Amulet of Time 4: There and Back Again

Chapter 2: The Twins

" Ahhhhh!"

" Ahhhhh!"

The four time travellers looked up in alarm when they heard their door being pulled open and stared in shock at the two identical redheads standing in front of them. Each had a look of surprise and disbelief on their face as they looked at the four in awe.

" Fred? George?" Ginny whispered.

" Gin?" Fred gasped.

Ginny immediately threw herself at her startled brothers, throwing an arm around each of them and pulling them close. They both slowly reciprocated the gesture when their little sister burst into tears. Moments behind the younger girl, Ron rushed over and did the same. Harry and Hermione watched the reunion in sadness, wishing they had someone to do that to as well. Harry could see the tears pooling in Hermione's eyes, and leant forward, grasping one of her hands in his.

" It'll be alright, 'Mione. You'll see your parents soon."

The girl gave him a weak smile and nodded her head in agreement. The pair turned to look out of the window, giving Ron and Ginny the privacy they needed. After a few moments, the two youngest Weasleys pulled away, wiping their eyes and sitting down next to their respective other halves. The twins stayed in the doorway for a minute before taking a seat, one next to each of their siblings.

" Ok, I'm completely weirded out now. Anyone care to explain why you guys look so different?" George asked.

Looking at each other closely, the four time travellers realised how different they really did look. It wasn't just the fact that they were older and more mature than they had been. Ron was taller, and had more muscles, built up from hours of sword training. His hair had grown long again after the months he spent in Poland during 1944, and now once again resembled that of his older brother Bill. He also had several scars from the same experience that hadn't been there before. His face was more mature, and he looked even older that the eighteen years he had lived. Harry was similarly afflicted. The number of scars he had was greater than Ron's, also as a result of his capture two years before. He was taller and stronger, but with a slighter build than his best friend. The famous scar that was once again revealed to the world was easily visible on his forehead due to the short, spiky hair he now favoured. His eyes looked bigger and more vibrant now that they were no longer hidden behind the large wire frames of his youth. On closed inspection, his skin tone appeared paler than before, as if he spent little time in the sun, and his incisors were slightly longer, if not as visible as when he consciously bared his fangs. Hermione and Ginny also looked older, having developed into beautiful young women, rather than the awkward teenagers they had been before. They had a grace that was not present previously, and an inner strength gained from experience. The thing that frightened the twins the most was what they saw in their companions' eyes. They showed wisdom, experience and deep inner pain caused by too much suffering, a look that had not been there the last time they had looked.

" Um…where to begin," Ron started.

" It's kind of complicated…" Ginny agreed.

" Just tell us the short version. How come when we saw you an hour ago you looked normal, and now you're all…"

"…big? I mean, there's no…"

"…explanation. You can't change that much…"

"…in such a short time!"

The twins gave the time travellers expectant looks, and the four sent each other conspiratorial glances.

What are we going to tell them? Harry frantically asked the others.

We'll have to tell them the truth

But, 'Mione, Dumbledore might not want everyone to know

Ron, he'll have to tell everyone anyway. We look too different. There's no other explanation