chapter image by mixer at the-dark-arts
Luna stared around at the battlefield. Rubble, debree, blood and bodies were covering the courtyard. Everyone had lost someone in the battle, even the Weasley’s had. Fred Weasley, one of the inseparable twins had been killed by a Death Eater in the first hour of the battle, even from outside Luna could hear the Weasley’s sobs.
Luna had grown accustomed to death, she was 4 when she had first lost someone she had loved. Yet, she had never seen death so… Upfront in her life. Over the past 12 hours people - innocent people - had died before Luna's eyes. She knew that their final screams would be forever etched into her mind
"Luna? What are you doing out here?" Luna heard the familiar voice of George Weasley. Smiling she replied smoothly, "I just needed some fresh air. The wrackspurts were getting to my head." George shook his head, unable to produce even the slightest smile.
"How are you coping George? Luna asked, sitting down on the half destroyed steps. George followed and slumped down onto the stairs, his head resting in his hands.
"George, there is nothing you could have done." Luna said, using the same line that her father had given to her when her mother had died when she was 8.
"You know," George sniffed, "People always told me that they couldn't tell the difference between Fred and I. They said that there was no difference, but there was a difference."
"What was that?" Luna asked sympathetically.
"The difference was that Fred - Fred had a freckle on his right hand and - and a scar on his ankle, which I gave him-." Luna knew George wanted to say more, but he couldn't. That was the thing about grieving, Luna thought to herself, You want to say so many things about that person. You truly believe, that if you talk about them for long enough then they'll come back to you, but they don't.
George broke down into un-requited and silent sobs.
"I'm sorry." George said after 5 minutes, wiping his tears away. His face was all blotchy from all the crying he had done in the past 10 hours and his eyes were red and puffy. This was a state Luna never thought she would see a Weasley in.
"Miss Lovegood, Mr. Weasley will you come back inside? Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger have a statement they would like to make," Professor McGonagall said, sounding as tired and weary as everyone else. Luna and George spun around and saw McGonagall standing behind them; leaning against the half-broken pillar. Getting to their feet, Luna and George walked back into the Great Hall where everyone's eyes were on the trio that had just won them the battle. The Great Hall looked nothing like its former self. The four house tables had been broken, smashed or thrown through the hall. Up where the teachers used to sit during every meal it looked almost impossible to walk upon because of all the glass on the ground and in the centre of the Great Hall were all of the bodies, laid out to look like they were sleeping. Only this time, they wouldn't be waking up.
"Attention!" McGonagall yelled. Luna watched as George walked off towards his shell-shocked family, "They would like to say a few words!" Cheers erupted throughout the Hall (Luna could have swore she even heard a few people wolf-whistles) as the golden trio walked up the stairs. Luna noticed that Hermione and Ron's hands were occasionally brushing past each others as they walked.
'About time' She thought, smiling. Luna looked up at the three teenagers and waited for them to speak. Harry looked at Hermione; who nodded slightly and then, taking a deep breath, Harry began to talk.
"Hello." He said awkwardly, "Before I start I would like to ask several people come up here. Neville, Ginny and Luna" Luna smiled and began to walk up towards her friends. Behind her, she could feel a certain ginger haired man looking at her. She reached the top of the stairs and hugged Hermione. The last time she had seen Hermione was at Shell Cottage after Malfoy manor and she had a new aura around her. Like she didn't care what anything thought.
The old Hermione was coming back Luna thought, turning to hug Ron; who couldn't keep his eyes off Hermione.
"It's good to have you back Luna." Neville whispered into her ear when she hugged him.
"It's good to be back." She whispered back.
"Anyway." Harry said after everyone had greeted one another (Harry and Ginny had kissed in greeting), "This year has been the hardest year that anyone of us will face."
"You got that right!" Someone yelled from the crowd.
'At least some people are in high spirits,' Luna thought as everyone let out a small chuckle. Everyone except George.
"And I think you all deserve to know the truth about everything…,"
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George didn't know where he was heading, he had left the hall straight after Harry had finished explaining why all these people had died. "They didn't die in vain." Harry had said. George had never been an angry person, he had never felt the need to hit anyone before, but that was before his world got snatched away from him.
He had tried. He had tried to think of a happy memory without Fred, but it was impossible. Every single memory that George had, Fred was there with him.
I wonder how long this grieving lasts? He thought, leaning against a pillar that had miraculously stayed whole. Slumping down to the ground, he fell into a pitiful sleep; dreaming of a whole with Fred by his side.
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