Chapter 20

George had gone crazy. It was official.

First, he ran around the house declaring that he had children, then he announced that Fred had died, then he dragged his brother to Hogwarts! He needed healers, not teachers. Also, since when was Angelina a teacher? She shouldn't have even done her NEWTs yet, let alone become a professor!

"Fred, look at Molly!" George shouted at his twin as he pointed at the poor young girl standing in the office.

"I've never seen her before in my life, George!"

The blonde girl took a step back towards the door, her mouth dropping open in shock, "Wh-what?" she stuttered.

"I don't know who that is George, let's go back to-"

"Fred!" George said, smacking a hand to his forehead, "Of course you know who she is!"

The girl's back was now pressed against the door.

"Is he joking?" she whispered fearfully, "Tell me this is a prank!"

"George, listen to me," Fred was getting frustrated, "I don't know what you're doing, but we have a shop to run and a business to start, so let's get out this school and finish decorating-"

"Decorating? What are you on about? The shop has been open for way over twenty years, and you weren't even there for most of those!"

"George-" Angelina took a step forward from behind her desk.

"No, Angie. Fred, for twenty years, I managed our shop by myself! Alone! Not once did I complain when you came back, but it wasn't fair! And now, everything's going weird! Everyone's forgetting stuff! You've forgotten your own daughter! Has it slipped your mind that you have a pregnant wife back home too? Snap out of it Fred, I need you to help me figure out what's happening!"

The entire room was staring at George. Fred's face had fallen completely, his face still confused, but his eyes said that he was processing what his brother had said. But eventually, Fred shook his head and threw his hands up helplessly in the air.

"I'm sorry, George. I don't know who she is!"

"This is exactly what McGonagall was like!"

"Don't say that Angie," George snapped, "I'm not sending Fred to St Mung-"

"Uncle George," Molly's voice interrupted her uncle.

George walked over to his niece and knelt down next to her, "What's up, Mol?"

"My hands," she said, holding it up, "They're vanishing."

Sure enough, when she held up her hand, the tips of her fingers and her nails had completely disappeared and down to her knuckles were starting to fade too.

"What's happening? Dad where's my-"

But Fred was looking at the girl in near disgust. There was no recognition in his face, no concern for his daughter. So, instead, Molly looked to her uncle with a crestfallen face.

"Oh my god," Angelina gasped. She hurried around to the front of her desk and took what was left of Molly's hands before looking up at her husband, "She's being forgotten!"

"What do you mean?" Roxanne said from next to her brother while looking worriedly at her own hands.

"Her parents are forgetting who she is! She's fading away in real life!" Angelina exclaimed, "George, you have to get Fred to remember her! Quickly!"

Fred, meanwhile was staring cluelessly at the girl. He'd never met her before, so as far as he was concerned, it wasn't his problem, although it was unfortunate. Even so, what did everyone expect him to do about it? He didn't know what to do!

"Fred!" George was shouting at his brother, "How could you say you've never met her before? She's alive because of you! This is your Molly, come on! You can't have forgotten everything! You raised her! You saved her life only last year! There's no way you can't remember!"

Silence took over the room. Fred felt guilty, he really did, but deep down, he knew there wasn't anything he could really do! He didn't know this girl! No matter what ridiculous lies George made up, nobody just forgets their own child! As far as Fred knew, he didn't even have a wife.

After a minute, Fred understood, "I get it now!" he laughed.

"You do?" George's face lit up.

Fred began to laugh hysterically while everyone else stared at him, a mixture of hope and confusion on their face until finally, "This is a prank!" Fred gasped.

"What?" George cried, "No, Fred, no it isn't!"

"Of course it is! You and Lee have come up with some new prank! It's a good one, Georgey, I'll give you that!"

Angelina lost it, she couldn't take this, "Fred! Don't be an idiot! Of course this isn't a joke you stupid, stupid-"

"Of course it is! You're all brilliant actors, by the way. How did you get the first years to help? You didn't pay them in products, did you, we need them for the shop!"

"Mum, what's going on?" The other girl, the one with dark hair and freckles, took a step towards Angelina, tears dripping down her face.

"I don't know, sweetie."

"You can stop now, I get it's a joke," Fred said impatiently, "It was funny but don't milk it."

"When will you get this into your thick head!" George yelled, causing the dark haired girl to squeal and run to Angelina. "This. Is. Not. A. Joke!"

"You're all mental!" Fred sighed.

"Come over here, Mol," George said, holding his hands out towards his niece, "Show your dad your hands."

The girl held up her hands. She too had tears streaming down her face, she really was a good actress.

"Explain that, Fred! Explain to us how on earth we managed to make her fingertips disappear! You know full well that's not the type of prank we do, not on each other. Now, look at Molly, properly, and please, remember the truth."

Fred sighed and did as his brother asked. Everyone in the room held their breaths. Fred studied the girl's beautiful bright blue eyes, and her gorgeous ginger streaked blonde hair. She did bare similarities to Fred, that much was true, but the Weasley family was huge, she could easily be a distant relative or something.

After a couple of horrible minutes, Fred looked up at his brother, sadness in his chocolate eyes.

"I'm sorry, George," he said, "I don't know her."