DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A FANFIC! I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS

The last chapter may have raised a few concerns as to why Molly did not go, 'not my son you bastard,' on Dolohov, but one must remember, she is pregnant a), and b) she fell down an entire floor thus injuring her lower body greviously.

Tell me what you think! I hope I did justice to the grieving, though it feels a bit rushed. I won't be narrating all the kidnappings in this much detail (two chapters) but I wanted to illustrate the point in the first kidnapping.

AFTERMATH

"Molly, it's time to wake up," said a voice. Molly Weasley stirred slowly in her sleep. She felt groggy and weak. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw a face appear in front of her eyes. Immediately she recognized her husband, a weary smile appeared on his face. Tear tracks seemed to line his cheeks.

"Where am I?" she asked groggily.

"Muriel's. A friend of Fabian's, a Healer, got her to patch you up," said Arthur gently to her. She looked over and saw him holding her hand tenderly.

"That's-

Suddenly a flood of memories rushed back into her mind. She saw Ron as he was screaming and crying, pleading to be with her. She felt pain tingle through her legs, and a crisp stab run through her heart. Suddenly she began gasping for air, and crying hardly, her body vibrating with emotion.

"I'm here Molly, I know," said Arthur, holding her in his arms, as he climbed into the bed beside her.

"They took him, straight from my arms Arthur, tell me it wasn't real, it was a dream, please," she sobbed into him.

"I can't," he whispered. Those words made her break down even harder into his chest.

"He was crying Arthur, they just snatched him, I was so scared, I couldn't save him," said Molly sobbing.

"It's not your fault Molly, you did what you could, you were terribly injured," said Arthur to her.

"They took my Ron," she cried into his chest, "What about the rest of the kids?"

"They're fine, shaken up, but fine. I haven't told them about Ron yet," said Arthur quietly.

"And the baby?" she asked, grabbing her stomach.

"Fine, thankfully. They said you're on bed rest until the baby's developed enough, and then they'll force an early delivery sometime in the last week of July instead of mid-August because your body won't take another child birth. You'll have permanent scarring on your left thigh. Most of the hexes are still permanent, and you'll need to relearn how to walk properly after bed rest is over. They didn't need to amputate but you'll be taking skele-gro to regrow some bones that they took out due to the vast amount of breaks. If Fabian and Gideon hadn't reached you when they did, you could have lost the baby and possibly died. The Healer said that you'll need to be taking a wide array of potions to help support the baby and yourself from, however, they believe your magic began nurturing the baby while you were injured which was why you were losing blood so rapidly. They think you focused all your magic subconsciously into protecting the child instead of helping your body heals," said Arthur quietly.

"Oh thank god, but what about Ron? They'll get him back right?" asked Molly desperately to Arthur, "Tell me everything that passed after they took him!"

"Alright," said Arthur gently.

Arthur had fled from a meeting with Barty Crouch when he saw his wife's tiger patronus land in the office. The words that had been uttered had shaken him to the very core of his personality.

"They're here Arthur!" whispered his wife's voice in fear. Barty Crouch had sharpened and asked him numerous times what that meant, and whether it had to do with the Order and Death Eaters.

However, Arthur had ran from the room, bolting past ministry officials, only to run into a jovial Amos Diggory and Marietta Edgecombe. They stopped him to ask something about muggles to settle their debate, only to be furiously pushed aside. He remembered clearly telling them he had to go, but Amos was being pig-headed. In the end, he had actually sent a hex at Amos, blasting the man out of his way when Amos began pestering him about what was wrong. He had reached the apparition point and apparated frantically home. He saw it then, the Dark Mark.

Without thinking, he had run into the house. Fabian and Gideon had already arrived, having cancelled the mission anyways. The kitchen was in pieces, charred by a large flame. The living room and bedrooms had been turned upside down, and various things were charred. The acrid smell of burnt wood mixed with dead gnome bodies lingered in the air. The Death Eaters had tortured and burnt the bodies of stray gnomes, chickens, and other animals in the air.

"Arthur," said Fabian in a sympathetic sort of voice.

"The kids, Molly, where are they?" asked Arthur hoarsely, "WHERE ARE THEY?"

"They're fine, we found Molly already, and we got here a few minutes ago. We caught two Death Eaters as they were escaping. They had decided to stick around and destroy some stuff. They're in Dumbledore's custody as we speak. Molly's with a friend of mine, being healed up," said Fabian, but he wasn't meeting Arthur's eyes. Something was wrong.

"What happened? Why aren't you meeting my eyes?" asked Arthur in a soft, icy voice.

"We can't find Ron, Arthur," said Gideon gently.

"What do you MEAN YOU CAN'T FIND MY SON?" roared Arthur furiously, a panic settling into his stomach.

"They took him Arthur," said Fabian softly.

"No, that's a lie, he's just here, he probably crawled under a bed or something, he's forever getting stuck there," said Arthur wildly, pleading hopefully at his brother-in-laws.

"Arthur, I'm sorry," said Gideon, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.

"We can get him back right? Those two Death Eaters, they know, right?" asked Arthur, switching his head wildly between the two men, who looked uncomfortable.

"They were only minors, Arthur, both in age and in the ranks of Death Eaters, I don't think they know anything," said Gideon.

"But we won't rest until we get him back Arthur, I swear to you, if it's the last thing we do, we will get our nephew back," said Fabian fiercely.

At those words, Arthur just stumbled onto the ground, and buried his head into his knees, lost to any other form of comfort.

"I failed him Arthur, I should have protected him better," said Molly in tears.

"It's my fault, I should have fought for better protection, or sent some of the children to stay elsewhere. I should have evacuated, but I stubbornly insisted that we were safe," said Arthur bitterly.

"Arthur! Don't say that! You oversaw all the wards being made! And you cut back your hours! You did everything in your power! It was my fault! I should have fought instead of hid, or apparated, or something," said Molly, in tears.

"My power wasn't good enough, and you did what any other mother would have done, can you honestly say any other father would have done the same? They'd have done more," said Arthur angrily.

"Arthur you-

"Molly awake yet?" asked a loud voice. The couple turned from their silent comfort in each other to see Molly's younger brothers enter the room.

"Help him, save my Ron, please," she felt herself pleading to her brother's, a new set of tears falling from her eyes.

"Molly, we swear we will," said Fabian, taking her hand on the other side of the bed.

"Please, save my baby," said Molly, clutching her brother's hands.

"We promise you," said Gideon softly.

"Thank you, thank you," she sobbed, as Fabian kissed her forehead.

"Do you want the babies?" asked Fabian gently, brushing back his sister's hair.

"I can't tell them, they'll know I failed," said Molly pleadingly.

"Alright love, we'll tell them, you rest. And you didn't fail Molly, you did your best," said Arthur kindly.

"I'll stay with her if you want to tell them Arthur," said Gideon kindly.

"Thank you, I'll be right back Molly," said Arthur, getting off of the bed and leaving with Fabian.

"Hey Fabian," said Arthur softly, once they entered the hallway.

"Yes Arthur?" asked Fabian to his brother-in-law.

"This Order, they work more miracles right, save more groups, get more information?" asked Arthur in the hallway to Fabian.

"Yes," said Fabian slowly, eying Arthur curiously.

"I want to join, I- I need to join," said Arthur firmly to Fabian.

"Alright, I'll talk to Dumbledore," said Fabian with a nod.

"Thanks, let's go tell the kids," said Arthur, looking far older than he was.

Bill Weasley was worried. His uncles had stopped by about twelve hours ago and told him everything would be alright, but after that he hadn't heard anything. The twins and Percy had fallen asleep, occasionally waking up and wailing for their mother. Charlie would occasionally, nap, but wake up with nightmares. Bill had the same problem. Every time he fell asleep, he saw that twisted, laughing face, cackling madly as fire burned behind him, and the dark mark rising in the sky, as rain spattered around him. Unlike in reality, he'd watch the man lean towards him, but this time he was carrying all his siblings. He'd feel the man's arm just about to touch him before waking up in a cold sweat.

"Bill, where's mummy?" asked Percy sleepily to him, having awoken from his own nightmare.

"I don't know Perce, I don't know," said Bill softly, "She's fine though, I know she is."

"Where's dad?" asked Percy up to Bill.

"With mummy," said Bill gently, as his little brother stumbled over to him and collapsed beside him.

The door swung open, and Bill stared as his dad walked in, looking weary and tired and sad. Behind him came Uncle Fabian, looking much the same. Both were streaked in soot. He saw ash and dust and mud covering his dad's clothes, and on Uncle Fabian's, a little bit of blood. Suddenly all the bravery Bill had displayed for the little ones died, and he ran at his father, faster than Percy even, and collapsed into his arms, savoring the warmth of the situation.

"Dad!" he wailed into his father's arms.

"Daddy!" cried Percy, having reached their father, and grabbing a leg of his father's.

"Dad?" asked a groggy Charlie from the other side of the room, having woken up. His eyes widened, and he too barrel-vaulted into their father.

"Dada!" cried Fred, toddling over with George, having been rudely awakened by Charlie.

"It's alright kids, I'm here, it's alright," his dad murmured, lowering himself onto his knees and wrapping his arms around all of them, patting someone on the head, ruffling the hair of another. Bill watched as the twins came and started climbing like little monkey's onto his dad's back and shoulders, Fred getting higher up than George, who delighted in hugging his dad's neck and tugging on some of his hair. Charlie was pinned to his dad's left and Percy to his dad's right.

"What happened? Where's mum?" asked Charlie nervously.

"Sit down kids, we need to talk," said his dad quietly and tiredly, sounding sad.

The kids beside Fred and George arranged themselves in front of their father. The twins ended up being held by his dad, and Bill enviously wished he was one of them, as he desperately needed the warmth.

"What happened?" asked Percy nervously, fiddling with his glasses.

"You're mum was attacked by the Death Eaters, she was hurt badly," said his dad quietly.

"But she's alive right?" asked Bill wildly, a fear developing in his body.

"She's alive, just very hurt. To protect the new baby, she has to stay in bed for a long time, and can't move around much," said his dad quietly.

"Mama huwt?" squawked George loudly.

"Yes Georgie, but she'll be alright, your mum's a tough lady," said Fabian, scooping the twin from his dad's arm, and thus allowing Percy to sidle into their father.

"But, they took Ron," said his dad quietly.

"Took Ron? Who took Ron?" asked Charlie confused.

"The Death Eaters have your brother," said his father in a strained voice.

Bill felt his jaw drop open. His baby brother was gone. Little Ron, the baby was gone. He remembered just yesterday finding Ron had crawled under his bed sheets and was hiding there, and then when he'd flipped it over, how Ron had laughed. He'd laughed too. He felt his tears fall out, and suddenly felt the warmth of Uncle Fabian holding him.

"Why?" asked Percy, "They'll give him back right?"

"They took him to make us hurt Percy," said his dad angrily and sadly, "And I don't think they will."

"But we can find him and fight them off right?" asked Charlie adamantly, his own tears falling.

"They're good at hiding," said Fabian, when his dad's face closed off, "But we'll damn well make sure that we do."

"No Won?" asked Fred, not understanding the concept of Death Eaters and kidnap.

"No Ron, bad men took him away," said his dad, sounding oddly choked.

"I want Won!" cried George loudly, now sobbing.

"Me twoo!" cried Fred, joining his brother in tears.

"Me three," said his dad wearily, "Me three."

"Molly, we have some visitors here to see you," said Fabian as he opened the door.

Molly watched as her dirty and tired boys walked in, all crying. They saw her, and immediately the younger ones broke into louder sobs. She felt her own body shake with new tears at the sight. How could she have failed her children?

"Mama!" cried Fred, leaning towards his mother. Fabian placed the twins beside her, and they began burrowing into her. Percy climbed over on the other side and buried his face into her shoulder. She could feel Charlie weave his way over and place grab the hand that Gideon was holding as Arthur expanded the bed so he could lie down in between Percy and her. Bill had grabbed the other hand, and was sitting on the now king sized bed with a twin somewhat atop of him, as he sobbed too.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, squeezing their hands, "I really am."

"It's not your fault, it's the Death Eaters faults!" said Percy indignantly as he pushed his glasses up his face.

Bill watched his dad crawl into the bed as his uncles left to give them some space. He curled into his father with Fred. They fell asleep like that in one large bed, sobbing and supporting each other in a silent echo of grief for a brother lost.

Albus Dumbledore opened the Daily Prophet the morning after the Weasley's attack had become public to see a large article detailing what had taken place. Pictures of the crime scene were filtered all over the page. "Waylay of the Weasley Child," read across the top of the newspaper. Albus felt disgust just looking at the page. How could he have let such a thing happen with foreknowledge? How could this have passed right under his nose? He could never make it up to the family.

He caught a glimpse of the family picture taken at Christmastime that had been foraged for the article. The little baby was waving at the camera from his mother's arms. He was just a baby. An innocent, pure child that deserved to remain untainted by the war. Already he had Severus digging through the ranks of the Death Eaters for any kind of idea of where the child might be.

He got up and after finishing his coffee, he flooed to the ministry.

"Morning Albus, the prisoners are right this way," said Alastor grimly.

He walked in silence with Alastor to where the two captured Death Eaters were. Both boys were only sixteen and seventeen. They had no idea of the pain that they had inflicted upon and innocent family. He felt disgust that they had gone to Hogwarts before dropping out, and shame that he hadn't been able to change things for them.

"Well, let's get started," said Albus grimly.

The two walked into the first prisoner holding cell to begin their interview.

"Professor Dumbledore," sneered the boy.

"Hello Mr. Avery, youngest son of the Avery family. It's a shame that you had to be placed in this position," said Dumbledore sadly to the boy.

"Oh please, it is an honor to serve the Dark Lord," said the boy sycophantically. Dumbledore could already conclude that the boy would not give up anything, and the Avery family had a lawyer ready on stand-by. Veritaserum would not be administered until the trial, in which case, things would be too late.

"I understand," said Dumbledore, sweeping out of the room with a flourish.

"Not going to bother then?" asked Alastor gruffly from behind him.

"Without Veritaserum he won't crack, and he's been trained in Occlumency," said Dumbledore dismissively.

"The other one's nervous, never thought he'd end up facing prison time," said Alastor conversationally.

They entered to see a pale-faced sixteen year old boy with sandy brown hair and brown eyes, with a light smattering of freckles.

"P-P-Pro-Professor Dumbledore," stammered the boy nervously.

"Hello Mr. Flanagan," said Dumbledore grimly, "I see that a lot has changed since you left after your OWLs."

"I didn't think I'd end up in prison, it was supposed to be glorious, eternal, powerful. I'd get all my revenge, I didn't think I'd see blood and pain," said the boy wildly.

"I'm afraid our choices defines us, Mr. Flanagan, and your choices have defined you. If you wish to make this correct, than I offer you a chance, Mr. Flanagan, if you know any information at all about the whereabouts of the kidnapped child, please state them now," said Dumbledore.

"I don't know, only Dolohov and Travers knew, the rest of us were allowed out. Avery convinced me to stick around and blow stuff up," said the boy.

He probed the mind of the boy a little, and could sense that the boy was lying. There were no shields indicating any sort of lie.

"Thank you Mr. Flanagan. I should warn you however, you are facing ten years in Azkaban for your crime. It's not life because you are a minor and your crimes include vandalism, theft and assistance with abduction. Your friend, Mr. Avery, has lawyers at the drop of a hat ready to fight for him, whereas you have simply the luck that you are getting a trial to force Veritaserum down your throat after you provide answers. I suggest you use this time to repent, because Azkaban won't make you repent, it will kill you slowly," said Dumbledore sadly, and he left the room, leaving a boy to face his death.