Disclaimer: This is a challenge I found on Fiction Alley, posted by SilverLeaves. All characters in it belong to J.K Rowling, I'm just borrowing them. Everything else is just a product of my somewhat weird imagination.
Summary: After eleven years of terror the Dark Lord disappears after trying to kill Harry Potter. Here is the joyful day from Molly and Arthur Weasley's point of view.
THE DAY THEY HAD BEEN WAITING FOR
"I'll be home for dinner."
"Don't be late."
Arthur kissed his wife on the cheek. "I won't."
He took out his wand and Apparated to work. He sighed as he was waiting in line in front of the elevator that would take him up to his office at the Ministry of Magic. He only hoped that he would make it home, and that Molly and his sons would still be alive by then. For too long he and the other witches and wizards had lived in fear of one certain wizard, a Dark wizard who no one called by his real name. Arthur knew only one man who dared to speak His correct name, and that was Albus Dumbledore.
Finally he was one of those who got to step into the elevator. It stopped on evey floor, so it took Arthur a little more than five minutes to reach the floor where he worked.
"Arthur, wait!"
Arthur turned around and saw Perkins, one of his co-workers, hurry towards him. He looked excited about something.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"Kingsley Shacklebolt just told me. The Dark Lord is gone!"
Arthur stared at Perkins, not believing what he heard. Gone? What was he talking about?
"How? Where? When?"
"Last night. He'd gone to Godric's Hollow to kill Lily and James Potter and their son."
"Merlin..." He had gone after the Potters now? "What happened, are they alright?" Arthur knew that he didn't have to ask that question. They must be dead, just like everybody else who had come in the Dark Lord's way.
"He killed Lily and James, but somehow he didn't manage to kill their son," Perkins explained. "After trying to kill him he just disappeared, and now no one knows where he is."
Arthur contemplated this. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was gone? How was that possible? What had happened to make him disappear all of a sudden? Perkins, unfortunately, had no answer to Arthur's questions.
While they were talking several other witches and wizards gathered in the corridor, everyone talking excitedly. The news spread, and the rest of the day passed in a blur of happiness. Everyone asked the questions; what had happened, and why had Potter's son survived the attack? To Arthur it was a mystery. The Dark Lord was the most powerful wizard in modern times, and he and his followers had killed a lot of wizards and Muggles. So why hadn't he been able to kill Potter's son?
"Don't think about that!" Sturgis Podmore said when Arthur asked for his opinion later that day. "The war's over, He's is gone!"
Yes, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was finally gone, after eleven long years of terror. Arthur let himself get caught by the atmosphere at the Ministry. They no longer had to be afraid; from now on they would be able to walk the streets without having to risk their lives.
---
"No, Ron, don't..."
But it was too late. Before Molly had taken the little wooden dragon from her son he had put it in his mouth. He chewed it with a content expression on his face, and looked at his mother and smiled.
"Oh, Ron!" she sighed in exasperation and pointed her wand at her youngest son. "Accio dragon!" It flew from his mouth into her outstretched hand.
"Honestly, that boy is hopeless." Molly sighed, and saw, just in time, that Fred, one of her other sons, was about to push a vase down from its place on a shelf behind the sofa in the kitchen.
"Fred, no! Accio vase!"
The vase flew neatly into Molly's outstretched hands, and she put it out of reach for the three year old.
"Honestly, what's with the kids today?" she muttered to herself as she, with Ron, George and Fred in her arms, walked into the livingroom. There she found her oldest sons, Bill, Charlie and Percy, reading.
"Lunch is ready boys. Bill, could you take Percy please, and Charlie, would you put the books back into the bookshelf before you all come and have lunch."
Bill went over to his younger brother while Charlie took the books back to the shelf. Meanwhile Molly, still carrying Ron, George and Fred, went back into the kitchen.
She had just put the food on the table when there was a crack in the livingroom. It was Molly's mother in law who had Apparated, and Molly immediately felt her heart race. Had something happened to Arthur?
"Molly, are you home?"
"In the kitchen! Has something happened?" Heart beating fast she braced herself for what her mother in law was going to tell her, but to her surprise the older woman had a big smile on her face when she joined Molly and her sons in the kitchen. That calmed Molly down a bit.
"Sit down, Hester," she said, motioning towards Arthur's chair. "Can I get you something to eat?"
"No thank you dear. Have you heard?"
"No. What has happened?"
"The Dark Lord is gone!"
"Gone?"
"Yes, gone! I just found out from Arabella Figg."
Molly sat down on her chair. Was this really true?
"But when?"
"Yesterday. Apparently he had gone to Godric's Hollow, he was after the Potters. He killed Lily and James, but their son survived."
It took a few moments for Molly to let the information sink in. The Potters had been working for the Order of the Phoenix, like she and Arthur.
"But how..."
"No one knows how Harry survived. Dumbledore'll take him to some relatives of his."
"But what happened to You-Know-Who?"
"Apparently he just disappeared."
"Disappeared? But..."
"Yes, disappeared. And no one knows where he is. He's finally gone, Molly!"
Molly laughed. After eleven years of terror they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. But she didn't dare to set her hopes too hight. Was He really gone? Did anyone know that for sure?
"But what if he's still alive somewhere, planning to strike again?"
"Molly, don't worry, he's gone."
Molly looked at her sons, who were all looking at her and their grandmother.
"Did you hear that? He's gone!"
"So we don't have to be afraid anymore?" Percy asked.
Molly smiled at him and shook her head. "No love, we don't have to be afraid."
"And thank Merlin for that," her mother in law added.
Molly couldn't agree more. She wouldn't have to worry about Arthur or their sons again, and the child she was currently expecting would grow up in a world without war. She put a hand on her growing stomach.
"You're a very lucky girl." She was convinced that this next child would be a girl. She and Arthur already had six boys, and it would be nice with a girl for a change.
Her mother in law laughed. "What makes you so sure it's a girl?"
"Has to be, hasn't it? We've already got six boys."
By that time Bill and Charlie had finished their lunch.
"Can Charlie and I go outside?" Bill asked.
"Yes, but you must stay in the garden."
"Okay!"
Her two oldest sons ran outside, and when everyone else had eaten Molly and her mother in law took the other children out to the garden too.
"I'm sorry Molly, but I really have to go now," Hester said. "I must go to the Fawcetts."
"Give them my love. Fred! Grass is not for eating, you're not a cat! Neither are you, George!"
She hurriedly ridded the twins of the grass they had pulled from the lawn, and at the same time she noticed that Percy was on his way out of the garden.
"Bill, would you get Percy. I don't want him to go any further!"
The two women watched as Bill hurried up to Percy and led him away from the hedge.
"It's good that you have Bill."
Molly nodded. "He's great with the younger ones. And Charlie looks up to him a lot."
"You and Arthur have got great kids. Have I ever told you that?"
"Once or twice," Molly said with a smile.
"I need to go now, I'm going to the Fawsetts."
"Give my best to them, and tell them to come over sometime."
"I will. Kids, come and say goodbye to Granny."
After hugging the boys Hester Disapparated. Molly spent the rest of the afternoon outside with the boys, relieved that she didn't have to be afraid anymore. She was still worried that the Dark Lord would come back, but she would have to trust Hester on that he really was gone.
When it was time to start making dinner Molly took her sons inside. At five fifteen Arthur Apparated in the kitchen. He embraced Molly, and lifted her off the ground.
"Darling, have you heard?"
Molly beamed at him and hugged him tightly as he put her down.
"Yes, your mother came by to tell me. It's wonderful! I'm making an extra nice dinner to celebrate. What have they said at the Ministary today?"
"There's been all kinds of speculations. No one really knows what happened, but it's clear that He is gone."
"Finally! We don't have to be afraid anymore, we..."
Arthur hugged her again. "I know." He put a hand on her stomach. "And he will grow up in peace."
Molly didn't reply. She just smiled.
Summary: After eleven years of terror the Dark Lord disappears after trying to kill Harry Potter. Here is the joyful day from Molly and Arthur Weasley's point of view.
THE DAY THEY HAD BEEN WAITING FOR
"I'll be home for dinner."
"Don't be late."
Arthur kissed his wife on the cheek. "I won't."
He took out his wand and Apparated to work. He sighed as he was waiting in line in front of the elevator that would take him up to his office at the Ministry of Magic. He only hoped that he would make it home, and that Molly and his sons would still be alive by then. For too long he and the other witches and wizards had lived in fear of one certain wizard, a Dark wizard who no one called by his real name. Arthur knew only one man who dared to speak His correct name, and that was Albus Dumbledore.
Finally he was one of those who got to step into the elevator. It stopped on evey floor, so it took Arthur a little more than five minutes to reach the floor where he worked.
"Arthur, wait!"
Arthur turned around and saw Perkins, one of his co-workers, hurry towards him. He looked excited about something.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"Kingsley Shacklebolt just told me. The Dark Lord is gone!"
Arthur stared at Perkins, not believing what he heard. Gone? What was he talking about?
"How? Where? When?"
"Last night. He'd gone to Godric's Hollow to kill Lily and James Potter and their son."
"Merlin..." He had gone after the Potters now? "What happened, are they alright?" Arthur knew that he didn't have to ask that question. They must be dead, just like everybody else who had come in the Dark Lord's way.
"He killed Lily and James, but somehow he didn't manage to kill their son," Perkins explained. "After trying to kill him he just disappeared, and now no one knows where he is."
Arthur contemplated this. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was gone? How was that possible? What had happened to make him disappear all of a sudden? Perkins, unfortunately, had no answer to Arthur's questions.
While they were talking several other witches and wizards gathered in the corridor, everyone talking excitedly. The news spread, and the rest of the day passed in a blur of happiness. Everyone asked the questions; what had happened, and why had Potter's son survived the attack? To Arthur it was a mystery. The Dark Lord was the most powerful wizard in modern times, and he and his followers had killed a lot of wizards and Muggles. So why hadn't he been able to kill Potter's son?
"Don't think about that!" Sturgis Podmore said when Arthur asked for his opinion later that day. "The war's over, He's is gone!"
Yes, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was finally gone, after eleven long years of terror. Arthur let himself get caught by the atmosphere at the Ministry. They no longer had to be afraid; from now on they would be able to walk the streets without having to risk their lives.
---
"No, Ron, don't..."
But it was too late. Before Molly had taken the little wooden dragon from her son he had put it in his mouth. He chewed it with a content expression on his face, and looked at his mother and smiled.
"Oh, Ron!" she sighed in exasperation and pointed her wand at her youngest son. "Accio dragon!" It flew from his mouth into her outstretched hand.
"Honestly, that boy is hopeless." Molly sighed, and saw, just in time, that Fred, one of her other sons, was about to push a vase down from its place on a shelf behind the sofa in the kitchen.
"Fred, no! Accio vase!"
The vase flew neatly into Molly's outstretched hands, and she put it out of reach for the three year old.
"Honestly, what's with the kids today?" she muttered to herself as she, with Ron, George and Fred in her arms, walked into the livingroom. There she found her oldest sons, Bill, Charlie and Percy, reading.
"Lunch is ready boys. Bill, could you take Percy please, and Charlie, would you put the books back into the bookshelf before you all come and have lunch."
Bill went over to his younger brother while Charlie took the books back to the shelf. Meanwhile Molly, still carrying Ron, George and Fred, went back into the kitchen.
She had just put the food on the table when there was a crack in the livingroom. It was Molly's mother in law who had Apparated, and Molly immediately felt her heart race. Had something happened to Arthur?
"Molly, are you home?"
"In the kitchen! Has something happened?" Heart beating fast she braced herself for what her mother in law was going to tell her, but to her surprise the older woman had a big smile on her face when she joined Molly and her sons in the kitchen. That calmed Molly down a bit.
"Sit down, Hester," she said, motioning towards Arthur's chair. "Can I get you something to eat?"
"No thank you dear. Have you heard?"
"No. What has happened?"
"The Dark Lord is gone!"
"Gone?"
"Yes, gone! I just found out from Arabella Figg."
Molly sat down on her chair. Was this really true?
"But when?"
"Yesterday. Apparently he had gone to Godric's Hollow, he was after the Potters. He killed Lily and James, but their son survived."
It took a few moments for Molly to let the information sink in. The Potters had been working for the Order of the Phoenix, like she and Arthur.
"But how..."
"No one knows how Harry survived. Dumbledore'll take him to some relatives of his."
"But what happened to You-Know-Who?"
"Apparently he just disappeared."
"Disappeared? But..."
"Yes, disappeared. And no one knows where he is. He's finally gone, Molly!"
Molly laughed. After eleven years of terror they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. But she didn't dare to set her hopes too hight. Was He really gone? Did anyone know that for sure?
"But what if he's still alive somewhere, planning to strike again?"
"Molly, don't worry, he's gone."
Molly looked at her sons, who were all looking at her and their grandmother.
"Did you hear that? He's gone!"
"So we don't have to be afraid anymore?" Percy asked.
Molly smiled at him and shook her head. "No love, we don't have to be afraid."
"And thank Merlin for that," her mother in law added.
Molly couldn't agree more. She wouldn't have to worry about Arthur or their sons again, and the child she was currently expecting would grow up in a world without war. She put a hand on her growing stomach.
"You're a very lucky girl." She was convinced that this next child would be a girl. She and Arthur already had six boys, and it would be nice with a girl for a change.
Her mother in law laughed. "What makes you so sure it's a girl?"
"Has to be, hasn't it? We've already got six boys."
By that time Bill and Charlie had finished their lunch.
"Can Charlie and I go outside?" Bill asked.
"Yes, but you must stay in the garden."
"Okay!"
Her two oldest sons ran outside, and when everyone else had eaten Molly and her mother in law took the other children out to the garden too.
"I'm sorry Molly, but I really have to go now," Hester said. "I must go to the Fawcetts."
"Give them my love. Fred! Grass is not for eating, you're not a cat! Neither are you, George!"
She hurriedly ridded the twins of the grass they had pulled from the lawn, and at the same time she noticed that Percy was on his way out of the garden.
"Bill, would you get Percy. I don't want him to go any further!"
The two women watched as Bill hurried up to Percy and led him away from the hedge.
"It's good that you have Bill."
Molly nodded. "He's great with the younger ones. And Charlie looks up to him a lot."
"You and Arthur have got great kids. Have I ever told you that?"
"Once or twice," Molly said with a smile.
"I need to go now, I'm going to the Fawsetts."
"Give my best to them, and tell them to come over sometime."
"I will. Kids, come and say goodbye to Granny."
After hugging the boys Hester Disapparated. Molly spent the rest of the afternoon outside with the boys, relieved that she didn't have to be afraid anymore. She was still worried that the Dark Lord would come back, but she would have to trust Hester on that he really was gone.
When it was time to start making dinner Molly took her sons inside. At five fifteen Arthur Apparated in the kitchen. He embraced Molly, and lifted her off the ground.
"Darling, have you heard?"
Molly beamed at him and hugged him tightly as he put her down.
"Yes, your mother came by to tell me. It's wonderful! I'm making an extra nice dinner to celebrate. What have they said at the Ministary today?"
"There's been all kinds of speculations. No one really knows what happened, but it's clear that He is gone."
"Finally! We don't have to be afraid anymore, we..."
Arthur hugged her again. "I know." He put a hand on her stomach. "And he will grow up in peace."
Molly didn't reply. She just smiled.