A/N: Written for Solstice Muse. This story is set during one of my earlier stories, 'Silently Screaming'.
He attempted to fight the yawn and then, giving in to the inevitable, tried to hide the sign of tiredness by getting up from the kitchen chair and going on a mission to make more toast. It had been a long week, a long year, but Arthur was determined to see through these early morning moments with his son.
"What the…." He stumbled as, in his half asleep state, his feet encountered a random scuffed shoe abandoned by its owner and….
"Whoever belongs to this shoe please retrieve it and find its partner!" Arthur shouted towards the stairs as the stampede of hippogriffs continued their assault in the upper floors of the house. Taking a moment to listen to the shouts, arguments and quieter conversations which drifted down the windy staircase, he grinned. Not many could understand how much he loved the chaotic cacophony that was the Burrow. But there had to be some organisation in the chaos today as they had to be out the door in…ten minutes!
Molly had taken Ginny with her to stay with Great Aunt Maude who was having one of her infamous 'sick days'. Arthur was to get the boys ready and follow her to the house by lunchtime today. His attention was drawn to an argument which had made its way from the first floor into the kitchen and he knew he had to intervene.
"Charlie, you do what your brother says today, okay?"
"But Dad…"
"No 'buts' son, I need both of you to set a good example today and…" he took a moment to see that Charlie was missing a shoe and Bill had his jumper on backwards. "please get ready quickly."
"But Daaaaddd….." A look silenced the whining and Arthur pointed Charlie towards his missing shoe before ushering them towards the stairs and urging them to get ready quickly. "Please just do as your older brother says Charlie."
"He's not that much older." Charlie muttered as he folded his arms and stamped his one sock clad foot. Arthur sighed as he crouched before him.
"He's ten." Charlie said as he counted his fingers and proudly displayed both hands, "I'm eight," it took a moment but eventually two fingers disappeared. " Another two years and I'll have caught up with him!"
Stunned for a moment by an eight year olds twisted attempt at logic and justification, Arthur quickly rallied himself, gave Charlie a look and sent him on his way.
………..
Ten minutes after they were all due to have left, Arthur had to retrieve Percy from the living room and send him back up the stairs searching for his coat despite the child insisting that he was very much ready to go and didn't need a coat.
…………
Twelve minutes after they were all due to have left Arthur had climbed the stairs and bribed the twins with the promise of a chocolate frog if they'd just please get ready.
…………
Every five minutes without fail his youngest son would bring a smile to his face. Ron had decided that he was not only going to get ready himself, he was also going to pick out everything to wear. While this had added to the time delay, the proud grin on Ron's face made Arthur forget time. Every item of clothing that was successfully chosen and put on would have to be shown to Arthur. This plan had meant that Ron was constantly going up and down the stairs.
With all his older children eventually assembled in the living room, muttering and grumbling about having to go anywhere, Arthur looked towards the stairs with a smile as he heard Ron's distinctive steps.
Stomp.
Stomp.
Stomp.
One very determined step at a time led Ron down the stairs. He stomped…
Left foot.
Left foot.
Left foot. …
...his right hand clutched the banister as if he were afraid it would start to float away if he let it go. He reached the bottom step and then ran, full speed, towards his Dad. He skidded to a halt and then pointed proudly at his trainers. The messy knots were evidence enough that one of the older boys had tied them for Ron, but he'd put them on himself and was very proud of the fact. Arthur crouched down before him,
"Well done Ron," he grinned as he further examined the shoes, "But they're on the wrong feet, here…"he lifted the small boy in his arms and sat him on the kitchen table. "I'll fix them for you."
It was while he was trying to undo the mess of knots that he became aware that Ron was uncharacteristically quiet and his legs weren't swinging as they'd normally be. He looked up to see the devastated expression on Ron's face, his eyes filling with tears, and his heart melted.
"Hey Ronnie, what's the matter?" he asked, ignoring the noise coming from the other room for a moment.
Ron shook his head and wiped his nose with his hand before he muttered, "nothin' "
"Did one of your brothers say anything?" Ron considered the question for a moment before shaking his head.
"Did they do anything?" Again, another moments of consideration which made Arthur worry about what he'd find when he ventured into the twins room again. Ron shook his head.
"It really is alright son, your shoes were just on the wrong feet."
"But they're the only feet I've got!" the sudden wail from the small boy startled Arthur and he had to fight to stop the laugh which threatened. After an explanation and swapping of the shoes, Ron stood before him grinning. He gazed down at his trainers before jumped towards his father and hugging him.
" fanks Dad." he grinned as he ran to join the mayhem his brothers were creating.
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"You alright Dad?" Arthur turned to see the boy who had grown up much too quickly sitting beside the chessboard at the table. The scars from recent battle startlingly evident on his arms as the short sleeves of his jumper rode up a bit. Arthur took a minute to compose himself. The last thing he wanted to do was to upset Ron.
"Absolutely son, do you want something to eat?"
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A plate of toast and a pot of tea later, the two men were sitting at the chessboard, Arthur debating his next move. So focused on the task before him, he was startled by Ron's voice when he broke the silence.
"It's all wrong Dad." Arthur looked up to see Ron's attention riveted on the board in front of him, but his mind was obviously elsewhere.
"What's wrong…who's wrong?"
"I'm not sure." Arthur's heart broke as Ron met his eyes and offered a sad, tired smile. "It's all a jumble…a mess…I don't know how to make sense out of all of it."
Arthur watched as Ron rested his head in the shaking hands, betraying his emotional state.
"One small step at a time Ron, it's all we can do, one step at a time."
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