Molded Joy

6 - Of Letters and Friends

People heading for the floo and door alike, Molly accepted the farewells tossed her way as she began the work of cleaning up her home after yet another Order meeting. Sighing as she stood up and straightened out her back, she wondered if she and Arthur should look into a new home. This little townhouse barely held her, her husband, and Arthur's nephews on a good day in the summer, but when there were Order members and their children running about as well? Or the other times throughout the year when families needed a place to stay between having their homes razed and finding a new one? Undetectable Extension Charms became a must. However, Molly was beginning to feel they weren't enough anymore and that it might be time for a move to a bigger home.

Maybe a house in the countryside would be nice; one with three or four bedrooms and another sitting room to use. At least then Robert and Horton could have their own room to share when they stayed over in the summer instead of having to share with little Wilber. But now was not the time to think about a new home. That'd be best discussed with Arthur a little later. After they finished cleaning up and opened a bottle of wine to relax.

Pushing a lock of hair back behind her ear, Molly went to collect a set of cups scattered on the coffee table when a shadow cast itself over her work. Looking up, she saw Lily Potter.

The poor woman was pale, making the shadows beneath her eyes all the more ghoulish. "Hello, Lily," Molly greeted kindly as she paused once again in her cleaning.

Fiddling a bit with her sweater's sleeve, Lily seemed to become someone much younger. She looked more a schoolgirl than a married woman to Molly, and knowing what she did from talking with her brothers, she even knew that was true. The poor girl was only twenty. When it became clear Lily would not be forthcoming in why she'd come up to her, Molly inquired, "Is there something you want, dear?"

Blinking, Lily gave a sheepish smile before taking a breath. "Seeing as this is going to be my and James's last Order meeting. I wanted to say goodbye," she whispered. "You have been exceptionally kind to me these past days and I'm sorry I won't get to speak with you again until the war is over."

"Then you two chose going into hiding, then?" Molly questioned for clarity as she searched the younger woman's face.

"Yes," Lily replied, mouth quavering ever so slightly. "We'll be in hiding for who knows how long."

Molly's heart went out to her fellow woman. "Lily…" she said.

"Yes?"

"Just because we're saying goodbye doesn't mean you have to be a stranger, alright? Write me as much as you like and need, I'll be here, dear," she told her, hoping that Lily would accept her offer.

Green eyes shimmered with tears as Lily smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Molly."

"Good, I look forward to hearing from you soon," Molly replied warmly before continuing to clean her home as Lily was taken away by the bespectacled man Molly recognized as her husband, James.

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Dear Lily,

Merlin, time flies, doesn't it? I can't believe it's taken me this long to get back to you! Christmas is next week and you wrote to me at the end of November! How are you Lily? How is James and little Harry? I'm sure he must have accomplished so much by now!

I remember when Wilber was a baby, it was while Arthur and I were watching him that he took his first steps! His mother was a bit upset about that, but we made up for it by getting the tyke to walk her way when she came to pick him up.