Chapter two- 'I'm sorry'
In the Burrow the next day, the atmosphere was desolate. Mrs Weasley busied herself with cooking; only leaving the kitchen to check on Charlie who was still recovering from the effects of the curse. Her eyes were red and she kept wiping them on her apron discreetly. Hermione was in Ginny's room, holding her as she cried wretchedly, and wishing she could say something to stop her friend's tears, as Harry and Ron sat speechless in Ron's room, unable to find something to talk about and instead just appreciating the company and the comfort it gave them both. Although both Mr Weasley and Percy had been given the day off work, they had both gone in and sat in their separate offices, allowing the same thoughts of grief to run through their minds.
Back in The Burrow, George was lying on his back on his brothers' bed staring at the ceiling. Tears ran unashamedly down his face as painful thoughts ran through his mind and the searing sense of loss intensified. He ran through what had happened yesterday over and over again. They had gone to the Leaky Cauldron with Bill, Charlie, Ron, Harry and Hermione, not only because it was the first time Charlie had been home in a while but because Ron, Harry and Hermione had passed their apparition tests. They had been laughing and joking when five Death Eaters had burst into the room, heading straight for their table. Amidst the screaming they had all heard Bill direct them into the storeroom to protect the other customers.
When he had seen Fred disappear, he had been too stunned to think. He had tried to find his brother, to communicate with him telepathically like they used to, but he wasn't there. The awful realisation had hit him, it had blocked out all other emotion and for one moment he could not even feel sorrow for his brother. He was alone. He hadn't waited to see the rest of the family's reaction as Bill told them but had instead gone straight to his room. He had heard his mother's anguished cry and had imagined his fathers disbelieving expression. He hadn't left his room since, and hadn't eaten.
The door creaked and Bill came in. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his younger brother, noting his tear streaked face. 'Maybe you should come downstairs' he said 'They don't want to see me.' George murmured, turning away from Bill. 'Of course they do. They need you right now.' George looked at him. 'Why? Fred's not here anymore. Nothings the same as it was before.' He sat up and put his arms on his knees. Bill sighed 'Of course its not. We've lost a part of our family. You especially. But we need you. Come downstairs when you're ready.' With that he left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
George stood up slowly and went over to the mirror. A forlorn, tear stained face looked back at him. He moved away from the mirror, it was like looking at Fred again. He changed into less rumpled clothes and went to the bathroom to wash his face. Standing at the top of the stairs he took a deep breath and descended. He could hear hushed voices in the kitchen and pushed the door open.
Silence fell over the room as he entered. Charlie and Mrs Weasley were sitting at the table, opposite Ron, who had his head on Hermione's shoulder and a look of intense sadness on his face. Bill and Mr Weasley were standing on either side of Percy at the end of the kitchen and Harry was hugging a tearful Ginny. As he stood their, his mother stood up and walked over to him. She pulled him into a hug and he wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder even though he was taller than her. 'I'm so sorry.' he whispered, as the tears fell freely again 'It's all my fault.' 'We'll get through this.' she said stroking his hair. 'It's going to be alright.'
In the Burrow the next day, the atmosphere was desolate. Mrs Weasley busied herself with cooking; only leaving the kitchen to check on Charlie who was still recovering from the effects of the curse. Her eyes were red and she kept wiping them on her apron discreetly. Hermione was in Ginny's room, holding her as she cried wretchedly, and wishing she could say something to stop her friend's tears, as Harry and Ron sat speechless in Ron's room, unable to find something to talk about and instead just appreciating the company and the comfort it gave them both. Although both Mr Weasley and Percy had been given the day off work, they had both gone in and sat in their separate offices, allowing the same thoughts of grief to run through their minds.
Back in The Burrow, George was lying on his back on his brothers' bed staring at the ceiling. Tears ran unashamedly down his face as painful thoughts ran through his mind and the searing sense of loss intensified. He ran through what had happened yesterday over and over again. They had gone to the Leaky Cauldron with Bill, Charlie, Ron, Harry and Hermione, not only because it was the first time Charlie had been home in a while but because Ron, Harry and Hermione had passed their apparition tests. They had been laughing and joking when five Death Eaters had burst into the room, heading straight for their table. Amidst the screaming they had all heard Bill direct them into the storeroom to protect the other customers.
When he had seen Fred disappear, he had been too stunned to think. He had tried to find his brother, to communicate with him telepathically like they used to, but he wasn't there. The awful realisation had hit him, it had blocked out all other emotion and for one moment he could not even feel sorrow for his brother. He was alone. He hadn't waited to see the rest of the family's reaction as Bill told them but had instead gone straight to his room. He had heard his mother's anguished cry and had imagined his fathers disbelieving expression. He hadn't left his room since, and hadn't eaten.
The door creaked and Bill came in. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his younger brother, noting his tear streaked face. 'Maybe you should come downstairs' he said 'They don't want to see me.' George murmured, turning away from Bill. 'Of course they do. They need you right now.' George looked at him. 'Why? Fred's not here anymore. Nothings the same as it was before.' He sat up and put his arms on his knees. Bill sighed 'Of course its not. We've lost a part of our family. You especially. But we need you. Come downstairs when you're ready.' With that he left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
George stood up slowly and went over to the mirror. A forlorn, tear stained face looked back at him. He moved away from the mirror, it was like looking at Fred again. He changed into less rumpled clothes and went to the bathroom to wash his face. Standing at the top of the stairs he took a deep breath and descended. He could hear hushed voices in the kitchen and pushed the door open.
Silence fell over the room as he entered. Charlie and Mrs Weasley were sitting at the table, opposite Ron, who had his head on Hermione's shoulder and a look of intense sadness on his face. Bill and Mr Weasley were standing on either side of Percy at the end of the kitchen and Harry was hugging a tearful Ginny. As he stood their, his mother stood up and walked over to him. She pulled him into a hug and he wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder even though he was taller than her. 'I'm so sorry.' he whispered, as the tears fell freely again 'It's all my fault.' 'We'll get through this.' she said stroking his hair. 'It's going to be alright.'