Harry listened intently as Fred and George Weasley, brothers of his best mate, tell him of their latest candy creation.
"Makes you breathe out –" one twin would begin as the other vigorously finished and continues.
"Fire. But not just kind of fire –"
"Fire that changes colour –"
"Of their inner fire."
"Inner fire?" Harry asked them confused. He was starting to get dizzy moving his head back and forth to the talking twin.
"Yeah, you know…inner fire? No?" George started saying but then realized that Harry didn't know.
"My dear, Harry, it's what colour represents you best. Though we haven't finished our product to put out into the market, it seems to be fairing well during the testing," Fred said nodding thoughtfully.
"We had to reduce the affects and effects of the alcohol. Fun times, eh Fred?" George asked with a knowing smiling.
"Well said, George," Fred said.
The twins grabbed each others shoulders and laughed.
"So what are your colours?" Harry asked them when they finished.
"Oh, ours is blue, but we're making Quidditch team ones also."
"What about House colours?" Harry asked them.
"We haven't really gotten to that plan yet –"
"Not that we were intoxicated from testing –"
"But because you, Harry, have got a good idea that we have not thought about," they said together and jabbed a finger at his chest.
"Fred! George! Leave Harry alone! He only just got here and the poor boy needs to eat," Mrs. Weasley yelled at her sons.
"Go now, young Harry. Eat to our mum's consent –"
"This might take you awhile, so take this –"
"Handkerchief," they finished. They both threw a handkerchief at him and it magically tucked itself in the front of Harry's shirt.
"Uh…Thanks, you two," Harry said before they pushed him into the kitchen.
"There you are Harry, dear. I hope you had a fun time at your relatives. Now where did I put that glass?" She wandered around the kitchen looking for her glass.
"Is that it?" Harry asked her and pointed to where it was. It was just a foot and a half away from her.
"Thank you, dear. Now, now, don't just stand there. Help yourself to whatever you want. You must be starving," Mrs. Weasley said. She ushered him towards the table and pushed a plate full of bacon, eggs, toast, and gravy towards him with a glass of juice.
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. He was about to eat when he noticed how empty the kitchen was. "Mrs. Weasley?"
"What is it dear?" she asked him turning towards him with a spatula in her hand.
"If you don't mind me asking, where is everyone?" He asked.
"Oh, well since Albus passed away…things with the Order and Hogwarts have been quite unsettled. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny might still be asleep," was all she said.
"Oh," was all Harry said.
For seven minutes it was like this: Mrs. Weasley would bustle around the kitchen to either cook, clean, or add more food to Harry's plate and Harry would sit on the lonely table shoveling down the food Mrs. Weasley gave him as he thought about the things that has happened in the past two months.
Then, someone came through the front door. Harry was mildly interested who it was since no one else seemed to have noticed. The newcomer stumbled through the doors and entered the kitchen.
"Hello there, Remus," Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully.
At first, Remus did not look happy, or mad, just sort of depressed still. "Good morning, Molly. Hello, Harry. I didn't realize you'd be here so quickly. How was your summer with your relatives?" Remus asked with a strained smile. He sat himself across from Harry.
"It was nice. Are you feeling well, Prof- Remus?" Harry asked the older man.
"I'm fine, Harry. Thank you, Molly," Remus said when a full plate appeared before him.
He ate quickly and still seemed hungry. He was finished before Harry was half-way done with his. Harry continued to watch him, but his mind was elsewhere. He'd have to leave and hopefully find another Horcrux. He can't leave while he's at Hogwarts, it would raise suspicious, but then again, so would not going to Hogwarts at all this year especially since it is his last year. Maybe he could leave before he boards the Hogwarts Express? No, the Order would see to it that he stays onboard.
"I'll be back, you two," Mrs. Weasley said wiping her hands on her apron before leaving the kitchen.
It was just Harry and Remus, both of which were lost in his own thoughts. Harry roused himself from his thoughts as he realized that something was wrong with Remus. He looked even more bedraggled than the last time he saw him.
"Remus?" Harry called out softly. He didn't want to startle the man.
When he did not respond, Harry called his name a few more times until he almost gave up.
"Sorry. What is it, Harry?" Remus asked him as he straightened out.
"I was going to ask you the same thing," Harry said.
"It's nothing," He said. Harry thought he was finished there. "It's just that it seems like we're all disappearing."
"I don't think I quite understand what you're saying Remus," Harry said.
"Your parents, Peter, Sirius, Albus, and everyone else. Who is to say who is next? If we're all gone, who will take care of you, Harry?" Remus asked looking into Harry's eyes.
"Remus," Harry said meeting his former professor's. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine."
"I don't know…ever since Sirius died, you seem angrier…" Remus dropped his gaze and looked down. "Maybe it would have been best if I had not held you back."
"Remus, there was nothing you could have done that could change things now," Harry said. That sounded odd, he's usually the one listening, not giving out advice. "I'm sorry for worrying you and the others and for thinking that I was angry or something. It has nothing to do with you."
"Thanks, but Sirius would have done something for you by now. I just sit here," Remus said. "He's left a large imprint on both of us and you were the one mostly affected by it all."
Harry took a deep breath. "It's like Dumbledore said, he was both like a brother and father-figure for me. The Dursleys never really cared or loved me. The Weasleys have their own family to take care of. You have Tonks now. And Sirius was the only person to offer me a home outside of Hogwarts and the Dursleys. He made me feel like he would do anything for me and now I wish he hadn't. He should have stayed here. I was the stupid one."
"Harry, you know –" Remus started to say before being cut off by Harry.
"I think it would be best if you did give Tonks that wedding ring. We need something happy to celebrate about during these times. You know, everyone will be happy. I think you'd like it to. Now don't go off saying you're too poor or too old. It's nonsense. Go with your heart and I know for a fact that it doesn't lie watching a teenage wizard."
Remus was going to reply when bats flew past the small dingy window, startling them.
"I've never seen bats here before," Harry commented dazed by the site of the winged mammals.
"That's because they're not from around here," Remus said stiffly.
Harry noticed how the older man's demeanor and eyes changed at the sight of the bats.