Harry gazed at the forest then looked at his friends mourning their losses. He makes a decision, then slips away onto the grounds of Hogwarts.
No stone is left unturned, no leaf stays in it's position, as he searches for his prize. He begins to doubt that he'll ever find it, or if it's even a good idea to look. Sure, it will do some good to some of them, but it may cause even more grief. Just like in the story... He thinks as he continues to search. Finally, he finds it. Clutching it tightly in the palm of his bruised hand, he slinks back to the castle quietly.
George felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and looked up from his place by Fred with tearstreaked eyes to see a Harry with sorrow in his face. Harry beckoned, and though George did not want to move, he got up and walked with Harry.
"I need to show you something." Harry spoke softly, as if George might break if exposed to a noise too loud. "Have you heard of the Tale of the Three Brothers?" George nodded, confused. Harry held out the Resurrection Stone. "Use it wisely, but if at some point, you could give it back, there are others in need. But until you are ready, you have as much time as you'd like with him."
George nodded. "Thank you... Thank you so much." Harry walked away. George thought of Fred and turned it thrice and he was there.
"Hey..."
"Hey." Fred replied.
"What happened?"
"What do you think? I died. One minute I was fighting, about to take one of them down, the next minute there's a flash of green light, and then darkness. Then light returned and there was two paths. One that, I knew, would make me a ghost and another that would... carry me on. I knew that once I chose one, there- there was no going back." He said, anguish in his eyes.
"And you chose?"
"I think you know."
George nodded, looking down with remorse. "What's it like?"
"Death, or the afterlife?"
"Both."
"Death- it's like- when you faint. or black out. It's like there you are, and then suddenly- you aren't. But then you wake up, and see..." He trailed off. "As for what comes after? That, I'm not allowed to tell you. But I will tell you this." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Right now, I'm about to play a game of Quidditch against the Marauders! You'll meet them when you get up here. You are coming up here when you die, right? Only, don't hurry yourself. Live as long as you can. That's what I did."
"Alright." George said, tears welling up in his eyes again. Thanks for everything."
"And George?"
"Yeah, Fred?"
"Take care, big brother."
"Not by much, Fred. So long."
"Bye." George pocketed the stone and turned back toward the group. He wistfully withdrew the stone and handed it to Harry. "There's no way I can ever thank you enough Harry. But, now that you haven't got an evil wizard on your tail, maybe you could get back together with Ginny? She was whining about you all winter break. Show her some mercy, eh?"
"Will do, Fred. You're welcome. And George?"
"Yeah, Harry?"
"Do us a favor, keep the shop running. Everyone loves it."
"Anytime, Harry. Anytime."
