Prompt: "If you are reading this I may well be dead, for today I will claim my freedom and dignity. This trip has almost broken me..."

Harry walked down the beaten towards a medium sized, comfortable looking cottage. He didn't notice the birds singing, the clear blue sky, the passing scenery or the sun making a rare appearance. His emotions were in turmoil, his mind was numb and his body was moving on instinct.

Harry didn't realise he had come to the front door of the cottage until his boots, scuffed as they were, hit off the small step in front of it. He glanced up at the cottage. This was his home away from workhouse. Since first meeting Ron and the Weasley family, they had always made him welcome. In fact, they always made him feel wanted and loved, like another son or brother. It was another reason he had come here first. His "good" uncle and the Dursleys would probably give him half an hour at best, to collect his meagre belongings and leave. Vernon Dursley had sent him off to war to fight and die and he most certainly wasn't going to let him return after surviving it, even as decorated as he was. He looked at the cottage again, taking it all in and committing it to memory. It near physically hurt when he realised how much he had missed this place.

Harry took a deep breath and knocked on the door, a habit he never broke, no matter how many times told him it was his home as much as it was any of her children's home. A loud, feminine; "Coming. Hold on", most likely from the kitchen brought tears to Harry's eyes. The door opened and there stood the Weasley matriarch in all her domestic glory. Then, she froze, tears filling her eyes, before she began to lift a hand to his face. As if to see if the being standing in front of her was real. She brought it back to her chest, fearing that it really was a dream.

"Hi, " Harry spoke softly, hesitantly, as he greedily took in the sight of his mother figure.

"I-...I'm home".

Molly Weasley just as greedily took in the sight of shy, quiet Harry Potter, standing on her porch, in his well-decorated army uniform. If she ever got her hands on Vernon Dursley, he would severely regret ever telling her that Harry had run away. Tears of joy spilled from her eyes as he stood there sheepishly, shifting from foot to foot. Then he said the words she had been longing to hear since a time shortly after Ron had brought Harry to meet her, as his newest friend.

"I-...I'm home".

She threw herself at the, now, quietly confident young man. She held him tightly in her arms, praying that this was not a dream, as she whispered through her tears;

"Welcome home, Harry".

The answering hug from Harry was all she needed to know that this was reality.

In the warmth of 's arms, Harry let his tears fall. How could he not have missed this? After a moment, pulled away, but didn't relinquish her hold on him as she pulled him into the cottage.

"Arthur! Arthur, come quickly! Harry's come home" she cried, smiling through her tears.

A flurry of movement went through out the cottage, as the rest of the Weasley family came running. After a joyful cry of his name, Harry was surrounded by warmth. Arthur hugged him tight, with a quickly whispered;

"Glad to have you back".

Harry was then passed onto Ron, who gave him a quick hug before Ginny latched herself onto him. As Ron threw his arm around Harry's shoulders, Percy shook his hand exuberantly. Charlie, obviously visiting from Romania, clapped him on the back and Bill, probably making the daily visit from his own home, ruffled his hair.

Then Fred limped in, gently prying his little sister of him and putting a bit of space between them and the rest of the family.

"Come on, Fred. Don't hog him to yourself" argued Ron jovially.

Fred ignored him, choosing instead to clasp Harry's shoulders and hold him at arms length, as looked him in the eye.

"Harry..."Fred's silent question of "Where is George?" was only evident to the two of them.

"Fred, I'm so sorry-" Harry began, but Fred cut across him.

"Do you have his journal?"

Harry wasn't surprised that Fred knew about it. It wasn't hard to guess that George would start a journal without his twin, if you knew him well and Fred and George always seem to have some kind of telepathic connection. That's why they were Gred and Feorge and such good pranksters. Harry was more surprised it took him so long to ask. As Harry reached into his inner coat pocket, Bill asked;

"Fred? Harry? What's going on?"

He, like Ron, was ignored as Fred plucked the journal form Harry's hands and flicked straight to the back page. There was silence as Fred the entry. Then his hands dropped as his shoulders slumped and he leaned against the closest wall for support. He shut his eyes tight against the pain. He already knew before Harry came. He'd felt it, he just didn't want to believe it.

"Harry?"

"Fred? Harry, dear? What's wrong?"

Ginny's hesitant voice and 's concern only served to snap the two young men out of their respective reverie. Fred stood straight moving away from the wall and Harry tried again to convey to Fred how much he wished George were here with them or, at the very least, instead of him.

"Fred, I'm sorry. I tried-"

Harry never got the chance as Fred pulled him roughly into a hug. In one hand, he held the journal. His other, the prosthetic, and the reason he hadn't been with his beloved twin, he pressed against Harry's back. Harry didn't move as the arms of one of his many brother figures held him in a hug. He didn't want to believe it and he almost didn't until Fred spoke;

"I know you tried, Harry. I know you did and I'm not going to lie and say I don't wish he were here or that I'm not relieved to see you alive and well. But George would probably find some way to make me regret it, if I didn't say that I am so relieved that you were with him when I wasn't. Please believe me, Harry. I'm grateful you were there and I'm happy to see you".

Dawning realisation began to spread over the rest of the family present, though they dared not to believe their disheartening fears. Harry was stunned, unable to move, think or feel.

"You made a promise to my brother, Harry. I intend to make sure you keep it, little brother," Fred whispered.

That was all it took for Harry to return Fred's hug. His hands fisted in the back of Fred's shirt and tremors shook Harry's lithe frame as he broke down into silent tears. The only noise he made, was his whispered mantra to Fred;

"I'm sorry. So sorry. I tried. I couldn't save him. I'm sorry..."

Fred held him tighter as his own tears began to fall, and the realisation finally settled over the rest of the family. George wasn't coming home. Bill dropped into the closest chair and put his head in his hands, feeling like he had somehow failed as a big brother. Charlie and Percy hung their heads in grief, but placed a hand on each of Bill's shoulders, silently giving him their support. Ron hugged Ginny close as she went into shock and Arthur held Molly, as she sobbed for the loss of one of her sons.

1st of May 1945.

I'm sorry, Fred. It looks like I'm not going to make it back home to you.

Look after Harry for me, will you? Don't let him blame himself. You know how he is. He made me a promise, brother, so make sure he keeps it. You know how I feel about broken promises.

See you in the distant future, I hope.

Your brother, George.

My friend will probably scream at me for this, but that's what came into my head first and so that's how it developed.

If you want a happier ending though, let me know and I'll see what I can do... I'll probably post it as a seperate oneshot though. Anyway, let me know what you think!