200 ficlet #6 - Colin and the Weasley twins

[pauraque_bk]

Think it took me long enough to get back to these? This one is for dragonessasmith, who requested a ficlet with Colin Creevey, the Weasley twins, and a camera.

G, gen, AU. 185 words.


In Twain

George's boots crunch through fresh snow as he trudges across the courtyard, hands in his pockets and blood-red scarf pulled up close about his face. A conspiratorial knot of boys notices him coming-- heads turn, the circle opens. Lee Jordan's friendly shout is a crisp echo in the stillness; he goes to meet him, reaches out with a mittened hand to draw him in by the shoulder. George rubs his hands together and laughs at what Lee is saying, but doesn't answer, doesn't smile with his eyes.

Click.

In the darkroom, Colin lays negative over negative, crops with a delicate blade. Hunches over the desk with a tiny bottle of retouch fluid, adding a second trail of bluegrey shadowed footprints in the snow, just like the first. It takes two baths of specially diluted developer to get the timing right. Colin's hands burn with chemicals and magic, even through the gloves.

It's nearly midnight when Colin is finished. He pins his work to the clothesline and watches, waits for the figures to begin to move.

When the print is dry, Fred Weasley will live again.

end.


Feedback would certainly be appreciated.

I still owe ficlets to _hannelore, maidenjedi, mariagoner, stiletto, and wayfairer. Previous ficlets are here.

Comments

[dragonessasmith.livejournal.com]

*whimper*

It's so sad and pretty and I love it. XD

[pauraque]

Thanks, I'm glad it was to your liking. :)

[shocolatefrog.livejournal.com]

*sobs*

Oh, that was so sad. Beautifully done.

[pauraque]

Ooh, appropriate icon. Thank you. :)

[shocolatefrog.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was rather pleased with that - especially as you're not liekly to need any of my other icons, unless you write lots of Harry/Ron!

[pauraque]

Ha, I just realized you were shocolate! My, what a lot of icons you have. *g*

Sadly, I don't write lots of Harry/Ron, though I love to read it.

[shocolatefrog.livejournal.com]

Um, yeah, *hangs head in shame* I am just an alter ego - with my own paid LJ and customised layout - so that bitch shocolate can use me if she feels like it!

[switchknife.livejournal.com]

Oh, ouch. Why do you hurt me so, honey?

[pauraque]

We hurt the ones we love, my dear. *brandishes fic*

[switchknife.livejournal.com]

Too true, too true. *sobs quietly*

[idlerat.livejournal.com]

Wah. Very, very well done. Waah.

[pauraque]

Thank you. *offers hankie*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

*sheeps* Maybe I'm the only one that got too caught up in the darkroom dialogue to be overly concerned about Fred. Magic in the darkroom, especially when photographs developing always seemed so wild in the first place. A lovely little piece.

[pauraque]

The whole moving photos/portraits thing was always fascinating to me too. I still want to write a Dean-fic about wizarding art. Thanks.

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is beautiful, and so poignant! It strikes me as one of those brief, unexplained cuts from a music video -- flash -- subdued/grieving George and his concerned friends -- flash -- patient, obsessed Colin, working his magic. It seems so visual, I think, because we don't know why; there's no hint of what's motivating Colin or of what happened to Fred.

I also really love the way this shows the private side of Colin's obsession with photography. All Harry sees/shows us is a star-struck boy with a camera, but there has to be something more there, and this vignette hints at just how powerful and magical photography is for Colin. It kind of reminds me of those cultures who believe that a photograph steals a bit of one's soul. (And now I'm wondering if JKR thought about that when she dreamt up wizarding portraits and photos...)

And I'm going to shut up now, before my comment gets longer than your ficlet! Thank you so much for sharing this -- your writing is beautiful, as always.

[pauraque]

Yes, visual, exactly -- like a photo. That's what I wanted! Thank you.

It kind of reminds me of those cultures who believe that a photograph steals a bit of one's soul. (And now I'm wondering if JKR thought about that when she dreamt up wizarding portraits and photos...)

I'll bet she did.

[dphearson.livejournal.com]

Thanks for hurting me so beautifully.

[pauraque]

Anytime. ;)

[spican.livejournal.com]

Colin's hands burn with chemicals and magic

Loved that phrase. And like millefiori, I was struck by the way you used the "click" to reveal the point of view. Very effective.

It's a lovely miniature. As a writer, you have a knack for pulling the rug out from under one's feet in the most breathtaking way. ;)

[pauraque]

Thank you. I was thinking of nopejr, who writes the most stunning little mini-fics... he pulls the rug out like no-one's business!