with love, george |g. weasley|

chapter seventeen

chapter seventeen; cold showers 

The screams of George Weasley were audible throughout all of Hogwarts.

She was gone.

Nothing made sense, nothing made sense since she was presumed ill made sense.

Eloise Cossette-Black was dead.

The Great Hall was filled with silence before the screams.

George's heart stopped beating for a moment, and he envied the fact it didn't stop beating altogether.

George tried pulling through the commotion that was the Great Hall, he couldn't breathe.

George felt the weight of his twin, trying to hold him together by embracing him tightly. He whispered apologies into his ear, everything sounded as if he was under water.

George didn't realize he was screaming until he was pulled out of the great hall by McGonagall.

"George." The professor whispered, she kneeled down to the boy's level, as he had fallen down to his knees in the corridor.

George couldn't see a thing, only the blurring outline of his head of house and his twin brother.

Unable to catch his breath, George leaned his head on the stone walls and started counting his breathing.

"How did this happen?" Fred kneeled down next to George, brushing his rapid tears as he talked to McGonagall. 

He needed to be strong. 

"Dragon pox." Mcgonagall whispered, ashamed that this was the only information she had at the moment.

"Bull fucking shit." George's voice rang through the hallways, startling both McGonagall and Fred.

"Promfrey told Dumbledore this morning, we've contacted Eloise's guardians requested that the service could be held after the third task." Minerva rubbed her hands together, standing up to converse with the calmer twin.

"Dragon pox doesn't kill you like it used to, Professor. The treatment for Dragon pox has improved and it's so manageable these days-" Fred cut himself off, he covered his mouth as fresh tears rolled down his face.

"When will Sirius and Remus be here?" George questioned, his eyes were shut tightly, his hands raked through his finger locks.

Minerva flinched at the mention of Sirius Black, no one was supposed to know he was living with his partner Remus. But then again, Sirius has too big of a mouth to keep his hidden from the Weasley's. 

"They're already here, they're confirming her body and will start with the funeral arrangements to be at Hogwarts. Then a private service when she's put to rest." McGongall grasped her clammy hands together, the shaking becoming unbearable.

"Put to rest." George whispered, clutching his chest to stop the tightening of his lungs.

"I'll try my best to figure out more, but that's all I have." Mogonagall sighed, looking at Fred as tears ran down his face.

"Fred." Mogonagall nodded down the hall, asking Fred to take his distressed twin back to their dorm.

Fred choked back a sob as he bent down to George's level, "Come on now Georgie."

"I just want to stay here, please" George pleaded, pushing Fred away.

"You'll feel better once you're in bed." Fred couldn't help but let his voice crack, clearing his throat, he pulled his arm was around his neck.

"Please Fred, I can't take it." George sobbed all the way up the stairs of the castle, Fred bit his lips until he tasted copper, struggling to keep himself together for his brother. He needed to be strong for him, even when all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry.

The Fat Lady looked at the two and instantly opened the portrait. She opened her painted lips to say something, then closed them quickly.

Walking up the stairs to their dorm was to say the least tough, George thrashed around until Fred sat him in the shower and turned the water ice cold.

George screamed, bringing his hands up to stop the ice cold water from hitting his face.

"Stop! Please!" George yelped as Fred took the nozzle to his face.

"Not until you get a grip mate," Fred continued, his face puffy and swollen from tears.

George slumped against the tile after struggling for several minutes, he was finally defeated. His breathing became even-, the salty tears mixing with the freezing water.

Fred moved the nozzle from his twin, then screwed the knob to the right. He leaned his head against the wall, watching as his brother took slower breaths.

"You alright?" Fred whispered, twitching his wand to dress their clothing.

George stayed silent, his eyes closed tightly as he rested his head in his arms.

"Time to go back to the dorm, We'll all feel a little better in the morning." Fred brushed his eyes quickly, holding his hand out.

George grunted as Fred dragged him from the ground up to their dorm, Kenneth and Lee were waiting quietly.

"George-" Kenny started but was cut off by Fred shaking his head. Kenneth, visibly hurt, took a seat back on his bed.

George slipped off his shoes, then rolled into his bed as Fred pulled his bedding over top of him. He gave his back a supportive pat, then slid over to his designated bed.

"Fred." Lee tried getting his attention, his leg bouncing as he sat on the edge of his mattress.

"Not tonight, I-I can't take it tonight." Fred managed to utter as he ran his fingers roughly through his hair.

Lee opened his mouth, but closed it quickly when he saw the look on Kenneth's face. 

Pure and utter sadness.

"Not tonight." Kennth muttered, wrapping his blanket around his head like a cocoon and rolled over to face the stone wall.

Lee sighed, finally letting his emotions out as he shut the curtains on his four poster bed. 

Summoning a silencing charm, Lee wept until morning.