This stort is a continuation of what happened after the battle at Hogwarts, therefor, it cotains major spoilers. After reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, I decided that it was unfair for George Weasley to end as he did. Although I loved the book, since it once more showed J.K. Rowlings awesome writing skills, I admit I cried alot as I rea the book. Almost all over my favourite characters died or suffered alot of emotional, since the physical was sort of unavoidable, pain. Through this story I aim to show my respects for my beloved characters Tonks, Remus Lupin, Fred Weasley and Serverus Snape, because although I never showed much interest for his story, always more concentrate on the twins, Luna and Sirius Black, he's probably the second character I see myself in.
This story starts with, and is mainly about, the life of George Weasley after the end of the war, and since I didn't want to make it a sad, or an angst or simply a dramatic story, I felt that all they needed was a little more love in the world. And about the deaths in the book, I quote the very wise, although slightly stupid, Albus Dumblodore," We must try not to sink beneath our anguish, Harry, but battle on". And in a more cheerful note, we can always do as we please here, or is it not a place to advertise our own twist in the Harry Potter series?
Chapter One
The sweet and harm wind was caressing the face of those that walked down Diagon Alley, some to remember the joy of being free to do so again, and others to pick up the pieces of their lives, to start their shops again for the Magical World was once more free to carry on. Weeks had past since the defeat of Voldemort, and all the funerals had ended, and although the mourning period was not quite over, and some doubted it would ever truly be, the Wizards and Witches were starting to see the glorious light of a new day ahead.
But from all the people in Diagon Alley, only one stood frozen at the entrance of a shop, his eyes just staring at the door, unmoving, as if he was glued to the very ground. The windows were covered with what seemed like wood boards, but on top were still remains of a large and sticky poster, that had Undesirable Number One on the bottom. Most of it had Been ripped, as had many others that occupied the windows of the other shops, the walls, even the floor.
But the man knew what was behind that horrible paper, a memory of the fallen dark wizard, and the wood that covered the view to the inside of the store. In there orange and red colors, vivid and bright, would have probably out shined any other store in that moment, since from the recent suffering, Diagon Alley seemed dull and haunting, although light was starting to enter once again, not only in the sky but also around him.
George Weasley stood, although he looked firm, inside he felt as if someone was pushing him around non stop. The last time he had been inside that store, had been with his twin brother, Fred Wesley. But Fred Weasley was no more. Just the though of entering the shop nauseated him, and there was little of the old George to be found in his eyes. His eyes, that had once shined with mischief and a rather wild amusement and a devilish glint, were now darker, maybe looked worst then they truly were because of the baggy eyes beneath them, that proved that George hand't sleep in days. His hand was formed as a fist, and he had a sort of twisted longing for the grip of a firewhisy bottle, that had been his constant company for the last few weeks. He spent as many time apart from his family as he could, trying hard no to break down in front of them.
Picking up the pieces was hard, yes, but harder was to see everyone else paired up, although just as sad and devastated with grief, not quite as lonely. Ron and Hermoire had finally come to their senses and admitted what everyone had already known for years. Harry and Ginny seemed to be coming along nicely, and were obviously going to stick together. Bill had Fleur, Charlie had his dragons and his girlfriend back in Romania, Percy had that girl... Penny, he called her. What would once have been a chuckle came out as a grunt, as his eyes drifter from the door into the shop next door. An old couple that had the shop next door was building and fixing their shop together, looking almost happy as they did so.
And then his thoughts came back to Fred. His twin brother, his best friend, his partner, his other half. It was strange to think of Fred as gone, much more then it would have been if it were any of his other siblings. Sure, he would be sad, truly and deeply sad, yes. But Fred... Fred was his other half. Fred was him yet he wasn't. It was as if they were one, instead of two. It was a strange though and George wasn't sure how to explain it, but Fed gone was like he himself had died. They were always seen as Fred and George, as two people but always as one. Always together, uncommonly close, even for twins. He felt that same dreadful feeling in his stomach again, and took one more step towards the door.
He looked around, and stopped at the sudden sight of a new store opening just in front of his. His. Felt so surreal to say his show instead of their shop. Our shop, it used to me, now it would me my shop.
He looked back to the door, uninterested in the news, and his hand flew to the door knob. No point in delaying what would eventually happen, he though, a little too bitterly. He opened it and almost immediately he felt a wave of shock all over him. The shop was almost the same, only darker and so dusty it was hard to tell apart anything form anything. It felt like it was a million years old, and the memories in those shelves were just too painful for George to want to remember them all in that moment.
From across the street, a young witch was just finished with hanging the sign of the newly opened shop. She placed her hands on the side of her hips, with a board smile on her lips. She held on tight to that sudden feeling of pride and happiness, for she knew that if she looked around, despair would take over her, and she would probably sink to the lowest feeling of sadness she had ever felt in her life.
It was an odd feeling to have, at least for her. True, the war had ended but the cost had been to great. Since the witches and wizards now lived in Britain were many if counted one by one, but few compared to the rest of the population, every single witch or wizard had suffered with that war, either a friend or a family member, and even those who had not lost a person that they cherished more then themselves, a lot of the Magical Community had been destroyed yet not forever lost. The good and the bad side of a short lived terror was that while it lasted those who remembered life before it still had their memories intact, and the longing for those times was great and almost crushing and those who were too young to remember were't exactly aware of what was going on, and in the end what had been destroyed had still enough left to be done again, this time in a better way. But still, looking around and seeing the world you once knew lost and mourning for their loved ones was not a sweet sight.
The shop was painted in light colors, white walls and the floor in some sort of fluffy soft green fabric, and the walls were being decorated with posters, some muggle posters others magical ones, and around the shop shelves and shelves of books were being arranged to start being sold. The girl smiled at herself once more, looking around and enjoying what she had done with the place. It wasn't as old looking and mysterious as Flourish and Blots, no, but she wasn't aiming for a shop that sold old books and school books. Indeed, if one looked closely to the covers of her books, most of them were light hearted books, about history of magic, or books for those who were aiming to improve their magical ability. She wanted to have alot of books and alot of topics, subjects and types of books in her bookshop, since that was the main purpose a bookshop had, in her mind, and she though in everyone's mind it would be the same, surely.
As she came back outside, and eyes the rest of the street, she could help but eye curiously the man from the shop across the street. He had entered his shop just a few minutes ago, and was now coming out to take off the posters and boards out of his window. He did so quite violently, and she couldn't help but flinch slightly at his use of force. He kept on doing his job, unaware that she was standing on her doorstep. Her eyes fixed on the window that was now showing a colorful sign that read that the store's name was Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. With a stroke of recognition, she remembered the shop and even more the owners. Her eyes fell on the man who was now standing on his own doorstep.
The Weasley Twins had been in her year at Hogwarts, although she knew them, everyone did, she was quite sure they wouldn't be aware of her presence unless they recognized her as prefect, and as a former prefect she had been target of some of their pranks, although she doubted any were especially aimed to her. She kept staring at him, until she realized that while she mused on her Hogwarts years, the man had stopped moving and was looking straight at her.
George Weasley was not known for being a patient man, but he allowed he unknown girl to stare at him for quite some time until he decided to show her she was being unpleasant. Once he turned around to face her, she seemed vaguely familiar, although George didn't think much about it, only faced her with his eyebrows raised. She stood on the doorstep of the new shop he had seen just before he had entered the shop, and form her clumsy and dirty look, she must have been the owner as well.
Her dark brown hair was falling in front of her face, although it seemed to be on purpose since it was shorter then the rest of her hair, that fell on her shoulders, tied loosely. She had her arms scratched slightly and her muggle clothes were dirty, grey and white, the white probably coming form the walls, seeing as the inside of the shop seemed to be almost all white form what he could see. The woman kept on staring at him, with a thoughtful gaze, until her brow raised slightly, and with the look of someone who had just realized something, she made an odd facial expression and made a brave attempt of a smile, blushing slightly. She looked at him, and for a second, George though she might be thinking of talking to him, although she quickly eyed him one last time and entered her shop.
He looked at the window, that was covered form the inside and wondered what sort of shop it would be for a minute, for looking back to his own store. It was dusty and he need to restock, but he felt his strength fail him a little. He remembered that he was suppose to go for dinner at The Burrow, something they did almost everyday now, have dinner together, most of the family. Of course Bill and Fleur came only a few times, since they were just married, or at least married for a little time, so they needed to start their own life, according to Mrs.Weasley.
With a resignated sigh he entered the shop once more, his hand sliding to his wand, getting ready to clean up the place before leaving for dinner. Outside, across the street that was now being lighted by the light of the falling sun as it got ready for nightfall and the sky was purple and pink, maybe promising a sunny day fr the next day, a girl named Lenore Gowan was eyeing the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes shop with a careful eyes, hoping the owner wouldn't see her, as she closed the door of the shop. With one curious look, she closed the door, and went upstairs, to get herself a nice cup of tea.
End of Chapter
Reviews are appreciated.
