George Weasley (hisholeyness) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2017-11-30 02:30:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !log, fred weasley (freddlesweasley), ~2017 november, ~25 points, ~~george weasley (hisholeyness) |
Who: Fred and George Weasley
What: George's arrival to Madison Valley and his subsequent panic attack upon running into his twin brother.
Where: Street, then the Gelato shop where Fred works.
When: November 29, 2017. Early evening, about 3 or 4 PM.
Warnings: A bit of angst. Other than that, maybe some language. Just to be safe.
Status Incomplete | Closed. Started in gdocs and continued in comments.
George spun around wildly, his blue eyes seeking out something, anything, anyone who looked familiar. Nothing did. Nothing, other than the wand in his hand. He felt his heartbeat rising, his breathing becoming difficult, before he closed his eyes and forced his body to calm. Getting worked up in a situation where he had no idea what to expect was not going to help. He needed to get his fight-or-flight responses under control so that he could use his brain and figure this out logically. Where was his sister-in-law when you needed her? Logical thinking had never been a strong suit of his, though he had gotten better over the years, especially after becoming a father.
The thought of his kids threatened to bring on another round of panic but he was able to keep his body under control as he opened his eyes. As he did, he noticed a young woman with blond hair pulled back into a tight bun heading his way. She wore a suit and looked very focused. He couldn’t help but grin as his mind thought back to McGonagall. This young lady reminded him a lot of her though she could be no older than thirty. She was also heading right for him. The weight of his wand in his hand gave him comfort.
She smiled, though it was a little wary as she glanced at his wand. She didn’t seem to be a threat and so he slipped his wand into his pocket for the moment, watching her as closely as she watched him. The moment his hand left the wand handle, she visibly relaxed and he felt his own tenseness slip away. She welcomed him and explained that as confused as he was, she was there to explain what had happened to the extent she could and inform him of what happened next. He listened, though everything she told him only led to more questions in his head. He was a little frustrated because they were all questions it seemed she would not be able to answer. From what she said, this was something that had happened quite a bit of time ago and continued to happen but they could not leave and no one knew what had happened to cause this. There were many guesses but guesses were pointless with no way to test the theories. He grinned again, this time reminded of Hermione.
She then gave him a mobile phone (most wizards had mobiles these days, especially if they spent a bit of time among muggles), a laptop (again he had one back home, as did his kids), and a card it took him a moment to realize was a plastic (a payment card that muggles held electronic data of their funds on). She explained there was $1,000 on it and George nodded, knowing later he would need to convert that to wizard money in order to have any idea how much he actually had. The last thing she handed him was a ring with keys dangling from it, letting him know the number of his apartment. She smiled, apologized for the inconvenience of the whole ordeal, and hoped he would enjoy what time he spent there before taking her leave.
George had a lot of questions. He didn’t bother calling her back because he already knew she would have no answers. Even if she wasn’t telling the whole truth and she did know what was going on, whoever she worked for would forbid her to answer anything that would prove disastrous to whatever was happening here. As it was, George truly believed her that no one knew… at least, he believed that she truly believed what she had said. Slipping the plastic into a back pocket of his jeans, the keys into the right front pocket, he slipped the laptop bag over his shoulder, and slipped the mobile into the pocket of the bag.
His mind whirled and his body felt weak. What in the world had happened? Where were his kids? Angelina? Were they here? If this had been happening for some time it was very possible that they were here.
He glanced around, taking in the street he had ended up on. Cars passed by every few moments, though it was not as busy as London. It was definitely no New York City. It was in America--the lady had told him that--but there was no way he could leave to get to New York even if he wanted to. He frowned deeply, his brows furrowing. This was too much. He didn’t know what to do or where to start but he couldn’t just stand there forever. His eyes fell to a shop which sold gelato and his heart panged.
Roxanne loved gelato. He decided there was as good as any to start his search. Crossing the street, he made his way to the shop, pulling it open and looking around. A girl with red hair at the counter welcomed him with a smile and he couldn’t help but smile back. He didn’t even bother keeping his hand near his wand. He didn’t know how but he just knew this woman meant him no harm. She welcomed him, immediately guessing he was a newcomer and George nodded.
“I was hoping you could tell me if you have seen my wife and children,” he began. “My wife’s name is Angelina. She’s dark, her eyes a deep brown, black hair long. She’s a witch. Our children, Fred and Roxanne. Fred is the spitting image of me but has Angelina’s eyes and is a bit more tan than I am and Roxanne looks just like her mother. They are also wizards.”
He didn’t bother to keep the fact of what he was a secret as the woman outside hadn’t seemed very surprised to see his wand, so he assumed they must have met more of his kind. It gave him hope that his wife and kids would be there. She opened her mouth to speak but a moment later there was the tell-tale sound of apparition and George’s eyes widened as they fell upon the young form of his twin brother.
Impossible.
There was no way… it made no sense…
He could feel the tears stinging at the corners of his eyes and he swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat.
There was no way… right? How… how could he be alive… and young again after all these years.
“F-Fred,” he whispered hoarsely. “How… I… you… I don’t... “
-----
Nora couldn’t always tell a new arrival when one appeared, but this man definitely fit the category of new arrival. He appeared lost and confused, he was asking for people she’d never heard of. Well, she’d heard of a Fred… and this man did closely resemble the Fred she knew. She had opened her mouth to speak, only to jump slightly at the sound of Fred apparating into the shop.
“Fred Weasley!” she exclaimed, and swatted at him. “You know I hate it when you do that. You’re lucky Weiss wasn’t here instead of me.” For a moment, she had forgotten about the man on the other side of the counter, only to remember once he started speaking again.
Knowing this was probably a good time to go to the back, she reached toward Fred for a moment. “Let me know if you need anything.” Obviously, this man knew Fred. They looked far too similar for them to not know each other. And the man had known his name.
Fred nodded at Nora, studying the man on the other side of the counter.
HIs eyes widened slightly, recognizing George for the person he was. “Bloody hell you’ve gotten old,” he said softly. “Nora,” he called. “I’m going home.” He looked in her direction. “Please? It’s George…..”
After she nodded, he headed around the counter to his twin. “It’s really me, George, I swear…” He sighed softly. “When I first arrived here, it was supposed to be May 2, 1998. I was with you….” He reached for George, wanting to make everything okay for his brother. “I’m sorry I left you, Georgie. I’m sorry….” Fred knew he’d died that night, the night he was pulled from his life into 2017.
*****
George's world froze. Time stopped. He wasn't aware of anything that happened after he spoke... trying to make sense of everything. He stopped as soon as his head throbbed, blinking to find Fred standing before him. The younger form of his twin spoke, saying it was really him. Explaining what had happened and reaching for him. George jerked back, his blue eyes wide with fear. But then Fred spoke up, calling him Georgie and apologizing for leaving.
The tears started as he rushed toward his brother, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. He felt relief to feel the solid form in his arms, burying his face into the other's shoulder as he cried.
"I don't understand... what the hell is this place? Why is it tormenting me? You're here but what does that matter if I'm sent back to the place I was before? Back to reality? What if I'm dreaming and this is a nightmare? Nothing... I..." He shook his head as sobs wracked over his body.
Nothing made sense and he wasn't sure it would ever make sense even if he did know what happened. One thing he was certain of was that he wasn't dreaming, though he couldn't explain how he knew. He just did.
Fred was doing his best to console him but all George could do was cling to his twin for dear life. He never wanted to let him go. What if he released him and something happened? He couldn't go through anything happening to Fred... not again... not for a second time...
"Freddie..." He whisper-wept, his voice hoarse and low. "Is it really you? I missed you... I missed you so much... It hurt... Hurt so much, Fred... hurts so much..."
-----
Fred understood that George was a bit wary of Fred's presence. He understood why George's first reaction was to jerk back, to jerk away from Fred. He'd died in George's world, after all. How was George to know this was real? But then he felt his brother's arms wrap around him, and Fred gave him a tight hug, not particularly wanting to let him go.
"George..." He kept his arms wrapped around his twin brother, closing his eyes. He'd missed George so much in the five months he was here, he couldn't imagine how George felt. "It's real here, I promise. I'm real. Nora over there, she's real. This isn't a dream."
He sighed softly, still clinging to the older version of his twin. "This place... Madison Valley... it brings people here, no one knows how. But there are some people you know here, besides me. Hermione Granger... Sirius Black. James and Lily Potter. Harry's here, George. He's just a baby, but he's here."
He nuzzled against his twin, "Oh, Georgie, I've missed you." He thought for a moment, then -- "I'm going to apparate us to my flat, okay?" That way they'd have more privacy, more time to talk. And with his words, he apparated the two of them to his flat.
"Now. You've likely left people you care about at home. I assure you they're safe, okay? They won't even know you're gone, I promise."
*****
George didn't know what to do. He just held Fred as the other consoled him further. He felt his body relaxing as Fred promised him that the place was real and that he was real. That the red head lady that had greeted him when he'd first come into the shop was real. That everything that was taking place was not a dream.
These words had an instant affect on George, who relaxed further, nodding against Fred's shoulder. Fred continued to talk, still holding him tightly. George was grateful. He was experiencing something very near to shock and he wasn't sure he could stay standing on his own just yet. He took deep, calming breaths. Fred mentioned people they knew, or had heard of, explaining that they were there. Harry was here too? But was a baby?
Real or not, Madison Valley just did not make any sense. How could a place like this, or at its source, the power used to bring and keep them there... how could such a force exist? There was no kind of magic in his and Fred's world that would manifest in such a way. Being a wizard, he knew well that those who didn't have magic found their magic aweinspiring and a lot of times, worrisome. He finally knew what that felt like.
Fred called him his nickname and told him he missed him. George let out a shaky laugh. When Fred asked if he could apparate them to his flat, George pulled back to look at him and nodded. Seconds later they appeared in a nice little flat. Fred guessed that he had people at home that he had left behind, promising their safety and that they would not even know he was gone.
"How can that be possible, Fred? I was pulled from London to here... and that lady had said people from all different worlds come here in much the same way... its... its hard to believe... its a lot to take in. I don't get how my wife and kids... and everyone else... how won't they know I'm gone when I'm here?"
He stepped out of Fred's embrace and scrubbed at his face, wiping away the last traces of tears. Stalling for time to get his racing thoughts under control, George looked around the place. He wondered if his place was nearby and wondered if the people in charge would let him move in with his brother. All very good questions, but in due time. One thing at a time.
"And don't think I missed your old comment, Fred." He glanced back at his twin, lips twitching at the corners of his mouth. He sighed, and took a deep breath.
"So what next... I got all the stuff the lady gave me... I've apparently got a place around here somewhere... once that's all settled then what... I just accept that I'm here and that's that? Merlin, this is bollocks. If I'm having trouble with all this, I can only imagine the way Hermione reacted..."
-----
"You didn't notice I suddenly disappeared before the fight at Hogwarts, now did you? No. And if I get sent home from Madison Valley, I'm going to be sent back to the very same spot I was pulled in from. Same as you." Of course, things were slightly different for Fred than they were for George. George had something to go home to. Fred had death.
He sighed softly. "I know it's a lot to take in. But we really can't leave. We were all pulled from different places. I was pulled from Hogwarts to here. Which... I suppose I have that to be grateful for."
There was a slight smirk from Fred at George's words. "Of course I called you old. Old bugger." He grinned at George, and leaned lightly against the wall. "What do you expect? I'm still twenty, if you haven't noticed."
"Would you... I mean. You can say no. But do you want to live with me? I missed you it's been lonely by myself. We can get a two bedroom, I have enough money saved up to do so...."
Of course, that would take away some of the funds he'd saved for the shop, but he was more than willing to do this so he could live with George.
"Hermione has a boyfriend, George. So to say that she's accepted being here... she has. So have I, apparently. Job at a gelato shop, dating the owner of said gelato shop."
[Continued in comments.]