*NOTES* Okay another chapter for you lovely people. You know what this means no more letters. Oh my god! I can't believe they are finally done. I was getting tired of the depressing crap but now I can move on. Oh the next chapter is going to be so good you. The laughs are amazing. I can't wait until I'm done. But right now I'm planning my study abroad trip for next year. I'm headed off to England to study for a year. Oh what do you all thing about a sequel? Let me know in the reviews. ENJOY!
***
Was it really going to end like this? Arthur wondered as he stared at the sheets of paper that he had in his hands. Casually he looked towards the kitchen door and prayed that his son and his two best friends would walk in. They would be laughing and smiling and everything would be right. Ron would be making a joke about being starving, Hermione would be shaking her head at him, and Harry would stand in the middle of them looking like it was over. He stared at the door for many moments before he realized that the dream wasn't going to come true. They weren't coming back.
Arthur stood up and walked to the door. Without a backward glance he walked outside and apparated out of there. It must have been mere moments before he opened his eyes to find himself outside Hogwarts gates. The ground came up faster then he anticipated as he sunk to his knees in defeat.
This was where they were suppose to be safest. Here they were suppose to learn and make friends and have good life changing experiences. But Ron only got two thirds of that deal. He made great friends, two great friends, with whom he was doing everything to make sure they survived this war. He learned here too. But when it came down to those good memories, those experiences, those were few and far between the bad ones. Though, he thought, Ron probably thought they were all good memories because they were together.
"Let me in!" He stood up with the resolve to get his son out of the castle. To get him out of harms way, to be the father he should have been. He should have said no instead of agreeing with Ron that going off with Harry and Hermione was for the best.
"I SAID LET ME IN!" he roared at the silent castle as he started shaking the gates. "I HAVE TO HELP THEM! I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!" suddenly it wasn't just about him saving them it was about a father saving his son. As Arthur raved at the gloomy castle he heard a beautiful and painful note soaring through the air. The song that was so painfully beautiful came from Fawkes, the phoenix, Arthur noted as Fawkes flew down to land on the top of the gate.
"I just want to make sure he is okay, Fawkes," Arthur spoke to the phoenix. Fawkes let out a shrill note and his heart soared into his throat. But for the first time in days it wasn't out of fear it was because he had hope. Silently the phoenix landed on his shoulder and in a blaze he found himself back in his backyard.
"This must be your non-subtle way of telling me to but out." He turned to his house and gazed up at the attic. Ron had spent many afternoons waiting for his dad to return from work and during those lazy afternoons he would watch for his father from his window. Once Ron got sight of him he would come bounding down the stairs and would run to meet him. If only things could be that simple again.
He remembered, as he gazed fondly at his house, pick up games of Quidditch or even the occasional nightmare Ron would have. This Christmas everything had changed though. For the whole time Ron was with them he barely slept. Arthur would wake in the night and hear something. He would come to find that Ron would be sitting in the kitchen just staring out the window.
***
"Ron what are you doing up?" It was two days after Christmas and Arthur knew his son would be leaving them soon. He would be going back to join the fight against Voldemort. The thought made the marrow in his bones turn to ice.
"Sorry dad, I didn't mean to wake you. I'm waiting for the dawn to come." Arthur sat down next to his son and looked at him. He noticed for the first time that Ron looked older, tired, and sad. It was then he knew that all of his jokes, all of his laughter, had been a front bravely put up by a man who didn't want his family to worry.
"I'll wait with you then."
"I wish it was that easy, but dad, you have no clue what the night holds for us. And that does not mean you haven't seen your fair share of this war but you haven't seen what I've seen."
"What have you seen?" It was the first time Ron met his eyes since he'd been home. The light that usually shone from them was completely out, but he knew it would come back it was just the night. Ron was scared of the night.
"Do you remember seeing the dementors and seeing how de-voided they were of everything. " Arthur suddenly didn't like where this conversation was going. "I saw that in a person, I saw it in myself." Ron took a sip from a cup Arthur didn't notice was there until then, vaguely he wondered what was in it. "Occasionally I see it in myself when the night takes over. I've had many nights like these…you shouldn't worry about me…I'll be alright."
He didn't know how long he sat there with his son but as soon as the first light of day crept into the house Arthur noticed Ron's eyes change. "Well off to bed I suppose. Harry and Hermione wouldn't want me to come back all knackered. But I suppose they were up to. The night just has a way of invading and twisting everything around." Ron stood up and put his cup in the sink. "Good night, dad." With a final look he left the kitchen.
It wasn't until Molly came down that Arthur stirred from his seat at the table. He was worried about what was going on with his son. So the every night until Ron left he was going to be there and fight back the night for him. Molly smiled as she entered the room.
"I know," she sighed as she picked up the cup Ron had left behind. "The night is scaring him Arthur. He just isn't my little boy anymore." Arthur scooped her up into his arms and did the only thing he could think of he told her every thing was going to be all right.
***
"I'm sorry for my departure," he picked up the papers he dropped and unfolded them. "I think it is finally time to read the last letter."
Ron,
I know you probably aren't reading this. I know you are probably trying to get Hermione to come out of whatever room she has holed herself up in. So in the case that you are reading this and Hermione is there and I am alive call me a stupid prat and tell me to get over the melodramatic stage of my life.
The wedding was amazing. I've never seen a wedding before and it just made me think what life might be like if all of us survive this war. I want to be there to see it all. God, now I sound like Hermione. We really have been spending too much time with that girl, I swear some of her habits have rubbed off on you.
And I also swear that you have become a minor seer. That night before we went to find Hufflepuff's goblet you spent it in the kitchen staring out the window. You kept saying something was going to happen. And you were right, but Hermione and I just chalked it up to paranoia.
We said after that night we would never revisit what had happened and yet it hung over us. We couldn't forget but we couldn't talk about it either. I know that you still have dreams about it, as do Hermione and I. Once I dreamed you couldn't save her. We just stood there and watched her die. So, Ron I know I've said it many times but thanks.
And that isn't for just saving her. Thanks for saving me too. You saved me from thinking that all families treat everyone badly. You truly are my brother and we are bonded by something other than blood. We are bonded by our experiences. Ever since our first train ride we have been there to share each other's woes and to be jealous of each other. In a way I think our jealousies have strengthened our bond.
Our first crazy experience being when we first met Fluffy, the huge three-headed dog. Remember that? Still I can't seem to remember why we even thought it was there to do anything but guard something important. But anyway, that was probably our best midnight stroll Hermione, you, and I had because during most of the rest we got caught. Hey but life is about breaking the rules, and we probably would have gotten really good at polishing the trophy case if we had stayed in school this year.
Experiences came and went, like the many lessons we had, and then came third year. It seems that this is when it started. For me, anyway, this is when the war started, when we let Pettigrew get away. Not that we had much say in it. You had a broken leg and Hermione and I were trying to not get killed. Funny isn't it? How it always seems to be Hermione and me trying not to get killed. Just joking, Ron. We have all had our fair share of near misses.
So, Won Won, we left for Grimmauld place in the middle of August. I was desperately hoping that Hermione and you would change your minds but I knew it was useless. We visited Godrics Hollow shortly after we moved in.
It was a nice quiet little muggle village. The houses were spread apart and the people friendly. I can see why my mum and dad chose it as the village to escape to. Everyone was nice but not overly interested in their neighbor's lives. The town was so different from the neighborhood where I grew up and I fell in love with it when I first set sight of it.
It was nice to get away for a little bit, to see that part of my life, but then we came back. Hermione set us to cleaning, she reminded me so much of your mum it wasn't funny, and instead of the so very unhelpful Kreacher we enlisted the help of a couple of Hogwarts elves. I know we were all grateful when Dobby decided to stay and make sure we were okay, even though we knew he was probably giving Minerva weekly updates on us and how things were going. Still he does make a good kidney and steak pie.
Okay so back to the cleaning, it went on for years and years, well actually only a couple weeks and then we got down to business. We flooed Tonks and Remus and enlisted their help. I don't think we could have picked a better person to train us then her. She knew when enough was enough and how to push our every button so we would go even farther then before. I don't think I'll ever forget the time when you finally mastered how to block the Impervious Curse. Nor will I forget the time she made Hermione fly a broom.
Amazing how much we can learn when we actually want to. Hermione learned how to play Quidditch this year instead of just watching it. I've learned the masterful art of transfiguration, and I'm pretty sure I could give Flitwick a run for his money in charms. And you have learned, Ron, the noble and most ancient art of Divination and also you have improved in all the basic areas.
So where do I go now? What can I talk about now that the time has finally come when we might not actually be here? Take care of her, Ron. I know Hermione is strong, but she won't be dealing with my death well at all. Make sure she eats and sleeps, and cries. It's not healthy to bottle those emotions up inside. Just watch over her for me, Ron.
And as for you…I want you to keep being you. Make those jokes you always do, and keep asking those questions about muggle appliances. Play Quidditch one day until you feel like you can't fly anymore and lay under the stars at night cause I'll be up there watching over both of you. Just like the two of you have always been watching over me.
Harry
Arthur put the letter down and looked towards the door again. Now, he thought, would be the perfect time for them to walk in the door. But they didn't. He knew that they wouldn't be coming home, at least not today. He knew that if they were alive they would need some time before they came back. Sighing he met Remus's eyes and he realized that the werewolf was thinking the exact same thing as he was. Tonight was going to be tough but tomorrow was going to be worse. Who knew what kind of things they would find in Grimmauld place and with that he got up and fixed himself a large glass of firewhiskey.
"To our heroes."
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