Chapter 2: Courage

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."
-Nelson Mandela

-Chapter 2-

Five. That's how many years have passed since I lost Fred. Since I had run away from the world I once knew. I had spent the first year home with my parents in Reading but eventually I decided it was time to move out. My parents tried to reason with me, telling me that it was not wise to run away from everything. There was no stopping me, however. I had to get away from the place that held so many bad memories.

For four years I have been calling Edinburgh home. I spent my days working in a little coffee shop, serving muggles who had no idea how close they had come to being wiped out. Every day they would come into the shop with big smiles on their faces, ordering their fancy drinks, and every day I worked to forget everything. At least I attempted to forget. It was so hard when many of the customers in the coffee shop were young lovers, and it pained me to see them so happy when I wasn't.

My engagement ring was locked up in my school trunk, buried amongst all of the memories I forced away, including my wand. Since the war I refused to use any magic; it was magic's fault that everything went the direction it did, and I blamed it for losing Fred. Oh, Fred, how I missed him, but I found myself concerned for George more than anything. I knew I was being selfish in my grief, but as his fiancée, that was acceptable, right?

For a while I had received many letters from the Weasley family, but I never returned them. Eventually they came less frequently and then all together stopped. I felt guilty for ignoring Molly and the family but I just could not bring myself to reconnect to all of those memories. Some would say that my behavior was rather childish and they were probably right. Little did I know that fate had different plans for me and that today would be the start of a brand new journey.

The day had started like any other day in Edinburg. I woke up, showered, and got ready for a long day of work. I pulled my hair back and then made my way out of my tiny flat and down the streets of Edinburg. I clocked in to work, the smell of fresh coffee beans and tea leaves greeting my nose, and took my place behind the counter. Half the day had passed and it was getting near my lunch break when a new customer walked up to the counter.

"Just a second." I stated over my shoulder as I washed my hands after having cut fresh lemons. As I was drying my hands I walked up to the register and looked into the eyes of none other than Ron Weasley.

"Ron…" I said in disbelief as he gave me a small smile. I couldn't believe he was here, in my shop of all places. How did he find me?

"Hey, Emma. Do you have a free moment?" he asked. Despite the small smile, I could see he was troubled.

"Just a moment, I go on lunch shortly." I obliged and watched him nod as he went and sat at one of the smaller secluded tables in the shop. I went to the back and told my boss I was taking my break then walked back out and around the counter, making my way over to the table where Ron was at.

"How did you find me?" I asked as I sat down in the chair across from him. He looked very grown up, his once tall and lanky frame was filled with muscles. He leaned forward preparing to talk and I noticed the wedding band on his left hand as he placed it on the table.

"Your parents… they actually told us the instant you moved but mum figured that since you never responded to any of our letters that you needed space. We all agreed not to bother you, but things have changed…" He began. I felt guilty at the mention of my not answering their letters

"How is… everyone?" I asked, masking my real question which was how was George.

"Ah… well… Bill has healed from his injuries and he and Fleur have a couple of kids now. Charlie is back in Romania, working with the dragons, he still hasn't married yet, and mum thinks he never will. Percy is back in the good graces of the family, he has a girlfriend and things are pretty serious with them. Ginny and Harry are getting married soon, which before I forget…" he paused as he pulled an envelope out of his pocket and slid it across the table to me, "when they heard that I was coming to see you they asked if I could personally deliver this invitation to you. As for myself, I married Hermione and she is pregnant with our first child. I am also co-head of the Auror department with Harry." He concluded and a proud smile graced my face.

"Congrats Ron." I said as I opened up the invitation to read it. I let my eyes run over the letter and found the date; it was set two months from now, on July 14. I folded up the invitation and placed it back into the envelope. It was then that I realized that Ron failed to mention one other member of his family. "And George?" I asked as I looked into Ron's eyes but he looked away, clearly unsure of what to say.

"George… well… to be honest Emma, George isn't well. He hasn't left his flat in a long time, he drinks a lot, and he hasn't even set foot in the shop once since the war." He said, concern clearly written on his face. My heart sank in my chest, it pained me to know that George wasn't well. "Actually that is why I am here, Emma. We have all tried to get through to George but none of us have been successful. We thought that seeing you might spark something in him." He admitted with a pleading look on his face.

"Ron, what could I possibly do?" I asked, unclear as to how I could be of any help; I wasn't family, and I could hardly consider myself his best friend anymore after I ran away from him and his family like I did.

"Please, Emma… George is in really bad shape and we are running out of ideas to keep us from sending him to St Mungo's." The look on Ron's face combined with the pain in his voice were all I needed to convince myself that I had to go. I couldn't bear to see the look on Ron's face anymore and couldn't imagine how everyone else was managing.

"Alright, I will go. Just… give me a second and I will be right back." I said as I stood up from the table and made my way to the back to tell my boss I had to leave. There was no way I was going to be able to focus on work anymore. I told my boss there was an emergency at home and I had to leave right away. She understood, telling me to keep her posted and that she wouldn't need me back for a couple of weeks. I thanked her for her understanding and then grabbed my stuff before going out into the shop and finding Ron again.

"I will need to run by my flat to take care of a few things first." I stated as I walked up to him. He nodded his head and then we made our way out of the coffee shop, and I began walking in the direction of my flat. Once we stepped out onto the street he looked at me questioningly.

"Er, why don't we just apparate to your flat?" he asked clearly confused as to why I chose to walk in the chilly May air.

"Oh… uh… well you see… I haven't really apparated in… four years…" I responded, slightly embarrassed of my situation.

"Blimey, Emma. I don't know how you can live without it." He said as we continued walking down the road. In only a few minutes we had made it to my flat and I let Ron in. I will be just a moment, feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge." I stated as I made my way back into my room.

With speed I didn't know I possessed, I changed out of my work clothes and into a pair of jeans and a blue blouse. I pulled on a pair of boots and then walked back over to the foot of my bed where my old school trunk sat. I unlocked it with the key that I kept in the top drawer of my night stand and then opened the lid. I took a moment to let the memories come flooding back to me before I slowly began digging through my trunk to find the box that held my wand.

Once I found it I opened the box and picked my wand up for the first time in five years. I could feel the magic run through my veins again as my fingers gripped the familiar piece of wood. After a while, I also pulled out one of the many robes I had put away in my trunk and laid it on my bed. Before I snapped the lid shut and relocked my trunk, I made sure to grab my pouch of wizarding money and placed it on top of my robe. Once this was done, I placed the lock back on my trunk and stood up. I gathered a few other clothes figuring, if anything, I would stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the night.

When I was done making sure I had everything, I threw on my cloak and stuck my wand in my pocket. I put my bag on my shoulder and then walked out to my main room. As I walked out and saw that Ron had grabbed one of my bottles of water and had settled on my couch to read my copy of the daily paper that had previously occupied his spot. When he noticed that I was in the room, he folded up my paper and then stood up, brushing off his pants.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked. In all honesty I wasn't ready at all, but I knew I couldn't back out of it now so I nodded, and grabbed his arm so he could apparate us to Diagon Alley. For the first time in four years, I felt that annoying tugging at my navel.

We arrived outside of the joke shop and if I didn't know the shop as well as I did, I would have never recognized it.

"Harry pays the shop fees to keep it from being sold." Ron explained to me as he let me into the shop. As soon as I crossed the threshold, I took in a deep breath. The last time I was in this shop was the day of the war. I walked through the aisles, reminiscing as I looked at all of the twins' products; every single one of them I had watched them make, and each one held a special place in my heart. Eventually I made my way back to Ron who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs to the twins'… George's… flat.

Ron led me up the stairs and opened the door to the dark flat. I stepped inside as Ron turned on the lights; the place was an absolute mess. It was if a tornado had blown itself through the flat, making sure nothing was left unturned. I could almost feel George's pain radiating from the mess as if everything he had touched had a bit of his heart in it.

As Ron led me out of the living area and down the hall toward the bedrooms, my stomach began to twist itself into knots. When we stopped outside of the last door on the left, George's room, Ron knocked and I sucked in a deep shuddering breath. When George didn't answer, Ron eased the door open and we stepped into the dark room. Through the little bit of light that crept through the open door, I was able to make out George's figure curled on his side in the bed, facing away from the door.

"Hey George," Ron began, "I brought someone to see you." At the sound of Ron's voice, George just curled up even tighter. I made my way over to his bed, dropping my bag on the floor as I went and climbed onto the other side of the bed. It creaked as I crawled toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"George…" At the sound of my voice I could feel himself loosening from his curled up state and rotating toward me. Even though it was still dark, I could feel his eyes searching for mine.

"Emma?" he asked through a cracked voice; he clearly hadn't use it a quite a long time. My heart raced hearing him speak and instantly tears that I didn't know I was holding back began to fall from my eyes.

"Yes, George, it's me, Emma." At my confirmation, George sat up so quickly you would have thought he had been bitten and he pulled me into his arms, holding me tight as the tears freely flowed from my eyes. After only a short time, his arms loosened quickly and he stood up. I couldn't see very well but I knew there was anger written on his shadowed face.

"Get out." He said, he voice laced with hate. When I didn't move his anger grew and he began to shout, "Get out! Get out! GET OUT!" as he pulled me from his bed and yanked me to his door, grabbing my bag along the way, and then pushed me and Ron out before slamming the door in my face.

I placed my forehead on the door and began to cry harder. I wasn't expecting a warm welcoming from George, but I also wasn't expecting a reaction like this. Turning my back to the door, I slid down it, drawing my knees to my chest once I reached the floor. Ron kneeled next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you ok?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"I just… I can't believe I have been so selfish… I have spent… all this time thinking about… how nobody could miss Fred… as much as I did…do… and then… seeing George now… my heart is breaking… all over again… seeing his pain." I gasped out between each sobbing breath. I couldn't leave George, not after seeing the state he was in. He needed someone, and if his family isn't having luck getting through to him, I sure as hell was going to try my hardest. Eventually, I was able to collect myself enough to look at Ron. "I'm not leaving." I told him, having made up my mind that I was going to stay in the guest room.

Ron nodded at my decision and stood up, offering his hand to help me up from the floor. I took it, muttering a thanks to Ron, and once again picked up my bag and made my way back down the hall to the guest room. The room, unlike any other room in the house, had not been touched since I had last been there. I knew that since one of my old textbooks still lay open on the bed where I left it all those years ago. After casting a quick cleansing charm on the room I turned toward Ron.

"Thank you for getting me back here." I said, sincerity woven in my voice.

"Of course" he replied as he took me into his arms for a hug. "I am only a floo away if you need anything." He added and I nodded my head. He gave me one more quick hug and then apparated from the flat. After turning out the lights in the rest of the flat, I came back into 'my' room and changed into my night clothes and sat down on the bed. Tonight was just the start of many hard ones to come, but I owed it to George. I lay back in bed and said a request to Fred.

"Fred, love, please give me the strength to help George."

I closed my eyes and not long after, I fell asleep.