5 September 1977

Even though Molly had wrapped herself in thick scarf, she still felt cold. 'The beginning of Autumn'. The climate up north really was quite different.

She had already arrived at the Gringotts. For some reason, she felt nervous. She always needed to be on look out, in case there were unwanted people watching her.

It was nearly a year since that promise. And she can't wait to meet the rest of her children.

'Hope Percy is okay.' Her youngest son was sleeping at this time of the day. She had left him at the Safe House. Together with Arthur.

'I promised him that I would come back by next morning.' That was the promise they made many times before, and each time Arthur reminded her to give signal to the parchment she carried. It was a normal looking parchment, enchanted with magic that will shine blue when infused with the designated caster's small amount of magic. The parchment had a twin that would glow at the same time, so it was used to indicate that she was safe every few hours, and that was the agreement they made before he let her go in the open again, alone. She didn't want to draw attention if she came with large number of people. In the first place, she was the only one who could go to the place they promised, the Tree House. It's okay. Molly Weasley was used to being vigilant.

In a year since that event happened, Molly Weasley had experienced many things.

She didn't want to think about the corpses of people burned and mutilated she had stumbled along the way. But her mind was always filled with high strung anxiety. She couldn't properly relaxed; her mind would continuously reminded of the scenario her hometown village was burnt to the ground. Whenever there was a rustling and a motion out of the corner of her eyes, her wand would be drawn; thinking of the green skull she had witnessed floating in the sky. Thankfully her lone surviving with small child didn't last long. At the time Percy was over a month old, she finally met some of the survivors. It was while she was stumbling around in the forest near the third village she found, and someone had grabbed her from behind. Before she managed to hex, her husband grabbed her wand, and put his other hand across her mouth. He didn't want to explain anything just yet. But his eyes that weary with baggage of eye-bags, did soften when they met his wife's. He looked down at something in her arms, and let out soft sigh. Without another words, Arthur Weasley Side-Along his wife, and the new son- to some place.

When she finally met people, -thank Merlin there are others here, I felt so alone!-, at the Safe House Arthur brought them, she let out a wail she had been holding on from the start. Many things started to come out of her mouth. She had so many things to tell, but they all sounded gibberish. She wanted to tell about Bill, and Charlie, and oh, about what happened to her village.. Mum! ... Dad! It felt like a decade had went on, and nobody survives everywhere I see! But at last, she couldn't. The tears just won't stop coming. ... and why didn't you come sooner? She wanted to blame him, -but her spirit seemed to left her, so she stopped her tirade. With a sense of relief, she handed over the near-two-month-old baby to her husband. Then collapsed.

".. Mrs. Weasley." The goblin's voice roused her from thinking about past memories.

'For some reasons, Arthur said that the Death Eaters won't touch this place... yet.' Molly thought incredulously. Must be because they care more about the place that kept all their money and valuables, than the lives of innocent wizards and witches they killed. Molly felt disgusted.

"Mrs. Weasley. I need your presence here." The repeated voice held no warmth.

"Ah. Yes."

Even after coming for many times before, she was strike with sudden feeling of nervousness, but she moved forward to get in front of the counter to face the two goblins. The first one who called for her, had identified Molly's identity by asking her to stamp fingers on magical parchments. The second goblin had a more stern face, and with a curt voice, asked her to follow into goblin cart.

'I forgot to bring the motion-sickness potion'

Vault 504. It was a familiar scene to her now, to witness the grand ancient Prewett's vault that required higher security measure than her own personal vault. With a couple touches, the door melted, and the goblin accompanying her had stepped away to allow entrance.

Not many wealth left in the vault. The amount of Galleon spotted could be fit in medium size of wheat sacks. But Molly Weasley did not enter the vault to look at the money. No, she was looking for the tapestry of Prewett's family tree. Treading carefully to avoid stepping on the scattered artifacts, trophies, and valuables on the floor, Molly finally arrived in front of the tapestry at the far end wall.

From the right end to the left end of wall that was over three meter wide, the ancient tapestry emitted a magical presence suiting the prideful ancient Pure-blooded family. The tapestry contained rich colour of wine, gold and shining quartz, glowing brilliantly as it was woven with highest grade of golden, silver and saffron treads. The sprawling family tree dating back to the Middle Ages. Large words at the very top of the tapestry read: House of Prewett, Heredis Antiquorum. 'Heir of the Ancient', her mind supplied. As the words stated, countless names were written; but only some had glinted brightly and those were the names of the heirs.

Molly looked at the very bottom where the end of the family tree was. Her brothers' and her name were there, but the only difference was hers the same color as the others that did not shine. Tracing her name once, she raised her thumb finger to her mouth, and bit it hard till it drew blood. Then she smeared her name on the tapestry with it. She could feel magic woven around the name, soaking the blood, then changing the alphabets of her name several times. The new words appeared.

Molly let out a shuddered sigh, she felt so relief! 'I've waited so long for this..!'. Tears were pooling in her eyes. In span time of a year, Molly had visited the vault over and over again, in hope that she was able to gain the access to the tree house. Yet each time her name won't glow even when she had begged, smeared more blood on it, and even thinking of burning the tapestry in anger for her brothers. Molly knew that her twin brothers were the ones bearing the title Secret-Keepers, after their great-great-great grandfather passed away; and they held the power to choose which members of the family could gain the entrance to the ancestral house hidden with many layers of protective enchantments. Still, they shouldn't try to separate a mother from her children for long period of time.

When she blinked, the magical words on the tapestry were gone like they were never there in the first place. But somehow she knew, that they had already entered her head. 'Time to meet Bill and Charlie, and the rest of Prewett family.' Molly exited the bank and carefully hid in an alley a little bit far from the Gringotts.

"Muffliato". The surrounding won't be able to clearly hear her, but she kept an eye around looking for people who might be listening in. Satisfied with her safe situation, she raised the wand once again. And in solemn voice, she uttered the words for the place hidden with Fidelius Charm. "Prewett Family Ancestral House, the entrance of south-western Galloway Forest, Crebridge", -as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she slowly forgotten the location of the place.

In a second, Molly Weasley vanished from her spot.

"Bill.." a young voice was heard. "I want to meet mum."

"I know, Charlie." his brother patted his back reassuringly. "I missed her too. And dad."

The two brothers were now a year older, with Bill as a five years old, and Charlie a three years old. They were huddled under a thick blanket, sitting in front of fireplace. The house elves that they already familiarized with put a plate of biscuits, and two glasses of hot chocolate drink to warm their small bodies.

A year ago, when the two brothers opened their eyes, they were already laying on top of a large soft bed in an unfamiliar place. They would bolt from the room, but halted their movement when Uncle Fabian showed his head from the entrance. And came to hug them with teary face.

Uncle Gideon soon came inside to offer comfort to the confused brothers that became nervous when facing their crying uncle for the first time. It was a long moment before Uncle Fabian stopped sobbing, then wiping his face with a clean cloth, before finally facing the two children truthfully.

".. we have some... trespassers. They.. the uninvited guests.. they attacked us. Your grandma.. she was.. she was protecting us.. and.." Well he tried. Then he stopped. He did try to start again, but his mouth kept on opening then closing as if something was stuck in his throat. Frustrated, he left the room.

Uncle Gideon took over explaining to the two brothers that they were now in hiding. The place they stayed at the moment was the Prewett's ancestral house. There were two house elves to help if they need anything. Their uncles would be working on something for a long time. But he promised them that they will have breakfast and dinner together everyday.

They kept their promise. However, even if the two children continue meeting their uncles day by day, they couldn't help but seeing them becoming more and more of strangers. The children knew that their uncles had changed. The friendly demeanor the two adults displayed occasionally look forced. The little nephews could sense it, -the ominous feeling, the static magic energy that materialized sometimes from their uncles' bodies. The streaks of static was small. Normal people would had missed it. Not the boys. They had seen how the sinister dark red static energy vibrating like it was alive, eager to strike the surrounding people.

Bill shuddered when he thought about it. He remembered how each time the dark red static magic appeared, their uncles' eyes would change. Their eyes look glazed. Like they weren't there. And there was also other thing that the two adults thought they had hidden properly from their nephews. 'Why.. why is Uncles' skin become black?'

Just like last night, while they were having dinner, Bill noticed that the black skin that was at the base of his uncles' chest from three months ago, had crept up to cover just below their necks. Bill didn't know how to ask about it, their uncles emanated a presence that felt distance. He was worried for them, -are they sick? Will they be okay?, at the same time he didn't dare to evoke their anger when it wasn't his place to know. He felt helpless. This large ancestral house felt hollow with the presence of two adults who only communicated with the two children when it was time for meal. He didn't understand about his situation, -Why are we in the middle of forest? He wanted to ask, -Where is this place? - but their only guardians didn't offer further explanation, and they only said that -We are now in hiding, and stopped the words at that.

Why? Why should Bill and Charlie followed their uncles in hiding? Why can't they meet with their mother? Why should they live in a place like this? Why did the uncles always be in the room at the basement? And why was that room look so.. ominous? Bill was restless. Should he be scared of the only adults who were supposedly be their protectors? 'And why.. why do Uncle Fabian and Uncle Gideon.. sometimes look like they would ki..'

Bill shook his head, he didn't want to think of that possibility. There was no way the two adults would harm them. Yet, he tried to brace himself. Whatever was going to happen, Charlie only had his older brother to protect him now.

There was something Bill didn't tell his little brother, something that kept niggling at the back of his head, 'That circle.. what is that.. that circle?' The memory was quite hazy in his mind. Sometimes there was a memory like this, Bill didn't know to treat it as a dream or.. a mind trick that was caused because he was anxious, and helpless, and alone, and..

'..I was.. at the center..', It was a memory that felt so real, like he had experienced it himself. 'A big red circle.. With words I don't know..' he thought deeply. '.. We were in a room with no windows..

We..?'

"Where are uncles?" The young voice broke him from his reverie. Bill needed a minute to collect himself.

Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, Bill answered. "They.. are a little bit busy today." In fact, Bill remembered looking at their backs early that morning. As usual, they were wearing robes of darker colors and had cloth long enough to wrap, covering their hair and faces. Only their eyes were visible. Bil had looked at Uncle Gideon's eyes when he turned around momentarily; and he tried not to convulse. That pair of eyes looked past him like he wasn't there. That pair of eyes look lifeless.

"..Bill." A small hand was placed on top of his lap, grabbing his attention once again. His little brother thought of something.

Looking at his brother in his self-absorption, Bill felt fear gripping at his heart. His three-years-old brother was too small, if anything happened to his brother, he didn't know what to do. He was also a child himself... "Yeah, Charlie?" Bill patted his baby brother's head in adoration.

Charlie allowed himself to be pampered. It was only the two of them, and his older brother didn't know it, but when he felt fear or anxious, he always reached for his younger brother for comfort. Charlie let out the question lingering in his mind,"Are they going to get hurt? Again?" Bill winced. Again. Because the two young children were now used to their guardians coming back from time to time weary and bloodied.

Bill always hated the fact that his baby brother's innocent eyes had witnessed how gruesome the wounds on their uncles' torn. The blood was too dark, and too much that the scent of iron had become familiar. Bill was hoping to shelter his brother from experiencing anymore horrifying scene. "I don't know.. Maybe. It's okay Charlie. Here," Bill turned to get the books placed on top of small table behind them, "I will read you some books." It was a lame attempt to distract Charlie from asking any more questions. Bill was hoping it would work.

But just from seeing the cover of the children book, the little brother let out a whine."I don't want to! I already know that Beedle Bard." Bill looked at the tittle again."The Tales of Beedle the Bard." He corrected.

Charlie's whining became louder, "Yeah. That. You read it to me too many times, Bill. It's boring." Bill put down another book he was going to show, -Hogwarts: A History-, that he knew would gain stronger protest. He then reached for the cards under the table,"Exploding Snap?"

In a burst, his little brother yelled, "I keep on losing!" Yes, he kept losing. And even though the cards didn't cause much harm when exploded, they bruised his little ego when he always ended up with face full of soot at the end of the game. Charlie took the plate in front of them and ate the rest of the biscuits in aggressive manner, remembering his continuous defeats. This older brother didn't know how to restrain himself. Perhaps if he was older, he would know that faking losing sometimes would entertain his baby brother longer. This was hard. Bill didn't know any more exciting games. "Oh I know! Let's play hide and seek!"

"I don't want to play with just two of us!" What was the fun of that? Oh this was tragedy. It had been like this since the day they woke up in this place. Everyday they needed to find new ways to entertain themselves, otherwise it felt so frightening living with just the two of them; the always disappearing uncles didn't count. Charlie thank the fact that the two house elves they had were quite nice, and they tried to bring toys and other things that could occupy the little children's time. Yet Charlie felt like he was nearing his end, and he was going to cry from boredom. He did cry, and crumbles of biscuits spitting everywhere including on top of his brother's face when he tried to hug him in distress. He wanted to play with more playmates. But over the course of the year it was only him and his brother.

He wanted to play with more people. He wanted to meet with someone other than his brother and uncles. He missed the neighbouring children. He missed Bill's friends. He missed playing in the field near their house. More importantly he missed the adults in his family, -mum, dad, grandma, granddad-, who would dot and spoil on him and his older brother.

Charlie cried. He missed everyone.

The two brothers did not take long time thinking how to entertain themselves. They found a broomstick in the storeroom where Uncle Gideon hid it when the children fought about it not too long ago. Charlie was only three years old, and he didn't really know what was the function of broomstick, but his brother seemed really taken with it so like a child, he wanted it too.

Bill was frustrated when the fighting caused the twigs got all messed up, and he wanted to pull it out from Charlie's hands when all of a sudden, there was the sound of 'Crack' coming from the entryway.

Stopping their struggling, the children knew it was not their uncles, because Uncle Fabian and Uncle Gideon always made commotion each time they get back. Feeling chill up their spines, the two brothers remembered the event from one year ago, and wasting no more time to scramble on their feet.

With a sense of urgency, Bill shouted, "Mune! Lark!" and the two house elves wearing ragged cloth made of pillowcases appeared by their sides. Their eyes were wise, yet respectful to the young children. The two elves bowed in a practice manner, awaiting patiently for their order, -it had been long time since they had masters to serve, it was a pride to finally be used for their services-; until a familiar face was seen, and a voice was heard.

".. Bill?.. Char..?"

That voice didn't even managed to finish its words however, as the two brothers screamed at the top of their lungs,"MUUUMMMMMMM!" Bill hurriedly threw the broomstick aside, and raced with his younger brother to tackle the owner of the voice to the ground.

THUDD!

Molly felt air leaving her lungs, her stomach was carved with new holes. And her back was in a lot of pain.

The two house elves left behind watched with disinterested eyes on the pile of bodies on the floor, that already ignoring their presences. They straightened their backs. Then with a 'Snap', they went into the kitchen.

The brothers started fighting over who get to be heard,

"Mummy! Mummy! Mum! Is this you?!"

"Are you really mum?! Mum?! Mum!"

"Mummyyy! I missed youuuu! Don't go away againn!"

"Mummm! I dreamed about you last night! Oh mumm..!"

"I wanted to see you everyday.. waahhh!"

"Me too! Me too! Me too! Mum...!"

They were yelling too close to her ears, and the limbs, -the thin bony limbs- were leaving sharp pressure on her body, and she was having difficulty in breathing when her children sat on top of her stomach and chest, so with a sense of remorse, Molly Weasley raised her wand to use the levitating charm.

The two boys were shocked momentarily from suddenly being lift up high. "Mummm..!" Their limbs were moving frantically trying to get down.

After dusting herself, Molly took a good look at the levitating children, "Oh Bill.. Charlie.." Her children had grown up. It had been almost a year since she last saw her children. This war seemed unending. They had been separated by her twin brothers since forever. These children before her had grown, suddenly looking much matured for their ages. Growing up, without her by their sides. Molly sobbed.

The older son waved his hands, "Mum..! Let me down..!"

"Me too! Me too!" The younger brother now trying to grab his mother's hair as an anchor to get him down.

They were really active despite the fact they were frighten to the bones not a minute before. "Oh, all right, all right." Rolling her wet eyes, Molly lamented the fact that the two brothers won't even let her mourning their fate properly. They're still the same, she smiled. "Come here."

Finally lowering the two brothers, she gently took them into her arms. "... it's been a while, Bill. Charlie." the voice was strained with an effort to stop crying.

But her children, -ignoring her effort-, dig deeper inside her embrace. With a voice containing an endless longing, they both whispered inside her arms,"... I really missed you, mum." "..missed you, mummy."

And she lost. The tears fell from her eyes like a broken dam. Oh, how long she dreamed of this moments. Everyday since she was separated from them, she wished that she could get reunited with her children sooner. She dreamed of touching her sons, -all safe and sound-. She missed hearing their voices. And she hope desperately that they won't resent her for being apart for a long time.

She wished for them to be happy seeing her too. The hands embracing her children tighten, as she tried to bring them further into her hug.

"I missed you, Bill. I missed you, Charlie. I missed both of you everyday.."

And being a five-years-old and a three-years-old children, spending the past year living in an ancient house with occasional presences of their uncles and two house elves, separating from a mother's warmth and embraces from an age too,-too, young for a long time..

the boys tighten their own clutches on the mother and let out a cry that screamed - all the frustration, all the fears, all worries that they had for their mother.

"... I want to tell you many things, mum!

I..!"

"I...!"

They tried to speak. But sound of wailing kept pouring out of their mouth. The hallway was filled with the sound of their cries.

The two children pressed their bodies to try re-acquaintance themselves to their mother's warmth. Their chest felt heavy from heaving harsh breath. All of a sudden, it became too warm in the autumn. They tried to memorize their mother's breathing sound. They missed this familiar odours. They yearned for the tender feel of her touch.

"... mum, I really miss you.."

Holding the mother tightly, the two brothers tried avenging the time that had been lost between the three of them.