Anissa sat with me through the rest of the day. She held me as I cried and after a while, we began to talk about who her family was as we continued to look down at them. Two Ravenclaw kids were her nieces, daughters of her younger brother, her nephew who was a Hufflepuff, all had fought to end what was a living hell. Everybody was slowly coming back, happy to share the news that Voldemort was finally defeated after so many years. I look over at Anissa as she shared a sad smile and stood up to hug James, Lily and a blonde girl who had recently joined us. It was a celebration in the afterlife, but I didn't really feel like celebrating.
"Fred? You okay?" I chuckle and shake my head as another round of tears began to well up. The tales of the afterlife not having anymore pain was a lie, I felt more alive and hurt than I ever did in my entire living life.
"Fred." Wiping the tears off my face, I feel a heavy hand in my shoulder and later another one on the free shoulder. "Haven't you become such a handsome young man." Confused, i look up and face the two people that I only saw as a child.
"Uncle Fabian... uncle Gideon." I stand up and immediately wrap my arms around both of them, grinning. "It's been ages."
"It sure has. We didn't expect you to be here so soon. How old are you? 30?" Letting out a forced laugh, I shake my head.
"20, wish I was able to turn 30. But 20 will have to do." They both stared at each other and take a seat right beside me, an uncle on both sides, giving me company. "How did it feel?" I ask them, continuing to look down at everybody who cried and hugged. Those who celebrated and those who mourned.
"What?"
"When you came to the afterlife, and saw Mum from here?" Uncle Fabian frowns and sighs, Uncle Gideon stayed quiet, his eyes looking down at what seemed like a puddle of red hair. It was our family, grieving and celebrating all at the same time. I wanted nothing more but to hug my parents and tell my brothers and sister that even though I had joked around them to end, that I loved them.
"It was hard. It continues to be the hardest thing the both of us had to do. Especially with your uncle Billius being in the muggle world. You and your older brothers were still so young. Molly had just given birth to Ronald, and well. Being in war is tough, Fred. Death has his reasons."
"Will it ever get easier? Was it ever easier?"
"It does." The three of us turn around, and stood up as we faced the father of my father. "My my, Fred..."
"Grandpa." He nods and turns around, my grandmother coming into the view and I felt a tug. I had left my family, but was able to see the family that had left us before. They were all standing right in front of me. My father's brothers, my grandparents and my uncles. It was a bittersweet moment. I spotted Anissa at the corner of my eye, a smile on her face and I walk towards her, the smiles of my late family following me.
"You got them?"
"I can't do much, Fred. But I know how it is to feel alone when you come up here and I know how hard it is to adjust. Even in the afterlife, you aren't completely alone." Without saying another word, I wrap my arms around her, taking her by shock.
"Thank you." She hugs me back, and after a short second we let each other go.
"Go, I'm sure you have a lot to catch up." I look behind me, my family talking amongst themselves and occasionally asking the others over.
"It's been years." She smiles, exposing her smile. "Have you met them?"
"Every single one of them, Fred. They kept me company all these years. I don't know if I would have been able to completely accept my death if it weren't for your family. Even Lily, James and Sirius when he joined a few years ago."
"Accept your death?" She nods and looks at the other side. "What do you mean?"
"Well..." she opened her mouth but shut it again, processing whatever was going on through her mind. "My story can wait. Go. Your family is waiting."
"Will you join the reunion? I mean... If you want too." I ask her, crossing my fingers behind my back that she accept my offer.
"Would love too. But I got my family to look over right now. I'll see you later." Without another word she turns her heels and walks the way she had come from. Accept her death? I was more than positive that one had accepted their death once they seen Death and allowed one to come to this place. Confused, I walked back to where everybody was gathered, laughing without any care of the world anymore.
This was my life now, but without George by my side, I don't know if I wanted this.
Living, afterlife or even eternal death.