After the Battle
Disclaimer: I AM NOT J.K ROWLING. I am very sorry to disappoint you. Read on…. Oh, this is based on the book, not the movie, so the Burrow is still alive. :P Also, this is a fast paced chapter, but it will slow down a lot next chapter.
It was a dream. Not real. The people around him were moving sluggishly, as though in a slow motion film. Limping out of the ruins of the old castle, he saw the arching blue sky overhead, stretching on seamlessly, flawlessly, forever. And that's when it started to rain. The pain, anger, guilt, loss, hurt, and emptiness crashed down on him, like hail beating against a window pane. But in the midst of the cold burrowing into his soul, there was a small ember of relief. It was finally done, over. With tears streaming down his bloody dirt-stained face, he looked at the endless sky and let out strange laugh: a half-scream, half-sob. Abruptly, a dark cover slid over his eyes, and Harry Potter, the boy who lived yet again, lost consciousness.
"Harry?" Ginny tentatively asked leaning over her boyfriend's unconscious form.
"He'll be out for at least a few hours," Arthur Weasley called from the kitchen, his voice unusually gruff, cracked with exhaustion and pain. "Do me a favor and check on your mother for me."
Although Fred's death had affected all of the Weasleys, it hit Mrs. Weasley and George the hardest. After the battle, Molly Weasley's strength left her and she crumpled to the ground, a lifeless form. Right now, she was seated by the window of the Burrow, a shawl wrapped around her hunched shoulders, her eyes glazed.
"Mum…" there was no response.
"Mum?" Mrs. Weasley gave the smallest of twitches.
"Mum!" Molly gave a start and looked up at her daughter.
"Hello, dear. No, no I'm quite alright," she gently replied to Ginny's protests of her getting up from her chair. "Where is your father?"
"In the kitch…"
"Molly."
It was not a question, not a command. It was a simple statement. In an instant, the two met in the center of the cramped room, silent tears of understanding streaming down their haggard faces. Ginny felt her own eyes prickling, and in determination to stay strong for her parents, she sat down on the couch where Harry lay sleeping.
"You idiot," she stated softly, "You were almost killed, you absolute git." Ginny didn't know how close she was to the truth.
The absolute git stirred slightly at the sound of caressing voice, but sunk back into his trance. Suddenly, the Burrow's door burst open, and Ron and Hermione limped in, covered in scratches and mud.
"Where's Harry?" Ron practically screamed.
"SHH! He's over here stupid! Be quiet!" Ginny snapped.
"Oh. Sorry." The girls didn't even have the energy to roll his eyes at him. Hermione and Ron met the adult's faces eyes across the room, emotions passing between them, lighting their eyes with pain at what had happened only hours ago, but what changed their life forever. The silence was abruptly broken by a hacking cough from Harry.
"D'ya think he's alright?" Ron asked anxiously.
"He will be while he is under my roof," Mrs. Weasely says with grim determination written on her features, "And so will all of you."
The next hour was spent addressing everyone's wounds, no matter how small they may be. Harry was placed in Ron's room upstairs, treated like the rest of them. All agreed that it would be unwise to disclose his location at the moment, as reporters like Rita Skeeter from the Daily Prophet would be bound to fill in the rest of the wizarding world on the defeat of Lord Voldemort and his followers, and of course on the doings of the world's savior, Harry Potter. The only one who knew about their whereabouts was Kinsley Shacklebolt, who stayed with them for tea to make sure that they were alright and inform them on the latest news in the outside world.
"Everything is in shambles," Kingsley said, rubbing his temples, "Panic, destruction, and absolute chaos. No minister, no Hogwarts, and no Dumbledore to help us." He buried his face in his hands.
"Everything will work out Kingsley," Arthur stated in a surprisingly confident tone. Shacklebolt actually smiled.
"Thank you Arthur," he said walking out the door. He suddenly stopped and looked back. "It's men like you I need right now. Come with me, I am sure that it will benefit you in the future, for, say, a promotion at work."
Arthur looked apologetic.
"I'm sorry, I would go, but right now my family needs me the most."
Kingsley gave a nod and the smallest of smiles.
"As I knew you would."
And with that, he shut the door.
Molly Weasley looked at her husband with affection.
"I love you Arthur."
Ron, Hermione, and Ginny quickly left the room to leave the adults to their disturbing snog session.