--- AFTERMATH ---

By Jungle.Plant

Chapter Two

Living with Losses

As Ron had foretold, the dinner at the Burrow was all but a nice family meeting. Everybody was strained these days and the stranger didn't actually improve the mood. Molly was standing at the sink, preparing her famous Crunching Cranberry Cream Cake and tried to hold herself back from ranting at her youngest daughter yet again. True she had turned 20 only a few weeks ago, but this didn't mean she wouldn't have to heed her mother anymore.

The young man attending today's dinner was a well-built lad of about 23 and currently an apprentice at the Ministry for Magic in Arthur's new workplace. Modest Meddling with Magically Motivated Muggles Office. He loved his new job and the constant contact with interesting Muggles (which he had missed sorely, sorting out fake magical things)seemed to be the fulfilment of a dream. Andrew had just joined him at work five months ago, when Arthur was moved from his old Office.

The boy was very well mannered, but seemed to have difficulties keeping up with the conversation of the Twins, who were again discussing a new distributor for parts of the fake wands, one of their best-selling products in the joke shop. Molly still didn't like the idea of the shop at all and constantly tried making them do something else with it. But they only replied, that they couldn't. It was their destiny and by they way, Harry had told them to. The Twins were the only ones who could say Harry's name without lapsing into silence the moment after it. They always said he wouldn't want them to sulk around all the time and worshipped him like a hero. Which he actually was, Molly added as an afterthought.

She turned around, the Cream Cake hovering over the table for a moment before slowly descending onto the middle of it. Everybody smiled at her (even Ginny) and she sat down, starting to collect the plates so that she could provide everyone with a large piece of cake. Andrew awkwardly attempted to compliment Molly for it, which made Ginny scowl again at her large piece of cake, not looking at anybody. Molly started thinking it had been a bad idea inviting this nice young man. He seemed starting to realize that something wasn't quite right as he started throwing furtive looks at her.

Fleur and Bill sat at the very end of the table, their oldest son in their middle. The little Reed was three and a half years old and everyone called him lovingly Little Stub because he looked rather thicker than a blade of grass. Fleur didn't seem to care at all and enjoyed feeding him with everything she could imagine, Molly could cook for her. When she didn't stop doing so soon, he would shortly be as round as a Bludger.

But Molly was very glad about it. The little one was very happy that he could grow up in a loving family with nothing amiss. In the beginning it had seemed that little Reed wouldn't survive the first year of his life. He just hadn't started growing and seemed to get weaker every day. But then the miracle had happened. After Voldemort had vanished he started getting healthier and hadn't showed signs of unhappiness ever since.

Bill still had the scars of Fenrir's attack in his once so handsome face. Actually the family didn't see them anymore, but sometimes when Molly looked at him she became indescribably sad and wished she could do something. But there was nothing to do. They had to live with the past and somehow had to skitter on in their lives, accepting what had happened.

She thought of Harry. She had visited him a few times but it had been very hard to see him lying there and she had soon felt too distressed to stay. She looked at Ginny again. Harry had been like a son to her, since he had started going to school at Hogwart's, but then again she had maybe never been able to show him properly and she wished she could turn back time, changing the things she had done wrong. If only… but this was only imagination. Nobody could change the past. If so, the world wouldn't have suffered horrors as it had.

"Could you pass me another fork please, Mrs Weasley?" Andrew asked politely, as he had just spectacularly dropped his old one. She smiled at him. She doubted that he had been in any fights during the war, his eyes still held a spark of innocence the people around her had already lost.

She made a small move with her wand and a new fork slowly made its way from the drawer to Andrew's hand. The twins sniggered, whispering something they obviously thought funny, but Andrew just smiled back at her and continued munching his cake, enjoying it very much.

Hermione obviously was trying to be friendly towards Andrew and started talking about several topics she clearly thought would interest him. After a while she seemed to notice that he didn't understand half of what she was saying and became more quiet.

A few years ago, Molly had believed in a very different family constellation. When she had found out how Ginny felt about Harry, she had sometimes caught herself thinking about the best wedding cake recipe for this occasion, just in case he would finally propose (actually they had just started a relationship but you could never know).

Ginny was even paler than usual today and looked extremely unhappy. She seemed to be very far away with her thoughts. When looking at her daughter properly, Molly always marvelled at how beautiful her little girl had become. She had always attracted more than the average attention from the male half of the wizards but had grown into a very attractive young woman since the last few years. With her shiny smooth hair that almost fell to her bottom, she looked like the little Angel Molly often called her.

Tonight she didn't seem to have heeded this Andrew overmuch since they had been introduced and every time he spoke to her she answered quite monosyllabic.

Suddenly they heard a quiet tapping on the window and Ginny suddenly jumped to her feet running to it and pulling it open with a jerk. The blindingly white snowy owl sat on the window sill, a sealed official looking letter in her beak which was obviously meant for Ginny. She quickly took the mail and looked at it, her face unreadable while stroking the white owls soft feathers absentmindedly.

Everybody looked at her curious but she just sat down again quietly, stuffing the piece of paper in her pocket. The remaining evening was quite eventless and when Andrew stepped up to the fireplace to finally go home, he only got polite handshakes from most of the family and was tapped in the face by Petal who obviously seemed to find this an enjoyable activity.

Ginny just barely said goodbye to him and clapped him on the shoulder, as she walked back up the stairs. Andrew looked a bit taken aback but at the hearty embrace of Mrs Weasley, who had packed two large parcels of food for him, he smiled and stepped into the green flames, loudly saying: "Wellbottom Number Five.". In the blink of an eye he had disappeared in a swirl of green flames.

Ginny slowly entered her room, softly closing the door behind her. Hedwig had already flown up through her open window into her cage, which had been standing on Ginny's wardrobe for several years now. Since Harry wasn't able to anymore, she had taken care of the beautiful bird, drawing reassurance from her presence which seemed to be a mutual feeling.

She took out her letter again and carefully laid it on her desk. As she hadn't used it for a while, it was littered with uncountable rolls of parchment with old homework and an assortment of several daily Prophet clippings. On every single one of it a very handsome face smiled at her, the lightning shaped scar on his forehead prominent as ever.

She glanced at all the other pictures on her desk. Most of them were from school, when they didn't constantly have to think about the war, but where occupied with more stupid things like their OWLs, which professor had been especially mean, or which dress to wear at the Christmas feast.

Many faces that looked and waved at her belonged to people who had long since left their lives, fighting for freedom and peace, becoming victims of vicious Death Eater attacks.

She remembered Michael Corner who had become an ambassador for the Giants. He had been torn apart by their Gurp as he realized he wasn't in league with Lord Voldemort. Zacharias Smith, former Hufflepuff Chaser and Member of the DA in her fourth year whom she had never really liked, had managed to get into Auror training where he had been killed by a Death Eater who had infiltrated the Ministry as a spy.

Mad-Eye Moody had taken five Death Eaters with him as they had cornered him in an alley in London, Kingsley Shacklebolt was in St Mungo's, not having moved for about two years. The kiss of a Dementor who surprised him in a struggle near Godric's Hollow had left him without a soul. There was nothing that could ever bring him back.

Nobody in her family spoke about the absence of Charlie. They had never heard of him again after an especially brutal fight in Romania where the Death Eaters had tried bewitching the dragons to follow their commands. After two years of no life-sign he was declared dead by the Ministry.

But this letter changed everything. There was actually a chance that she would once feel happy again and she quickly sat down at her desk, not being able to hold herself back anymore.

The letter, addressed to Ginevra Molly Weasley, was obviously an official note by the Ministry of Magic, Department of Mysteries. She carefully opened the seal and took out the note as if it could crumble to ash any moment. She unfolded it and started to read.

Dear Ms. Weasley,

we have considered your application for our Department and received the necessary documents from Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, kindly forwarded by Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. As she included a highly enchanting letter of recommendation, and your OWL and NEWT levels are more than outstanding (not to mention the thorough security check we had to conduct during the past few months), we have found ourselves delighted to inform you that you have been accepted for an employment at our Office. As we are convinced that you are aware of the confidential nature of this message and bid you to be as quiet as possible about these revelations. You will be expected on the 23 of October at 9 o'clock on the 9th floor in the Ministry of Magic, Personnel Office with Madam Enigmus, Secretary of the Department of Mysteries.

Sincerely

(name too confidential to put here)

P.S: This Document is unreadable for anyone excluding Ms Ginevra Molly Weasley.

Ginny looked up again feeling as if a dozen phoenixes were flying around in her stomach. She could barely keep from jumping up and down in her room, she wanted to go to the Ministry and wait in the Secretary's Office until the 23rd of October, but knew of course that she was being extremely stupid. Nevertheless, she felt as happy as she hadn't felt in years and couldn't wait to start working.

She pondered who she could tell about it and quickly made up a list in her mind about the people she trusted most. There were of course Ron and Hermione, Bill, the Twins and her father. She knew her mother was very talkative but thought she wouldn't tell anybody. She didn't know about Fleur and Percy and put them at the end of the list, mentally writing a "dubious" over their names. She felt as if she had to tell at least someone immediately, but as the house was still full of guests (well, actually it was only Fleur) she didn't dare to go down.

Instead she rummaged in the upper drawer of her desk and extracted a small leather-bound black book. She didn't quite know why she had chosen one looking so much like that of one "T.M.R." which had once influenced her to do really horrible things. Maybe this was some way of coping with her fears, maybe this was a statement to show herself she had defeated them. Nonetheless she always felt better when writing bits and pieces of memories, experiences and feelings in it. It wasn't so much a diary but rather a chronicle in which she wanted to document everything that was going on in case somebody wanted to know what had happened during the time he was gone.

She randomly opened the book in the middle, suddenly wanting to look at it to ensure that it would be at least a little bit interesting to read and not too stupid.

20 April

It has been 10 months since Voldemort has vanished and still there seems to be no way of waking you up. We have tried visiting as often as we can, but the doctors keep telling us they have no idea, why you shouldn't be running around instead of being in a coma. They say they have tried everything they could think of (potions, spells, even legilimency), but you didn't show the slightest reaction (except, when they used that weird charm, that turned your hair into seaweed temporarily). Most of the time I try not to think about you, because when I do, I feel as if I just couldn't go on. Then again, I just won't believe that I will never talk to you again, that you will never look into my eyes and tell me, you like it when I'm telling Ron off for being silly. The others don't seem to fare much better, I think I sometimes hear Mum crying alone in the kitchen at night when she thinks everyone's asleep. Actually it's only me and Dad left in the Burrow, Ron's away very often, trying to establish the International Creature Equality Constitution Program he is doing with Hermione. I have started applying for the Ministry. You know, Professor McGonagall told me I would be a good Auror, but I think I have decided to become something else, I would rather not write in here and you might have guessed anyways what it is. I will visit you tomorrow, then I will tell you all this in person. I am looking forward to seeing you again, I hope they have moved Lockhart to another ward, he keeps following me when he spots me ... Goodnight, Ginny

She read another entry a little further back in the book.

12 January

There still is no sign of Charlie, the Ministry starts doubting that he is still alive. What's left of the Order has still not given up searching for him, but they can't find any traces. St Mungo's had quite a problem with their visitors lately, it has been going on for almost a year now, but it has become nearly impossible for them to hold back the masses anymore. Too many people tried to come and visit you and kept sending loads of fanmail and presents. They had to change your name in the registry at St Mungo's and the Ministry has managed keeping the owls away from you, except for Hedwig and Pig of course. Dad is currently thinking about changing to another Office, where he would be in contact with Muggles officially. I guess mum doesn't like it so very much, because she thinks his enthusiasm will become even more extreme, but I think it's okay.

another entry read

24 December

You are asleep now for over two years. I don't know what to do. I keep telling myself, something will happen, but how can it? It would have to be a miracle. I have wrecked my mind already, going to all kinds of libraries, looking for unusual books with unusual cases, which slightly resemble this one, but it seems useless. Nobody seems to have seen something like this before, unless you count being kissed by a Dementor. But that's totally different, they constantly stare and don't seem to be asleep, like you... I don't know what to do and still have no answer from the Ministry. I wish they would at least tell me they don't want me, so that I can go there and give them a good piece of my opinion ... Sorry, Mum's calling, we have to go now... Goodbye...

Ginny leafed to the end of her entries to the next blank space. And started to write:

October 4th

Guess what arrived today. I am so happy, I could jump over the garden hedge. I couldn't believe it, when I saw Hedwig with the Ministry letter in her beak. I finally was accepted! Can you believe it? I would like to see your face, when I tell you, if I told you, I mean. Actually I mean, oh, I feel so confused, I think I can do it now, I think I can finally do something, I can't wait to finally go there and start researching. Maybe I'll find something they overlooked. I am so happy!

P.S. Sorry for being so confusing.

Ginny leaned back, laying down her quill. She looked at the Ministry letter again and laid it into the book. She placed it in the drawer again and started pacing to and fro in her room. As it was quite small, she just managed to walk three to four steps until she had to turn in the other direction. This seemed to annoy Hedwig, who had woken up by the commotion and hooted angrily.

Ginny stopped pacing and threw herself on her bed. There was no way, she could sleep tonight, she would start training to be an Unspeakable in only three weeks. Still imagining what she was able to do when she had finished her education, she drifted off into a happy dream, soaring through the air, enjoying the cool wind on her face and trying to catch the shiny little Snitch, before Harry did.

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N/A: Next Chapter up :) hope, you like it. Actually I rewrote this one several times and think I like it now, it fit's perfectly with what's still to come (harhar, won't tell you :) ). Oh and this one was really fast, but i already had it in my sleeve when i posted the first chapter, so you probably have to wait a little longer for the next one (well, not too long actually)!

Oh and thanks about the "Anonymous Review" advice, didn't know about that...

Sorry so much for all the mistakes:(

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DISCLAIMER: As usual, not my characters, except those i thought up myself...