the order - f.weasley

- c h a p t e r - t h i r t y -

 Gemma did not return to Hogwarts for the last week of the term.

Nothing was going on in her classes thought, so it did not matter much–but the longer Gemma sat at her house, curled up in bed with Scotch constantly trying to get her to talk to him and gathering random shiny odds and ends around the house for her, Remus Lupin was getting worried.

He had seen how Cedric Diggory's death had affected his daughter–and this seemed about forty times worse than that.

But he wasn't much better.

His best friend was dead–one of the last people on the earth that he would consider family was gone.

Remus had a moment with Sirius before he vanished into the Veil after saving Gemma. His eyes had met Remus's, and the werewolf knew that everything was going to be okay–no matter how much it hurt like hell, everything would be alright.

But Gemma–she blamed herself for what happened.

And she would not speak about it or anything, actually.

She had gone silent, which made Remus's chest ache because that's what Violet had done all those years ago too.

Gone silent as a mute. As elusive as a ghost.

And seeing his daughter curled up in bed, not eating, sleeping, crying, or anything made him sick.

He had tried to comfort her various times over the last week–but something was stopping her from receiving it.

He needed to figure it out before he completely lost her.

So on the very last day of the term at Hogwarts, Gemma woke up to a knock on her door and the sound of it swinging open.

The smell of strawberry waffles hit her nose, and she turned her head over her shoulder–meeting a familiar face she had not been expecting.

Tonks walked in, Gemma's dad at her heels, both of them smiling softly at her.

Gemma felt numb as she stared at them and then pulled the blankets over her head.

There was a sigh, and Gemma felt the mattress dip on her right as Tonks whispered, "Gemothy, come on...We gotta get going..."

The girl did not move.

Very slowly, the blanket was pulled away, and Tonks rubbed her shoulder, "Gemma, I know–this is really, really hard right now, but there are people who love you and want to know you're okay. You have a pile of post the size of Mt. Everest downstairs on the counter from Hermione and Ginny alone." Tonks kissed her head, "We all love you and care for you, and we want to help you through this–because fighting this stuff alone is a silent killer..."

Gemma knew she was right.

As she stared out her window, staring at a tree next to her window shaking in the summer breeze, Gemma felt her shattered heart crack with comfort at Tonk's words.

"She's right, Gem," Her dad whispered, rounding the bed and kneeling down so they were at eye level. "This is a hard time for everyone, and everyone needs someone more than ever..." He took her hand in his, kissing her knuckles, "Let us be your people..."

Gemma just stared at him with empty eyes, wanting to cry and answer, but the energy for either of them felt like so much work.

Her dad nodded slowly, kissing her hand again, "We'll be leaving in about fifteen minutes. Send a Patronus if you need anything..."