Part 2 - Molly

A breeze wafted through the air bringing with it the scent of a thousand flowers. The little group of people stood beneath a weathered elm, each lost in their own thoughts, while Molly silently faced her worst nightmare.

The casket lowered itself slowly into the ground, the sides of it disappearing behind the mound of dirt that framed the grave. Molly tried to hold back her tears, knowing that her son would have wanted her to be brave, to laugh with his brothers. Fred always hated to see her cry, she remembered as she stood under the elm. He and George went out of their way to try to cheer her when Percy distanced himself from the family. But Fred was gone now. No more practical jokes and laughter. Now, it seemed, there was only sadness.

A muffled thump brought fresh tears that Molly tried once more to hide. She looked up to stare off into the surrounding area, hardly noticing the sea of tall grass that swayed in the wind. She had lost a child, a son she loved with all her heart.

She still had her other children, she thought, as she brought her attention back to the little group who surrounded the grave site. Percy stood beside her, his head bowed in grief. She had lost him once when he turned his back on her and their family. But that loss didn't come close to comparison with her current heartache. Despite Percy's stubborn attitude, there was always the chance he'd come back. The same could not be said for Fred.

Molly looked up when Arthur began to talk. She tried to listen to his words, knowing that he was speaking from the heart, but she could only hear the sobs of her daughter. She watched as Ginny cried into Harry's shirt, his arms wrapped around her in an effort to soothe. Despite her heartache, Molly was glad to see the budding romance between the two. Harry was already a part of her family, which was part of the reason she worried about him, Hermione and Ron the whole time they were gone on their quest to destroy He Who Must Not be Named. Harry was as much her son as those she gave birth to. It nearly destroyed her when he ran out of her house to chase Bellatrix Lastrange down. That boy was too impetuous for his own good.

A breeze blew past, lifting the strands of Ginny's hair. Molly's heart swelled as she thought about Ginny's bravery throughout the years, but especially during the battle at Hogwarts. Despite Molly's insistence that Ginny stay out of it, her daughter still found a way to fight alongside her family. Molly wrapped her arms around herself as she remembered the terror she felt when she thought Ginny was going to die. Molly had no choice but come to her defense.

Charlie moved over to stand next to her, and he put his arm around her shoulders. Charlie. He had come all the way from Romania to be there for his family, a fact that Molly appreciated more than she could say. She nodded at his whispered words of encouragement, even as she wondered if she would ever be okay. A piece of her heart was gone, ripped out just like the pieces of Voldemort's soul that Harry and Ron told her about. If it weren't for her family, she would have collapsed long ago.

She listened as Bill took over for Arthur who had finished his say through his own tears. Molly wiped away her own tears at the sight. It was a rare sight to see Arthur Weasley cry. His normally jolly personality usually prevented it. Yet he stood by Charlie with tears streaming down his face. He loved his children as much as she did.

Bill spoke of his own memories of Fred: the practical jokes Fred and George pulled and the products they developed and tested on family members, much to the misery of their family. Molly had to smile despite her heartache. She lost count of the times she had to mediate for the twins every time one of their jokes backfired. Not as many times as she scolded them for it though, she thought as grief chased away her smile.

Oh, she missed Fred so much.

Fleur slid her arm around Bill's waist and laid her head on his shoulder. Molly watched as Bill turned to his wife, his words faltering for a moment as he tried to keep his own tears at bay. Despite her earlier misgivings, Molly was just as proud of Fleur as she was of her other children. That woman stood by her husband throughout the whole ordeal, her love for him rivaling the love Molly had for Arthur, which was saying a lot.

Bill turned back to the grave and said his final farewell to his younger brother, his tears sliding over the scars he bore from his own battles. It was so hard to see her men cry, Molly thought, as her own grief threatened to overflow the strong exterior she tried to hold on to. She brought a handkerchief to her face to wipe her nose, wishing with all her might that her family was intact again. Her gaze turned to the swaying grass, toward the hills in the distance, and she wondered if she would ever be whole again. Her family suffered so much for a cause they believed in with a vengeance, but right now she wondered if it was really over. She didn't know if she would ever get over her loss.

Bill finished his say and the mourners all stood around, silent except for the occasional sobs that mixed in with the wind that blew through the trees and the wildflowers scattered over the area. No one had anything to say it seemed. Ron moved closer to the grave, his face white against his red hair while a tear slid down his cheek. Molly watched as he stared down at the casket, more tears making it hard for her to see, but she wondered what her youngest son was thinking as he stood there with such a somber expression. Hermione came up to him and grabbed his hand, bringing him out of his thoughts. Molly watched as he nodded at her before reaching up to wipe her tears with his fingers. It was such a tender moment for them, and Molly was glad to see it. So many times throughout the past year, she worried that it would be Ron they'd be burying in the countryside near the Burrow.

Despite the twin's reckless behavior, Ron was the one Molly worried about the most. Being one of the most wanted wizards on Voldemort's agenda, he was in constant peril, and not being able to protect him was so hard. He, Harry and Hermione gave her more gray hair than all of the others combined.

She sniffed, then wiped her nose again as Charlie hugged her and Percy grabbed her hand. They're safe, she told herself for the thousandth time, but her heart still hurt. No one should ever have to bury their own child.

The service was over, she realized as Arthur came up to her and pulled her into a hug. His strong arms gave her strength, even as she sobbed over her lost son. She opened her eyes and saw George staring down into the grave, just as his brother had done a few moments ago. He looked so lost, so devastated. He and Fred were so close, always in tune with each other, to the point where they finished each other's sentences. It was eerie sometimes, but Molly loved them all the more for their playfulness. They brought happiness to even the worst situations.

There was no happiness now. The light had gone out of George's world and Molly grieved for him just as she grieved for Fred. She pulled away from Arthur and went over to stand next to George, her heart breaking into yet another piece as she pulled him into her embrace. He hugged her tightly, almost as if he needed something to hang on to. Molly would give him that. Whatever it took to protect her children, she'd be there for them.

He pulled back and nodded, but Molly saw through the act. Still, she knew he needed his space, so she reached up to smooth her hand over his hair and smiled at him, then turned to follow Arthur as he led the way.

They walked toward the Burrow while their children followed behind, and Molly couldn't help but think of how proud she was of her family. Percy stuck to his guns even when he was wrong. The fact that he came back to his family when he was needed instilled even more pride. Bill still kept on fighting despite his wounds and the scars he bore to this day, while Fleur took on her own battles as she stood by her husband and his cause. Ginny, Charlie, George and Fred all took a stand against the evil that threatened their world and fought for what they believed in. But it was Ron, along with Harry and Hermione, that Molly was most proud of, although she would never admit it to anyone else, especially her other children. Because of Ron's actions and bravery, his name was added to three different history books. The Weasleys were no longer looked down upon, and in fact, the family name stood for something once again.

Molly stopped and looked back, her gaze landing on the wildflowers that grew just past the gravesite where her son was buried. It seemed fitting somehow, she thought with a teary smile. The flowers were a testimony that life went on despite being mowed down in their prime. And just like the flowers, her son's name would live on - in the marble memorial erected to honor those who died in the battle, and in the lives of his family. That thought cheered her a little as she turned back toward her home.

A testimony that life goes on no matter what. Fred would have loved it.