"You've come for it, haven't you?" Molly Wesley sat at the kitchen table in her bathrobe, a mug of cocoa between her hands. It was dark out, not even close to dawn.
"Can't put a thing past you, can I?" Percy Weasley stood in the doorway, coat tightly buttoned against the cold night air. He quietly stepped forward and pulled out a chair. Molly looked at her son for the first time in nearly a year. He'd grown taller, thinner, or perhaps it was her imagination. "How'd you know I was coming tonight?"
"Audrey Flooed me this morning. I find out my son is getting married from a woman I've never met? Percy, you're slipping. What happened to my little boy who wrote me every day for his first year of Hogwarts?" said Molly, putting her hand over Percy's and smiling at him. Percy's expression suddenly became that of an old man.
"He grew up." he muttered. Percy sighed and rested his head on his mum's shoulder, something he hadn't done in years. Molly wrapped her arm around him and her eyes welled up. Percy whispered in a soft voice,
"How could he?" The words were small, innocent. Percy looked up at Molly, genuine curiosity in his eyes. "How could Dad just forget me? He was so cold at work. I mean, I didn't exactly expect open arms but… I wanted to apologize and know he forgave me for being so damned pigheaded. But now..." Percy sniffed. "I was at the funeral, you know. Dad's. Way in the back. I didn't think anyone would want me up front with the rest of you." By now silent tears were streaming from Molly's eyes. She hugged her boy close to her,
"Of course we wanted you up there. No matter what had happened, you're still my son and their brother. You belonged up there with the rest of us." Percy turned his face in toward her shoulder. Molly kept one arm wrapped around him and her other hand came up and began slowly carding through his hair as she continued, "And you know, he did forgive you. He never admitted it, but the way he started looking at your empty place at the dinner table is proof enough. He missed you, even if he didn't say so. But he did, Percy. He missed you a lot." The two sat there for a while then, each lost in thoughts of the late Mr. Weasley. Suddenly, Percy said,
"Audrey might be pregnant. We don't know for sure. We're checking with a Healer on Wednesday."
"That's wonderful, Percy! That's truly wonderful." said Molly as enthusiastically as she could without waking up the whole house. She waited a moment, then asked, "Is that the reason you two are getting married? Because she might be pregnant?" Percy shook his head,
"No. I proposed before she told me. We're getting married because we don't know if we can face everything that's coming without each other. I love her, Mum, and that's why I came to ask for grandma's engagement ring."
"But if you already proposed to her, why would you need it?" Molly didn't want to discourage his want for it, but a mother wanted to know.
"Because I love Audrey. When grandma died, you know I was the only one of my brothers who was there. Just before she died, she told me to live life the best, smile the most, and to do it all with the woman I love." Percy smiled, "You know how I am about following instructions." Molly nodded. With a sigh, she stood and walked to the kitchen cabinet. Stretching on tiptoe, she pulled down a small red velvet box and gave it to Percy. He smiled as he opened it. The ring was a golden circle set with a large emerald flanked by two smaller diamonds. Percy closed the lid and put it in his pocket. He stood and stretched, yawning wide enough to remind Mrs. Weasley of late nights when none of her boys were taller than her shoulder. Dawn was starting to creep in through the window. Percy smiled at the sight. He turned to Molly,
"I have to go. Audrey will be dying to know how it went." He hugged Molly tightly and whispered, "It's good to be back."
"It's good to have you back." Molly said. Percy reluctantly walked out and Apparated away. Molly quietly walked back upstairs. Her son had returned. All was back to right in the yet tumultuous world. As she curled up in her big empty bed, Molly whispered, "He forgave you, Arthur. He forgave us all."