He died in the battle of Hogwarts, leaving his brother with an empty space… an empty space which, it seemed, only I could fill.

It's a few months after He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named was defeated when I find myself in Diagon Alley to buy a new wand. I broke mine yesterday when I tripped over Pyrose - my cat. I Haven't been living my own very long but it's proving to be disastrous, most months I can only scrape up enough money to feed Pyrose and myself and pay rent… some months I can barely manage that. I'm sure my parents would help, but my mum left when I was just little and my dad isn't in a much better place than me.

Forking out for a new wand today is going to set me behind, I'll have to work double shifts at the pub to get all my money together. It's nothing that I haven't had to manage before… But I'm delayed before I make it to Ollivander's.

There's a shop that seems to be sagging back, cowering away from the colours of it's surrounding buildings. I remember that this shop used to be even brighter than every shop in the Alley, always crowded with people and bursting with life; I remember the way the gold letters stood out on the red paint, but now a lot of that is scratched away and all I can read of the sign is 'Wea ley's Wiza d Whe zes'. I'm not sure how it happens, but the sign on the door says open and I take it as an invitation. I walk inside.

It's like it's been abandoned, like stepping through a portal to a post-apocalyptic world. There isn't another soul in sight, and I can't hear a thing.

"Hello?" I call, slightly apprehensive. There's no reply.

Slightly louder this time. "Is anyone there?"

I notice there's still tricks and potions and curious little things covering every shelf. It's all covered with a grimy layer of dust.

"Mr Weasley?" I'm definitely shouting this time, and I know if there is anyone here there's no way they haven't heard me.

There's a heavy pattering of footsteps on the stairs.

Then there's a man. His forehead is wrinkled from stress but his cheeks have lines from smiling and the corners of his eyes are creased from the same. He looks happy, but looking a little closer I can see that it's just a glamour. This boy is not happy at all, and more importantly, he's just one Mr Weasley. There should be two.

That's when I remember. Fred Weasley was killed.

I try muster up a smile, but I'm sure mine isn't very convincing either. I'm not sure what I should say, and I don't even think I can manage a hello.

"Hi!" George Weasley beams. I don't think he remembers me at all - I was in his year at Hogwarts.

Maybe that's why, when I open my mouth, I find that I'm blurting out the truth instead of a web of lies. "Actually, I'm not here to buy anything."

George's face falls. "Oh."

I immediately backtrack. "Oh…Oh no! That isn't what I meant, I was here to buy a new wand, you see… I passed your shop on the way to Ollivanders - It looked so different since last time I was here," I'm trying to talk carefully, trying not to insult him, but I can barely control the words streaming from my mouth. I wish I could slap myself.. "I was just worried." I finish lamely.

"Oh" George says again.

"We used to go to Hogwarts together." I say.

That isn't very helpful. My mind pitches usefully. I tell it to shut up.

"My name is Ayelle Stenson," I try to smile. "We had history of magic together."

Now he grins - he actually grins. "Ayelle! I remember you, you were the shy Ravenclaw one." He claps his hands loudly. "I'm surprised I ever forgot a face like yours."

I giggle, slightly flustered. If I didn't know better I might have mistaken that for flirting, but he's George Weasley and he's just being nice.

Neither of us say anything for a while. I'm not sure if the silence is comfortable or awkward, and then he speaks.

"Do you… uh… I don't suppose you need a job? I mean… someone as smart as you could really help the place."

There's a little sparkle in his eyes and it makes me happy to see it there, much better than the dull glow from before.

"Actually… I sort of do." I admit.

"That's great! You can get us off our feet again, be my new business partner! I bet you have a ton of great ideas… Fred always said…" He stopped talking. "Fred always said you looked fun y'know. He tried to talk to you a few times but you always disappeared before he got there."

The mood has dropped again, I'm not sure what to do. On impulse, I step forward and put my arm around his shoulders and squeeze. Just one arm, the other tense by my side and my face pressed against his shoulder and turned towards his neck.

What are you doing! my mind screeches.

Then he hugs me back - both arms wrapped very, very tightly around my waist. I want to jump away but something stops me and I stay, hugging George Weasley and listening to his tiny sniffles as he tries to cover them up. I don't know how long the hug lasts but my head is reeling the whole time, and when one of pulls away, I don't know which one, he is smiling and my heart is racing in my chest, I finally start to wonder why I was here in the first place.