Ch. 14: Empty Nest
Harry sat in his favorite chair, gazing into the fire. It was quiet, too quiet. for more than twenty years the sound of childish laughter had filled every corner. Now it was gone. He looked up at pictures which filled the mantlepiece. He and Ron had raised six wonderful and exasperating children, and now they were all gone. Their youngest daughter Molly had graduated top of her class the summer before and proceeded to marry her schoolyard crush. He smiled, thinking of how nervous the boy had looked when asking for their blessing. He had to wonder, had he looked that nervous when he'd asked for Arthur's blessing to marry Ron? He sighed. Why did children have to grow up so quickly? He could remember when Sirius and James were born. He'd been almost afraid to even touch them they'd looked so fragile. They'd given both him and Ron their fair share of gray hairs when they were growing up, but both had turned out well. Sirius had become an auror for the ministry and James had somehow managed to aquire a potion master's certificate. Next thing they'd known James had received an offer from Professor Finnigan to teach potions at Hogwarts. He'd never felt so proud of the boy as he had at that moment. Neither he nor Ron had been anything but average at potion making when they were at school. In fact the only course they'd been worse at had been divination.
"You ok mate?"
He looked at his husband of more than twenty years and smiled. There was a sprinkling of gray in the red hair and there were a few lines round the eyes, but Ron was still the man of his dreams.
"I'm fine love, just a bit sad now that Molly is out on her own."
"I understand Harry, but we had to let her go. She's a grown witch now, and has to find her own way in life."
"I realize that Ron, but it doesn't make things any easier. I guess I'm just a sentimental old fool." His eyes began to fill with tears, as his husband hugged him to his chest.
"No Harry love, you aren't a fool. I miss them too, but they had to grow up, and move on. Besides which we do have grandchildren to spoil now. Harry laughed, Ron was right, there was a new generation of pranksters to train. They just had to figure out a way to do it without the kids finding out about it.
Ch. 15: It's not Goodbye
Harry felt numb. How could this be happening? He and Ron had always been together. How could this be?
"Father."
He looked up at his eldest son. Sirius was a good boy, and had grown into an exceptional man despite his childhood attempts to live up to his namesake. He'd inherited the Weasley hair and Harry's green eyes. Harry knew that tears were slowly making their way down his cheeks, but he didn't have the strength to wipe them away just that minute.
"Father, you need to sleep. Da wouldn't want you to make yourself ill. Please come with me." He allowed himself to be led away, though he doubted he'd be able to sleep.
"James has sent you a dreamless sleep potion father, and I want you to take it. Now, please don't argue with me. Da's funeral is tomorrow and you need to get your rest. Climb into bed and I'll get it for you." Feeling like a five year old child being scolded by his father, Harry obeyed. Five minutes after taking the potion he was asleep.
* * *
*
Harry never could quite remember what happened at the funeral. He felt totally numb, and barely even noticed when Molly sat next to him during the services. At the conclusion he tried to stand and would have fallen if James hadn't caught him. Leaning on his son Harry made his way over to the casket where the one great love of his life lay. The once fiery red locks had long since turned snowy white, but the freckles were still there. Harry smiled through his tears. He could still see the boy that he'd fallen in love with so long ago. Slowly he leaned forward and kissed his love on the forehead. "Goodbye my love, sleep well," he said before turning to leave the room.
"Grampa."
Harry turned, and looked down into the face of Molly's little girl.
"What is it Lily?"
"Grampa please don't be sad." She smiled at him.
Harry had to smile in spite of the depth of his grief. To little ones like Lily everything was simple. If only they were. "I'll try," he said.
It rained throughout most of the burial service, but Harry didn't care. His thoughts were elsewhere. He was onboard a train, meeting a small red haired boy for the first time. How long ago it had been, and yet it seemed like it was just yesterday. As Ron's coffin slowly descended into the earth the rain slowed to a drizzle and then stopped. High above the clouds began to disperse allowing a single ray of sunshine to land atop Ron's headstone. 'Almost as if Ron was meant to ride a sunbeam into heaven' Harry thought to himself. For a moment he felt as though Ron were standing beside him, his hand on Harry's shoulder as if to say 'it's alright mate I'm not really gone, and we'll see each other again soon enough.' He knew that he still had a lot of grieving to do but for the moment he felt an intense sense of peace.
Harry sat in his favorite chair, gazing into the fire. It was quiet, too quiet. for more than twenty years the sound of childish laughter had filled every corner. Now it was gone. He looked up at pictures which filled the mantlepiece. He and Ron had raised six wonderful and exasperating children, and now they were all gone. Their youngest daughter Molly had graduated top of her class the summer before and proceeded to marry her schoolyard crush. He smiled, thinking of how nervous the boy had looked when asking for their blessing. He had to wonder, had he looked that nervous when he'd asked for Arthur's blessing to marry Ron? He sighed. Why did children have to grow up so quickly? He could remember when Sirius and James were born. He'd been almost afraid to even touch them they'd looked so fragile. They'd given both him and Ron their fair share of gray hairs when they were growing up, but both had turned out well. Sirius had become an auror for the ministry and James had somehow managed to aquire a potion master's certificate. Next thing they'd known James had received an offer from Professor Finnigan to teach potions at Hogwarts. He'd never felt so proud of the boy as he had at that moment. Neither he nor Ron had been anything but average at potion making when they were at school. In fact the only course they'd been worse at had been divination.
"You ok mate?"
He looked at his husband of more than twenty years and smiled. There was a sprinkling of gray in the red hair and there were a few lines round the eyes, but Ron was still the man of his dreams.
"I'm fine love, just a bit sad now that Molly is out on her own."
"I understand Harry, but we had to let her go. She's a grown witch now, and has to find her own way in life."
"I realize that Ron, but it doesn't make things any easier. I guess I'm just a sentimental old fool." His eyes began to fill with tears, as his husband hugged him to his chest.
"No Harry love, you aren't a fool. I miss them too, but they had to grow up, and move on. Besides which we do have grandchildren to spoil now. Harry laughed, Ron was right, there was a new generation of pranksters to train. They just had to figure out a way to do it without the kids finding out about it.
Ch. 15: It's not Goodbye
Harry felt numb. How could this be happening? He and Ron had always been together. How could this be?
"Father."
He looked up at his eldest son. Sirius was a good boy, and had grown into an exceptional man despite his childhood attempts to live up to his namesake. He'd inherited the Weasley hair and Harry's green eyes. Harry knew that tears were slowly making their way down his cheeks, but he didn't have the strength to wipe them away just that minute.
"Father, you need to sleep. Da wouldn't want you to make yourself ill. Please come with me." He allowed himself to be led away, though he doubted he'd be able to sleep.
"James has sent you a dreamless sleep potion father, and I want you to take it. Now, please don't argue with me. Da's funeral is tomorrow and you need to get your rest. Climb into bed and I'll get it for you." Feeling like a five year old child being scolded by his father, Harry obeyed. Five minutes after taking the potion he was asleep.
* * *
*
Harry never could quite remember what happened at the funeral. He felt totally numb, and barely even noticed when Molly sat next to him during the services. At the conclusion he tried to stand and would have fallen if James hadn't caught him. Leaning on his son Harry made his way over to the casket where the one great love of his life lay. The once fiery red locks had long since turned snowy white, but the freckles were still there. Harry smiled through his tears. He could still see the boy that he'd fallen in love with so long ago. Slowly he leaned forward and kissed his love on the forehead. "Goodbye my love, sleep well," he said before turning to leave the room.
"Grampa."
Harry turned, and looked down into the face of Molly's little girl.
"What is it Lily?"
"Grampa please don't be sad." She smiled at him.
Harry had to smile in spite of the depth of his grief. To little ones like Lily everything was simple. If only they were. "I'll try," he said.
It rained throughout most of the burial service, but Harry didn't care. His thoughts were elsewhere. He was onboard a train, meeting a small red haired boy for the first time. How long ago it had been, and yet it seemed like it was just yesterday. As Ron's coffin slowly descended into the earth the rain slowed to a drizzle and then stopped. High above the clouds began to disperse allowing a single ray of sunshine to land atop Ron's headstone. 'Almost as if Ron was meant to ride a sunbeam into heaven' Harry thought to himself. For a moment he felt as though Ron were standing beside him, his hand on Harry's shoulder as if to say 'it's alright mate I'm not really gone, and we'll see each other again soon enough.' He knew that he still had a lot of grieving to do but for the moment he felt an intense sense of peace.