The Haunting of Judith Wagner{George Weasley}

Chapter Eight

Sitting in the Leaky Cauldron pub, Judith warmed her fingers around the hot drink in her hands, as she sat alone. Well, not completely alone as Fred sat across from her, but to other people, she appeared alone. To not come across as an escaped St. Mungo's patient, she carried a notepad with her to respond to anything Fred said.

But after a while and several hand cramps, she gave up and just spoke to Fred freely.

"What's it like on the other side?" she asked him, resting her head in her hand.

Fred pondered for a moment. "Quiet....and extremely boring. There's nothing really to do, but one is supposed to be at peace."

She smiled. "I can imagine it would be quite dull compared to what you used to be like..." she felt awkward just saying the phrase.

"It's okay, Judith. I've already come to terms with my death, no need to tiptoe around it."

"It's still weird though, I mean, it's like you aren't dead, because I can still hear you and see you like a ghost, but no one else can see you besides my grandmother. Which makes my life all that more difficult."

"You shouldn't care what other people think, as long as you know what kind of person you are, you're set."

"That's easy for you to say," Judith said rubbing her neck. "People always knew who you were in school and they liked you... you know what people knew me as? Renna's friend. Or that loud one in the stands."

"That's not true. People knew and still know who you are."

"Yes, I went from the loud one in the stands, to the one working in the tea shop who talks to herself now." she snorted.

"You're a lot more than that to someone out there, you just haven't realized it yet."

"Look at you sounding wise beyond your years." she chuckled.

"Hey, I've always been wise, people only needed to listen to me more."

Fred watched as Judith caught several people staring from where they sat, causing Judith to hide her face behind her hand.

"Ignore them-" he told her when he caught glimpse of someone walking passed the window. It was seeing his reflection walking passed as George had closed up the shop for the day and appeared to be heading somewhere.

"Hey, it's George!" he smiled happily.

Judith turned her head, the abrupt movement caught the corner of George's eye and he turned to see her.

His tired expression brightened as he waved at her, Judith rose her own hand to wave back. He pointed to the door to signal that he was coming into the pub.

"Oh no," she groaned.

"Relax, it'll be fine." Fred said.

"No, it's going to be weird- hey!" she said as George appeared near the table.

"Fancy running into you again."

"Uh well...I wasn't in the mood to cook myself so I thought I would come out here. "

"Did you work today?" he asked sitting down across from her, and unknowingly sitting beside his brother who looked all too pleased at the moment.

"Um no, I had the day off finally."

"Oh, well I'm glad I didn't stop by earlier then."

"Why would you need to stop by? I gave you quite a bit of tea to last you a good while."

"Maybe I wasn't coming for the tea."

Fred shook his head at how dense and oblivious Judith was to the flirtatious ways of his brother. He was also shaking his head at the flirtatious ways of his brother.

Judith's eyes wandered over to Fred and she opened her mouth to begin the dreaded conversation.

"George I-"

"What are you doing?" Fred said. "Don't tell him right now. He's trying to have a conversation with you."

Thrown off by Fred's words, Judith found herself not finishing her sentence leaving George somewhat confused.

"What were you going to say?" he asked her.

"Ask him if he wants to have dinner with you!" Fred blurted out.

"What?!" Judith screeched.

George narrowed his eyes partially as a look of what he thought was fear washed over Judith's face. Her eyes were focused on something next to him, but when he turned his head there was nothing there except an empty seat.

He waved his hand slowly in front of her face, bringing her focus back to him.

"Sorry." she shook her head standing up abruptly. "I'm...really sorry."

With a small frown, George grabbed Judith's sleeve of her shirt, and gently dragged her back down until she was sitting.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

She had been acting quite different from what he remembered she used to be like back in school. Normally, there was always a smile on her face, she was loud but never apologetic about her. She wasn't one to have her mind wander off either, he remembered that from the classes they shared together.

As expected from a Ravenclaw, her mind had been sharp as well as her tongue. But the poor woman in front of him, was frazzled and looked like she was on edge. He figured the final battle had taken it's toll on her as well as it did with many, including himself. He felt as though he were only a shell of his former self, he looked like George Weasley, talked like George Weasley, but many days, he didn't feel like George Weasley.

"George?"

Judith waited for George to pull himself out of his thoughts as she called to him. Finally, he peered up at her.

"Yes?"

"I asked you if you wanted me to order you a Butterbeer..." she said.

"Oh...uh yeah, I'll get one."

"Cold or hot?"

"We'll make it a cold one."

She stole a glance at Fred, who gave her a thumbs up.