A/N: A very short chapter. The next will be longer.

Disclaimer: JKR's world.

Chapter 2

Grieving

Harry, Ron and Hermione departed for the Burrow the following morning. They traveled by floo powder using the fireplace in Dumbledore's office, where they had a short meeting with Kingsley Shacklebolt before they left. Kingsley had offered them all positions at the Ministry of Magic and encouraged them to contact him once they became settled at the Burrow. He had departed quickly after that. Harry was sure that things were in chaos at the Ministry at the moment and Kinsley, being instated as temporary Minister for Magic, was sure to have his hands full.

Harry had never experienced such an unsettling calm at the Weasley home. The minute he appeared in the fireplace, after Ron and Hermione, he was pulled into a tearful embrace by Mrs. Weasley. She looked, Harry thought, like she had aged ten years in a single night.

Ginny entered the kitchen a few minutes after they arrived and embraced Harry without restraint or embarrassment. It felt wonderful to be in her arms again. She, too, looked older, wiser, aged by grief. After somberly greeting the rest of the Weasleys, Harry proceeded outside with Ginny, and Ron and Hermione, who had their arms around each other.

"How's Mum holding up, Ginny?" Ron asked gruffly as soon as they made their way into the small garden. It had become so overgrown with weeds and infested with gnomes in the Weasley's absence that Harry hardly recognized it.

Ginny shook her head sadly. "She's been crying almost non-stop. But it's really George that we're all worried about."

Harry had noticed that George was not among the group who greeted the trio as they returned to the Burrow. But, out of fear of being overcome with emotion, he did not allow himself to wonder what that meant.

"He's been shut up in his and Fred's old room since we got home yesterday. He won't eat, he won't talk to anyone." Ginny's voice broke. "Dad reckons that he might not even be able to do magic right now."

"He'll be okay though, won't he?" Harry asked.

Ginny wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. "We just don't know."

*

It could not have been clearer, from the way George appeared at the funeral, that he was far from okay. If Mrs. Weasley looked older, it was nothing compared to how George looked. He was unrecognizable. He had not shaved. He looked disheveled and disoriented. Harry was sure that he was in shock.

George did not cry or make a sound as his brother was laid to rest under a large willow tree in the far corner of the Burrow's garden, but Harry could almost feel waves of grief emanating from him. The moment the ceremony ended, George disappeared back up to his room and was not seen again for the rest of the day.