The Letters
Chapter 2
Moody decided that instead of using cars again, that the group could just use a portkey to go back to the Burrow. It was getting late, and the portkey was easier. He went up to Mr. Weasley to talk to him. “Arthur, I think that it would just be easier if you all used a portkey to go home. I can set one up for you. I don’t think that it will be necessary for any of you to come to the meeting tomorrow either, if you don’t feel like it that is.”
“Thank you Mad-Eye. I think that you are right about the portkey. Though, don’t make special reservations for me and my family. Everyone else in the Order knew Albus and Harry also. If they have to be there, then we have to be there.”
Moody looked like he would like to argue, but it was Mr. Weasley’s choice to go to the meeting or not. Therefore, he just said, “Well, come if you like, but let the others make their own decisions too.”
Mr. Weasley nodded his consent. With that he turned to the group, “Mad-Eye will setting up a portkey for us to go to the Burrow. Remus, if you want to come, then you know that you are welcome. We’ll talk more about the meeting when we get home,” he added when Molly looked at him with a question in her eyes. Lupin accepted the offer and Moody handed them the paperweight he had went and got off Tonks’ desk. A few seconds after touching the portkey, the entire group of eleven felt the familiar jerk behind their navals and after a bit, crash landed in the front yard of the Burrow.
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As they entered the house, Mrs. Weasley asked if anyone was hungry. It seemed that for the most part over the last two weeks no one had been, and she suspected as much this time. She was surprised ,therefore, when the whole assembly agreed that they were indeed hungry. Hermione and Ginny joined her in the kitchen to help prepare supper. Hermione reached in her robes to find her wand, but felt the letter first. It took a moment for her remember what it was and why it was there, but when she did she felt her eyes well up with tears again. Molly noticed the girl being on the verge of tears and figured out what had happened. She went to hug Hermionie, but Hermione just shook her head and pulled out her wand. She was just about to ask what Mrs. Weasley needed done when Mrs. Weasley took her by the shoulders and sat her down in a chair. Then she pushed Ginny into the one next to Hermione.
Mrs. Weasley looked at the two girls. They have had to grow up so fast she thought. They lost so much, so fast. “You girls have hardly said a word since it happened. I know that it is hard. It’s hard for me too, but you need to speak to someone. Remember what Mr. Daggle said, that Harry would want us to be happy. You know that is true. Please talk about what is going on in your head, but more importantly your heart.”
Hermione and Ginny looked at each other, and Ginny spoke up, “Mum, I know that you want us to talk about what happened. It’s just that we really don’t feel up to it right now, so soon after hearing the will. Please, let us help you make supper first, and then maybe later we can talk. Besides, we’re not the only quiet ones here. The boys have said very little also, especially Ron. After supper, Mum. After supper.”
Molly looked down at her youngest child. She had really matured over the past few years, and was really beginning to notice things. Molly put on small smile and said, “Okay, after supper. Now let’s see if we can’t get something in the stomachs of those boys.” At this the girls slightly giggled. It was the first time they had done that since before the battle. The girls got up from their chairs and all three hugged before starting supper.
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The guys had went into the living room and were just sitting there. Lupin had Harry’s letter in his hand. He wanted to read it, but wasn’t sure that he could handle it. He remembered the image of Harry saying that making the will was hard. He felt sure that he did not mean hard in the physical sense. The boy had grown up before he had even been a child. His whole life was either full of abuse or trying to stay alive. He knew that the hard decision to make that will had probably meant a lot of sleepless nights and very few meals. Harry had been like that since Lupin had known him. If something was bothering him, Harry would sleep little and eat less. It wasn’t healthy, but it was what Harry had always done.
Lupin felt someone sit down beside him and looked up to find a very pale and sad Ron. Had he not known the boy’s age, he would have thought he was at least five years older than he really was. The last few months had been really hard on him. He had had to stay in the same dormitory as Harry and had to watch him as he struggled with Voldemort’s rising power and strength. Now Ron had lost his best friend and his headmaster who had become somewhat of a mentor to him. Not only that, but it had happened all in one whack. Ron had been unusually quiet the past couple of weeks, and who could blame him. It’s just that he did not seem to cry or anything, at least not as often as the others. Lupin decided to speak to him. “Ron?”
“Yeah.”
“You haven’t said much in a while. I know that you are hurting. You want to talk?”
“Not now, Professor. I just wish that I had the courage to read Harry’s letter. I just can’t seem to be able to open it. There was so many times that I treated him badly, and only because he had money and fame: things he didn’t even want. I feel guilty. I should have been a better friend. You know, last term, he hardly said anything to me or Hermione. I got angry and told him that he was just trying to keep the fame to himself; that he just wanted to wallow in self-pity. I know, though, that that is not the reason he distanced himself from us. He was trying to protect us more. I noticed that he did it to everyone, but I took it personal just because I could. I shouldn’t have done that. Now today, I find out that he gave me his most prized possession and one fourth of his money. Why? Because he wanted to. Because for some reason, he still counted me as his friend “ his best friend.” Here Ron choked up. He hadn’t meant to say all that, it just spilled out. Now here he was blubbering like an idiot. Lupin did not seem to mind. He just put his arm around Ron and pulled him close and let the boy cry.
Mr. Weasley was listening as Ron had spoken. As a matter of fact all the people in the room had turned to listen. He wished that he could do something for his youngest son. He wished that he could do something for all of them. They needed to get away. Away from the grief, and reminders of why that grief existed. They couldn’t, though, and he knew it. Voldemort may be dead, but his Death Eaters were still out there. The group could not just leave. The adults would be needed to help fight again, and soon. He knew that they would be hard-pressed to keep Ron, Hermione, and Ginny at headquarters. They would want to be out there too. There were still hard times ahead of them. Hard times indeed.
Mr. Weasley stood up and walked across the room. He had the letter in his pocket, but he was not going to open it now. He would wait until his family could all be together and then he would open it. He had decided that he would read it out loud to them. He wanted to do it tonight, after supper. He went to the kitchen door and listened. He heard the soft talking of the two girls and the humming of his wife. He knew that none of them were very happy, but at least they could try and get that way. He stood a while longer and actually heard a very soft, yet genuine giggle from one of the girls. He smiled because he knew that as hard as things were going to be, all of them would make it.
About that time Mrs. Weasley opened the door to announce that supper was ready. She nearly knocked her husband in the head with the door and let out an actual laugh. She looked scared for a moment and almost quit laughing, but soon her husband started chuckling too. Eyes from both rooms turned their direction to see what was so funny. Mrs. Weasley explained, “I’m sorry, but Arthur was standing behind the door and I did not know it. When I went to open it, I practically hit him. Are you alright dear?”
Mr. Weasley looked at his wife who was still a little flushed from laughing, and said, “Oh yes, I’m fine. Nothing like nearly getting your head knocked into a wall every now and then.” At this the whole group managed a laugh, even Ron and Hermionie. It helped to ease the tension in the room, and for that Mr. Weasley was glad.
Charlie looked at his mother and said, “What was it that you wanted to tell us, Mum?”
Molly flustered for a moment as she tried to remember what had brought her out of the kitchen in the first place and then said, “Yes. Yes. Supper’s about ready if you would just wash up. There are quite a few of us, so I guess we can spread out here in the living room.” With that said, all the guys left to go wash up for supper.
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Everyone seemed to feel better after the supper had been eaten. There were even some very contented smiles around the table. A full stomach really did work wonders for the group. Lupin, Ron, and Hermione were still the quietest, but even they had laughed a bit during the meal. Mr. Weasley looked at his wife and she looked back. They knew what had to be done now, but neither of them wanted to. The somewhat happy group would be plunged back into the world of grief and sadness, but the letters could not be avoided.
The girls gathered up the dishes and took care of them with some very helpful cleaning charms. Hermione said that she preferred the magic way of washing dishes much better than the muggle way. As soon as she made this comment, she had to explain just how muggles washed dishes (She decided to tell them the manual way, which was both easier to explain and easier to understand than explaining a dishwasher.) They soon rejoined the boys in the living room.
An uneasy quiet settled around the room. It seemed that everyone knew what was going to happen next, and yet, no one wanted to say the words that would begin the process. At that point Hermione stood up and said, “I’m sure that you want time with just your family, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. So, I’ll just go upstairs and find some quiet place to read the letter Harry left me.” Lupin stood and said that he would do the same, and both people left for the stairs. Mr. Weasley looked at his family and knew that now was the time that he had wished would not come. The eyes of his family were upon him. He pulled the letter out of his pocket, and broke open the seal.