A/N - Written for Round 2 of the QLFC. Our team prompt was Molly cooking which has to appear in the story somewhere. Mine ended up having it as the main focus. This takes place in the summer before 5th year just before an Order meeting the night that Harry arrives at Grimmauld Place.

Thoughts

Molly was cooking. Again. Not that she minded it, she never did really. Cooking gave her time to be alone with her thoughts, which, in a household as large as hers, admittedly didn't happen very often. Being alone with her thoughts that is, not the cooking. The cooking happened quite often, well making some kind of food anyway. She wasn't always cooking exactly, but there was always someone who seemed to be hungry.

She still wasn't used to cooking here, in this cold and dreary basement kitchen instead of her own warm and cozy one at the Burrow. Molly wrinkled her nose a bit as she glanced around the room. Cleaning the kitchen had been one of her first tasks when they had arrived here a few weeks ago. It had been covered in a layer of dust and grime that had taken more than one 'Scourgify' to get rid of. Even afterwards, she'd still scrubbed the scarred oak trestle table by hand and she couldn't quite get the bricks around the hearth back to the normal color. It was still dark and cold though. Honestly, putting the kitchen in the basement. If any one of the Blacks had ever lifted a finger to cook anything, she'd eat Dumbledore's hat. She was sure the kitchen was almost an afterthought, constructed only after they'd remembered that even the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black had to eat and that house elves needed a place to prepare it.

Molly sighed and turned back to the vegetables she was chopping. Sirius was still much too thin. He ate too little and drank too much, a habit she was trying to curb, but failing at. She knew he hated her interference. Most days he didn't even join them for meals, unless there was an Order meeting, although she often heard him scrounging in the kitchen at night after her brood had gone to bed. Whether it was for leftovers or firewhiskey, she couldn't be sure. It was only when Remus was here that Sirius seemed marginally happier and made an effort to join them in the kitchen. She wondered if it would change once Harry arrived.

Harry, the poor sweet boy, also too thin. She had not agreed at all with Albus' decision to send him back to those horrible Muggles so soon after that wretched tournament. She understood about the blood protection, but honestly. The child had watched Cedric Diggory die in front of him. He needed people around who cared about him, not ones who starved him and left him locked in his bedroom. She huffed and directed the vegetables into the pot. He was to finally arrive this evening, thankfully, after all of that mess earlier in the week with the Dementors. She intended to mother him and fatten him up as much as she could in the short month she had left.

Her thoughts strayed to her own children as she added the spices to the stew. The fact that Bill was back in England delighted her to no end. She wasn't happy that he, or Charlie for that matter, had joined the Order, however. Arthur reminded her quite often that they were grown men now, but she still always saw them as her little boys. Unbidden tears came to her eyes as Percy's face rose into her consciousness. It had been a month since she'd tried to speak with him at his flat and he had slammed the door in her face. All the owls she'd sent returned unanswered. Any time she tried to discuss it with Arthur, his face became hard and he tersely told her that Percy, like his two older brothers, was a grown man as well, even if he didn't act like it. She swiped at the tears which had escaped her eyes and pulled in a breath. It wouldn't do to get upset about this again now, not with everyone arriving soon.

The stew cooking, she turned to the bread now ready to go into the oven. There was a crash upstairs and her eyes narrowed as she looked up at the ceiling. Fred and George were going to be the death of her. Molly wiped her hands on the apron that was around her waist and began to walk toward the stairs to see what they'd gotten up to now. Just as she reached the first floor landing there was a loud crack and Fred appeared in the hall in front of her. She jumped and glared at him.

"What have I told you about doing that?" she snapped.

"Sorry Mum," Fred said, cheeky grin on his face that let her know he was anything but sorry. "Just popping in to tell you all is well." She crossed her arms in front of her.

"Fred Weasley," she began, but he cut her off with a kiss to her cheek.

"Got to run," he said and with a wave he disappeared again.

Molly grumbled under her breath and stood in the hall for a few moments undecided if she should return to her supper preparations or investigate what her undoubtedly delinquent sons were doing. She glanced between the open kitchen door and the upstairs corridor a few times before she was startled again by the appearance of George this time. How he knew she was still there she had no idea.

"Hello Mum," he said with a lopsided smile. She put her hands on her hips and scowled.

"What on earth are you up to?" she demanded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," George said innocently. "Didn't Fred tell you all was well?" Molly crossed her arms in front of her and her lips narrowed into a thin line. George sniffed the air. "Is that dinner? Smells delicious."

"Do not try to flatter your way out of trouble George Weasley," Molly replied sharply. George put a hand to his heart.

"I am shocked that you, my own mother, would think I would resort to such a gesture," he said. "I happen to love your cooking." There was a small clatter and a muffled oath from up the stairs. "Better go help Freddie. Bye Mum." George kissed the opposite cheek and disapparated.

Molly looked up the stairs for a few moments before shaking her head in defeat and making her way back into the kitchen. Ron or Ginny would let her know if anyone were maimed. She stopped short. Actually, she was quite sure that her daughter would not let her know anything that was going on with the twins. She had gotten nearly as sneaky as her brothers, that one. Of course, Molly never let on that she knew that. And Ron wouldn't either now that she thought about it. He was much too concerned about his brothers' acceptance to rat them out. She sighed and turned back to the stairs. Ah, but Hermione was here. If anything too harmful was going on, Hermione would let her know. Molly smiled and returned to the kitchen.

Arthur arrived a short time later and a small smile crossed Molly's face as it always did when her husband came home, especially here where she didn't have her clock to keep her apprised of her family's coming and goings. Arthur kissed her cheek and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Smells delicious," he said and she couldn't help the small chuckle at the same words she had just heard from George a short time ago. Although this time she knew they were genuine and not an attempt at distraction. "Albus will be lucky if anyone pays attention to him sitting here smelling that the entire meeting."

"I'll cast a masking charm, just as you know I always do," she said with a smile. He kissed her cheek again and stepped away from her.

"Everything all right here today?" he asked.

"Yes, fine," she said distractedly as she lowered the fire under the stew and then she actually processed his question. "Actually, the twins are up to something again. Just a bit ago but I was in the middle of this." She gestured to the remnants of her dinner preparations.

"I'll go and check in on them," Arthur said. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Right now, before everyone gets here."

"Thank you dear," Molly replied. Arthur waved a hand as he walked to the kitchen stairs. Molly smiled and relaxed.

She could go back to her cooking and her thoughts.