He watched them as they sat silently around the table, each worried and scared, all wondering what had become of those who weren't present there. He himself couldn't stop the thoughts of his youngest brother and his two friends who hadn't been heard from in over a week.
He saw his mother at the counter washing the dishes the muggle way, as she only did when she had nothing else to stop her from crying. His father was staring at his wife not having the heart to do much else, even to admire the muggle toy he had found the week before. His brother staring at the ceiling havering only heard the news hours ago when he had arrived home from Romania following a vague and panicked letter from their father. The twins were huddled whispering in the corner having long since given up trying to cheer up others admitting that they to couldn't take their minds off worrying.
He looked around the table at those who had in recent months become like family. Remus with his arm round Tonks who was attempting to reassure him that the boy he had come to think of as a nephew was fine. Kingsley who's mind was no doubt thinking of how far his beloved ministry had fallen. Hagrid who would never recover from the death of Dumbledore nor would he stop worrying over the boy he had taken from a shack on that rock in the middle of the sea.
The last person he saw was his sister so different from the little girl he once knew. She had at one time smiled so huge and laughed so loud. For some reason this had been different after her fist year in Hogwarts she had spent the summer in her room never laughing or smiling or even talking all that much. Charlie had been just as clueless as he had been, Percy and the twins informed them that she had been attacked yet they know no more then that she'd been missing for hours. His parents, when confronted, would admit that, to this day, they knew no more than he and his brothers. His youngest brother was a different story, when asked he would shutter and his face would take on a blank look and he would say "It's over" and that would be it, it was the one time his brother had refused his mother.
The next summer when His sister came home a different person. She laughed, talked, teased, and played yet she was never like she used to be and he knew she never would be again. She continued this way for years, never letting anything affect her like her first year had. He had though she could never be worse then she had that summer.
He was beginning to see that he had been wrong. She had been quiet when she came home from the train at the start of the summer, he knew that she had been there for the fighting and had been at the funeral afterwords so dismissed it as grieving. After his youngest brother seemed to return to normal yet his sister didn't improve he confronted his younger brother who admitted that she was upset from a breakup. Unaware his sister had started dating he was slightly shocked, yet he could admit to himself, albeit grudgingly, that she was almost sixteen and he had at her age done much more then simply date the girls he was with. His sister had seemed better when the remaining two thirds of the golden trio had arrived and had been crushed upon their departure.
He watched her now as she passed the living room having given up trying to stay still mere minutes after she had sat down. Her face was hard, his little sister never cried anymore. He supposed he should stop thinking of her as little yet whenever he thought of her he never saw the girl I front of him now, hardened from a war she should never have to be in, he saw the little eleven years old who had held onto his hand on the way to the train station not willing to admit to fear. He had admired the soon to be gryffindor for her courage, yet he noticed that unwillingness appear weak was the same quality he now found troubling, it prevented him from knowing how to help her.
"Something's coming throughout the wards" said his father from his seat at the head of the table. He stood up and moved to the windows as did the others around him. It was a twin who spotted it, he could never be sure who was who, "It's Harry's" called the twin pointing at the stag racing madly word the house. He lead them outside hoping the news was good. When the stag reached them it said only two words.
"We're safe". With those two words he saw those around him rejoice in the only good news they have had in months. He waited with the others for the patronus to leave yet it seemed to be waiting for something.
"It may be waiting to make sure the message got to the right person" suggested Remus. When no negative reply was made Remus removed his wand from his robes and said in a clear voice "Expecto Patronum". He watched as the stag ignored the dog which so closely resembled the Grim, yet nothing happened "Maybe if someone else tried?" Questioned Remus.
He watch as those around him cast the spell each one, including himself, receiving no reaction from the stag. When it appeared as though everyone had tried and failed and no one had any ideas it went quiet. Suddenly a sob was herd from his little sister. Heads turned to watch her wondering what had finally caused the gryffindor to cry. She stepped towards him sliding his wand from where it was clenched in his hand. He watched had tears running down her face his little sister cast a spell well above what her fifth year education would have taught her "Expecto Patronum". He watched her drop his wand to the ground and run back to the house, her head not once turning back.
He looked to the stag watching it nuzzle the doe and realized it had not been waiting to see that the message had gone to the right person, it had been waiting to see that it's mate was alright. He turned to see his family and friends who were looking between the pair and the door that his sister had disappeared through. He watched their faces as they came to the same conclusion he had. She was not his little sister anymore.