Disclaimer: I don't own any of it in the past, present, or future.

Words To Live By, Words To Love By!
By: JollieRancher

Chapter 2: Mr. Weasley Tells A Story

Harry lay awake that night. He could hear Ron snoring across the room and the ghost rattling the pipes from time to time. During the day it was easy to keep his thoughts off of the terrible memories and feeling especially when he was here and surrounded by his friends. But night was a different story all together.

Finally abandoning the pretenses of sleep Harry put on his glasses and went downstairs for a glass of water. When he got down stairs someone was already there.

"Just got back from a raid." Mr. Weasley explained in a low voice when he saw the surprised look on Harry's face. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Couldn't sleep." Harry told him. Mr. Weasley nodded knowingly.

"I had many sleepless nights during and after the first war, still do for that matter." He said with a sad smile. His words made Harry think of something he had not thought of before.

"Mr. Weasley, can I ask you something?" Harry inquired quietly. Mr. Weasley sat down at the table and motioned for Harry to take a seat as well. Harry looked down at his hands resting in his lap and spoke without looking up. "Does it ever stop?" Tears began to form in his eyes and he wiped them away angrily. Mr. Weasley placed a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder.

"No, but it does get better in time. I lost many friends and family members in that war. Some died going out in a blaze of glory while others we just never saw again. The loss I took the hardest was the loss of my older brother. It was a little more than a year and a half before You-Know- Who's defeat. I had just gotten news that Molly was pregnant with Ron. We were on our way home when the Deatheaters attacked. We were seriously out numbered, there were at least ten of them. He told me to go, he would hold them off as long as he could. I told him I wouldn't leave him." He paused for a moment his eyes moist. "He pushed me on my way and said, 'You have Molly and the kids to think about now get out of here I'm ready to see my wife again.' So I went and I turned just before I apparated. I turned just in time to see him fall." He paused to wipe away the tears that were now flowing freely.

"What did you do?" Harry asked after a moment. "How did you get through it?"

"Well at first I wanted to go out and kill every Deatheater I could find even if I had to die trying. Luckily your father stopped me before I had a chance to try that plan. He explained to me that my brother had died to save my life so I could protect my family and help rebuild a better world once You-Know-Who was defeated. He told me that if I threw my life a way then my brothers death was meaningless. And the best way I could serve my brothers memory was to live and to make sure that the cause he was fighting for, the peace he sought to see for future generations was attained. Those words are what got me through those tough times and they continue to guide me to this day."

"Really?" Harry asked. "My father said that."

"Yes, but I got the feeling your mother may have said it to him before." Mr. Weasley said, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You know, if your father hadn't said those words to me when he did I never would have known the joys of having a daughter because Ginny would have never been born."

At those last few words Harry's head shot up. Mr. Weasley wished him good night and went up to get a few hours sleep before he had to leave for work. Harry, however, just sat there. 'He told me that if I threw my life a way then my brothers death was meaningless. And the best way I could serve my brothers memory was to live and to make sure that the cause he was fighting for, the peace he sought to see for future generations was attained. ...Ginny would have never been born.' Those words echoed in his head. Even when he finally went to sleep they haunted his dreams.