The Stages of Grief
A Harry Potter Story
Denial
Denial is Filius Flitwick calling on students that are no longer there. Denial is George Weasley looking over his shoulder for the end of his sentence. Denial is Andromeda Tonks listening for the sound of an umbrella stand being knocked over. Denial is Harry Potter starting a letter to Remus Lupin to ask for more stories of his parents. Denial is Minerva McGonagall seeing a flash of light and turning to scold Colin Creevey. Denial is Parvati Patil running back to the dorm with new gossip for Lavender. Denial is Draco Malfoy grumbling at the two idiots.
Emotional Release
Emotional Release is Minerva McGonagall locking her office door behind three young pranksters and crying her heart out. Emotional Release is George Weasley spending three days in his room crying and sleeping and only eating when forced to. Emotional Release is Ron Weasley holding Hermione Granger while they sob into each other's shoulders. Emotional Release is Harry Potter holding his godson and seeing Remus Lupin's eyes and Nymphadora Tonks' hair and silent tears streaming down his face, body convulsing. Emotional Release is Luna Lovegood finding Draco Malfoy in an empty corridor and both showing up to supper with red eyes. Emotional Release is Molly Weasley seeing an empty spot at her table and running back to the kitchen for a forgotten dish and a good cry.
Anger
Anger is Andromeda Tonks yelling at Teddy for no reason before regretting it deeply. Anger is Ron Weasley raging every mention of his brother and stomping off into the woods, coming back with scratches from various tree branches. Anger is Hermione Granger yelling at Molly Weasley when she suggests that maybe Hermione shouldn't be sleeping in the same room as Ron and Harry. Anger is Harry Potter screaming at the sky and punching the walls and cursing everyone and everything for taking away the people he cares about.
Bargaining
Bargaining is Ron Weasley seeing the dead look in Harry's eyes and the empty place at George's side and swearing that he would give anything to get his family back, both physically and otherwise. Bargaining is Dennis Creevey promising to get all O's and to never eat candy again if only he could have his brother back. Bargaining is Hermione Granger swearing to give up all of her career opportunities for the chance to fix everything. Bargaining is Andromeda Tonks willing to trade her life for that of her daughter and husband.
Depression
Depression is Harry Potter walking around, going through the motions but not quite there. Depression is Pomona Sprout missing classes for the first time in years because she can't face the fact that there are missing faces. Depression is Arthur Weasley trying to be strong enough for his whole family when half of them can barely get out of bed. Depression is Susan Bones packing up all of her House Pride gear because yellow is far too happy of a color to be in this dark world. Depression is Ginny Weasley not hexing anyone for months because she just can't work up the energy.
Remorse
Remorse is Percy Weasley thinking that if only he had not left his family, maybe they would all still be here. Remorse is Harry Potter looking at the Weasleys and believing that if he had never come close to the family that they would still be whole. Remorse is Hermione Granger seeing her parents trying to recover memories that they can barely remember and just knowing that if she hadn't willingly immersed herself in this new world that they would still be happy and mentally whole. Remorse is Draco Malfoy wishing that he had never joined Voldemort because then Crabbe and the others would still be here.
Acceptance
Acceptance is Harry Potter walking through the halls of his beloved school and not crying every time he passed a place that brought up a memory. Acceptance is Ron Weasley looking out at his new nieces and nephews playing with his children and seeing his lost brother in their faces and games and smiling. Acceptance is Parvati Patil finally willing to paint her nails again. Acceptance is Neville Longbottom standing in front of his first class and seeing their faces instead of the faces of his lost peers. Acceptance is George Weasley walking in the door of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes for the first time in just over two years. Acceptance is Minerva McGonagall signing off on a memorial plaque to be placed just outside of the Great Hall doors, a task that she has been procrastinating on for over three years.
Hope
Hope is Harry Potter seeing his family, the gaps filled with new children but never perfectly filled and never forgotten and smiling with no tears in his eyes. Hope is Hermione Granger walking the path from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts for a meeting with the Headmistress and seeing young and innocent faces and thinking of all the things they will accomplish rather than of all of the students that walked these paths years before. Hope is Percy Weasley as the youngest Minister for Magic still visiting his brother's joke shop and teasing his niece about inheriting it some day. Hope is the twentieth anniversary memorial being filled with laughter and love and games. Hope is Malfoys being friends with Weasleys and Potters and Gryffindors friends with Slytherins.