Hidden Riddle

Chapter 71: Goodbyes

Fred's funeral took place a week after the Battle of Hogwarts, on the 9th May. It was a request by the new Minister, Kinglsey Shacklebolt and the new headmaster Professor McGonagall, that all that died during the war were buried on a ground on the school site, where a monument would be constructed in time. Mr and Mrs Weasley agreed, but insisted that Fred's funeral was held next to the Burrow, in a white marquee similar to the one for Bill and Fleur's wedding, decorated with Fred's favourite, Red and Gold. The colours of Gryffindor.  One might say having bold, bright colours at a funeral was not a sign of respect for the dead, but no-one could say "no" to George's demands. George held onto an old piece of parchment crumpled into his shaking hands as he watched from his bedroom window.

Delphini knocked on his door- which was half open.  "I'm sorry If this isn't the time" she said with tears in her eyes, George noticed she was wearing a long tight gold dress. "You look gorgeous in that dress" George said giving Delphini a small smile. She then rushed into George's room and hugged him immediately. "I'm so sorry" she said in floods of tears. Delphini looked into his eyes which were now red from crying. "He didn't deserve this." There was a slight moment of silence. "I know" George said stroking the back of her head. "I miss him so much" George whispered.  "We all do" Delphini said still crying in his shoulder.

They both looked out of the window and saw Bill, Percy and Charlie standing by the entrance of the marquee, shaking their hands and thanking all those that came to pay their last respects. "It's time" Delphini said, now looking into George's eyes again, she could see all the pain he was trying to keep in, in his eyes. She and George walked down the stairs in silent to the marquee. 

Atop the podium, was the new Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, conducting the service for Fred.  He was currently mid-way through his  speech in gratitude for Fred. Delphini saw George's hand shake, so she gently placed her hand over his. "Thank  you" He whispered. "We, at the Ministry Of Magic, give thanks to Fred Weasley, for his sacrifice in the Battle of Hogwarts. Above all I would like to give my deepest condolences to Arthur and his family, for the loss of their fine son and brother." Kingsley concluded his speech and raised his wand into the air. "For Fred Weasley"

"For Fred Weasley" Everyone said pointing their wands into the air. George then let go of Delphini's hand and stood up. "May I have a moment?" He asked. Kingsley looked deeply at George and nodded, leaving George the only one on the podium.  George swallowed and looked at the crowd, breathing in heavily. Among which, he spotted some off his fellow Quidditch teammates, Alicia, Katie and Angelina his girlfriend. Along with his cousins and Aunt Muriel. 

"Hello" George started before realising his voice was hoarse and almost choked. He took a deep breath and then continued. "My name is George Weasley and I'm Fred Weasley's twin brother". "That's the bloke lying in there." He said pointing at Fred's coffin, while the sound of restrained chuckles rippled through the crowd. "Fred is my twin. That being said, we share the same face, the same voice, almost the same character expect perhaps not quite the same ears." He continued. "It doesn't matter if he's up their having a cup of tea with Dumbledore right now, he'll always be my twin." George said pointing up at the sky. From behind him, he could hear the chuckles from his siblings.  "As much as I would like to keep to the adage that nothing but good should be spoken about the dead, unfortunately my twin was and still is an arsehole, even from the beyond." This caused the audience to gasp at his words but caused the smile on George's face to widen. 

"Last night I came across a stack of parchment papers and letters hidden under the crack in the floor of my old room. Apparently, on the night I lost this." George said pointing at his missing ear. "Fred wrote his will and some letters, to our family members, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Delphini Riddle and his girlfriend of the time.. Angelina Johnson." He looked over and smiled at her. "Now, that shouldn't be a bad thing at all, except with each of these letters, he successfully achieved what he had always wanted to since we were ten years old; cause a meltdown for the family. How? Here's an extract of what he wrote to me... Like what I told mum and dad, and all the others" George started to read. "The following are words I could never say to you face. We are twins, and always will be. We laugh as twins, we fight as twins. We are two halves of a Weasley, no matter what happens. As twins our identities are entwined. Thank you for being my amazing brother. I love you Georgie. I'll miss you so much."

When George stopped reading his letter he looked up to see most of the audience dabbing their eyes, with their sleeves. Including Delphini who caught eyes for a minute before he gave her a small smile. He saw tears pouring down the faces of his old Quidditch team, especially Angelina and Katie. His throat tightened as he saw Angelina crying into Katie's shoulder, but he cleared his throat and carried on. "For twenty years, I've lived with this arse and he never once said this to my face. For twenty years that we lived together as Weasley's" George laughed gesturing to his family.  "Tell me , isn't he a huge arse?" George smiled at the crowd. "But he's my twin, and we all love him for being an arse."

" Yeah" So of the crowd whispered to each other. "See I told you Fred" George spoke to his brothers coffin which caused the crowd to chuckle again. George paused and waited for the crowd to settle down, so he could continue.  "Fred left behind friends, family. He left people behind that loved him and whom he loved dearly" George said making eye contact with Angelina who still had tears streaming down her face. She was holding onto her neck where she wore a necklace with two rings attached, their promise rings. "Today as I stand here cussing my brother, I want you too leave this service and tell your family and someone that you love, just how much you love them. Don't wait until it's too late." George could not speak for a moment as he ended his previous statement. His eyes filled with tears, but he hurriedly blinked them away.

"That being said, I love you mum, dad, my brothers Bill, Percy, Charlie and Ron and my sister Ginny. Also Aunt Muriel, as grouchy as you are." George said smiling.  Aunt Muriel grunted in displeasure at George's teasing note. "I love my future in-laws, Harry, Hermione and Delphini and of course my mates Lee, Oliver, Alicia, Katie and Angelina." George's tone softened when he said Angelina's name, but the crowd didn't notice. They were clapping vigorously and George smiled.  "WE LOVE YOU TOO" Lee and Oliver shouted back blowing kisses, causing the crowd to bust into laughter. George could not resist a grin and raised a thumbs up at his best mates. "There's one thing that people probably didn't know about my twin, even my parents." George waited for the crowd to quieten down. "He used to sing to himself in the shower, whilst we lived in our apartment, not realising he woke me up with his squawking." The crowd burst into laughter and George heard his parents laugh loudly which made him smile. "For Fred" George said holding his wand up to the sky. "For Fred" Everyone said again.

George walked over to Fred's coffin, feeling his tears stream down his face as he watched the peaceful sleeping version of his brother lying in his coffin. This was the first time he had actually seen his brothers body since the battle. He took his wand and put it under Fred's cold, lifeless wand hand. George bent over and touched Fred's forehead with his, slipping a folded piece of parchment, his letter, under Fred's head. "I love you Fred" George whispered looking at the dead body of his twin.  "We're so proud of you, Georgie" His mother whispered in his ear. He quickly turned around and gave her a suffocating hug. "I miss him mum" George said crying uncontrollably. 

" I know honey, he all do" Molly replied patting the back of his head. "We all do"

...

The evening was approaching and darkness was talking over the sky. George was walking around the perimeters of their garden, glumly. He had gone straight for a walk after the funeral, not talking to anyone. He had been out for ages. George was looking out of his window, when he saw a figure hunched over his brothers grave. The figure had bleached blonde hair. It couldn't be. Yes that was right. Draco Malfoy was hunched over Fred's grave, crying. George couldn't make out clearly what he was saying but It seemed like he was apologising. "Y'know I found you both quite funny. Never said it out loud, but you two were." Draco said crying looking at Fred's gravestone. 

He thought they were "quite funny" Is that even aloud? George thought to himself.  "Did you see your brother? He looked torn" Draco said still in tears. George knew it was right, but how did he know? Was he at the funeral? Seems like he was, but why? He thought they were blood traitors. George turned back to Draco, and realised right there and then, maybe everyone has feelings. Everyone regrets one thing. George couldn't hear Draco's last whisper but he did hear him say "I'm sorry for everything." And with that Draco apparated and was gone.

George never told anyone that Draco had visited Fred's grave. He felt it wasn't his story to tell. It was Draco's. And Draco, he didn't tell anyone about that night. Not even Delphini.