Episkey (Fred Weasley Story)

Match

    Have you ever gazed upon a lighted match. It lights up in one second and while watching it you feel the warmth coming from it, the fire dancing in your eyes, machining you feel somehow happy. Then when the flame travels down to the end of the match your fingers start to shake, but you still don't let go and you don't turn it off. Then before you know it the flame bites your skin as it slowly dies and the place gets dark. That was how the wedding went... like a match.
   When Fred and I walked outside the house the guests have already arrived. Most of the extended Weasley family were present, as well as Order members, friends, and the Delacour family. Harry was disguised by using Polyjoice Potion to resemble a red-headed Muggle teenager from Ottery St. Catchpole.
   And so we fired the match and the warm, dancing flame began. The night was filled with laughter, George was acting as the noise around us didn't bother him, but I knew it hurt him.
"Do you mind giving me the honor to dance with you, Miss Daniels?" Fred bowed in front of me and offered his hand.
With a wide smile on my lips I accepted and he led the way. While dancing with him I felt as if I was dancing in the clouds. But then a hand grabbed me away from him and spun me around. I was about to protest, but when I spotted the warm eyes of George gazing down on me I calmed and smiled. Fred protested from behind us, but when he saw we were laughing at him he returned back at the table.
"You're still prefer that ugly face?" I laughed at his question while we were spinning around. "Don't deny it, Paige. We all know I am the one with good looks."
"Owh... George, I am afraid you will have to find another one who will appreciate that fact."
"I really doubt that..." He mumbled it, and just like the wind causes the flame to dance in distress on the match I felt the same uneasy feeling between us.
"What do you mean?" My joyful voice was gone and the serious one hit him like a blizzard.
"Paige Daniels had to be the one I would be dancing tonight, not Angelina Johnson..." I peeked from his shoulder to look at his date... the girl I once hated so much for being with the one I love, was now standing there as the date of his brother. My eyes returned back to his with a puzzled look.
"I don't understand?" My question made him stop and he took my hands from his shoulders, but still held them.
"Aah..." He exhaled and let go of my hands. "Don't mind me." George leaned down and placed his lips on my forehead. The peck he gave me was full of mixed emotion which I was struggling to understand, but before I could ask any further he walked away.
   Returning back to the table I sat down next to Fred and met the smiling eyes of his parents.
"We will be very happy if soon a new wedding will be keeping our minds busy." Molly chuckled and I felt how my cheeks turned red.
"Molly, they are too young, don't scare them!" Mr. Weasley teased.
"Owh... none sense! What is it to be scared of about?" She picked him up and led him to the dance floor where they danced to the happy, Irish music.
   Fred and I got up and walked to where the crowd formed a circle around the dance floor and watched them dance. Everyone were clapping and laughing, that's how I felt the joyful flame.
"So what did you and George talk about?" And with that I felt how slowly the flame was getting close to my skin.
"Nothing really... we were discussing that he is the one with the better looks."
"Then why did he left you in the middle of the song?" I wasn't sure why he wanted to know so badly, but I didn't want to know.
"He told me that he is with Angelina and he should be dancing with her instead of me, so he apologized and walked away." While saying that I shoot one quick look towards George who was standing beside Angelina clapping and smiling at his parents.
"I see... Well I get to be the luckiest man in here I suppose, Miss Daniels."
"And why is that, Mr. Weasley?" I played along with his role and chuckled.
"Because I am with the most wonderful woman in here." He whispered in my ear and pulled me to the dance floor.
   We danced beside his parents and changed partners- he with his mother and I with his father... but then the fire burned my skin and I dropped the match. The music stopped and the wedding got disrupted when Kingsley Shacklebolt's Patronus arrived and warned us all that Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters had taken control of the Ministry of Magic, and were heading for the Burrow... the minister was dead.
"They are coming... they are coming..." The whispering voice warned us and disappeared causing panic... the same panic that we feel when the flame is gone and we are surrounded by darkness.
Some managed to apparate, but with the full strength of the Ministry behind them, the Death Eaters broke the protective enchantments protecting the Burrow and apparated into the tent where the wedding was held in. Everyone started to flee the scene and right before my eyes Hermione, Ron and Harry apparated away. That didn't stop the Death Eaters to destroy what was left of the tent.
"Stupefy!" Someone shouted behind me just in time to hit a Death Eater that appeared in front of me. Quickly turning my head around to see who did it I met the eyes of George Weasley, holding his wand in his hand watching me closely, as if to make sure I was alright.
"Paige!" Hearing the voice of Fred made me turn away and before I knew it his hands were around my shoulder. "Are you alright?" I gave a nod and he dragged me out the tent right before it fell to the ground.
   But the Ministry was aware of the Weasleys' ties to Harry and took us all inside the house where they questioned everyone of us including the remaining guests before releasing them. And then just like the burning pain from the dying flame reminds you that you're hurt, the same sharp pain burned me from the inside... he knew... William knew all along what will happen...