After the Battle at Hogwarts

Everyone was cheering and celebrating as if the world hadn’t just ended. Harry fell to his knees and began to bawl as the bodies were recounted right in front of him.

Fred’s sneering face made it difficult to hold back the undeniable pain that was flooding his chest. Lupin and Tonks- fallen side by side- the immediate thought of his parents made his stomach lurch with anger, sadness and regret. It seemed so cruel that every single one of his father’s best friends had each fallen to a similar fate.

Ginny knelt beside Harry and placed an arm around him, “It won’t bring them back you know.” He peered up at her, her tear-stained eyes bore into his own and he lowered his head once more before speaking in a sullen tone, “I did this. I did all of this.”

Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Hermione joined Ginny and formed a semi-circle around Harry and the bodies that were still being laid before them.

“Honestly Harry, don’t- Don’t be so daft.” Mrs. Weasley sniffed out before sobbing once more.

He looked at her, completely repulsed by her words. How could she say that? She of all people? He had killed her son. Her son.

“No, this is my fault. Mine. I did this. I killed them.” The words burned as they escaped his mouth. They had been the truth. The realization of everything that he had done. Everything. His mere existence was the reason for all of this. The pain in his chest was consuming every fiber of his being, every molecule in his body was engulfed with hatred; hatred, for knowing that he was still alive. Wishing he wasn’t. “If everyone had just left me alone. Had I been able to do this on my own-“

“Then what?” Harry drew in a breath, for the first time since his twin’s death, George spoke in a voice barely above a whisper; “Hm? Then what? More people would be dead? The Dark Lord would still be alive? Those horcruxes wouldn’t have been found and you- you would be dead? Face it Harry, without us behind you, we could have suffered a fate much worse than this.”

George’s gaze fell to his brother’s corpse once more. Mrs. Weasley sobbed louder as she threw her arms around Harry.

A few moments passed, and a light cough interrupted Mrs. Weasley’s sniffles as everyone turned to face Percy and Mr. Weasley.

“Molly dear, they’ve informed us that we can’t take Fred’s body with us tonight.” Mrs. Weasley didn’t look up, she merely nodded and Mr. Weasley drew in another breath and continued, “We need to wait until all of the bodies have been properly identified and the family members contacted as soon as possible. Then, we can have an appropriate funeral.” Mr. Weasley was suppressing a sob so fiercely that his voice became almost inaudible as he finished his statement.

Percy was so feverishly scribbling into his note pad that when he finally looked up, the tip of his nose was stained gray from the ink of his quill.

“Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The minister has asked if you three would please meet him in his office-“

“You tell the minister-” Hermione lifted her head from Ron’s shoulders. Her face was a bright shade of scarlet and her cheeks matted with tears; “That Hermione Granger said the trio will speak to him when they are good and ready. We should like a few days to recuperate and we will contact him when we are ready.”

Percy smiled and nodded curtly to Hermione. He jotted something down on his notepad and looked at the group that was still knelt in front of his younger brother’s body.

“I was the last person he spoke to you know.” His voice was quivering and everyone was looking at him, eager for him to continue, “I made a joke about resigning from the ministry and he looked at me. He said, ‘Percy I haven’t heard you tell a joke in years’ and he laughed… and then- then…” He began to sob, his notepad fell from his hands as he hit the floor, “If I hadn’t distracted him- he’d- This-“

George looked at Percy and cocked a grin, despite the tears that were still streaming down his face, “Percy, you have no idea what it meant to Fred to see you laugh like that.”

“I just-” Percy was nearly screaming, his voice was echoing through the Great Hall as he spoke, “I wish he would have known how proud I was to be his big brother. The both of you. I’ve never said it, but I love you. I’m so sorry. Fred, forgive me. Please.” His body shook as he lowered his head, his face was inches away from Fred’s feet.

“You know we were proud too. Even when you stomped off and became a ministry stooge. We were still proud of you.” George motioned to the side of his face, “My ear’s there with him. I’m sure he can hear you just fine.

Percy looked up at George and hobbled over to him, arms widespread and the two hugged for the first time in ages.