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.
Finding a Way to a Burrow Christmas by mudbloodproud
Chapter Notes: I want to thank my wonderful beta, Alyssa (harry4lif). Thank you honey for taking the time to do this entire story for me.
I do not own anything you may recognise in this story. Everything belongs to J. K. Rowling. I am just thankful to get to play in her world for a little while.