Disclaimer all characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing
The Grey haired old Lady
Chapter 8 The Funeral Speech
It was very early the following morning when I was awoken by something tapping on my bedroom window, opening the curtain I was surprised to see a huge owl sitting there; it stared at me with its huge eyes before tapping again on the glass.
I opened the window thinking that it must be an escaped pet; I had intended to try and tempt it into the room where I could maybe catch it and then see that it was returned to its owner. To my surprise the owl fluttered in to the room unbidden and landed gracefully on my bedside locker, as I looked I noticed it had a small letter attached to its leg, and when I moved toward it, it lifted its leg out to me. I took the letter and began to read, the funeral of the grey haired old lady that had become my closest friend Mrs Hermione Potter, was to be held at eleven am that morning, it would held at Godrics Church, a gathering was to be held afterwards at a place called the Burrow.
I quickly found a pen that actually worked, I don't often use a pen, much preferring to just recite things for my computer to sort out, I wrote an acknowledgment on the back of the letter, then tied it back onto the owl's leg, the owl was up and away through the still open window, as soon as I had finished tying the knot in the ribbon holding the letter.
I looked up guiltily at the snoozing Mrs Potter, remembering the teasing we had all indulged in, the portrait was still in shadow and Mrs Potter looked very comfortable, grabbing my sweater and wrapping it around my shoulders, I went down for breakfast but found I could eat nothing, instead I sat there just pushing the food around my plate, it was beginning to get too me that my friend was actually dead and we would never again be laughing and joking as she did some magic for me. Having the picture had some how tempered the feeling of loss, now though the realisation came to me, the picture was just that, a picture, it was not really my dear friend, it was some how so very similar to a holograph.
Mum was watching me a worried look on her face, "Are you alright dear, you look a little ill?" she said as I poked again at my food,
"I have to go to a funeral mum, that old lady I told you about has died and today it's her funeral," I muttered as a tear slipped down my nose.
Mum held me as my emotions got the better of me, I don't know how long for, but eventually mum told me I should go up and put on my best suit and tie, she promised to check me out before I left for the Church.
For me as a Muggle it was a very strange experience, I had never had to go to a funeral before, but to be at one where every one was dressed in strange black clothes that seemed more suited for a different century, was definitely strange. I was met at the Church yard gate by Ginny; she was wearing a long black cloak that trailed along behind her as she walked. She took hold of my hand and together we stood at the grave side, as the service began she leant onto my shoulder and began to cry, not knowing what to do I placed my arm across her shoulders and held her tight. I held her hand with my free hand giving it a gentle squeeze every so often; I bowed my head as the tears flowed down my face and gathered under my chin. I needed to wipe them away but I could not let go of her, it just seemed the wrong thing to do, so I stood there letting the tears fall once again totally unobstructed.
It was a long service as wizards and witches from all around the world read out statements or told of their joy at having been a friend of Hermione Jane Potter. As the speeches ended I was feeling awful, I was standing at the grave of a wonderful woman, one that I had mocked and called names, looking at Ginny I suddenly felt very guilty, I had to tell her about it, I took my arm from her shoulder and took a deep breath, "I have something to say," I said quietly.
I began telling Ginny all about the way her great grandmother had been treated by the villagers, taking a deep breath I began to tell her how I had joined in, how from a very early age I had done just as all the others did, how we had teased and name called, never once did any of the villagers show any kindness to the grey haired old lady who lived in their midst.
I had begun to tell her how her great grandmother had never once retaliated or shouted at us, how she had bravely carried on with her business, that was when I realised that everyone was listening, some one had cast a spell that magnified everything that was said about Mrs Potter. I could not stop now just because they were all watching me, feeling terrified I struggled on, telling of how we had become friends and how eventually I had come to truly love the great lady I once ridiculed.
I ended by telling Ginny about the way her great grand mother had forgiven me in the blink of an eye, how she had treated me with great kindness, when I was finished the tears were once more falling down my cheeks. I had expected everyone there to shun me after all I said but they did not shun me instead they tried to comfort me.
Mr Weasley even thanked me for looking after his best friend in her last few weeks of life, Ginny put her arms around me and though she said nothing I knew she too had forgiven me. I was the last to speak there in the Church yard, when I had finished every one started to leave till there were just Mr Weasley and three of us left.
Mr Weasley held out his arm to me "Ready for another trip?" he asked.
Ginny took the arm of her father, who stood over by the gate and with a nod they were gone, Mr Weasley looked down at me, then with a wink we were once more rushing through a very tight place, seconds later we stopped outside a very strange house. It had several stories all of which looked as though they had been just stacked on top of each other with no actual plan to it all, each floor had different types of windows some had crooked twisted chimneys poking out at odd angles.
Ginny led the way inside to a huge kitchen, where it seemed an amazing amount of people all milled around. I wondered at first what it was they were doing, then I saw the portrait, Mrs Potter was happily chatting to all who passed. I remained holding Ginny's hand and together we spent the first hour or so in the kitchen, I was almost mesmerised by the things I saw, I watched as tea pots floated around refilling cups when needed, trays of sandwiches poked me till I took one, people were doing wondrous things, just with a quick wave of a wand.
Once the crowd had thinned down till just Mrs Potter's family were left, Ginny gave me a tour of the house, telling me some of it's long history as the Weasley household, I got the impression that she was also on a voyage of discovery when we entered a room and she let out a little gasp,
"This is the famous Weasley twin's room," she said and looked to be in awe.
I had to ask "Who were the Weasley twin's and why were they famous?"
Ginny told me about the twins Fred and George and how they had terrorised a wicked headmistress of Hogwarts School, she told of the legend that surrounded them at the school, how many pupils had tried hard to out do the things the twins had done.
We were still chatting when Ginny's mum called us down, "Come on you two, it's time for tea." I looked at my watch and wondered where the day had gone, it was four thirty already, getting back down stairs I saw the entire family sitting around a huge kitchen table, I don't remember it being there before when we were in the kitchen.
Mr Weasley was sitting at the head of the table, the rest of the family sat on either side, two seats remained empty, Ginny's mum motioned for us to sit.
As soon as we sat down large plates of food appeared, and with the comment tuck in from Mr Weasley, we all began to eat, although there seemed to be little enthusiasm with the food, I think that all there were still feeing the tremendous loss we had suffered. The conversation got around to my friendship with Mrs Potter, tales of her brave deeds were told to me by every one, Ginny smiled at me and I knew that this family had accepted me even though I was not a magical person.