despondency - George Weasley

{one}

Chapter One

George Weasley sat alone in his office in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. The blinds were drawn and the lights were off, only a dim light shone in the room from between the closed blinds. George was leaning back in his chair, staring at the photo on his desk with a blank expression.

The photo was of him and his brother, back when they were at Hogwarts. It was during their last year when, they had first started testing their products for the store around the school. They were both laughing, Fred's eyes gleamed with mischief, as did George's. If you looked close enough, you could see that far off in the background there was quite the commotion. They had just set off one of their famous Dung Bombs, people were fleeing the scene, but the twins stood, laughing at what a success their product had turned out to be.

It had been ten months since the war. Ten months since Fred had died. Ever since that day, George hadn't been the same. He no longer smiled or laughed like he used to. Most days he felt nothing but sadness and anger. He spent most of his days in his office, or in his flat above the store. He hardly ever was down on the sales floor. The young children who visited the store used to be so excited to see the Fred and George, they were legends among the children of the wizarding world. However, much to the kid's disappointment, George Weasley hardly ever showed his face in the shop after it reopened the August after the war.

His family and friends tried to help, but he just pushed them away. He didn't even spend Christmas at the Burrow. He spent it alone, in the flat that he and Fred once shared, drowning his sorrows in Firewhiskey. It broke Mrs. Weasley's heart when he didn't show up for Christmas, it broke her heart even more when he stopped returning her letters.

George's gaze moved from the framed picture on his desk when he heard the door to his office open. Verity, his assistant, peaked her head around the door. Her short, choppy blonde hair was covering half of her pale face. She stood looking at George for a moment, then she spoke, "May I come in?"

George nodded silently, and Verity hurried in, closing the door behind her. She made her way across the room, her cloak dragging across the floor. She sat down in the seat in front of his desk, and yet again looked at him without saying a single word.

"Is there a reason you're here?" George said, getting tired of the silence; his words came out harsher than he intended.

"I'm quitting," she blurted out, letting out a breath she had been holding in since she arrived at work early this morning, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"This is a joke right?" George said, his voice low.

"I'm sorry," Verity repeated again, her voice quiet as she looked down at her clasped hands resting in her lap.

"You can't do this," George said, searching her eyes for a reason, "you were the first person we ever hired. You're the only one besides me who's been here from the start. You can' just leave now."

"You rely on me too much. I'm basically running this store for you. I can't keep doing this George. I can't take on all your responsibility, I can't do it anymore. You need to start facing the world again, and stop hiding from it in your office," she gave him a sad smile, but continued, "I know it's hard. It's been hard for me too, but you can't let it stop you from living."

"Hard for you too?" George sneered, anger suddenly bubbling up inside of him, "You will never know how this feels. I've lost everything! Nothing will ever be the same! How dare you compare what you're feeling to me, it will never compare!"

"You're not the only one suffering! You think Fred dying didn't hurt me? Or Felix? Or Gwen? Everyone who works here was hurt, everyone was suffering. Fred might not have been our brother, but he meant a lot to all of us," Verity said, tears brimming her eyes, "we're all hurting. And not just because of Fred, because of you too. That's part of the reason I want to leave, seeing you like this, seeing you suffering is killing me. I can't stand it. Working here used to be so amazing. It was almost as magical as Hogwarts. You and Fred made this place seem so alive, and everyone working was having the times of their lives. Well, now everyone hates it here. The fun and magic are gone. It all died with Fred."

"Get out," George said, his voice suddenly calm.

"George, you need to-"

"God damn it, Verity, I said get out!" George shouted, his voice seething with anger.

Verity got to her feet and rushed out of George's office, slamming the door on her way out. George put his head in his hands, trying to contain all the emotion running through him. He could hear the noise of the shop below him. He heard children laughing, and the whooshing and whirling of all the products stocking the shelves. He used to love the sound, but now there was nothing he hated more.

Well," he said to himself, sitting up, "looks like I've got to find a new assistant."

A/N
Wooool first chapter up! I hope you guys liked it, the first few chapter may not be super great, but I promise they'll get better! I'd love it if you guys left a comment to let me know what you guys think :-)