Apotropaic: intended to ward off evil.
April 8, 1975
The vigil started at sundown. As she washed the dishes and straightened up the kitchen, cleaned the boys up and settled them in the sitting room with Arthur, she kept watch out the windows. Shadows crept over the yard, filling flowerbeds and hilly corners with threatening darkness. Arthur stoked the fire, even though it was growing warm again, and she gathered her two small sons in her arms to distract them with a story about old Babity Rabity or a hopping pot so they wouldn't notice their father putting up shield charms and protective enchantments.
Once the boys were safely tucked in their beds, once she had checked in the wardrobe for monsters and made sure the window was securely latched, she walked the house. She began at the kitchen door and moved on to each window, listening to the solid click of magical locks charmed let loose a deafening wail should anyone try to open them. And once she'd made it to ever window, she did another lap just to be sure.
Arthur had long gone to bed by the time she blew out the last candle and climbed the stairs. She cracked open the door to the boys' room to assure herself that they were soundly sleeping, checked the dream catchers Mrs. Lovegood had made more for Molly's peace of mind than the boys, laced with billywig wings and other good luck charms.
And then she crawled into her own bed to wish on evening stars that the night would pass quickly.
A/N: Molly's somewhat paranoid behavior in this was sparked by the first mass attack on the public in which thirteen people were killed, including the two small children she nannied for right out of Hogwarts. At least in my timeline. Also, she and Arthur had a miscarriage two years before, which didn't help. I think this lends itself to the fear she has in Order of the Pheonix, but then again, what mother wouldn't fear for her children? Anyway, short, but hopefully still worth the read.