"Right, see you later." Harry Potter, the Wizarding World's hero from the Second War, told his brother-in-law Bill. Turning to his niece he said, "once again, happy birthday Victoire. Just imagine, in two years, you'll be off to Hogwarts." He smiled, remembering the school he had attended.
"Bye, Harry, Aunt Ginny, thank you for the doll!" Victoire called out from where she was currently hugging her Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione good bye. Harry and Ginny had gotten her an old muggle doll made from china. They knew that despite the fact that unlike Wizarding dolls, the muggle doll didn't move around, Victoire still appreciated them.
Harry laughed and took his wife's hand, Ginny (who was having difficulty balancing their 2 year old daughter Lily, and holding Harry's hand at the same time, although this he didn't notice), motioned to his sons James, 6, and Albus, 4, for they were going home.
As they left, Harry nodded to Angelina who was standing by the door looking irritated. Harry understood her frustration, George should have been to the party nearly an hour ago, but so far as it had gone every year, George didn't even get there in time to be considered fashionably late. Angelina just nodded back to Harry, keeping her lips sealed. Harry had a feeling that George was going to get a talking to tonight from his wife.
Passing a shell that had the words, 'Here Lies Dobby: a Free Elf' etched upon it, Harry paused for a moment to remember Dobby. Harry felt slightly uneasy as he remembered the day that Dobby had died. It had been his fault, really, that Dobby had gotten killed.
Sensing her husband's weariness, Ginny squeezed his hand in a reassuring way, and gave him a sympathetic look. She knew that still, after all these years, Harry still blamed himself for Dobby's death.
Just as they began walking again, there was a faint 'pop' that disturbed the silence of the night. Looking up, Harry, Ginny, James, Albus and Lily saw George. James and Albus rushed forward to greet their uncle, and laughed as they told him of James' newest prank. Watching them, Harry felt another pang of uneasiness as he looked at his friend. It had been twelve years today that Harry had heard Fred's last joke, and even so, Harry still couldn't get used to seeing George on his own, unaccompanied by his twin.
George looked up and waved to Harry and his little sister, "Hey guys. How was the party? Was it as exuberant as usual, or did they really go overboard?" he asked. He was smiling the same way as he used to, but his eyes betrayed his pain.
Harry couldn't look him in the eye for a moment, so decided instead to look at his daughter, "Yep. It was a blast, although we didn't blow anything up." He said, recalling Fred's funeral, "But you better hurry up and get in there, Angelina didn't look to pleased that you were late again. Victoire was demanding from Bill where you were also. She was pestering Fred, asking if it had anything to do with the shop."
"Poor Fred, he was really irritated too. Complained about how if it did have anything to do with the joke shop, he was going to have to scold you." Ginny said with a laugh, "He's turning out more like Percy than either you or Fred."
"Yes, well, I should have expected it, letting Percy spend time with him when he was younger." George said, although he didn't sound disappointed. Most people who knew him would have thought that he would have been ashamed that his son was following in the footsteps of his other brothers, that was sure to lead to him becoming a Prefect or even a Head Boy, but he was in fact quite proud.
"How come you're always late?" Albus asked, interrupting the adult's conversation.
"Just business, you know?" George replied easily, although Harry noticed his voice carried a note of grief. He decided it was best not to get on this subject. Not at that time, anyway.
"Hey, James, Albus, we had better get going. You two are still grounded for that latest prank you wise guys decided to pull." Harry called to his sons. Disappointed, they turned back to their father and with a last wave to George, the family apparated away. George watched them go; he knew that Harry still felt guilty about Fred no matter what George had said to him. Shrugging, George made his way up to Shell Cottage, where he was greeted by his wife Angelina, who wasted no time in scolding him about how late he was. He grinned at her the typical Weasley-twin-grin and told her she could chastise him later, for the moment, he had a niece to see to.
When they got home, Harry immediately sent James and Albus to their rooms while Ginny tucked Lily in for the night. Harry took a seat on the couch, and pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.
"I really wish you would stop blaming yourself." Harry heard Ginny tell him, as she took a seat next to him, "If George doesn't blame you for what happened you shouldn't feel guilty. Of all of us, George should get the right to say whether or not it's your fault, and he doesn't –"
"No, he doesn't blame me because we're friends, not because it wasn't really my fault." Harry cut her off miserably, "I know what you're going to say, I've heard it all, from everyone. Fred went into battle knowing what could happen, but decided to fight anyway. You've all said that, about everyone who died in that battle, in that war." Harry felt although ice was running through his veins as he said that, remembering the fallen: Severus Snape, Lupin, Tonks, Moody, Hedwig, Dobby, Dumbledore, Sirius, Colin, and Fred. There were more, of course, and Harry's vision swam as he recalled everyone who had died fighting because he had sent them into battle.
"Harry, you can't honestly believe that. None of that was your fault, it was Voldemort's fault! His, and Rookwood's, and all the other Death Eater's who fought for him." Ginny said quietly. Harry looked at her, and through his vision blurred by both tears and lack of corrective lenses, could see her eyes swimming with tears, but she continued anyway, "There would have been more, Harry, had you not stopped Voldemort. We got lucky that we didn't lose more of our family and friends! We're lucky both twins didn't die, and I sure know that if Fred were here right now, he would tell you to stop being so thick, because it wasn't your fault. He probably would say it was his fault, joking the way he was." By now the tears were falling down her face, and Harry couldn't believe what he just heard.
"You blame Fred…?" Harry began, but Ginny was quick to cut him off,
"Of course, and I'm not the only one. I know George agrees with me too, and so does Bill. They're actually the ones who told me this. They said that if Fred hadn't been joking around, he would have seen Rookwood coming; he could have cast a shield charm, or deflected the curse. In a way, it really was his fault, even if the Death Eaters and Voldemort are mostly to blame." Ginny paused, and Harry could tell she hardly believed what she was saying, "But still, knowing that, it doesn't help the pain. I know George still misses him. When we saw him today, as we were leaving Shell Cottage, he looked so miserable. I wanted to go over there and hug him, make it better, but I've tried for 12 years. We all have, and I don't think there's anything we can do."
Harry put his glasses back on so he could look at her properly. She was wringing her hands, and looked worried. "No, there isn't." Harry answered her, he knew of loss, after all. Ginny nodded, still looking somber. She understood better than most of them that Harry knew what if felt like to lose a family member, "I don't think he'll be okay again until he and Fred are reunited." As Harry said those words, he thought of how everyone had been so worried George would do something stupid. It had been silly really to think that, but at the time it had seemed just much too likely. Harry felt bad about having thought that, and he knew that George had just put up with everyone's constant nagging and watching, waiting to prove to them he hadn't gone completely mental. Quite suddenly Harry remembered what George had told him after the funeral, while everyone was still watching him wearily, and listening in.
"He died so all of us could live. He fought, so we could live in a world without Voldemort, so that the survivors could carry on, without looking over their shoulder's every few seconds. It wasn't just him either, everyone who fought against Voldemort – yes, I just said his name, amazing, isn't it? – They all didn't expect to die, but they knew it could happen. They wanted to give the rest of us a chance, and I'm included in that, you know. Fred didn't die just for me to go join him. No, we talked about it once. After the ear incident, we promised each other that if either of us died, then the other would live. Continue the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and live our lives the way they were meant to be lived." George had said, and from the look in his eye, Harry had believed him. Harry could tell that George had taken these words to heart, and had no intention of breaking his promise to his twin, his best friend, and his business partner (or, as they had been in school, his partner in crime). What he had said that day had consoled all the Weasley's, and anyone who had been at Fred's funeral. Harry had just smiled at him, having come to a somewhat similar conclusion himself after Sirius died. Then much to everyone's shock (although they hadn't been blindsided enough that day, what with the way George hadn't followed normal funeral procedures by wearing a violent shade of fiery red robes, insisted on laughing, and blowing up Fred's headstone) George whipped out his wand, and let off a truly amazing firework's show. When asked about it, George had smirked and said, "After my mini speech to the Boy Who Lived/Died/Lived over there, I decided I'd sounded much too serious. This is more in the way of the Weasley Twin tradition."
Harry laughed, earning a strange look from Ginny, "Do you remember what George said at Fred's funeral?" he asked her.
The reaction was interesting. Although she still felt remorse for her dead brother, her face lit up a little bit as she remembered the chaotic event, "Oh yeah, how we need to move on, because that's why he died, so we could." Ginny answered him, "And of course, I remember the firework's afterwards. He really outdid himself that time. They were better than the one's at Hogwarts when they had decided to use them against Umbridge." Ginny laughed then, and Harry laughed too. As he did so, he remembered everyone who had sacrificed their lives for the greater good, from both the first and second war. Somehow, Harry felt although this was a fitting way to remember them: the good times, rather than their death or the bad times.
Harry and Ginny quieted down, and looked at each other, "One of these day's we'll have to tell the kids about Fred." Harry told her, feeling although it was an insult to his memory to keep him a secret. George had already told his kids all the stories about him and Fred growing up, and even a mild tale of his death.
Ginny nodded her agreement and said, "Yes, but for now, let them be at ease, I suppose. I'm still not quite sure what to say, if the truth is to be told."
Harry put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Well I suppose we'll know when the time comes, now won't we?" He was already thinking about what to say, and he knew he would include a couple more people when telling the children about the Uncle they would never meet. He brushed his hair out of his face, and his finger's passed over his lightning bolt scar that had caused him so much trouble. He still felt guilty about every one of those deaths that occurred, but for some reason, he felt a little less guilty than he had earlier that night. Maybe in time he would accept that they weren't entirely his fault, but for the moment, he was just glad to be surrounded by the people who had survived.
A little way down the hall, James and Albus pulled the newest version of the Extendable Ear's out of their own ears, and turned to each other in confusion. They had been listening in on their parent's conversation, desperate to hear if they would talk about the boys' punishments; but much to their surprise, they ended up with more questions then they had before they began spying.
"So, who's Fred?" James asked his younger brother.
"I have absolutely no idea. I think Mum mentioned him earlier tonight, when she was talking about how our cousin Fred was more like Uncle Percy than his father and someone named Fred…" Albus answered trailing off, frowning with concentration. He looked up at James and shrugged, "Maybe we'll get it out of Mum and Dad one of these days!"
"Yeah, I bet we'll be able to prank it out of them!" James exclaimed excitedly, forgetting for a moment that their parents knew so well some of the greatest pranksters that Hogwarts had ever seen, but with that little fact that they didn't know about (for they hadn't heard the Tales of Fred and George yet), and the with the other having slipped their mind's (the one about Harry being a Marauder's son and Godson), the brother's put their head's together and immediately began plotting their next prank.