Arthur watched Molly start to make breakfast, but soon he couldn't help it and he offered to help. It had become his habit ever since the battle. He just couldn't let her do any simple task alone.

They completed the task silently. After seven kids, it was strange to have the house so empty. It had been this way ever since Ginny had left for Hogwarts, but it was much worse now that—he forced himself to think the words—one of them would never come back.

Molly sniffed as she set out plates to put the eggs on. It was much faster to make breakfast for just two people. He knew her well enough to know she was just barely holding back tears.

"Molly dear," he said, stopping her before she put the food on the table, "It's been months. I know how you're feeling, but—"

"Then you should know I can't stop crying yet," She sobbed, "I lost my baby, Arthur. My little Freddie! I-I can't help it."

"I do know." Arthur said, pulling his wife into his arms, "I lost my baby too. But I also know Fred wouldn't want you to spend all your time crying over him. You know how he hated it when we were upset." She sobbed again, "Then again, that was generally because we were upset at him."

He had been hoping to make her laugh, but she sobbed even harder. "Molly darling, I was joking. Fred loved making us happy. Don't you remember when he and George had let gnomes loose in our house? You sent them to their rooms for an entire week, and we only let them out for bathroom breaks and meals. But-darling please stop crying-but, when they came out we found out they had spent the week making little flowers for you out of paper in their desks. You put them on the table like real flowers for weeks. And two years ago, they bought those wonderful new robes and hat. And Fred always wore those sweaters you made him long after they didn't fit."

"I know." She said, "I know, it's just, it's just—Oh, Arthur, it's Gideon and Fabian all over again." She sobbed even harder into his chest.

"Okay, okay, shh, think of it this way then," He stroked her hair, "He's with Gideon and Fabian now. They can tell him all about you as a child and he can tell them all about you as a mother. Oh, Molly dear," He forced her to look up at him, "You were a good mother to him. Can you think of the absolute mayhem that would have happened if you weren't there to keep him from—from blowing up toilets or something?" For the first time in months, her mouth twitched and she almost smiled. "And he loved you for keeping him grounded. He loved you for not letting him get too crazy."

She nodded to show she understood.

You should listen to your own advice, he thought to himself, He loved you too, but you've been too busy trying to comfort your wife, you haven't grieved for yourself.

As if she had read his mind, she told him, "And he loved you for holding me back, so I didn't punish him too severely." She nodded again and wiped away her tears, "We were good parents."

"We are good parents, love." He smiled down at her, "We have six other children, you know. Not to mention Harry, Hermione, and even Fleur. And soon, darling, we'll have a little grandchild. And after that, maybe we'll have even more grandchildren. A whole houseful so we have to eat Christmas dinner outside in the snow."

She actually smiled at the thought, and Arthur found himself smiling as well. "I knew this would happen." Molly said, her smile beginning to dissolve, "I knew it wasn't possible we'd all get out of this alive. I just thought-"

"Molly, if I could have, I would have switched places with Fred in a second, and you would too. But Fred knew what he was getting himself into. He would have been happy to die for those he loves." Molly nodded again, and Arthur thought she would start crying, too, but she just rested her head against him and he began stroking her hair again.

"Your eggs are getting cold, Arthur," She said suddenly, "and you'll be late for work if you don't eat them right now."

Arthur pulled away from her and gave her a last smile before sitting down and eating the eggs. "You know," Molly said, "I don't know think I'll ever stop grieving, but I think I'm ready to—to start living again."

Arthur smiled at his wife and swallowed the mouthful of egg in his mouth. He looked up at the ceiling and said, "Thanks, Fred."

Molly sat down next to him, her own food in front of her, as the wind blew open a window. As she got back up to close it, she said, "Thanks Fred indeed."