Stand Strong
By Kryptonite
~~~~~~~
Four Years Later
" Harry?" Ron questioned quietly one night when everyone was sitting around the fire. For the past four years it had been an unspoken agreement not to talk about the missing Weasley.
" Yeah Ron?" Harry muttered back, eyes closed and body basking in the glow and warmth.
" Did you… see him run?"
" No." Ron nodded. Everyone assumed that Fred had turned chicken and run that night four years ago instead of staying to help the Boy-Who-Lived defeat the most powerful dark wizard of the time.
" I wonder where he is." Before anyone had been able to get home, Fred had been in the house, briefly. He had cast an enchantment on the clock that told where everyone was located and erased his name from it.
Harry remained silent for the rest of the evening.
" Harry what's wrong?"
" Why should anything be wrong?" Ginny sat next to her friend.
" I've known you since I was eleven. I've studied you up until I turned fifteen and got a life. I know when something's bothering you."
Hermione and Ron were listening to the exchange from across the room. All the other residents had gone to sleep. Harry sighed.
" I might have a way to find Fred."
" What!" The other three exclaimed before remembering to keep their voices down.
" What do you mean you 'might have a way to find Fred'?"
" He has a bank account at Gringotts that I put money into sometimes. We might be able to trace him through that." Harry tried to get the attention off of him. He had avoided talking about Fred and the final battle against Voldemort for four years.
" Why didn't you tell us before?" Ron asked, sounding more than a little hurt.
" He asked me not to." Harry answered honestly.
" I'm sure Fred had his reasons." Hermione said, calming her fiancé before he could explode and wake everyone in the house. " As for us, I think it's time we went to bed." She suggested soothingly.
" Yeah, I need some sleep anyway. I have to go to the ministry tomorrow and work out a few things." Ron stood up rubbing at his temples. " I'll talk to you tomorrow Harry."
" Good night." Ginny said after them before turning to Harry. " You should have told us."
" Fred didn't want to be found. It's time he came home. I was just following his wishes." The fire in Ginny's eyes smoldered but she dropped the subject.
" Good night Harry. And don't forget, Draco's coming tomorrow."
" I'll be nice." Harry teased as Ginny walked, more like stumbled, out of the living room and up the stairs to her room. " I had to tell them." Harry muttered before shoving himself off the couch and apparating back to his house.