Find your tribe in a Sea of Creativity
Percy, Penelope and Oliver are the epicenters, once they turned 13 their memories returned
Each of the kids got their memories back at 13 except for Bill and Charlie, who only get memories back through doing things again like deja vu except way more clearly. This is because Bill and Charlie are older than Percy and because of the cursed vaults somehow
Harry and Hermione are able to get their memories back despite not being related to the Weasleys (though technically Harry is very distantly related) because they are soul connected/bound to Ron.
How this happened idk but it did, so instead of them getting their memories at different times they all get them when Harry turns 13, as he is the youngest out of the three
Percy has a way of communicating with Penelope and Oliver that’s not mail, its a message book, set up like a message board and until all children are 13 its just the three of them
It was a spell gone wrong, Penelope was trying to transfigure a Time Turner using a form of alchemy she had found in an untouched section of the ministry library, using Percy and Oliver as anchors, however it backfired and caused the three to wake up on their 13th birthdays
Percy beforehand could sort of see magic and afterwards so can Penelope and Oliver, just much fainter, because of this Percy knew that it wasn't just them three when the twins turned 13, as he assumed the weird hand markings on Bill and Charlie were unrelated and most likely caused by the vaults, which is not entirely wrong
Each person that came back has a hand marking, its like swirls with the alchemy circle that was used in the center, its not visible to those who are not very sensitive to certain magic, alchemy being one of the ones Percy is pretty sensitive too
It was only three months post war, Fred did survive but was severely injured which had slightly carried over, George can also feel the pain that Fred can and vice versa but its severely dimmed
Percy was able to circumvent most of the insanity that was his third year (his roommate Adams was absolutely mauled and killed by his other roommate Nei and Percy was the one who found the scene after in their dorm, Percy was stabbed in the heart by murderous roommate after being super manipulated by him which was kinda stockholmish considering Percy did like like him) however Adams still died and Nei was still pretty insane, at least this time Percy didn't get stabbed, though the residual pain did carry over just significantly less, and hey this time he didn't completely pull away from everybody he loved and cared for in fear of them getting killed or him having to deal with emotions, he chose therapy this time
Charlie was more around during his last two years, he wasn't as sensitive to alchemy as Percy but he could still tell something was up, a lot was happening differently though he didn't know why it was different, it wasn’t until his last year that he realized that it probably had something to do with the vaults and told Bill about it, who was in training to be a curse breaker but seemed to already know pretty much everything loosely
The twins are connected, not soul bound/connected like the GT, proper connected, they can share thoughts feel each others pain (though only lightly) and their emotions (the more focused they are the more they can feel), this seemed amplified when they turned 13 and got their memories, the two rarely left each other's side, more attached than before, the heightened connection also allowed them to get an idea where the other was
Ginny was the most obvious about it, simply just pulling Percy aside and demanding an explanation because “This is something only you would have a hand in, not even the twins are this chaotic I swear”, she wondered if Luna would also remember despite her not having any relations to the Weasleys but considering its Luna anything was possible. Luna didn’t remember but did have something similar to the deja vu effect Bill and Charlie had, just a lot less, but since its Luna she didn’t need to have it as strong to know as much as she did
The soul connection between Harry, Hermione and Ron allows them to have a vague idea where each other are, have short thoughts sent to each other with training, have semi shared mannerisms (it's not strong or obvious), and feel each other's emotions, not that they know any of this beforehand. The bond was created during the horcrux hunt however since everything was strung so high none of them noticed anything was off, even after the war they just thought it was the bond of besties who literally killed and fought for each other and not some weird literal soul bond/connection, however everything is made extremely more obvious once Harry turned 13 and all three got their memories back (All the Weasleys were concerned as to why Ron just kinda started having a panic attack in the middle of the night, Hermione was much calmer because of her proximity to Harry but not by much truly, and Harry was a mess but what's new)
Bill had known something when he turned 13, he wasn’t sure what but something was different, he had an easier time with school and wanted to become a curse breaker despite not even knowing what it was. When he got more and more involved with the vaults he knew how to deal with them, knew just the right steps, when he had begun his training as a curse breaker he understood more. There was a curse on him, a time curse however it was scuffed and very broken, when Charlie came and talked to him about the weirdness Bill noticed that there was a strange marking on Charlie's hand, as a curse breaker he had to be able to see magic and his numerous charms and wards (I know theres like a proper term for little charms that are physical and stuff I just cant remember) helped with that
The twins doubt this timey wimey bullshit and while they weren't wrong, they were hit over the head for it
Year three for the GT happens similarly enough, the difference being Harry talks to Remus about his parents and Sirius more and completely hands peter over to Sirius when asked, he does still somehow manage to escape but this time the GT work on getting Sirius a trial with the help of Penelope (their lawyer when the time comes is Lady Zambini or whatever her proper title would be, fanfics have made me love this woman)
Voldy does still come back BUT Cedric doesn’t die, Percy and Penelope figured out a way to return vague memories to people like how it is with Luna but forced, problem is they gotta be 13 when it happens, so while Tonks would be in the know without the know, Cedric would be in the know with the know. The only way to do this is to alchemy their way through it, Penelope as the caster and Percy and Oliver once again as the anchors, otherwise it wont work at all
By the time Voldy is back, most of the horcruxes had been found but not destroyed as most of the information was with the GT, the destruction process goes well enough yada yada
As each got their memories, they barely acted like the kids they physically were which makes sense, however since they knew things would be better they relaxed, acted their physical age or younger, didn't care at all what people thought because goddamn it their childhood was stolen sue them for wanting it now, especially GT and Ginny, Percy and Co rarely did act their physical age and yet nothing was different because they were always like that
Bada bing bada boom whole AU, its pretty silly and dumb lolz, kinda all over the place if you think about it, probs more to be added, ciao adios Im done
OMG I LOVE THIS SO MUCH ?!?! BYE THE CONCEPT IS ADORABLE 😡😡😡 i’m so ready for this gtfo
Dearest gentle reader, this author is more than delighted to introduce you to Lady Y/N. A lady that was born into London’s high society as the oldest child of a Duke and Duchess. The world of London‘s high society is filled with romance, friendship, scandals, rumours and secrets that want to remain hidden. But be forewarned, dear reader, this author has her eyes everywhere and nothing shall go unnoticed. As we embark into a new social season, I find myself pondering some most intriguing questions: Will Lady Y/N succeed in securing a match in this season? And will her reputation remain unsullied or will she find herself embroiled in scandal? I shall assure you, if any noteworthy event comes into my notice, I shall be the first to bring it to your attention. May this season promise us to be a truly unforgettable experience. Yours truly, Lady Whistledown.
lady!reader is witty, sarcastic, confident and may appear innocent but she might surprise you. she doesn’t let others treat her with disrespect and holds them accountable when necessary. she isn‘t as innocent as some might think.
lady!reader who seems like an open book but has sides to her that only her closest people know about. some are just reserved for a possible partner — sides only they can unveil.
lady!reader is someone who loves to read with her friends, take walks or spend time in nature. she loves to have fun and doesn’t care what other’s truly think about her, even if it‘s not appreciated by society to behave such ways. but be aware, there is so much more ready to be revealed.
lady!reader who has caught the attention of many people — possible partners are among them. the gender doesn’t truly matter to her. she is aware of the risks that come with her interests but she doesn’t care.
lady!reader who wants to fall in love with someone who truly wants and loves her regardless of her status. she wants something real and wouldn’t mind not to marry at all if she won‘t find what she wants.
navigation. | harry potter masterlist. | lady!reader
© eternalbuckley 2025. // I do not give you permission to modify, copy, translate or repost any of my works and creations on other platforms. I do not give you the permission to claim them as your own. I do not give you permission to use anything of my work and creations for any ai related things. I only post my works on tumblr, if you find my work anywhere else please let me know!
a/n: this au is completely inspired by bridgerton, especially lady whistledown — i'm using her solely for the purpose of the gossip society papers (like it's in the show and books). that's it!
Do you have any weasley twins hcs to share asking for a friend
All I can think of at the moment was the elaborate plot that I had come up with ages ago.
After Fred dies, George closes the Joke shop because as much as he loved it, it was more of Fred's passion, and he knows Fred would want him to do something that he was passionate about. When Fred was alive, that was George's passion. It didn't matter what he was doing as long as he had Fred.
George goes off the grid and travels the world. He always wanted to travel. The off the grid part kind of just happened since after Fred's death, his family had honestly become suffocating. They had become overbearing.
Anyway, he's on the border of some counties, and it's snowing, where he meets a pair of identical twins (shocker) John and Robert who goes by Bobby. They sort of adopt him, and they run from the government together because Bobby's a werewolf and John's a vampire.
It brought up a lot of pain for George, but at the same time, it left him so confused. If he hadn't been told that John was helping Bobby run from the ministry, and must obviously care for him if he would willingly do that, he would think that these two hate each other. Their bickering sounded a lot more cruel than any of the sort that Fred and him had done.
In the past 45 minutes, they had been walking not once had they touched. Hell, 10 minutes in Fred and George would have been linked by the elbow and skipping along to a badly whistled tune, something that would get them smiles and eye rolls.
Fred had always been someone who gave so much affection without being prompted, so George didn't have to ask. It wasn't uncommon to find them passed out on the couch curled into one another, especially when they started working on their business.
John and Bobby taught George independence and being able to rely on yourself, which George hates to admit, but before then, he had no grasp on what independence was or what to do with it. He always had Fred to help him.
George, in turn, taught John and Bobby the importance of connection, of actually getting along and showing support, and it not just being something from the sidelines.
(Sorry if this isn't quite what you wanted 😅)
I'm sorry (not really) to all my favourite characters who have been put through the ringer either in their actual media or just because of my deranged little mind, your sacrifice is greatly appreciated.
George Weasley is left-handed, and Fred forced himself to be ambidextrous so he could comfort George's anxiety whenever it would randomly spike during class. But the thing is, is that Fred has only really gotten the grip down pact for his left hand. Otherwise, he is actually absolutely rubbish at writing with his left hand, which isn't really saying much since his writing in his right hand isn't that much better either. But it's the thought that counts, and besides, George has neat enough handwriting for the both of them.
I just really needed my probably, most definitely, ooc Weasley twins hurt/comfort, with protective Fred and that stupid blood quill.
It was an unspoken rule within Hogwarts that all new students and teachers were quietly (most times) made aware of was that, under any circumstances, were you to separate the Weasley twins. Even if it was only one of them that had been up to trouble (though it rarely was), you gave them both detention. It was probably the only thing they wouldn't argue back about with a teacher, and after the incident in their second year, no one could blame them.
George had been given a solo detention for the first time and had ended up passing out from a panic attack, not used to not having Fred right beside him. Fred had almost gotten expelled that night, extremely agitated without George within the same room as him, lashing out verbally and later physically at anyone who even attempted to either approach or talk to him. The only reason he hadn't been expelled was because McGonagall realised quite quickly that it was a reaction to being separated.
So when Umbridge, at dinner on the second night back at school, gave George a detention and not Fred as well, the entire great hall went deadly silent. Protests were already on the tip of Fred's tongue but were silenced by George's hand grabbing his and a small shake of his head. George got up on slightly shaky legs and followed Umbridge out of the room. Irrational agitation instantly consumed Fred, and he got up, stalking his way to Gryffindor tower. Ginny and Ron following shortly after along with Harry and Hermione.
Fred was pacing, so much so that he's pretty sure if the carpet wasn't enchanted, he would have worn through it by now. The other four had been sitting in absolute silence, just watching Fred pace for the last 45 minutes. He had originally been playing chess with Ron but had quickly gotten mad and flipped the board, Ron wouldn't hold it against him, they all knew he wouldn't, but Fred would apologise anyway. So now he was pacing because at this point, it was the only thing he could do without hurting either himself or someone else. Everyone else had all just quietly gone up to their rooms, not wanting to disturb Fred.
Finally, finally, the portrait opened, and George stumbled in, drained of all colour and on the verge of panicing before his eyes landed on Fred. He instantly made his way over, his twin meeting him halfway, wrapping George up in a hug, who immediately started sobbing. Fred brought them over to one of the couches and laid them down so that George was comfortable against Fred's chest, holding him as tightly as he could and threading a hand through his hair. Fred looked over and shared a concerned look with Ron and Ginny, who were looking increasingly more worried the longer George cried.
'Georgie, what happened?' Fred asked an hour later once George had finally settled down. George immediately sat up, panic evident in his voice and his maneurisms. 'Please don't make me go again. Fred, I don't want to do that again, don't make me go back, please. I don't want to be alone.' Fred brought George back into a hug, rubbing a hand up and down his back before speaking. 'Hey, shhhh, it's ok. You won't go back, I won't let you. But you've got to tell me what happened, ok?' George sniffed, nodding his head before giving his right hand to Fred, who was confused at first before he saw it. Engraved on the top of his hand, in a shaky version of George's neat print were the words "I will be alone"
'Umbridge prefers to use a blood quill for punishment instead of the usual detention activities.' Ginny audibly gasped in response, while Harry quietly asked Hermione what a blood quill was, and Ron had stared pacing in the spot that Fred had been pacing over an hour ago now. He sounded so defeated that it almost put out the anger that Fred was feeling, almost, because how could that bitch. This was his George, though. Who would 8/10 be in tears when ever the Weasley siblings' rough housing got too violent, who almost didn't join the quidditch team because he was terrified of getting hurt, who spent 6 months crying because he had to get magical stitches and somehow kept pulling them out, who almost failed DADA one year because he didn't want to duel. This was his twin brother who was a sensitive person, has hyperalgesia, and can only just manage getting poked with a wand. So, the fact that Umbridge would actively make his brother inflict pain on himself made Fred absolutely livid.
All Fred found himself doing was just pulling George as close as he could and continue to reasure his twin that everything would be alright. Fred would talk to Dumbledore, and if he wouldn't do anything, he'd go to the school board, their mum was on that. She'd definitely do something about it, Fred would make sure of it because this was his brother.
As George fell asleep, the others went to bed, Fred just planted a kiss to his forehead and settled in for the night, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep until Umbridge was gone.
Molly Weasley, bless her, had started off making the ‘Weasley sweaters’ as a form of telling George and Fred apart. But they still switch their sweaters, cheeky bastards. After they got theirs, everyone wanted it, so that’s how the tradition is born. If you have a sweater, you’re official.
chamber of secrets au where fred and george steal ginny’s diary bc “haha ginny why are you keeping a diary omg its old and blank” and they just start drawing dicks in it and then the dicks fade off the paper and fred and george just look at each other and go “omg infinite dicks” so they draw dicks on it all year until the diary literally ink vomits itself to death bc tom riddle cant handle the dicks anymore and no one ever opened the chamber of secrets and fred and george destroyed the very first horcrux the end
Harry Potter x Zombies
Well it’s been 3 years after the war. Most warriors become auror or just works at the ministry. Me, and the weasley twins become quidditch players in Puddlemere United quidditch team (me as a chaser, the twins as beater as usual).
Our lives couldn’t have been more better after the war. I mean, i just saved fred-fkin-weasley from death. Like, imagine if i didn’t save him at the first place (*cough* jk rowling *cough*). One day, Kingsley Shacklebolt aka our new minister of magic suddenly called us (the golden trio, silver trio, me and the twins) and tell us that there’s been a freakin Zombie attack on the muggle world! And that the zombies at trying to get through our world too. After long lectures of “what the hell is a mo’ freakin zombie” lectured by me and Hermione, we get ready.
We’re not just gonna use wands, we’re also gonna use muggle weapons, such as: gun, knife, sword (yes, Kingsley succeeded to Convince us to use a sword) , and bunch other stuff. While the ministry is spreading warning through daily prophet, we got down to muggle world and, oh boy.
It’s turning into a freakin apocalypse now!
Kingsley told us about how there’s zombies around because a stupid company has spilled dangerous chemicals and contamining some water sources and people at the company too. When the people contaminated with these chemicals, their cell brains got destroyed and leave them to behave like animals. specifically, cannibals. They become crazy and sht and people that they bite or tear will become zombies too.
And then we basically just got inside a freakin war zone. And you wanna ask which one’s worse; this apocalypse or battle of Hogwarts? I think you already know the answer. – yea i just watched ‘freakish’ (its a tv show on hulu ft Liza Koshy fyi) and i was inspired so i make this story idea ehe -lily
so, i figured, to tide over all my adoring fans [blows dramatic kiss to empty theater with 3-4 stragglers] i'd post one of my lil oneshots to ao3!!!
prototype #1993.37 "more-mini recorder thingy" v.3 exp.trial.1
this babey is a Percy Weasley-centric fic, narrated by our shayla, preteen ron, focusing on the relationship (and backstory) between percy and the twins, with a heavy heavy helping of Sibling Angst™!!
since this went over so well last time, lemme add some of this fic's comedic hits below, no spoiler edition!
---
---
---
---
---
---
Every now and then ill be looking for a George fic to read and i'll stumble across something for Fred instead because theres a great deal more content for Fred than George and the description will sound like an interesting concept and im so starved for fics that i'll try reading it and I genuinely cant read it
I'm sorry to all the Fred girlies out there i know you love your man but it feels like im cheating on my boy and i just cant do it
like thats my husband and thats his brother and i physically cant
Percy is autistic but was not diagnosed until he was twenty-three, which was when he began attending a muggle psychologist for the war (the man was a squib)
She also kept her autism totally a secret, mainly because she hasn't even processed that she has the disorder
Fred is alive, but most of us have that headcanon
Ron enjoys being taller than the twins, because they can be two against one, but he is a head tall.
The 6 brothers have agreed that they had never seen their mother so angry, like when she found out that Percy smoked
Percy once found a box of old clothes in the attic, this turned out to be clothes from her uncles Fabian and Gideon. She tried it on, having no idea about this and when I come down to lunch, Molly started crying, because Percy was the spitting image of her brothers
Charlie has a dragon skin jacket that he never wears, because he was given it as a gift and he would rather not wear the skin of the animals that he cares for.
The Weasleys only found out about Percy's autism, because he had an autistic breakdown, it must be said that after that everyone made sure to investigate everything they could about autism, so they could help Percy if something like a breakdown happened again
Ron lived in an apartment in muggle london with Harry and Hermione during the post-war years.
Arthur like percy is autistic but was not diagnosed until molly researched autism and saw that many of the autism symptoms fit both percy and arthur
George and fred took some courses on medimagia after the war
After the war, the extended Weasley family enjoys playing Quidditch every Sunday in the morning.
Percy is in a relationship with Oliver
Percy and oliver adopted molly and lucy, and fred and george are their godparents respectively, while their godmothers are katie bell and angelina jonhson
Bill enjoys telling Muggle stories about the Egyptian pyramids, to children, and everyone loves Uncle Bill's stories, because he knows many illusion spells to make it look like they are inside a real pyramid.
Harry and Hermione managed to buy a movie player, to watch Muggle movies in the burrow
When teddy was little he used to wear his hair the same shade of red as the weasleys since he spent a lot of time in the burrow
He has heterochromia, while the eyes of the rest of the Weasleys are blue or brown, those of Percy are bluish in color quite close to looking gray.
You started smoking because of stress. But he is very careful about hiding his tobacco smell
Prefers coffee over tea especially because it will help you stay awake longer
He's bisexual but he spent a lot of time in the closet and when I say a lot I mean that his internalized homophobia was the size of Hogwarts
He is the tallest weasley, he is 6.5, the second tallest is Ron with 6.2, which bothered the rest of the brothers a lot, why did Percy and Ron have to be favored by genetics?
When he goes out with his brothers, more than one girl has told him that his eyes are very pretty, this makes him turn red and stutter a thank you. Bill, charlie and ginny find it quite funny, on the other hand fred and George don't understand what the girls see Percy and Ron just ignores him
He made some pranks during Hogwarts he was never caught because who would think that the perfect prefect that is percy weasley would prank someone?
When percy was 13, Arthur came home with a walkman that did not work, percy managed to fix it and kept the cassette which had the complete album of queen's she heart attack so his taste for muggle music began
His clothing style is usually loose jeans, shirts and sweaters but Oliver once convinced him to wear a black shirt, a leather jacket and jeans. Needless to say, Oliver took him to a muggle disco? And percy probably never got so many phone numbers in one night
Yes, he knows how to use a telephone, he was the one who was in charge of teaching Ron how to use it.
He is damn good at flying a broomstick, he probably could have played Quidditch professionally but when he was 10 he read the statistics of accidents in Quidditch matches and he didn't like them since then he usually avoided playing the sport
he chose his first glasses because they looked like Arthur's
his eyesight is equal to or worse than harry's, why does his 6-year-old's me think it was a good idea to read at night?
He had the same glasses since he was 7 they just used an enlargement spell when they started to get small
The first thing he did when he received his first salary from him was go get his eyesight checked and buy some new glasses
his patronus is a German Shepherd
He has insomnia, normally he would spend all night watching TV until he had to go to work and then he would live on coffee for the rest of the day and that would be his routine until Oliver went to see him and realized how little he I was sleeping percy
Of the 6 brothers percy is the one that most resembles the prewett twins
Weasleys 🍂 exploring some different coloring styles, hmm, not really sure what I think about the result
Title: 93 Diagon Alley
AO3 Name: Schmem_14
Tumblr Name (if applicable): @schmem14
Prompt: Moving in together
Pairing: Harry Potter/George Weasley
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 30204
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Tags: Fluff and Angst, Depression, Grief/Mourning, Healing, Comfort, Moving In Together, there was one bed, Bisexual Harry Potter, Gay George Weasley, Slow Burn, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Kissing, Treacle Tarts (Harry Potter), Eating Disorders, Friends to Lovers, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Rimming, Oral Sex, Masturbation, Amortentia Potion (Harry Potter), Amortentia has a fourth scent, Potions Master Harry Potter, George is built, Happy Ending, Minor Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Dramione is my HC, Reconciliation, Jealousy, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, POV Harry Potter, Waltzing, Harry is a Good Cook, George works out a lot, Harry is rich af, Mutual Pining, George eats but doesn't sleep, Harry sleeps but doesn't eat
Summary: The war has been hard on everyone, especially Harry and George. Harry is depressed, and needs to be taken care of for once. George is always hungry, and definitely doesn't want to talk about Fred. So, they make the only reasonable decisions available in such a situation; move in together, and fall in love, but not necessarily in that order.
Link: 93 Diagon Alley
Thought I’d share a ff I’m currently writing. It’s been a project underway since March of this year and thought I’d start posting some parts.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/61946362/chapters/162765895
George Weasley, house plant enthusiast! Percy Weasley, pottery newbie! Sweden’s magical district! So fun so fun, here’s ch 6 🫶🏻
I just want you to know that this rendering of George Weasley is exactly who he is in my head <3 You are incredibly talented and it blows my mind
Weasley brothers
See also: Ron | Ginny | Arthur and Molly | All HP Portraits
Hi I literally have such existential dread about my fanfic like I had such high hopes it would be well received and loved and supported and it’s not so does that make me fake for craving love instead of being content honing the craft??? Yeah I’m a poser lol the spiraling is real
I’ve got some questions about Swedish magic in the Harry Potter universe/fandom— anybody with some first hand experience or knowledge able to talk about wicked cool Viking and Eskimo magic for my fanfic?!
i saw a lot of complaints about RY's writing of Violet and how she's supposed to be extremely intelligent, and blah blah blah they were rude and felt like RY didn't know how to pull that off so she instead made all the other characters dumb instead of making Violet smart. look, as a writer, complaints like that are hard to see. I'm writing a geormione fic, hermione POV, and lemme just say, nothing makes me feel more dumb than trying to write an intelligent character. i personally feel like there's no one way to do it correctly, bc i know ms. hermione granger is lightyears smarter than i am. just treat writers with kindness, we already are our own biggest critics, we don't need your disapproval too <3
There would be no more wallowing today.
Hermione Granger, chapter 5 of the essence of time
After a long plotting break ch 5 is out 🥳 I’m proud of it
“Time is sentient, George, and it does not stand with being manipulated.”
George Weasley has always loved the color gold. It was half his Hogwarts house. It was also something his Weasley house never had within its four walls. It was earned, through blood, sweat, and tears of his own merit in his joke shop— school drop-out notwithstanding. Gold, from its hue to its shine to its value, is beautiful. Not in a greedy way, just an unattainable beauty that always seemed to walk beside him, companionably. Something he could admire, and then partake in, while having both nostalgia and longing all at once.
Gold interested him, it always did. Now, in the After it taunts him. In his dreams, in his memories, in every bleeding moment of his existence. Even in the Before, when he was a shell of a man, merely clinging to his firewhiskey and living on despite all desires, gold did not bother him as such. Nothing bothered him, he didn’t have a care in the world. In the Before, he was a pair without his match. Left in a limbo of sorts, one foot in the world and one foot in the beyond, following after Fred. Each day was a test— or at least it felt like one. What decision would he make today: stay or leave? It was a cruel choice, and many that he doesn’t quite remember making consciously. Most he probably did not, if he was being honest with himself.
The first of April 1999 brought it all to a head, and dragged George Weasley kicking and screaming by his remaining ear. That was the last night he had to make that particular choice, and if his current circumstances are of any indication, he definitely had no clue what was waiting for him on the other side.
George’s first birthday without his twin sent him tumbling into the arms of the bottle. Following that, he stumbled down the narrow stairs which led to the back of his shop, aggravated and searching for his wand.
The spell wouldn’t work, when he whispered or when he shouted. It just wouldn’t. He slammed the offending wood against his wrist over and over— wild sparks ricocheting off the shelves. Explosions and liquids and fireworks and bubbles filled the air, crowding the space and overwhelming his senses. He screamed until his voice caught in his throat, until all he had left was soundless sobs, that rocked his body against the floor. It was pointless— his wand refused to harm its master. To break the allegiance it so cherished.
He chucked the black walnut against the wall, sending gold sparks flashing through the dark workroom. Pointless. Utterly pointless. George let out a hoarse moan, the choice floating above him, mocking him.
I tried! He roared to no one. To the great beyond, he really didn’t know. It was the Before, it’s all a blur to him now.
But did he, really?
The shop creaked at times. Whether the age, or the weight, or the magic of a building full of laughter, they never knew. They were accustomed to the sound, even joked more than once that 93 Diagon Alley just liked to check in, say hello.
At that moment, on George’s twenty-first birthday, but not Fred’s, their home creaked. The stairs actually. They were steep, and narrow and many.
It was at the bottom of these wooden stairs, well after high tea time, late on the first of April that Hermione Granger found one lone broken man. The morning of the second of April found that broken, twenty-one year old man safely tucked in his bed, Skele-Gro resting offensively on his nightstand, and his collarbone wrapped tightly. His friend holding tight to his hand on the uninjured side of his body and staring at him with her all-seeing owl-ish eyes. And on that morning he couldn’t face her, nor on the third morning. He couldn’t face himself, either. He had avoided that choice for three-hundred and thirty-four days. He limped through the sunlight and the moonlight, not living, but not doing the other thing either. And then when he finally made a choice— the world in all its buggery wouldn’t let him do it. Not his magic. Not his home. Not his friend. So he avoided her gaze. He stayed silent and didn’t answer her questions, her pleas. He sat and breathed, and fumed, and mourned. But she didn’t give up. It was a battle, apparently, the kind he hasn’t played in a very long while. Hermione Granger played very well, George soon learned. She could play the long game. She could outsmart anyone, he already knew that, but battle strategies? Warfare? Color him impressed. She met his silence with presence. She emboldened herself to solidify her right to be there, in his home. She washed his dishes, all one million of them that had piled up from his despicable human needs. She scourgified his laundry, and mopped his floors the Muggle way. She gave him a satisfied, if not small, smile under her flushed skin, slightly damp from the hard work. On the fourth morning, over the black tea she handed him, she hummed a tune he had never heard.
What song is that?
A smirk had graced her lips and she could’ve shocked the pants off Merlin himself with what she said next.
Hit Me Baby One More Time.
Muggles and their music. George hadn’t smiled in three-hundred and thirty-seven days. He smiled that day.
So Hermione stayed, teetering around his home and his shop in some unspoken agreement they made. He never received the first Howler full of hysterics, the mediwizards never arrived to cart him off to St. Mungo’s, and Hermione maintained her visits. His family never heard a word of what happened, and he never complained when his friend turned her key into his lock and announced they were nipping to Tesco for crisps since he didn’t have anything.
The anniversary came and went, but George did not grieve alone. He may have wanted to. He may have felt a twinge in his collarbone, and he may have glanced one too many times at his stairs, but he was not alone. Instead, he saw his mother for the first time in six months, his friend with a watery smile in the shadows, watching. Spring turned into summer, and with the heat came sunlight. Glorious sunlight that sparkled off the pond at the Burrow, and turned the hairs on his arms white. The sunlight glistened in Ginny’s hair like a fiery halo, and reflected off Harry’s glasses. It tinged Ron’s skin pink, and brought out the golden flakes in Hermione’s brown eyes. George had forgotten she had such striking eyes. The first time he had noticed the color was years ago at Hogwarts, when she had been wearing a gold chain around her neck, its pendant tucked under her robes. The necklace brought the color out in her eyes, but had done nothing to hide the deep rings of purple underneath. The sunlight brought many memories back to him in the Before. The memories brought pain. But the pain brought ideas. Memories and ideas. An idea that Hermione didn’t like. That was illegal. You don’t understand, George— it cannot be done. Hermione… please. It took many more nights, weeks even, but his friend agreed to look, to see. But no promises, George. At the dawn of fall, her key turned in his lock and wide, owl eyes met his. The gears started turning before she even finished speaking. They would have to travel far, to meet with a Mistress Linnea Birger in Sweden, an expert.
She was rude and unhelpful and George brooded the whole portkey home. As Hermione kicked her shoes off by his front door, he was still grumbling about the international forms he’d filled out in the Portkey Office of the Department of Magical Transportation. The long-suffering sigh and a cup of steaming tea finally soothed his temper. The slam of a book upon his coffee table was as natural to him as the creaking of 93 Diagon Alley. Finally, finally, the night of the winter solstice Hermione says she has it. Nothing about this will be easy, George. Nothing really ever is, is it? The Headmistress will not be pleased when she speaks to her Gargoyle in the stairwell, but the pair are hopeful she could be distracted with joy in the After. Hope, a dangerous feeling indeed. The last Time-Turner, preserved by Professor Dumbledore for services to the school in 1994, lays within the Headmaster’s office. How Hermione knew that is beyond George’s knowledge, but he’s following her lead. They walk in silence, each step bringing them closer to George’s nightmares. The seventh floor, once a place of such fun, now left just as scarred as the rest of them. The castle mourned too. Its magic was ancient and deep, more complex than any have understood. It withstood the great battle, but the castle lost too many that day. One barely a man, who brought such joy into these walls, such cleverness and bravery. A man who breathed life into this magic, kept it going even in the dark, just as he was taught. They would fix this. This pair, one newly formed and one broken, would restore just a bit of what the castle lost that night. They would succeed. They had to. The wall has been repaired and it's waiting for them in the left corridor. George keeps his eyes on Hermione, her spellwork upon the old Time-Turner more rapid and complex than he’s ever seen. The dust, golden and sparkling, swirls up around them. It sticks to his clothes, tangles in her hair, brushes his ear. He doesn’t ask questions, he just watches her work, entranced. The dust creeps up her neck, and she pauses for a split second, wildly seeking him out.
Time is sentient, George, and it does not stand with being manipulated.
What? It’s too late. The Before is rapidly shifting, the ground under them is trembling. Their hands rip apart and George didn’t even remember reaching for her. Spells begin flying over their heads, and George vaults in front, shielding his friend’s body with his own. She pushes him off, landing a shield over their heads and scrambles back as green flashes around them. "Hello, Minister!" George lurches, a visceral response. Nonononono— Hermione, she’s faster. She moves like a cat, vaulting over stone and wood, shoving her way through the bodies and the blood. He didn’t even hear her cast, didn’t see her wand move, but the wall stood still and Fred laughed and Percy adjusted his glasses and Fred laughed and laughed. One moment George was across the corridor and the next his arms were around his twin. Blood and snot and dust and tears— madness. Total madness. “She did it! Oh, Fred, she saved you. Hermione did it. Hermione! Fred, you’re here!”
Fred patted his back. Fred!
“HERMIONE! You did it, Hermione!”
George gripped his brother so tightly it must hurt, but Fred didn’t complain.
“Georgie? What’s wrong?”
George loosened his grip on his twin, a beaming smile on his face. Gold dust still coated his hands, mingling onto Fred’s shoulder.
Fred peered back, concern and bemusement resting on his freckled face. “And who is Hermione?”
So I’m trying to write an epic multi chapter original fanfic post-Hogwarts era about my otp rare pair and sometimes I spiral about how much this work means to me and how I so painstakingly want to present it to ao3 like a precious labor of love and cope by staring at my computer screen unmoving for hours lol anybody else?