Ron and Bill
His adrenaline had crashed hours ago, but Ron couldn't stand to leave his family yet, so he had slumped against the wall and fallen asleep on the spot. When he woke up a few hours later, he smiled at finding Hermione curled up against him and sleeping soundly. God, he loved her. He'd hoped they would both survive, but he'd never really believed it. And he'd never in a million years thought he would live and another brother wouldn't.
Thinking of Fred, he let his eyes wander over to where his family had surrounded Fred's body and panicked when he didn't see them. But, he stilled at the sound of Bill's reassuring voice.
"It's alright, Ronnie. McGonagall moved Fred to one of the classrooms, and George and Mum insisted on going with him. So, Dad and Charlie went as well."
He let out a deep breath in relief and nodded. "Good. Thanks."
They sat for a bit simply observing the mass of people around them, each person processing the event in their own way. Some helping tend wounds, holding each other as they cried or even daring to smile and the relief that it was all finally over.
"What about Harry? And Gin?"
"They headed up to Gryffindor Tower about an hour ago. Harry didn't want to leave you two, but Ginny didn't give him much choice."
Ron chuckled fondly at that. "We protected him from Voldemort," he said quietly as not to disturb Hermione. "But I don't know that I could protect him from her."
Bill laughed hardily at that. "Truer words, mate. Truer words."
Hermione shifted against him and shivered, so Ron took off his jumper and draped it over her, casting a warming charm as he did so.
"She is a tough one, isn't she? I think she and Fleur were cut from the same cloth."
"Might be," Ron said as he hugged Hermione closer to his chest. "And I know that, from you, that is the ultimate compliment. But, I also know you know how witches like that will never sit on the sidelines, and it just about killed me knowing I couldn't keep her safe from all of this."
"But, you did," Bill said, lifting his hand to stop Ron's protest. "I know you made a mistake a few months ago. But you found your way back to them, and when it was at its worst, you got her out. The months, and maybe years, to come won't be easy. But you get your shot at forever now."
Ron couldn't help but chuckle, and Bill gave him a questioning look.
"It's just – well, we only had our first kiss a few hours ago."
"Ronnie, you have to be kidding me. Weren't you two sharing a bed the past few weeks at my house?"
Ron shrugged. "I told you we were just sleeping. It wasn't the time. Anyway – what made me laugh was that I would marry her today if she'd have me, first kiss or not."
Bill's voice was stern as he said, "It may be too soon to say this, as it sounds flippant. But that doesn't make it less true. Fred will come back and haunt your sorry arse if you aren't dating her by the end of the day."
The truth made Ron wince as he smiled and felt a tear slide down his cheek at the same time. Unable to form words, he simply nodded.
Bill let out a slow breath, clearly trying to keep hold of his emotions. Once he had regained control he added, "I just want to say this, and then I'll let the emotional stuff go."
Ron looked at him, unsure of what was coming next.
"I know you and I have such an age difference that our relationship was almost more uncle-like than brother-like for many years. And I was probably too harsh over the winter and these past few weeks when you wouldn't share anything about the mission from Dumbledore. No, let me finish," he said, reacting to Ron's attempt to explain. "While I still want to hear all about it some time, you were right to stay tight lipped. I still don't know what all you did, but I am sure I would have tried to talk you out of it because I still thought of you as a little boy."
Ron chuckled.
Bill continued, "But I was wrong. You are a grown man. An amazingly strong, brave, brilliant, loyal and loving man. And you're an incredibly powerful wizard. I didn't even recognize some of the curses you were throwing earlier. But the point is – I love you, Ron. And I am so damn proud to be your brother."
Ron was crying in earnest at that point, and Bill leaned over to give him a one-armed hug. And Ron let his head linger a minute against Bill's safe embrace. "Thanks," he sniffed, unable to string any more words together.
A few minutes later the Weasley wizards had both pulled themselves together, and Bill laughed at the growling sound of hunger coming from Ron's stomach. At the noise, Hermione turned in her sleep mumbling something about mushrooms, making Ron laugh a bit more as he bent down and kissed her forehead.
"I think someone said the house elves had brought out sandwiches, crisps and juice at the back of the hall. How about I fetch a couple plates so you can both eat something. Then you should go up to the Gryffindor Tower and either shower or sleep. I'm sure we won't be going anywhere 'til morning at the earliest."
"Thanks, Bill. For everything."
Bill and Charlie
"Since when do you care if you get the dirt off your boots?" Bill asked as he walked out the back door of The Burrow to join Charlie outside. He handed his brother the bottle of Firewhisky and nodded his head to get him to scoot over and make room on the back stoop.
"Never occurred to me before today to care."
"But you do now," Bill stated rather than asked.
"Never had the dirt of my baby brother's grave on my boots before."
Bill closed his eyes and winced. There wasn't any appropriate response to that, so he didn't try to invent one. Instead he took the bottle back from Charlie and took a swig. Then he gestured for him to hand him his other boot. They sat there together in silence cleaning the dragon skin boots.
After a while and more than a few swigs of Firewhisky, Charlie set down his boot and brush. "Not sure these boots have ever been this clean. They look weird now."
"Charlie, I mean this in the best way possible, but they looked weird before too."
Charlie slugged his older brother in the arm. "Careful. You may be older, but I've been able to beat your arse since I was 16."
"Oh, I am well aware," smirked Bill.
Charlie looked back toward the meadows in the black night to where they had buried Fred earlier that day. "How in the hell did we end up sitting here fat and happy while Fred and Tonks are gone and Ronnie is some national hero."
"I don't have a fucking clue," Bill admitted in a long exhale. "S'been a pretty tough pill to swallow."
"Do Mum and Dad know yet – that he was with you for a while over the winter?"
Bill shook his head, his long earring swaying with the motion. "I figure it isn't my story to tell. I'm sure Mum will come for my bollocks as soon as she finds out."
"True," laughed Charlie. "But your wife will protect the family jewels. I knew she was a Triwizard superstar, but dang, Bill, she was incredible during the battle. Did you know she could do all that?"
"I knew she was brilliant and brave, but it killed me to watch her in danger like that. Made me finally understand why Ronnie was so worked up when he brought a broken Hermione to Shell Cottage after they broke out of Malfoy Manor."
"Do you know what happened there?"
"Bits and pieces, but it all sounded hellish. And I sense they kept the worst of it to themselves."
"How is she sane?"
"No clue," Bill shrugged. "Maybe her brain is just as brilliant as they all say. I mean I study curses and dark magic for my job, and I have never heard of anyone staying sane with less than half of what she endured."
They sat silently for a moment before Charlie started laughing, "Brightest Witch of Her Age and she's with little Ronnie! It's just – all I can picture is him with that old pair of Babbity Rabbit pajamas trying to play chess with his teddy bear or crying from something the twins did, and now he's, well, him!"
Laughing, Bill added, "as if this all didn't make me feel ancient already."
After a while in a comfortable silence Charlie asked, "How do we help them now?"
At a loss, Bill just shook his head. Eventually, he added, "Mum and George are like zombies right now, but I think they both need that time in deep grief for a while."
"Agreed. I think Dad will be ok. I think keeping Mum going and staying busy at work will help him."
"Yeah, but I am worried about Percy. I don't want to have gotten him back just to lose him to guilt or stupidity."
"Fair, but how do you fight either? Got some magic curse breaking for those problems?"
"No, shockingly the goblins don't give a rat's arse if we are feeling guilty about something."
Charlie snorted, grabbing the bottle again.
"And then there are the babies," Bill sighed. "But, having watched Ron take such good care of Hermione recently, I think that will keep him focused and looking ahead. I mean, he'll still have a lot of crap to manage, but I think he'll be ok after a while."
"And then there is Ginerva."
"Yup," Bill agreed, stealing the bottle back.
"The Longbottom kid told me a few things about their year – you know, what they went through and how incredible Gin was."
"Thinking about her being hurt like that makes me physically ill," Bill moaned. "I mean – I am sad and devastated about losing Fred, but that happened in a battle where we all went in knowing what we were risking. But, our baby sister was crucioed at Hogwarts by both professors and students. Maybe it's the wolf in me, but FUCK that makes me want to just shred someone to bits with my teeth over that."
"It's not the wolf," growled Charlie, "'cuz I want to do the same. Well, the same with some dragon fire thrown in."
They both needed a few minutes to calm their breathing down, but eventually Charlie broke the silence.
"I know we both would have preferred to take the physical brunt of the damage, but maybe this is where we have to step up and be the big brothers they all need."
Bill exhaled slowly, eventually nodding his head in agreement. "Yeah. It's gonna be rough for a while."
Charlie stood slowly, downing the last swig of the Firewhisky bottle. "It's gonna suck dragon bollocks, but I'm grateful we can tackle it together, you wolfy git."
Bill grinned, wagging his eyebrows while bearing his teeth at Charlie. "Go to bed, arsehole."
Ron and Charlie
The combination of exhaustion and insomnia was particularly cruel, but Ron appreciated the protective blanket of stars overhead as he lay in the meadow behind the quidditch pitch. The smell of fresh dirt wafting on the spring breeze made it impossible to ignore the newly dug grave in the family cemetery. But the earthy smell was somehow more comforting than disconcerting, and Ron felt himself inhaling deeply, letting his breath out slowly as he listened to the countryside at night.
At the sound of a snapping twig, Ron was on his feet, wand at the ready.
"It's me, Ronnie. Didn't mean to surprise you."
Ron felt the adrenaline drop from his tired limbs. "Merlin, Charlie. Not the week to be sneaking up on people."
"Sorry. Really, didn't mean to surprise you."
"What did you mean to do?"
"Honestly, I couldn't sleep and just started wandering and ended up here."
"I thought you'd stay at Bill's."
"Thought about it. But I figured you three had enough to deal with. Thought I'd stay here and see if I could help out with Mum and George," Charlie said as he plopped down on the grass next to his baby brother.
"Ta, Charlie. Appreciate that."
The dragon keeper just shrugged.
Charlie lay back in the grass and looked up at the stars. And Ron mimicked his actions, but neither brother said a word.
While Bill had always been somewhat of a second father figure for Ron, he'd always felt the most accepted by the second oldest brother. Even long before he developed his love of magical creatures, Charlie had always had the soul of a gentle giant. While he had red hair like all of his siblings, he was the only one who looked more like their mum's side of the family. Instead of the long and lean build of the Weasley's, he had the big and broad build of their Uncles Gideon and Fabian. Yet despite being the biggest and strongest of any of the siblings, Charlie had always been the one to play referee more than instigator. So while Ron went to Bill to complain that the twins turned his teddy bear into a giant spider, he went to Charlie when he needed a hug or to calm him after a nightmare. While it had been well over a decade since he'd gone to Charlie teary eyed in the middle of the night, Ron realized that his quiet presence next to him in the grass had eased him somehow.
They'd been there in silence for sometime before Ron admitted, "I can't believe it's him and not me."
While everyone else in the family would have said something along the lines of "no, Ron, we just wish no one was dead," Charlie simply nodded and kept listening.
"I'd hoped I'd make it, obviously, but I knew what I was getting into when we set out last summer. I knew there was a good chance I wouldn't make it back. And there were times last year when I went nearly mad with worry trying to get news about everyone, especially Gin. But, fuck, Fred? Never in a million years did I imagine it. Even in nightmares it just never occurred to me as an outcome. Stupid, really, since mum lost her twin brothers. But, still."
When it was clear Ron had nothing else to say, Charlie finally said, "the stupid thing here is war, Ron, not you. You can't try to make rational sense of something like this. There is no sense to it. There's honor, sure, but no sense. Still, every single one of us who fought that day knew we might not make it out. We were all willing to die for the cause. Fred was just unlucky enough to actually have to do it. I don't want to pretend that isn't horrific, but this is the hard part. Fred will miss out on so much – but he'll also miss out on the pain and grief we are all facing now."
Ron pondered that for a while as they continued to watch the stars above.
"Harry said something like that," Ron said quietly. "Not about Fred, but about, well, after he went to face Voldemort in the woods and died, he had a choice to come back or not, and he said it would have been so much easier to go on instead of coming back to face, well, everything."
"Mmm," Charlie hummed in agreement. "I've been thinking about Tonks a lot. She'll miss Teddy's whole life, but I also can't imagine how difficult life would have been if she'd lived and Remus hadn't."
"No sense."
"Nope."
They slipped into a comfortable silence, and Charlie wondered if Ron had dozed off until he said, "Hermione was tortured. By Bellatrix. I couldn't get to her." His voice cracked on the last bit, and Charlie reached out his giant hands and gripped Ron's shoulder in support.
"I mean, obviously we did get out. But, every night I am back in Malfoy's fucking dungeon listening to Hermione screaming in agony. She lived, and Fred died, but yet that night is what haunts my dreams. Feels wrong somehow."
"While I don't claim to be able to speak for Fred on most things, I am 100% confident Fred would relentlessly ridicule you if you dreamt of him instead of Hermione. Ever."
Ron couldn't help but chuckle, and eventually pulled a clump of grass out of the ground and threw it at his brother.
"Prat."
"Proudly."
Before too long Charlie offered, "I quit my job."
"What?!" Ron asked, sitting up to stare at him. "But you love working there."
He nodded in the silence and took a moment before he explained, "I actually quit a few months ago. I couldn't stand to be safely tucked away in my cozy cabin in Romania while there was so much here that needed doing."
"Do you think you'll go back? It's just – I've never seen you as happy as you were there. I can't imagine you not working with dragons."
"Me either, if I am being honest. But, I just don't think I can leave right now. That said, with so many losses over the past year, I've heard that there may be an opening at the dragon reserve in Wales."
"Wales? That'd be brilliant."
"Not a done deal yet, but I'm hoping it works out."
"Hell, have Harry put in a word. Everyone seems to think the sun shines out of his arse these days."
Charlie snorted at that. "Not bloody likely. I either get it or don't on my own reputation. No need to get Mr. Boy-Who-Lived involved."
"Very familiar with that desire."
Charlie turns his head to look at Ron, and said, "I know you think you've been in one shadow after another. But, you're a damn powerful wizard, Ron."
"Doesn't mean I'm a good wizard," he muttered in response.
"Well, that's a load of dragon dung. I don't know all of the details of what happened, but I know enough to know you left and went back last year. Fuck, Ron, anyone with any brains would have wanted to do the same. And from the little bits I've heard, you wanted to go back as soon as you left and probably wouldn't have left at all if dark magic wasn't involved."
"Still left them."
"To check on Ginny. And I still stayed in cozy, safe Romania until February. Does that make me an arse?"
"No, 'course not. It was your job. But it was my job to protect Hermione and Harry, and I still left."
"And you still saved them in the end. Not saying you're a saint. None of us are. Not you, not me, not Fred, no one. But war makes no sense. And you were in an impossible situation and did better than anyone else could have done. I am so damn proud of you."
"Well thanks, but be proud of Harry and Hermione. They never flinched."
"I am proud of them. But they each flinched too, just in different ways. All of us did. But, I am so proud to be your brother, Ron. So damn proud."
Ron and Percy
It had been a few weeks, and Ron was beginning to feel as if he was slowly emerging from a fog. After being gone for a year and then the trauma of the battle at school and losing Fred, it felt as if he'd been living in some sort of alternate universe for a year. Yet he was starting to notice things again. Some were familiar, like the habit of stirring mounds of sugar into tea that he and has father shared. Some were new, like how Fleur and his mum seemed to get along now. But some seemed off, like the way Percy was the first to clear every plate, wash every dish, de-gnome any garden or do any chore. But what Percy didn't do was talk. He never spoke first. His cocky voice never wafted over the table explaining why the width of cauldrons or bristle length of brooms should be a certain way. As annoying as it had always been to listen to, the lack of it was a painful reminder of what had been lost.
After another dinner with Percy only speaking when spoke to, Ron cornered him in the kitchen as Percy oversaw the scrubbing of plates.
"Need a hand, Perce?" Ron asked.
"No thank you, Ronald. I have this. You should go relax with everyone in the other room."
"Nah. I'd rather hang here with you."
Surprised, Percy looked up at him, swallowed thickly and seemed to steel himself for something.
But Ron simply went up and stood next to him, helping dry the pots and pans and return things to their rightful place in the cupboards. They eventually finished their task, and as Percy wiped down the last counter, he said stiffly, "Thank you for your assistance. I appreciate it."
Ron stared at him for a minute, and Percy still looked stiff, as if waiting for Ron to berate or even hit him.
"You know, you don't have to do all of the chores, Percy. We all ate dinner tonight, so we can all help with the clean-up, you know?"
Surprised, Percy's head snapped up to look at his little brother, who now towered over him by at least 6 inches. "Well, true. But I have a lot of helping out to catch up on due to my absence these past few years. So I'm happy to help. Everyone else needs the rest more than I do."
"Percy, we've forgiven you. You came back when it mattered. You don't have to wash dishes to get back in the good graces of the family. You are part of this family. We're just glad you're back. But, honestly, we want you fully back. This whole house-elf routine you've got going on isn't you. Um – don't tell Hermione I said that, by the way."
Percy snickered at that, assuring his brother, "I wouldn't dare." They both laughed. "But while I appreciate the sentiment, I think I have a long way to earn my way back into this family."
Ron shook his head. "You don't earn family, mate. You are just a part of it. Doesn't mean we don't fight, or argue or tease. But you are stuck with us. Even Fred couldn't get out of it by dying. Family is forever, Perce. Nothing you can do about it."
Ginny and Neville
It had been nearly 8 weeks since everything had come to it's end at Hogwarts. Nearly 8 weeks since Voldemort died. Nearly 8 weeks since they'd lost Fred. And nearly 8 weeks since Ron, Harry and Hermione had come back from their secret mission. Those weeks had been spent burying friends and family, trying to heal wounds, both physical and mental, and trying to feel safe.
It had also been nearly 8 weeks since there had been any type of social gathering other than funerals. And Ginny had had just about enough of that.
So, in honor of what would have been the start of summer holidays in any normal years, she'd decided to invite all of her DA friends from school, along with Lee, Angelina and some other close friends of her brothers, to come for the evening.
"You really think Mum and George are up for this?" Ron asked as he moved tables in the yard outside The Burrow.
"I don't know," she admitted as she followed with chairs. "But, honestly, I need this. You've been healing from all of this with the friends you went through it with. The people who know what I went through – well, I haven't seen them except for at funerals."
He stood up and looked at her, saying "Sorry, Gin. That hadn't even occurred to me. I'm so sorry. I know you lived your own hell last year, and I am so sorry I couldn't protect you from that."
He walked over and engulfed her in his broad arms, and she let him pull her close.
"I know, Ronnie. And I am not saying it was harder or easier, but it was my experience. And those people helped me survive it, at least mentally anyway. I just need to see for myself how they are doing. I think it'll help me a lot. I've worried about them, you know?"
"From what I've heard you held that group together through thick and thin."
"Well, I don't know your sources, but there were a lot of us who pulled together. It was a tough year." She sniffled, but refused to cry, so quickly shook her head and said, "so that's why I need this tonight. So, you keep setting up the table and chairs and I'll see to the food so Mum isn't too overwhelmed."
By the time the sun went down, the field behind The Burrow was filled with a few dozen friends ranging from a few younger kids Ginny had taken under her wing the previous year up to Lee and Angelina who had come to support George. While she thought she'd spend the evening visiting with each of them, she found herself standing back at the porch door to view the group from afar.
She fought back the tears due to the holes in the group – the glaring absences like Collin Creevey and her big brother. And she forced herself to not wince seeing Lavendar Brown's face scarred from battle. But, she felt calmer than she had in weeks to see all of them in one place. So lost in her thoughts, she jumped at hearing a familiar voice come from beside her.
"Strange seeing them all smiling and happy, isn't it?"
His voice broke her last composure, and she turned to him and hugged him fiercely. "We wouldn't have made it without you, Neville. I just, truly, thank you."
He held her as she cried, wiping a few of his own tears away before adding, "Hey now, it wasn't just me. You kept these kids safe. You taught them how to fight back, how to heal, and most importantly, how not to let all those horrible things break their spirits. And now they are here. Look at them. They aren't just not dead, Gin. They're able to really live because of what you did for them. They're playing and even laughing. And that's thanks to you."
She kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Nev."
He chuckled, "Hey now, watch yourself. I don't need The Chosen One coming after me next."
She rolled her eyes.
"Thanks for pulling this together, though. I didn't know how much I needed this."
"Right? I hadn't either, but there had been this underlying anxiety I couldn't put my finger on. At first I thought it was about Fred, or maybe all about Harry. But, I woke up the other day and it finally clicked. I was like a mother hen running around who couldn't find all her chicks. And I needed to get them all in one place so I could finally breathe."
Neville took a long, slow breath and let it out. "I see what you mean."
"I haven't felt this at peace since – well, I can't actually remember. You think Mum would let me keep them all in the back yard?" she teased.
"Part of me thinks you can talk anyone into anything," he admitted. "But then again, I think you may have learned all of that from your Mum."
They both laughed at that as they continued to watch the party from a distance. When they both saw Luna turn to look at them and then blow a kiss, Ginny turned to him with a more wicked grin.
"Am I correct in assuming that little kiss wasn't to just blow away some nargles, Mr. Longbottom?"
He blushed and admitted, "We may have seen each other a few times over the past couple months."
"I love Luna," Ginny said with a sincere sigh. "She is a great example of how to just keep smiling in the face of adversity."
"She had her own hell in that dungeon," Neville said through a grimace. "But she is very good at helping me remember to look forward and not back."
"That she is. So, is this serious?"
Neville shrugged his shoulders. "Too soon to say. And we're all still a bit fragile, I think. But, at the very least I think we are good for each other right now."
"I like how you said that. Hard to make long term decisions when my brain is still busy trying to believe we're safe."
Neville reached his arm around her and pulled her into a side hug as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "You're safe, Gin. I promise."
She nodded.
"I've never had a sibling," he admitted. "You are the expert at those. But, I suspect that I love you as if you were my own sister. You've seen me at my best and at my worst and love me anyway. You've picked me up when I was down and gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going. And Chosen One or not, if Harry does anything to hurt you, I will end him." Then after a pause he added, "Or, I will at least give it my best shot."
They both laughed again before Ginny added, "You stood up to Voldemort when no one else could even speak. You pulled the damn Sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat, and you killed that horrible snake. So never underestimate yourself, Neville. Or your sister will have to beat you into admitting how wonderful you really are."
Harry and Charlie
"Careful, Harry, those buggers can bite."
"Uh, yeah," Harry said, shaking his right hand where a gnome had just bitten him. "I got that, Charlie, thanks."
Charlie smiled and made his way over to the young wizard. He rolled up his sleeves and dug into the dirt and began the task of de-gnoming.
"So, with You Know Who gone and Ginny at school, this is all you could come up with to fill your days?"
Harry smiled, but didn't immediately respond. Chucking another gnome, he said, "Kingsley had me in the most mind-numbing meetings all day. This seemed the best way to burn off the aggravation."
Charlie nodded. "And people wonder why I prefer working with dragons."
"I am really beginning to understand the appeal."
"Oh, I've been meaning to tell you. That dragon you all broke out of Gringotts is doing well at the Welsh reserve. Out of the infirmary area now and reintroduced into the rest of the herd."
"Hey, that's brilliant. I'm glad to hear it. He certainly saved our lives."
"She."
"Pardon?"
"It was a female dragon."
"Oh, yeah, brilliant. She saved our lives then."
"Still hard to picture the three of you deciding that jumping on her back was the best plan."
"Yeah," Harry said as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "Probably from Ron's adoration of the Cannons. You know, hold on tight and hope for the best and all."
Charlie barked out laughter, slapping Harry on the back, "So true!"
Charlie's back pat had nearly knocked Harry over, but after a brief stumble he regained his balance.
They worked in a companionable silence for a while before Harry said, "It's been good getting to know you, Charlie. I know you loved the job in Romania, but I'd only met you in passing a few times before this year. You know your family loves having you back, but I have really appreciated it to."
"You say that as if you aren't part of that family, which is bollocks. Even if you weren't attached at the hip and other places I don't want to know about with my baby sister-"
Harry winced, but said nothing.
"You know my parents consider you one of their own. And once Mum thinks of you as part of her brood, well, there's no escape. Even for The Chosen One."
"Nice, Charlie."
"Harassment is part of the sibling bond, Harry. Get used to it."
"Hermione and I have wondered at that for years. I am not sure someone who grows up an only child will ever truly understand those secret sibling rituals."
"Challenge accepted."
"Oh Merlin."
After another 20 minutes of quiet work, Charlie asked, "So, are you officially working with Kingsley now?"
Harry shrugged. "I think officially I am not doing much of anything."
"What are you unofficially doing?"
"Well, I seem to be attending mind numbing meetings and talking about trials during the day and spending time with Teddy whenever Mrs. Tonks lets me."
"And writing Gin."
"Yeah, but she has no time to write back. She is a hundred times busier than me."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. I mean Head Girl is always a lot. And Quidditch Captain is always a lot. But this year, it is bordering on insanity."
"Kind of a role reversal, huh?"
"Absolutely. And I am happy to take a supporting role for once."
"Yeah?"
"Oh yeah. It's not like I wanted to be at the head of the circus that was my life. I didn't have much of a choice. Means more when someone, like Gin, steps up and takes it all on voluntarily."
"You don't think you would have volunteered for your role as the Chosen One?"
Harry thought for a moment. "I don't think I could ever know the answer to that. I was already targeted before I even knew magic existed. So, all of my experiences and interactions were formed by that. I'd like to think I would have volunteered, but if I hadn't been at the center of the circus I don't know how that would have changed who I really became."
"Nah, you're a Gryffindor through and through."
Harry laughed. "You'd be surprised?"
"What does that mean?"
Harry stood, stretching his back. "Not many know this, but the Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin."
"You're yanking my chain."
"True as I stand here."
"So what happened?"
"I asked it not to. I asked to be put in Gryffindor instead."
Charlie bellowed out a laugh. "I can't decide if standing up to the Sorting Hat is the sign of a true Gryffindor or if negotiating your way into the house of your choosing is the most Slytherin thing ever."
"Very true."
"Explains that whole Parseltongue thing, then."
"I've wondered about that."
"How so?"
"I wonder if that was actually just Voldemort's soul and not really me."
Charlie guffawed and just looked at him. Harry squirmed under the stare.
"What, you knew I was the last horcrux."
"Oh, yeah, no, that's not what I was thinking. Have you not been able to talk to snakes since then?"
"Um, haven't really had any interactions with snakes since then."
"Well, Merlin's balls, Harry, let's fix that."
In the blink of an eye Charlie was headed towards the pond with Harry hurrying to catch up.
"Not all of us have Hagrid sized-strides, you know."
"You're a wizard, Harry. You'll figure it out."
Soon they were at the shore of the pond, with Charlie looking down in the reeds and rushes. "I don't see any anywhere. Can't you just call them or something?"
"Uh, I suppose." So, Harry took a moment and tried to focus his mind on talking to snakes, asking "Excuse, me, is anyone here?"
Within a few minutes, there were 7 different snakes at Harry's feet hissing at him.
"I guess you still got it, mate," Charlie said, trying not to laugh.
"Great, but now what do I tell them. They are all annoyed I dragged them over here."
"That is a problem I have never had."
Focusing on the snakes Harry says, "I am sorry to have bothered you. I was concerned I had lost my ability to communicate with snakes. But, you all seem to understand me just fine." And soon the snakes were gone.
"That deserves a pint, Harry. You just got the equivalent of an eye roll from each of those snakes. Merlin's y-fronts, that was funny."
Percy and George
Percy was coming out of the washroom at his childhood home when he heard a series of inventive swear words and the thud of books and papers crashing to the floor from the twins' room. No, from George's room, he reminded himself.
It may have been nearly five months since they'd lost Fred, but some habits were hard to break. George had tried moving back to the flat he'd shared with Fred above the shop, but he'd returned home after a month simply saying it was too soon and he wasn't ready yet. Everyone was relieved, as there had been a few incidents where he'd tried to numb his grief with both potions and alcohol. With him at home, they could at least know if he spiraled again.
While part of him wanted to tiptoe down the stairs and avoid a charged interaction with George, he was trying to reclaim the Gryffindor soul he knew he had somewhere deep down inside. And, as the door wasn't completely shut, he could see George sitting at his desk, head in hands.
"You ok in here?" he asked as he gently knocked on the door.
"Wha?" George asked, surprised to hear his brother's voice. "Oh, Perce, hey. Yeah, I'm, well, fuck."
Percy bent down and began stacking up the scattered papers and books from the floor.
George watched him, slightly amused for a moment, before asking, "Percy, you do know you can do magic, right? I mean you haven't had the trace on you for years now."
"Yes, George, I'm aware," he said, impressed he was able to keep the eye roll out of his reply. "But this takes about as much effort."
"Yeah, well, thanks."
"I'll leave you be if you want. Just sounded like you either needed a break or some help with something."
Grimacing, George said, "It's just the shop,"
"I thought it had been going ok. Ronald mentioned how busy it's been."
"Oh, it's been busy. I just don't know if it's been profitable. You know how much better Freddie is – was - at maths than me. He kept all the books and managed contracts and things. I'm trying to dig through his notes and accounts, but it's driving me mental."
"Well, I think you may have finally found the one thing in your shop I can actually help with. Here, can I see what you're working on?"
"Really?" George asked. And, while just for a second, Percy could almost see George as he'd been a dozen years ago when Percy would help him with his school work.
"Of course, George. I'm happy to help. Thrilled actually, because I've wanted to help, but we all know inventing mischief isn't my area of expertise."
George huffed, which was the closest he came to a laugh these days. "You've mellowed, Perce, but not that much."
"No. If I ever do, you can assume there is polyjuice involved."
"I'll keep that in mind," George said, an amused eyebrow raised at his tightly wound brother as he flipped Fred's account books open so Percy could see them.
Percy's eyes quickly darted across the ledger, his finger sliding down the far right column to check the totals.
"Ok," he said, flipping the page. "So where is the other ledger?"
"Other ledger?" George asked. "Why would he keep more than one?"
"Well, this one clearly tracks the revenue for the shop. But there should be information on the expenses somewhere." Noticing his brother's wrinkled brow he continued, "you know, the cost of purchasing ingredients, paying staff, that sort of thing. And there should be some information tracking inventory – how many of a product you made or purchased and how many sold."
"Uh, yeah, that makes sense. But I saw this one and assumed it was it."
"Where was this one?"
"In his desk at the shop. But," his voice cracking, "I just pulled this out and didn't go through anything else. I just – well –"
"No, no. I get it. Hey – why don't I pop over and get it now and we can take a look at it? Ron's still over there, right? I'll just floo there and back."
Ten minutes later.
George heard Percy's footsteps on the stairs so called out, "Any luck, Perce? Find anything?"
At the lack of response, he looked up to the door and saw his brother. Instead of the tight-laced bureaucrat he'd expected, he saw his brother with rainbow glitter hair, giant elephant ears and a trunk coming from his face and a flashing word floating above his head declaring 'THIEF.'
George burst out laughing, which was a sound no one had heard since May 2nd. The sound was so novel, that people began pouring out of rooms from around The Burrow to see what had happened, and on seeing Percy, no one could help but join in the laughing.
"Frederick always did enjoy getting the last word," Percy said dryly.
Bill and Ginny
"Welcome back," Bill said from his seat at the kitchen table as Ginny came in.
"Thanks, it's good to be home for Christmas," Ginny said as grabbed two cinnamon sugar biscuits from the tin on the counter."
"One of those for me?" Bill asked.
With a mumbled, "boys are so lazy," she tossed one to her oldest brother.
"How goes Hogwarts?"
"Better than last year."
Bill huffed. "Not exactly encouraging."
"Classes are fine. Almost an afterthought, really."
"How so?"
She looked at him, clearly deciding how much to say. "Alright, what do you remember about your last year at school?"
"Um, studying for NEWTs, playing quidditch, hanging with – well"
"Annalise?"
"Yeah," he said, revealing the tell-tale red ears of an embarrassed Weasley.
"Right. The kids who were there last year were all traumatized by being tortured or forced to torture others or from losing family members. And the ones who weren't there last year are traumatized from being in hiding or on the run, missing family members and behind by a year in their studies. And, we've got kids in classes together whose parents tried to kill each other a year ago, not to mention a few older students who still have their Dark Mark tattoos from their stints – voluntary or not – as Death Eaters. So, being both Head Girl and the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, I'm trying to referee the rivalries, be a mind healer for all the students plagued by nightmares and unable to sleep and I'm tutoring muggle-born students to help them catch up. And that's all on the side while I go to class and fend off a million questions a day about dating 'The Chosen One' on top of trying to stay in shape to lead my team as chaser. So, yeah, classes, NEWTS," she shrugged. "They are afterthoughts. I mean, after I dueled Bellatrix and other Death Eaters, taking a written test on the purpose of dueling seems a little ludicrous."
Bill just stared at his little sister. He still saw her as a dreamy little girl who did her best to keep up with her brothers. But, the feisty woman in front of him was clearly no little girl.
"Bill? You okay there?"
"Uh, yeah, sorry. And, um, wow. You have a lot going on. I am trying to imagine handling all of that, but I honestly can't. How are you holding it all together?"
She took another bite of her biscuit and waggled her eyebrows. "Helps that half the people are scared of me, and the other half are scared of my boyfriend."
He laughed at that, "I can see where that would be an advantage."
"Yeah, it does. But, honestly, I am glad I'm there. There were a lot of kids there last year who had a really hard time. And, it helps me to see how much better they are doing. I know the rest of you are focused on rebuilding the rest of the magical world, and that's great. But, my war experience was all at Hogwarts. And not just the battle, you know? Protecting those younger kids, working with Neville and Luna, it kept me sane. It kept me feeling like I had something to contribute. And being there this year and helping them through this transition to a new normal, well, it's what I need, even if a big part of me just wants to play quidditch and snog Harry."
"Oi!"
"Oh, please, your wife is up the duff. Don't roll your eyes at me for spending time with my guy."
"He better not be-"
"Choose your next words carefully, William, you know my reputation with hexes. Curse breaker or not, I can make your life very uncomfortable if you pretend that I should be held to a different standard than the rest of our siblings."
"I, I, bloody hell." He sighed in defeat. "I didn't say anything."
"Good.
"But Chosen One or not, if he hurts you, he'll pay."
"If he hurts me, you'll have to get in line behind me to make him pay."
"You are one of a kind, Ginerva Weasley."
"Yes, the world could only handle one of me.
"That's for damn sure. But, seriously for a moment, do you need help? Does McGonnagal need more staff or volunteers or something to help? You have way too much on your plate for any one person to handle."
"Well, thank you for that. I am sure she wouldn't turn down offers of assistance. But, as for helping with the students, many of them aren't gong to trust easily, so they are only going to turn to someone they know already. But, maybe tutoring help to assist kids catching up from what they missed could be something volunteers could do."
"Consider it done."
"Wonderful. Now, I just came in here to get a biscuit to fuel my nap. I desperately need one if I am going to snog Harry all night."
"Oi, was that really necessary?"
"Probably not. But I enjoyed it. See you later big brother."
Harry and Hermione
It was almost 4:45 am, and Harry's wand buzzed to let him know it was time for the nightly sneaking out of Ginny's room and sneaking into the room he shared with Ron.
"I love you, but if you don't turn that off in the next five seconds, I will hex you."
He felt for his glasses and cancelled the alarm. Smiling, he bent down and kissed Ginny's forehead. "Love you too."
Quietly making his way out of Gin's room, he left the door open and made his way up the stairs. He bit back his smirk at seeing Hermione coming down the stairs. Hermione stopped just above the squeaky stair and gave Harry a guilty grin.
"Think this will ever not be awkward?" she whispered.
"Probably not," he said, hip bumping her as she passed him.
"Night, Harry."
"Night, Hermione."