Firecracker | George Weasley

Chapter 43 *Half-Blood Prince*

A month had passed since her mothers death. She'd spent half the month in her room at headquarters then had reluctantly returned to her family home with her father. The order had thought being back at home with her father would help but it only made things worse since she was surrounded by the memory of what her family used to be. Her father was struggling too, he'd barely left his room. Molly Weasley popped by everyday with a meal for both of them. She brought it to their rooms with fresh water, tea and some snacks they could eat if they got peckish later in the day when she wasn't there.

George was always around, only leaving Scarletts side when Molly was round. He only left to help Fred set up the shop but would leave as soon as possible. He bathed Scarlett and dressed her in fresh clean clothes every day. It broke his heart to see her as a shell of herself. Her face once so full and bright was now hollow. The sparkle in her eyes gone. Her gaze empty as if she wasn't really looking at him but through him. The only time she talked was in her sleep, it was always the same desperate pleas for her mother and Cedric but she wasn't asking them to return. There was no screaming or tears like there was after Cedric's death. It was like she had given up and that broke him. When he wasn't around her and didn't have to look after her, he broke down. It was hard to watch the love of his life going through so much pain and he was unable to do anything to relieve it. Watching her become a shell of who she was was unbearable, but she needed him, he knew she did and he wanted to be with her, she was the love of his life.

Professor Sprout, McGonagall and Dumbledore had visited a few times to check up on Scarlett. As much as they tried to hide the shock when they saw the state of Scarlett, their faces gave it away.

Scarlett could sense people had come and gone but her conscious mind didn't acknowledge anything she saw. On rare occasions she would see George and she would start to come back to reality but then the pain came back, just the surface hitting her mind was excruciating so she instantly retreated back into herself.

"I'm really sorry Letty." Cedric said as he walked into the room

"I hate you! I hate that you told me! I hate that you made me try and save Sirius! I hate that you're dead! I hate my life!" Scarlett screamed at her brother as he walked closer to her trying to bring her into a hug but she fought back.

"I'm really sorry. I thought the chances of that happening were so small."

"So you knew it could happen!"

"I didn't want to burden you."

"Because this is so much better!" Scarlett got up from her bed and paced furiously trying her best to not punch her brothe

"That's why I'm here. To help."

"Help with what? It's too late, you're dead. Mum is dead."

"I'm here to help get you through."

"HA! How about you help me by going back in time and stop yourself from telling me anything about Sirius so our mother doesn't die."

"I can't do that but I can get you through the grief."

"Aren't these visits just for you to tell me to save someone so someone else can die."

"I'm trying to get you to save yourself."
"I don't need saving."

"How long do you think has passed since mum died?"

"A few day, maybe a week?"

"It's been a month."

"No it hasn't."

"Scarlett I'm telling you, you've been out of it for a month. George and Mrs Weasley have been taking care of you with the support of some order members as well. You're in bad shape." Scarlett gulped as little flashes of the past month came back to her.