Stumble - A Fred Weasley Fanfiction

Chapter 8: 318 Days Before

It was too beautiful of a day for such an occasion. The sun was too bright, the sky too blue, the birds' cries too cheery. Addie wished for rain. She wanted a gray sky so dark that it blotted out the sun, and rain pouring down so hard that it hurt against her skin. She wanted a day that represented the raging turmoil inside her. She wanted a day that represented just how horrible the world would become without Albus Dumbledore living in it.

She joined the hundreds of people who had come to pay their respects in the procession towards their seats. The ceremony had been set up beautifully: the lake in the background, a grand marble table the central focus, although it was still empty of the man they had all come to say goodbye to. Hundreds and hundreds of gold chairs had been set up in rows in view of this all, and Addie followed the Weasley's as they found a seat.

She watched as everyone else slowly found a seat, listening to the quiet drone of conversation. People from all over the world had gathered, and a mix of accents and languages filled the air around her. Addie turned from watching a balding wizard speaking with Tonks to the red-haired girl that was making her way towards them. It was obviously Ginny, the only daughter in the family, and Addie offered the girl a small smile. Ginny cast her an odd look, obviously wondering what a stranger was doing sitting with her family, but she said nothing about it. Instead she hugged her mother, whispering quietly to her.

Addie looked away, not wanting to intrude on their moment.

The rest of the Weasley family joined them shortly: Bill had come from Egypt earlier that day, and Charlie arrived only minutes before the funeral started. Ron was up front with Harry and Hermione, and Percy was nowhere to be seen. When Addie asked Fred about his whereabouts, Fred said nothing, but pointed to the first row of seats, where the Minister for Magic sat. A couple seats down from him was a head of red hair that Addie assumed was the missing brother. Addie nodded in acknowledgement, but didn't question further. The disgusted look on Fred's face told her that it wasn't a topic she should bring up.

Quiet fell upon the wizards and witches gathered, and Addie craned her head around, wondering what had signaled the start. As she looked about, the lake caught her eye. Mermaids and mermen had swum to the surface, their bobbing heads facing the marble table where Dumbledore's body would be lain. Seemingly on cue, they all swam underwater, although Addie could still see their shadows, just under the surface. And from the lake came the most haunting song Addie had ever heard in her life.

The words weren't English, but the tone of the song was universal. It was beauty, sorrow, and grief wrapped up in a melody that moved Addie to tears. A shadow passed down the aisle as the song played, and Addie looked over to find Hagrid wearing his furriest suit with his hair slicked back with axel grease. In his arms lay a body wrapped in a purple shroud covered in golden stars. The weeping of the people in attendance grew loud enough to drown out the merpeople's song as the body was brought to attention. Hagrid himself was crying, loud wracking sobs that shook his whole body with every step he took. He reached the front, laying the body on the marble table, and found his seat.

The funeral was long and sad. A man in black robes talked for much too long, words Addie barely heard. She was remembering the headmaster, and how wonderful and safe he had made each student's experience at Hogwarts. Without him, Addie wasn't sure what would become of Hogwarts. She felt as if it would be an entirely different place without the bright-eyed Headmaster announcing the start of term each year, without his witty banter and horrible taste in school songs. She began crying again thinking of just how much Albus Dumbledore had meant to Hogwarts, and didn't stop crying until well after the funeral was over.

*

That night, every one of the Weasley's except Percy returned home. No one acknowledged the only missing member. Ron and Ginny had arrived later that evening, after taking the Hogwarts Express to King's Cross Station after the funeral. Supper was eaten at a silent table, and it was only after dessert was placed on the table that conversation slowly started up, still tinged with the sadness of the morning's events.