She wasn't able to put a mask on her face right now, she didn't have the strength to play along with the masquerade at the moment.

George had enormous rings under his eyes. Hermione doubted he'd been sleeping well with the curse beside him.

"You should go back to bed," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Else tomorrow," she glanced at the clock, "I mean later in the day, you won't be able to do anything."

George nodded. He got up after having firmly squeezed her arm, assuring her his support.

"Ginny?" The witch wouldn't let go of her.

"Can I stay with you?"

Hermione's features softened. "Of course." They both laid back more comfortably.

The nightmare came back. Always the same setting, always the same atmosphere and sensations. Ginny would never let Hermione sleep alone, yet this presence didn't prevent them from plaguing her friend. As soon as the first signs showed up, the red-haired girl would take her friend in her arms, slightly rocking back and forth, and hoped the crisis would be shorter than the time before. George had told them to cast silencing charms around the bedroom so as not to wake up the whole house. In spite of the magic, he seemed to always know when the nightmares started. It was becoming a routine to have him rushing to the girls' room. He'd take a seat on Hermione's bed and held her hand until she came back to them. Consciousness never took the same time to be regained, nevertheless it'd always be longer when Fred made an apparition through the threshold.

"He is responsible," Ginny had stated after four days. George hadn't gone back fast enough once Hermione had fallen back to sleep to avoid the confrontation.

"What?"

"Don't fool around with me George. Fred is responsible for Hermione's nightmares." He winced. "Each time he enters the room her state worsens."

"Well-"

"If it's to lie shut up," she dryly cut him off.

He sighed. He had the tendency to forget - too easily - how fiery Ginny's temper could be, and there was the result of his carelessness. He was trapped.

"In a way," he admitted.

"We're making some progress. Come on, what do you know?"

"I-"

"You better shut up if you're planning to feed me lies," she warned him again.

No, he wouldn't dare do such a thing, the idea might have crossed his mind though.

"To be totally honest. We have absolutely no idea of what is happening. All we know is it's about Fred." She raised an eyebrow at him, that wasn't all they knew and she wanted him to realise she wasn't going to be deceived by his silence. "And Hermione and I seem to be more affected by his return than you all. I mean, we've obviously not reacted in the same way as everybody else. It's taken us longer to share the general happiness, to get rid of ours worries."

"Which are still there," she pointed out.

He nodded. Somehow he had the impression Ginny also felt something was wrong. The way she was looking at him now, not as if he was utterly stupid, she believed his words, more than that, she'd caught the meaning behind them.

"He's never come back, has he?" Tears had gathered in her eyes. George held out his free hand to grab one of hers. Squeezing it lightly, he acquiesced.

The tears slowly rolled on her cheeks. "Hermione?" she murmured.

"We've... come across some difficulties together before realising what the situation was truly." Some things were better left out.

"Why have you kept that from us?" There was no accusation in her tone. She was only trying to understand, to solve the puzzle she now had new pieces of.

"Because we seemed to be the only ones to thing like that. Everyone was so happy, can you imagine us telling them their happiness has no reason to be? Can you imagine us telling Mum her son is actually under a powerful curse the medics haven't been able to see?"

He shrugged. "Nobody would have believed us."

That was the truth. If her guts hadn't been twisting each time her brother was around, and if she hadn't witnessed how Hermione's state worsened when he was in the surroundings, she wouldn't believe in her own words. But she'd felt something was wrong, and now, knowing she wasn't alone, she could wholly accept it as the truth.

The fight was far from being over.

"Do you have a plan?"

George nervously bit his lip. "Not really. We're both doing researches about old curses or identical situations, but nothing has come out of it yet. There are several problems. We don't know which curse is currently controlling Fred. We don't know how it affects him, which are the dangers, the way to reach him, and we also have to be wary of the actual Fred, because we can't really tell, except for his appalling behaviour what has changed in him."

"Have you spoken with the medics?"

"Hermione's tried, they are too busy to listen."

Ginny frowned. "It's their job!"

"I know," George answered. "But as long as their patient is standing, living, talking, and doesn't show any sign of sickness then it's all right."

"So what are we going to do? For now we keep observing him?"

"We?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't think I'll let you both on your own. I want my brother back George, and will do anything to make it happen."

George beamed at her. "Brilliant," he exclaimed. Though mild, his enthusiasm was real. It was good to have his little sister by their side.

"I was getting tired of lying to you," a little voice came to their ears.

To Be Continued