Everything was so bright. There were blinding flashes of light flying across the castle, curses narrowly missing them by a few inches. George ran a hand through his hair nervously.

Harry, Hermione and Ron had just emerged – George felt slightly relieved to say they were all in one place. He'd never admit it, but he worried about those little buggers.

"Hey Freddie." George was dressed in a jumper made by Molly, a 'G' embroided on its front. He sidled down the stairs grinning, looking too pleased for all his eight years.

Fred grinned back. "George!" he greeted. "Nice jumper," he added cheekily.

George raised his eyebrows, looking at Fred's, which had an 'F' embroided onto it. Fred stuck his tongue out.

They sat on the couch in companionable silence for a few minutes, opening the chocolate frogs they'd gotten on the train on the way home for Christmas.

George's escaped his grasp, and Fred snatched it out of the air before it could run. He grinned and handed it back to his brother.

"You're the best brother ever," George told him matter-of-factly.

He peered over at Fred and Percy, who were locked in battle with a couple of Death Eaters. He itched to help them, but another dark figure was already flying at him.

Then – a burst of light – yells –

Fred.

They were sitting in the potions classroom, under the watchful eye of Professor Snape. He was straight-faced and sullen as usual, his pen making the most horrid scratching noises as it met parchment.

Fred was grinning at his brother. Carefully, he brought out their latest experiment – a Flying Giggle, as George had so tactfully named it. He let it out of his box.

It whizzed around the room silently. It held the shape of a moth, but was almost too small to see. It flew around Snape's head in circles, and then a giggle erupted from it.

Snape's head snapped up, looking around the room. He couldn't seem to find the source of the laugh.

It giggled again, next to his other ear. He spun around to look in that direction, but there appeared to be nothing there.

"Something wrong, Professor?" one of the Hufflepuffs questioned, looking mildly concerned for his sanity.

He was scowling. "Not at all. Back to work."

They were dismissed five minutes later, and the brothers made sure they were far enough away before they burst out laughing.

"A success, if I do say so myself," George remarked, high-fiving his brother.

"We're invincible," Fred joked.

The explosion was so huge that George was thrown back into the wall, even though he was at least thirty metres away.

"Fred!" he heard Percy yell. "Wake up! Wake up!"

No.

No, no, no.

This couldn't…no. Fred would be fine. Fred never got hurt. He'd be fine.

George ran over to where Fred was lying, curled in on himself. His eyes were wide open in shock. His chest wasn't moving.

"Oh, Freddie," he heard his mother cry, distantly. He felt numb.

George stood at the heart of Ravenclaw tower, next to Fred. The Death Eaters were advancing on the castle.

"We'll be alright, won't we?" he heard himself ask.

"Of course." Fred was confident. "We're invincible, remember?"

"No. Fred! Fred, wake up!"

Fred's eyes flashed dimly, a gasp escaping his lips. "Love you, George," he whispered, and then he died in his brother's arms.