The Sight Of Eternity With You

Does Salvation Come?

Angelina took a step away, nodding slightly in defeat. "Just one then," she wagged a finger at him. George crossed his heart and put the bottle back in its hiding place, sitting at his workbench with the glass, swirling the liquid.

It was April now, Fred and George's birthday came and went without comment, Lee and Angelina attempted to make cupcakes. But no streamers, glitter, or any prank was performed, Angelina had taped Fred and hers entire bed in streamers which Fred appreciated with a small laugh.

Anything else felt hollow.

Molly had made a large dinner, attempting to not make a fuss about the day. It was when Lupin showed up for the Order meeting the following day that George was out for blood. Accusing the Order for sitting on the sidelines, not doing a damned thing, that they all knew where Harper was. Lupin explained that attempting to break into Malfoy Manor-the likely headquarters of Voldemort-was walking into a den of nundus and they would continue to see if Harper was really around the Ministry or Knockturn alley in the meantime. Since then, George rarely stayed at the Burrow, avoiding the Order members and his parents who only gave him pitying looks.

"Well, I need to go to the quidditch shop....care for a break?" Angelina offered, leaning against the workbench as George looked through his work notes with a furrowed brow.

"Erm, go on without me...I need to adjust this charm," George muttered, not looking up at her.

"What're you working on?"

"It's....a memory preservation that will allow you to view a memory whenever you hold up the vial," George explained, running a hand through his hair. "It's not like the potion...she made that one year. It'll be everlasting and require no pensieve."

"I like the idea of that," Angelina smiled, George picked up a glass vial, turning it between his fingers with a determined look Angelina had seen countless times. A glimmer of the old George coming to the surface momentarily.

"It feels stuffy in here!" Joy's voice called as she banged open the office door, George flinched slightly as their bubbly blonde friend emerged. "I thought we were going to get ice cream and get your broom wax!"

"We are," Angelina chuckled slightly, turning back to George who was muttering to himself. "George."

"Bring back some lavender," he waved them off.

Angelina sighed, nodding slightly, "will you be here when we get back then?"

"I don't have a wand," George gave her a dry look. "I can't go anywhere."

"Oh don't be like that," Joy pouted, going up to George and squeezing his cheeks. "You big old brute! You need sunshine, let's go outside."

"No, I really don't, Joy."

Joy rolled her eyes and pulled him off the chair, pulling him along the shop and outside into the quiet alley.

"Sunshine. Ten minutes a day, your healer's orders!" Joy pushed him forward, Angelina chuckling as they began walking the alley.

"Joy? How...how are you still so bubbly?" Angelina spoke quietly as the three of them looked through the quidditch shop.

Joy pursed her lips, Angelina noticing how tired and worn the blonde bubble friend looked. "One of us needs to be," she whispered.

Angelina gave her a side hug before moving onto the newest broom models, "Alicia barely keeps in touch nowadays, I only know how she's doing because Lee is adamant on checking on her...but you? I figure-"

"Because I believe she'll be found," Joy smiled. "I know she's hurting and in a lot of pain....but she'll come back to us and that big lug over there is going to nurse her back to peak health."