It was just after midnight and he was again walking through the Muggle streets of London. He hadn’t been sleeping much since that night.
He moved back to the apartment over the shop just over a month after the Battle. He couldn’t bear to see the pain in his mum’s eyes when she looked at him. He couldn’t stand the pitying glances the rest of his family gave him whenever he ventured out of his bedroom.
So, he left. He hadn’t opened the shop back up yet. He couldn’t bear to think of going on inventing things without Fred. How could he?
He thought about what his life was like now, day after day. He got up, made a cup of tea while he waited for Pig to arrive. Every morning like clockwork, Pig would tap on his window at eight o’clock.
There would be a note from someone in his family. His mum asking him to come for dinner; his dad asking him to stop over and see his mother; Ginny wanting to know when he was going to come home, she missed him. Every day came a new note. Every single day for the past three weeks without fail. His family was not accepting his leaving home easily.
He would read the note, give Pig some water and owl treats while he sent back a note he would stop by one day soon. He’d tie it to Pig’s leg, send him on his way then get ready for another day.
He would brush his teeth and comb his hair. This he did without a mirror as his first morning back in the apartment, he tore it off the wall and smashed it into a million pieces. He had looked into it and saw Fred, not himself. He didn’t look at anything now that would show his brother’s face to him.
He would get dressed then go down to the shop walking to the door. He would reach for the sign to turn it to open and stop. Dropping his hand, he would retreat back upstairs to sit and brood.
Sometime during the day he would force himself to eat. It didn’t matter what, just so if asked he could say he was eating. At eleven o’clock every night, he would go into bed. At midnight, he would be walking the lonely deserted streets of London.
He would walk for a few hours while lecturing himself about opening the shop. He would go back to the apartment vowing the next day, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes would again be open for business.
The next day, it would start all over again.
It had been three months, in some ways a lifetime, in others seconds. He couldn’t believe he was alone now. He had always been part of Fred and George, George and Fred, never one mentioned without the other. Now he was George, just George.
He stopped, turned and started walking back the way he came. He wasn’t in the mood to wander tonight. Perhaps he would have a drink at The Leaky Cauldron and call it an early night.
He wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings when a voice came from a darkened doorway.
“Hey, just George, how come you are letting our stuff go to waste?”
George froze in his tracks. He knew that voice; he turned quickly and peered into the darkness that surrounded the voice.
“Fred?” he asked.
“Who else? Mind if I walk with you for a bit?” Fred asked. George heard the unmistakable sounds of chuckling coming from the shadows. “Don’t look so shocked, brother dear, did you think I wouldn’t find a way to talk to you? To keep an eye on you?”
“But you're… you're…”
“Dead, yeah, I am aware of that. I would have been here sooner to see you, but even in Heaven there are rules and paperwork to do to be able to come back even for a few hours.”
George watched as Fred strode out of the shadows. He had a bit more substance than Nearly Headless Nick, but he was still fainter than a live person.
He looked exactly like he had in life with the exception of the faintness. George didn’t know if he had finally lost his mind, or if this was real.
“You haven’t lost your mind,” said Fred to a surprised George. “I am really here but only you can see and hear me.”
“I didn’t say that. I only thought it,” said George.
Fred laughed. “One of the many benefits of being dead. I can hear your thoughts. But, we always knew what the other was thinking anyway, didn’t we?”
George started walking again, Fred in step beside him. “So, why haven’t you opened the shop back up? I would think now would be the perfect time to cash in on everyone’s relief it is over.” Fred looked genuinely puzzled.
“I just can’t. It isn’t the same without you. I can’t do this alone,” George said.
“You are not alone. Lee has been by the shop everyday.” At George’s shocked look and shake of his head, Fred smiled. “He has been there everyday, cleaning up and restocking. He hasn’t actually opened the shop for business and he never lets you know he is there, but he is. And Ron wants to help, he just doesn’t know how to ask.”
“Lee? I didn’t… I never…”
“You wouldn’t, would you? You don’t even look around the shop in the morning. You come down and stand at the door then go right back upstairs to brood. You are hiding and moping. It isn’t befitting a Weasley to hide; it isn’t befitting a Weasley twin to hide,” Fred said morosely.
“What the hell do you know?” asked George angrily. “You could never understand. I am not a Weasley twin anymore, am I? You left me here alone! You abandoned me!” George shouted. He was so angry he didn’t think about anyone seeing him, he just turned and Apparated away from Fred, away from the pain.
His eyes had barely focused on the fact he was back in his apartment when he saw Fred sitting on the sofa.
“I didn’t abandon you. I never would have left you alone if I had a choice,” Fred said sadly. “And just so you know, I do understand. I am alone, too. Do you know how many times I turn to tell you something and you aren’t there? Can you imagine how hard it is to have so many ideas for jokes and no one to share them with?” At George’s raised eyebrows, Fred chuckled. “Yes, I guess you do. Some boat we are in, isn’t it?”
George dropped down to the sofa next to his brother. How many nights had they sat here making plans? he wondered.
“You said something about Ron. What about him? He is off helping Kingsley catch the remaining Death Eaters; he, Harry and Neville.”
“I know,” Fred began, “but he wants to help you here. He just doesn’t know what to say to you. He blames himself, as do Harry, Hermione and Percy. Percy blames himself the most, though.” Fred’s face showed his shock at this.
“Why would they blame themselves? I should have been there, it is my fault,” said George.
Fred stood up quickly, his anger radiating off him even though his form was less than human. “I wish everyone would STOP blaming themselves. Did you knock the wall onto me? Did they? NO!” He took what to George seemed to be a calming breath. “It happened. Nothing can change that. It was just the way it had to be. Don’t argue with me. Everything for a reason, bro. Everything... even this.”
George looked up at his brother. He didn’t know how long he had with him, but he didn’t want to waste it with guilt and arguments.
“So, any cute girls up there?” George asked with a smile on his face.
Fred sat back down next to George. “I haven’t had much time to look,” he replied. “I’ve been a bit busy keeping an eye on you.” Fred held up his hand to stop George’s apology. “I haven’t spent all my time watching you though, I have spent some time with the greatest pranksters that ever walked the halls of Hogwarts.”
“The Marauders,” George said in awe.
“Well, three of them anyway,” Fred said. “I think once I get back, I will be made an unofficial Marauder. I think I proved I could prank with the best of them.”
“What did you do?” asked George.
“I was able to switch Remus’ and Tonks’ room with James’ and Lily’s. I know doesn’t sound impressive. Well, Tonks and Lily were getting ready for bed at the time. Needless to say when James walked in on Tonks, and Remus on Lily, there was a lot of screaming.” Fred’s laughter rang through the apartment. George’s laughter, rough sounding from misuse, joined his.
Fred looked at the clock on the wall. “I need to go. But I want you to do a couple things for me.” Fred looked at George and waited for his nod of assent. “Go home for dinner tomorrow. Mum needs you, so does Dad. Everyone needs to see you. It won’t be easy for some time, but you have to do it. I also want you to open the shop again... tomorrow. The world needs our shop.”
“I can’t,” said George said shaking his head. “It’s too soon.”
“No, it isn’t. And yes, you can. You need to do this for yourself. And if for no other reason, do it for me.” Fred stood. He looked down at his brother sitting on the sofa. “I won’t be able to come back and see you again. This was a one-shot deal. But, I will be watching. I will never be far from you. I am part of you.”
With this, Fred disappeared. George sat and looked at the spot Fred had last stood. He was unaware of the passage of time. The tapping on the window startled him. Going over, he opened it and let Pig in. He took the note, this one from his mum and for the first time, wrote a response that said,
I’ll be there when I close the shop.
Love, George
Visits From Fred by mudbloodproud
Chapter Notes: George Weasley had grown up half of two. He had never been alone. Now he was "just George" and he didn't know how to deal with it.
Could a visit from his "other half" make the difference between just surviving and living again?