Three Hallows, Two Weasleys and One Broken Girl

Chapter 54: Grimmauld Place

George rubbed at the smooth glaze of his mug, watching the steam rise and feeling the weight of the silence. Ginny had never seen him like this, hadn't known how to help him, but Harry had taken charge, guiding George to an unfamiliar bedroom, pressing tea into his hands and leading his girlfriend out the room. He wasn't entirely sure space had been what he needed, but no other solution in his mind seemed better, he was such a mix of anger, fear and exhaustion. He'd drunk the tea and gone to sleep, and now he'd awoken to find a fresh tea at his beside, and the mix of emotions tinged with new guilt.

He didn't think he was wrong exactly, but punching his twin in the face hardly solved the problem, and he knew Fred was clueless about conflict resolution so he'd never find the words to breach the gap. George didn't want to go back right then though, say sorry even though he wouldn't mean it yet and move forward. Finding the invisibility cloak, the true one, could take months or even years, so he felt he could take a day in the sanctuary of Grimmauld Place. Odds were the cloak was buried in a corner of an ancient bint's Gringotts vault, and they'd have to charm their way to fifty knock offs before even chancing a look at the real thing.
At least Beadle the Bard specified the bloke's son inherited it, then again making another pass at the Ministry records office would be far more difficult this time around.

"George?"
He looked up to see Harry leaning awkwardly in the doorway, five O'clock shadow making his face older than it should be, and green eyes almost more startling for it.
"Harry?" He echoed in the same tone, though the mocking edge was lacking so the humour fell flat.
Harry moved into the room, and carefully closed the door behind him. "I, uh, I'm not good at this."
"Good at what?" George took a gulp of tea and regretted it. It seemed Kreacher still hadn't forgotten their last stay at the house.
"Talking about things.." Harry continued awkwardly, "but..I reckon you'd rather me to Ginny somehow..if you want to talk that is."
He was tempted to keep being obtuse, but as he set the mug down he knew he couldn't do that to Harry. "I think I should." He began, "But I'm not sure where to start."
Harry tilted his head. "You broke into the Ministry, and Hogwarts."
"How do you know about Hogwarts?"
Harry rolled his eyes, "You know I still have the Marauder's Map don't you?"
"And you look at it why?"
Harry shrugged uncomfortably, "I can talk to Padfoot and Moony. I know it's not them...but it's, it helps."
"I suppose I can understand that." George regretted asking.
The younger man shook himself, "Anyway, are you breaking into Gringotts next? It's almost like you're looking for horcruxes."
An apt comparison. George grimaced. "I was...I was warned against discussing it."
Harry frowned, and then blinked, "by...by Delphi?"
"Why would you think that?"
Another awkward shrug, "she...warned me about things sometimes too, bits and pieces..."
"Of course she did." The warmth of affection hurt his bruised heart, but a smile bent his lips regardless. She teased them about rule breaking, but no one bent the rules to their limits quite like Delphi. "But no, it was Luna."
Harry clearly looked hurt, "she told you not to tell me? Is she like Delphi too?"
"Not quite." George debated with himself, "on both counts. And, I think that's why I'm going to tell you what I am. But, I need you to be open minded Harry, because I know you looked up to Dumbledore but-"
"I don't anymore." Harry interrupted.

George blinked and Harry fidgeted before admitting quietly, "I'm seeing a mind healer. Delphi...she left a letter for me, with this healer's name, and told me to reach out to him."
So the whole thing had truly been premeditated, George had wondered just a little and was upset with himself for not realising. He'd been so occupied with the potential death of himself or Fred that he hadn't seen any signs...and there must have been plenty - Delphi was no Slytherin.
"Everyone was against it." Harry admitted, "but she's never been wrong and she wasn't this time either...she keeps my secrets and she's helped me figure out things I was too young and scared to recognise. Albus Dumbledore might have believed he was a good man, but..I don't think he was."
"No." George reached out to squeeze Harry's shoulder, "he wasn't, and he kept you ignorant of many things, one of which I'm going to explain to you now."
"Okay."
"In the beginning there were the gods." George took a deep breath. "Chief among them Time, Destiny, Fate, Magic...and Death."

The next half hour George spoken more than he had in months, and with more care than any conversation he could remember, about the many gods, the evidence for their existence and their roles in the world. When first touching, cautiously, on the three brothers, a thought occurred to him.
"You died, didn't you? In the forest."
Harry had been confused, angry and understanding in turns as he listened to what George had had to say, and to his credit he didn't seem distressed at the new topic. "Sort of. I met Dumbledore and he didn't explain whether it was real or in my head, the prick insisted it could be both, before sending me back to the land of the living."
George was bemused at the idea, Death had been too busy negotiating with Fate to deal with the chosen one personally.. but it wasn't very helpful right then. "I hope you shouted at him?"
"I didn't really think he deserved it back then." Harry answered annoyed, "And I was a bit preoccupied being recently murdered by Moldy farts."
Harry and Luna were the only two who'd joined the twins in using that nickname. There was something delightful about Harry using it every time he was asked for an interview or speech. The child of a Marauder through and through.

"Fair point." George was just about to go on, when Fred burst in with Ginny on his tail.
"There you are!" He declared, before realising it probably wasn't the first thing he should be saying. He crossed the room and hauled George up in to a fierce hug. "I'm sorry for being a reckless prat!"
George curled a little into the hug, and took a slow breath, "I'm not sorry for how I reacted. You were a prat Freddie. But I forgive you I suppose."
"Suppose?"
Suppose."

"Thank Morgana for that." Ginny declared, "Now George can stop crying on my boyfriend."
"You were crying Georgie?"
"Lies and slander! Tell em Harry."
Harry seemed to debate about it, before deciding they were too fragile yet. "He was telling me about the gods."
Fred pulled back with a frown. "He was?"
"He was." George agreed.
"And hallows?" Pressed Fred.
"Hallows?" Ginny echoed, and Harry blinked in the beginnings of understanding.
"Almost." George watched the green eyed wonder warily. "He was keeping a very open mind and I was building up to it nicely when your nosy arse broke in."
"Building up to what?" Ginny was beginning to get snappy, he could tell.
Harry flicked his wand and wordlessly conjured two chairs like that was a thing wizards did normally. "I suppose you should keep building...and explain exactly why you are on a Hallows hunt?"
Fred and Ginny took seats and George returned to the edge of his bed, trying to ignore the fact he was in pyjamas. "Okay," he began.
"But please," Fred continued.
"Keep an open mind." George finished.

____

Hello everyone!
Sorry this chapter took a bit, as you may have gathered I've got quite a bit of other writing going on, but it's no excuse to neglect this story, especially so close to the end (two ish chapters and an epilogue I think)

Thank you so very much to everyone who offered to beta read, I was awed by how many of you were up to volunteer their time! I've got several marvellous people on the job, and hopefully with their help I'll be emailing literary agents soon.
I'll keep you guys updated, I might possibly be using my 'well established' reader base as a selling point in those future emails, which I'll hope you'll forgive.
Hope wherever you are, you're safe from mother nature's wrath this summer,
Whimsy.