The Sins of a Father

Twenty Five

            The next morning I woke up feeling refreshed, happy and worried.  I hadn't slept that well since before the wedding. Shifting slightly I remembered that mine and George's hand were intertwined. Joy filled my chest, we were together again and nothing was going to separate us again. I gazed at the still sleeping George and an idea popped into my head. I took my hand out of George's slowly and quietly. I watched for any movement but there was none so my legs quickly scurried to my room, grabbed my wand went into the bathroom to grab some of my lotion then stealthily crept back into George's room. After that I quietly poured some of the lotion in George's hand then moved closer to his face, then I started to softly blow on his nose, he stirred a little bit but not enough for the prank to work. I moved all of my hair to one side, grabbed the tips and gently started to brush his nose with it, his hand came up and lotion splattered all over his face. I started to laugh out loud as I watched George's shocked face.

"What the bloody hell is this?" he demanded while I laughed harder.

"Muggle ... prank," I responded between laughs. I looked at George who was looking at his hand.  Wiping off the lotion, he stood up and stared hard at me, I had a feeling of what he was about to do so I backed away.  "Now George, you don't want to do that," I told him cautiously. He snickered and crept closer to me. 

"Oh but I think I do," he replied with a sinister grin. I laughed some more as I ran out the door and bounded down the stairs, screaming and laughing. George chased me outside of the house and around the yard until he finally caught me then smeared the lotion on my own face. I laughed again, swiped some off of my face then hurled towards his face but missed by a land slide. George ran back towards, gathered me up in his arms and kissed me like he had last night.

"The world is such happier place with you both together," Molly commented as we were kissing. Stopping, I forced George to set me back on my feet but he continued to have a his arms wrapped around me. 

"Thanks Molly," I responded sheepishly. Suddenly an idea popped in my head and I couldn't keep it from George. 

"We need to see Fred," I told George.

"He's on his way now; I told him last night that you were alive and he says that he needs to see you," Molly responded.

"That's fantastic," I replied. While we waited for Fred's arrival the Order filled me in on what I had missed the past few months I was gone. Snape was now the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the once beloved school was now a torture chamber for children, the news sparked an adrenaline rush. Every bit of me wanted to leave the Burrow and go to Hogwarts and attempt to try to fix the mess but I knew that I was also needed here. Fred didn't arrive until mid afternoon through the front gate, he called out to his family and we all rushed to his side. When Fred saw my face it seemed as if he had drifted into a dream or he had died himself. I chuckled at his priceless expression and ran into his embrace.

"It's good to see you Fred!" I exclaimed, still laughing.

"I don't believe it, but your letter – it was written in your hand this can't be possible," he seemed, for once, out of words. I rested my hands on his cheeks forcing his eyes into my own.

"I'm here, I'm alive, all is well, and we are all here together again." Then with that I grabbed George's neck so that we three would be connected back in our innocent days. We went back inside the house but Fred lingered behind, I motioned George to go in without me and went back to Fred.

"Come on Fred, let's go," I urged, taking his wrist but he wasn't moving. Instead, Fred's attention was at his feet. "What's wrong?" I asked. I knew something had to have been up, at first he didn't say or do anything then all at once he hugged me and clung to me as tight as he could.