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Ginny's eyes followed Emma as she paced the back room of the Burrow. Emma, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley were all waiting impatiently for the arrival of Harry Potter along with those who had left to fetch him. Mrs. Weasley stared fixedly out the window and Ginny sat on the floor glancing between her mother and friend.

"They should have been back by now." Emma said, still pacing. "Why is everyone missing their Portkeys?"

A loud shriek from Mrs. Weasley caused both Ginny and Emma to jump. When the girls' eyes swiveled in Mrs. Weasley's direction she had already begun running down the stairs. The three females clambered down the steps, Mrs. Weasley screaming all the way. Harry and Hagrid finally came into view. Harry stood, swaying slightly and Hagrid struggled to his feet.

"Harry? You are the real Harry? What happened? Where are the others?" cried Mrs. Weasley.

Emma and Ginny showed the same worry on their faces. Harry was clearly out of breath. Emma wanted desperately to know what had happened to her friends, especially Fred and George.

"What d'you mean? Isn't anyone else back?" Harry said, still trying to catch his breath.

"You're the first one's here," Emma answered quickly, anxious for a response from Harry.

"The Death Eaters were waiting for us," Harry told them. "We were surrounded the moment we took off – they knew it was tonight – I don't know what happened to anyone else, four of them chased us, it was all we could do to get away, and then Voldemort caught up with us-"

Emma saw the pleading in Harry's eyes as he spoke to them. She knew he couldn't have given any information on the whereabouts of the rest of the Weasley family.

"Thank goodness you're alright," Mrs. Weasley said, pulling Harry into a hug. It always amazed Emma how much Mrs. Weasley treated Harry like another son.

"Haven't go' any brandy, have yeh, Molly?" asked Hagrid shakily. "For medicinal purposes?"

Emma watched solemnly as Mrs. Weasley trudged back to the house. She felt like going with her, for she knew Mrs. Weasley was likely to begin sobbing once she was out of ear shot. However, Ginny's voice made her stay.

"Ron and Tonks should have been back first, but they missed their Portkey, it came back without them." As Ginny spoke she pointed to the old rusty oil can that had arrived in the lawn before hand. It was the first sign that something was wrong.

"And that one," Emma added, pointing to a ruddy sneaker, "Should have been Mr. Weasley and…" She had to pause to pull herself together. Emma feared if she said Fred's name out loud she would break out into sobs.

"Fred," Ginny finished for her. "You and Hagrid were third and," Ginny paused a lifted up her arm to glance at her wrist watch, "if they made it, George and Lupin should be back in about a minute."

Ginny and Emma turned at the sound of Mrs. Weasley approaching. She carried a bottle of brandy, which she handed to Hagrid. Emma watched as Hagrid uncorked the bottle and downed it in one swig. Her gaze, however, snapped to Ginny a moment later.

"Mum!" Ginny shouted from beside her. When Emma looked she saw Ginny pointing to a spot several feet away from where they stood.

From a blue light, George and Lupin appeared. Emma noticed that Lupin was supporting her friend, whose face was covered in crimson blood. Emma let out a shriek before hurrying to George. Harry beat her to him though. Harry grabbed George's legs and helped Remus carry him into the Burrow. Emma followed closely behind her friend. As he was laid on the couch, the lamp light fell across George's face. Emma heard Ginny gasp from beside her. Emma had the urge to as well, but instead, she collapsed next to George's unconscious body.

Emma was in a sort of trance. She didn't notice Lupin pull Harry into the kitchen. She didn't notice when Ginny and Mrs. Weasley began tending to George's wound. All she did was grasp onto his hand tightly and whisper a wish for him to be okay.

She was pulled out of the trance when Harry spoke. "How is he?"

"I can't make it grow back," Mrs. Weasley said. Emma looked up at Molly with fear for George. Mrs. Weasley continued, more clam than Emma expected, "not when it's been removed by Dark Magic. But it could have been so much worse…. He's alive."

Emma ignored the following words, and merely stared at George with worried eyes. She tried hard to believe she was dreaming, that her best friend had not been injured, that there was no war. Emma was soon pulled from her wishful thinking when a glorious sound reached her ears.

"I'll prove who I am Kingsley, after I've seen my son, now back off if you know what's good for you!"

The sound of Mr. Weasley's shouting made Emma shoot up from her spot on the ground. The space was occupied by Arthur Weasley seconds later. She thought she heard him speak to Mrs. Weasley but she paid no attention. Standing behind the sofa was the one person she had been yearning to return most desperately.

Fred Weasley had not taken notice of Emma yet. He stared at his twin, eyes wide and disbelieving. Emma forced herself not to leap into his arms. Fred needed time to process that his brother was hurt, that his twin was hurt. Emma's gaze also moved down to the couch, where George seemed to be waking.

"How do you feel, Georgie?" Mrs. Weasley whispered.

Emma had to turn her head away as George groped the place his ear had once been. Then she heard him speak, "Saint like." Emma turned her head back to George, whose own gaze was on Fred. "You see…I'm holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?"

Mrs. Weasley let out a great sob. Emma noticed Fred's face fill with color.

"Pathetic," he said to George. The first time Emma had heard him speak since his return. She had the urge to run to him now, but once again, Fred's brotherly situation stopped her. He spoke again and Emma's stomach filled with bats. "Pathetic! With the whole world of ear-related humor before you, you go for holey?"

"Ah well," said George as he grinned at Mrs. Weasley. Her face stained with the trails of her tears. "You'll be able to tell us apart now Mum."

George looked about and my gaze returned to Fred. His eyes remained on George, pained. As George began to speak to Harry, Fred looked up for a split-second. Emma wasn't sure Fred had caught sight of her. She cautiously made her way over to Fred. When she was only a foot away from him he looked up. The two locked eyes but quickly embraced. Emma let out the tears she had been holding in. Fred's arms were wrapped tightly around Emma's waist and her arms were locked around his neck. Emma nuzzled her head under Fred's chin.

"I was so scared for you," she mumbled into his chest. As she spoke her lips barely grazed the cool sweater Fred was wearing.

"I'm fine Em," he reassured. "I'm right here. Nothing happened to me."

"I wish I could say the same for our best mate." Emma said solemnly as she pulled slightly away from Fred to glance at George.

"I'm just happy he's alive."

"I'm happy you're alive," Emma said, resting her head under Fred's chin again. "I don't know what I'd have done if you didn't come back." The mere thought made tears well up in Emma's eyes. She quickly wiped them away before they spilled down her cheek.

"Don't think about that stuff, Em. I'm here aren't I?" Fred kissed the top of Emma's head then rested his cheek on the same spot.

Fred's solemn disposition was not one Emma enjoyed. She hated not seeing him laughing or even smiling. This war was tearing his spirit and Emma hated it. It was not in Fred's nature to be serious – or George's for that matter.

Emma stayed close to Fred and retained a constant bodily contact, whether it was hugging him, kissing his cheek, or just holding his hand. His expression remained grave and his eyes remained on his injured brother as they recounted what had happened during their flights. They were interrupted by the sound of Ginny re-entering the Burrow. Emma hadn't noticed she and the others had left.

"Mum! Dad! Ron's back!"

At the sound of Ronald Weasley's name, Mrs. Weasley's blubbering form rushed for the door. Mr. Weasley sent a look to George before standing quickly and following after his wife. As soon as Ginny had left the Burrow once again, Emma noticed the somber feeling lift slightly from the room, but it remained silent.

"So, Fred, how does it feel to know that even without an ear I'm still the better looking twin?" George was either genuinely happy or he was an amazing actor.

The three broke into laughter. Emma watched Fred as he laughed, happy to see him smiling. George and Fred continued to throw jokes back and forth as Emma watched them with amusement. They we're laughing at a comment Fred had made about Ron and Hermione, when the back door opened again. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were the first to come in, followed by the rest of the group with the addition of Hermione, Ron, Tonks, Bill and Fleur. Everyone faces were stricken with sadness.

"What's wrong?" said Fred when he noticed their faces. His words rumbled in his chest where was holding Emma. "What's happened? Who's – "

"Mad-Eye," said Mr. Weasley before Fred finished. "Dead."

Emma watched Fred's smile turn into a grimace of shock. She turned to see that George had the same expression. Emma's eyes swept the room. Tonks, who Emma had known to be close to Moody, was quietly crying into a handkerchief. Hagrid, who had taken a seat on the floor, was doing the same. Bill was at the sideboard and had a bottle of firewhiskey and some glasses in his hand. With his wand he sent 13 cups filled with the drink toward everyone.

He held his own up and said, "Mad-Eye."

Everyone did the same and drank.

"So Mundungus disappeared?" Lupin asked as soon as he finished his drink.

Immediately Emma was angry. She never trusted Mundungus and was not at all surprised he had bailed on the mission. None-the-less, she was outraged that he would endanger Harry that way. Emma noticed that he atmosphere in the living room had changed. Everyone was looking at Lupin wanting him to go on.

"I know what you're thinking," Bill spoke up. Emma found it calming to hear his voice. Bill was always a big brother to her. He continued, "and I wondered that too, on the way back too, because they seemed to be expecting us, didn't they? They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of skullduggery. Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point? I think Dung panicked, it's as simple as that. He didn't want to come in the first place," Emma passively remembered the fight Mundungus had put up, "but Mad-Eye made him, and You-Know-Who went straight for them. It was enough to make anyone panic."

"But why would Voldemort pick that pair?" Emma spoke up, lifting her head from Fred's chest. She noticed the grimace that fell on many faces in room when she spoke the name.

"You-Know-Who acted exactly as Mad-Eye expected him to. Mad-Eye said he'd expect the real Harry to be with the toughest, most skilled Aurors." Emma heard the admiration Tonks had for Mad-Eye in her voice. "He chased Mad-Eye first, and then when Mundungus gave them away he switched to Kingsley…."

The moment Fleur began to speak, Emma tried to ignore her by turning into Fred's chest again. Fleur and Emma had never been friends. During the time of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the twins had taken a liking to the Beuxbaton girls. The attention Emma normally received from the boys was then given to the gorgeous ladies. Emma was known to hold a grudge, so Fleur never received forgiveness.

When silence came, Emma looked up to see Fleur glaring around the room.

"No." Harry's sudden vocalization made Emma jump and the rest of the group to turn their attention to him. Harry continued, "I mean…if somebody made a mistake, and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to do it. It's not their fault." Emma realized Fleur had been accusing someone of slipping information. "We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you; I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me to Voldemort."

Emma felt a small smile fall on her lips as Harry spoke. Everyone else seemed to be staring at Harry with unreadable expressions. Emma watched as Harry took another swig of his firewhiskey.

"Well said, Harry," said Fred as he pulled Emma slightly closer.

"Yeah, 'ear, 'ear," said George from the couch. Emma looked down to see him glance quickly at Fred. When Emma's gaze fell upon Fred, the corner of his mouth twitched. Emma quickly kissed Fred's jaw which caused a half smile to erupt on his face. Well, it's better than nothing, Emma thought.

More conversation went on, but Emma tried ruthlessly to ignore it. Talk of death and war and evil had been heard enough today. She tried to focus on Fred's hand absent-mindedly rubbing her back. She watched his face as he listened to the conversation going on. Fred's normally jovial features were serious.

"It's not me I'm worried for!" Harry's shouting cause Emma to jerk away from Fred in surprise.

"We know that," Mrs. Weasley said from her spot next to George. "But it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left."

Confused, Emma whispered to Fred, "Where does Harry want to go?"

Fred's eyes remained focused on the rest of the room as he answered. "He wants to help find Mad-Eye's body." The lack of eye contact made Emma's spirit fall a bit.

"Yeah, what about my bleeding ear?" Emma looked down to see George trying to push himself up on the couch cushions. She immediately reacted by placing a helpful hand on his back.

"I know that-"

"Mad-Eye wouldn't want-"

"I KNOW!" Emma jumped again at Harry's exclamation and bumped into Fred's chest.
The room fell silent once again. Emma felt Fred's hand rest on her shoulder. She knew that she couldn't understand all that Harry was going through. She couldn't imagine the stress that must be put on him. He must have felt so misunderstood, so alone.

"Where's Hedwig, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley spoke, breaking the seemingly unending silence. Emma was grateful for the vocalization.

She turned to face Fred. "I think I'm going to go up stairs," she whispered.

Fred's eyes were still transfixed on those conversing behind Emma. Finally, he nodded and gave Emma a distracted kiss on her forehead.

"Stay with George as long as you want. Okay?"

Fred gave another distracted nod.

Feeling dejected, Emma made her way to the staircase unnoticed. As she tip-toed up the creaky steps, she hoped that this war would not have a permanent affect on the cheerful prankster she fell in love with.