Big Brother

A/N: Written for the QLFC Season 3 Round 2: Friends Are The Family We Choose For Ourselves

Team: Montrose Magpies

Position: Captain

Round prompt: Write about a familial friendship

Thanks to firefly81 for betaing & Raybe for checking this over!

Colin was the coolest big brother ever, Dennis was sure. You see, not only was Colin a wizard, in his letters home he told Dennis (and their parents) that he was a wizard in Gryffindor House, the best one at Hogwarts (Dennis was sure), and Colin was also one of the best friends of none other than the Boy-Who-Lived himself, Harry Potter!

Colin didn't return for the Christmas holiday, the school having given some excuse that he had been ill, so Dennis was really excited to see his big brother again in mid June. After their overly affective mother was done hugging the life out of her son, Colin finally found the time to sit with his little brother.

"Dennis, Hogwarts was amazing! I got petrified, but I got some amazing photos first, here, see?"

"Wow, Colin, that's great!" Dennis said, admiration clear in his voice as he browsed through Colin's collection. Some of the pictures actually moved as if they were films!
"Can you show me some magic now?"

"Ah... no... sorry, Den. I'm not allowed to use magic outside of school... but I will get to go to summer school to catch up!"

"Can I come with you?"

"Sorry, Den... you'll have to wait until you get your own wand. It's just not allowed," Colin had to disappoint him.

Colin's first summer school class was the next Monday, and Dennis felt heartbroken again at being left behind. But when Colin returned that evening, he showed Dennis the wand movements for the levitation charm... using a stick.

Colin left again for school when summer ended, all caught up on his missed lessons. Once again Dennis was left trying to comfort their mother as she watched 'her baby boy' leave on the train. Dennis was ashamed to admit he was jealous of his big brother who was now back at school and hanging out with THE Harry Potter, and even the letters home about the evil Dementors and the murderer Sirius Black didn't deter him... they only made him want to be at Hogwarts all the more.

Finally his own Hogwarts letter came and he thought it was even better than all the gifts and the big cake his parents had gotten him for his birthday. But the best birthday gift, Dennis felt, was a photo of Colin's best friends. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger were standing together, smiling at the photo. Colin wrote they had posed especially for him.

It was only a few more weeks until Colin would return home, full of stories about how Harry Potter had apparently chased off over a hundred Dementors and single-handedly fought Sirius Black, and Dennis was nearly bouncing with excitement as their parents took them to Diagon Alley.

Dennis had been there before of course, but this time they were not just shopping for Colin, but for him as well!

"Look, Colin, look! Ollivander's!"

"Hold up boys, wait for your poor old mum," their mother said, smiling, trailing behind her excited boys. But Dennis was sure she moved extra quickly, to allow him to enter the strange wand shop as soon as possible.

The shop keeper was creepy. "Mr. Creevey, maple wood with a unicorn hair, I trust it is serving you well?" he greeted them as they entered.

"Ah, yes, sir. This... this is my brother, Dennis. We're here for his wand, see?" Colin all but pushed Dennis forward.

It took a while for Dennis to find his wand, but at the end he proudly posed for one of Colin's photos with his new Holly with Dragon Heart-string wand.

"Wow, Dennis! Holly, just like Harry Potter! You'll be a great wizard for sure!" Colin said, once the photo was taken.

Dennis couldn't answer immediately as his mother was smothering him in a hug, but he gave a thumbs up to his brother just in case.

When summer ended he felt a little guilty for leaving his mother all alone at the platform, but Colin soon introduced him to his friends and Dennis forgot all about that little heartbreak. He would be Hogwarts soon!

During the trip over the lake he was lucky enough to fall in and meet the Giant Squid – "Wow, Dennis, not even Harry Potter has swam with him!" Colin told him later – and after that he got sorted into Gryffindor house, like Colin, and like Harry Potter.

Unfortunately Harry was really busy that year, as he was a Champion in the tri-wizard tournament, and Dennis hardly got to speak with him. His classes were keeping him busy enough as it was...

The end of the year was even more confusing. Harry had won, but Cedric, the other Hogwarts champion, was dead. Their Headmaster claimed that Voldemort had returned when he sent them all back home.

"Col, what does it mean, Voldemort returning?" Dennis had been quiet for a majority of the train ride but couldn't stay silent much longer.

"I dunno, Den. Nothing good for us, that's for sure... he hates Muggleborns."

They only got more worried over that long summer, as for some reason the magical newspaper was claiming Harry was a liar.

"I believe in Harry," Colin firmly declared after they read a particularly venomous article one day.

"So do I. Harry is a hero," Dennis agreed.

When school started again they were both quick to tell Harry this in person. Once again Dennis was proud to have Colin as a brother, for he wasn't sure if he would have dared to do so alone.

Soon enough the Creevey brothers both got sick and tired of their mean new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Umbridge. Therefore when Harry's friend Hermione invited Colin to a special meeting in Hogsmeade to address this issue, Dennis sneaked out and followed behind.

He became the youngest member of the newly christened Dumbledore's Army, a special club ran by Harry Potter.

At the end of that school year the good news was that Umbridge was gone and everyone now believed Harry... the bad news was that everyone now knew for certain that Voldemort was back.

"Col, Den, I'm not sure if Hogwarts is the right place for you," their father brought up carefully at breakfast one day during the summer.

Dennis nearly choked on his toast.

"Dad! But we have to be there, we need to learn to defend ourselves!" Colin countered. Dennis looked at his brother with admiration.

Their mother voiced her own concern, "Boys, are you sure it is... safe? With Voldethingie walking around?"

Dennis surprised even himself by speaking up. "Voldemort, mum. And we'll be fine. Harry Potter is there, and he has stopped that tosser more times than anyone!"

"Language, dear," his mother chided him, but it was worth it for the proud grin Colin gave him. They were allowed to return.

Unfortunately, everything went wrong in his third year. Near the end of the school year some of Voldemort's followers broke into the castle, and none other than their own Potions teacher, Professor Snape, murdered their headmaster. Colin and Dennis stood side by side as the students gathered around the fallen great wizard's body, and he was not ashamed to let his tears fall.

They returned home after Dumbledore's funeral, and that was the last time he saw Hogwarts for a while. Things in the magical world got worse fast, and this time when their parents tried to convince them not to return, it wasn't as if they had a choice. All Muggleborn students were banned, new letters came, and they were to report to the Ministry.

Their father saw the writing on the wall. Before July was over, the Creevey family moved to a new home, not leaving a forwarding address, a decision that proved to be wise when their previous address went up in flames in an unexplained fire only weeks into September.

They kept up with the news through a Wizarding Wireless, though. 'Potterwatch' was horrible to listen to with all the names of the dead, often people they knew, but it also inspired hope, as Harry and his friends proved to be evading capture week after week.

"When the time comes, I'll be there, at Harry's side," Colin declared.

"And I'll be with you," Dennis agreed. Colin just nodded, and Dennis was happy to see his brother at least believed in him.

The call came in May, as their old Dumbledore's Army galleon suddenly came alive. Someone called them all to Hogwarts!

Colin and Dennis left their home, leaving a letter behind for their parents, and took a Muggle train up north to Scotland. Soon enough they were at Hogwarts.

The battle was horrible, and Dennis and Colin got separated. Colin insisted on fighting outside, while Dennis joined a group of Gryffindors defending the younger students inside. They promised to meet up in the Great Hall once it was all over.

And finally, it was all over. Voldemort was dead, and Harry lived. But no matter where he looked, Dennis could not find Colin.

Finally, he grasped the arm of someone he recognised, Oliver Wood.

"Excuse me, Oliver? It's me, Dennis... Dennis Creevey... I can't find Colin anywhere."

A flash of pain shot over Oliver's face as he wordlessly lead Dennis to a section of the Great Hall where people were sleeping... no... not sleeping...

"Colin?"

Dennis embraced his brother one final time and wept.