Just Like Magic (George Weasley)

Thirty-Three.

George and I sat with his family. Nadine was sitting with us. Ron and Hermione couldn't find Harry anywhere. It could only mean one thing, he has gone to give himself to Voldemort, and he didn't even say goodbye to us before he left. He probably didn't want to add to our pain or have one of us talk him out of it. He had just given up, it wasn't like him to do that.
   
I was sitting on the ground next to George around Fred's body. No one was crying anymore, except for Mrs. Weasley. She was crying over the loss of her son and now not knowing where Harry was, too. George had an arm around me, keeping me close to him, like he didn't want me to leave his side. "I guess now I have to pick a new Best Man for our Wedding, darling."
   
I didn't like the thought of that.
   
I reach my hand up to his face, cressing it lightly. "You'll find someone, baby." He smiles lightly at me. "The last conversation Remus and I had was him telling me that he was going to walk me down the aisle and to go find you."
   
He kisses my forehead then. "Your grandfather will do it for you, darling, don't worry."
   
"He will," I say as I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around me. The hour is nearly over now, and it felt like it was a second not an hour.
   
Then we heard the sound of Voldemort’s voice again. “Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and The Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as well every member of their family. Come out of the castle and kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together”
   
There was a still silence in the grounds as he spoke.
   
Everyone seemed to have followed suit outside. Where we saw Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and Hagrid holding Harry’s limp body as they approached us. The Dark Lord was glad to greet us. There was an outcry of screams when we saw Harry’s limp body, but I didn’t say anything.
   
Voldemort started spreading lies, saying that Harry was trying to save himself and leave the school, which anyone that knew Harry would know that was a lie. Neville shuffled forward, dragging an injured leg behind him slightly as he got closer to the Dark Lord. Bellatrix told Voldemort who he was as he approached.
   
“You’re a pureblood, boy, aren’t you?” Asked Voldemort.
   
“So what if I am?” spat Neville.
   
“You show spirit and bravery, you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.”
   
“I’ll join you when hell freezes over. Dumbledore’s Army!” hisses Neville and thrusts his fist into the air, causing an uproar of cheers that Voldemort silenced right away. Seconds later, what looked to be a misshapen bird flew out of the castle window. It dropped the sorting hat right in front of Neville, who picked it up. Voldemort said that Neville was going to make an example of what happened when people continued to defy him.
   
Neville kneels down, and takes something out of the hat. It was the sword of Gryffindor! In one, fluid motion, he swings the blade and cuts the snake’s head off. Voldemort screams. Harry then jumps out of Hagrid’s arms and makes a break towards the castle. He wasn’t dead! He was alive!
   
We all follow him back into the castle, fighting alongside him. George and I started fighting next to each other in the Great Hall. He and Lee took on Yaxley while Hermione and I jumped on a Death Eater named Dolohov, who I was told killed Lupin and Tonks. We blocked everything he sent our way. He got fed up with this and his killing curse rebounded and shot back at him. We had avenged the loved ones that we lost, by killing the person who killed them
   
“Serves ya right,” I spit in his face and give him a swift kick in the face as well.
   
Ginny, who was supposed to be in the Room of Requirement, was trying to take on Bellatrix Lestrange herself. Bellatrix even brought up how Fred was dead, but then Mrs. Weasley got in between them shouting, “NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!” and shot her own spell back at her.
   
The battle didn’t last much longer than that. George ran over to me as soon as the battle was over, picking up, spinning me around, and he placed a big, long, kiss onto my lips in celebration.
   
"You still have that ring, right?" I ask him. He nods quickly.
   
"I do," he nods.
   
"Good," I smile at him. "I'm going to go hug my brother and move my family back home and I will be at the flat to put that ring on, okay?"
   
"I think we're actually going to go to the Burrow but I'll stop at home and grab the ring, alright? Just go to the Burrow when you're ready."
   
"Okay, I will," I tell him, smiling still. "I love you."
   
"I love you, too," he says, and then he places another kiss onto my lips again.
   
I hugged all of the Wesley's then, telling them I'd see them soon and I headed back to the Hogs Head with Nadine. My family was awake when I got there. They were surprised to see that I had been gone all night. They were all in bed when I left. Joshua stared at me, wide eyed and in shock. I ran over to him and I hugged him tight.
   
"Penelope," my grandmother says, "Where have you been?"
   
"Hogwarts, he's gone. Voldemort is dead. Most of the Death Eaters are dead, and the rest are going to Azkaban."
   
"Did Harry show up at Hogwarts?" asked Joshua.
   
"He did," I say, nodding. "We lost a lot on our side too. Remus and Tonks are both gone. They fought until the end."
   
"Oh, darling," my grandmother says, her tone soft, "I'm so sorry sweetheart."
   
"They gave their lives for a cause they believed in." I say, solemnly. "that's not all, George's twin brother, Fred, he didn't make it either."
   
"Fred?" says Joshua.
   
"Yeah," I say, nodding. "But there's good news. George and I are getting married."
   
Joshua's eyes widened in shock, he certainly wasn't expecting that. "What?"
"It's a long story, but right now I want to go to sleep. I love you," I hugged my brother again, tightly, holding him close to me for a good moment. I let him go and went to bed.
   
I slept for a few hours, not very long. And when I woke it was midday. I moved my family back to their home, said goodbye and thank you to Nadine and her Aunt for keeping us safe and then I headed to the Burrow. Joshua wanted to come with me so I took him.
   
"Hey buddy," said George upon seeing him. He smiled so wide seeing him and they hugged tight for a good moment.
   
Joshua told all of the Wesley's that he was sorry for the loss of Fred. Mrs. Weasley hugged him and said thank you. George had the ring with him, like he said that he would. He put it in my hand for me, smiling happily the entire time.
   
"Darling, there's something that I want to talk to you about." I say as we were sat at the table, watching as Mrs. Weasley makes lunch for all of her children and her husband. "I was thinking that maybe, if it's too much for Andromeda, that maybe we could take in Teddy. It's kind of my job as his Godmother. So, if he's too much for her to take in alone, I'd like to be the one to raise him."
   
"I think that's beautiful, darling, and I would love to take in little Teddy, but I doubt Andromeda is going to give him up. Her husband, daughter, and son-in-law are gone. She's not going to want to be alone right now."
   
"I know, but it won't hurt to find out, put the idea out there. If she wants to keep him she can, I just don't want her to be overwhelmed with a newborn to take care of."
   
"We will find out, okay? If she wants to keep him we'll offer ourselves up as babysitters anytime she needs a break."
   
"Of course," I say, nodding.
   
"So you two are getting married, huh?" says Ron, who was smiling at us looking very happy.
   
I hold up my left hand, wiggling my finger, "We are."
   
"Good," says Ginny, "I kind of figured you two wouldn't stay apart for that long. I can't wait to see what your kids look like. Imagine a girl with Penelope's cus but it's the color of George's hair. Ah I can't wait."
   
We all laugh.
   
"I think that we have a good moment before we have children, Ginny," I say, "I'd like to be married first."
   
"Actually I've been thinking about our future kids, also," says George, "After everything that's happened I was thinking that if we have a boy I want to call him Fred."
   
"Of course, we have to honor him," I say nodding and smiling. Then I drape an arm over my little brother and say, "And his middle name can be Joshua."
   
George is smiling wide, "That's perfect, darling. I absolutely love that."
   
"Can I be his Godfather then?" asks Joshua.
   
"Well see if you're old enough by the time we start having kids," I tell him, ruffling up his hair a bit.
   
"I think that's just beautiful, you two," says Mrs. Weasley, her voice kind of shaking as she placed the food she was cooking in the table for us to eat. George stands up and gives her a hug. They hug for a moment and then they sit next to each other, her hand over his for another good moment.
   
One thing about Fred's death that might be a good thing - as much as I hate to call it that - is that it's brought us all together. It reminded us how lucky we were to have each other. We certainly weren't going to take anything for granted ever again.
   
I used to just have one brother, but now I'm about to have one sister and four more brothers and another watching over me, and two parents that love me like I am their own child. One things for certain, I had a pretty shitty childhood but I will have an amazing adulthood thanks to my amazing fiancé and his family.

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Here's part 33!

This is the last chapter!

It just feels right to end it there.

There will be an Epilogue and then the story will be finished.

-Emily Winchester.