Chapter 2

Ron was in London for the time being, so he was taking advantage of the fact and meeting up with his remaining family at the Leaky Cauldron while he could. When he walked into the familiar haven, he immediately spotted them. A table full of disheartened redheads. No one was near them; sometimes Ron wondered if they were afraid they would catch the gloom radiating from the Weasley family.

He pulled up a chair by George and plopped down into it. Ginny shoved a firewhiskey over to him. "I ordered for you."

"Thanks," Ron sighed, gulping some of the strong liquor down, as if it could stop the never-ending pain. It never did. Not even for a moment. But he could pretend, couldn't he. They all liked to pretend.

"So, let's talk about whose life sucks the most," George sighed. "I think I might win this week."

"George," Mr. Weasley said sternly. "That's not the correct attitude to take."

"He's right, Dad," Ginny argued. "We aren't functional anymore. Just look around. No one wants to get near us. They might catch Weasley."

Okay, Ron thought, he and Ginny had been around each other far too much lately if they were beginning to think that much alike.

"I just don't know what to do anymore," George stated. "The joke shop's not the same without Fred. I can't bear to work there. I just go check up on the workers every once in a while. The kids aren't fun anymore." He paused to down some firewhiskey. "Oh, and Alicia broke up with me."

"I'm sorry, George," Mr. Weasley sighed. "I didn't know."

"When?" Ginny asked.

"Last week. She said she loves me, but she can't stand me moping around and not doing anything productive. Only Ronnie here seems able to do his job."

The other three Weasleys turned to Ron, who was in the middle of a trademark blush. "Well, not really. They don't trust me with anything hard. And they keep me away from Harry like they think I might jump him any second."

"At least you still have a job," Ginny sighed. "St. Mungo's told me I was a 'bad influence' on the patients. 'We can't treat depression if we ourselves are depressed.' Really. I'm not depressed, I'm just mourning. They just don't understand."

Ron stared into his nearly empty firewhiskey bottle. Ginny had had a hard time after she and Harry split up the last time. Harry seemed fine afterwards, but Ginny couldn't take any more pain. She had cracked. Two weeks in St. Mungo's had gotten her back, but she was worse for the wear. Only George had suffered more. Of course, he had lost a twin. They never even found Fred's body. The Weasleys had been told it must have been consumed by the fire that eventually wiped the Burrow off the map.

"So, have you heard from Hermione recently?" George asked.

Ron shook his head, wishing he had a different answer to the now familiar query. "No. I wonder if she even gets my owls. I never thought she would ignore me like this. At least Harry says hello, even if I do wonder if he really means it."

"If it makes you feel better, I haven't heard from her either. I though she would have cared about us more than that. I thought I was her friend," Ginny sighed, her voice full of the tears she could no longer shed.

"I know it's hard on you two, but she lost her family too," Mr. Weasley pointed out. "She's hurting just as much as us."

"Yeah right. At least her friends have tried to contact her," George said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "And she didn't have a sibling get killed with Death Eaters." He paused. "I always knew Percy was a git, but I never pegged him as a Death Eater."

Mr. Weasley sighed. "I know. I just can't believe he helped them—helped them…"

"Helped them kill our whole bloody family," Ron finished, gulping down the last of his firewhiskey. He signaled the bartender for another. He was going to need it.

"I didn't believe it at first," Ginny said softly. "I never thought he'd sink so low. He always at least got along with Bill. But what he did to Mum…"

"It was downright despicable," George stated firmly. "Absolute crap."

The silence hung in the air for a long time. The family meetings had become awkward and sad. Finally, Ginny broke the silence.

"Well, we all know George and I are single, but have you found anyone new, Ron?"

"No. I have the same problem as George. They don't like brooding, moody, depressing guys for long. We quickly lose our appeal."

"That and none of them can compete with a certain muggle-born," George said slyly, a hint of his old self shining through his twinkling eyes.

"That too," Ron agreed, not even bothering to deny it. He was pleased when the bartender finally brought him a new firewhiskey. He immediately took another swig.

"Bloody hell Ron, don't drown yourself!" George cried. "She'll come around."

Mr. Weasley smiled. "It felt like old times for a while there, didn't it?"

Ron smiled. "Yeah. Old times."

A/N Just letting everyone know, I am the biggest Weasley lover ever! I didn't kill the Weasleys off just to be mean and vindictive. I have a reason. Also, look at that fast turn-around! Go me! Thanks to all the reviewers.

jwoods471: Yeah, I am mean, killing the Weasleys, but I had a reason. Thanks for being the first reviewer!

Joan Marie Mesi: The second reviewer and the first I don't know! Thanks! Like I said, I have a reason for the mass Weasley killing.

Blandings: Thank you! blushes Thanks for the tip; I didn't even notice I had done that! I did fix that for this chapter.