Chapter 49: Muriel's goodbye
Ginny's POV:
"Ginny, it's your day off today isn't it?" Mum asks, after reading the letter we received.
"Um, yes. Why?" I ask, still a little tired.
"Would you mind coming along with me to Muriel? She's quite ill and she's complaining about how we haven't been around to see her yet. You know she favoured you over the others," Mum explains.
"Oh, sure, what time?" I ask again, making a cup of tea for me and Mum.
"I think after lunch, so you've got enough time," Mum tells me.
"Fine," I say, not unkindly, taking a seat.
After breakfast, I step into the shower and think about everything. About Teddy, who will be going out with Andromeda today, about Harry, who will be working pretty hard now, about Hermione, who will hopefully be returning from her travel in a few weeks time (she did come to my first match so I'm not complaining) and finally about myself, winning the match, happy with my family, friends and boyfriend.
I quickly wash my hair and then get out again. I magic myself dry and put on some suitable clothes.
When I come downstairs again, Mum asks me to help bake some things for Aunt Muriel. I know Muriel can be a little bit harsh and straight to the point sometimes but after what she did for me when I was a child, I don't mind. Muriel looked after me when Mum and Dad were away or when I wanted someone who I could spend some time alone with. With only a year between Ron and I, it was hard to get all the attention. Even though Aunt Muriel was already quite old at that time, she spoiled me and I could always talk to her.
"What time will Andromeda be picking Teddy up?" I ask Mum.
"We will be bringing him and we'll go straight to Muriel after dropping him off," Mum says, popping the biscuits in the oven.
"Oh, okay," I say, washing my hands and picking Teddy up.
I put him on my lap and jiggle him around a little. He giggles and babbles happily in his own little language.
I take my wand from my pocket and start forming bubbles with them. Teddy looks at them in awe and tries to catch them. He looks quite surprised when a bubble pops on his nose. I laugh and continue.
"Ginny and Teddy, lunch is ready," Mum calls.
I put Teddy in his high chair and start feeding him mashed up vegetables. He has been crying quite a lot lately but we think it's because he's started teething. We often give him his chewing ring but we're sticking to soft and mashed vegetables at the moment.
When we're finished, I take Teddy upstairs to change him in some warmer clothes. He's wrestling a little bit but I ignore it at first. When I try to get his jumper on, he tries to bat my hand away. Him not cooperating annoys me enough but this is going too far.
"Edward! If you want to go out with your grandma, you had better start cooperating with me or you won't be going!" I say sternly.
He looks at me with big eyes but he doesn't seem to know what he's done wrong.
"You don't start hitting people Ted! You could hurt people and especially when I'm just trying to help you!" I continue. He looks as if he's going to cry so I quickly put on his jumper and socks.
When I finish, I pick him up and hug him.
"Do you understand Teddy?" I ask him.
Teddy nods his head and says, "Sowwy."
"It's alright but don't do it again," I tell him.
I take him downstairs where Mum is putting the cake and biscuits into a basket.
"Are you both ready to go?" Mum asks.
"Yes, just need to put our cloaks on," I reply, taking Teddy's first.
"Has Teddy Apparated before?" Mum asks when we're all ready.
"Once," I tell her.
"Ok, at least it won't be his first time. Oh and does Andromeda have a stroller for Teddy?" Mum worries before taking my hand.
"Yes she does!" I reply, holding Teddy tight and taking Mum's hand.
We get squeezed tightly and when we arrive, Teddy starts whimpering. I quickly assure him that he will be fine and when he looks happier again, we knock on the door.
Andromeda opens it with a big smile and gives the boy a hug. She also thanks us and wishes us luck.
We Apparate to Aunt Muriel's cottage, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We open the wooden fence gate and knock on the door.
"Who is there?" a croaky voice calls.
"Molly and Ginny Weasley," Mum calls and the door opens.
As we walk inside, we see that the house is quite messy and that Aunt Muriel is quite pale.
"Please Muriel, sit down and allow us to make you something to drink," Mum says, helping her to the big comfy chair in the sitting room.
"I can walk just fine by myself but I would like some tea," Muriel says a little unkind.
"Ginny, why don't you make some tea," Mum says, getting a blanket for the shivering Muriel.
I walk to the kitchen, which is also a mess, and try to find the teabags. I put the kettle on and start to clean things up. I do some of the dishes until the kettle starts steaming. I wave my wand for the dishes to do themselves and pour out three cups of tea. I place our cookies on a plate and bring them back to where Mum and Muriel and having a conversation.
"Thank you Ginevra," Muriel thanks, taking a biscuit and a cup of tea.
"I started the dishes too," I say to no one in particular.
"How sweet of you," Mum says.
"Yes, thank you. I was wondering ho-" Aunt Muriel starts before she ends up in a coughing fit.
"As I was saying, I was wondering how long you will be staying," Aunt Muriel continues.
"Are you feeling ok? You look exhausted!" Mum asks worriedly.
"Yes I'm feeling fine Molly but don't ignore my question."
"We don't know. We don't want to be a burden to you but we can stay and make you supper," Mum says.
"Fine. I am tired now so Ginevra, will you please help me to my bedroom for a nap?" Muriel asks me.
"I though you could walk?!" Mum says accusingly.
"I'm an old and sick lady Molly. I am one hundred and ten so I do prefer some help with walking!" Muriel snaps, taking my hand to lean on.
"Do you remember this stain?" Muriel asks me as we arrive in her bedroom, pointing at the stain on the carpet.
"Yes," I say, a little embarrassed.
I made the stain when I about four years old. I had sneaked off to her room to try on her perfume but she caught me which had made me jump. I had accidentally thrown the bottle on the ground and it broke.
"I'm sorry," I say again, helping her get into bed.
"It's okay now. What's that necklace anyway?!" Muriel asks, pointing at the necklace Harry had given me for my birthday more than a year ago.
"Oh, Harry gave it to me for my seventeenth birthday and I've been wearing it ever since," I explain.
"Who's Harry?" Muriel demands.
"Harry is my boyfriend," I tell her, finding it a little bit awkward to have this conversation with my Great Aunt.
"Harry who?! Not Harry Potter I assume?!" Muriel asks again.
"Well, it is Harry Potter," I confirm, blushing.
"Well, even though he didn't come to William and Fleur's wedding, he defeated You-Know-Who so I have forgiven him," she says, tiredly laying her head down.
"He was there but go to sleep now, then we can talk when you're awake again," I tell her, closing the curtains.
"Fine!" she sighs and then closes her eyes.
I close the door quietly and then go back to Mum, who has continued to clean the kitchen.
"You finally got her quiet?" Mum asks me laughing.
"Yeah. She did give me a whole lecture about boyfriends after she saw my necklace," I laugh, helping her.
Together we clean the kitchen and start tidying the rest of the house. Dusting the bookshelves, placing the books back where they belong, taking plates and mugs back to the kitchen. We would have done it by magic but we don't have anything else to do so we just do it the Muggle way (if you don't count the dishes doing themselves).
A few hours later, Muriel calls to inform that she's awake and wants some help. I hurry to her bedroom and help her out of bed again.
"I have been trying to get you attention for four minutes already!" she grumbles.
"I'm sorry Aunt Muriel," I apologise, taking her to the kitchen table.
Mum puts some warm soup in front of us both and we start eating.
"This soup is nice but it's too salty!" Muriel says, taking a sip.
"I thought it would help for your cold," Mum says, taking a bowl herself.
"I see you've cleaned the kitchen," Muriel remarks, looking around.
"Yes we did," I say, finishing my soup.
"You can come around more often!" Muriel says.
"I can come in the evenings after training," I tell her.
"Yes, that would be fine. Not every day of course! Merlin, I wouldn't have any time left for myself!" Muriel says quickly.
After chatting a little more and giving her the cake, we say our goodbyes. She thanks us for the help but also complains about us not visiting before.
When we arrive home, Teddy (who we had already picked up) tries to tell us about his day at the zoo.
"Ions! I see ions, eebra, keys!" Teddy exclaims, spitting a little while trying.
"You saw lions?" Mum asks again.
"Hmm an eebra an keys!" Teddy nods proudly.
"Did you see any wolves?" I ask him.
"Ooves?" Teddy asks.
I get his stuffed wolf and show him.
"Did you see these?" I ask him again.
Yup yup," Teddy says, taking the wolf and hugging it.
We play and talk with Teddy and when we close his bedroom door, Mum says, " it's been an eventful day!"
"It sure has!" I agree.
*
Over the weeks, I have made a habit of going to Aunt Muriel after training on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. I usually take some homemade cakes or soup with me. Harry also came with me once because Muriel had requested it. She complained about how his hair was too messy and that he was too skinny. I had warned him beforehand that she would probably criticise him.
Aunt Muriel's health has been getting worse. Every time I see her, she looks even paler, skinnier and more exhausted than the time before. According to her, she has started to get boils on her legs too. Mum said she'd take her to St Mungo's but Muriel protested.
"She finally gave in! I took her to St Mungo's this morning, after Ginny left for training!" Mum says on a Friday evening, with the whole family including Harry, Ron, Erin and Hermione sitting at the table. The only ones missing are Bill, Fleur, Victoire and Charlie. I haven't seen Charlie for a while.
"She didn't look too healthy when I saw her last week," Harry says.
"No, she didn't. I think she underestimated her health," I agree.
*
Aunt Muriel still wants to see me, even though she's getting worse every day. The Healers told me her illness was getting contagious so I'm not allowed to visit her without having to put on some disinfectant clothing and a mask.
*
On one morning, at the end of March, Mum receives a letter. She reads it and gasps.
I put my toast back on my plate and stand up. I take the letter from her and read it.
Dear Mrs M. Weasley and Miss G. Weasley,
We are very sad to give you this news but Ms M. Weasley passed away on March 26th.
She was in a lot of pain and we had to give her Painless and Dreamless sleeping potions.
She did leave a letter so if you wouldn't mind to visit to pick up the letter and maybe talk about a few other things, please contact us as soon as possible.
We are very sorry for your loss.
Yours sincerely,
Numera Calcha
St Mungo's
I take a deep breath and try to take it the news. After all the help we gave her, the visits we made, the cakes we baked. She was old but I hadn't expected this.
I drop the letter and give Mum a hug. I comfort her until she stops crying.
"I guess we'll have to make a trip to St Mungo's again," Mum sniffs after a while.
"I think so," I say.
*
When we arrive at St Mungo's, we follow the assistant to the Healer who sent us the letter. She gets us something to drink and we sit down.
"Your aunt was very old. Don't forget that she lived quite long, longer that the average witch from that generation. She did ask me to give Miss Weasley this," Healer Calcha says, handing me a letter.
I open it and start reading.
Dear Ginevra,
Thank you for all the help you have me for the past month. I really appreciated it. I'm sorry I had to leave you but it was my time to go (or at least, that is what Merlin decided). I just wanted to say that I loved the times when you came around when you were little. I secretly loved the stain in the carpet because it reminded me that I really did have great-grandchildren. I felt neglected because I hardly saw any of you.
Please live your life because you only get one chance!
Wait for a letter from the Ministry and enjoy the rest of your life. Good luck with Harry.
Best wishes to you all,
Your Great Aunt Muriel.
She did have a heart, even though not everyone saw it.
I wipe away a tear after folding the letter and putting it in my pocket.
"So, we'll organise the funeral," Mum says, crying again.
*
"We are here to celebrate the life of our great aunt Muriel. She may have seemed a harsh and mean woman but deep down, she was a wonderful lady who only desired one thing. Family. Of course, she did have a family but we all neglected her. She turned harsh because she didn't have anyone to be kind to. Let us therefore have a moment of silence and live our life afterwards, because as she said, you only get one chance," I say, receiving a big applause from the crying crowd.
Thank you so incredibly much for the 10k! I decided to update quickly for you as a gift for helping me reach the 10k!Please comment and again, thank you❤️❤️