Ask a Child

Ask a Child

'Night, Mum.'

Molly smiled down at her son. 'Goodnight, Ron.'

Molly sighed contentedly as Ron began to drift off to sleep. Molly had been on her feet all day and was absolutely exhausted. She had just managed to settle Ginny down, and Ron was last on her list.

Suddenly, the door of Ron's room flew open. Molly was surprised to find a three year old Ginny standing in the doorway, pink pyjamas clashing horribly with her bright red hair. One thumb was stuck in her mouth, her other chubby hand clutching a worn and dirty pink elephant to her side.

Molly wearily put her hand to her head as Ron awoke. Ginny's brown eyes widened innocently.

'What's wrong, Ginny?'

'I can't sleep,' Ginny replied accusingly. 'You didn't tell me a story!'

Ron sat up in bed, clearly annoyed. 'How come she gets a story and I don't?'

Ginny stuck her tongue out at Ron, wrinkling up her round face.

'Ron, you can have one too. But only if you're both quiet. Come and have a seat, Ginny.'

Ginny shook her head, and plopped herself down cross-legged on the floor beside Ron's bed.

'Now, which one shall I tell?' Molly mused.

'Tell my favourite one!' Ginny said demandingly from her place on the carpet.

'Which one is that?' Molly inquired.

'The one with Harry Potter!'

Ron scoffed. 'It's always Harry Potter, you never have a different story! Let me have a turn, Mum.'

'Ginny, as we're in Ron's room, we might have his one, alright?'

Ginny crossed her arms and gave Ron an irritated glare. Ron smiled smugly.

'Now... which one is your favourite, Ron?'

Ron looked at Molly in disbelief. 'The one with Sir Ron, of course!'

'Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a brave knight called Sir Ronald.'

Molly felt a sharp poke in her side, and turned to find an accusing Ron.

'Ron, Mum!'

'Alright, dear,' Molly said, smoothing down his tousled hair. 'Called Sir Ron. He was a very good person, always helping others, and everyone admired his bravery and courage.

'One day, a man came running up to Sir Ron. The man was very scared, and he said to Sir Ron, "Sir Ron, Sir Ron! There's a very bad wizard at Hogwarts, and we need you to stop him!" Sir Ron said, "Never fear! Sir Ron is here!"

Ginny giggled, but stopped abruptly when Ron glowered at her.

'Sir Ron hurried back to his castle and got on his -'

'Abraxan, Abraxan!'

'Very well, Ron, his Abraxan. He - '

'What's an Abraxan?' Ginny piped up curiously.

'A winged horse, dear. Now hush while I finish the story.'

'Yeah, Ginny, be quiet.' Ron added with a superior air, huddling back under his thick Chudley Cannons blanket. Ginny pouted, sticking her lower lip out, and began to pick at Ron's carpet.

'Sir Ron got on his Abraxan and it took him high up into the skies, where they could see all over Britain. There were no clouds, so Sir Ron could see exactly where Hogwarts was. He told his Abraxan to fly over to it, and they began a long journey to Hogwarts. Sir Ron thought that flying on his Abraxan was much better than a broom, because it went much faster and it could take him a lot higher.

'A while later, Sir Ron finally arrived at Hogwarts. Many people came to see him, including the Headmaster. The Headmaster of Hogwarts told Ron where the bad wizard was, and Sir Ron...'

Molly gently broke off. Her Sir Ron was sound asleep with a small smile on his face. She looked around at Ginny, hoping that her youngest would also be sleeping, but Ginny was still watching Molly intently.

'Mum,' Ginny started loudly.

'Shhh!' Molly interrupted as Ron stirred.

Ginny put one chubby finger to her lips and her wide eyed, innocent expression was replaced with one of guilt.

'Mum, will you tell my favourite story now?' Ginny whispered loudly.

Molly nodded and held out her hand. Ginny firmly grasped it with her tiny one as together they made their way down two flights of stairs to Ginny's room. As they passed Fred and George's room they could hear some bangs and thumps that were obviously trying to be muffled, but the attempt was far from working.

They crept into Ginny's room in complete darkness. Molly shut the door quietly as Ginny took a running jump and landed heavily on top of her bed. Molly felt in the dark for Ginny's bedside table.

She was about to light the candle when Ginny asked pleadingly, 'Can't we have the wand light? It's pretty.'

'Lumos. Oh dear, look at your hair.' Molly placed her wand on Ginny's bedside table and frowned at Ginny's messy hair.

Ginny held up the remains of a plait and examined it closely.

'Let me tell you about Harry Potter now. I'll do your hair as well.' Molly started to undo the old plait.

'Once upon a time, a little more than 3 years ago, there was a very bad wizard. His name was You-Know-Who.'

Molly looked at her daughter, who had said 'You-Know-Who' at exactly the same time, as if to herself. She began to put Ginny's hair into two fat plaits as she talked.

'He was very mean and did terrible things. One day he decided to go and look for a family called the - '

'Potters,' finished Ginny.

'Ginny! How on earth am I supposed to tell you this story if you keep interrupting!'

Ginny hung her head, and Molly continued. ' You-Know-Who found the Potter's house in Godric's Hollow. He went there and killed Lily and James Potter.'

Ginny clamped her hands over her mouth.

Molly went on in a shaky voice, 'Then he went to find their son, Harry Potter.'

A smile crept over Ginny's face as Molly mentioned Harry Potter.

'You-Know-Who tried to kill Harry Potter as well, but for a reason that no-one knows, he couldn't do it, and Harry Potter survived. And You-Know-Who was beaten, and no-one ever saw him again,' Molly finished.

Ginny smiled contentedly. 'Can you tuck me in now?'

'Of course.'

There was silence until Ginny spoke once more.

'Mum?'

'Yes, dear?' Molly said as she finished tucking Ginny in. 'Nox.'

'Do you think,' Ginny yawned, 'there'll be another bad wizard?'

'I don't know, dear. I hope not.'

Ginny changed positions and curled up on her side, secure beneath the covers.

'You don't have to worry if there is, Mum.'

'Why is that, Ginny?'

Ginny answered sleepily, ''Cause Harry Potter will save us all.'

And with that, Ginny fell asleep.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ten years later, Molly found out that Voldemort had returned.

After a long night of anxiety and disbelief, Molly finally got back to The Burrow, and to bed. She tossed and turned but she couldn't sleep, the day's events weighing her down.

From nowhere, Molly remembered that night so long ago, when Ginny had spoken those words with such certainty, and suddenly Molly was comforted and reassured - because Harry Potter would save them all.