August 7, 2009
ANDROMEDA: (calling out) Molly? Arthur? Come along, Teddy, open the door for Grandma-
HARRY: I got it, I got it-
ANDROMEDA: Thank you, Harry, dear-
At the Burrow, HARRY opens the front door, while ANDROMEDA enters carrying a large pot of soup. TEDDY and VICTOIRE follow closely, eagerly searching for the Weasley cousins. From the kitchen, MOLLY hurriedly enters.
MOLLY: Andromeda, how many times must I tell you not to bring anything? We've got more than enough food already-
ANDROMEDA: (laughing) I'll never come empty-handed, Molly, you should know that about me by now.
MOLLY: (smiling) At least bring some wine next time. You're too good to us, Andromeda. And how are you, Harry, dear?
HARRY: Fine, Mrs. Weasley, thanks.
MOLLY: (pinching his cheek) Bit peaky, as per usual. It's good we've got a surplus of food for dinner, I suppose- come along then, everyone's out back. Teddy, Victoire, go ahead, now, I think they've got a Quidditch game going on in the backyard-
TEDDY and VICTOIRE hurriedly race each other through the house, laughing and pushing each other.
ANDROMEDA: No shoes in the house, Teddy!
MOLLY: (taking the pot of soup and carrying it to the kitchen) Oh, let the kids have their fun, Andromeda. How was Diagon Alley?
HARRY: All good, Teddy's all set for his first year.
ANDROMEDA: He's growing up far too fast.
MOLLY: Oh, you don't have to tell me. It's as if the grandkids are growing faster than their parents, these days-
MOLLY opens the door to the backyard, revealing a huge wooden dinner table, seated at which are various friendly faces. The children race around on the Weasley's old broomsticks in an amatuer game of Quidditch, using a garden gnome as the Quaffle.
FLEUR: (approaching them) 'Arry! Eet is so good to see you! (She plants a flowery kiss on HARRY'S cheek) And Madame Tonks, zank you so much for taking Victoire today- she and Teddy cannot zeem to get enough of each uzzer, I theenk!
ANDROMEDA: It was no problem at all, Fleur. Where's Bill?
FLEUR: 'e was working late today at za bank, but 'e should be returning soon, I theenk- zat new boss of 'is is so demanding-
HARRY walks around towards the back end of the table, where a group of laughing friends sit together, including a red-headed woman with a grin on her face.
HARRY: What's so funny?
GINNY: Oh, nothing. Luna and I had a bet, you see, that Fleur would kiss you before I did-
HARRY: (grinning) Very funny. (He sits down next to her and kisses her) What's the reward?
GINNY: It's a Sickle from you, Luna.
LUNA: (serenely) Hmm, quite an unlucky night for me, I think. First a lost Sickle, not to mention I was bitten by a garden gnome just a few moments ago-
ROLF: (taking her hand and kissing it) Gnome saliva has been proven to be very beneficial, dear.
RON: Really? 'Cause I've been bitten by that gnome quite a few times in my life, and all it's ever given me was a rash in the most inconvenient place-
HERMIONE: Ron!
The friends laugh again, and HARRY places an arm around GINNY'S shoulders.
HARRY: Excited for the new year, Neville?
NEVILLE: Oh, yeah! I'm teaching at O.W.L. level for the first time this year-
HANNAH: Not to mention the other big news-
HARRY: What's that?
HANNAH: Neville's been made Head of Gryffindor! McGonagall finally came around after old Vector retired-
HARRY: That's awesome! Congratulations, mate!
NEVILLE: Yeah, I'm excited.
HARRY: What about you, Ron? How's the Muggle driving test been treating you?
RON: Well, I didn't let slip to Dad that I failed the first time- he's been fooling around with Muggle cars for the better part of twenty years-
HERMIONE: And I have a theory that Ron taking a driving test is not going to be a successful endeavour unless a Confundus Charm is used-
RON: Oh, come on! Have some faith in me!
HERMIONE: Oh, I do! Your Confundus Charms have actually been improving lately-
More laughter sounds from the table. Across the horizon, the sun begins to set as the last rays of daylight shine down on the Burrow. GINNY gazes pensively at the children as they play Quidditch and rests her head on HARRY'S shoulder.
HARRY: How's the baby?
GINNY: (grinning) Sleeping inside me. How did today go?
HARRY: Pretty good. Teddy seemed really excited, and it's good that Victoire was with him.
GINNY: What about Andromeda? How's she taking all this?
HARRY: She's happy for him. But I can't say she isn't struggling- she's still coping with Nymphadora and Remus, I don't think she'll ever fully recover from that-
GINNY: (gravely) None of us will.
HARRY: But Bellatrix stills haunts her nightmares, I can tell. She says she talks about her a lot with that Muggle therapist she's been seeing- I can't imagine how someone can approach something like that, and still keep their sanity-
GINNY: She haunts my nightmares, too. I duelled her at the last battle, don't you remember? If only I had gotten her first- Nymphadora might have been saved-
HARRY: Don't think like that, come on. It was years ago. We're moving on, now. Together.
GINNY: (smiling) I know we are.
From the house, MOLLY steps onto the patio, a cooking apron over her dress and a spatula in hand.
MOLLY: Dinner time! Let's go, kids, quit horsing around and set the table, come on!
The Weasley cousins descend onto the patio, breathless and energetic.
HERMIONE: Rose, come over here, let me clean you up-
LUNA: Boys, dinner time, come along.
The children all approach their parents and sit next to them. A five-year-old JAMES and a three-year-old ALBUS approach their parents.
ALBUS: He cheated, Mommy!
JAMES: Did not!
GINNY: All right, no more bickering, it's dinner time. Sit up straight-
LUNA looks across the backyard and sees two figures approaching them.
LUNA: (serenely) Just in time. The Minister and the Headmistress approach.
The group looks out at the backyard to see KINGSLEY and MINERVA walking dominantly through the green grass, their faint outlines visible in the dying light of the sun.
MOLLY: (approaching them) Minister! Minerva! I wish I had known you were coming, I could have prepared something more presentable-
RON: Sorry we're not presentable enough, Mum-
GINNY: Ron, shut up.
MOLLY glares at her children and points a warning finger at them.
MINERVA: No need, Molly, we just wanted to stop by.
KINGSLEY: Don't go to any trouble, Molly, I'm sure whatever you've prepared is delicious.
MOLLY: Well, please make yourselves at home- I'll go get the rest, Ron come help me-
RON glances at HARRY heavily, and grins and stands up.
HARRY: I can help, Mrs. Weasley-
MOLLY: Well, I wouldn't say I'm surprised that my son-in-law is more helpful around the house than my own son-
HARRY and RON smile before following MOLLY inside the kitchen.
ROXANNE: Don't push me!
ANGELINA: Fred, stop tormenting your sister-
FRED: I wasn't!
GEORGE: All right, all right, it's not a family dinner until someone gets shoved off the table-
ANGELINA: Not helping, George.
HARRY and RON magically serve the food onto the plates on the elongated table. The front door opens once again.
MOLLY: Arthur, good, grab the silverware, will you?
BILL: I'll get it, Mum.
MOLLY: Thank you, Bill, darling. How was work?
BILL: Same as always. Can't complain.
MOLLY, ARTHUR, and BILL exit the house and take their seats at the table. FLEUR kisses her husband passionately, while ARTHUR finds a seat across from HARRY.
ARTHUR: Harry, good to see you.
HARRY: Likewise, Mr. Weasley. How's the new office treating you?
ARTHUR: Very good!
MOLLY: I'd wish he'd retire already, I'll tell you that-
ARTHUR: Molly, please. The most active mind is the most brilliant one! Besides, the Ministry needs me.
The Weasley family begins to eat as the sun sets behind them. Various conversations arise, and several of the children begin to play with a toy Golden Snitch, to the chagrin of their parents. MOLLY points her wand at her wireless, which begins to play an Celestina Warbeck piece. FLEUR shakes her head while drinking from a glass of wine.
FLEUR: (disdainfully) Ah, ze most 'orrible song-
DOMINIQUE: I kind of like it, Mommy-
LUNA: Eat your green beans, boys. Don't want the wrackspurts to get in your ears, do you?
LYSANDER: I hate green beans, Mum, make Lorcan eat mine-
LORCAN: No, I already had his brussels sprouts yesterday!
The family continues to eat in peace and happiness. ANDROMEDA, sitting at the end of the table next to HARRY, sits silently while gazing at TEDDY, being fed by jokingly by VICTOIRE, with a small smile on her face.
HARRY: (quietly) Hey. Is everything okay?
ANDROMEDA: Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine, Harry, dear.
HARRY: It just seemed a little chaotic with Narcissa earlier today-
ANDROMEDA: (pensively) We're both just trying to cope with the past, Harry. In our own way. I'm getting there, and so is she.
HARRY: I can't imagine how hard it must be for you to say goodbye to Teddy this fall.
ANDROMEDA: It will be difficult. But I'm so happy for him, and proud of him. He reminds me so much of his mother, every day I see her again in his eyes. I'm glad that he'll be able to live in the Wizarding world of peace that we envisioned all those years ago.
HARRY: I'll always be there for the both of you, you know.
ANDROMEDA: (smiling) Thank you. We lost so many over the years, I can't bear to think about those who were taken away from us too soon.
The family laughs at a joke that GEORGE says, and ANDROMEDA smiles while drinking from a glass of wine. The sun finally sets behind the horizon, and the family continues to eat until MOLLY gets up to retrieve a bottomless pot of tea, and the children race each other to restart their Quidditch game before it gets too dark. ANDROMEDA continues to gaze at her grandson, smiling serenely while HARRY lightly holds her hand on the table.
ANDROMEDA: And yet... life goes on.