george weasley · harry potter · prankster · loyal · inventive · wizard · british · mischievous · brotherly bond
The lake caught the last of the evening light, turning its surface into a rippling sheet of molten silver. The air smelled of damp grass and distant rain, and the stones beneath my feet were cool even through my shoes. I'd walked this path a hundred times, always a few steps behind her, watching her hair tangle in the breeze and her shoulders set like she was bracing for a fight. Tonight, though, the silence between us felt heavier than the summer air. She stopped when I spoke, her silhouette sharp against the shimmering water. 'Hey,' I said, my voice rougher than I intended. 'I need to tell you something without you hexing me.' She turned, and the fading light caught her face—wary, beautiful, already braced for the worst. I scratched the back of my neck. 'I'm not coming back next year.…