Bright sunlight was shining through the partially opened curtains of the room as Fred Weasley woke. He groaned and rolled away from the light. It took only moments for him to realise that something was wrong. The window was on the wrong side of the room.

Sitting up, Fred looked around. He didn’t recognise anything he saw. He had no idea where he was. He tried to remember what had happened last night. Did he have too much Firewhisky and fall asleep somewhere other than his apartment? he wondered.

He got out of bed, surprised to find himself fully dressed. He slowly approached the door and opened it. He was at the end of a short hall, so he turned and walked towards the room at the end.

He found himself in a small sitting room complete with a Christmas tree. Wait, he thought, a Christmas tree in May? Shaking his head at his brother’s newest joke, Fred looked around.

There was nothing in the room that was the least bit familiar to him. He wondered at how his brother had pulled such a great prank without him knowing. Fred had to hand it to George, he outdid himself this time.

Fred decided to go outside, he figured once he was out of this small house, he would know where he was and be able to go home. He was already planning a revenge prank on George even as he stepped out the door.

Looking around, Fred didn’t see a single thing he recognised. As he walked he found himself in a beautiful garden. Along the way, he saw no one, which he thought was very strange.

Fred started to worry. While he still thought this was a prank by George, he was beginning to have his doubts. This place seemed vaguely familiar as if he had visited it in a dream.

He tried to recall the dream but the more he thought about it, the stranger the memories became. He had a memory of sitting in the sunshine with Sirius and Remus which was one thing, but the fact he vividly remembered Harry’s parents and Dumbledore being there lead him to believe something else was going on.

As he continued to walk around, he tried to figure out what was going on. He searched his memory for the last memory he knew to be real. Percy… Percy making a joke, and then the wall crashing down.

Perhaps he has been unconscious and in some hospital since then. Yes, that had to be it. He had been injured and unaware for the past several months. He looked around for the Healers he knew must be somewhere.

Still not seeing anyone, Fred decided to find his way home on his own. But how did one get home, when one didn’t know where they were? That was a problem. He had no idea where he was or even when.

If the Christmas tree was not a joke, then it was close to Christmas. There was no snow around and he wasn’t even cold, so wherever he was it was someplace south. He turned and looked more closely at his surroundings.

There were areas filled with the most vibrantly coloured flowers he had ever seen placed all over the garden he was in. He could see small houses such as the one he awoke in, in the distance. And there… behind him was what he had been hoping for, a small wooded glen. He headed straight for it.

Under the cover of the trees, he tried to Apparate. He tried over and over again and failed each time. Perhaps this place had an anti-disapparation spell on it as Hogwarts did, he thought.

He decided to walk through the woods hoping he would eventually come to the end or at least a small village where he could Apparate home.

***

“James!” Lily yelled as she came in the door. “We have a problem.”

“What is wrong, Lily?” James asked as he came out of the kitchen followed closely by Sirius and Remus.

“Fred is gone,” she told him. “I went to check on him and his bed is empty, and I can’t find him anywhere.”

The three men looked at each other, worry etched on their faces. They knew Fred had been having a few problems lately adjusting to life after death. At first he accepted this new reality without qualm. But as time went on, he began feeling more and more depressed; if depressed was even the right word.

Though each of them had left loved ones behind, none of them had left a twin; a twin who for all intents and purposes carried half of your soul inside them. The separation from George had caused some unforeseen problems with Fred.

Lately he often woke confused as to where he was. Though these episodes passed quickly, they left him feeling more disgruntled with being dead. They had tried to explain to him that each of them went through a period of disenchantment with the whole life after death thing, but he would get through it and find acceptance.

Fred had insisted after these episodes that they were caused by half of him still being alive. He wasn’t truly and completely dead because George lived. Even Dumbledore tried to explain to him that wasn’t true, that he was really dead and only clinging to his former life, but Fred disagreed. Now, Fred was missing.

“It’s all my fault,” said Lily. “I knew he was upset last night because tomorrow is Christmas. I just never thought…” She looked at James. “I should have stayed with him. He must have woken up and had one of his memory losses.”

“We’ll find him,” said James, “don’t worry. Padfoot, Moony, gather up the troops. Lily and I will start searching.”

All four of them rushed from the house intent on finding the confused Fred.

***

As Fred continued to walk deeper into the woods, he noticed the area was different from any woods he had been in. Though there were trees everywhere, the feeling underneath them where he walked was one of light and openness.

As he walked, Fred thought about being home. What a surprise it would be for his family when he showed up for Christmas dinner. He paused momentarily wondering if perhaps his family would come here to visit him. But somehow he knew that was not possible, his family would not be able to come to this place.

Ahead of him, he saw a thinning of the trees, a shaft of sunlight surrounding an ornate gate made of what looked like gold. As he approached the gate, he marvelled over the way the sun shimmered and sparkled off the golden gates.

The gates were closed and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t open them. Fred stepped back and noticed there was nothing surrounding the gates, both sides were covered with grass. He decided to just walk around the gate instead of going through them.

He went around them and found himself back in front of the gate instead of behind it as he should have been. He tried going the other way and the same thing happened. Realising the only way out of here was to go through the gates; Fred wondered how to open them.

He searched his pockets for his wand and it wasn’t there. Shrugging, he tried every opening charm and spell he could think of. Nothing worked, and the gates remained firmly closed.

He racked is brain for any charm or spell he hadn’t tried. “The gates at Hogwarts,” he muttered trying to remember what spell opened them.

As he spoke the words, the gates opened. Fred wondered what he had done, but decided quickly not to worry about it and rushed through the open gates before they could close again.

He found himself standing before the closed gates of Hogwarts. Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw the scene he had just left faintly flickering from view to be replaced by the pathway that lead to Hogsmeade.

He looked at the gates. How was he supposed to get in? The answer came to him instantly, the secret tunnels. Turning, he began walking down the path to Hogsmeade.

“He isn’t anywhere,” Lily said, worry in her voice.

“Here comes Sirius, maybe he has some news,” James told her reassuringly. “And there is Remus and…Albus,” James said. Seeing Albus Dumbledore walking along side Remus was not a good sign. He felt Lily stiffen as she watched the men approach.

“Nothing,” said Sirius.

“We think we know where he is,” Remus said as he reached them.

“The Gate is open,” said Albus. “It would seem Mr Weasley found a way to return to his family for Christmas.”

At Lily’s startled look, James put his arm around her. “Which one of us is going to go and bring him back?” he asked, looking at each of the men.

“I’ll go,” Sirius said immediately.

“No, I’ll go,” Remus countered.

“Gentlemen, I am afraid none of you will be allowed to go. This matter is out of our hands. A Retriever will be sent to bring him back.”

“A dog? You are going to send a dog after him?” James asked shocked.

“No, not a dog,” said Albus, chuckling. “A Retriever is sent to bring back wayward spirits who find their way back to earth. Given Fred’s recent state of mind, a special Retriever will be sent to assist him in his quest to see his family. It is hoped that by seeing his family moving on he will be able to accept his death and his new life.”

“You know about his memory lapses?” asked Lily.

“Of course, my dear. There isn’t much that goes on around here that is secret,” Albus said smiling. “Ah, here she comes now.” Albus nodded towards the woman approaching.

“Albus,” the woman said to him, “are these the ones who know him best?”

“Yes, anything you need to know, they can tell you,” Albus said. “This is Lily and James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. The latter two will be the best source of information on Mr Weasley’s possible whereabouts.” Albus Dumbledore did not even realise he had reverted to his Headmaster voice and way of referring to Fred.

Turning to Sirius and Remus, she asked, “Where do you think he would go?”

“Home,” all four said in unison.

“But, it isn’t as simple as that. He went through the Gate with no preparation. He does not understand how to get from one place to another. So, I need to know everywhere he may think of, everywhere that was important to him.”

“It was Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, other than the Burrow, that was most important to him,” answered Remus.

“That is his shop on Diagon Alley, right?” she asked.

“Yes, he started it with his twin,” said Remus.

“Twin? Wait, Albus, there is a twin involved?” she asked quickly. “Identical?”

“Absolutely identical,” answered Sirius.

“Except for the missing ear,” said Remus laughing.

“This explains a lot,” she said. Turning to Albus, she said, “We should have been informed of the twin connection sooner.” She looked at the others standing there. “Has he been experiencing moments of not realising he is dead?” she asked.

They all nodded. Shaking her head, she asked again where else was important to him and to his twin.

“I don’t know, maybe Hogwarts? He played Quidditch there, and the two of them were known for their pranks and misdeeds,” Remus answered. “Perhaps Hogsmeade and the tunnels,” he added reluctantly.

“The tunnels?” she asked.

“There are several secret tunnels between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade,” Albus explained. “But weren’t they all sealed during the Battle?” he asked Remus.

“No, we tried to seal them, but some of them remained open… at least as far as I know,” he said.

“I will need a list of these tunnels, where they start and where they end. He could very well use one of them to get into Hogwarts or out of it.”

Smiling, the three Marauders began giving her the list of tunnels. Remus told her of the ones that were collapsed and no longer useful. He also told her of the newest one from the Hogs Head to the Room of Requirement.

“Okay, is there anywhere else you can think of?” she asked.

“The only other place is Grimmauld Place, though I can’t see any reason he would go there,” said Sirius.

“Is there anywhere else?”

Each of them shook their head. “Okay, I must be going. From this list, it could take a bit to find him. And once I find him, getting him to agree to come back here.” She turned to go.

“Wait,” called Sirius, “he has a choice of not returning?”

“No, he has to return, it will be getting him to return willingly that may be a problem. If he does not come willingly, then we could again have this problem. He needs to accept he is dead and this is his new life.”

“I think if he is able to see his family, his brother, it would help,” said Lily. “If he could see they are adjusting and beginning to move on, he might be more willing to come back.”

The Retriever didn’t comment, she just looked at each of them thoughtfully. “Perhaps you are right. I will guide him to his family. Once he sees life going on without him, he will hopefully be more accepting of his death.” With this, she turned and strode towards the forest.

****

As Fred walked down the path towards Hogsmeade, he realised there was snow everywhere and big flakes were still falling from the sky. He had no cloak but was not chilled. Strange, he thought, why am I not cold? This fact worried him more than the fact he saw absolutely no one anywhere.

He tried to remember which passageways were left undamaged by the Battle. The only one he was reasonably certain was still open was the one from the Shrieking Shack to the Whopping Willow. He headed through Hogsmeade up to the Shrieking Shack.

It took a bit of work to get inside, but at last he managed it. He slipped down into the tunnel and began his journey to Hogwarts. He hoped the stick he and George had hidden in the tunnel was still there. He needed to carefully reach the knot in the tree to freeze it so he could safely exit the tunnel.

When he reached the end, the branch was not where it should have been. He peeked out the tunnel exit and the tree seemed to be calm. He figured if he moved quick enough, he could reach safety before the tree realised he was there.

Slowly he climbed out and at a sprint ran across the expanse of snow covered lawn towards the castle. Once he was far enough from the tree, he glanced back. The tree had not even moved. Shaking his head, he wondered if the tree was sick or something. He had never known it to not attack anyone that was within its reach.

Deciding he didn’t really have time to think about it, he hurried up to the castle. He pulled the door open and walked into the deserted Entrance Hall. Looking around, he wondered at the silence. He knew that some students always stayed over during the holidays.

He went to the Great Hall and found it empty except for the Hogwarts’ ghosts floating around.

“Fred!” exclaimed Nearly Headless Nick. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m not sure. Nick, where have I been, do you know? Do you know what happened to me?” Fred asked.

“Where you have been? I’m not sure I understand,” Nick said to him. “Fred, you are dead. I would think you moved on, but you are here so…”

“Dead?” Fred asked. “No, I’m not dead. I was hurt; I’ve been in a hospital.”

“For over seven months?” asked Nick. He gestured to the front of the hall where there were several decorated Christmas trees.

Before Fred could comment, he saw a young witch approaching. Her hair was long and dark in colour. Fred didn’t recognise her. He waited to see if she would say anything to him.

“Mr Weasley, I have been looking everywhere for you,” she said to him. “Hello, Nick. Enjoying the holidays?” she asked the Gryffindor ghost.

“Immensely, favourite time of year,” answered Nick. “Nice to see you again, Esmeralda. Came to bring Fred back, huh?”

“Yes,” she replied. Turning back to Fred, she said to him, “I am Esmeralda. I have come to bring you back, but first, I think you need to see a few things.”

“I’ll just leave him in your capable hands, Essi. Good to see you again,” Nick said before he floated away.

“What is going on?” asked Fred.

“You, Mr Weasley, are dead. Plain and simple as that. You have been for over seven months. Killed by a falling wall, if I remember correctly.”

“Why don’t I remember that? Why don’t I remember being…dead?” Fred asked.

“You don’t remember because you have chosen not to. At first, you had no issue with being dead beyond the normal ones. From what I have been told, lately you have become increasingly disenchanted by your new life. You have been having slips in memory, and insisting you can’t really be dead. Then this morning, you turned up missing. When the Gate was discovered open, I was called in to find you and bring you back,” she told him.

Fred didn’t understand how it was possible he had been dead for this amount of time and have no memory of it. Besides if he was dead, then how was he able to move things?

“If I am dead, then how can I move things? I got into the Shrieking Shack, I opened the front door to get in here,” he told her.

“Because at the time, you didn’t believe you were dead. Moving objects is a matter of mind over matter. Once you realise you are dead, it won’t be so easy for you to move things.”

Fred walked over the doors of the Great Hall, he tried to grab one and push it closed. He was shocked when his hand passed through the door. After a few more tries, Esmeralda walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her through eyes filled with pain. “I really am dead, then?” he asked, his voice cracking on the last word.

“Yes, you are,” she told him softly.

“I need to see my family,” he said.

“Of course you do. We can go to them whenever you are ready,” she said to him.

“But how? How do I get there?” he asked.

“All you have to do is think about them, about where you want to be, and you will be there instantly,” she said as she once again placed her hand on his shoulder.

Fred closed his eyes and thought about George. It was George he most wanted to see. When he opened them, he was standing in the middle of his apartment over Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. He looked around quickly for George, but the apartment was empty.

“I thought about George, why am I here?” he asked.

“I don’t know. This is your trip as they say,” she told him. “Perhaps when you think about George, this is what you think about?”

“Of course I think about the shop. This is… was our dream. Maybe he is downstairs,” Fred said as he walked towards the door. He reached for the handle and his hand passed right through it. He looked to Esmeralda for help.

Smiling, she took his hand and walked right through the door. “Cool,” he said. They walked downstairs and looked around. There was no one there, the shop was closed up tight.

“Where could he be?” he asked.

“I would think he is probably home. It is Christmas Eve,” Esmeralda said.

Fred smiled and took her hand before closing his eyes to try again to go to the Burrow. When he opened them, he was shocked to find himself not at the Burrow, but at Grimmauld Place.

“Why am I here? Why can’t I get home where I want to be?” he asked even as he began walking through the house looking around.

Not waiting for an answer, he first went upstairs to the drawing room. He was surprised to see the room clean and dust free. He wondered if Harry was living here now. Seeing a decorated Christmas tree in the corner, he knew Harry was living here.

He left the room and went back down to the foyer where Esmeralda still stood. Not speaking to her, he went down the next flight of stairs into the kitchen. This room was also clean. Fred knew even when they had stayed here while Sirius was alive, the room hadn’t been this clean.

Going back upstairs, he walked over to Esmeralda. “No one is here,” he said. “Maybe I’m not supposed to go to the Burrow. Maybe I’m not supposed to see my family,” he said.

“If you really want to see them, then you will. I think you are scared to see them and that is what is blocking you from getting there. You are going everywhere your mind can think of but where your heart wants to go.”

Fred knew she was right. He was afraid to see his family. He didn’t know if it was because he was afraid to see them still grieving for him or whether he was afraid to see them getting over him.

“The only obstacle to you seeing your family is you. You have to want to see them more than you fear what you will see,” she told him gently.

Fred once again took her hand and closed his eyes. No matter what his family was feeling, he needed to see them. He needed to be home for Christmas.

Fred opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of a snow covered field. At first, he was confused as to where he was. He looked around and realised he was in the field where he had played Quidditch while growing up.

Once again, he hadn’t made it to the Burrow. But at least he was within walking distance now. All he had to do was walk across the field and down into the yard. He didn’t speak to his companion as he began walking.

As he neared the garden, he noticed several pairs of footprints in the snow. He saw all of them, except one set, lead to the chicken coop. Knowing those prints would have been made by his father, Fred felt a pain in his chest surrounding his heart.

He looked at the other set and noticed they veered off towards the far end of the yard. As he looked closely, he noticed there were no footprints showing the person had returned to the house. He decided instantly to follow them.

As he made his way through the snow, he couldn’t help but notice a few things. First, he wasn’t the least bit cold, in fact it felt to him as if it was a nice warm spring day, and second, he left behind no footprints showing he had walked across the yard.

Slipping through the open gate, he continued to follow the steps left in the snow. Just at the top of the hill, he could see someone standing alone. From this distance, he couldn’t decide which of his family it was.

As he drew closer, he saw someone join the person on the hill. It seemed to him as if they were disagreeing about something. He rushed forward to learn more.

He was shocked when he realised who was standing on the top of the hill. There in front of him stood George and with him, Angelina. Though he knew they couldn’t see him, he still approached slowly.

“Honest, Angelina, my family will be happy that you are here,” George said.

“I don’t know, George,” Angelina replied. “I think it may seem strange to them, me being Fred’s girlfriend and all.”

“Look, I want you there,” George said, “please. And I think Fred would want you here, too.”

Fred could see Angelina wavering. He wasn’t sure how he felt about his brother meeting with his girlfriend.

“Life goes on, Fred. Even for them,” Esmeralda said from next to him. “You can’t expect them to stay hidden behind locked doors in a state of deep depression forever, could you?”

“Is that what they have been doing? What George has been doing?” he asked.

“Yes… both of them. George spent the first month in the bedroom that you had shared with him. He even considered selling the shop. Over the next few months though, he slowly began living again.” Esmeralda looked at the couple talking quietly.

“Angelina also mourned you deeply, though not as much as George. Last week she went into the shop for the first time since you died. George invited her to dinner tonight.”

Fred looked at his brother, his twin, standing with his girl and wasn’t sure exactly how he felt about it. With a final glance at the couple, he turned and walked back down the hill. As he got to the bottom, he went through the gate and looked towards the house.

The house that wasn’t there.

“Where is the house?” he asked, confusion and concern in his voice.

“If you can’t see it, then you aren’t ready yet to face what waits for you inside,” Esmeralda told him compassionately.

“What do you mean, I am not ready? Of course I am ready. Why in Merlin’s name do you think I came here for?” Fred asked angrily.

He strode past where the house should have been and back up the hill to the meadow. Walking to the centre, he sat down and looked around. Though it was night, he could see lights in the distance from the village. He knew wizard and Muggle children alike would be settling down to sleep to await Father Christmas.

Though he hadn’t believed in such things since he was a small boy, Fred couldn’t help but wish there was a Father Christmas and he could bring his one and only wish. The wish to be with his family again.

****

Esmeralda kept her distance. She was supposed to keep him in sight at all times, but she didn’t want to intrude on his mourning process. She knew this was what he had to go through to find peace and acceptance. He, like his family, had to mourn his death.

She watched as he stared out towards the lighter bit of sky that must be the Muggle village she knew was close. Though she wondered what was going through his mind, she would not ask. If he chose to share, she would listen and even offer some advice, but until he opened up to her on his own, she stood back and watched his pain.

****

Fred knew she was there, just a few steps away from him. He figured she was under some orders to keep him close to her. He wasn’t in the mood to talk, he just wanted to sit here and bask in self-pity, something he never did when he was alive.

He let his thoughts wander to his twin. George was the other half of him, and they had never from birth been apart. It was strange now to be sitting here alone, knowing George was only a little ways away and not going to him.

Fred’s head snapped up and he saw walking the same path he had his brother coming towards him. How he knew instantly it was George when before he didn’t, he couldn’t have told anyone. He just knew with complete certainty it was George.

He watched as George drew closer. He had to smile as George’s shuffling footsteps which kicked snow everywhere. George only walked that way when he was deep in thought.

Fred was startled when George stopped walking within a foot of where he sat. He watched as George dropped to a sitting position identical to his right next to him.

“Fred,” George said. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but… Well, the thing is…”

Fred listened to the unspoken things George didn’t say. It was as if he was alive and finishing his sentences for him.

“Merlin, I didn’t think talking to you would be so hard. Hell, just finishing a sentence takes work now. Okay, Harry told me I should do this… that I should find time to just talk to you and tell you what I feel.

“First, I miss you. It’s like part of me is missing. I am finding out who George is, but without Fred, George just seems so… incomplete. Second… second, I am so mad at you. How could you leave me? What were you thinking? Did you even think about what would happen to me without you?” George stopped talking and Fred could see him struggling to compose himself.

“I know that isn’t fair. I know you didn’t want to die. I’ll be honest with you, at first I blamed Percy. Why did he have to distract you? Why didn’t he save you? But you know what? He isn’t to blame. I realise that now. I told him that an hour or so ago. Just as everyone has been saying, it isn’t any of our faults.”

Fred was amazed at George’s speech. He had never known his brother to say so much at once. He would bet this was the first time George spoke about his feelings.

“Listen, I just wanted to tell you I miss you and I decided just tonight that I need to live. I need to make my life count for both of us. I have to live your life as well as mine now.” George stopped and started to chuckle.

“I wish you were here. But I am betting you are in heaven planning some outrageous prank for Christmas. I’ve been trying to think of one myself, but without you, they all seem unoriginal. I came up here tonight to talk to you and maybe get an idea for something to do. After all, what is Christmas without a Weasley prank?”

George fell into silence. Fred racked his brain, if only he could come up with something and then find a way to inspire George into doing it; then it would be almost like being home for Christmas.

****

Esmeralda could have told Fred how to communicate with his brother, but she didn’t think that was what either brother needed right now. Both had to face the other being gone before each could move on and find out who they were now.

She watched as both brothers sat so close to each other staring off towards the rising sun. She knew both would leave this meadow on the path to healing.

****

As Fred saw the sun beginning to rise, he knew George would be going back to the house. He tried desperately to come up with a last prank to give his brother. Remembering the golden gnome they had put on the tree a few years ago, he had an idea.

Thinking very hard about the prank, he hoped George would somehow hear him. He watched George closely for any signs he had heard what Fred had been thinking. He saw a small smile pass over George’s face and watched as George jumped to his feet.

“Thanks Fred,” he said. “One last prank worthy of the Weasley Twins.”

Fred watched as George rushed down the hill. Standing, he looked for Esmeralda who surprisingly was standing right next to him.

Taking her hand, he said simply, “I am ready now.” Then he closed his eyes. He knew even before he opened them he was in the Burrow. He could hear his mother busy making breakfast. He could hear doors opening upstairs and the calls of “Happy Christmas” coming from various voices.

He opened his eyes and looked around. He was surprised to see nothing had changed. Not a single thing had been moved or replaced in his absence. It was as if he had only just walked out the door and then turned around and came back in.

He heard the clatter of many pairs of feet coming down the stairs. He watched as Ginny holding hands with Harry came into the kitchen. They were followed by Ron and Hermione who were also holding hands. Smiling, he was happy to see the four of them had finally found each other.

They were followed by Charlie and his dad. His dad looked older. He felt a twinge of sadness knowing his death was the cause of this. The opening of the door had Fred turning around to look at who was coming in.

Seeing Bill and Fleur entering, he smiled and then gasped. He was shocked to see as Bill removed Fleur’s cloak, that she was pregnant. Life really does go on, he thought.

He looked back to the steps as the slow footfalls came down the last few steps. As George entered the kitchen, the quiet murmurings stopped as everyone focused on him.

George smiled. “So, Mum, what’s for breakfast?” he asked, his voice sounding more like the old George.

Everyone’s conversations began again in earnest. Fred knew it was time to see his mum. He had avoided looking at her up until now. He was afraid to see the sadness in her eyes. He walked slowly over to her, being extra careful not to bump into anyone. He didn’t know if his touching them would feel the same as when you touched a Hogwarts’ ghost, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

He looked at his mum busy getting everyone something to eat. She smiled and joked with everyone, but Fred could see the one thing he had feared. If you looked closely, you could see the sadness. It was clear in her eyes, and even in the way she held her body.

He knew what he really wanted for Christmas was to see some of the sadness to leave her eyes. He walked over behind where George sat, and concentrated very hard on the prank while he reached his hand out and ever so gently nudged his brother’s shoulder.

George jumped as if someone had hit him. Shaking his head, he stood and smiling went into the sitting room. He was only gone a few moments when he came back to the doorway and called to his mother.

“Mum, can you come in here a minute? There is something wrong with the tree,” George said. Fred could see he was trying to keep the smile off his face. Fred hurried to get into the sitting room ahead of his family.

“Oh, George, can’t it wait?” Molly asked. “I’m a bit busy here right now.” But even saying this, Molly turned and walked towards the sitting room. What she saw when she entered had her gasping then looking at George, she broke down in tears.

“Happy Christmas, Mum. And for the record, it was all Fred’s idea,” George said as his mother’s arms tightened around him.

Fred looked at the tree. He had to hand it to George; he had outdone himself on this one. Every ornament was alive and dancing around the tree. The angels wings were fluttering as were the fairies’ as they flew in circles around the other now living ornaments. The little drummer men were tapping on their drums in rhythm. The small train cars, his dad had hung on the tree, one for each of them as they started Hogwarts, were hooked together and swirling around the tree on an invisible track.

Everyone stood and stared at the tree. No one spoke. Smiles were on each of their faces as they watched the antics of the fairies.

“Um, Mum,” George said pulling back slightly from his mum’s embrace. “I think I smell something burning.”

“Oh, breakfast,” she said. She let go of him and rushed into the kitchen. Her rapid departure broke the silence and everyone started talking at once. Fred was standing next to George when his dad approached him.

“Well done, son,” he said to George patting him on the shoulder. Fred could see a sparkle of tears in his dad’s eyes. Everyone except George returned to the kitchen.

George walked over to the tree and stood staring at it. Fred stood next to him.

“Thanks Fred,” he said. “This was a great prank.”

“Your welcome,” replied Fred without thought. “Be happy brother, and never stop pulling pranks.” Fred turned to go.

“I’ll try brother, I’ll try,” George answered him and turned walking quickly into the kitchen.

Fred looked at Esmeralda. “He heard me,” he said in shock.

“Yes, it would appear he did. It seems that the link between both of you is still very strong.” She walked over to him and took his hand. “We must be going back now. I think you are ready now.”

Fred nodded his head, and tightened his hand around hers. He knew whatever happened in the future, his family would survive.