Disappointed, Keylin regarded the sign at the front of Weasly's Wizard Wheezes. It read "We are temporarily closed due to bereavement in our family". For a moment Keylin wondered if somebody else had died. She knew of course, that Fred Weasly had died fighting You Know Who in the battle of Hogwarts, but it that had been five months ago. She considered returning to Scotland, but she had barely just left and had really no desire to return so quickly. As always, thinking of home made her think of David, damn that bastard, so she quickly focused again on the matter at hand. She had come to visit this shop, so God help her she would.
She glanced around her and saw an old, friendly looking witch approaching. "Excuse me Ma'am", she said to the witch, "but do you happen to know when the shop will open again?" "Oh dear", she replied looking sad, "I am not quite sure George Weasly will ever open it again, with his brother..". She did not finish the sentence, but looked even sadder than before. "I see", Keylin replied. "Do you have any idea where I might find Mr. Weasly? Do you know where he lives?" The witch regarded her for a moment and then said. "Well dear, around that time of day you will certainly find him in the Leaky Cauldron." Keylin raised her eyebrows, it was barely 4 pm. For the length of her stay in London, she had taken a room at the Leaky Cauldron herself and wondered if she had walked past him.
She thanked the witch and returned to the bar. As always, old Tom was standing behind the bar polishing glasses with a greasy cloth. Thank God he did not clean the guest rooms himself, but had another witch do it. She let her gaze sweep over the few guests in the bar. She could not imagine any of them being George Weasly. So she went over to Tom and said "Hi Tom, I am looking for George Weasly, do you know him, is he here?" Instead of replying, Tom just nodded to a stool at the bar, where a slumped man with read hair was sitting, starring into a glass of Firewhisky. He was about Keylins age, and quite tall, though it was difficult to see with the way he held himself.
Giving herself no time to reconsider, she ordered two butterbeers and went over to George Weasly. "Mr. Weasly? I am Keylin MacDonnald. Do you mind if I sit down?" Slowly, as if it took him much effort, George Weasly looked up from his glass to stare at her. He stared at here, as if she had just ridden into the bar on the back of a Hippogriff and declared herself Queen of Scotland. He still didn't say anything, though, and wondering if this hadn't really been a stupid idea after all, she sat down on a stool next to him and pushed the butterbeer in front of him. He smelled quite strongly of Whisky and unwashed man. She quickly glanced at his clothes, which looked like he had been wearing them for a while. George Weasly quite simply, was completely wasted. "Mr. Weasly", she began again, "do you mind if I call you George?" He was still staring at here disbelievingly, and it seriously started to make her feel uncomfortable, but then a grunt escaped his mouth that could have meant just about anything. Keylin decided to take it as a confirmation.
"George, I am really interested in visiting your shop. While I was at school, I myself experimented with spells and hoaxes, and I would just be really interested what you have realized in your shop. I do not intend to make a living out of it myself, so you do not need to fear competition, but I have a certain professional curiosity. Would you mind showing it to me?" George Weasly was still starring at here with the same expression that he had adopted when she had approached him earlier, but this time he managed a "shop is closed", before finally lowering his gaze to stare back down into his glass.
Keylin felt relieved that he was capable of speaking after all, and quite frankly, that he had stopped starring at her. She could see the hole at the side of his head, the place where his ear once had been. Keylin had read that he had lost it to a Death Eaters curse. The unhealed wound added quite a bit to the rugged image of George Weasly. "I saw the sign", she replied, "and I am truly sorry for your loss. I was just wondering if you would give me quick private tour". With an effort, he turned back to her. "No", was all he said. He turned his head further and tried to focus his eyes on Tom and shook his empty Whiskey glass. "Hey Tom, bring me another one." "I think he has had quite enough", Keylin said to the approaching Tom. "Aye", he replied, I think you might be right." Keylin eyed George for a minute and then sighed. "I'll bring him home, where does he live?"
Half dragging, half supporting George Weasly through Diaggon Alley, Keylin wondered what had made her volunteer to take care of a drunken man she did not even know. Well too late now, he could hardly walk by himself, and she could not leave him lying in the street, so she hunched her shoulders and pressed on. Finally she stood in front of the small house that Tom had described to her. She fumbled with his keys and managed to unlock the door after a few seconds. Thank good it was not guarded by any spells.
She half pushed, half dragged him up the stairs and luckily managed to find the bedroom with the first try of doors. She pushed him on the bed and removed his shoos. She saw a glass of water sitting of the counter and forced the contents down George Weaslys throat. He did not seem to mind, in fact he was very drowsy by now. She pulled up the blankets and peered into his face. His eyes were sunken and he had not shaved in days. Suddenly, he opened his eyes again and was starring at here again with the same unbelieving gaze as at the beginning of their short encounter. Keylin was about to say goodbye and turn away, when he said "You are so beautiful". He was asleep seconds after. Where the hell had that come from? She left the bedroom and then the house, and closed the door behind her.