Able to breathe again

George was running past people, not caring that he quite frequently bumped into them, or even made them stumble. He had only one thought in his mind, one focus. He had to find his family, his parents, brothers and little sister… But, first of all, he had to find Fred. He had to make sure he was all right, not injured or… No. He couldn't even finish this sentence in his head.

He's all right. He has to be. Everyone is just fine.

The battle had subsided as Voldemort had temporarily withdrawn his forces. It gave everyone a chance to catch a breath and look around to notice the damage done to the castle… And, what is more, to see the causalities. As George ran he saw numerous bodies, lying still on the floor, sometimes with people crowded over them. He could not look. It made him feel something terribly cold in his stomach – this battle was not even over yet, and still people had died. A lot of people. As George turned a corridor he heard a piercing cry of agony, which could only be made by a person, who had found a relative or a friend among the corpses. George scowled and continued his run. He wanted to reach the Great Hall as soon as possible – that was the place he and Fred had decided to meet during some break in the fighting.

They didn't say much during their farewell just before they separated at the beginning of the battle. Fred just looked at him and hugged him tightly, as if he would never let go. George returned the hug with just as much strength, his shoulders shaking. After a moment they pulled away and Fred looked like he wanted to say something, something serious and probably girlish, but then Percy appeared next to them, telling them that they must hurry and take their positions. He was right, of course. Fred only managed a weak smile.

"See you when this is over, mate," he said quietly and the next second he was running after Percy in the opposite direction where George was supposed to go.

Now George wished their farewell hadn't been so brief, that Percy hadn't interrupted and they had had a chance to say more… Maybe even these stupid, girlish things, which were obvious and they never needed to say them to each another, but still…

Why are you thinking such rubbish? You're going to see him safe and sound in a moment!

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by somebody calling his name.

"George! Hey, George!"

George turned around to see his friend, Lee Jordan, panting and sweating, but otherwise unhurt. "Lee! It's good to see you, man," said George as he patted Lee's back.

"Yeah, same goes to you… Tough fight," nodded Jordan, wiping his forehead with his hand.

George only nodded. There was one question on his mind that needed to be answered. "Lee, have you seen Fred?"

There was something in his friend's expression that made a chill run down George's spine. He grabbed Lee's shoulder so tight that Jordan would probably have bruises the next day, but George didn't care.

"What?! What is it, Lee? Is he… is he all right?" His voice trembled a little at his last question.

"I…" Lee swallowed, looking at the floor.

"What?!" George shook Lee's shoulder, feeling as if the world was spinning around him. He felt the waves of panic beginning to overcome him. Don't think that, he is fine, he has to be fine, he has to…

"I don't know George, I'm not sure!" said Lee in a tense voice. "I saw him fighting with Percy… Ron was there, and Harry, and Hermione… There were Death Eaters too… Then…"

"Then what?!" demanded George, once again shaking his friend, who scowled in pain as George's fingers dug into his friend's shoulder.

"There was an explosion… But George, I don't know if anything bad had happened!" Lee rushed to say when he saw the raw fear in George's eyes. "There was a huge crush and some yells, I heard them calling Fred's name, but then a Death Eater attacked me and I had to fight… I didn't see them again…" Lee finished in a quiet tone. George just looked at him for a few seconds, then turned and began running again. His heart was hammering against his chest and his mind was numb with fear he had never before known in his life.

He hadn't even realized that one could be so afraid.

Finally, he reached the Great Hall and stopped short, suddenly unable to make another step. He heard someone's cry nearby and noticed a Hogwarts student crouching beside two bodies. With a sinking feeling he realized that these two bodies belonged to Lupin and Tonks. Lupin and Tonks… Lupin was his and Fred's favorite teacher…

Suddenly George was seized with a sickness. He fell to his knees and threw up. There was so much commotion and noise in the Great Hall that no one seemed to notice him. George slowly looked up and saw many groups of people, standing together, hugging or crying over someone's corpse. He couldn't see anybody red-haired.

George slowly got up to his feet, legs shaking, watching out for any sign of his family, for Fred… He made two shaky steps when he heard it.

He would have known his twin's voice anywhere.

"George!"

George turned abruptly around and saw Fred half-stumbling, half-running towards his direction. Fred. He was evidently limping and he had a nasty cut on his forehead, which was still bleeding. His robe was in tatters, but none of it mattered, because he was so evidently alive.

"Fred," whispered George, feeling as if a mountain was heaved off his chest and he was able to breathe again. Fred reached him, a wild look in his eyes, and just before his brother flung his arms around his neck, George had time to think that Fred had been just as much afraid as he had been. He responded with an even stronger embrace, clutching at Fred's torn robe. Suddenly his eyes were full of tears. He felt Fred shaking with sobs when his twin buried in face George's neck, as if trying to hide his tears from the world. George bit his lips, trying not to cry himself, his own eyes full of tears now.

After a long moment they pulled away, Fred thumbing the tears from his face.

"You all right, Freddie?" asked George, looking anxiously at his brother's bloody face.

Fred offered his twin a grin.

"Yeah, now I am… Although I think we will need to stop pestering Percy… There was a nasty explosion and that brat saved my life… I think we owe him," Fred finished with a pretended sad expression. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. But you know, I don't care which part of the castle they tell us to defend next time, we're not separating again," said George with determination and Fred solemnly nodded. He was opening his mouth to say something, when he growled with pain and stumbled, as he had accidentally shifted his body weigh into his injured leg. But George was there to catch him and he lowered his brother to the ground.

"That bloody explosion… My leg got hurt a little," said Fred through gritted teeth. George sat down next to him with a smile and slung an arm around his twin's shoulders, pulling him close.

"Don't worry, mate. We'll find Madam Pomfrey or someone who will fix it in no time."