Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…
A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named "HBP: The Redemption", by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story "HP and the quest of the Horcruxes", you may find some similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me. Since I'm posting this now, let's consider it my little Christmas present to you!
Weddings and Memories at the Burrow
Hours later, the blue BMW parked in front of the strange house that was the Burrow. Anne Granger shook gently awake the two teenagers.
"Hermione, sweetie, we're arrived" she said softly to her daughter.
Soon, both of them were down from the car, and were welcomed by Molly.
"Harry, Hermione, dears! I'm so glad the two of you are here, finally!" she said, enveloping both of them in a crushing hug.
After they regained their ability to breathe, Molly directed them to their rooms.
"Ron and Ginny have gone for a flight in the wood, maybe you can catch them after you've brought your trunks in" she suggested then, going to welcome Hermione's parents.
So they did, and few minutes later they were both walking toward the wood behind the house.
Ginny was the first to spot them.
"Harry! Hermione! You're arrived!" the redhead squealed, landing in front of them. Then she hugged both of them, causing a grin to spread on their faces. She was going to be exactly like her mother.
Ron, hearing his sister's squeals, came down as quickly, and greeted them to.
Then he couldn't stop himself, and placed a quick peck on Hermione's lips.
"EWW!" Harry said in mock disgust. "Get a room, you two!" he teased them then.
They simply stuck their tongues at him, and all the four of them burst in laughter.
"As long as you two don't repeat the scenes Ron did with Lavender last year, I'm fine" he teased them, winking at Ginny.
Seeing her pained him a bit, but he acted as nothing was wrong, he had to be strong for her safety.
"Well, yes, however, the wedding is going to be the day after tomorrow, so we better go to bed, we need to do a lot for it yet…" Ron suggested, trying to change the subject.
"Wedding? The two of you are already getting married? Isn't that a bit rushed, Ron?" Harry said, teasing him.
"I was talking about Bill and Fleur's, Harry, thanks but I think we'll wait a bit more before getting married. As I was saying, lots of things need to be done…"
"Oh, no, Ronniekins, don't think we'll let that slip" George said. "Harry, you're officially invited to join the "Tease Ron and Hermione" day"
Harry grinned. "Thanks guys, but I think I'll pass this chance" he said.
So, some joyful chatter later, they entered the house, and Molly greeted Harry with a big cake on the table, with icing reading "Happy Coming of Age, Harry".
The Weasleys started cheering him, and Hermione too.
"This is late, we know, but we couldn't let your coming of age pass unnoticed" Molly said him.
He was bewildered. His birthday had always passed without someone noticing, at Privet Drive, so he was not used to this kind of thing.
"Thanks, guys, really" he stammered, not really knowing what to say.
Then they gave him their presents too.
Hermione got him new Quidditch robes, with Potter written in gold letters on the backside.
Ron got him a new wand polishing kit, used by Aurors to restore their wands.
The twins gave him a basket full of their products. "Make sure to use them, mate. Holy knows if Hogwarts needs a good laugh these times" Fred advised him.
Molly gave him two new sweaters, while Ginny gave him a bracelet she made herself with small snitches and Firebolts. He cherished all their presents, as that was another thing he was not really used to, although since he had attended Hogwarts he got Christmas presents from Hagrid, Hermione and the Weasleys.
Next day the big preparations for the wedding continued, Fleur had already chosen her dress, Bill had got his own, the ceremony was going to be held in the backyard of the Burrow as no one wanted to go back to Hogwarts so soon, the pain for the battle was still fresh, so they relocated it.
White and orange roses adorned the garden, and the incident to Bill had brought Molly and Fleur as close as you could imagine, so it seemed really an happy occasion. Ginny still not liked Phlegm, as she called the French girl, very much, but since her mother did, she put on her best face. Harry was near her through the whole ceremony, even if Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, kept trying to be as around Harry as possible, being quite smitten with him as she was.
"Seems you got some competition for Harry's heart, Ginny" Hermione commented lightly.
"Well, I do like to think Harry has better taste than going with her" the redhead said, scowling. The girl really annoyed her a lot with her behaviour, much like her older sister.
Ron and Hermione were one near the other too, obviously as they were going out now, and Harry couldn't help to grin at them. He rarely saw them this happy.
Finally, Bill, who was dressed in a very elegant black robe, reached the altar, and few minutes later the Wedding March sounded. Fleur appeared in all her glory, with a simple white dress which exalted her body, keeping her shoulders almost bare and with a V-neck maybe a bit too deep, but with the outstanding heat of the season it was allowed. Her hair had been pinned with small white roses, and she looked directly at her husband to be, blushing when he mouthed to her "You're gorgeous", led to him by her father.
"Who gives this witch away?" the priest asked.
"I, her father, do"
And so her hand was placed in Bill's.
They looked lovingly at each other, while the priest kept reading the usual formulas for the ceremony.
Finally the moment of exchanging their vows arrived.
"Fleur, from the moment I saw you I knew there was more to you than your beauty, and I'm glad I was able to find that and discover that you are a well gifted witch, kind, generous, and loyal for all these reasons I love you with all my heart"
"Bill, you've bin ze kindeest wizard to me sinze we met, and you've showeed me what really loving someone iz, for that I love you more than anything elze, and I don't care about you suffering that incident with that werewolf, I love you all the zame"
Then they placed the rings on each other's fingers, with trembling hands.
"Bill and Fleur, I declare you husband and wife. Bill, you may kiss your wife now"
And so the Weasley did, lifting her veil and sharing the sweetest of kisses with his newlywed wife in front of family and friends.
After that, the banquet was held, with Molly who had prepared all the food. All laughed heartily, chatted, joked, ate, there was no room for sadness.
Even in such times, they managed to slither a day of complete bliss into the tension and fear of being in war. Harry for once forgot his heavy burden, and enjoyed even dancing, first with Ginny, then he and Ron exchanged partners, so he swung around a giggling Hermione for some time, before they stopped, quite flustered for the heat.
The four of them chatted till the dancing ended and the moment of throwing the bouquet arrived. Fleur turned and cast it as far and high as she could, and Hermione showed hidden Seeker reflexes snatching it from under Ginny's nose.
"Look who took the bouquet, we better start planning another Weasley wedding" George and Fred teased her and Ron, who both blushed.
"Guys, leave them alone. It was time I didn't see them this happy" Harry said.
"Thanks, Harry" both his friends said when the twins walked away muttering something like "ruining the mood" and "not having sense of humour".
"Anytime, guys, as long as you don't put on scenes like last year. I was going mad trying to mediate between you two…"
So, with time, the joy died down, the guests left, Bill and Fleur retired to their house to share their first night as wed couple, not before enduring the twins teasing them heartily.
Dinner time came, and there were Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry, the twins and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley there. They ate chatting about the wedding, Ginny and Hermione with dreamlike expressions told them how they wanted their own wedding to be.
"I would like it to be in a big chapel, with all the people from Hogwarts there, lots of red roses, a chorus singing, all the bridesmaids in orange dresses, and my own dress white, with a long tail, a simple veil, not showing so much of my body like Fleur's but still a bit sexy so to raise my husband-to-be's interest for our wedding night...and what about you, Hermione?"
"First of all, as long as I'm in love with the man I'm marrying" and she looked to Ron, who became red on his ears, "I don't care much for how it is. But my dream is a small wedding, with family and the closest friends, the church adorned with lilies and white and red roses, my bridesmaids dressed in pink and my wedding dress sparkling with small diamonds all over it, my hair pulled up in a chignon, no veil, even if I know it is charming the moment in which your newlywed husband lifts it to kiss you, and definitely a bit sexy. I mean, I know the man waiting for you at the altar loves you so no need to raise his interest, but it feels good to see once more what kind of effect you can have on him…"
"Why would it be?" Harry asked, bewildered.
"Girl power, Harry. Something you would never be able to understand" Ginny replied flippantly, moving her hair over her shoulder in a fancy way, as to flirt with him.
They all laughed, while Ron and Harry exchanged a look saying "they are definitely nuts".
When after dinner Ginny led Harry to her and Hermione's room taking his hand, with the other two in tow, he stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and let her lead him.
They sat on the bed for some chatting, Hermione leaning on Ron's chest, his arms wrapped gently around her, both of them enjoying the closeness, Harry and Ginny instead seated one near the other. After all, they weren't a couple anymore.
"So, I was thinking while you weren't here, since next year probably the tree of you won't come back to Hogwarts, maybe it could be fun these nights, before going to bed, if we recalled our memories from the past years, good or bad they can be, but the events that remained most embedded in your memory from each year" Ginny started.
"I think that's a great idea. This way, if we are not going back, we will keep our memories of the school fresh. I know it has been like home for all of us in these years, through thick and thin" Ron said.
Hermione nodded, while Harry was a bit uncertain. After all, yes, Hogwarts had been his first home, but still he had pretty painful memories of his years there.
Everyone looked at him expectantly.
In the end he nodded.
"So, I thought we may recall one year each night. In turn we'll tell the event we really can't forget from each year" Ginny said. "Harry, if you wish, you can start"
Harry cleared his throat.
"Very well. I guess one memory that is fond for all of us is our first ride on the Express and the Sorting, isn't it, Ron, Hermione?" he asked.
"Of course it is"
"Here it comes, then" he said, before starting to narrate the event.
" "Hey, Mum. Can you guess who we have just seen on the train?" one of the twins asked.
Harry quickly backed away from the glass, trying to hide he had been staring at them.
"You know that boy with black hair, near us at the station? Do you know who he is?"
"Who is he?" the woman asked them.
"Harry Potter"
"Oh, Mum can I go on the train and look at him?" the voice of the little girl was heard..."
Harry looked at Ginny saying that. She blushed deeply while all of them started laughing.
" "You've already seen him, Ginny, and the boy is not an animal from the zoo. But are you sure it is him, Fred? How do you know?"
"I've asked him. I've seen the scar. It's exactly like a bolt"
"Oh, poor thing. It's not surprise he was alone in the station. He's been so well-mannered in asking how to reach the platform!"
"Do you think he remembers how You-know-Who looked?"
"Don't you dare ask him that, Fred! There's no need to remember him that on his first day of school!" the woman said hotly.
Then a whistle was heard.
"Come on, go on the train" she said then. Soon the train started moving. The little girl started running after the train, then she continued to wave with her little hand.
Harry squeezed Ginny's hand, and without thinking he pulled her closer, while continuing his story.
"Soon the door of the compartment opened and the younger of the redhead boys entered.
"Is that seat occupied? The train is all full"
Harry shook his head and the boy sat.
After a quick look at Harry, he started looking at the passing landscape.
"Hey, Ron" the twins said.
"Hear, we go toward the half of the train. Lee said he has a giant tarantula"
"Ok" Ron muttered.
"Harry, did we present each other? Fred and George Weasley. And this is our brother Ron. Well, see you later" they said, before going away.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron suddenly asked.
Harry nodded.
"Oh…well, I was thinking it was another of Fred and George's pranks. Do you really have the…" and he pointed Harry's forehead.
Harry moved his bangs to show him the scar.
"So it is there that You-Know-Who…?"
"Yeah, but I don't remember a thing" Harry said.
"Really nothing?" Ron asked, really curious.
Hermione elbowed him angrily hearing that.
Ron grinned sheepishly and kissed the top of her head.
Harry smiled at both of them.
"After some moment staring, Ron started looking out of the window again.
"In your family you are all wizards?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I think so. If I'm not mistaken Mum as a far cousin that is an accountant, but we never speak of him"
"So you already know lots of spells"
"I heard you lived with Muggles" Ron asked. "How are they?"
"Horrible. Well, not all of them. My aunt, my uncle and my cousin are. I would have loved to have three wizard brothers"
"Five" Ron corrected him. "I'm the sixth of our family to attend Hogwarts. I've got to stand up to lots of expectations from my family. Bill was top of his classes, Charlie was Captain of the Quidditch team. And Percy is a prefect. Fred and George are funny, they prank a lot, but their marks are good, so…I've got to be at their level, but if I do, it won't be great, because they already did that before me. And with five brothers, you've got lots of hand-me-down. I've got Bill's old clothes, Charlie's wand and Percy's mouse"
Saying that, Ron extracted from his jacket a battered mouse.
"Its name is Scabbers"
Later, the witch with the cart of the sweets arrived. Ron said he was ok, as he got sandwiches, while Harry for the first time in his life was able to buy what he wanted to. So he bought lots of sweets, and they shared.
They collected some pictures from the Chocolate Frogs, and discussed about Muggle and Wizarding pictures.
Later, a boy almost in tears came searching for his toad.
"Poor Neville, he was really out of his mind with that toad" Hermione commented brightly.
"Lucky that he found someone willing to help him" Harry said, beaming at her. She smiled back.
"Soon later the door opened again. The boy was back, but with him there was a girl now.
"Has someone seen a toad? Neville has lost his one" she said.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it" Ron protested, but the girl noticed the wand in his hand.
"Oh, you're doing magic. Let's see" she said, sitting in front of them.
Ron tried his spell, but nothing happened.
"You sure it is a spell? However, it doesn't work. Nothing has happened" the girl pointed out. "I've tried to do some simple spells, and I succeeded in all of them. In my family no one has ever had magical powers. It was a good surprise when I got the letter. By the way, my name is Hermione Granger. What about yours?"
"I'm Ron Weasley"
"Harry Potter"
"Really?" Hermione said. "I know everything about you, of course. I've read some optional books, and I've seen you're talked about in "Modern History of Magic", "Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts" and in "Great Events of Twentieth Century" too."
Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. She covered her face with her hands, laughing with all of them. Then Harry started once again.
"Really?" Harry asked
"You didn't know that? I, in your place, would have tried to know everything I could. By the way, do you know in which house you'll be? I've asked and it seems the best is Gryffindor. Even Dumbledore was there. Ravenclaw would not be bad too. Well, we better find Neville's toad, and the two of you better start changing into your school robes. We're almost arrived"
As soon as she was out, Ron spoke.
"Whatever house she's in, I hope it's not mine"
Another elbowing from Hermione.
"Ouch! That hurts!"
Harry ignored them and continued talking, a smile on his face at their antics.
"Finally the reached the castle, and they were amazed by the view it provided from the lake.
Hagrid pounded on the huge doors three times.
"Here are the first years, Professor" he said to the witch that opened.
"Very Well, Hagrid. From here I'll accompany them"
Then Harry gave them a swift recalling of his first meeting with Malfoy. Then he started about the Sorting.
"They exited the room, crossed the Entrance Hall, and finally entered the Great Hall. Harry did not imagine in his life that such a wonderful place could exist. It was lit by lots of candles over their heads. Harry looked up and saw a ceiling of black velvet pointed with stars.
"It's for magic that it resembles the outside sky. I've read it in "Hogwarts: A History" he heard Hermione saying.
Then they fixed their eyes on the stool Professor McGonagall had brought. The hat started singing.
After a long list of students, it came to Harry.
All the Hall started whispering.
"Potter, she said?"
"THAT Potter?"
Harry put the hat on his head.
"Mmmh. Hard. Really hard. Lots of bravery. And a fine brain too. Oh, there is talent, there is. But do I place you?"
"Not in Slytherin. Not in Slytherin" Harry whispered.
"Not in Slytherin, uh? But you could be great there. In your head there's everything, and Slytherin would make you great. But if you're sure, then it is better GRYFFINDOR!"
He took the hat off, and started walking toward his house table.
Ron was sorted in the house too.
"Well, yes, I think this is the fondest memory for every Hogwarts student" Hermione commented, dreamily. "As for me, however, the memories I can't forget is how the two of them saved me from the Troll, and the last obstacle before Harry could face Quirrel and stop him from taking the Philosopher's Stone.
"Let's hear about that then" Ginny squealed.
"Ok, I'll start from the Troll then"
"Hermione Granger was crouching against the wall, and she seemed near to be fainting. The Troll was nearing her, destroying the sinks on his path.
"Damn!" Harry muttered, then took a sink and threw it at the beast. It stopped few meters from the girl, turned to search the cause of the noise, and spotted Harry. The Troll walked toward him moving his club.
"Hey, you, stupid beast!" Ron shouted from the other side of the room, throwing a metal pipe at him. The Troll turned, giving Harry the time to run a round it.
"Come on, run, run!" he shouted to the girl, who seemed paralysed.
The Troll grew furious, and ran toward Ron, the nearest.
Harry then did something really brave, and really stupid. He jumped on the back of the Troll, who didn't notice Harry, but did notice his wand stuck in his nose.
So he tried to get rid of Harry, and Ron did the first thing he could think of. He took his wand, and aimed it at the club.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he cried, and the club hovered over the Troll's head. Ron released the spell, and it fell right on it, making the beast fell on the ground unconscious.
The first to speak was Hermione.
"Is he dead?"
"I don't think so. I think we knocked him out, simply"
The teachers arrived in that moment.
Hermione took the blame for the happened, and they went back to their common room.
"That was the moment that started our friendship. Some adventures you can't go through without developing it" Hermione said.
The boys grinned at her.
"Now, for the other memory…"
"Harry opened the door pulling it toward him. They feared what they would have found, but they saw just seven different bottles.
"This is Snape's doing" Harry muttered. "What are we going to do?"
As soon as they entered the room, flames burst from the floor. They were violet flames, while black ones started coming form the next door.
"Look!" Hermione said, pointing to a roll of parchment on the table.
It was a riddle, and after some time she solved it.
"Brilliant!" she said. "This is not magic, this is logic. Lots of great wizards have no logic. They would stay here forever"
"We too?"
"Of course not. We've written here all what we need to know" she said, then explained the solution to him.
"I've got it. The little one will allow us to pass the black fire, to reach the Stone"
Harry looked at it. There was enough for just one of them.
"And which one will let us go back?" he asked then.
Hermione pointed another bottle.
"You drink from that one. Listen, you go back, take Ron and with the brooms fly out of the trap. Then go to the Owlery and send an owl to Dumbledore. I'll try keep him at bay as long as I can, but I'm not at his level"
"But Harry…what would you do if You-Know-Who is with him?"
"Well, I got lucky once, didn't I? I may get lucky again"
Hermione's lips quivered, then s he flung herself at him.
"But Hermione!"
"Harry, you're a great wizard, you know that, right?"
"Not like you" he said.
"Me! Come on, I am just book and cleverness. There are more important things, like friendship, bravery, and…oh, Harry, be careful!"
"Come on, you drink first. You sure it's the right one?" Harry said.
"Of course" she said, then drank. She felt like a cold chill passed through her body.
Then she went back, and Harry continued his adventure.
"Hermione, what were you going to say?" Ginny teased her friend.
She blushed, and shook her head. "I don't remember, Ginny" she said, although she remembered well what she was going to say.
"Now it is Ron's turn"
"Well, in that adventure, we had to pass a living sized Wizard Chess board, set by McGonagall. You all know how I am with chess, so that's my best memory"
"They were on the border of an enormous chess board, behind the black pieces. In front of them there were the white ones. The three of them shivered. The figures were really high and without face.
"Now, what re we going to do?" Harry asked.
"It's obvious. We've got to start playing and reach the other side" Ron said.
Behind the white pieces there was another door.
"And how do we do that?" Hermione asked
"I guess we've got to fake we're pieces and step onto the board" Ron said. He touched a black horse, and it came to life.
"Are…are we going to have to come with you to pass?" he asked.
The horse nodded.
"We need to think about this. We've got to take the place of three black pieces…
"Well, don't be offended, but no one of you two is good at chess…"Ron said.
"Don't worry, just tell us what to do" Harry said.
"You, Harry, take the place of that bishop, you Hermione go near him, taking the place of that tower"
"And you?"
"I'll be the knight"
The match started with the white making the first move.
Ron started directing the black pieces, while Harry got chills. What if they lost?
"Harry, move diagonally to your right for four places"
First shock came when their other knight was eaten by the white Queen. Every time they lost a piece, the white seemed really cruel in destroying it.
Two times Ron spotted Harry and Hermione being in danger just in time.
Finally it was the moment of the decisive move.
"Let me think, let me think" he muttered. The white Queen turned toward him.
"Yes, it's the only way. I've got to let her eat me" he said.
"NO!" Harry shouted.
"This is chess. You've got to sacrifice something. I'll go forward, and she will eat me. You two will be free to checkmate"
"But…"
"Do you want to stop Snape or not?" he said.
"Ron…"
"Hear, if you don't hurry, he's going to steal the Stone!"
It was the only way. So he moved forward.
He was, as predicted, took down by the Queen."
"Well, it was really brave of you, Ron" Ginny commented.
"Yeah, it was" he said proudly.
"Don't let it get to your head tough" Harry teased him.
"Well, guys, I guess we can call it a night now" Hermione said.
"OK" the two boys said, not moving. They looked at each other grinning.
"This means, you will have to leave, since this is our room" Hermione said, looking sternly at both of them.
"Oh, come on. Can't the two of you change while we chat a bit more? I'm not that sleepy" Ron said.
"Ronald Billius Weasley" Ginny said, glaring at him.
They got the hint, so they left and went to their own room to sleep.
"It was fun to recall those memories, wasn't it?" the redhead said.
"Of course it was, Ron" Harry said, thinking about the memory Hermione had told, the one about the potions, and her behaviour during it.
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