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George Weasley walked confidently up to the front of the Great Hall when Professor McGonagall called his name. His brother already sat next to Charlie and Percy both of whom had patted his back jovially when he first sat down. Now all three were looking up at him intently, Fred’s hands already poised to clap until they inevitably turned red. George looked up at the high table just before he reached the stool, finding Snape among all the other teachers. The man gave a slight reassuring nod as George turned to sit while McGonagall held the hat above his head.
As the hat descended his view of his brothers rooting him on at the Gryffindor table disappeared along with all the noise of the room.
“I just sorted you, boy, why are you-” The voice within his head that had been booming stopped, and then suddenly whispered a quiet, “Oh…” Suddenly, laughter rang through his head, making him think for a second he had gone mad - like great aunt Tessie.
The hat seemed to wheeze before continuing, “I often find twins end up in different houses since they spend their whole life trying to be different from the other. But with you two it is the exact opposite. For a second there it was almost as if you were clones, even down to the fact you both are so Slytherin that you aren’t.”
How did you know? George thought, honestly wondering since it was something, not even his own mother could tell - which had become a point of pride. Instead of the frustration, it had once been.
“Ah, well, if I look further into your mind it is easy to tell. But since I normally only have to skim the surface to see what house fits, you were given away by your ear.” The hat chuckled again as the fabric brushed over George’s right ear.
He automatically knew what the hat meant. The only part of their body, other than their freckles, that was different was their ears. Fred, who was born first had a small piece of extra cartilage on the upper shell of his left ear, while George was missing the piece from his right.
It was so small most people never noticed, but they had always found it funny. Laying in their bed at night, side by side, with their ears touching. Completing the other. It had always been a source of comfort, knowing they were only whole together. It kept them strong through childhood nightmares, as they clutched onto each other. It was further confirmed when they got their wands, both Dogwood and Dragon Heartstring from the same heartstring from a Chinese Fireball and the same branch of a Dogwood tree, which had shocked Ollivander to no end since the wands had been in the store for over a century and he thought they would never choose a master. In fact, George could feel the anxious buzzing of his wand against his leg because their wands were currently too far apart.
“And when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other’s sight, as I may say, even for a moment…” The hat recited in a wistful tone, well for a hat it seemed wistful. “And who am I to part a soul?” it continued its whispering inside his head and then shouted out for the whole Hall to hear, “Gryffindor!”
Professor McGonagall removed the hat from his head and George made his way over to the Gryffindor table, wand buzzing less and less the closer he got. But his mind was on other things. And who am I to part a soul?
George was pulled out of his thoughts as his brother enveloped him in a hug, Percy and Charlie patting him over Fred. And since their names started with a W the feast soon began and they were too busy eating and talking excitedly to think of anything more.
They ate until they were stuffed to the gills and followed Charlie (who was leading all the first years) to the main common room. The trip made their sides cramp in protest, as they were lead further and further into the castle. By the time they arrived they were leaning up against each other, hands clasped as they waited with the rest of the first years outside of the portrait of the Hogwarts crest. There were hundreds of portraits crowded around the entrance, all talking excitedly about the new students.
Charlie, as the Head Boy, looked over all of them, smiling from ear to ear before whistling to get everyone’s attention. “Okay kiddos, listen up! This here is the entrance to the main common rooms, all you have to do to get in is to knock on each house crest starting on Gryffindor and ending on Hufflepuff, like so.” He then demonstrated the clockwise knock. “Lastly, place your palm onto the H and the door will open. The portrait swung inward. Revealing a humongous room. There were fireplaces already crowded with people, small alcoves with tables, and pouffes, and even a few with large round mattress where people were lounging about. There were two story bookcases with Ravenclaws already hanging from the moving ladders. And people hanging over the second story balustrades, talking to friends down below.
It was magical.
“This is the main common room. All students are allowed in here. If you ever need help with any of your subjects there is a list on that bulletin board,” He pointed out a large cork board right next to the main entrance. “Of when and who can help tutor you. If at any point any of you can help tutor we ask that you add your name to the list.”
As they passed through the room, most of the students completely ignored the first years. But one of the older girls gave Fred and George a strange look, staring down at their joined hands, but she seemed like the type to have no fun so they ignored her.
Charlie opened a door with a nameplate that said “First Years” and motioned them all into the room. It was far smaller than the main common room but it was still lush with plenty of sitting areas and a roaring fireplace with a portrait over it of a young wizard who was excitedly waving. “Girls dorms are to the right and the boys are to the left. Only prefects and the Head Boy and Girl can come into your common room. Other than yourselves. You should all be in bed in two hours, someone will come by to check in on you. If you want to go out to the main common room, you can but the older students know when to send you back in.”
Fred and George skipped sitting around the common room and made their way into their dorm to find the beds with their trunks at the foot and jumped into the one which was closer to the bathroom door.
They laid down facing each other, legs tangled as they talk about what the hat had said. “It was totally confused! It thought I was a clone or something.” George exclaimed, one hand moving about wildly while the other was tucked under his head. Fred laughed until he was gasping for air, face as red as his hair, pulling George into it. Once they had finally calmed back down Fred leaned in close whispering conspiratorially, “Did it tell you, you were to Slytherin for Slytherin too?”
George nodded but before he could get to the more interesting things, the hat had said their door banged open, making both of them jump a little and both look towards the door.
A young black man was walking in, looking around at everything in awe, he had a glassy eyed look that to them made it clear he was a muggleborn. The soon, however, noticed them, awkwardly sticking his hand out, even though they were opposite sides of the room while saying, “Heya, my name is Lee Jordan.” It took a few seconds, but the boy realized what he had done and blushed deeply before running the hand through his dreadlocks as if he were trying to play it off.
They got up as one, grabbing a hand each and shook it enthusiastically. “The name is Fred, and this is my twin George,” Fred said, it was something they had decided early on when they met new people to tell them the truth about who was whom though they weren’t sure of that themselves most days. It was only fair to give everyone a fighting chance to tell them apart. Percy was the only person to ever, with any consistency, tell them apart.
“The name is George, and this is my twin Fred,” George corrected before he smirked at his brother.
Lee seemed overwhelmed by them but continued on valiantly. “It’s nice to meet you guys. I hope it’s not much of a bother, but would you be willing to tell me more about Hogwarts and the Wizarding world?”
They grabbed an arm each and pulled him over to the little round alcove that was filled with a rounded window seat stuffed with plush pillows. Fred and George curled up together legs tangled again and arms around each other’s back cradling the other. Lee shot them a curious look but asked them many questions, regardless.
By the time the rest of their roommates, Patrick Montague and Adrian Pucey, came in and crammed themselves into the window seat as well. All give Lee as much information as possible as the only muggleborn within their dorm. After they are done, many sweets and stories having been shared they all got into their beds.
It wasn’t until all the other boy’s breathing had evened out, with light snoring in the background, did George sneak out of his bed. He opened the hangings around Fred’s bed and slide under the covers, letting his twin curl around his back before they both drifted into sleep.
For them, it had always been like this. They were one and the same and the loneliness that set in whenever they were apart was almost unbearable. Even just sleeping in different beds would cause their skin to crawl and panic to well up within them.
They both knew it wasn't normal to be so dependent, and they should stop…
But normal was so boring.
And they would be together…
Always.