Forever And Always | D.M

Chapter 33

May 4, 1998

Two days after the Battle of Hogwarts

As I stepped into the church for Fred's funeral, my heart weighed heavy with grief. Fred was such a significant part of my life, and it felt surreal that he was no longer with us. Yet, I was blessed to have my parents, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and his family by my side for comfort.

The church was filled with people, all of whom had come to pay their respects to Fred. The air was thick with emotion, and I could feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself as we made our way to our seats.

Ron's family was already there, and they greeted us warmly. I hugged Mrs. Weasley tightly, grateful for her comforting presence. She had lost a son, and yet she still managed to be a source of strength for all of us.

While we waited for the service to begin, I looked around at the other mourners. Some were crying openly, while others sat stoically, their faces set in grim lines. I wondered how many of them had known Fred as well as we had, how many of them had laughed at his jokes and been awed by his inventions.

The service was beautiful and heartbreaking. Fred's siblings gave moving eulogies, sharing stories about their beloved brother that made us all laugh and cry. I couldn't help but think about all the times Fred had made me laugh, all the times he had been there for me when I needed him.

As the service drew to a close, we filed out of the church and made our way to the cemetery. The sun was shining brightly, but it felt like a cruel joke. How could the world be so bright and beautiful when we had just lost someone so dear to us?

We stood together as Fred's casket was lowered to the ground, and I felt Ginny's hand slip into mine. We squeezed each other's hands tightly, drawing strength from each other.

After the service, we all went back to the Burrow, where Mrs. Weasley had prepared a feast. It felt strange to be eating and laughing when we were all still grieving, but it was comforting to be surrounded by people who loved us.

As the night wore on, we all started to feel a little better. We shared memories of Fred and talked about how much we would miss him. It was painful, but it was also healing.

In the end, it was Ron who summed it up best. "Fred would want us to be happy," he said a sad smile on his face. "He would want us to remember him with laughter and joy."

And so we did, raising our glasses to Fred and vowing to keep his memory alive in our hearts forever.

Ginny and I walked out of the Burrow, and sat on the front porch, looking out at the stars. "I can't believe he's gone," Ginny said softly, tears streaming down her face.

"I know," I replied, placing a comforting arm around her. "But we have each other. And we have our memories of him."

Ginny leaned her head on my shoulder, and we sat there in silence, watching the stars twinkle above us.

The following day, we made our way back to Fred's final resting place and placed the bouquets sent by his loved ones. We stood in solemn silence, each of us reflecting on our thoughts.

After a few moments, Ginny stepped forward, her voice filled with emotion as she whispered, "I miss you, Fred. I'll never forget you, not for a single moment." She kissed her hand before gently laying it atop his headstone as if in a gesture of farewell.

As we turned away from Fred, bidding our last farewell, George embraced me, his arm around my shoulder. "He would have been proud of us, you know," he said. "We're still standing, still fighting."

I nodded, tears streaming down my face. "We have to keep fighting. For Fred. For everyone we lost."

And so we did. We kept fighting, kept moving forward, but we never forgot the ones we had lost. They were always with us, in our hearts and our memories. And we knew that they would always be watching over us, guiding us, and giving us strength when we needed it most.

After paying our respects, we decided to go for drinks at a nearby pub. It was a great way for us to take a break from the sorrow of the day and just relax and enjoy each other's company. Everyone was in a good mood, laughing and chatting away, and it was nice to have that moment of solace away from the sadness that had been felt earlier. We definitely needed that time to just be together.

•••

When I arrived home, I was surprised to see my dad waiting for me. He gave me a warm hug and asked how the visit went. I could tell he was concerned about me, and it made me feel loved and cared for.

After telling him how it went I asked where my mom was, and he kindly informed me that she was in the garden. Drawn in by the promise of beauty, I stepped outside and was immediately enchanted by the sight before me.

The sun was setting, bathing everything in a warm and inviting glow. The flowers, herbs, and vegetables were in full bloom, their fragrant scent perfuming the air. I knew I had to go find my mother in such a majestic setting.

I found her sitting on a bench, looking out over the garden. She turned to me and smiled when she saw me. We sat in silence for a moment, just enjoying each other's company.

Finally, I spoke. "Today was hard, but I'm glad I went. It felt good to be with everyone."

My mom nodded. "I'm glad you had that support. Losing Fred was hard on all of us, but I know it hit you especially hard."

I felt a lump form in my throat. "I just miss him so much. It's hard to imagine life without him."

My mother put her arm around me. "I know, sweetheart. But he'll always be with us, in our memories and our hearts."

I leaned into her embrace, feeling grateful for her love and support. We sat there for a while longer, enjoying the peace and quiet of the garden. It was a moment of healing, and I knew that I would carry it with me for a long time to come.