Book Two: Snape's Memories

Chapter Nineteen

Ginny insisted, the next morning, that they all eat their breakfast before donning their dress robes. Ginny hated having to go over everyone with her wand as they were walking out the door. She had Lily's lavender and black dress robes hung on the door. She handed them off to the girl as she went up to get dressed

Ginny picked up the package Molly had sent yesterday afternoon and pulled out Tim's new robes, "Here's yours, lovey." said Ginny.

Tim didn't say anything, but Harry could see the suspicion in the child's eyes as Ginny drew them out of the bag. Abruptly, Harry realized that the wizard robes would look like a muggle girl's dress.

The boy bit his lip, glaring at Ginny distrustfully, but not speaking, as if he suspected he was being made fun of. Harry wondered if Tim's magic was going to make another appearance. It seemed as though any time Tim felt unable to articulate himself, his magic came out.

"I better go get mine." said Harry, "Come on Tim, you need to find a shirt and trousers anyway." Harry slipped upstairs to grab his own robes, it might be easier to convince Tim that way, "Need any help?"

Tim shook his head. As always.

Tim was halfway back down the stairs himself when Harry emerged dressed. Harry heard the floo before he was back down the stairs.

Through the door to the kitchen, Harry could see that they were both in their dress robes that Ginny had sent them the day before, and for once their messy hair was neatly brushed and not sticking up everywhere, "Oh, you two look very smart." said Ginny, approvingly.

Harry came into the kitchen, pulling on his own dress robes, "Come on, Tim." he said gently, "We can't be late." He indicated the robes that were neatly hanging after Ginny had used her wand to get the wrinkles out.

Tim gave Al and James a furtive look. The two boys were greeting their sister and their mother. Al looked up and saw Tim, "Hello," he said gently, "You must be our new brother, then."

Tim shrugged. Harry was beginning to hate that gesture, "Hi." said Tim very quietly to Albus. He turned to Harry, more concerned with the issue of clothing right now, "Everyone wears these? Even the boys?" he asked, sceptically.

Harry nodded, reassuringly, indicating his own attire, "Yeah."

The boy seemed to make up his mind that, since everyone was wearing robes, it must be all right. With a sigh Tim pulled the unfamiliar garments over his shirt and trousers.

James turned to give the boy a smile, "All right, then?"

"Fine." the boy replied. Harry was beginning to hate that word, too.

Ordinarily, Harry wouldn't have worried about how Tim dressed, but wizards (like everyone, Harry assumed) were very particular about their funerals. Ginny and Molly were both adamant that this be treated as a family funeral, and nobody was going to contradict both of them.

After the War, Harry had had ample opportunity to become very familiar with the funeral traditions of wizards. While ordinary black might be a general color of mourning, there were other colors people sported according to their relationship to the deceased. White trim for spouses of the deceased. Dark green for parents, Lavender for sisters and daughters, grey for brothers and sons.

The Weasleys would all show in their dress cloaks and robes, the colors black with the touches of lavender for the women and grey for the men, signifying that Mary was an honorary member of their family. Tim himself, since he was the underage son of the deceased, wore grey robes with black trim.

Nekroun and Cenotaph had sent an old fashioned black car to pick them up. It was on the curb waiting for them at promptly eleven o'clock. As the six of them piled in, the car's bench seat stretched obligingly.