Chapter Text
Fred landed hard, face down on the grass. He’d never quite got the hang of landing gracefully from a portkey. His dad extended a hand to him and helped him up and they smiled at each other. They’d made it.
Once up, Fred was met with a scattering of his friends and family in the front yard, clearly relieved to see him back safe. He regarded the small crowd in front of him, noticed something important missing, and frowned.
“Where’s George?” He asked.
The smile fell from his face as he saw the grave looks on peoples’ faces and his dad rushed forward into the house. Now worried, Fred followed.
Kingsley pulled out his wand in the kitchen and made to grab mr Weasley but he slapped his hand away and continued into the living room, shouting,
“I’ll prove who i am, Kingsley, after I’ve seen my son!”
They scurried into the dark, lamp-lit living room and Fred stared at his twin from down the back of the sofa as his parents embraced.
George was lying prone on the couch, pale and unmoving, covered in blood. The sight was terrifying. It knocked the breath out of Fred to see his brother looking so...lifeless.
The sound of them entering seemed to have woken George and he shifted, stirring.
“How are you feeling, Georgie?” Asked their mother gently.
George raised his arm rather weakly and probed the side of his head where his ear used to be.
“Saint-like” he murmured.
Fred’s stomach sank. He usually knew exactly what George was thinking as though they shared a mind but right now he was lost. Had the injury done something to his brother?
“What’s wrong with him? Is his mind affected?” He asked, panicked.
“Saint-like,” said George again, opening his eyes to look at his brother, “I’m holey. Hole-y, Fred, geddit?”
Fred let out a breath of relief. He was joking. He was ok. He wanted to jump on his brother and hold him tight but he knew he had a role to play and a joke to finish so he carried on from where George had left off.
“Pathetic. The whole wild world of ear related humour and you go for I’m holey?” He said.
“Reckon I’m still better looking than you” george returned.
After their mother was finished fussing over George and wrapping a bandage round his head, Ginny came in to say that Ron had returned. As relieved as Fred was, he opted to stay with George as their parents rushed out to meet Ron. He sat on the couch next to his twin and regarded his face, pale even in the lamp light.
“Does it hurt?” He asked.
George gave a dry chuckle.
“Does it hell.” He said with a grimace of a smile. Fred frowned and put his arm around his twin in a rare show of affection.
“Well thank god you’re alright. I was so scared when I saw you.”
George elbowed him lightly.
“Oi, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
And with that, they returned to their usual joking.
That evening, when everyone had finished their firewhisky and mum had changed George’s already bled through bandage, people started to depart to home or to bed. Lupin and Tonks disapparated away, Kingsley returned to Downing Street, Ginny went up to bed and Harry, Ron and Hermione were already busy plotting in Ron’s room.
“Would you like some pain potion before you sleep, George?” Their mum asked.
“Erm, yeah actually. Thanks.” Said George sheepishly.
He didn’t really like admitting to being in pain or being fussed over but he doubted he’d get much sleep if his head pounded like this all night.
“Do you want it now or when you’re settled in bed?”
George blinked.
“Er, actually mum, I thought I’d probably sleep down here tonight.” He said.
“What?” Interjected Fred, “Don’t be stupid. You’d be much more comfortable in a bed than on the couch.”
George’s ears went red.
“Well yeah but...I don’t think I could actually get there.” He admitted.
Fred’s face softened.
“I’ll carry you, I don’t mind.” He said.
George rolled his eyes.
“I’m the same weight as you, airhead, I don’t think you’d manage.”
“C’mon, I’ll carry you up.” Said Bill as he strode up to them.
He picked George up by the back and under his legs, careful not to jostle his head, and carried him up the stairs to the twins’ room. Fred walked close behind followed by mrs Weasley with the pain potion. Bill opened the door with his leg and set George carefully down on his bed before saying goodnight and leaving the room.
“Here you are, dear, drink up.” Said Mrs Weasley, handing George the potion vial.
He drank it, wincing at the bitterness, and then gave the empty vial back to his mother. She kissed them both goodnight and then made to leave the room.
“Come and get me if anything happens. I’m just down the stairs. Goodnight dears.” She said fondly as she left.
George was just about to get comfortable when he noticed Fred hovering awkwardly by his bed, looking preoccupied about something. George smiled knowingly.
“Do you want to kip in here tonight?” Asked George, moving over to make room.
Fred smiled back gratefully.
“Yeah, alright, why not.”
He turned off the light and got into bed next to his twin where they both shuffled around until they were somewhat comfortable on the single bed. They used to share beds all the time as children but there had certainly been more space when they were smaller than there seemed to be now.
“What’s up?” Asked George into the darkness.
“It was just scary, you know, seeing you like that.”
“Like what?”
“All bloody and injured and not moving. You looked like you were...dead.” Fred said very quietly.
George put his arms round his brother.
“But I wasn’t. I’m not. Everything’s going to be fine.”
He felt Fred nodding into the pillow.
“Go to sleep now, Georgie. You need to rest.” He said.
“Only if you do too.”
Fred smiled though his brother couldn’t see it.
“Ok, fine. Goodnight, George.”
“Goodnight, Fred.”