Even though the table was full of friends and family, Arthur Weasley couldn't help but think of those who should be there but were not. And if the uncomfortable silence was any indication, he was correct in assuming that all the others felt the same way. Arthur knew they'd have to face it, this first Christmas after the war, but he never dreamed it would be this difficult.
Everyone was trying his best to keep things cheerful, of course, but as the holiday meal progressed, the conversation became more strained and the forced smiles faded a bit in the flickering candlelight. Even Arthur, who loved Christmas as much as…or possible more than any of them, couldn't help but be relieved when Molly began passing around cups of tea, mugs of butterberr, or glasses of firewhisky at the end of the feast. Staring into the amber colored liquid in his own class, he almost missed when George stood, raised his mug, and said in a quiet, yet strong voice, "To Fred."
If possible, the room went even more still, but the silence was broken when Charlie joined his brother and added, "To Nymphadora Tonks."
Harry's voice was steady when he quickly added, "And Remus Lupin."
Ginny's hand reached for Harry's as she stood. "To Colin Creevy."
In the next few moments, the voices became stronger and clearer as others were remembered. When the room finally became silent once more, Arthur looked around the room into the faces of those who mattered the most to him in this world. Locking eyes with his oldest son and his wife, who'd actually had a private moment with him and Molly earlier to share some special news, Arthur's thoughts moved from the past to the promise of the future. He was the last to stand and raise his glass.
"To victory."
Author's note: Okay, so this one was hard to write, too. And I still don't own the characters.