The next morning when Elle woke up, she did not want to go to the Ministry to make the final funeral preparations. That was one step closer to the final goodbye, the last time she would see his handsome face and hold his calloused hand before they put him six feet under.

Again, Brady insisted on coming. He woke up and put on a black button-up with khakis, feeling that it was only appropriate what with what they had to do that day.

Elle put on a black dress with black heels, along with no makeup. She had no doubt that she would end up crying, so she didn't see the point in putting on any makeup at all.

She took Brady's hand as she apparated them to an empty alleyway near the Ministry, letting it go once they went to the guest entrance. Once inside, she led him to the correct department.

She hated how cold the sign looked, looming above them and reading, 'Department of Ends.' Geez, how sensitive of them to name the department something that will remind the one hurting of their loss, Elle thought bitterly.

The entire corridor seemed void of all life and happiness, everything a dark marble that shined and seemed to give off pure coldness.

Elle shivered, making Brady glance at her worriedly. They walked to the office of William Lancover, the head of the department and the man in charge of Fred's case.

They didn't have to wait long before they were called back.

They were greeted with the sight of a sharp looking older man dressed in all black, sitting at a black desk in the middle of a completely black room. William Lancover looked to be in his early fifties, with salt-and-pepper hair that was styled perfectly. The lighting was dim, casting shadows on him that made him look like his eyes were black voids of nothing.

Geez, that's not at all intimidating, Brady thought bitterly.

"Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley," Lancover greeted, before gesturing to the chairs positioned in front of his desk.

"Before we get started today, I would just like to say once more how sorry I am for your loss," Lancover added a moment later after the two of them sat.

Both nodded their acknowledgment to his apology, knowing that it was what he had to say.

Lancover acted as if they actually said thank you before he shuffled through his paperwork. "Okay, so to start we need to set a date for the funeral. It's already been three days since his... passing, so I would recommend doing it as soon as possible," Lancover started, dipping his quill in ink.

Elle nodded. She had been preparing herself for this. "The day after tomorrow," she said decidedly, leaving no room for argument.

Lancover nodded and wrote it down on a piece of parchment.

"And where will he be buried?"

Elle calmed herself for a moment. "The cemetery in Ottery St. Catchpole. It's where his family has always been buried," she informed
him, squeezing Brady's hand when he clasped hers in a show of support.

Lancover nodded and scribbled some more on his parchment.

And so it went on for what seemed like hours and hours. Elle and Brady felt as if their hearts were being fed through a meat grinder before getting stomped on by an elephant. Lancover pretended to be sympathetic, but they knew it was an act, part of the job.

Finally, everything was organized, leaving Brady and Elle to return home to wallow in their mourning as they waited to say their final goodbyes to the best man they had ever known.

They both immediately changed into their pajamas. Well, Elle changed into some shorts and one of Fred's T-shirts. As she pulled open his shirt drawer, it dawned on her that they wouldn't smell of him forever. She didn't want that, that much she was sure of. She was also sure there was a spell to make them retain their smell.

So, she hurried to their office/library and started looking through her their countless spell books.

When Brady found her, she was surrounded by stacks of books as tall as her, and some were open and thrown haphazardly on the floor all over the room. There were countless shelves that were clearly missing many of the books that belonged there, making it look as if a dementor had been in there to look for a criminal to kiss.

"Mum, what are you doing?" Brady wondered aloud as he looked about the room.

"Looking for a charm," she muttered, not looking up from the book she currently had her nose buried in.

Brady sighed. "Alright. What is it? Maybe I can help," he offered, sitting down beside her.

"Keeping scents."

He looked at her bewildered.

"To keep your father's things smelling like him. Especially his shirts," she added softly, flipping the page in her book.

He nodded and began flipping through books Elle hadn't yet.

An hour later, Elle stood up and let out a yell of triumph before running to their bedroom, a book clutched to her chest.

She quickly performed the charm on his shirts and things before she went around the house, casting the charm on anything of Fred's.

When she was done and Brady had finished putting up the books- with magic, of course- the two sat down and ate supper. It was silent, each of them lost in thought.

Mother and son were struggling, but they were together and not shutting each other out.

Fred was watching, hoping they would all be okay. He missed them, but he knew he would see them again eventually.