Magic Never Dies (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Ron's First Day

"Good morning dears" Mrs Weasley nodded as Ron shoved past Ginny on the stairs. For the first time in almost a year they had awoken to the smell of their mother's cooking. She had started to work in the kitchen again as the hottest days of summer hit. So far it had only been assisting Ginny as she had not wanted to relinquish her role just yet. But that morning Ginny had overslept and Mrs. Weasley excitedly took on her previous role.
"Mummm did you see how Ron pushed me?!" Ginny whined. Mr. Weasley peered over his newspaper with an incredulous eyebrow raise. While things had become more calm in the Weasley household Mr Weasley had become uncharacteristically taciturn.
"This is quite a bit of food you made for the four of us." Ron commented as he took three of the pancakes already placed on the table.
"Well seeing as it is your first day of work I thought we should celebrate... with the family." Molly placed the butter on the table.
"The family?" Ginny asked.
"Ginny..." Arthur warned.
"Bloody hell no" Ginny scoffed.
"Ginevra!" Molly scolded.
"Not him."
"He's your brother so we will not be hearing this young lady." Arthur commanded.
"How can you both act like this?" Ginny turned back and forth between her parents. "Accept him back into the family with open arms. As though he didn't ABANDON us. He chose a career over us."
"Ginny..." Ron whispered.
"No! What right does he have to come back into our lives?!"
"He's OUR son!" Arthur yelled as Molly started sobbing. "We already lost one of those and I don't plan to lose another over something trivial." At this Molly's sobs grew louder as she rushed out of the kitchen. Ron went to follow her.
"See what you've done?!"
"What I've done?? You're the one who mentioned Fred!" Arthur turned away. "You all can accept Percy. You can act like we're one big happy forgiving family. Do whatever the hell you want to... but you cannot force me to talk to that man, or look at him or even be in the same room as him. I'm leaving for Hogwarts in two months and be gone then and you two can spend time with your precious Percy." Ginny walked out and apparated away.
"Mum..." Ron called out tentatively. He knocked lightly on her bedroom door. She was turned over on her side facing out her window.
He went to sit beside her on the tiny bed. He faced the other direction with his head grazing the ceiling as he straightened his back.
He cleared his throat, opened and closed his mouth. Everything felt dry.
"I'm okay dear." Molly said clearly. She didn't move a muscle as she said it.
Ron nodded as though she could see his movements.
"Um um thats um are you sure?" Ron sputtered. Ron didn't turn to see if she moved at all.
Ron deflated as he whispered. "It should've been me."
"What?!" Molly shot up.
"Don't you EVER say that!" Molly looked almost angrily at Ron. And for the first time since he was four years old, Ron cried. It wasn't a silent cry or a few rogue tears as usually happened. It was a full purge of tears. The tears that only a mother could comfort.
"Mum... why?" He wailed as his mother held him.
Molly didn't respond and let Ron cry for several minutes.
"He was too good." Ron said as he leaned into his mother's shoulder. She nodded slightly.
There was so much he needed to say but didn't know how. Maybe he would never say it out loud. But the crying was cleansing.
Their crying covered the noise of the front door opening to Bill and Fleur who had made the trip for the breakfast. They had dragged George with them.
"I'm going to see him in the shop" George grumbled.
"It's food!" Fleur answered.
"Are you calling me fat?" Fleur shot him an angry look. She was still too easy to rile up, unaccustomed to the Weasley ways.
"Hey dad" Bill said patting his father's shoulders before squatting into the chair. "Where the kids at?"
"Ze food looks delicieux" Fleur smiled politely. "Where are the cooks?"
"Your mum and Ron are upstairs. Ginny is..." he waved abstractly, deflecting the issue "out." A look flashed between Bill and Fleur. "Where's your brother?"
George coughed and Bill cleared his throat. "He said he had to go into work early."
"And you believed that?" They were shocked at Arthur's bluntness.
"Well... no" Bill looked nervously at Fleur begging for help.
"So pa... any new artifacts this week?"
"Mmmm... nope" Arthur continued thumbing through the paper. They started eating.
"Oh dad! Have you read about the upcoming treaty Shacklebolt is attempting to put through."
"Reading it now."
"Oh yes!" Fleur smiled artificially. "My mama has been discussing all the hoops her office has been going through to work on reaching an agreement with Romania."
"Maybe Charlie could help with facilitation" George offered.
"I don't think us Weasleys have as much pull as you all seem to believe." Arthur said as he finally put down his paper and began to ate. He seemed to become a little more open and conversed lightly with them.
Finally the grand clock chimed out the time.
"Oh bloody hell! We're late!" George pushed off the table. "Ron! Get your arse to the store!"
"George!" Fleur squealed to his eye roll. A second later they saw Ron run down the stairs, three at a time. He almost bodied George out the door who noticed the red lining Ron's eyes. They stopped for a second.
"Don't you want breakfast?" George asked. Ron shrugged.
"Here!" Fleur offered a buttered piece of toast and apple. "Make sure to eat when you get there!" She lightly pushed them out the door and smiled.
Out the door they went as George grabbed Ron's arm and apparated them.
They stood before the joke shop.
"Ready to have some fun?" George asked.
Ron nodded. They walked in.