The second Asteria shut the door, she dropped down against it. Her head banged against the wood and she started crying. The tears were falling down her cheeks as she buried her head into her arms and she curled into an upright fetal position. She was doing so well, keeping herself from crying in front of people. Why'd she have him come over? She should've taken Teddy herself. She should've taken him and gone home without George. Or maybe she shouldn't have gone at all. She should have never set foot in the damned shop of his.

Shut it, will you? A disapproving voice snapped suddenly. Asteria sniffled, wiping her eyes. What you did was healthy for the both of you. Weasley hasn't left his flat in a year. Asteria sat and stared at the ceiling, wiping the running makeup off her cheeks. The voice reminded her of Dora, which gave Asteria an uneasy feeling of guilt in the pit of her stomach. Over the year, she had occasionally heard a random voice telling her something, but she always played it off of her sadness. This voice, though, it was getting louder.

"Dora, why'd you leave me?" she whispered to the ceiling, as if Dora was right above her.

There was no response, though, and Asteria took a deep breath. She was just imagining things. Again. It took a moment, but she finally stood and wiped her watery eyes. The images of her dead sister and brother-in-law's bodies, laying there with their hands linked for the final time seeped into her brain. Their faces determined, but haunted without life. Asteria's eyes closed as she moved shakily towards her kitchen.

Numbly, she picked up the kettle on the stove and filled it with water. Her hands were shaking still and her heart was racing slightly as she felt the weight of the kettle get heavier. Everything was rushing through her and her mind was bracing itself the best it could from the painful memories…

...

"Dora, you can't just leaveTeddy!" Asteria screamed at her sister.

Nymphadora narrowed her eyes at her younger sister, balancing the baby on her hip,

"'Teria, listen to me. It's my job.I'm an auror!"

"If you go, I go!"

"No," her sister, hissed, "You're staying here with mum and Teddy."

Asteria stomped her foot immediately; twenty years old or not, she wasn't getting her way and she wasn't happy about it. "Dora, I've just lost dad. I will notlose you too!"

"I'msorry, Asteria," uh-oh, she's using my full name. That's not a good sign. "I love you, Asteria. I'm going to fight and we're going to win. I'll be back, okay?"

Nymphadora hugged her younger sister but Asteria made no move to hug her back. "Come back." Was all she said before removing herself from the embrace and walked away. Without another word.

...

Asteria clutched onto the sink, letting the tears continue to fall into the sink and kettle. The last thing she should've done was tell her sister she loved her too. Or hug her back. But instead, all she did was walk away. The broken feeling in her stomach rushed up suddenly and Asteria ran into the bathroom, emptying the contents into the toilet.

By the time her stomach was finally empty, it was later than she wanted it to be. She had been sick for nearly an hour and half; now the sky was dark and it was likely the majority of the Alley was asleep by now. Asteria flushed the toilet, shutting the lid and falling over

onto the carpet then closing her eyes.

Then Teddy cried out, "Momma!"

Asteria groaned and opened her eyes, saying weakly, "Coming Teddy…"

As she walked through the house to Teddy's room, she glanced out the window. Her eyes widened slightly as she stopped to stare.

George Weasley's apartment lights were on for the first time in a year.

At least someone feels okay.

George was sitting on the couch of his flat, staring out the window blankly. He couldn't stop thinking about how heartbroken Asteria's sobs had been before he left. She had seemed so fine…other than the dark circles under her eyes, which he left to Teddy. And the red rimmed eyes, which he assumed were from normal crying, not hysterical. George felt sorry for her, but he was the same. He was broken too. And his house was dark. His shop was closed. He was gone and, in his opinion, never coming back.

His stomach growled and he groaned softly, waving his wand and an apple appearing on his table. Hesitation snuck up on him suddenly, as he stared at the apple before him. George couldn't get the memory of Asteria crying out of his mind. And hearing her sobs and her pain made him think of his own brother. Of how he didn't even say good-bye to Fred. Or tell him that he loved him. He didn't do what anyone would have done when splitting up from their family…

...

"You okay, Freddie?"

"Yeah," Fred smiled, glancing over his twin.

"Me too."

The two smiled at each other when their father darted up the stairs, catching his breath. Percy was trailing behind him, causing the twins to give him questioning looks.

"It's time," Arthur said, looking between them.

Fred stepped forward, "I'll go with Perce. He's never really fought, so I'll help protect him."

He shot George a smirk, easing the tension between the four of them. George smiled his twin, rolling his eyes, although inside he was scared. Both knew that if they separated something would happen; look at George's missing ear. Arthur and Percy exchanged hesitant glances before nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, alright. George, come along with me," his father commanded.

George looked back over at Fred, "See you when we win?"

"Definitely Forge."

"Be careful, Gred!"

...

How did he not know those would be the last words he'd say to his brother? George growled in anger, throwing the apple across the room and closing his eyes.

"Why the hell did you have to die, Fred?!" He screamed, throwing himself up from his seat. His eyes were wet from tears.

Not like I had a choice, prat, Fred's voice echoed in his head. George fell back into his seat on the couch, slumping over and holding his breath.

"Don't call me a prat. I'm in pain. Can't you see that?" He called out again, releasing the breath he was holding.

'Course I do. But you need to move on. Turn some lights on, it's dead in here. No pun intended. Fred's voice laughed softly, causing George to frown. How could he be happy when his twin wasn't there? Georgie, be alive. Like you were earlier with that prefect girl.

George thought back to Asteria, who was taking care of a child and still dying on the inside. But she was moving on. Why couldn't he? It wasn't fair. He reminded himself, though, that she didn't break the bond that twins had. No, she just lost her older sister. They weren't nearly as close as he and Fred were. Fred snorted in George's mind. She also lost her father. Oh, and her brother-in-law and her cousin, Sirius. She's lost more than you. You lost me, but she's lost the majority of her family. Poor prefect girl.

George gnawed on his lip, staring at his hands, "Her name's Asteria, Freddie. You remember her, right? The girl that always let us get away with everything during school…" He took a deep breath, smiling slightly at the school memories. "But…you're right."

I remember her. And of course I am. I'm the smart one, remember?

Wiping his eyes, George laughed sadly. He was going mad, but he loved it. He loved hearing Fred's voice in his head when he was on the edge. And his brother was right. He needed to move on the best he could. So he stood, heading towards the light switch and flipping it up. For the first time in over a year, George was blinded by the lights of his flat and he could hear his heart breaking. The house was a mess; he avoided cleaning while he was trapped in his pain. There were clothes strung about, hanging off the furniture. Crumpled up pieces of parchments that were once ideas he had come up with were now littering the floor of his home. There were dirty dishes from the few meals he had eaten were on the kitchen table and on the end tables beside his couch. It was disgusting, to be perfectly honest.

With a determined look, George began cleaning. Good boy, Forge, Fred said. George could hear the smile in his voice. He was going to get better, he decided, one way or another. It was going to happen and there was nothing that he would do to stop it. He lifted up a dirty shirt, looking out the window at Asteria's shop. The lights were off but he could see a shadow walking through the house slowly. Help her too, George, Fred said quietly. George nodded, watching the shadow for another moment. The more he thought about it, the more it fit together. They were two in the same, both were hurting but healing.

She's going mad, being alone in that flat of hers. Tonks says so. And Teddy's scared because she's scared, Fred said again, as if he knew George was staring out the window.

She needed his help. He needed her help.

"I'll go over to her shop tomorrow…after I clean the shop up," George muttered, heading towards the bathroom.

You're gonna…brilliant! Brilliant, George! Fred exclaimed. George bit his lip, looking in the mirror. Shave will you? And cut your hair.

"Oh shove it. I know what to do."

And so George Weasley began prepping himself for the big day. The day that Weasley Wizard Wheezes will begin to look like it once did, before hell broke loose.