"Voldemort can't stop, the rock!"
From the song of the same name by "Harry and The Potters."
Chapter 19: Autumn 1981
The Weasley children and Madeline were sitting at the long wooden table in the Burrow, eating the leftover cake and ice cream from Molly's birthday party- a messy yet mundane scene. Two-month-old Ginny was nestled next to her mother in a sling-style baby carrier made of purple cloth with gold stars, while Molly bustled about the kitchen. She glanced at the clock. "Daddy's on his way." Presently, there was a pop and Arthur appeared in the fireplace.
"Hello, family, I'm home!" he sang. "Did you hear?" he said excitedly. Molly embraced him, careful not to squish the baby between them. "Molly, he's gone!" he shouted with a big grin. This startled the baby, who began to cry. All the kids turned to look at him.
"Who dear?" asked Molly. She stroked Ginny's head to calm her and made "sh sh" noises.
"He-who-must-not-be-named," he said, pronouncing each syllable slowly. "He's dead and gone." She looked at him with disbelief. "It's true, Molly." He took her hands and danced around the kitchen with her like a scene from some old Fred Astair movie, but instead of the usual big band music erupting from out of nowhere, there was the sound of children's laughter.
That evening, Arthur and Molly snuggled on the couch with Ginny and Ron. The twins and Percy played on the floor with a bucket of wooden animals and munched on candy, and Charlie watched Bill and Madeline playing chess on the low coffee table. Bill had more pieces remaining, but Madeline had just captured one of Bill's knights. Charlie punched the air, "Yeah!"
"Why are you rooting for her? I'm going to win," said Bill.
"I want her to win," said Charlie. Madeline beamed. Then Charlie continued, "Because then I'll get to play her and she's easier to beat." She gasped but was still grinning and punched his arm playfully. "You wounded me." He mocked death, falling backwards, "Ugh!" The twins squealed with delight and jumped onto his stomach. "Oi, oh!"
Arthur chuckled and Molly smiled and rested her head on her husband's shoulder. It was one of those rare micro-moments in the life of a mother of seven, when everything was all sweet contentment.
"I'm so happy, Arthur. Our children can grow up in a safer world." She thought of her two brothers and sighed. "Nobody else is going to be killed. I'm so-" but, she interrupted herself. "Fred, take the sugar quill out of your nose."
There was an abrupt knock on the door. "That must be Alastor," said Arthur. Before he could get up to answer, Madeline was already on her feet and throwing the door wide open. She lunged into her brother's arms. He leaned over to plant a kiss on the top of her head. "Hello, dear," he said, in his craggily voice. She took him by his gnarled hand and led him into the room.
Arthur smiled. "Sit down, Alastor. I told the family the good news."
The auror wearily limped over to a chair as Molly swished her wand to cause a cup of tea to appear on the table beside him.
"Thank you." He eagerly picked up the steaming cup and Madeline sat down on the arm of his easy chair. "Everyone's making a right racket in town. Don't know what the Muggles must think." He looked quietly thoughtful and rubbed the whiskers on his chin.
Molly looked at her husband as he got up. "I know what you're thinking, Arthur, but if they haven't sent for you to go back in-"
He leaned over to kiss her cheek, saying gently, "Mollywobbles, it is probably chaos out there and I should help make sure things don't get out of hand or it'll take more time and effort to put things right. I love you," he added with a wink.
Charlie and Bill protested the display, "Ew, mum, dad, please!"
Arthur looked fondly at his wife, "Boys, someday you'll fall in love too." Bill snickered and Charlie's ears went red. Arthur pushed his hat onto his head and threw on his maroon and black traveling cloak. "Kids, go to bed when your mother tells you. See you later, Alastor." He left through the fireplace. Presently, Ginny started to fuss.
"Alastor, would you keep an eye on them," Molly asked, indicating Percy and the twins, "while I get the babies to bed?"
"Sure Molly. Glad to," he nodded.
With Ginny in one arm and with her wand levitating a sleeping Ron, she went to put them to bed. Meanwhile Madeline sat down cross-legged on the floor by the chessboard and scooped Percy onto her lap. "I'll watch you, and you can help me win."
Alastor entertained the twins by conjuring tiny multi-colored snails and making them dance through the air with his wand, but his demeanor wasn't gleeful, but somber, a fact which the children failed to notice.
Time past and the twins got sleepy and started to whine. Percy had fallen asleep in Madeline's arms. Alastor said, "We should get these wee ones off to bed."
"Where's mum?" asked Bill.
Alastor's magical eye spun in its socket and he chuckled. "She fell asleep with the babies. Come on, help me out." He got up with a grunt, supporting himself on his thick wooden staff. Charlie took Percy from Madeline and Bill and Madeline each took a twin and they carried them up to bed. Meanwhile, Alastor cleaned up the livingroom with a few flicks of his wand.
When the big kids came back, he told them, "Now, get yourselves off to bed as well. I've got to get back to the Ministry."
Bill stopped him, "Wait, can you tell us how it happened? How did he get killed?"
"Your dad didn't tell ya?" Bill shook his head. "Well," Alastor continued, "it's a bit hasty to say he's dead for sure and we aren't certain about how it happened exactly." He paused, then said sadly, "A couple was killed. Their baby survived."
"Who was it?" asked Madeline.
Alastor frowned gravely, "Not tonight," he said in a low growl.
"Were they in The Order?" Madeline pestered him.
"Not tonight," he said harshly.
"Were they?" Madeline seldom let go of an unanswered question.
"Yes, but that's all I'm going to say tonight," he said firmly.
"OK," she said reluctantly. He kissed the top of her head, said good night to the children, and left through the fireplace with a crack!