Chapter 1

4/7/15

Rejoicing in their victory only momentarily Harry, Ron and Hermione had retreated to the Burrow after spending the night at Hogwarts trying to salvage as many lives as they could trudging through the debris on the castle grounds. When they finally arrived to the Burrow, and with a little team work, the Weasley family had been able to reconstruct their old house, barring any damage it had taken under siege. Evidently, Deatheaters, or even Voldemort himself, had practically cast the Burrow in ruins. Thankfully, this came as a surprise to them as the entire Weasley clan had been fighting at Hogwarts, and were not present for the attacks. On the brighter side of things, they had the opportunity to spruce the place up a bit; which came as a tiny silver lining of a distraction to the troubled and tired minds.

They spent two days there together, a few members choosing to fall asleep in the parlor as not to escape each other's company; their safety. Three days of mourning passed before finally Arthur and Molly we prepared to finalize their goodbyes with their son. Fred Weasley had an incredibly heartfelt sendoff…he would have hated it.

After a truly uplifting Eulogy shared in presentation by Bill and Ginny Weasley; George broke down into furious tears and was brought to his knees. Ron, always the subject of lighthearted torment by his older twin brothers, was the first to arise and lay hands on George. Tears silently streaming down his own face he knelt beside his brother; towering over him, still, he embraced him. Ron held onto him and said nothing at all. Next Charlie stood from beside his mother and began walking over to join his brothers. Bill and Ginny stepped down from the podium and followed suit. Soon Fleur and Harry were also intertwined with the Weasley siblings, all unable to stay stronger any longer, finally letting their emotions pour out over the loss of dear courageous, uplifting, high-spirited Fred Weasley.

Noticing his mother was no longer able to keep composure of her own; Percy took her by the hand and guided them both over to where their family had chosen to mourn and sat with them. Arthur Weasley sat silent in his thoughts for a few moments before inhaling greatly and rising. He didn't take the podium but instead walked to his son's casket. He took out his wand and conjured enough glasses for each person huddled. For those who didn't react quickly enough; the glasses began lightly tapping them on the head. Gazes quickly turned to Arthur who was also met with a few deeper than normal chuckles. With another wave of his wand a great big pitcher of fire whiskey appeared, one more wave and the liquid drained into all of the glasses evenly.

"To my son, my beautiful boy…Fred. I can still remember the day you were born…so damn clearly." He emphasized smiling longingly. "You and your brother, two of the tiniest babies I'd ever seen. I promised-" He paused, his smile faltering , and his eyes swelling. "I promised your mother I'd take extra care to watch out for her two tiny boys." He ended having to clear his throat; while Molly turned into her son, sobbing deeply. Arthur cleared his throat again, harder this time. "You died in a brave and valiant effort to better the Wizarding World and in an attempt to keep your family safe. I will…forever, miss you." He stopped; gesturing to his wife. "Your mother and I love you son…Freddie" Arthur choked out before clenching the tears out of his eyes as he threw back his glass.

Upon swallowing his gulp he conjured a second round of whiskey and raised his glass again. "To Harry Potter." He paused this time and looked forcefully toward Harry. "I've watch you grow from this scrawny-"

"Underfed. Malnourished. Neglected!-" Molly interjected between sobs from her spot on the ground.

"Yes; thank you dear." Arthur smiled woefully at her. "-from a young lad to a dangerously selfless young man. On more than one occasion you have saved this family from suffering this type of loss; and because of you we all stand here today…closing a chapter in our lives that promised nothing but darkness and isolation and…death." He ended turning back to his son's coffin.

"To my sons." Arthur boomed proudly; tears streaming his face. "Fred Weasley who brought laughter where ever he went…..and to Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived…" He ended softly with a smile raising his glass and toasting once more.

'His son?' Harry thought fighting back a new set of tears. "Thank you Mr. Weasley." Harry said blushing. He never did like it when attention was unnecessarily thrust upon him. "I'm touched really I am." He stuttered not wanting in any way to sound ungrateful. "I've never felt I belonged to any other family more than I do this one. My one." He said grinning looking from Weasley to Weasley. "In no way should you think I am the only one who needs thanking though." He said finally rising to his feet.

He grabbed Ron under his arm and brought him to his feet too. Nobody else spoke while Harry addressed them. "Ron has been saving my life since our first year together Mr. Weasley. As well as Hermione." He paused beckoning for her to join them. "I wouldn't be here without them. I wouldn't be here without any of you honestly. You all fought, you all are survivors, and you are the Champions. Ron, Hermione and I? We went into hiding; Voldemort didn't even have any idea what we were up to until right before the Battle." Harry started going to everybody one by one and helped them off of their feet. "You all stood right in the face of danger every day, just to protect us, to keep us safe. Like a real family would. Thank YOU." He ended making sure to look everyone in the eye.

He was met with applaud and a round of "Well, said Harry's." and "Thank you's."

A warm summer breeze blew across the yard of the Burrow. The family stayed there together and enjoyed the freedom in their safety. When colors danced across the sky and the sun began to fade Arthur and Molly laid one of their children to rest forever in a new flower garden of their family home. Each person (Even Ron who spent the entire morning with Hermione practicing) had been able to produce their own array of flowers and shrubbery to surround Fred and his headstone which was embossed with a large W and read 'Our dearest Fred; a soul filled with so much laughter and joy; one person simply could not have contained it all.'

"Here." Hermione said keeping her head down and walking toward the freshly made grave. "I've made this for you all…for Fred. Professor McGonagall said that she could never tell me the spell and potion required to create a portrait like those that hang of the headmasters in Hogwarts. You see, those are much different than enchanted photographs or bewitched paintings. They're an imprint; a memory of who they once were, to a tee. Full memories. Not some 'story' programmed into a quick snapshot, designed to forever interact. It's an honor and a tribute to your legacy designated to those who had dedicated their lives following in the servitude of the Founders of Hogwarts. And…well…I know it's not really him…but he's not suffering in any way because of that! I mean, it's not as if he is a ghost…his soul has passed on-"

Molly sniffled again and Ron cleared his throat. "Uh, Hermione…could you maybe…get to the point?" He asked hesitantly. She blushed and quickly continued.

"RightRightSorry." She breathed. "Anyway. McGonagall said she couldn't give me the spell and potion recipe. But she did tell me where I could find it. Before we left Hogwarts I popped over to the library-"

"Of course she did." Ron muttered to Harry who had to stifle a laugh.

"-And obviously I was able to take my time in the restricted section." She stated smirking proudly. "I was able to locate everything I needed to make a portrait like the ones in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts." She ended opening her infamous beaded bag and pulled out a portrait almost as large as the tombstone itself. In it stood a ginger-haired man wearing what looked like the magenta robes employees of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes wore; only the man was facing away from the audience. "Fred?" Hermione said panicked when the picture neither moved nor responded. "Oh no." She muttered looking devastated. "I'm so sorry to have gotten your hopes up. I swear it worked when I finished it this afternoon! I spoke with him and explained to him what happened and everything. I…I even asked Fred if he was alright with me giving you all a portrait. I would never have even told you all...The spell….it must have somehow worn off….I'm sorry." She said again almost in tears.

"It's alright dear." Molly rushed over to console her, tears streaming down her face as well. She glanced over at Arthur who nodded supportively; but looked as if he has lost his son all over again. "It's the thought…and…and the heart that was in it." She emphasized.

Hermione nodded and went to put the Fred portrait away in her bag when George called out. "Hang on." He said walking over to the picture and examining it closely. "Fred?" He asked holding his breath. "Fred?" He asked again more forcefully this time poking the picture slightly. "Fred?!" He called grabbing the picture and shaking it dramatically up and down. Percy walked over and grabbed George's arm, stopping him.

"There's no-"Percy started but stopped suddenly because the person in the portrait sighed.

"Don't you get it? I'm not speaking with you. With any of you!" Fred said with his back still turned.

"Well…why not!" George answered taken aback after a few moments of silence.

"Because!" Fred yelled finally turning around to face his family who all were just emotionally overwhelmed with joy and sadness. "This funeral is downright depressing." He said crossing his arms and scanning his family. "I expect this from mum, and Percy…and Ron." He added as an afterthought. "But you Georgie? I expected better from you." George stood there expressionless for a good while, examining this portrait, and rethinking everything Hermione had said. Finally he grinned very softly and cast his eyes to the ground.

For the second time he fell to the ground, this time kneeling beside the portrait of his twin brother. "I couldn't do any better." George said still not looking up from the grass. "I've missed you…" He said voice cracking.

Fred was unable to torment his brother any longer, and his depressing funeral joke hadn't gone over as well as he thought. "I'm here." Fred offered him. "Hello mum." Fred called over George's head waving. Molly burst into fresh tears and turned into her husband's shoulder.

Arthur embraced her and smiled grimly. "Your mother says hello son…She's…just missed you too."

"Look….you too George." Fred said sternly demanding their attention. "I know you're all sad but the tears end now. I'm here." He said emphatically patting himself and dancing ridiculously in his frame. Ginny giggled reluctantly and Fred beamed. "See, that's better." He said pointing to her smile.

"It's not the same." George said ferociously looking to his brother, running his hand down the portrait feeling the parchment underneath his fingertips.

"Hand's off!" cried Fred looking mockingly outraged, clutching his hands close to his chest. George's frown stiffened and Fred leveled with him. "I know I'm dead, you all do too." He said looking toward his mother making sure his words weren't too harsh. "Like Hermione said though…everything I ever knew, I ever was; is in here now." He gestured behind him. "Everything I had left? Well that's…moved on…and NO I don't know what it's like." He said preemptively. "I only know, what I knew, not what I never did know." He said confusingly gathering a few snickers from his siblings.

"Look!" He said walking out of frame and coming back with a chocolate frog, and a strawberry. "I'm quite comfortable, I can eat all I want and never gain a pound." He said taking the whole strawberry into his mouth in one bite.

"Where'd you get that?" Charlie asked him.

"There's a whole bunch of stuff to keep me entertained out of frame...a whole world" Fred said trying to lighten the mood. "And George." Fred said with a smile glancing at Hermione. "Hermione made a second portrait for me to enter. It's in that wonderful bag of hers-which we definitely need to start selling at the store; think about it, bags, purses, coin-bags-no student at Hogwarts will ever have need to carry their books with them everywhere…we can cast repelling charms on the fabric to keep ink from spilling onto the merchandise! Though, it'll still ruin all of your things, until you learn the repelling charm yourself…" Fred ended trailing off while George began laughing.

"Filch will have on hell of a time sorting through all of those Ever-Expandable Ex-cessories." George finally beamed looking into the eyes of his brother.

The Weasleys decided it better to hang Fred in the parlor above the mantel rather than place him at his gravesite. Arthur and Molly had a wonderfully bittersweet keepsake to keep them whole. No; their son had not returned to them…he had in fact gone to whatever may lie beyond here and now. But Molly slept in the parlor that evening, and spent hours into the night talking with the son she never thought she'd have the opportunity to speak with again. She asked him any and every question she never thought to ask before. And when finally the sun began rise, and Mrs. Weasley could no longer find an excuse to keep her son awake, Fred sank into the bright orange recliner that sat behind him in his background and fell asleep for the first time in his frame.

Molly stayed awake and watched her boy with a smile on her face and a tear in her eyes. For the first time; in as long as she could remember she prayed, to any God that was listening. 'If you're there; if my baby is somewhere listening. I love you. And I hope more than anything you're content where you are." She cried; raising her wand. "Muffliato." She uttered so she could wail in peace. "Oh my boy…" She cried staring at Fred sleeping in his frame. "My sweet, sweet boy. Please be alright; please know I love you more than life. Please be at peace." She said between breaths.

"And Lily." She began trying to compose some composure. "If Fred is somewhere safe, I imagine you'd be in that safe place too. I'd have sacrificed as much as you did for Harry, for my Fred. I've loved and watched over Harry as my own since the moment I met him…And now I ask you do the same. Watch over my baby." She ended looking up at her ceiling trying beyond reason to see something beyond it.