Castlelock

“Harry, everybody will know you killed...” Kingsley paused for only a moment, “...Voldemort soon. You are in grave danger.”

“Wow,” Harry said. “Imagine that.”

Harry tapped a bloody knuckle contemplatively against the table, before he narrowed his eyes at George. “Can I ask your advice on something?”

That was a first. That was...horribly flattering. “Sure.” George shrugged. Nonchalant. No big deal. “Go on.”

"George Weasley didn't much care for himself, it was true, if you hadn't caught on to the blatantly obvious by now.

In his mind, he wasn't exactly a great specimen of humankind. His career was in shambles - literally in ruins - he avoided his family as a rule and tried to pretend he didn't notice when his own friends avoided him in turn.

He couldn't help but think this was all very wise of them.”

In which George Weasley gets kidnapped by Harry Potter. He’s not that bothered by it.

The first New Year's Eve after Fred dies, George Weasley is dragged out to celebrate. This doesn't go well.

Thankfully, Harry Potter shows up wearing a leather jacket.

“George Weasley wanted nothing to do with any celebrations.

George Weasley, in fact, wanted to go home, thank you very much.”

You sit around getting older

There’s a joke here somewhere and it’s on me

I'll shake this world off my shoulders

Come on, baby, the laugh’s on me…

— Bruce Springstein

Voldemort is dead.

You-Know-Who is now You-No-More. He kicked the bucket. Popped his clogs. Topped himself. Was terminated with extreme prejudice.

And while that's great news and all, George Weasley isn't too keen to celebrate the whole business; he's a bit too busy coping with the brutal murder of his other half. Not that he's trying to inconvenience you with his grief or anything.

(He's totally trying to inconvenience you. If he's not having a good time why the fuck should you?)

Harry Potter, on the other hand, seems dead set on breaking the world record for having the most near-death (or just plain death) experiences in the shortest period of time. Evidently, going toe to toe with one of the darkest wizards to ever live wasn't enough of a challenge for him...or his non-existent survival instincts.

In a story about the aftermath of war -- of secrets and lies and grief and trauma and loss -- Harry and George find out together that the only reward for surviving the end of the world is having to keep living, no matter how broken or broken-hearted you've become.

Upon St. Agnes' Eve Young virgins might have visions of delight... -- Keats

A non-exhaustive list of things virgins were expected to do on the 20th of January:

fast

bake a cake in complete silence

plant grain in an empty field at midnight

eat the cake

walk upstairs to bed backwards

recite the Lord's Prayer

sleep naked

So, uh, good luck? Keep warm, everybody.

Little black dresses are a dime a dozen

Practically a necessity for every woman