Forever and always, until the end (Fred Weasley&Anertha Diggory) WattyAwards2013

The Hardest Day

Written 26/8/2013 The Hardest Day.

George woke up to find the sunshine seeping through the window. He struggled to open his eyes. Why were his curtains open? He swore he closed them last night. He turned his head to find a suit hanging from his cupboard door. His heart broke. He remembered. Today was the going to be the hardest day of his life. Today he was saying goodbye to them forever.

George lead the procession with his mother and father. They followed two black cars into the church grounds. These cars carried the bodies of the two people who meant the most to him. Fred and Anertha. It was the only time they had travelled anywhere separated, but you could only get one coffin per car. George lifted Fred's coffin, along with Bill; Percy and Arthur. Amos; Neville, Oliver and Lee lifted Anertha's. The guests had gathered inside the church. The men carried the two coffins to the front, each of their faces struggling to hold it together. George let his tears run freely as they placed Fred's coffin upon the altar. His hand lingered on the wood wishing he could touch the man inside.

The Weasleys sat in the front with Mr and Mrs Diggory. Close friends such as Harry, Hermione, Angelina and Neville sat behind whilst other school acquaintances and relatives sat at the back. Oliver Wood and Katie Bell sat off to the side with the twins, Anertha had named them godparents to her children when they were born. George felt it was too much for him to look after the them today of all days, so he passed responsibility to them. Each face in the room was wet with tears as the music came to a stop. The families had decided on a joint funeral. It was easier for everyone to send them off together and George knew it was how they would have wanted it.

George was the first to speak. He wasn't sure whether he would be strong enough to deliver a eulogy but there was no one better in this room to talk about the couple than him. He stood at the podium looking out at all the pale faces. They all looked up at him, his eyes welled. He stood quiet for a moment, gathering his words. 'Wow this is hard.' He muttered first. Ginny stood and joined him, holding his hand. 'You can do it. I'll stay right here.' She sniffed a tear away. George wrapped an arm around her and began. 'Well....Fred was...he was the best brother, and I don't mean that in any offence to the others. I just mean, he was.....the other half of me....the better half....' George took a deep breath and wiped away a flow of tears. 'He...he made me feel safe. No matter what we did. He was the clever one. I looked up to him and not just because he the favourite with the ladies.-' There was a slight chuckle from the crowd. '-but he only had one girl in his eyes. Anertha. She captivated him. I don't blame him. She was perfect. She kept us in line, if we got too far to that line. I never felt like a third wheel. She fit in straight away, as if she should always have been there. She gave him everything she had. For that I thank her. If it wasn't for her....he could....missed out on the big things...' He looked to his nephews. He took another breath. 'So...thank you Annie. Whose gonna keep the shop tidy now?' He smiled looking at her coffin. He stepped down from the podium and put a hand on her coffin as more tears ran down his cheeks. He crossed to Fred's and placed his head on it, crying hard. 'Mischief will never be managed brother. Not until I join you one day.' He whispered but it echoed through the church and the crowd cried with him. Ginny placed her hand on his back as he wept. His tears dropping onto the lid of the coffin.

The coffins were carried outside to their plots. No one spoke as the coffins were lowered at the same time into the ground. Once at rest, Amos stepped forward with his wife. They threw a white rose into the grave of their daughter. Mrs Diggory wept silently. She was looking frail and sickly. It was rumoured she hadn't eaten properly since Anertha's death. Losing her last child had been the last straw. 'We love you baby girl. Rest in peace now.' They stepped away, allowing others to follow suit. One by one the guests said their last words to Fred and Anertha and left the graveside. Only George was left. He stood in the middle looking down at the two wooden boxes. He couldn't believe this was where they have ended up. He couldn't quite acknowledge that they wouldn't move from these boxes, they wouldn't talk again; he would never see their faces laughing with him. He collapsed to his knees, tired and drained, as rain hit hard. His suit became wet through in seconds. He felt a hand in his shoulder. 'Come on son.' Came his fathers hoarse voice. George shook his head. 'I can't....they'll get wet.' He whispered, staring at the grass. Arthur choked back more tears as he pulled his son, now covered his mud, from the ground and walked away towards the dryness of the cars. As they pulled away, George's nose stayed pressed to glass. He couldn't look away. He wouldn't be the same again.