Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the story except for Molly, Jane, little Sirius, and little James, and since they don't talk much, I owe much to JKR for creating the characters that carry the story. I especially thank her for the character Ron Weasley, who has entertained and infuriated me from book one. Hermione is some lucky witch.

A/N: Okay, sorry about last chapter being random. Well, actually I'm not sorry. I LOVED chapter 13. Spagettios! I hope you enjoyed it. As for a Ron/Hermione chapter like that…good things come to those who wait. (laughs evilly) Oh, flashbacks are in italics.

Mr. Weasley knew Ron was waiting on something. Not him, obviously, but something very important. Most likely it had something to do with Hermione. Or his grandchildren. He smiled. Molly would be ecstatic. Pity she wasn't here to see them.

Ron came into the living room. He looked at the clock reminiscent of the one at the Burrow. Arthur, Ron, George, and Ginny were all pointed to home. "We need to put Fred back on."

Mr. Weasley smiled. "And your girls."

Ron blushed. "If I ever get to meet them."

"In good time. Portkeys take a long time to set up."

"Yeah." He paused. "I came because you have an appointment today."

"At St. Mungo's?"

"Yes."

Mr. Weasley sighed. "I miss floo powder. But I really miss my wand. I hate side-by-side apparition. It makes me feel like a child. St. Mungo's makes me feel like a child."

"I know. I'm sorry. I have tried."

"I know you have, Ron," Mr. Weasley sighed, "and I appreciate that. You've made me proud. Your mother would be so proud."

Ron shrugged. "I just did what anyone else would have done."

"No. You didn't. I can't see Charlie behaving the same way. Or Fred. Or George. Or even Bill. You've dealt with a lot of shit, Ron. I hope everything works out for you in the end."

Ron blushed. "Okay, we need to go."

Mr. Weasley smiled. Ever modest. In some ways he was the same little boy he'd sent away to Hogwarts. "Okay." He stood up and grabbed Ron's left arm. "I'm ready."

Suddenly the two disappeared from the flat with a resounding Pop and found themselves in the main lobby of St. Mungo's. Mr. Weasley cringed. He hated this place. He'd been here too many times the past three years for bad things. To see the bodies of his family. To check Ginny in for mental evaluation and rehabilitation. To check George in for severe depression. And then one day Ron had been forced to check him in. He wanted to forget that day desperately, but he knew Ron wanted to forget it even more. Ron had had unshed tears in his eyes that day…

"May I help you, sir?" a healer with raven hair asked as she approached them. She could tell just by looking at the pair that something was wrong. The younger of the two looked desperate and weary. The older just looked defeated. Wait, she thought, red hair? The Weasleys? But which ones?

"Please, you have to take in my Dad," the younger of the two pleaded. "He tried to kill himself."

"Okay. What's his name?" the healer soothed, taking the elder by the hand.

"Arthur Weasley."

"And who are you?"

"Ron Weasley."

The healer's head popped up so she could have a good stare at Ron. Voldemort's downfall had not just come at the hands of Harry Potter, but of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger too. However, the Weasleys and Grangers had both been attacked. She had seen the bodies…

"Okay, I understand. I'll put him in the same room with your sister."

Ron stopped her, reaching out and grabbing her arm. "He's not that bad is he?" He looked panic-stricken, and she sympathized. "He can't be as far gone as Ginny. I mean, they can't all be crazy. I can't handle it all."

Mr. Weasley, even in his state, could see the sorrow written all over the healer's face. "It'll be okay. We'll take care of him. You just fill out these forms while I take him up to be examined."

The last glimpse of his youngest son left Mr. Weasley completely heartbroken. He sat down in one of the chair and scribbled away on the forms, looking through them, muttering just loudly enough for Mr. Weasley to hear. "How on earth am I going to pay for all this?"

And then the healer had led Mr. Weasley up to the room with Ginny, where he had remained for nearly two months. Ron had had to start working again, so his visits became more and more infrequent. Harry had come by often at first, and Hermione had come once, then disappeared. Ginny had been so quiet when they were alone, but after several attempts on his life and mad rants from Ginny, Harry too had stopped coming. So Mr. Weasley had been alone. . .

"Dad? Dad, are you okay?" Ron's voice broke through the fog of the memories. "Dad?" His voice was becoming panicked.

"Oh, I'm fine. Sorry, Ron. I was just remembering…"

"No need for that. Come on. Let's get you to the right floor." Ron took his father's arm and led him like a child. Several people nodded at the two Weasleys as they passed.

"Hello, Ron," one healer said. Mr. Weasley didn't recognize her, but Ron was here much more often than he was. It broke his heart to think that.

Ron nodded. He got up to the correct room and let his father in. "Now let me fill out the paperwork, okay Dad?"

Mr. Weasley nodded. "Do you have anything for me to read?"

"Yeah." Ron grinned. "Something special." He held out a magazine he had been concealing in his robes.

"Sparkplugs Monthly! And the newest addition at that! Thanks, Ron."

"I thought you'd like it." He then went over to the receptionist.

As Ron filled in Mr. Weasley's information, Mr. Weasley checked out the newest sparkplugs. There were some pretty spiffy ones out there now. He'd have to point out to Ron a few he wanted for Christmas.

After about twenty minutes, they called Ron and Mr. Weasley back to the examination room. Healer Macmillan, Ernie's mother, entered the room.

"Hello Ron. Hello Arthur. How are you?"

"Better. Did you hear about my son Fred?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Yes I did. It's all around the Ministry that he was found. Ernie told me." She then turned to Ron. "How has he been?" she asked.

"Who? Fred?"

"Yes. Is he emotional?"

"He's just a bit angry with me. We've had a good row or two. But he hasn't broken down, if that's what you're asking. I don't think he will, knowing Fred."

"Well, bring him in if anything changes. How have you been doing lately, Arthur? Have you been taking your potion?"

"Oh yes. Ron doesn't let me forget."

"Good. Ron, has he been doing well?" Mr. Weasley frowned. He could answer for himself, and it drove him up a wall to be treated like a child.

Ron shrugged. "Yeah. About the same as usual. He's been happier the last few weeks because of Fred and…" he abruptly broke off.

Oh yes. The grandchildren. They had made him much happier. He couldn't wait to meet them. Of course, that wasn't common knowledge yet. "And George has been doing much better. Needed his twin back, I reckon," Mr. Weasley quickly saved.

Ron smiled at him in appreciation. "Yeah. Loads better. The twins will be terrible together again."

"And Ginny?"

Ron sighed. "Sadly, she's the same. I don't know how to help her."

Mr. Weasley frowned. "She's trying to get better."

Healer Macmillan frowned. "She really needs to be here in St. Mungo's."

"No," Ron said flatly. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. I'm not letting my sister rot in a hospital with people she doesn't even know. She's my family, regardless of her mental state. I have to take care of her."

"Well, the way you're going, Ron Weasley, you'll be here yourself one day."

"I don't plan on it. I know you're just trying to help, but back off. I think I know what's best for my family."

Mr. Weasley had heard this same argument too many times to count. Ron inevitably won, his Weasley stubbornness silencing those who tried to interfere. Mr. Weasley still remembered the day Ron had busted Ginny out of St. Mungo's.

"Mr. Weasley! Sir! What do you think you're doing?" a young healer called out.

Mr. Weasley jumped up from his seat outside Ginny's room. It was only a moment before he realized the 'Mr. Weasley' she had referred to was Ron.

"Getting my sister out of here! You keep calling her mental, but your treatment of her is what's really mental! I can't believe you've got her tied down like an animal!"

"Sir, please don't remove the restraints."

"Bugger off. Would you want your sister to be treated like this?"

"That's not the point, sir. Your sister…"

"Is leaving right now!" Ron interrupted. "Expelliarmus!" he cried.

"Give me back my wand!" the healer cried. "Sir?"

As Mr. Weasley went to go survey the situation in Ginny's room, Ron came barreling out, Ginny in his arms. "Come on, Dad. We've got to get out of here, and fast." He grabbed his father's arm, and they apparated to their new flat. Well, new to them anyway. It wasn't the Burrow, but it was home now. A bit dirty and ramshackle, but it was all they could afford.

"They had her tied down?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking down at Ginny, who was even paler than she had been of late. "Why?"

"They think she's a complete nut job. So they tied her down as a 'safety precaution.' She attacked Harry ages ago. Now all she does is lie there. They're completely insane, if you ask me."

"So you just walked out with her? And cursed a healer, no less? Ron, they're going to come looking for both of you."

"Just let them try. I'll crucio them if I have to."

"Ronald Weasley, you would not!"

"I would too."

And he had crucioed a few of the aurors that showed up. Of course, he did know Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-eye. Shacklebolt was pretty forgiving. Mad-eye had threatened to remove his name from auror training. Ron had shocked everyone by saying he didn't give a fuck if he did or not. However, apparently everyone else cared. Moody had practically begged him to come back to the program.

Ron had relented, swallowing his pride when money became tight. Auror pay was not bad. Especially when one had a father and two siblings to provide for. Mr. Weasley sighed. He wished he could help. However, after his breakdown, they had taken his wand away. George had only recently gotten his back.

"Dad? Dad?"

"Oh, sorry. My mind wandered for a minute. What is it, Ron?"

Ron sighed. "We can go now."

Mr. Weasley looked up and saw that the healer had already left. "Do I get my wand back?"

"No. And if you don't stop letting your 'mind wander' in front of her, you never will. Of course, she also wants to piss me off. She's still sore about Ginny. Well, she can stick it up her ass for all I care."

"Your mother would wash your mouth out for that."

"If she had caught me," Ron grinned.

Mr. Weasley laughed. "True. Though you were never very good at being subtle."

"Yeah. That was Ginny. And to a lesser degree, the twins."

As the two Weasley men entered the St. Mungo's Lobby, Remus Lupin ran up to them.

"Ron! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Really? Sorry, Dad had an appointment. What's the matter?" Ron said, pulling out his wand.

"Oh nothing's the matter. It's just that the portkey is all set up. The twins will be arriving in a couple of hours. Hermione went to go explain everything to them."

Ron paled. "Today? Now? What do I say to them? What if they don't like me?" Mr. Weasley had never seen Ron so nervous.

Remus smiled. "Calm down, Ron. It'll be fine. Do you want me to take you home, Arthur?"

"If you would, Remus. It looks like Ron is in severe need of some butterbeer," he laughed.

"Damn that. I need a firewhiskey."

"You don't want to be drunk when you meet the girls, do you?" Remus asked incredulously.

"I can cast a sober charm quite effectively, Remus," Ron said sharply. "Besides, I need to calm myself down." Then he disapparated.

"Do you think it'll be okay?" Arthur asked Remus.

"Yeah. It'll be fine. I can't wait. I want to meet those two myself."

"No one does more than I. Especially since she named one of them Molly."

"Molly would have been thrilled. Even more so that Hermione is their mother."

Arthur nodded. "She always liked Hermione. Of course, she always thought Hermione and Harry…"

"Didn't we all? We all should have realized what their fights meant to her too. She never had so much passion for anything and anyone else." Remus smiled. "That's how Tonks and I started."

"Molly and I were awful," Arthur smiled. "Never could properly get along. Until she kissed me." His eyes misted over. "I still miss her, Remus."

Remus sighed. "I know. I don't know what to tell you. It's hard seeing you so sad while I'm so happy."

"You deserve happiness, Remus. You had so much shit in your life. All I have to say is it's a good thing Tonks didn't take no for an answer."

"Yeah. And I had you to talk some sense into me."

"Well Remus, it isn't everyday a pretty girl falls into your lap and falls in love with you."

"Yeah. I don't know what I'd do without her. I might not even be here."

"I know you wouldn't be. You're a prat sometimes, Remus."

"Tonks tells me I'm always one. I think that's why she likes me."

Arthur laughed. "Women like prats. Molly told me all through Hogwarts that I was a stupid prat."

"Hello. How are you?" a dazed voice asked behind Remus. He turned. "Lockhart?"

"Yes. I'm famous, did you know?" He looked shocked. "I wonder what I'm famous for?"

Normally this would have been funny. However, neither man could smile. Not so long ago, Ginny herself had acted much the same way.

"Hello, Gilderoy. Are you lost?" Arthur asked, taking him by the arm. "Let's get you back to your room."

Remus took his other arm and, with Arthur, led the former Hogwarts professor to his room. It was completely deserted.

When they left, Arthur looked at his friend. "I'm glad Ron didn't let Ginny live like that. It's awful."

Remus nodded. "I know. I'm just glad she was never that far gone."

"I'm glad we at least have two more little Weasleys in the mix. We need fresh faces. Ginny always liked kids anyway. Maybe they'll cheer her up."

A/N: Wow. I want absolutely NO complaints about that being too short. On word, this chapter is 7 ½ pages and 2,422 words. That's just the story, too, no author's notes and disclaimer. I know that was lengthy, but I had to set up the next chapter and show some flashbacks. I meant to make the Gilderoy part funny, but I realized that it couldn't be. The next chapter is the one everyone wants. I bet you can't wait. Well, you'll just have to. I'm sorry I ended the happy chapter streak, but I will tell you that 18 will be happy if the rest of them aren't 100 sunshine and daisies. It gets better. I promise.

Thanks to all my reviewers. To all of those that read this and put me on story alert, how about a review? Just say 'here I am' or something of the like. I like getting my review emails. : D I once again thank jwoods471 and JohnCardy87 for being my betas.

Check out jwoods471's new story Forgotten Memories. I think you'll like it.