We Cannot Really Love If We Cannot Laugh
Funeral
Fred stayed at Hogwarts for another two days until the funeral. The whole thing was a blur. I could only remember him squeezing my hand as we filed into the seats on the lawn in front of the Lake.
The weird little old man started talking. I wasn't paying attention. I let my head fill with my personal memories of Dumbledore. After a few minutes, the tears came. Fred noticed and let me lean my head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me. He didn't care that I was staining his shirt with my tears. He patted my shoulders and rubbed my back. Near the end, I noticed a few tears running down his long nose.
The tomb seemed to burst into white flames and they encased Dumbledore's body in a marble tomb. At this point, everyone started filing out. Fred still had his arm hanging protectively around my waist as he escorted me to Hogsmeade Station where I was supposed to catch the train back to King's Cross. Fred couldn't take the train, he was going to apparate back to the Burrow. No one was open today. It was almost like a national day of mourning.
Once I got to the train, I turned around so I was facing him. I didn't know when I was going to see him again.
"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Fred asked.
"What?" I asked.
"The holidays start! You promised you would work at the store!" He said, smiling for the first time in hours.
"Oh! Right! Yeah, so see you then!" I said. He pulled me close and kissed me goodbye.
Once we broke off, I turned and walked onto the train and found a compartment with Rain and Gwen. I hung out the window and waved until the train turned a corner and he vanished from my sight.
"Oh my gosh, you guys are so in love!" Rain said as soon as my head was back inside the compartment. I felt my face go red.
"So you approve? Do I have your blessing?" I asked, smiling.
"I totally approve! You guys are going to end up married someday, and I know it!" She replied, I went darker.
"Isn't it a little early to be thinking about that? I'm only seventeen!" I said.
"Yeah, but that's an adult now! You're a woman!" Rain argued.
"I'm still in school." I said.
"You know, I think you might have already finished your education. The proof's all here that You-Know-Who's back, so there might not even be a Hogwarts next year!" Gwen spoke up after her silence.
I was shocked. Was this what she was pondering on this entire time?
"Well, for now, I think we should just enjoy the summer. I'm working at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes again this summer! You guys can come to visit!" I suggested. Gwen looked skeptic.
"I don't know. Have you been to Diagon Alley lately? There's all sorts of Dark shops opening up! Not really the place I'd want to go." She answered. Rain and I exchanged looks.
"I'll visit you, Renée." Rain said, "I'm so happy for you and Fred!"
I smiled and drifted off to sleep for the rest of the ride home.
The weird little old man started talking. I wasn't paying attention. I let my head fill with my personal memories of Dumbledore. After a few minutes, the tears came. Fred noticed and let me lean my head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me. He didn't care that I was staining his shirt with my tears. He patted my shoulders and rubbed my back. Near the end, I noticed a few tears running down his long nose.
The tomb seemed to burst into white flames and they encased Dumbledore's body in a marble tomb. At this point, everyone started filing out. Fred still had his arm hanging protectively around my waist as he escorted me to Hogsmeade Station where I was supposed to catch the train back to King's Cross. Fred couldn't take the train, he was going to apparate back to the Burrow. No one was open today. It was almost like a national day of mourning.
Once I got to the train, I turned around so I was facing him. I didn't know when I was going to see him again.
"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Fred asked.
"What?" I asked.
"The holidays start! You promised you would work at the store!" He said, smiling for the first time in hours.
"Oh! Right! Yeah, so see you then!" I said. He pulled me close and kissed me goodbye.
Once we broke off, I turned and walked onto the train and found a compartment with Rain and Gwen. I hung out the window and waved until the train turned a corner and he vanished from my sight.
"Oh my gosh, you guys are so in love!" Rain said as soon as my head was back inside the compartment. I felt my face go red.
"So you approve? Do I have your blessing?" I asked, smiling.
"I totally approve! You guys are going to end up married someday, and I know it!" She replied, I went darker.
"Isn't it a little early to be thinking about that? I'm only seventeen!" I said.
"Yeah, but that's an adult now! You're a woman!" Rain argued.
"I'm still in school." I said.
"You know, I think you might have already finished your education. The proof's all here that You-Know-Who's back, so there might not even be a Hogwarts next year!" Gwen spoke up after her silence.
I was shocked. Was this what she was pondering on this entire time?
"Well, for now, I think we should just enjoy the summer. I'm working at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes again this summer! You guys can come to visit!" I suggested. Gwen looked skeptic.
"I don't know. Have you been to Diagon Alley lately? There's all sorts of Dark shops opening up! Not really the place I'd want to go." She answered. Rain and I exchanged looks.
"I'll visit you, Renée." Rain said, "I'm so happy for you and Fred!"
I smiled and drifted off to sleep for the rest of the ride home.