So this is the end. I like it much better than the original one I wrote. Hope you like it too.

(BTW I have no idea what colour the twins' eyes are. I figured that if Ron's are blue and Ginny's brown, guessing at one of those was a pretty good bet. If you know better, please let me know.)

Chapter 15

Fred's body lay with others in the next room, and Bill had been right – George was there too. He was sitting beside Fred, not touching him, his knees drawn up to his chest and his arms round his knees. He was not crying. His face bore the blank stunned expression it had had since he and Percy carried Fred into the Great Hall. He looked up as Bill entered, and a look of alarm came into his brown eyes.

"Blimey, Bill, you look awful! What are you doing here? You're not telling me Madam Pomfrey let you out of her clutches?"

"No, I ran away – or walked rather," Bill said, managing a small smile for his brother as he gingerly eased himself down on the floor beside him. "I was worried about you."

George gave a mirthless laugh. "Oh, you don't need to worry about me. I'm okay."

Bill said nothing, but laid a hand on one of George's. For a few moments, they sat in silence.

Then George pulled abruptly away from Bill and stood up. "I can't do this, Bill, I can't," he choked, averting his face from his brother, "What am I going to do without him? I'm so used to being half of Fred and George, I don't know how to be just George." His whole body was racked with horrible gasping sobs, and he leaned against the wall for support.

Bill knew that if he tried to stand up again he would pass out, but he reached up a hand and gripped one of George's. "Come here, Georgie, please…" George half fell down beside his older brother, and Bill held him close as he sobbed and shook.

Their father found them there more than an hour later. George had cried himself to sleep in Bill's arms, and Bill had remained where he was beside Fred's body, continuing to cradle his brother, hoping that his presence would bring him some small measure of comfort as he slept. The sight of the two of them huddled together on the floor brought fresh tears to Arthur's eyes, and he crouched down beside them, putting a hand gently on a shoulder of each. "It's time to go home, boys," he whispered quietly as George woke. "Time to take Fred home…"

The Weasley family, with Harry and Hermione in tow, walked down the front steps of the Castle to the three waiting carriages. Arthur, George and Percy were carrying Fred's body between them. Bill walked between Fleur and Charlie, grateful for Charlie's strong arm around him supporting him and for Fleur's warm hand in his. As they neared the foot of the stairs, Bill gasped at the sight of the Thestrals pulling the carriages, and heard the others doing the same. Of course – they had all seen death now…

The carriages whirled them rapidly down the long drive to beyond the Castle gates where they could Disapparate. Still supported between Charlie and Fleur, Bill felt the familiar constricting darkness as he twisted on the spot and Apparated back at The Burrow. It was good to be home.