The rest of the day moved at a painfully slow pace. Everyone was still so numb from the final battle and their personal losses.
Mrs. Weasley moved through her tasks on automatic, doing what needed to be done and taking care of her family, but she hardly seemed aware of what was going on around her. She spoke to everyone and fussed over the children and Mr. Weasley, she finished the darning and patching she had started the previous week, and she baked pies and cookies to deliver to the injured wizards and witches still at St. Mungo's.
Mr. Weasley was still working long hours at the Ministry and had to return there after the funeral. They were all working so hard to rebuild what had been destroyed. Kingsley had been appointed temporary Minister of Magic and was doing a wonderful job of organizing the remaining members of the Ministry and weeding out the people who had been faithful to Voldemort. Umbridge's trial was set for the next morning.
The sun finally began to set, turning the sky red and gold as Harry slipped out of the kitchen door into the backyard. Left alone with his thoughts, he had to fight hard to prevent depression and anger from overtaking him. He could still feel the warm baby in his arms and smell the powdery scent of Teddy. He could still see Remus and Tonks in their caskets, Mrs. Weasley crying at Fred's funeral, Mrs. Creevey hugging Dennis as he cried over his brother's grave. These images filled his mind and weighed heavy on his heart.
There was a slight breeze ruffling the trees as he walked past the land where the tent had been erected for Bill and Fleur's wedding. He moved past the garden and down to the rippling water of the small lake. This was where he found some of the peace and quiet he had been craving. Settling down on a spot beneath a large tree, he closed his eyes and leaned back against the trunk.
What now? He thought.
It was less than ten minutes before he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hill.
"Maybe he wants to be alone, Ron."
"No he doesn't, he just wanted to get out of the house."
"Ginny, why don't you check on him? If he doesn't want company, we can go back to the house."
"Stop worrying, Hermione, this is Harry, I'm sure he'll be happy to have us."
He kept his eyes closed as they moved toward him, arguing in low tones. He thought solitude was what he wanted, but as they drew closer, he realized he did want the company.
"He's sleeping," Hermione whispered.
"No I'm not," Harry said, opening his eyes.
Ginny knelt beside him. "Do you want to be alone?"
"Not really."
"That's what I said," Ron said, flopping onto the ground across from him.
Hermione folded her legs under her and settled down next to Ron, so close their legs were touching. "How are you, Harry?"
He scowled. "I'm fine, but if one more person asks me that I'll hex them into next month."
"Come on, mate, she was just asking," Ron said defensively.
"It's all right," she said quietly, laying her hand on his knee. "I think we can all understand where he's coming from."
Ginny quietly lowered herself to the ground beside Harry. He tried to ignore how having her near caused his skin to tingle and the hair on his arms and the back of his neck to stand on end.
"Sorry," he grumbled, running his hand through his hair. "I don't really know how I am right now. I'm…I'm numb."
The girls looked at him sympathetically while Ron reached inside his robes. "You know what you need?"
Harry glanced up at him. "What?"
"A drink." From within his robes, Ron produced a half empty bottle of firewhisky and three small cups.
"Oh, Ron, is that really a good idea?" Hermione sighed.
"I think we've all earned it." He poured the three cups and handed one to Hermione and Harry.
"What about me?" Ginny asked.
"You're too young."
"I am not!"
"I think she's earned it," Harry said quietly.
Hermione looked around and finally found a stone on the ground. With a wave of her wand, she transfigured it into a small cup. "This should work."
Hesitantly, Ron poured a tiny amount of firewhisky into the cup and offered it to his sister. She took the cup and then, with a move so fast she caught him off guard, she grabbed the bottle and topped off the drink.
Harry smirked, feeling a slight surge of pride. When Ginny wanted something she knew how to get it, she had fought hard along side them, she had suffered and succeeded as much as they did, and if she wanted to join them in a drink and a chat, then she would.
He raised his glass. "To all we lost."
"And all we found," Hermione added.
The four of them threw back their firewhisky. Hermione shivered and Ginny coughed, but Harry welcomed the burning sensation that reminded him that he was still alive, that he could still feel something beyond the numbness.
"Lee Jordan is coming tomorrow to see George," Ginny said.
"Will he see him?" Harry asked.
She shrugged. "I hope so. He needs to talk to someone and he isn't talking to any of us."
"Do you think he'll open the store again?" Hermione whispered the question everyone was wondering but no one had the nerve to ask.
Ron laid his hand on top of hers and squeezed gently. "I don't know, it might be too much for him, right now any way."
"He will," Ginny said assuredly.
"What? Did he say something to you?"
She shook her head. "No, but he and Fred worked too hard to let it end now. He…he needs time, but he will go back to the store and it will be a success, just as he and Fred had planned and we'll help him."
Harry looked at her, studying the defiant set of her chin and the determined look in her moist eyes. Without thinking, he reached over and took her hand. "You're right."
Blinking back the tears that were gathering in her eyes, she smiled softly at him.
"I wonder what it's going to be like, going back to Hogwarts." Ron wondered aloud.
Harry dropped her hand and looked at his friend. "Is it even worth going back?"
"What?" Hermione gasped.
"What's left for us there? Think about it, the school year is almost up. It's too late to prepare for N.E.W.T.s. I don't know, should we even go back?"
"Of course we should! Don't you want to graduate?"
"But we missed the entire school year, Hermione, we'd have to go back next year."
"Then you guys would be in my year," Ginny spoke up.
"I think it would be weird to go back now," Ron said. "What more can they teach us?"
"There is always more to learn, Ronald," Hermione said sternly.
Harry toyed with the cup in his hand. "I don't know, it seems pretty pointless."
"You can't mean this." Hermione's voice dropped to a quiet pleading.
"Why don't you guys go back to Hogwarts and talk to McGonagall about it. Maybe…maybe she'll let you graduate any way this year, you guys have proven you know what you're doing." Ginny said.
"But what about the N.E.W.T.s?"
Ron smiled at her. "There's more to life than tests, Hermione."
"And then what?" Harry asked.
Ron turned to him. "What do you mean?"
"Say McGonagall lets us graduate, then what? I mean, I spent the first eleven years of my life living with the Dursleys, feeling alone and lost. Then I suddenly find out I'm a wizard, I'm thrust into this new world where I find out the truth about my parents, I meet the best friends I've ever had, I meet my godfather, then I find out Voldemort is after me. My life takes on a whole new meaning, I have to fight this…this evil bastard, my time is spent hating him, he took away my parents, Sirius, and now Mad-Eye, Fred, Remus and Tonks. Now…now he's gone." He looked around at his friends, the three of them watching him raptly. "What do I do now? All my time has been spent hating Voldemort and preparing to face him, now that that's over, what do I do?"
"What do you want to do?" Ginny asked quietly.
He shrugged and threw his head back, looking up at the darkened sky. "I have no idea."
"What about teaching?" Hermione said. "You were great with the D.A. and Hogwarts needs a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Harry shook his head. "No, I'm not a teacher. I mean, I enjoyed helping you guys, but I don't want to teach."
"I thought you wanted to be an auror," said Ginny.
"Yeah, that was before."
"You'd be a great auror. If anyone should be one, it's the man who defeated Voldemort."
"I had help."
"Yes, you did, but don't sell yourself short, you are a very talented, smart wizard. You would make a great auror."
"Mad-Eye was a great auror, I was just lucky."
"Harry." She lifted his hand between both of her's. "You're smart and you're kind, you would make a great auror, someone people can come to, someone people can trust. If it's still what you want, you could do it."
For several long moments, Harry and Ginny forgot they weren't alone as they stared at each other. He felt the heat rise to his cheeks and as she sat with him, lacing her fingers through his, Harry felt as though he could do it, he could do anything.
Ron cleared his throat loudly, snapping Harry back to reality as he dropped Ginny's hand.
"I think you should talk to McGonagall," Hermione said. "She'll know what to do."
"What about you?" Harry asked. "What do you want to do?"
"I've been doing some research into the Ministry, I think I might see what I can do to help people, maybe take S.P.E.W. nationwide, maybe worldwide. There are so many people and creatures who have been given a rough time and it just isn't fair." Hermione's voice lifted with excitement as she spoke and she rose to sit up on her knees.
"Look at what Remus had to endure, he was a good man and a wonderful teacher, he could have done so much at Hogwarts if he hadn't had to leave. The worst part was that he doubted himself and his ability to be a husband and father because of what other people thought of him. And the treatment of muggleborns and non-purebloods! That is totally inexcusable! The Ministry is changing and now is the time to make a total overhaul and make the world a better place for everyone! The war might be over, but there is still so much work to be done."
Harry felt a lump rise in his throat and he felt like a jerk for his selfish behavior. "You're right."
"If anyone can do it, Hermione, you can," Ron said proudly.
She sat back down, her cheeks pink. "What about you, Ron, what do you want to do?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I thought…maybe…"
"What?" Harry asked.
The tips of Ron's ears turned red. "Well, I was thinking about talking to George, maybe I could help out with the business, you know? I mean, it's a great business and successful, so, why not?" He mumbled.
"That's a wonderful idea," Hermione assured him. "You're good with people, you would make a great salesman."
He smiled at her, his entire ears turning bright red.
Ginny threw her arms around her brother and hugged him. "It's a great idea, Ron. I'm sure it'll help George get things back together. I was going to offer to help out this summer, we could help him make Weasley Wizard's Wheezes the best family business in the whole wizarding world!"
Harry couldn't help but smile. It felt odd. It had been so long since he had the urge to smile. Slowly, it was beginning to feel like they were piecing their lives back together. "I think we've all earned another drink."
Ron passed the bottle around and they each poured some into their glasses, finishing off the liquor.
Lifting his glass, Harry toasted them all again. "To what we've lost, what we've found, and what lies ahead."
