Using the prompt 'what goes up must come down'
Chapter Forty-Two
The following weeks went by quickly, meaning that their return to Hogwarts was looming. There was much excitement at Grimmauld Place, as well as around Britain. It seemed that every year, everyone became eager to return.
Rose remembered the year before how she had been happily preparing for her fourth year with the help of her mum. She remembered a particular day where the two of them had just spent all morning getting everything together.
Both had been blissfully unaware that a year later, one of them would be dead. Neither of them new that that was the last August they'd spend together, and the last August they could call their house, their house.
It had been on the market for a few weeks now and not a single person had even bothered to take a look at it. It frustrated her to no end. Why did no one want their house? What was wrong with it?
It had been hard to say goodbye to it, but now that she was ready, the last thing she wanted was for it to still be in their possession. She wanted someone else to have it – anyone, so that she could just forget.
"It can take months – sometimes even years – to sell a house," Harry told her three days before she had to board the train for Hogwarts. "Yours hasn't even been up for a month yet. I wouldn't worry too much."
"But, I just want it gone," Rose sighed. "I want to forget about it."
Harry nodded. "I understand," he said, "But, people are questioning why it remained empty for so long. They want to know what happened."
Rose stared at her uncle. "I thought you said their memories were wiped," she said.
"They are, Rose. The people have no recollection that you ever lived there, or that anything bad happened there. However, they are all still aware that the house hasn't been occupied for some months now. Things like that worry people."
"So, just tell them that we had to move due to unforeseeable circumstances," Rose said.
Harry nodded. "That is exactly the news that people are receiving, yet, you can't control the superstitions of them. I have no doubt your house will sell, Rosie, you just have to have patience."
Rose sighed. "I just didn't want to have to think about it at Hogwarts. It was a fresh start, you know? New year, clean slate." She kicked the bottom of the couch, stubbing her toe in the process.
Harry patted her shoulder. "I know," he said. "And speaking of that… I was wondering… do you want to see your parents?" His tone was hesitant, making Rose realise he'd been unsure of his question.
Rose hadn't been to her parents' graves yet. She had been too scared, but she supposed she needed to eventually. Did anyone go and visit them, anyway? Or were they just there; no visitors, no children?
"Yes," she said quietly. "Before I go back."
Harry gave her a smile. "How does today sound?"
Rose had not been prepared for so soon, but was she ever really going to be prepared? It was where her parents for buried, for Merlin's sake. She was never going to feel happy about going.
She nodded. "Alright," she said.
Harry smiled again. "I'll go and talk to Hu, and then we can go. Is it okay if Aunt Ginny comes too? We're not taking your cousins – they can wait a while. This is yours and Hugo's time with them."
Rose nodded. "Thanks," she said. As much as she loved her cousins, having them there was not what she wanted. Even the thought of Harry and Ginny being there unsettled her.
Harry seemed to read her expression. "We won't intrude," he promised. "We'll just be there if you need us. Both of us have visited the spot before, and said our piece."
Rose looked up at him. "You have?" she said.
He nodded. "We have, Rosie, but it's your time now. We'll probably leave in half an hour." He left for the stairs to go and locate Hugo.
Rose was by herself, and her heart started to beat faster. What was she supposed to say to them? What was going to happen?
The anxious feeling in her chest had just increased. She felt so sick.
OOO
Her parents were buried in a cemetery near their home. It was a fairly small one; one that was only there for witches and wizards. Rose had no idea where they were buried. She had not attended that part of the ceremony. She hadn't been able to.
But Harry knew, and he led them there. Hugo remained awfully quiet for the short journey through the tombstones, so Rose stopped by one and waited for him. He met her with a grim expression.
"I'm here," she promised him. She offered her hand. "Don't let go if you don't want to."
Hugo's face immediately changed to grateful and he held onto her hand tightly. Together, they walked to where Harry and Ginny had both stopped.
Rose swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, as she approached the gravesite. Hugo's grip tightened.
"Is this it?" she asked softly.
Harry nodded, indicating to an elegant looking headstone. It was beautiful, Rose decided. Extremely beautiful and exactly what her parents deserved. Seeing it there made her feel just that little bit better.
"We'll just be over there," Harry said, indicating to an empty space a little bit further away. "If you need us, just call us."
Rose nodded. "Thanks," she said.
When she was sure they were gone, she knelt beside the tombstone, running her fingers over the beautifully engraved writing.
Ronald Bilius Weasley
1/3/1980 – 5/4/2020.
Much loved son, brother, father, husband and Auror
On the same headstone was her mother. It read:
Hermione Jean Weasley (nee. Granger)
19/9/1979 – 5/4/2020
A loving daughter, mother, wife, and a respected Ministry employee
Underneath both of their names there was one final line.
Death is only the beginning
A single tear trickled down Rose's cheek as she once again ran her fingers over the tombstone. They were together, at least. They had died together, and even after their deaths, they were still together. It was what they would have wanted – she knew it was.
Hugo shuffled closer to her on his knees. "Do you think they're happy?" he asked.
Rose nodded. She was certain of it. Her parents had faced a lot in their lives, but they remained fairly happy people. And she knew – despite what she had previously thought – that their only care had been their children. They were safe, so Rose knew they had no reason to be unhappy.
"I bet they're really happy, Hu," she said. She wiped away her tears. "I mean, they don't have to deal with us anymore, do they?" She smiled.
"Rosie… there's something I was meant to tell you, but never did, because I didn't know how you would react."
Rose turned to her brother, curious.
"I found letters Mum wrote to Dad," he said. "That first time we went to the house just after it happened. I found them, but I didn't tell you. I'm sorry."
Rose shook her head. "It's okay," she said. "I probably would have lost it if I'd seen them. I didn't really want to see anything from them at that stage. What did you do with the letters?"
"Well, some of them had some information about Begonia Webb in them, so I gave them to Uncle Harry. The rest… I kept them."
Rose nodded. "Maybe you can show me one day," she said. "But, I don't mind if you don't." She thought of the journal of her mum's she had found. That was now safely in her room at Grimmauld Place and Hugo knew nothing of it.
"Should we say goodbye to them properly?" Hugo then asked.
"Properly? How?"
"A speech?" Hugo suggested.
Rose frowned. "Hu, they're not here to hear it…."
"I know that, but… you got your chance to say something at their funeral, I didn't. I've never really said out loud what they meant to me. So…."
He didn't need to finish for Rose to understand. She nodded. "Go," she said.
Hugo sucked in a deep breath.
"Well, they were kind of awesome people," he began, and Rose smiled. "Dad was kind of the laid back one. He didn't really care what anyone did, as long as we were all safe and well, of course. Oh, except for when Rosie became friends with Scorpius. That he cared about. But only because Rosie was really special to him and he didn't want her getting hurt.
"And Mum… well Mum was pretty cool too. She did get mad with all of us sometimes, but she was okay most of the time. Rosie had Dad and I had Mum. That was the way I saw it, anyway. Mum understood me better; she got what it was like for me. Dad got it too, but not like Mum. She'd always know when I wasn't feeling the best.
"A lot of people say they were really good people, but they only knew the people they worked with. They didn't know them as our mum and dad. Having them as our parents was… well, they were the best parents ever and I really appreciate everything they ever did for us. They mightn't be here now, but I know they're there somewhere, because they loved us, and they'd want us to be okay. I know that."
From his pocket, Hugo took out a single, crumpled flower and laid it over the grave.
Rose smiled. For the first time since it had happened, Rose heard the thirteen year old boy that he was. Other times, he'd always fooled her, making her think he was older, but this time… this time he was just her little brother who needed his big sister.
She wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his head. "You okay?" she asked.
Hugo nodded solemnly. "I'm okay," he said.
The two of them sat there for a while, silent, and then Harry and Ginny came back over, quietly.
"You two okay?" Harry asked.
They both nodded, and Rose got to her feet.
"You don't have to stand up for us, Rosie," Harry said. "If you still need more time…."
"No, we're okay," Rose said. "There's not much else we can do here."
Harry nodded, seeming to understand. "You want to leave?"
"Yes."
"We'll Apparate from the same place we arrived," Harry said. "Come on."
Rose spun around, taking one last look at the place her parents lay. They were happy as they could be, she knew that. They were together, which was what they wanted, and they were at peace.
As Harry guided her away from the cemetery, Rose felt peace wash over her.
She was ready to start her life afresh. She was ready for Hogwarts again.
Two chapters in like less than 24 hours? What is this sorcery? (the answer is it's Easter and also my uni vacation week). Thank you Sunny Lighter for your super quick beta-ing!