"What are you doing up here? George?" The redhead turned towards his father, trying to hear what he was saying out of his good ear.
"Wotcha say da," he pointed to where his ear used to be, "I've been earring people wrong all day." He joked despite the way he was currently feeling.
Arthur could see the unshed tears glistening in his son's eyes. He could see the cause of his son's pain spread across the attic of the burrow, he missed his twin. He frowned, everyone in his family missed Fred immensely, probably George the most. Several boxes had been torn open and unceremoniously gone through. Arthur leaned forward, careful to avoid the jutting beams from the vaulted ceiling, he gripped his son's shoulder.
"We miss him too." He smiled at his son. "What have you been doing besides making a mess?" He joked lightheartedly. George raised the photo album he currently looking in. The tattered book had had seen better days, the spine was slowly falling apart while the previously gold inscription on the front had faded significantly. The title read 1979. Fred and George were just babies then.
"Just trying to look over some stuff, maybe see something that I don't remember about us." George admitted while flipping through the pages. "It looks like mum started greying the day we were born." Arthur chuckled lightly, taking a seat on a box next to his son.
"You two were quite the handful, always. But don't let your mother hear that."
"Dad, can I ask you a question?" George asked unsure.
"What is it?" Arthur asked, genuinely interested.
"We spend all this time reminiscing about Fred and slowly we've been packing some of his old things away-" Arthur interrupted.
"Just because we've been putting his things in storage doesn't mean we have forgotten about him. We can pull any of his stuff out at any time. We will never forget your brother." George smiled uncertain again.
"Are you sure? What about Andy dad?" Arthur looked shocked, stunned to say the least. "Who was Andrea?" Arthur was at a loss for words, he hadn't heard that name in a long time. George turned the book around pointing to a redheaded girl who looked about Charlie's age, well maybe a bit younger. Her eyes were like most of the Weasleys a brilliant blue but her hair was more auburn brown than the bright red that rest were known for. Besides the different in hair color, she had rather dark beauty mark just above her lips, which stood out different from the rest of her freckles. George hadn't remember meeting anyone quite like that when he was little. Who was she? His father turned away, removing his cap, wrinkling it between his hands while his lips quivered.
"I, I haven't thought about her in a long time. Honestly, I think, well, your mother wouldn't want us talking about her." Arthur caressed the picture of Andy, he hadn't looked at her picture in years. He had almost forgotten her dimpled smile. She and Charlie had been thick as thieves, just as the twins had been. Born almost a year apart to the day, both December babies. No presents needed for Molly or him those years.
"Who is she?" George insisted a little harder this time. Tears released from Arthur's weary eyes, he felt much older in that moment. George witnessed the tormented look from his father.
"She was," Arthur gulped, the words were getting caught in his parched throat, "Andrea was, your older sister."
"What?" George was flabbergasted at the revelation. "What happened to her?" Arthur vigorously shook his head, tears gushing down his face. It was George's turn to comfort his father.
"You...you remember the stories I used to tell you when you boys were younger?" He asked through a ragged sob.
"You'll have to be more specific. You told us lots of stories." George stated.
"About unforgivables." George's eyes snapped directly towards his father's.
"Yes, you had never explained to us why you hate the imperius curse the most."
"Because Andrea died because of that curse. And there wasn't a bloody thing I could do to stop it."
Arthur muttered lowly, summoning a small stack of parchment he crumpled it back and forth between his hands. His son stared at him curiously, hesitantly he handed George it. It was old Prophets, all dated for summer of 1979.
HEADLINE: Town of Hope set ablaze
- causalities in the hundreds. Ministry working with muggle authorities to apprehend culprit
HEADLINE: Some magical remains identified
- Of the first of eleven to be positively identified is Andrea Weasley age 5.
"I've never heard of this." Arthur couldn't meet his son's eyes.
"Keep going." His father encouraged.
HEADLINE: Arthur Weasley brought in for questioning
- besides the looming Deatheater mark, Mr. Weasley was last seen with daughter. Had he abandoned little daughter, in order to save his own skin?
HEADLINE: Arthur Weasley charged with the death of his daughter and the purging of Hope
George ignored the brief description instead choosing to stare at his father in disbelief. Tears were dusting down Arthur's face, he was miserable. These were dark times in his life, he let his daughter die. He failed everyone, the public, his wife and most importantly Andy. He was too weak to fight them. He screamed and begged inside his mind, but his actions were emotionless and cold, and not wholly his own. He watched the love of his life, his only daughter's life, slip right through his fingers, and by his own wand.
"Papa, do we have to go back so soon? I want to study the muggles a little longer."
"Yes, yes. Your mother is going to have kittens if we stay out any longer." Arthur chuckled, his daughter certainly had similar interests to his own. Muggles were absolutely fascinating in his opinion, always coming up with new technologies to make up for the lack of magic. Truly fascinating. He ruffled her hair while holding her hand guiding her through the street. Andy had wanted a day to herself, she wanted the devoted attention of her uncles Fabian, and Gideon and that of her father's. None of her brothers to be around. She could be a selfish little girl, but she was Arthur's only little girl. They decided to meet in a muggle village south of London. It would be the safest option for them, especially with both her uncles being a part of the Order. They were walking towards the west side of town opposite of Fabian and Gideon. Arthur heard loud pops in the not too far distance. He scooped his young daughter into his arms.
"Papa I know how to walk, I'm a big girl."
"Shh.." He tried to silence his daughter.
"Papa you know that's rude." He quickly looked around whipping his wand out.
"Shh... Andrea Roxanne Weasley this is not the time." The little girl's eyes went wide from hearing her full name. Her daddy was mad at her. Arthur kept walking he didn't want to disapparate with an upset child in front of a crowd of muggles. The ministry would haul him in, and their secret meeting place would be out in the open. But he would chance it if his suspicions were right. He looked around trying to see if someone in black robes were following them.
"Imperio." Arthur stiffened his posture, nearly dropping his daughter. He turned towards the nearest alley way.
"Papa." Her father didn't answer her. He was acting weird and she was getting scared. "Papa I just wanna go home. Papa I'm scared." A horrible cackle could be heard in the distance, Andy thought it sounded like a monster. She hide her face in her father's chest.
"Take the whelp and leave it in the pub."He obeyed the voice. Arthur kicked open the nearest door, dropping his daughter unceremoniously on the floor before sealing the door back shut. Andy pounded her little fists on the door screaming.
"PAPA! PAPA! PLEASE!" She screamed with all her might. Arthur stood still listening to his daughter scream in fear.
"Itty bitty baby doesn't want to play." She cackled, listening to the little girl's hysterics.
"Bella this isn't the time." A distinct male voice discouraged the other Deatheater.
"Fine." She snarled circling the frozen Weasley. "Now, Weasel, why are you here of all places tonight?"
"Meeting Fabian and Gideon Prewett. It's too dangerous to be seen with them in public." Arthur answered with little hesitation. His heart was thudding hard in his chest despite his unwanted compliance.
"Order members. Interesting." The male paused, seeing Bellatrix smile from beneath her mask. "Is there something else you seek?"
She twirled her wand, smiling dastardly. "Just a little fun."
"Burn everything to the ground!"The voice commanded. Arthur raised his wand towards the building his daughter was screaming from.
"Incendio!" Igniting the building. The Deatheaters and Arthur listened to the choking cries of his daughter. She had managed to crawl onto a bench, slapping the tinted window.
"Papa! Pap-" she coughed hard, the building was quickly filling with smoke, "I can't breathe Papa!"
"Now the rest of the village."The voice commanded once again. The last image little Andy had before succumbing to the fire, was her father walking away from her.
HEADLINE: Weasley claims Deatheaters forced him!
-While trying to flee, Arthur Weasley claims he was cursed with an Unforgivable. Ministry to test his claims.
George gulped staring at the last of the stack. It was a picture of father and mother weeping at a gravesite.
HEADLINE: Devastation for the young family.
-Upon his release, Arthur and his wife Molly mourn over their broken family. The Ministry formally ruled yesterday that Arthur Weasley had been speaking the truth, and acquitted him of all charges. No other arrests have been made. A town wiped cleaned from memory and a family torn apart.
"I never knew." He admitted dropping the paper.
"We were never going to tell you, it was easier that way. Bill and Charlie had a hard time adjusting to life without her. Your mother and I were absolutely heartbroken. Your poor mother hardly could get out of bed when Ron came around. He was born too soon for your mother's hurting. But having another baby around did lighten the mood for a while. But she felt out numbered. She was the only girl once again, in a sea of Weasley men. She wanted her little girl."
"The reason for Ginny-" Arthur waved his hands.
"No, no, no. Ginny was a miracle on her own. Having her healed your mother. It filled a void that only a daughter could do. You're all special, but Ginny is her baby girl." He confessed, which George understood but, he still didn't understand completely.
"But why do we hide Andy? Why don't we talk about her? I've never heard about her before." George was getting a bit angry, how were they going to honor Fred's memory when they have covered another? How could his family do this? George quickly stood, not uttering another word towards his father. He scooped up the tattered album and bounded for the stairs.
"George?" His son disappeared down the steps from his sight. "George!" George walked down the steps with ease, ignoring anyone that greeted him on his way down. He reached the kitchen, his mother and brother were talking. George threw the album down onto the tabletop with slam, interrupting their conversation with a frightening pause.
"George, what is the meanin-" Molly shrieked, turning around holding onto the counter for support. She could hardly breathe, just seeing her smile took her breath away. Bill stared at the table frowning. He gazed at George, sadly nodding his head in disappointment.
"Mum." Molly recoiled from her oldest son, she didn't want to be touched. "Mum, stop." He wrapped his long arms around his struggling mother. "It's okay Mum. It will be okay." The others came running into the kitchen trying to investigate the scream they heard. They were greeted with the sight of their disgruntled brother, while their eldest brother held their weeping mother. Out of all the Weasley's, George's pregnant wife, Angelina, approached him.
"What's going on George? Why is your mother crying?" George glared at his mother, Bill shook his head again. His brother didn't understand what he was asking of their parents.
"I'm not the one that needs to explain." Ron pushed pass Angelina and him and stared straight down at the album on the table. He was confused.
"Who is this?" Ron asked. Arthur had finally made it to the kitchen, but the damage had already been done.
"You're older sister, Ron." Everyone's attention focused on the patriarch. He sighed, this wasn't going to be easy for his wife or him. "Her name was Andrea, and she," he paused, his voice cracked at the thought, "was taken from us."