Title: Drink to All These Dead Souls Characters: Fred & George Rating: G Summary: George pays a visit to Hogwarts.
Dancers twirled in the darkened room beneath the magically moonlit ceiling. The tables were laden with treats, and he wondered if the punch was tricked. He really hadn’t intended his feet to wander in this direction, but here he was outside the Great Hall, the doors thrown wide, the festivities raucous and youthful -- neither of which was a thing he could claim anymore. Loud or young. He had grown old and quiet. He stood to the side, in the shadows, and watched until he felt the creeping advance of memories he would rather not entertain, so he turned quickly on his heel and skulked away, shoulder pressed against the cool stone wall of the wide hallway.
One corner, a long passage, another corner, and the hall beckoned to him as though it were a dark dream. He drew himself up short -- was this a dream? -- and then from halfway down the hallway a suit of armor came to staggering life and attempted a sad pirouette. He laughed out loud and the armor fell in clattering pieces to the floor.
Then, Fred was beside him. They embraced and sat on the closest stone bench inset to the wall.