The Nightmare Man's Journey

Chapter Six

Harrison had slowed down, and was just walking along the path when he saw someone in the distance. No, two people were standing there. It didn't take him long to spot the red hair on the pair, and then he was off running again.

Fred and George met him with identical grins, and perhaps this meeting was more emotional than the four founders, because he hadn't felt George's, his George, touch since he was in his twenties.

The fact that he burst into tears was a surprise, but Harrison could allow himself some crying considering George wasn't doing much better. Fred put his arms on their shoulders and said:

"Hey, let me in on this pity-party, I can do some crying too!"

Harrison only let go of George with one arm in other to pull Fred in tighter, and Fred was doing most of the laughing over their crying.

"You fucking idiot, how the hell do you keep getting into messes like this?" George finally said, hitting his shoulder.

"It's a gift," Harrison replied.

"More like a curse, mate," Fred told him while George hit him again. "A great curse, I tell you."

"Gift, curse, it's all the same in the end; I didn't ask for any of it."

"Never mind that, let me have a look at you."

"George, you've seen me before."

"Let me be a mother hen for a moment and have a look, shush now."

"Well, you do have the red hair…"

George hit him a third time, but it wasn't like he was trying to hurt Harrison. Then he took a hold of Harrison's head, and to be honest, he was setting himself up for another mother-joke but Harrison let it slide. It was nice to be cared for, especially by old friends.

"Look at you, all badass dark lord and all," Fred breathed out.

"I look more impressive surrounded by my children and the Inferi," Harrison reassured.

"You mean bloody frightening," George muttered.

"They add that final touch I need."

"You mean, so you can look frightening."

"I'm pretty good at looking frightening on my own," Harrison said. "I mean, not like this but if I'm really, really angry."

"Yeah, like we don't know that," Fred said. "We're always watching you, you know?"

"What are you been up to here in the afterlife?" George wondered. "We haven't been able to see that part. We watched until you got pulled in and mate, how could you fall for that?"

"Like I said, it's a gift. Also, I'm an idiot."

"You're always an idiot," George said, patting his cheeks and letting him go.

"It feels like it's been a while since you were pulled through," Fred said. "You haven't just been standing around doing nothing, yeah?"

"I met Dumbledore," Harrison said. "And most of the people I killed before I went back in time. Hermione tried to kill me, it was kind of adorable."