He was gone. Gone from this world. He'd been killed by the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry Potter was no more. Voldemort had won in that respect. But Ron had been the one to destroy the diary and stopped Voldemort from returning.
Ginny, Ron and Hermione were distraught, blaming themselves for the young boys death.
Ginny. She'd become very withdrawn, and blamed herself entirely for Harry's death. If anyone tried to reason with her, she would just get angry and explode at whomever was trying to talk to her, mostly Percy took the brunt of her moods.
Ron. He became very surly and morose. He too blamed himself for his best friends death. If only he hadn't broken his wand earlier in the year; then the charm Lockhart had casted wouldn't have backfired and Harry would still be alive. Alas Ron had only got to the chamber in time to save his little sister from Riddle.
Hermione. She also blamed herself for being petrified, she felt if she hadn't had been she could have helped Harry in some way. She retreated to her room and stayed there, no matter how much coercion from her parents she remained in solitude and refused to go back to school, as she dubbed it 'Far too heartbreaking.'
However, out of everyone that was affected by Harry's death no one took it harder than Molly Weasley. Molly had gone to pieces when the news of Harry's death broke. Arthur had never seen his wife so upset. That day in Godrics Hollow when Harry was laid to rest beside his parents, had been the toughest day Molly had ever endured. After all, Molly had thought of and treated Harry as one of her own sons.
Since that day Molly hadn't been quite herself. She'd come distant and absent of mind. Arthur was worried about Molly, if she was like this with Harry, how would she be if one of their own blood was to be killed?
After a while, Dumbledore had gathered Hermione, Ron, and Ginny together to speak to them. It was the first time they saw anyone but their parents and siblings, in the Weasley's case since the funeral.
Ron noticed Hermione was looking way too thin and had huge black circles under her eyes. Hermione noticed that Ron wasn't looking much better than she; except that his eyes were red and puffy, as if he'd just finished crying. Hermione couldn't even look at Ginny; she blamed her for Harry's death, even though deep down inside herself she knew it wasn't true. Tom Riddle had been controlling Ginny through the diary that Lucius Malfoy had given her.
"How are you all?" asked Dumbledore quietly and gently.
"Fine, can we skip the pleasantries and get to the real reason you're here?" snarled Ron angrily.
Dumbledore didn't say a word about Ron's rude outburst, but carried on as if he hadn't said a word.
"It's time to rejoin the land of the living," said Dumbledore gently.
Ginny looked distraught and frightened, while Ron just glared, and Hermione's head fell forward and she took a deep breath. Dumbledore observed them momentarily.
"It does not do to dwell in pity, you must pull yourselves up and return to Hogwarts."
"But Sir, I can't," said Ginny loudly. Her voice was hoarse from crying and little use.
"Miss Weasley, what happened isn't your fault. Tom Riddle made you do those things, I have uncovered the truth about the diary since and it has been disposed of," said Dumbledore calmly. "Once you return no one shall blame you, for you see they do not know the whole story of what happened down there."
Ginny gulped loudly and nodded her head that she understood.
"Professor I can't return to Hogwarts, it hurts too much," said Hermione painfully as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Miss Granger, it is time to move on, wallowing isn't going to bring Harry back. Do you really think he would like you to torture yourself like this?" asked Dumbledore kindly.
"No Sir, of course not," whispered Hermione.
"Then please return to Hogwarts, return to your former glory, Harry would want that," said Dumbledore patting Hermione on the knee.
Hermione nodded in ascension.
"Mr Weasley, there was nothing you could have done, there is only one known cure for Basilisk venom and that is Phoenix tears. Had I known I would have sent Fawkes down into the chamber," said Dumbledore calmly.
Ron just gave Dumbledore his best pugnacious look.
"Ron please, this isn't your fault," said Hermione quietly.
Ron looked at Hermione and the look of crushing grief on her face. He then looked to his sister, she couldn't even bring herself to look at her brother and Hermione.
"This is no one's fault, Ron," repeated Hermione.
"Yes it is, it's mine," said Ginny woefully.
"Ginny, no it's not, it's Tom Riddle's fault," replied Hermione quietly.
Ginny finally looked up at Hermione.
Her face was extremely pale and her eyes were black ringed and red and puffy from crying. She also had claw marks on her face where she'd scratched herself to ribbons, so she wouldn't feel the pain of Harry's death.
Both Ron and Hermione gasped at the state of Ginny.
"Am I to take it you are willing to return to school?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes Sir," said Ron finally.
"I expect to see you Sunday night at seven," said Dumbledore as he rose to his feet.
After Dumbledore left, Ron took Hermione to one side.
"I'm just glad she wasn't looking when Harry died," said Ron quietly.
But Hermione didn't say anything and flung herself into Ron's arms, much to Ron's horror. He awkwardly patted her on the head. Finally Hermione released him.
"I'm sorry I've not been around, I should imagine you needed someone to talk too," said Hermione quietly looking at her feet.
"That's okay, I didn't really feel like talking anyway," said Ron distantly.
"How's the rest of your family taking the news?"
"Not good, Mum's been in bits."
"Oh the poor thing!"
"Dad is just worried about Mum, she's not been eating much or sleeping well, saying that I don't think any of us have been really," said Ron.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Hermione distantly.
So finally the returned to Hogwarts. Life got easier, but they never forgot Harry Potter.