Three Hallows, Two Weasleys and One Broken Girl

Chapter 49: Making Strides

How are my lovely readers? What are you up to in the world?

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When George trusted himself enough to sit up, he found himself in a rather beautiful garden. Green lawn, deciduous trees in a palette of browns, reds and golds and a gentle path down from what could only be the abbey. An appropriate place to have one, so close to such a deadly river, easy hauling distance if the bodies were fished out.

The other thing that became apparent was the herd of thestrals here. Thestrals tended to congregate in places that had claimed a lot of lives, battlegrounds, cliffs, old cities...Graveyards and mass graves themselves were the territory of grims. Why Hogwarts had so many Thestrals was never discussed, but George had his suspicions with regards to Slytherin's monster.

He nodded in the direction of the herd, but they paid him little attention. Fred on the other hand was still making indecipherable moans.
George did what any loving brother would do.
He abandoned him to his misery.

Heading toward the river, George found the bridge.
It was old, and so moss laden, he was reluctant to walk across it, though he could feel the powerful magic within it and suspected not a single person, muggle or magical had fallen from it into the rapids below.
He was disappointed that there was no elder nearby, but supposed in the nearly 800 years since the encounter took place, the original tree must have died.
There was a bank though, much like in the story, and George's heart leapt in his throat as he felt in his deepest being that this was the right place. The Autumn sun should be warm, it was in Diagon, but here it felt like a crisp winter morning, air seeming to freeze in his lungs.

He walked slowly across the bridge, feeling out the worn grain of the hand rail with his fingers. On the other side he made easy work scaling the steep edge of the bank. Alighting on pebbles, he gazed across the grey stream, misleading in its playful air. Knowing that the teasing currents could easily pull him under. He'd see Delphi soon if he did, but he knew that wasn't a solution she would want...or Fred probably. George surprised himself with how little he minded either way, he should probably be more concerned by that. Either side of the veil, as long as it was with her and Fred, he didn't mind.

Shaking the thoughts away as he often had over the last few months, George turned his attention back to the bank, eyes searching out every fallen twig.
He could feel Fred watching him from the bridge, probably using the higher vantage point to see further.
It didn't matter, George could feel a pull, a lazy, casual pull, like the wand didn't really care if he found it, but a pull none the less. Walking along the bank away from the bridge, he came across a small patch of deadly nightshade. Nestled amongst the purple and yellow blooms was the wand. It looked like a bony finger reaching out of the earth.

He knelt carefully, and took the wand from its resting place, feeling the rush of intoxicating power as he did so. It was almost delirious. The things you could do...or undo with a wand of this power. He could unweave the machinations of fate, he could make sure no one he loved was ever hurt again, he could change-
"George?" Called Fred worriedly from the bridge.

George hastily let go of the wand, shoving it into the expanded mokeskin bag they had bought for this purpose...cost all their savings but savings were meaningless without the person you're saving for.

He felt relief once it was gone from his hand. No wand should be that...enticing.

"One down!" He called, and heard Fred's whoop before he saw his twin's bright grin.
They had no leads for the others, this was the easiest...but regardless this was a win for today.

They didn't go back to the burrow where they had been living since the battle but apparated to outside their shop. George felt, and was sure Fred felt too, that they could face her belongings, her smell, the memories of her, their apartment held. At least they could now they held physical proof that they were in the process of getting her back.

It was still overwhelming, despite the comfort the mokeskin pouch offered.
One of her mugs was still in the kitchen sink. A couple of her coats were hung up in the hall and the faint smell of woodland and sea air still clung to them.
Aggi was there, still alive thank Merlin or Delphi would murder them when they got her back. The little guy seemed quite relaxed, crawling toward them to give them a cautious sniff before returning to his bird box in the corner of the living room.
Her plants weren't in such good shape, but a hasty water was the best they could do for now.

The surprise came when Fred opened the fridge.
Inside it was packed with meals under stasis. On his eye level was a note.

Fred is fast asleep and somehow I escaped George without waking him up.
We are going into the battle of Hogwarts tomorrow and hopefully it ends how I see it. Well most of it. If it ends how I want it to, it will probably be a while before the both of you return here, as such this food is under stasis. I've also left enough food for Aggi to continue annoying you a year into the future at least.
I'm a coward. But I couldn't live to see you both torn apart. Hopefully the deities the govern our lives allow me this one selfishness and Fred's reading this aloud to George right now (Fred, I know you'd be the first to open the fridge. Your favourites are on the bottom two shelves).
I'm sorry. Sorry we couldn't grow old in this apartment together, creating new ways to make others laugh. I hope it doesn't stop you though. It's the most essential part of you, your ability to bring others joy, and don't you dare lose it because of me.
I'm sorry for leaving you, but I'll never be sorry for loving you. You both made my last three years heaven on earth, I only hope my leaving doesn't makes your next three hell.
I love you my fox and my coyote, stay colourful.
Yours before and beyond,
Delphi

"Crazy bint." Muttered Fred.
He was silent for a moment. Then he burst into tears.
George only needed to see her handwriting before he was following suit.
Just two adult men sobbing alone in a kitchen. Nothing to see.

They ate her risotto. It was her favourite.
They only took and ate some of the food knowing they'd have her back and cooking it herself soon. They'd make her teach them how next time, so they could cook it for her too.
If they didn't think she was coming back, that food would never be touched.
It was a quiet evening. George didn't let Fred touch the wand, he didn't himself despite knowing somewhat instinctively that it had taken him as its wizard.
"Stone next?"
"Better shot finding a pebble or a cloak no one can see?"
"To be fair, we just need to trace Ignotus Peverell's family tree, if the cloak was passed father to son then there may yet be a relative."
"And yet something in my gut says we should find these in order."
"You and your gut can bugger off."
"I feel it in my waters!"
"Fred."
"George."
George sighed. "Stone it is."