Molly

I am so exhausted I cannot even cry anymore. It's a week I haven't got a proper sleep, nobody here has either. And I know they don't even want to try. Better to keep busy in a way or other so we don't have to stop and think.
I can see in Albus' eyes the shock, I can see in James' one something even worse, savage, and scary.
I knew Harry's life could never have been an easy one. I guessed it when his parents were been killed, it was confirmed when he went to Hogwarts, it didn't change when he defeated You-know- who. He was totally unaware of the consequences of it. He lived with us protected without his knowledge from the world outside, unaware of how the situation was growing out of all proportion. Everybody was canvassing You-know-who's bringing down, everybody was looking frantically for him, nothing else was talked about in every corner of the world, his pictures were published everywhere, bank holiday after bank holiday was proclaimed in his honour. Even his birthday became a bank holiday! Harry Potter's Day. Can you imagine what it all meant? People were going utterly insane. Some were scary in their love and admiration, some other scary in their hate. We ought to protect him for his own good.
And he was still greatly shaken, absolutely not up to cope with a situation of that kind. He couldn't stay quiet for a moment, jumping at every sudden movement. He was in and out from the house continuously, walking about the garden then getting in, slumping on the sofa for a minute and then out again. He begged me to give him chores to keep him busy and he was sleeping poorly. More than once we had been awaked in a jerk by his nocturnal screams. He had frightful nightmares the poor dear. Me and Arthur were very undecided whether to intervene, but we decided against it in the end. We were afraid he could feel mortified for something he could not control. We were sure that at the mere mention of it he would have felt so much a burden as to make him consider leaving us. And that ought to be avoided at all costs!
Ron was following him in his whereabouts, but it seemed not to be of any use.
He grew up with the goal of defeating You-know-who and now he was left bereft of it, was disoriented. He is a person who cannot work without an object.
It was McGonagall who gave him a new one. She was visiting very often to check how he was coping and to strengthen the protective spells on the house to avoid any intruders. She advised him on the steps to take in case he still wished to become an Auror; books to study, work out to follow, pieces of magic to practice and learn. It helped amazingly.
The strain over mind and body helped him to calm down. He was getting up at dawn to run (Ron never woke up before ten) and by midday he was so worn out that he didn't have the energy to spring about as usual and the afternoon was spent in studying. He was also sleeping better.
I knew he was dating Ginny. I knew he went to Hogsmeade very often to meet her, but I didn't mind. Ginny had a frightful crush since the age of ten and I was happy for her. But this is what I thought it was. A teenage crush, destined to wither away very quickly. When Harry told us of his intention to marry her, we were flabbergasted. The boy was eighteen, Ginny seventeen! They were so young, so inexperienced. We obviously gave our consent straight away and mind, I always loved Harry as a son of my own. He was an amazing boy, very easy to love, ever so polite and unassuming. I loved the idea to have him in the family. But as the husband of my only daughter… Of that I wasn't that sure.
Ginny has been long desired. Arthur wanted a girl; I wanted a girl.
Although when Bill came, we weren't disappointed. We would have liked a girl, but it was our first child, and it didn't matter that much, and Bill has always been perfect under every aspect, making us proud every day of his life thus we considered ourselves very lucky to have had him.
When Charlie came, we were still not disappointed, happy to give Bill a playfellow.
When Percy came, we were disappointed. Three was starting to be intense and I wasn't sure to want anymore. Our house wasn't that big back then and Arthur's salary a meagre one. I couldn't work because the boys took up all my time. But the desire of a girl was stronger, and we tried again.
When Fred and George came, I wanted to cry. In one shot we got two more, in a house that barely held three. Arthur has always been a dear though. Positive and cheerful always found a solution to anything. He worked hard on the house to add pieces and bits and despite it was far from being perfect, I doated on it because he had poured so much love in it.
And he was so positive and full of enthusiasm that when he asked me to try again, I couldn't refuse him. He wanted a daughter so much.
And then Ron came. Definitely not a girl and definitely another mouth to feed, another boy to check. Up to Percy I had been extremely lucky because, despite three, they all of them had the sweetest and most obedient temper. But Fred and George! They had been an handful since the very beginning absorbing my attention and energies from the start. I didn't have the time to take care of Ron properly, now I realised the damage I've done to that poor boy. Always insecure, never satisfied. Always looking for something more, destined never to achieve it. Always feeling shadowed by older brothers, striving to find a place he never found. I promised myself that he was going to be my last. We were on the verge of a financial collapse. Nobody to help beside Aunt Muriel who always did so begrudgingly, threatening us with disinheritance at every new child.
And then, totally by mistake, not tried for at all, I conceived Ginny. Arthur was so overwhelmed that for the first week of her life couldn't keep his eyes off her, stunned by incredulity.
Everybody of us took care of her with a sheer devotion. Bill and Charlie were charmed to have a little sister and they were always fighting to have the privilege of holding her, covering her with presents as soon as they were old enough to make some money over the summer. Ron had a playfellow to fill that void I didn't have the time to fill, and she received more love than all my sons put together. She was indeed our precious possession, and we weren't so keen to part with her so soon.
And Harry… He was a dear, and I knew he would have loved her devotedly. Not having had anybody else to love for all his life and used not to receive any, a very little was needed to conquer his sworn loyalty. Any girl with some wit about her would have succeeded probably, which placed him in a great danger considering his situation and often I mulled this over with some concern. It was so easy for him to become a dupe of a woman without scruples.
And Ginny, who would have been perfect for anybody, was especially perfect for him. With a strong will and mind, used to stand up to boys and clever, she had everything to make a good wife for him.
But I knew that whoever would have married him couldn't hope for an easy life. The popularity was so huge and unchecked, his mind so fragile and constantly under pressure, the scars in his head so many…
I wasn't sure whether it was a good choice for her.
I must confess I talked to her, I tried to make her see what she stubbornly didn't want to see but to no avail. She was crazy for him, blinded by the radiance he emitted. She was marrying the person most talked over in the whole world, an international hero, she could only see the glimmer, she didn't see the shadow.
I didn't press the matter understanding that insisting I would have only pushed her even more in his arms alienating her and him from us. The memory of what happened with my family was very strong with me then. They didn't want me to marry Arthur. He was a nobody without prospects or connections, I could aspire to something more. But Arthur was all I aspired to. They pressed the point so much that a total breach ensued, never healed until they died not long after Ginny was born.
I didn't want the same with my daughter. We decided to let the things take their course without intervening, promising ourselves we would have always been there to help if needed.
But, despite our concerns, they proved to be an excellent match. Her mind sustained his own giving it stability and his love softened her boyishness making her womanly and ready to cope with all the inconveniences his popularity brought to the couple.
Ginny grew up from being a stubborn, rough teenager, to be a strong, assured, and caring woman. We have always been proud of her. She helped Harry constantly and steadily healing the scars in his mind, even when Lily died and he was devastated by sorrow, she had been able to be a sustain to him despite being scarcely less affected than him. And he repaid her with an utter devotion, keeping her on the pedestal she deserved to be, trying to make her happy in any tiny little thing. Another woman could have very easily taken advantage of it but not her.
It was a lucky day for Harry the one he married her. And I don't want to say it hasn't been the same for her… But seeing how it ended… I don't know… It's difficult… And it's not fair in regards of Harry who always tried to be the best husband possible... But… Perhaps… I don't know… I feel tears coming up and I cannot allow myself to wail. Not in front of Albus. I need to be strong for his and James' sake.
I'll go and check on Sunrise.

Sunrise is definitely better. We were very scared for her too; she has been under observation for days now. The healers were quite cautious, and they wanted to make sure there are no permanent danger to the brain being so young, but everything seems to be in order.
We were sleeping soundly at the Burrow when she started to scream and cry terrified. We couldn't quite understand what the matter was. Ginny told us she very often has nightmares which always struck me as odd from a two and a half years old child, but she wouldn't go back to sleep, and her terror seemed only increasing. We didn't know what to do, I was very worried, and Arthur suggested to take her to St. Mungo, but you don't take a child to the hospital just for nightmares. Only when, after a couple of hours, the situation hadn't changed, I started to convince myself perhaps he was right. And when I was about to call him to get ready, all her body stiffened first and then it started to twitch, then to jerk, then it started convulsing ever stronger. Her eyes bulbs flipped up, and a white foam started to gurgle from her mouth. We really grew alarmed and two minutes later we were in St Mungo. The healer managed to stop the seizure, but it took quite a long time. I was sick with worry. Arthur tried to call Harry and Ginny in Australia, but the fire seemed blocked. Now we know why.
Sunrise went in a deep sleep at once right after it. The healer said it was a regular sleep brought by the exertion on her body, but I could perceive from his face a shadow, I entreated for clarity, and he spoke about several scary motives for the seizure not precising any and stated the necessity of tests to be effectuated to ascertain the reasons and to make sure everything was fine.
It was then that the call arrived at the chief healer, and everything changed.
Sunrise slept for twenty hours straight and just when the healer was fearing she may enter in a coma, she woke up, drowsy and confused.
By that time, James and Albus had come, and James hadn't left Sunrise side not even for a second since then, he barely sleeps and eat. I don't object, I understand he needs it to keep himself up.
I explained to them what happened, but I sought to screen them from the gruesome, there is no need for them to know. What I told them it was more than enough to lead them not to want to find out more. The problem will start when they return to Hogwarts, but it is not talked of. Not yet. Not in the situation we are in.
Although, it's not that easy here either when newspapers reporting the accident are everywhere and people in corridors don't talk about anything else. I forbade them to go to the café or to wander about. I don't want people to harass them. St Mungo kindly offered us the private use of a whole aisle with a fire to travel from here to the Burrow but nevertheless keeping us isolated and protected from people nosiness is a huge task.
St. Mungo has been assaulted as soon as the news leaked and it's still under siege. Reception had been heaped on by curious. They had to be shoved out and they started to congregate in front of it, drawing a lot of unwanted attention from muggles. Witches and wizards from the whole world are coming and going leaving flowers, presents, letters and all sort of things. It should be moving, I reckon, but honestly, all tired and dispirited as we are, we would rather prefer everybody to go away and leave us alone.
The Law Enforcement is doing its best to disperse them, but it seems an impossible task.
Bill, Charlie, and George are taking turns to guard the aisle and many a times they had to drive out people who managed to trespass entrance security in a way or other. Percy is too busy with the Daily Prophet poor dear. He is working nights and days. And Ron… Well… He still didn't show up. I'll have to find the time to talk to him. Hermione tried but to no avail. But he will do it with me. I'm his mother after all.
Sunrise welcomes me with a smile and starts to chat straight away. The glee on that face moves me more than I can say, and I need to busy myself sorting her clean clothes to hide from James my tears.
Poor child, she doesn't know anything yet. She asks daily for mummy and daddy, and we all agreed to tell her that they are at the sea enjoying themselves. However, all the time I utter this sentence I cannot refrain tears sliding down, I force a smile though not to alarm her. Eventually we will have to tell her the truth but better to wait.
I spend with her a few hours giving James some time to eat and have a nap. Those hours are like a balm on my exhausted mind, I can almost forget what is happening keeping her in my arms, listening to her chat and answering to her questions. She wants to go to mummy and daddy at the sea.

I don't want her to.