GRACE AUX MALFOYS
STANDARD DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and associated characters are the property of JK Rowling, various publishers as well as Warner Bros. and others. I don't make money from this but am more than grateful to have an opportunity to play in someone else's sandbox.
Chapter 6
THE ASTRONOMY TOWER, HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
"WHAT IN HADES IS GOING ON HERE?"
It was only Ginny's quick thinking and conflict-trained reflexes kicking in that prevented Molly Weasley from getting hexed or worse by a pumped-up, adrenalin driven Susan Bones. The first few words were more than enough for the teen witch to recognize the raised, angry, harsh voice of her mother - in the next instant, she had grabbed Susan's wand hand tightly and forced it down; she had also - inadvertently - stepped on Susan's toes which, fortuitously, broke the latter's concentration and stopped the silent incantation from making its way from brain to magical core and discharging the energy through her wand.
Unfortunately, while Ginny's actions may have kept her mother from being hexed, it did not stop the Unsinkable Molly Weasley from going into a full-fledged tantrum. Red-faced, eyes blazing, Molly sailed into the tower like a majestic man o'war, all guns blazing - a full-voice bellow that would have put a Sonorus to shame: "UNHAND MY DAUGHTER, YOU HARLOT! WHAT THE HADES ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL? POISONING MY RONALD THEN TRYING TO SEDUCE MY DAUGHTER? HAVE YOU NO SHAME YOU, YOU SLUT?"
The Susan Bones that most of Hogwarts once knew would have curled into a ball at the verbal barrage and cried - or at the very least, would have been running from the Astronomy Tower in tears, to hide behind the curtains of her bed while she bawled her eyes out.
This Susan Bones however was not the quiet Hufflepuff that Harry and the others once knew. This was a Susan Bones who'd been forged and tempered in the fires of war - the last of the Valiant House of Bones, who'd refused to be evacuated from Magical Britain when Voldemort took over and been part of the Resistance since. This Susan Bones let loose her own broadside at the approaching dreadnought: "SHAME? YOU TALK TO ME OF SHAME, MOLLY WEASLEY? YOU, WHO'S BEEN DOSING HARRY AND GINNY WITH LOVE POTIONS? YOU, WHO'S BEEN SUPPLYING RON WITH POTIONS SO HE CAN FINALLY SNOG A GIRL? YOU CALL ME SHAMELESS - WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF?"
The counter-barrage by HMS Molly made the Weasleys in the Tower (Ginny and the still-disillusioned Bill and Fleur) blink. In all the years Ginny and Bill knew their mother and listened to her tantrums, they never ever heard her using that word: "WHAT THE F-K ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, YOU HUSSY?"
Ginny wasn't sure what to do - her mother's entrance into the tower had caught her by surprise, immersed as she was in the fog of ecstasy caused by finally kissing her now-revealed soulmate and she was still reeling from the disjointed memories that had been Obliviated from her but was now breaking through. Stopping Susan from hexing her mother had been pure instinct, just as keeping her mouth shut in the face of a Molly-tantrum was an ingrained survival response in the Weasley family - but Susan's broadside and her mother's response had her wondering if she should be selling popcorn …
Her thoughts were interrupted as Susan forcefully but gently pushed her to one side; it was only then that she realized that she'd been standing in front of the older girl, unconsciously adopting a protective stance - a detail it was apparent her mother had not noticed, so focused was she on the buxom Susan. She was about to move again, to place herself between Susan and her mother but Susan's hand on her shoulder stopped her - and blinked as Susan reached into her robes with her other hand and pulled out an amber bottle with an embossed hops plant and berries on the front - a family heirloom, Ginny knew, that her mother and at least a dozen Prewett matriarchs before Molly had used to store potions in …
It was apparent that Molly knew what it was - the sight of it stopped her ranting and she stood there with eyes wide, mouth open in surprise as Susan sneered in a manner so reminiscent of Snape that Ginny blinked, "And what do you call this? I got it from your room you … you..."
For the briefest of instants, the image of a raging bull - beady eyes, nostrils flaring - flashed through Ginny's mind as her mother roared, "THAT'S HARRY'S NUTRITIONAL POTION, YOU IMBECILE! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GOT IT FROM MY ROOM? WHAT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO GO INTO MY ROOM?!"
Unthinking, Ginny braced herself for the charge - prepared herself to block or stun, to hex or jinx, to do something to protect her love from her maddened mother. Before Molly could move, however, Susan unstoppered the bottle and waved it under Molly's nose - Ginny got a whiff and froze, mouth open in shock, eyes wide in surprise, staring at her mother who now looked like a bull who'd taken a mallet between the eyes.
"Amortentia."
Molly's whisper and the look of stunned surprise on her face was not what Susan was expecting. Fierce denial - she expected that. Loud protestations of innocence - she was ready for that. Grab the bottle, throw it, smash it, blast it - she had anticipated all of that.
A visibly shaken, pasty-faced Molly, swaying on her feet as her mouth flopped soundlessly - that she definitely was not expecting.
As Susan watched, gaping, Molly's face changed as blood began rushing back, suffusing her face with a bright-red flush that made Ginny's hair look pale by comparison - the raging bull was back and ready to charge.
Before Molly could move or say a word, Susan's wand was in her hand as she said, looking Molly in the eyes, "I swear on my life and magic that I found this bottle in Mrs. Weasley's room, that I have not switched its contents and only used the potions found therein. So mote it be."
Ginny screamed as a golden nimbus surrounded Susan briefly, only to fade to reveal a still breathing and smug Susan Bones. A casual wave of her wand released a shower of gold and red sparks as she glared at Molly, the challenge clear in her eyes.
Only to blink as Molly pointed her wand in the air and declared, "I swear on my life and magic that I have never brewed or used love potions, mind-control or influence potions on Harry Potter or his friends. So mote it be."
Susan and Ginny gaped as the same golden nimbus erupted around Molly and, as the glow faded, watched a sneering Molly Weasley wave her wand negligently, causing a fountain of red and gold sparks to erupt from her wand even as she cast a Molly-patented trademark glare at the stunned Susan Bones.
The two witches glowered, neither one giving way or blinking - until Ginny's whispered voice broke the frozen tableau: "If neither of you brewed or switched the love potions ... who did?"
Two strong-willed witches blinked and stared at the young witch, mouths flapping in perfect synchronization as they tried to figure out what Ginny meant. Molly's confused expression, however, quickly turned distant and unseeing - her round face turning pasty-white again for the briefest of moments before a tidal wave of red inundated her face even as her breathing deepened, her fists clenched as she roared, "ARTHUR MARION WEASLEY, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
The shocked teens could only gape; neither could move as Molly started to turn, apparently planning to apparate out - only for a red bolt to appear out of nowhere and Stun the raging Molly in her tracks. As Molly fell, she stopped in mid-air only to float gently to the ground, still out cold.
Susan and Ginny were standing back to back, wands up and tracking when a familiar baritone voice broke out - "SPARK PLUG!"
It was the Weasley recognition signal - something that no pureblood Death Eater would know or even bother about and they relaxed their grip on their wands, even as Bill and Fleur cancelled their Disillusionment Charms and approached, empty hands out. As Ginny jumped into her older brother's arms, Susan caught Fleur's eyes and nodded, receiving a nod in return; turning back to the embracing siblings, she sighed as she heard Bill say, "All right ... what in the name of Merlin IS GOING ON HERE?"
***
DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES, THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
It was a sombre trio who exited the enigmatic room at the heart of the Department of Mysteries. All three were walking like mindless automatons, instinct and well-remembered actions dictating their every move: Minister Shacklebolt leading the way and opening the door to the corridor outside the chamber; Harry and Hermione finding each other's hands intuitively; all three deep in thought at the revelations that the room held and revealed as they walked towards the lift.
In Harry's mind, the singular question besetting him was `WHY?' If, as Dumbledore had said all those many months ago, that the room they'd just left contained `the power that Voldemort knows not' ... then why was he never brought there? There had been more than enough opportunities in his sixth year. It would have taken less than a day to get there and back to where ever - they could have gone here after Dumbledore fetched him from the Dursleys; there was more than enough time during the summer when he was staying at the Burrow - hell, they could have gone there at any time during the school year, rather than wasting so much time with Quidditch, with fighting Hermione over the Half-Blood Ponce's book, or his `lessons' with Dumbledore and the pensieved memories on Tom Marvolo Riddle.
That there was something there for him, there could be no doubt - Doge's note to him made that abundantly clear. That it had a major bearing on his quest to defeat the Dark Dork was also clear - else why should the Head Archivist go to such lengths to conceal it? And if what he suspected was true - that the page in question referred to a soul bond with the girl beside him - then why keep the fact away from him?
Unless ... the `information' referred to a soul bond between him and Ronald Bilius Weasley.
As soon as the thought came up, he batted it away - much like the Twins would do to a Bludger. No way on the Lord's good earth was that meant to be. Kingsley's first question of the Book was to show him Hermione's name, which led to that intriguing blank page, right? The Book responded to Hermione's name and led to that page with the Head Archivist's hidden note. It didn't respond to Ron's name - which meant that Ron didn't have a soul mate, right? Which meant that neither he or Hermione was soul-bound to the git, right?
Right.
He didn't realize that he'd been tensing up, or that he was in the beginning stages of hyperventilation as his mind ranted, until a soft squeeze of the hand held in Hermione's quickly calmed his distraught mind.
Enough, he thought. It was all over and done with - Voldemort was dead, the horcruxes were destroyed, he and Hermione were alive, he had the rest of his life to live with the wonderful girl at his side. Reflexively, he gave the hand in his a slight squeeze and grinned at the raised eyebrow that Hermione cast at him.
Hermione's thoughts, on the other hand, were a world away from the wizard beside her - well, half a world away and Down Under, to be precise. Now that the war was over, it was time to start thinking about the future ... and time to bring her parents back home. The question, however, was ... back to what? She hadn't gone back to her childhood home in almost a year; she didn't want to take the risk of Death Eaters or Snatchers watching the place and capturing them. She wasn't even sure if the place was still standing ... true, her parents had the option of selling the place but she'd begged them not to. There was just too big a risk that Voldemort's forces would find out her address and strike there - and since those idiots wouldn't know one muggle from another, there was just too big a risk that they'd capture, torture and kill some other innocent muggle family whether or not they were related to her.
The question was whether her mum and dad would even want to go back. They'd been talking about Australia for years, thinking of it as a possible retirement haven or simply an extended adventure in a place they'd never been to before.
She hoped they were happy and would be glad to see her; the question, however, was whether they would be as accepting of the wizard beside her. No way around it, she thought. They may not like it but they would have no choice ... she wondered if Harry would be joining her on this trip and she grinned. Why not, she thought? Consider it a vacation of sorts...
Her mental planning was derailed, however, as she sensed Harry's inner turmoil; without a thought, she gave his hand a soft squeeze and smiled slightly when she felt him relax. A few more moments and she felt him squeezing her back; raising an eyebrow at him, she cleared her thoughts and focused, once again, on the warmth of the hand in hers.
Shacklebolt's thoughts, however, was no longer on the room that they'd just left. The soul bond between Grindelwald and Dumbledore was, in the end, a mere footnote to history. Both were now dead and (he hoped) happily sharing their next great adventure together ... as far as he was concerned, however, he had the aftermath of the mess left behind by He-Who-Is-Now-Dead to deal with. Much as he wanted to see the end oyof this tale, there was just too much to do in his office.
He had to admit that spending time with Harry and Hermione had been fun; it gave him a few hours away from his desk and the steadily increasing piles of paperwork and seemingly insurmountable problems of bringing magical Britain back to normal - or what was `normal' before the Dork Lord took over the place. Unfortunately, it was time for him to head for his office and get back to work. He'd ask the two to keep him informed but he didn't think he would need to join them in their quest at Hogwarts...
There was just too much work to be done.
And here was more work right now, he thought as the lift doors opened on Level Four and he saw the red hair, narrow face and pinched expression of Percy Weasley, who he'd appointed only two days before to head the Goblin Liaison Office. He sighed to himself at seeing the happy look of recognition on Percy's face - another day, another Galleon, he thought.
What was he thinking, accepting this thankless job? Or was he even thinking at all?
"Minister," Percy's officious voice broke through his reverie. "I was just on my way up to..."
He gaped at the sight of Harry and Hermione with Kingsley. Percy's pinched look gave way to delighted recognition and he extended his hand automatically, saying, "Harry! It's good to see you!"
They shook hands amicably, having made amends in the days immediately following the final battle; Percy admitting that he'd been a prick and apologizing profusely and Harry gracefully accepting the apology.
Percy's eyes focused on Hermione and with a big grin, he said, "Hermione! May I be the first to express my congratulations..." He looked around, confused. "Where's Ron?"
Harry, Hermione and Shacklebolt glanced at each other; Hermione decided to take the bull by the horns and told the middle Weasley brother, "There's been some misunderstanding, Percy. Someone played a prank on Ron and I; we're here with the Minister to try and sort it out." She finished by handing Percy the magical contract with its blazing red `DENIED,' to which Percy gaped before muttering, "Oh no ... mum's not gonna like this, oh no she won't, she's not gonna like this one bit..."
He shook his head and took a deep breath. "Mum's gonna go spare when she finds out, Hermione." He sighed before continuing, "you know how she goes on and on about her One Big Happy Weasley Family with you and Harry as part of us."
"I know, Percy," Hermione said softly. "But just because I'm not married to Ronald doesn't mean that I don't think of you guys as family."
Percy smiled and shrugged. "You know Mum and her ideas. If I told her once, I told her a thousand times that you and Ron would never work out." He grinned at their surprised looks, "Helllloooo - Firebolt, anyone? Remember, I was there when Ron went spare on you, Hermione - and it wasn't even his broomstick in the first place."
His face darkened at the memory. "I was sitting there when you started to apologize to Hermione, Harry." Again he grinned at their surprised looks, "You were talking Arithmancy with Hermione when Ron came down screaming about Hermione's cat eating his rat."
He paused. "It wasn't even his rat in the first place. But that's Ron for you."
The other three didn't respond; they knew who really `owned' the rat but there was no use raking over old tales. Percy, however, was smirking as a thought struck: "You know, the only reason I can think of for a magical marriage contract coming out `denied' is if one of the couple was already married."
His eyes twinkled. "You two wouldn't happen to be keeping something from us, are you?"
The sound of the lift doors opening effectively cut off any response; as the four stepped out to the corridor leading to the Minister's office, Shacklebolt's rumbling voice resonating in the empty corridors: "You were looking for me, Percy?"
Percy immediately snapped to attention, his face flushing at the realization that he'd spent precious time chatting on personal matters rather than going straight to business.
"My apologies, Minister, although it is good that Harry's here also." He took a breath before continuing. "Director Ragnok of Gringotts requests an urgent meeting with Harry Potter and asks that the Minister also be in attendance to discuss matters of mutual benefit and profit. He asked, however, that the meeting be held on `neutral grounds' as soon as possible."
At the surprised look on Harry's face, he shrugged. "That's what they told me, Harry, in those exact words. I tried to find out more but they kept saying that they had to meet with you."
A sibilant sigh escaped Harry's lips and he mumbled, "Probably wants restitution for the dragon we stole and the damage to his precious bank."
A soft snicker escaped the Minister's lips but this was cut off by Percy's `officious' voice: "Maybe but I'm not sure, Harry. If that's all he wanted, he'd have simply sent you a bill and taken the gold out of your vault. He wouldn't be calling for a meeting - neither would he ask for the presence of the Minister."
Harry noticed that Hermione and Shacklebolt were nodding; with an exasperated sigh, he agreed. "Fine, I'll meet with him -" he glanced at Shacklebolt - "if the Minister is willing?"
At the Minister's nod, he continued, "Please extend my compliments to the Director, Percy, and request that - if it is convenient and he is agreeable - that we have dinner at Hogwarts tonight."
"Hogwarts?"
"He specified `neutral grounds,' Percy, and that means Hogwarts. It has always been considered neutral grounds by the Goblin nation, where the Goblins and the Ministry signed one of the treaties between them in the 1700s, I think … probably with Binns as a witness."
He blinked at the surprised expressions on their faces and rolled his eyes. "Hey, I can read. There wasn't much that I could do while sitting around a tent last year …" He glanced at Hermione and looked away; both teens unconsciously biting their lips as they tried to keep the blood from rushing to their faces - a fact that caused both the Minister and Percy to grin lasciviously before wiping the smiles off their faces.
Percy took over. "All right. Let me get in touch with the Headmistress first, though … she may not appreciate a horde of goblins descending on the castle without warning. I'll floo her…"
"Use my office, Percy," the Minister interrupted him. "We're closer there, anyway - no need for you to head for your office when we're right here. Harry and Hermione are going to Hogwarts anyway …"
Percy nodded; without a word, the four continued walking down the corridor towards the Minister's office, Percy and the teens unconsciously dropping behind the designated leader of the magical world. As they walked, Percy (obviously casting around for something to say), said, "Harry? Dad was telling me that you and some others went down to the Chamber of Secrets?"
The party stopped walking as they reached Shacklebolt's office as the suddenly embarrassed teen replied, "Uhm, yeah … I wasn't thinking straight, I thought that Hermione had been dragged down there…"
"The Chamber of Secrets? And I missed it? I've always wanted to take a look…"
A suddenly oppressive silence permeated the place as Shacklebolt, Percy and Harry stared, wide-eyed, at the suddenly-flustered Hermione Granger. She stood there shocked, pale-faced, fist in her mouth as she mumbled, "I shouldn't ha' said that … I shouldn't ha' said that."
***
ARITHMANCY CLASSROOM, HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
It was a mingled sense of comfort and loss that Bill felt as he stood in the classroom where he'd spent four of his Hogwarts years, part of the course track needed to fulfil his dream to be a curse breaker. It was the first place that popped into mind when they'd decided to leave the Astronomy Tower where the sun beating down was making it uncomfortable to stay.
They were all familiar with the place: Fleur, Ginny and Susan had all taken Arithmancy here - Fleur during her stay in the castle during the Tri-Wizard, Ginny and Susan opting for Arithmancy as electives in their third year rather than opt for the `wooly art of Divination'.
He felt arms snaking around his waist and he smiled sadly, grateful for the support he felt from his wife and wondering - yet again - how his life had become so complicated. A soft squeeze and he turned around, glancing at the people in the room.
Molly was still out cold, lying on the fainting couch that Fleur had conjured when she side-along Apparated Molly here; Bill was torn between enervating her now or waiting for nature to take its course. He shook his head ... both he and Fleur had thought that Molly's sudden appearance at the Astronomy Tower would have provided answers but the confrontation with Susan had only brought more questions to the fore.
Most especially, her final outburst before Fleur had stunned her ... he couldn't decide whether Molly was really gunning for Arthur over something he had no idea about or she was using Arthur as an excuse to get away.
Her witches' oath, however, indicated that there was something going on ... he could only hope that they found answers soon and that those answers would not tear his family apart.
He shifted his gaze to one side and smiled, sadly. Ginny and Susan were cuddled on an oversized, overstuffed armchair that Susan had transfigured. Ginny was on Susan's lap, her face resting against Susan's chest, seemingly asleep ... poor kid, he thought to himself. She hadn't had an easy time of it - victim of a near possession in her first year, subjected to manipulations in her fifth, and then months under the enemy's thumb for her sixth.
True, she showed the courage, grit and determination of a true Gryffindor in the past year - but what was the use of all that when you were denied your soul mate for over a year? Worse was the manipulation of being forced into a relationship with Harry - someone she and the Weasleys as a whole considered a part of their family.
It was a relief to Bill that Ginny had not been a part of that manipulation - she owed a life-debt to Harry over Riddle's diary and he shuddered at the thought of how magic would react if Ginny had been a willing part of the plot to bring Harry and her together using love potions. That would have constituted a betrayal of the highest order and while Bill was sure that Harry would easily forgive and forget, he wasn't sure if magic would be satisfied and would not require its' due.
Susan, on the other hand ... He'd gotten to know the young Hufflepuff somewhat during the months she spent recovering in Muriel's home and found her to be a witty, sharp but humble person who hid a core of steel behind her innate gentleness and "Hufflepuffiness."
They'd spent some time when Susan was recovering to discuss various things; to his surprise, Susan was well-versed in financial matters and dealing with Gringotts - which was explained by the fact that Susan had been - and was now - the presumptive head of the Valiant House of Bones. Maybe not as wealthy or prestigious as the Potters or Blacks, but still a well-respected house in the wizarding world.
"They look good together, bro." The soft voice of his younger brother Charlie startled him for a moment but he relaxed and nodded although (in his mind) he was shaking his head at Charlie's easy acceptance of Susan and Ginny's relationship.
Maybe because they'd spent years out of the stifling atmosphere of British magical society, Bill thought. He'd been posted to Cairo soon after graduation from Hogwarts and acceptance by Gringotts; Charlie, on his part, had moved to the Dragon Preserve in Romania soon after his graduation from Hogwarts.
Being out of the country had definitely broadened their horizons; Bill had to admit to himself that if he had stayed on in Britain after graduation, he'd have run screaming the first time Fleur batted her eyelashes at him - that or become a drooling, brainless gob of goo rather than the suave, sophisticated man he was when he and Fleur met at Gringotts London and he volunteered to help with her `Eenglish lessons."
Charlie, on the other hand, admitted that `it takes all kinds' to be able to work at the dragon preserve and that he'd had his share of workmates who'd batted for other teams. At the end of the day, Charlie told Ginny and Susan, it was one's competence and capability that mattered, not whether there was something dangling between one's legs.
"Although," Charlie had smirked at them, "I've known girls with two big brass ones facing down a hungry Horntail - while those who actually have balls fainted the first time Norbert looks at them!"
The comment had earned Charlie a smack from Ginny and a thankful grin from Susan, endearing his brother to both girls and helping settle them down when he showed up in response to Bill's messenger-Patronus, calling Charlie to this room.
Bill glanced up at a flicker of movement across the room and sighed as he watched the last two occupants of the room talking in low tones. Charlie caught his look and sighed also; clamping a large, callused hand on his brother's shoulder he murmured, "It's all right, bro ... you didn't really have a choice."
Bill nodded wryly as he looked at Tonks and Remus. There was really no option, he knew - the recent revelations and its implications were so far outside his experience and expertise that there was no real choice - he needed help and these two could provide it.
He could only be grateful that he'd had a chance to work closely with both which allowed them all a little space outside `official and legal' posturing. Right now, Tonks was merely Tonks - an old friend from the Order of the Phoenix, not Senior Auror Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Beside her was Remus Lupin, again a friend from `the old crowd' but here as the last Marauder, the last of James Potter's friends and unofficial Godfather of the Boy-Who-Won, representing Harry's interest - and not Senior Auror (designate) Remus Lupin of DMLE.
He had no choice, he repeated silently to himself. His first thought was to call a family council - an idea quickly dismissed because family members were involved - hell, only Percy and the Twins apparently had no part in whatever was going on.
Much as he would like to keep things `in the family' as it were, there was really no option - they needed outside help for this and they could only be grateful that Tonks and Remus were willing to hold off doing things `officially' until things were sorted out.
A low moan caught his attention and he hurried to his mother's side, helping a groaning Molly sit up while Fleur conjured a glass filled with ice-cold water. Bleary-eyed, Molly accepted the glass and drank it down quickly before handing it back - and blinked when she realized who it was in front of her.
"Bill? Fleur? What - ?" Her eyes widened in surprise as she spotted Charlie to one side - and widened even more as she espied Susan and her daughter. Her eyes narrowed to slits at the sight and everyone in the room tensed - when Molly jumped to her feet, hexes were on their lips, held off only because she was without her wand and clearly swaying on her feet.
With palpable effort, Molly drew herself up as she took in a deep breath. Hands out and wandless, she took a tottering step closer to the narrow-eyed and tense Susan and Ginny before she stopped in front of them.
Looking straight at Susan, she spoke: "Susan Amelia Bones, I wish to extend my apologies for over reacting and making wanton accusations without basis or thought. In my defence I wish to point out that I was acting only as a mother should..."
Susan was also on her feet, Ginny standing with her, arms wrapped around the older girl's waist. "Apology accepted, Mrs. Weasley. I should also apologize for my precipitate actions which, while intending no harm to your son -"
The loud crack of apparition made everyone in the room jump - Bill's wand was in Arthur's face before anyone could even blink.
Arthur's hands were up although one hand firmly held his wand, an action they had all gotten used to from months on the run and the late Moody's `CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' echoing in their ears.
When Bill realized who it was, he stepped back even as Arthur shouted `Spark plug!' which caused the others to lower their wands. "I got your message, Bill and came as quickly as I could. Now what's ... Molly?"
The surprise on the Weasley patriarch's face was typically Arthur, a look that all the Weasleys knew quite well. They (including Tonks and Remus) grinned as the older man gaped from person to person - until his eyes came on his daughter with her arms around Susan Bones.
"GET AWAY FROM THAT SLUT, GINNY! NO CHILD OF MINE'S GONNA TURN FREAK ON ME!"
It was shocking. It was stunning. It caught everyone in the room by surprise to see the normally mild-mannered Arthur in a towering rage that they all froze. It was the sight of Arthur grabbing Ginny's collar and tugging it forcefully that unlocked their limbs and mouths - Bill and Charlie shouting "DAD!"; Ginny squeaking in shock and fear; Tonks and Remus stepping from the window -
"SMACK!"
The sound of a meaty hand meeting flesh froze everyone in their tracks, only to be followed by a well-remembered roar: "ARTHUR WEASLEY! YOU LAY ONE HAND ON MY DAUGHTER AND I SWEAR -"
Whatever it was that Molly was to swear to was forgotten as Arthur's wand pointed unerringly at Susan even as he roared, "SECTUM - meep!" followed by a whimper as he rolled into a foetal position, hands between his legs even as Remus, Bill and Charlie winced and felt their knees knocking together.
A wandless Molly had reacted instinctively at Arthur's move - unthinking, she'd reacted as she'd often done to an escaping gnome in her garden - by kicking out with all her weight behind her foot.
The red bolt of a Stunning Curse splashed into Arthur from behind, fired by either Tonks or Remus, effectively silencing the painful yell building in Arthur's throat and throwing him into blissful unconsciousness.
A horrified Molly was on her knees beside her husband, wailing as tears coursed down her cheeks: "Oh Arthur, you stupid, stupid man! WHY CAN'T YOU LET THEM GO? WHY CAN'T YOU LET THEM BE?"
It was Bill's shout of "MUM!" combined with a vigorous shake of her shoulders that finally stopped Molly's wails, leaving her sniffling and shaken as she stared at her husband. Bill knelt beside her, an arm around her as he tried to help her stand even as questions escaped his lips: "Mum? What's going on? What do you mean ... what did Dad mean?"
Molly appeared not to hear him as she sniffled in his arms, "I'm sorry, Gideon ... I'm sorry, Fabian ... I thought Arthur was over it ..."
The Weasley siblings and Remus glanced at each other in confusion; there was only one thing they could associate with Molly's words: her brothers Gideon and Fabian, both killed during Voldemort's first rise to power.
Remus knew them through the Order of the Phoenix: stocky twins with red hair and infectious grins, quick to laughter and with deep belly laughs, prone to pranks and jokes but - they'd been remarkably reticent whenever the Marauders tried to exchange notes about their pranks at Hogwarts. Both Gid and Fabian brushed them off, saying they were more serious during their Hogwarts days.
It had led to some suspicion at the time but they were Molly's brothers ... all suspicion died the day they were killed by Voldemort's forces.
Of the siblings, only Bill and Charlie had any memory of their uncles - but these were vague impressions of two large, laughing men who'd tossed them in the air when they were small ... Bill remembered being told that they had `died like heroes' when he was five or six years old - it suddenly struck him that he remembered them only in the company of a lot of other people. He could never remember them spending time in the Burrow ... and, he suddenly realized, not a word had ever escaped Arthur's lips about Gideon and Fabian Prewett.
It was Ginny's whispered "Mum?" that shook Molly out of her fogged mindscape and she turned red-rimmed eyes to her daughter. "Mum, what do Uncles Gideon and Fabian have to do with Dad?"
A choked sob from Molly before a hiccupping reply: "Gideon ... Gideon Arcturus Weasley was Arthur's younger brother ... Fabian ... Fabian Galaor Prewett was my older brother although he was younger than Gid ... he was Gideon's husband and soul mate."
Four thumps were heard as Ginny, Bill, Charlie and Remus sat down hard on the floor; only the quick action of Susan, Fleur and Tonks stopped Molly from falling face-first on the floor as Bill released her.
***
THE OFFICE OF THE MINISTER OF MAGIC
"Hermione?"
The young witch was silent, unwilling to look at Harry, wondering how she got herself in this situation - or whether she'd deliberately committed the faux pas. True, she did want to see the legendary Chamber of Secrets and wondered why, in the four years since it was opened and she was at school, she had never asked Harry for a tour - and dismissing that thought as irrelevant now …
Vaguely, she heard Shacklebolt and Percy's low voices from where they were sitting at the Minister's desk, conversing quietly but incomprehensively - and remembered Harry ushering her to this small alcove to one side of the Minister's expansive office before casting privacy, muffling and silencing charms around the area.
She was trapped; she had well and truly put her foot in it this time.
"Hermione?" She sighed. She'd dug her own grave - deliberately or not, the deed was done - and asked, head down and staring at her shoes, "Harry … who told you that Ron and I went to the Chamber of Secrets?"
A puzzled Harry Potter, standing in front of her, replied, "You did."
The look she gave him would have made McGonagall proud; Hermione watched him gulp as her glare impaled him before he could squeak out, "Ron?"
She nodded sadly. "Yes, Ron." She took a deep breath. "Ronald said that we'd gone to the Chamber of Secrets." And then sighed as she continued, "And how do you think Ron and I got into the Chamber of Secrets, Harry? You're right, you know … you need to speak Parseltongue to get in."
"You said Ron did … you told Ron to show me -"
She lifted her eyes to meet his bewildered green orbs as she asked, "Did you understand a word he said?"
Their eyes remained locked for a long, silent moment before Harry looked away. "No."
He bit his lip at the admission. He knew, the moment Ron began making that horrible, strangled, hissing noise, that there was no way they could have entered the Chamber - Ron's pitiful attempt at parseltongue was not only pathetic, it was laughable. Except that Hermione supported the story … and brought proof of their accomplishment in the form of basilisk fangs …
Harry blinked. Fangs? Something was niggling at the back of his mind … something learned in muggle school … something read in the library while he was trying to escape Dudley and his gang…
He kept quiet, however, as Hermione continued, her voice seemingly flat and devoid of emotion, "There we were after you left to look for Ravenclaw's diadem and I thought … what would happen if you did find the other one, how were we going to get rid of it? We still hadn't gotten rid of the cup! Griphook had taken the sword! And then it hit me … the kitchens!"
Harry blinked - the kitchens? What were they going to do - cook the damned thing?
"Ow!" He rubbed the back of his head where Hermione swatted him - and realized that he'd verbalized his last thought. Before he could apologize, Hermione hissed, "Elves, Harry! Since elves are so powerful, even though they rarely show it -" Harry nodded, remembering Dobby with an ache in his heart, "I thought that they could help us … maybe if they worked together, they could destroy the cup and then the diadem."
She slumped against the wall. "Ron thought going to the kitchens was brilliant, of course. He thought we were going there for a snack…"
Harry couldn't help it, he almost choked as he held back his laughter; Hermione, however, smiled feebly before continuing in a forlorn voice, "They couldn't help … too scared maybe or their magic couldn't do it … or they didn't want to destroy a Founder's Relic, I don't know."
Hermione sighed. "And then Winky approached. She asked what had happened to Dobby and I … I told her that he died fighting V-Voldemort, keeping you - his master - safe. She cried for a while as I held her and then she looked me in the eye and said, `Would a serpent's tooth do?'
"It didn't register for a moment and then I realized - the basilisk! I was about to hug her but then Ron stepped in, asking how the hell we can get into the bloody Chamber to get one. Winky just looked at him like he needed a bath and started pulling me …Ron followed as we ran to the dungeons…"
Harry frowned, and then it hit him. Potions! Basilisk fangs and other parts were potions ingredients … he remembered Slughorn going on and on about Acromantula venom, Basilisk fangs and erumpet horns as Hermione continued, "She dragged me to the very back of the potions storeroom … right to a chest in a cabinet that said, `Property of Hector Dagworth-Granger'."
"Dagworth-Granger? Founder of the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"
Hermione nodded. "Remember Slughorn asking me if he was a relation?" She shrugged then continued, "… anyway, Winky explained that part of the elves' job was to constantly renew the stasis charms on the box … She opened it and there it was … a cache of basilisk fangs. Apparently, it had been there for years, decades even but since basilisk fangs are rarely used in potions…" She shrugged and fell silent.
Harry shook his head. "So you never went to the Chamber…"
Hermione's sigh of exasperation was clear. "Harry … only a Parseltongue can enter the Chamber. Maybe if we had a recording of you opening the Chamber … Besides, you told me that the tunnel was blocked the first time you went in to rescue Ginny … how did you get in this time?"
"We took the slide down," Harry replied. "Neville, Ernie and I, with McGonagall, Flitwick, and Hannah joining us. The professors cleared out the blockage and then we searched…" Harry trailed off. He was kicking himself mentally for missing it - when they'd gotten to the blocked part, there was only the small opening through which a 12-year old boy and an 11-year old girl had crawled through, five years ago. And even that had been almost blocked from the debris of five years of shifting soil and rock … he didn't notice, simply because finding Hermione was the only thing on his mind.
Hermione nodded, and asked, "How'd you get out? I remember you saying that Fawkes flew you out the last time…"
Harry shrugged. "We brought brooms…" He stopped and Hermione nodded as he continued, "You wouldn't have found time to look for a broom - and I doubt if Ron would have even thought of that."
Hermione sighed again. "Everything else went pretty much the way Ron said. I took a fang and stabbed the Cup, destroying it, and then went looking for you, bringing the rest of the fangs with us. When we saw you … you asked us where we've been and Ron ..."
She shrugged, the guilty secret that she'd helped in now out, finally. Hermione felt peaceful, the tension draining from her but she nearly jumped when Harry said, "So that's it. Wonder why I missed that…"
Hermione looked curiously at him and Harry met her eyes. "A basilisk is nothing but a big snake, right?" She nodded, puzzled, and he continued, "Snakes only have two fangs for injecting venom … with one broken off when it died, there was only one left down there … but you and Ron showed up with quite a haul."
Hermione smiled, amazed once again at how Harry sometimes made intuitive leaps that showed how truly brilliant he could be, if he only applied himself to his studies. She sighed at the thought - Harry could be exceptional if he wanted to but he never really tried. She suspected it had something to do with the Dursleys - he'd told her once, during their time alone in the tent, that Vernon would hit the roof every time he came home with an above average report card, proving that he was better than his whale of a dumb son.
And when he came to Hogwarts … hanging out with Ron only made him worse. She wondered if Harry had imbibed Ron's lazy habits … or if he simply followed what he did with the Dursleys, because he was afraid to lose his best friend. She stirred as Harry said, quietly, "I wonder why he did it."
Hermione sighed. The better question was, why did she allow him to get away with it? Not only that, but she'd even fed into Ron's ego … going all fan girl on Ron, praising him for his `brilliance' and then kissing him soundly when his brain finally engaged and he suggested freeing the house elves - ugh! She should have expected Ron's reaction … what she was counting on was that Ron would be too stunned by what she did that he'd faint - instead, he'd grabbed her and kissed her soundly …even trying to get his tongue in her mouth…
She shivered at the memory, promising herself a visit to a mind healer so that she could be obliviated of that!
"Hermione?"
"You know why, Harry…" She began, unaware that Harry's eyes had dimmed at her words. "We were going into battle after we'd taken care of the Horcruxes … there was every chance that one of us would be dead … what would you have me do, Harry?"
She faced him fully and locked her eyes with his, willing him to look at her and see the truth, unconsciously grabbing his hands at the same time. "Ron needed that, Harry. He may have been your best friend but friends don't leave their friends just because they're jealous or when things get rough.
"He'd already abandoned us twice - fourth year because of that stupid Tri-Wizard and again last year when he couldn't take that locket anymore. What's going to stop him from bailing out on us again? He needed the fame, he needs the glory … he needed the chance to prove to everyone that he was your friend and would fight beside you to the bitter end ... and if trying to take the glory for finding the means to destroy the remaining Horxruxes would do that for him, who was I to stop him?
"Who was I to refuse him?"
As silence fell between them, Hermione wondered what was going on behind Harry's green eyes. They'd gone opaque and contemplative - and she would have been shocked to learn that it was Phineas' voice that Harry was hearing behind his thoughtful gaze: "She would have been a perfect Slytherin, you know."
He had to agree - what else was she supposed to do? Ron's glory-grabbing even after he'd proven himself to them would never be enough for him ... Ron had to keep proving himself, to Harry and to his own mind … the guilt of having abandoned them during the Tri-Wizard and the hunt, as Hermione said, would weigh heavily on him. And if he gained a bit more courage by claiming that he'd `ventured' into the Chamber of Secrets rather than going to the kitchens for a snack … then who was Harry to refuse? He had more than enough glory to last a lifetime - as did Hermione, he realized. Taking down Mad Bella and other rabid death eaters made her a legend … people would remember that she had been by his side throughout their years at Hogwarts.
As for Ron … He shook himself of the thought. What he'd done would always be with him; he may have made amends both times but he still abandoned them. Rita Skeeter was living proof that nothing could be kept hidden if someone was out for blood or your reputation - Harry could just see it now, Rita's latest tell-all book: "Ronald Weasley: Keeper of Secrets or Chaser for Glory?"
He realized that he'd been staring into Hermione's chocolate-brown eyes and shook his head; the gesture breaking Hermione out of her own trance. He felt himself smiling as a memory came to the forefront of his mind, and he couldn't help but tease her: "Is that why you went all girly on Ron, Hermione?"
It was enjoyable to watch Hermione turn the colour of a Weasley's hair and Harry snickered - the laughter quickly turning to pain as Hermione hit him again. His Seeker reflexes kicked in and he grabbed her before she could hit him again, wrapping her into a tight hug as he whispered apologies in her ear.
He relaxed when he felt her arms snake around him and hugged him back; he breathed in deeply as he felt her giggling into his chest.
"A little over the top there, wasn't I? I can't believe I did that ..." Hermione said, and her giggles turned into shudders as she remembered Ron's reaction when she kissed him - once again, reminding herself to visit the mind healer for memory removal.
"Hermione?" She turned and got caught in Harry's gaze - her breath hitched in her throat for a brief moment before she felt his lips on hers. It was a brief one - a mere peck on the lips which left behind a lingering promise of more to come, and Hermione smiled as Harry's arms snaked around her. Leaning into his chest, she heard him say, "No more secrets, Hermione, please?"
Silence.
With a sigh, Harry gently pushed her back and stared at her as she worried her lower lip. Meeting her eyes, he asked, "Hermione?"
A sigh and a small smile. "A small one, Harry ... nothing big, nothing directly to do with all this, I promise. I'll tell you about it when the time is right."
For a long moment they locked gazes before Harry nodded. He was about to say something when a paper ball hit the back of his head - spinning around with wand out, he saw the Minister and Percy both looking at them with raised eyebrows, Shacklebolt mouthing the words "Get a room, you two!"
Blushing, Harry took down the wards and the teens approached.
"We've been able to contact Minerva; she'll meet us in the Headmaster's Office as soon as you're ready."
"Are you joining us, Minister?" Percy asked.
For a long moment, Shacklebolt stared at the piles of parchment on his desk. With slow, deliberate moves, he turned on the intercom on his desk and boomed out, "Nat? I'll be at a meeting at Hogwarts for the rest of the day. Shut down this place and take the day off ... we all deserve it."
He turned away without really listening to Natalie's enthusiastic agreement; grabbing the floo powder, he tossed it in and with a loud, "Hogwarts Headmaster's Office!" was gone in a flash of green flame, the others quickly following.
***
ARITHMANCY CLASSROOM, HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
"Married? What are you talking about, woman?"
Remus flinched at the hard glares directed his way by the Weasley siblings but held his face impassive. Of those still awake in the room, he was the only one aside from Molly who had a lot of interaction with her brothers because of their work in the Order.
Truth to tell, he liked the two Prewetts. They, like the Marauders, were the only ones who accepted him for what he was from the beginning. To them, he was a person with a monthly scary problem - which made him no different from Dorcas Meadowes, Marlene McKinnon, Alice Longbottom or Lily Potter, all of whom were dead frightening when they had their `monthlies.'
He fought down a laugh as he remembered the two saying, much like Fred and George with their Twin-speak, that Minerva McGonagall was the only one who was scary without a monthly problem - simply because she was `past' such things - a comment which almost lost them two of their best fighters to `friendly fire' from the enraged Deputy Headmistress.
He shook his head of the memory as he glared at the tear-stricken witch in front of him being comforted by her daughter-in-law. Molly looked at him with compassion and understanding - she, unlike her brothers, had often (and loudly) wondered why he was with the Order until the day her brothers had grabbed her by the elbows and towed her away for a good `talking to.'
She glanced at her two oldest children and asked, "What do you remember of Gideon and Fabian, boys?"
Charlie and Bill looked at each other before Bill replied, "They were twins, Mum ... big, stocky, red hair like you ... I never could tell them apart. Big belly laughs ... Uncle Gid and Uncle Fabian used to carry Charlie and I around on their shoulders whenever we saw them..."
He fell silent for a moment before whispering, "I...I don't remember them ever being at the Burrow, Mum. We'd meet them whenever you brought us along on some meeting or other ... I remember asking you time and time again how come Uncles Gid and Ian never came to play with us..."
Beside him Charlie was nodding vigorously; he too had asked the same question from his mum numerous times - and he blinked as he realized that he had never asked Arthur about his uncles. Not ever - it just wasn't done.
"They couldn't visit, Bill," Molly replied with a pained sigh. "The Burrow is the Weasley ancestral home and Arthur ... Arthur as Head of the Family could ban people from ever entering the Burrow if he so wished."
"But they were your brothers, Mum!"
"That's what we - Arthur insisted and I went along - wanted you to believe." She took a deep breath before continuing, "Your father wanted nothing to do with them when Gideon … `came out,' I think is the word. The two of them - Gideon and Fabian - had been together as `friends' for years, two confirmed bachelors who were closer than brothers. They were Auror partners and shared a flat, often went out on double dates as cover … until Gid or Ian, I never knew which one, decided to hell with it and refused to hide the fact that they were together.
"What clinched the deal was that they were soul mates … something they never knew about until Ian - Fabian - was doing a records check on some criminal or other, which led him to the Book of Souls in the Department of Mysteries and there it was - Gideon and he were soul mates and had been for years. He had a copy made and showed it to Gideon and the two went to the Burrow to confront Arthur and his Dad."
Ginny interrupted, "The Book of Souls?"
To their surprise, it was Susan Bones who answered, explaining what the book was and how it could be accessed. Wistfully, she said, "Aunt Amelia told me that Mum and Dad were in the book; she promised me that she would take me there to see it someday…"
Ginny hugged her tightly as she sobbed; everyone else kept a respectful silence as Susan managed to control herself. "Mrs. Weasley" - Molly looked up at Susan's voice - "Aunt Amelia told me that the Records Office is supposed to send out notices when a new entry is made in the Book … how come your brothers - err - your uhm (Molly nodded to show she understood) … well, how come they never knew?"
Molly sighed. "The notice is sent to the Head of House of the older of the bonded pair; it is the responsibility of the Head to explain to the pair what it means and what options are open to them.
"In this case, it went to Arthur and Gideon's father … what Gideon never realized until then was that his father and … and … Arthur kept it from them."
"Why?"
Molly sighed and hung her head. "Because they were purebloods who believed that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that a marriage is consummated when the woman starts bearing children to carry on the family name."
An oppressive silence fell over them; unconsciously, the mated pairs - Fleur and Bill, Remus and Tonks, Susan and Ginny - reached out to their partners' hands and held them tightly. The older pairs knew this but had never spoken of it; in both cases, they knew that having children was the only way their marriages would be considered valid in the eyes of British magical law since Bill and Tonks were married to `creatures' - opposite sex, maybe, but creatures nonetheless in magical Britain's bigoted eyes.
"Bu…bu…but…"
"Hush, Ginny. That won't be a problem." Susan and Ginny turned wide eyes to the confident-sounding Fleur who gave them a small smirk. "The Veela have ways … some of our - techniques, let's say - have even made their way into the muggle world."
The two teens gaped - and gaped even further when Charlie spoke up. "Believe her, girls … we're trying some of those `techniques' at the reservation for dragon breeding."
"Hem, hem." Tonks clearing her throat made them blink and blush; Susan, Ginny and the others realized that this was a discussion for another time and they turned their attention back to Molly who was also staring at Fleur in surprise. Tonks' question, "What happened next?" made her snap her head around to look at the metamorph.
"They had it out at the Burrow with Arthur's Dad … from what I learned later from Ian, the place was nearly destroyed when Arthur and his Dad tried to hex them. It ended when Arthur's Dad disowned Gideon and banned him from ever entering the Burrow again. Arthur, as the eldest and presumptive heir, agreed with his father and the wards expelled Gideon and Fabian."
Bill nodded; his father had explained the Burrow's defences to him two years before since he was the presumptive heir and Arthur felt it better to clue Bill in before `something happened to him' - a prescient move, given what happened in Christmas of '95 when Arthur was attacked by Nagini. Expelling and keeping unwanted people out was only one of its many defences; unfortunately, the wards were no match for Voldemort himself who'd gone there looking for Harry when word got to him about Ron's faked spattergoit ...
She stood up and paced the room, walking over to the windows and staring out as she continued, "Arthur and I were already married and I was carrying you, Bill … I was out on Order business when Gid and Fabian had it out with them. I came home and we had a blazing row. He was cursing Ian and Gideon's names and ordered me never to speak to them again. I slapped him and told him that Fabian was my brother and presumptive heir to the Prewett family … he told me that I was no longer a Prewett but a Weasley and he was willing to call Family Law on me."
Molly was hyperventilating and the others looked worriedly at each other. "My temper got the better of me" - she ignored the snorts from the others - "and I hexed him. He got a shield up and it bounced back at me …I almost lost you, Bill…"
Bill walked quietly behind his mother and placed his hands on her shoulder; Molly spun around and hugged him tightly as she sobbed, "We talked it out in St. Mungo's while I was recovering … Arthur, however ... was firm about casting Gideon out of his family. Luckily for Ian, my father took them in and accepted them for what they were - two people in love who simply wanted to have a life together and to be left alone. Da' `adopted' the two and Gideon took on the Prewett name."
"They weren't twins?"
Molly smiled sadly at Remus. "Nym - Tonks isn't the only metamorphmagus, Remus. It used to be a game for Gideon, growing up - like Tonks, he can and did change his appearance to anyone he fancied but soon after his … his `marriage', he took on Fabian's face and looks as his base form."
She sighed. "It was for the best … none of our friends, even those in the Order, talked about it. People who didn't know them - like the `Young Ones' (Remus grinned sadly at the name the older Order members had called him and his friends) - assumed they were twins and they never said anything otherwise; so people just naturally assumed that was what it was."
Molly turned away from them and stared out the window. "Soon after, Arthur's father was ambushed by Death Eaters. He was on the way back from the pub when they attacked him … they left a note on his body … that he … he had sired an `unnatural child' and had to be erased since his un-naturalness might spread.
"Arthur blamed Gideon for it, of course - claiming that it was Gideon's `unnatural' relationship with Fabian that had caused their father to be a target. He would never accept that it could have been because Gideon was a metamorph … or that both of them were `un-natural' in Voldemort's eyes because they were purebloods who opposed him. Arthur, even then, had a fascination for Muggles and had just started crafting the Muggle Protection Act for the Wizengamot."
She sighed. "Arthur swore on his father's grave that he would never let another freak darken the family's name ever again … he never spoke to Gid or Fabian ever again, even when we saw each other during Order meetings."
She turned and sat heavily on the window sill. "I couldn't cut off my brother like that. Every chance I got, I'd bring the boys over to their place and spend time with them … Albus, bless his soul, never let on to Arthur; always said that he sent me off on some mission or other, or that I was in the castle working with Minerva or Slughorn brewing potions.
"It was a wonderful sight to see, those two, so in love and deeply caring for each other. It was truly a marriage made in heaven and blessed by the gods … there were times when I envied them for what they had. What Arthur and I had … it was as close to that as we could achieve but theirs was a whole level deeper or higher or whatever.
"When they were killed … I guess I over-compensated." She gave Ginny a wry. "All I ever talked about when Ginny was growing up was soul mates and soul bonds … except that I couldn't mention Gideon and Fabian by name or Arthur would have freaked … so I kept on talking about Ginny and Harry…"
"You and a thousand other mothers, Mrs. Weasley." They all looked at Susan who was blushing prettily and refusing to meet Ginny's eyes. "Err … Aunt Amelia was planning to offer Harry a betrothal contract when he turned sixteen." She bit her lip. "Except that … well…"
There was no need to say anything more; everyone there knew that Amelia Bones had been killed - they all suspected it was by Voldemort himself - just weeks before Harry's birthday. Tonks snorted and said, "Not just mothers, Susan…"
Her hair and face turned flaming red as all eyes zoomed in on her, Remus' eyes faintly glowing as he stared at her. "Er … my Da' (gulp!) wanted to send a contract to `arry when he turned sixteen … Mum was fit to tie and threatened to brain `im if he tried that …"
Silence fell - broken seconds later by a soft snicker from Fleur. One by one, giggles were heard only to be suppressed; soon enough, though, they couldn't hold off and the room dissolved into loud, raucous laughter that lightened the mood after Molly's painful tale.
Only to be broken by Remus' somber voice: "All well and good, Molly, but that doesn't explain the love potions in your family's heirloom container."
Molly sighed and hung her head; the others had to strain to hear her hushed, pain-filled voice: "Arthur's been worried about Ron for years … at least, ever since he went to Hogwarts. Year in, year out, from the first letter he sent to the moment he came home, nothing but Harry this and Harry that - `youngest Seeker in a century,' `my best mate Harry', helping Harry defeat the troll … saving Harry's life from Quirell …
"Summer before second year - `we better save Harry from his relatives', taking the car to Hogwarts so that he and Harry will not be late … Third year, protecting Harry from Snape and Sirius Black …Fourth year, months of nothing but `Harry betrayed me' and then, finally, that he and Harry were friends again …"
She looked up at her children, a pleading look in her eyes. "Arthur was going spare … nothing but Harry this and Harry that from his youngest son … he was beginning to have nightmares of Fabian laughing at him, going on and on about how he and Gideon were the best of friends … best friends forever, Fabian said once …"
"But Mum," Ginny protested, "Ron's been friends with Hermione since their first year…"
A flicker of pain passed over Molly's face. "Hermione … `that know-it-all bookworm trying to horn in on his friendship with Harry…" She didn't see the shocked look on Ginny's face at this side of Ron that she had seldom seen. "That's what he said … that's what he wrote in first year after pages and pages of `Harry this' and `Harry that' …
She abruptly stood up and looked out the window of the classroom. "I kept telling Arthur that there was nothing there … that Ronnie was still young, wouldn't know anything about girls yet…"
"He didn't even realize that Hermione was a girl until a few days before the Yule Ball," Ginny said quietly to Bill, Charlie and Fleur; Susan already knew that tale.
Molly sent a pained smile at her daughter and shook her head. "You can imagine Arthur's reaction when Percy owled us that Ron was the hostage in the second task of the Tri-Wizard…"
"Ze one 'Arry will miss the most," Fleur murmured, remembering that episode with a shudder, especially since she was not able to save her sister from the lake. She'd been so worried about Gabby, then was so grateful to Harry for rescuing her sister that the fact that Ronald was the one Harry would miss most had completely flown over her head.
"And then the summer at Grimmauld," Molly whispered. "Hermione and Ron were both going spare … Hermione more than Ron, which was all right in a way - but then, Ron never really showed any interest in Hermione in all that time … and kept talking and worrying about Harry …"
She fell silent after that; this time it was Tonks who asked, "The potions, Molly?"
Molly glanced at Ginny and her brothers briefly. "It took me some time to realize it, but have you ever noticed how thin and starved Harry looked after the summers? He's been staying with us every summer except for the time we visited Bill in Cairo; haven't you noticed how he looks when he comes over?"
She smiled sadly at Ginny's guilt-stricken face. "It all came together for me after … after Sirius died. The boy is well-fed and filled out when we meet up with you in London but looks like death warmed over when he arrives at the Burrow for the summer, after he spends time with the Muggles.
"Arthur and I went to Hogwarts to discuss it with Poppy Pomfrey -" and she smiled sadly at the memory. "Poppy was cursing a blue streak - she'd caught the signs of malnutrition and abuse the first time Harry was in hospital and took it up with Albus who promised that he `would look into it' … but it seems he did nothing about it."
"What?"
Molly looked at the visibly steaming Remus Lupin who had, with a start, remembered thinking that Harry seemed to be small for his age and had not taken on the physical size or attributes of his parents, both of whom were of above-average height when they first entered Hogwarts while Harry was decidedly slim and small for his age. The statement that Harry looked like a `miniature James' was quite apt - what even he overlooked was that Harry should not have been a miniature anything by the time he was fifteen when Remus saw him again.
"Albus was in the castle then and Poppy, Arthur and I confronted him about it. He finally admitted that he suspected that Harry had been abused and starved before he went to Hogwarts … something about `condemning Harry to ten dark and difficult years' but that it was all for `the greater good'."
She ignored the snorts of derision at that phrase, the provenance of which Rita Skeeter had exposed in her tell-all book on Dumbledore and Grindelwald as she continued, "Poppy tore into Albus at that, pointing out that Harry should have undergone treatment much earlier and that filling meals during school days, only to be starved and beaten during the summers was not going to help. She suggested nutritional potions for Harry before he turned seventeen; while it would not undo the damage of the previous years, it would at least help him grow to his full magical and physical potential before he came of age."
Molly shook her head; all this talking was getting to her and she nodded in gratitude to Tonks, who had conjured and handed a glass of water to her. After a sip, she continued, "I volunteered to brew the potions; there was no way I would allow Severus to handle it - no telling what that foul bat would do to the potions, given the chance. The only problem was how to get Harry to take them without knowing."
It was Bill who raised the question this time, "Why?"
"You don't know Harry, Bill. He's spent more time in the Hospital Wing, downing more potions than anyone I know … the moment he was out of Mum's sight, he'd be binning the potions and telling mum that he'd been taking them," Ginny said strongly. Bill looked at her and nodded; he didn't know Harry all that well and could see the point.
"And giving it to Harry would make him ask why he had to take them," Molly added. "Something that Albus was loathe to allow. Harry would have gone spare if he learned that Albus knew or suspected what was happening or had happened with the Muggles … he made us promise not to tell Harry, just allow him to think it was a natural, albeit late, growth spurt when it happens.
"Albus suggested that Dobby - the Malfoy house elf that Harry freed - would be more than willing to help, which was true. He called for Dobby, explained the situation and Dobby agreed to do it. I brewed the potions, bottled it and Dobby would drop by the Burrow every week to pick it up."
She shook her head. "I'm only guessing here but I suspect that Arthur switched the potions after I'd brewed and bottled them. We were the only ones left at the Burrow after you lot left for Hogwarts - there was no one else who could have done it."
"Where would Dad have gotten the love potions, Mother? It's Ministry-controlled and having someone brew it for him…"
"He's the head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office, Charlie," Susan Bones pointed out, "which is a misnomer. Its primary function is to keep magical items, especially the harmful ones, from getting into muggle hands."
"So?"
"Aunt Amelia told me, just before she died, that the DMLE suspected that someone was selling love or lust potions to the Muggles. There has been an increase in what she called `date-rapes' on the muggle side where women were being drugged and then raped; she told me that Mr. Weasley was asking for help in trying to track down the suppliers on our side of the fence. They'd done several raids by then where they caught some low-level Muggles with the potions but were unable to catch the suppliers."
"I remember that," Tonks interjected. "I was supposed to be reassigned to Arthur's office to help out but then …" She shrugged; everyone else nodded. Things had quickly changed that year - Arthur was reassigned to another office, tasked with stopping the flow of counterfeit defensive spells and potions that had gained popularity with the revelation that Voldemort was back. "It's possible, I suppose … Arthur would have captured stocks of love and lust potions … easiest thing in the world to have kept them and say he'd destroyed them …"
"Possible, but there's no proof!" All eyes turned to Charlie, who flinched at their cold glares. Swallowing, he tried to glare back at them. "This is Dad we're talking about here …"
"And this is Mum we're talking with, Charlie!" The second-oldest Weasley son stepped back at the angry teen witch who was standing in front of him, palpable waves of anger roiling off her. "She's sworn a witches oath that she hasn't brewed any love or lust potions … she wasn't the one who tried to hex Susan for being with me…"
"She wasn't the one who Obliviated Ginny of her memories of me," Susan interjected gently as she wrapped an arm around the shaking young witch. "I suspected Ginny was Obliviated around the time you lot visited Ron in the Hospital Wing last year - the day before we were talking about going to Hogsmeade together … the day after, she didn't even know who I was or what we had together…"
She spoke louder, running over Charlie's half-hearted protest. "Aunt Amelia always said Mr. Weasley was one of the best Obliviators in the DMLE, he could have headed the Oblivators if he weren't needed in Muggle Artefacts. It may have been a factor in the move - rather than call on the Oblivator Squad for every little thing, he can do it himself.
"Mr. Weasley had the means, the motive and the opportunity to obliviate Ginny of her memories of me..."
"He did." Ginny's face was painful to watch: tears flowing as she stared at the man she had looked up to for years, the man who had carried her around, doted on her as she grew up, spoiled her as much as their limited resources could allow, now seemed to be a stranger in her eyes. Her pained whisper continued, "I asked to speak with him privately when I visited Ron ... we found an empty classroom and we sat down ... I told him about Susan, about my feelings for her ... next thing I remember is that he was drawing his wand and then ... and then ..."
She broke down, enfolded in Susan's tight grip even as Molly stood up and wrapped the two young girls in her arms. The others looked at each other for a moment, a silent question being passed from one to the other ... until Remus took the bull by the horns: "There is a way of confirming all this, Charlie ..."
The Weasley brothers looked at each other for a long moment before Charlie nodded; with a pained look on his face, Bill turned to Tonks who nodded at the unspoken message.
Grim faced, Tonks approached the still-unconscious Arthur Weasley, pulling out a phial of a transparent liquid from her robes. Uncapping the phial, she used an eye dropper to carefully place a few drops of the liquid inside Arthur's lolling mouth and then, with a deep sigh, pointed her wand and said, "Ennervate!"
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