March 1, 1981

Molly Weasley sat in her sitting room, trying to watch all six of her children at once. Bill, the oldest, was reading his ancient copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard to his great aunt, who listened attentively. Charlie was showing Gideon Prewett, his uncle how to distinguish a Cleansweep 3 from a Shooting Star. Percy was upstairs napping, not wanting to alter his schedule. Fred and George, the twins were sitting on one of their father's legs, trying to jinx him with their rubber wands. Then there was Ron, a lump of a baby, zooming around on Charlie's hand-me-down toy broomstick. She watched him carefully, making sure his excessive baby fat didn't make him either break the toy, or cause him to topple onto the floor.

At the sound of knocking, she opened the door and saw her friends from the Order, the Potters and Longbottoms with their sons, and Sirius Black.

"Hello!" Molly exclaimed, beaming. The guests shivered from the chill of the rain plummeting down on them, causing their cloaks to droop lifelessly around them. Molly stepped out of the way, beckoning them to come in. The two mothers gently set their toddlers down, who then waddled around the sitting room. Neville settled down by the twins, who now were off their father and sitting by the fire, playing with a plastic Snitch. Harry managed to stop Ron, and they now were both flying on the broomstick, causing it to skim dangerously close to the ground. The parents laughed. Lily walked over to the two young boys, and plucked Harry off. He scowled at her.

"Now, now, Harry. I know you want to play with your friend, but you're going to break his toy." His mother cooed, gently stroking his jet-black hair. Harry began to sniffle, and then burst out into full fledged tears. James looked at Lily, and then took his son from her. He set him down on the broomstick, and Harry's tears mysteriously stopped. As the boys began to fly again, Lily cast her husband an annoyed look.

"What?" James asked. "If he breaks it, we can buy him a new one." Sirius looked at the two happy toddlers, and then at his best friend.

"I'll buy him one for his birthday, he seems to really enjoy it."

Molly was in the kitchen, trying to frost Ron's cake and talk to the wizened Aunt Tessie at the same time. She was using her wand to snake the scarlet frosting across the chocolate sheet, making the words 'Happy 1st Birthday Ron' appear as if they were etched into brown icing. One hand was clutching her wand, the other resting on her abdomen. She could feel her seventh child squirming around, even if she was a handful of months away from having it. She finished the cake, and put the Dr. Filibuster's Shooting Star Candles on top of it. She then muttered a simple flame charm, (Incendio!) and the candles started to glow. She walked out of the kitchen, holding the cake, and started to sing.

"Happy Birthday to you," She began, the guests turned around and saw the cake. The children scrambled to the dining table, and sat down eagerly, wanting a slice of chocolatey goodness.

"Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Ronnnn!" They elongated the "n" sound in his name.

"Happy Birthday to youuuu!" Molly finished with gusto. The guests cheered and clapped, causing Ron to clamber over to his mum and hide behind her legs.

"Momma?" He asked, his chubby cheeks bobbing up and down.

"Yes, darling?" She asked, looking at the toddler.

"Can I haf some cake?" Ron replied, looking desperate.

"Of course, Ronnie!" Molly said, lifting him up into his chair and cut a child sized piece for him. He then plunged his face into the dessert, making Lily and Alice Longbottom gasp in horror.

"It's okay! It's okay!" Molly exclaimed, looking at her son. "It's a Weasley thing, he's seen his brothers do it, and now he thinks he can." She looked over at the two year old twins, who grinned sheepishly.

"Momma!" Ron exclaimed, his flame-red hair dirty with icing and crumbs.

"Yes, poppit?" She said, looking amused.

"Today I am one!" He said, laughing. "I'm all dirty!" The adults laughed. Molly conjured up a wash rag and wiped his face.

"Yes, you are poppit. You are one, and you are dirty!" Ron giggled. He saw Harry and Neville with their parents, and waved across the table.

"Hi Harry!" He exclaimed. "Hi, Nevie!" The boys waved back, causing Molly, Lily, James, and Sirius to smile. James looked at the exquisite clock on the wall, and saw that it possessed no numbers, only the eight smiling faces of the Weasley family.

"Molly?" He asked, looking at the red-haired woman by the kitchen. "What time is it?" She glanced down at her watch.

"About quarter to four, I think." She replied, levitating the dishes. Her face fell as she saw the Potters stand up.

"I think it's about time we left." James said, looking sad. "Harry needs a nap, and we can't stay out very long anymore." Lily disappeared to find Harry, who was playing with a toy dragon set with Ron.

"C'mon, love, we've got to leave." She whispered, taking the Hebridean Black from his hand and placed it on the fireplace mantle. Harry started to cry, and grabbed on to Ron.

"Don't want to leave Won!" He squealed, causing Ron to cry as well. Molly and James joined Lily, and helped get the two boys off each other, which ended in several tears, a few scratches, and mussed hair for both of the mothers. James put Harry into his Bjorn.

"Thanks for the wonderful afternoon, Molly!" Lily exclaimed, pulling the woman into a hug.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" She said, reaching her arm into her cotton diaper bag, and pulling out a long, slender package decorated in Quaffles.

"We picked it up in Diagon Alley on the way here. Harry wanted it so much, so we thought that Ron would like it too." Molly placed the package down, and walked over to James and Harry.

"We'll see you soon, alright Harry?" She said, looking into his bottle green eyes. "Ron'll be dying to have another play date." James looked at her sadly once again.

"Molly, I'm not sure when we'll be able to leave the house again." He said, glancing at the door. "With You-Know-Who everywhere, it'll put us and, if we would come over, you in danger." Molly waved her hand.

"Dumbledore's our Secret Keeper, we're perfectly safe!" She cried, making the Longbottoms and Sirius glance over at them.

"I know, Molly. That's not enough these days though. We can barely participate in the Order, now that we're cooped up in Godric's Hollow. I just don't want anyone to get hurt because of us."

Lily walked over to her husband, and laced her fingers in between his.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Ready." He replied. They opened the door, and stepped out into the torrential rain. Lily called through the noise.

"It was really nice for you to invite us, Molly! Harry had a great time! I know we met through the Order and our husbands, but I'd love to have you for tea! I'll send an owl soon!"

Molly waved at the family as they Disapparated into the grey afternoon. She went back inside, and saw that Ron had opened his present from the Potters.

"Momma!" He cried, looking at the gift. "New broom!" She looked down, sure enough, it was a toy broomstick. Its handle was painted in a shiny bronze, and the words inscribed on the neck was 'Rocket 200'. She reached down and grabbed the manual, which said that the broom was rated the Daily Prophet's 1980 Best Toy Award. She smiled approvingly.

The afternoon faded into evening. Ron tried to show Neville his new broomstick, but he was too busy reading a board book titled, 'Learn your Magical Water Plants!' At last the Longbottoms departed. Sirius stayed until after supper, which consisted of cold roast beef sandwiches, mashed potatoes, and a nice pudding. He left after a dozen goodbyes from the twins, and a enormous hug from all of the Weasley children, even Percy. The relatives were sleeping upstairs, in the small bedroom that would soon be the new baby's nursery, and in Charlie's room.

"Momma?" Ron asked as his mother picked him up to go to bed.

"Yes, poppit?" She asked, looking at his angelic face.

"Where's Harry? Did he go home?" He questioned, looking confused.

"Yes, darling. He left a long time ago. He's with his mommy and daddy right now." She replied gently.

"I want to see him." He said, crossing his fat arms over his chest. "Right now."

"Sweetie, he can't come right now. He's sleeping." Molly said, stroking the red fuzz on his head.

"Can he come tomorrow?" He said.

"No." She replied.

"How 'bout after that? Tursday?"

"No, sweetie."

"Friday?"

"Sweetie, he can't come for a long time. Not until the war is over." She said, looking sincere.

"Will the war be over tomorrow?" He asked, perking up. His mother laughed.

"No, poppit. You'll just have to be a good boy, and then Harry can come over."

"How do I be a good boy?" He asked, looking desperate.

"You can start by going to bed right now. We'll see where it takes us from there." She said, opening the door to his room, and laying him in his crib. "Good night, birthday boy." She whispered, kissing his cheek.

"'Night, Momma." He replied sleepily. She carefully avoided the model of the Hogwarts Express on the floor, along with a stuffed goblin. She closed the door, and went into the room adjacent to Ron's. The twins were sleeping in there bunk beds, each cuddling a stuffed dragon, one a Swedish Short Snout, one a Common Welsh Green. They were a present from their uncle, who was a Dragonologist. She then kissed both of them, and crossed to the other side of the room, where Percy slept in his twin-sized bed. His glasses were askew on his four year old face. Molly removed his chapter book from his arm, and tucked his covers around him. She quietly crossed the room, and left to see the two eldest. Charlie and Bill were sound asleep in Bill's room. Charlie was snoring loudly for an eight year old, but it didn't seem to bother Bill. She kissed both of them goodnight and left to go downstairs.

She made herself a mug of tea, and sat on the couch. She saw the toy broomstick Lily had brought, and made a mental note to write to her. She drank her tea, and put the cup in the sink. As she went up to her bedroom, she stopped in Ron's room, and quietly whispered,

"Happy Birthday, my dear Ron." The boy smiled in his sleep, knowing that he would always have people who loved him.