Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and Whatnot

George’s POV:

It was a normal day in the shop. We were pretty busy, but still, that’s normal. It was getting later and Fred went upstairs to grab something he needed for when we closed.

“George!” he called down the stairs.

“Here you go” I handed a bag to a customer.

“George, you need to get up here!”

“Why?” I called as I ran up the stairs, “What’s – Dad?”

Our dad was standing in front of the fireplace, clearly just having arrived from work. Both he and Fred looked upset about something.

“George, there’s been another attack in the Ministry. This time it caused a death” Dad said.

“A death? Whose?”

“Caroline’s father”

I stood there in shock.

“Oh God” I said, wiping a hand across my face.

“Do they know at the school?” Fred asked.

“Dumbledore knows, but I don’t know if he’s told her or anyone else yet” Dad said.

“We – we have to go” I turned to Fred.

He nodded, and said to Dad, “Could you tell Verity to close? She’ll be able to handle it”

I was already in the fireplace, but then I remembered, “Where do we go? We won’t be able to just appear anywhere in the castle”

“The Heads of Houses sometimes keep their fireplaces open, try McGonagall’s” said Dad.

Normal POV:

Classes that day went by with fairly little incident. I charmed Flitwick’s hat to sing rather than my goblet, and it took him a while to figure out where the noise was coming from. But other than that, a fairly boring day.

Until I got a note from Professor McGonagall a while after dinner saying she needed to see me in her office.

It seemed urgent, so I just went down in my tank top and pajama pants.

I knocked cautiously on McGonagall’s door.

“Come in” I heard her say.

When I entered the room, I saw that she was not alone. Dumbledore was also there.

“Have a seat” he said kindly, but also sadly, which began to alarm me.

“What’s happened?” I asked as I sat down, “Why did you call me here?”

Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore and he nodded to her.

“Caroline…” she started, “it’s about your parents”

“My parents?” I asked, confused.

“Yes, you’re father’s been…murdered”

Suddenly I couldn’t breathe, there was no air in the room. I looked down and saw my hands shaking, but I couldn’t feel anything.

“My father?” I asked quietly. “Murdered?”

Dumbledore came forward, putting a hand on my shoulder, “He was on an assignment from the Ministry, to tail a couple Death Eaters, along with two of his coworkers. They were discovered, and attacked. Your father blocked his friend from the Cruciatus curse. He was very weakened by the end of the battle when reinforcements began to arrive. The Death Eaters used the Killing Curse on him and one of his companions before disappearing.”

I looked up at Dumbledore, my eyes blurry with tears, “And my mother?”

“She’s fine as far as we know, although I believe she’s left the country. The Grangers went with her and are looking after her”

Then, suddenly, there was a flash of light and a noise from the fireplace. A tall red-head stumbled out.

“George?”

And the next second, another flash, “Fred?”

“We just heard what’s happened” George directed mostly at Dumbledore and McGonagall.

I stood up shakily, and they both came towards me, engulfing me in a hug.

“Dad came straight over from the Ministry to tell us” I heard Fred say. “I hope it’s all right we’re here”

“Of course” said Dumbledore, “friends are much needed during times like these”

Fred kissed the top of my head before letting go, but I clung to George as a choked sob escaped and he held me tighter, rubbing my back.

Fred started to ask, “Could we - ?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Weasley, but I don’t think we can allow you to stay. You wouldn’t be allowed up in the girls’ dormitories” McGonagall said.

“Well, then is it alright if - ?” George asked.

McGonagall started to say, “Absolutely not, she could be in grave – “

However, Dumbledore interrupted her, “I don’t see why not. I don’t believe her to be in danger, Minerva. They are not out to get her, her father was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think the Mr. Weasleys could give her more comfort than anything else right now…as long as you don’t keep her away from classes for too long.”

“Of course, Professor, we’ll send her back as soon as she’s up to it” Fred said.

“Thank you, Professor,” George said, then he picked me up.

I was crying into his shoulder, so I didn’t notice when we stepped into their apartment. The next thing I knew George was setting me down on his bed.

“I’ll be right back, love” he kissed my forehead before slipping out the door.

I lay back on a pillow and tried to stop the flow of tears. This didn’t seem real. It wasn’t possible for my father to be dead, he was one of the strongest people I knew. And what was this doing to my mom? Dumbledore said she’d left the country. Was she scared or just depressed? Shouldn’t she be here, shouldn’t we be together? We could be strong enough to get through it together, but where was she now?

George came back in the room then. He set a glass of water down on the bedside table, then laid down next me, putting his arms around me.

“Do you need anything?” he asked, brushing some hair away from my face.

“No,” I said quietly.

“Are you sure? I could get you something if you’re hungry?”

I shook my head, “Just…stay here, okay? Until I fall asleep?”

“Of course,” he said, kissing my forehead. “I’ll stay here as long as you need me”

Then, sooner than I expected, it was morning. The sun was shining softly through the window, not at all reflecting my mood. George wasn’t next to me. I lay on my side staring at the wall, trying not to think or feel. I don’t know how long I lay there, but when George came back into the room, I was biting my knuckles in an attempt to block everything else I was feeling. It wasn’t working so well. He lay down behind me and kissed my shoulder gently a few times.

“I just had to help Fred open,” he said quietly. “But I’m here now, and I’m not leaving until you tell me to”

I didn’t respond, I just laid there as he rubbed my arm softly, then followed it down to my hand, linking our fingers. I squeezed his hand as more tears threatened to spill over. He kissed my shoulder again.

“George?” I said after a few minutes.

“Hmm?”

I turned around to face him.

“Do you think it was foolish…what he did? My father?”

He brushed a few tears away with his thumb as he looked at me.

Then he smiled softly, “No. I don’t think it was foolish at all, it was incredibly brave.”

I looked down, “I just don’t want him to be remembered as…”

“Foolish?”

“Yeah” I took a deep breath, “I want people to think of him as a great man because he was”

“I know he was, lots of people know he was. He’ll be remembered however you want him to be, love. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks”

“My mom always said I was like him”

“How so?”

“Because he could never pass up a challenge or an adventure. She always said she hoped I had gotten at least some of her caution as well”

He smiled softly again, “I’m not sure your mom got her wish with the caution part.”

I smiled a bit too, "Yeah, I know"

It was quiet for a few minutes.

“You would’ve done the same thing” he said.

“How do you know?” I asked, wanting to think that I would've been brave like my dad.

“Because I know you. You’re like your dad in so many ways, incredibly loyal, brave, and selfless.”

“I am?”

“Yes, traits of a true Gryffindor right? And you’d do anything for your friends. He died trying to save his friends, he sacrificed himself for them. It’s one of the most selfless things a person could do. You’re the same way. I’ve always admired you for that, even if it worries me too.”

I moved closer, laying my head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around me more comfortably.

“Thank you” I said quietly.

“For what?” he seemed surprised.

“For being here”

“Anytime, love”