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I pointed the wand to my chest. I heard one of my brothers running towards me. I didn’t know who it was.
“Stop Charlie! Please don’t do this!” he pleaded.
“Avada Kedavra,” I whisper.
***
I open my eyes to see nothing but a bright open space. The gravity of what I’ve just done comes crashing down on me. I won’t see them anymore. I can’t see them anymore. I fall to the ground and weep, but no sound comes out.
I hear a familiar voice. I can't quite place it until I open my eyes. A boy, a boy with short, fiery red hair. His face is covered in freckles and sorrow.
“Charlie? Is that you?” the boy asks.
“I’m sorry Freddy. WHY!!!” I scream in terror and grief. What have I done?
He comes over to me and wraps his arms around me, covering me in a tight hug.
“Why are you here?” Fred asks. He is now crying as well. I turn around in his arms. We are both sniffling and covered in tears.
“I’m sorry mum. I’m sorry Pa. I’m sorry Gin. Ron, George, Perc, Bill. I’m so sorry.” I sob into my younger brother's chest.
He cuddles me the way mum used to when we’ve had a bad day. He tells me everything will be alright, like Pa did when we’ve gotten bad grades. He whispered ‘I love you’ like our uncles Fabian and Gideon whenever they came to visit.
I relished the touch of my brother. I haven’t seen him since two years ago, when he died. We cried for a good bit longer.
When we rose, we started walking. He asked me how I died.
“I killed myself,” I whisper, ashamed. “I couldn’t live without you. And I was so tired of being overlooked by everyone! You lot only came to visit me once during my time in Romania. The only other time I’ve had contact was when Ron sent me a letter about him and his friends illegally harbouring a dragon, and when I came to the TriWizard Tournament. I wasn’t thanked when I brought reinforcements to the Battle of Hogwarts. And even after two years, all people can talk about is how you died a hero. How you made everyone’s day better.”
Fred looked hurt, yet understanding.
“I’m sorry. Don’t get me wrong, you did light up everybody’s day, but for just once, can I be seen? Heard?” I lower my head in frustration.
Fred rests his hand on my shoulder. He pulls me in for a tight hug, one that ends in my head resting on his shoulder.
“Come. There are some people I think you would like to meet,” Fred says, smiling, as we walk along a grey path that has appeared on the blinding white ground.