Harry Potter and the Charity Ball
While most in the magical world celebrate the fall of the Dark Lord, the Weasley family and their friends must start the road to recovery after loosing Fred. The days straight after the battle are hard and Harry and Hermione must help Ron and Ginny during this difficult period.
Disclaimer: Thank you JK Rowling for the great characters that I have just borrowed for a while.
Also - sorry to everyone who had bookmarked the story, I have been having problems getting in to update my stories, so last night I deleted all the chapters and can finally get in! So sorry if you have lost the link, hopefully you will save this as one of your favourites again. And if you have liked this story, please read my new story about Lily and James. Have been writing this while waiting to get back in!
I will be adding the next chapter soon! Thanks for reading and please review!
Chapter 1: The Aftermath
Harry woke up and stared with confusion at the curtains around his bed. He couldn't remember where he was, then it came crashing back to him, he was at Hogwarts. This was the day after the battle; he was alive and Tom Riddle was dead.
With this realisation, the memory of what had happened last night and the image of the bodies of those who had lost their fight rose over him. Tears welled in his eyes and he took a deep breath to steady his thoughts. Wiping away the tears that had escaped, he sat up and pulled back the curtain. No sound came from the bed next to his where Hermione and Ron lay sleeping. The dose of Madam Pomfrey's sleeping potion was still working. Not wanting to wake them yet, he quietly crept past them to the boy's bathroom.
Kreacher was sitting on the floor waiting outside the door, Harry almost fell over him before he realised. "Did you sleep well, Master Harry?" Kreacher asked.
"Soundly, thank you." Harry sighed, "What time is it?"
"Three o'clock" Kreacher answered. "Would Harry Potter like something to eat?" Harry's stomach rumbled at the suggestion.
"Yes please and would you get something for Hermione and Ron also, I'm sure they'll wake soon. We'll meet you in the common room." Kreacher bowed and Disapparated and Harry went to have a shower.
By the time Harry walked back to the room and found clean clothes laid out on his bed that Kreacher must have recovered from Grimmould Place, he could hear murmurs from the bed next to his. He dressed and then after clearing his throat loudly, the curtain opened and the pyjama clad Ron and Hermione looked out.
"Okay, Harry?" said Ron.
"Okay Ron, you, Hermione?" Harry replied.
"Yeah, we're okay," Ron responded. Harry noticed that Ron's arm was around Hermione's shoulders and smiled. He was glad his friends had finally worked out that they should be together. Hermione stood up and told them she was going to have a shower. She picked up some clean cloths Kreacher had left out for her and gave Ron a quick kiss on his cheek before she left.
Ron watched her leave and sighed, "How did I finally get this part of my life in order, while something so bad was happening?" His eyes filled with tears, "How could Fred not be here anymore?" he asked and started sobbing.
Harry couldn't stop his tears from flowing either as the enormity of what had happened last night washed over him and he sat down beside his friend and hugged him as they sat there crying. After a while Ron started taking big breaths to calm him and wiped his face with the sheet. Harry wiped his sleeve over his face, stood up and walked across the room to the window and looked at the devastation below.
He could not believe the damage the nights battle had inflicted on Hogwarts. Voldemort's followers, particularly the giants, Harry thought, had not only smashed the Ravenclaw Tower, but all the Greenhouses, the main entrance and the main courtyard. He felt sick at the sight of his favourite place in such as state. Ron's quick breath of disbelief next to him had Harry swinging around, "Best not to look, Ron," he said in concern.
Ron nodded his head slowly and backed away from the view. "How about you have a shower? Kreacher is getting us something to eat; I'll meet you both in the common room."
Ron and Hermione arrived in the common room a while later to find Harry listening to Kreacher explain what had been happening in Hogwarts over the last couple of months. Steaming bowls of soup and bread were sitting on a table for them. Ron's stomach growled loudly.
As Ron sat down, Kreacher asked Harry if he could leave them to go to the hospital wing. "Winky and some of the other House Elves was hurt last night, Kreacher wants to go and see if they is okay".
Hermione looked distressed to hear this news, "Poor Winky" she said and she turned to Kreacher and told him "Please tell all the House Elves that they were very brave to fight last night, and that we all hope they're okay." Kreacher nodded and then bowed low to Harry before disappearing with a loud clap.
Harry turned to his friends and started eating and talking. "Apparently the House Elves were helping the D. Kreacher said they poisoned some of the food going to the Death Eaters, but luckily no one worked out what made them sick otherwise they might have gone after the House Elves." Harry shuddered at the thought.
"What happened to Kreacher once we were discovered trying to get to Grimmauld Place?" Hermione asked Harry.
Harry explained, "He said he heard the disturbance at the door and shortly after the Death Eaters got in. He told me he Apparated back to Hogwarts, he thought it was the best place to hide. He said he was very worried but as we didn't call him, he didn't know where we were."
"Poor Kreacher," said Hermione "he must have been upset when we disappeared."
"Has he been back to your house, Harry?" asked Ron. "I wonder what sort of damage the Death Eaters did."
Harry grimaced and told them Kreacher had waited a couple of weeks and gone back at night. "The house was badly ransacked apparently; Sirius's room is completely wrecked. He said the Death Eaters have left by then so he tidied up some of the mess."
Hermione started to cry, "So much stupid destruction! People hurt, families damaged and for what?" she wailed. Ron hugged her to him and let her sob. "I know, Hermione, I know" he whispered to her.
Harry watched Hermione cry and felt weighed down by sadness. He was glad they had been able to free the magical world of Voldemort, but as he looked at his two friends, he thought the price for freedom had been very high.
After they finished their meal in silence, Harry cleared his throat and spoke to Ron. "Ron, McGonagall came in to check on us earlier while we were asleep." He looked down, "She told Kreacher to tell us that your parents had come back this morning. They've taken Fred," Harry finished quietly and looked up at Ron.
Ron seemed to be holding himself very rigidly as he nodded, Hermione wrapped her arm around him, "Your parents want us to go to the Burrow," Harry finished.
"Right", said Hermione, finally having something to do. "I'll go upstairs and get our stuff. We'll have to walk outside the grounds to Disapparate."
Harry shook his head, "All the counter curses Voldemort's supporters put on Hogwarts last night have broken many of the charms protecting the building. McGonagall said we would need to go out to the front of the building, but we don't have to leave the grounds."
Hermione nodded, "Alright then, wait for me, then we'll go." Harry and Ron both watched her leave and sat quietly.
Harry said to Ron, "There is just one thing I have to do before I go, I'll meet you back at the Burrow."
They waiting for Hermione to return and when she came back, they walked together to the hole in the wall and down the corridor.
"Well done, Harry, Hermione, Ron", called the Fat Lady. She was waving her handkerchief to them, "We are all so proud of you." They looked around the staircase and realised the characters in the paintings were either clapping or waving to them.
"Good show, old boy" said a serious looking man standing in a dark painting, "you have done a great service to the magical world you know."
"Err, thanks", said Harry as they walked down the moveable staircases. Having made it to the bottom with another twenty or so thankyous along the way, they were greeted by a tearful Professor McGonagall.
"Harry, you're safe," she exclaimed. "Last night when Voldemort brought your body floating in the air to the front of the building, I thought you were dead."
Harry remembered hearing her call out. "I really am so proud of you, Ron and Hermione for what you have done for us all, you have all been so brave. Albus would have proud of you all."
She paused and said gently "Ron, dear, I am so very sorry for your loss." She sighed, "Fred could be a rascal, but he fought well last night and didn't deserve what happened to him." Ron swallowed hard and looked at his feet.
"Lupin, Tonks and Katie Bell, Colin Creevy, so many…", McGonagall shook her head as tears swam in her eyes. "What a tragic waste of good wizards and witches."
Harry didn't know what to say, Hermione seemed to be having the same trouble. "Well, come," she said gently, wiping her tears away with a lace handkerchief and leading them to the front entrance. "I'm sure Ron's parents will want to see you all, to know you are alright."
"Thanks, Professor," Harry said as they got outside. "Will you be okay with all this?" he pointed to the damage visible from the broken entry.
"The Ministry is sending some people over later today to have a look at the damage," she told them all. "I guess we will know more then." Harry and his friends took one last look at Hogwarts, the Hermione told the Professor good-bye and she and Ron Disapparated to the Burrow.
Harry walked away from the main entrance towards the lake and the spot where Dumbledore's body lay. When he got there, he could see the damage inflicted on the tomb by Voldemort in his bid to grab the Elder Wand.
Harry took the Elder Wand from his pocket and carefully placed it back in the preserved hands of his mentor. He knew that once he died, the power of the Elder Wand would die with him and the reality behind the Deathly Hollows would become only legend.
He pulled out his own repaired holly and phoenix wand, touched it to the white marble and whispered "Reparo". The crack that had split the marble from top to bottom disappeared; the tomb now showed no sign that it had ever been disturbed.
Harry looked over the lake and felt the prick of tears at the loss of this great wizard. He shook his head to clear them and stepped back from the tomb. With one final look, he turned on the spot and disappeared into the darkness.
Once he arrived in the backyard of the Weasley's home, he started towards the door when he heard a strangled scream and watched a tearful Mrs Weasley run out the door towards him. She gathered him in a hug and told him how glad she was to see him safe. Mr Weasley had hurried to the door after hearing his wife's cry and he too walked towards Harry and hugged him.
Harry looked at the door for Ginny. He had been too tired to think about talking to her last night, but now he wanted hug her, make sure she was alright and never let her go.
"Ginny's sleeping," Mr Weasley said, noticing Harry was looking at the house. "I am sure she will be up soon. She took a large dose of a sleeping draft when we got back last night," he finished with a sigh.
Ron and Hermione came to the door. Hermione was carrying her enormous ginger cat Crookshanks, who had stayed behind at the Burrow since the start of their dangerous task. Ron eyed the cat with distrust.
"What about George and Percy?" asked Ron quietly. "How are they?"
Mrs Weasley looked at her husband and said "George is about as well as can be expected." She swallowed, obviously struggling to finish, "He wanted to come with us to get Fred, he wouldn't sleep until we did. Your father gave him a large dose of the sleeping draft a couple of hours ago. We hope he will be able to sleep until tomorrow morning. Percy slept a little last night, but was up this morning early, he went to ask Kingsley at the Ministry if he could help. I don't think he wanted to think about last night." Percy had been with Ron, Harry, Hermione and Fred last night when Fred had been killed as part of the castle had been blown away.
Ron nodded and looked miserable. Hermione hugged him and whispered something to him, before saying to Harry, "We'll just go upstairs and put away our things. Will you be okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine, I am sure Ginny will be down soon." He watched them walk into the house, followed by Ron's mother who was fussing after them. Arthur Weasley looked at Harry and seemed to be wondering if he should ask him what it was that he was thinking. He then asked, "Harry, I wondered if you would tell me how you knew you were the one who could kill Voldemort?"
Harry looked at him and said simply, "Dumbledore told me."
Harry looked away and thought about what had happened in the forest. "Severus Snape, he was on our side all along, was killed by Voldemort. I was lucky to be near and he gave me his memories which I saw in Dumbledore's pensive. I understood much more about what had happening then," he said almost to himself. Mr Weasley nodded; he had heard Harry last night in the Great Hall.
Harry took another breath before he continued, "Then I died - Voldemort killed me in the forest. I slipped out of the castle without anyone noticing." Mr Weasley didn't say anything he just waited for Harry to go on. "Dumbledore was there when I died. He told me things, explained why I was there and told me I wasn't really dead. He said I needed to go back and I knew that it had to be to kill Voldemort."
Harry remembered the silence when he realised he was lying on the forest floor. "I became aware of my body on the ground. I didn't hear cheering, something was wrong with Voldemort. I think he must have collapsed or something." Harry didn't explain that he was one of Voldemort's Horcrux and that by killing Harry, he had helped to kill himself.
"Draco's mother came over to see if I was dead, she felt my heart beating. She whispered to me, asked me if Draco was okay, I whispered back that he was. She lied to everyone and told them I was dead."
Mr Weasley looked surprised. "I'll have to make sure Kingsley knows about this," he said almost to himself. "The Ministry has the Malfoy's under house arrest now."
Harry nodded, he wasn't surprised. "Voldemort lifted me up with his wand and the Death Eaters moved towards the castle. Neville was amazing challenging Voldemort on his own, then everyone charged and it gave me time to get under my cloak and back over to the castle entrance. I got to the Great Hall and watched the professors fight Voldemort and," with a small smile, "Mrs Weasley take on Bellatrix – she was fantastic! Then I knew it was time. I had to act, so I did and it worked." Harry shrugged a little self consciously. "Everything Dumbledore told me was right and then it was over."
Mr Weasley looked at Harry with respect and pride in his eyes. He said "We, Weasley's, are very lucky to know you Harry. You have demonstrated wisdom, courage and strength that few people are ever capable of. We are so proud of what you, Hermione and Ron have done."
He gave Harry another hug which Harry returned. "Well, I should go and check on Molly. It looks like Ginny wants to talk to you," he pointed to his daughter standing shyly in the doorway.
Harry stood rooted at the spot at the sight of Ginny. She walked up to him and asked how he was. Harry could see that her eyes were red and bloodshot from crying and couldn't stop himself. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with an intensity that scared him. She responded and they stood locked in their embrace for sometime, Harry could not have said how long. Finally they drew away from each other slightly and Harry smiled at her, "Hi."
"Hi, yourself," Ginny replied and squeezed her arms around him. "I've missed you so much; I was so scared for you and the others," tears leaked from her eyes although she struggled to control them.
"I know," whispered Harry solemnly. "I have felt the same since I saw you at Bill's wedding. I used to get the Marauders Map out and watch you when you were at Hogwarts," he admitted. Ginny laughed through her tears and kissed him again.
"Come on, lets go for a walk," she said. Harry happily took her hand in him and they walked towards the hill at the back of the Burrow.
They found a secluded spot and sat together and talked about what they had done in their time apart. Harry told her the full story, including what the stone, wand and cloak had meant and how, as Dumbledore had explained to him, everything Voldemort had done to Harry over the last couple of years meant that he was able to defeat the Dark Lord once and for all. He wanted Ginny to understand everything, she deserved to know.
She listened intently, asking questions along the way then sat quietly when he had finished. Then she told him about being at Hogwarts over the last year, about the way the Death Eaters treated the staff and the students and how she and Neville and some of the others had defied the Death Eaters along the way. Harry had inhaled sharply when she told him about going into hiding on the day that Harry, Hermione and Ron were discovered.
"Sorry about that. It was my fault," Harry admitted. "I forgot the name Voldemort was Taboo. Ron tried to stop me, but it was too late."
"Well, it did lead you to Bellatrix and that's where you realised she had one of the Horcrux in her vault, so in a way it was lucky you got caught when you did." They sat together cuddled in each others arms for a long while, until Harry thought they should return in case anyone was worried about them.
Once you returned to the Burrow, they were greeted by Charlie, Bill and Fleur who had just arrived from Bill and Fleur's home. They came to see how Harry was. Fleur gave him a hug and kissed his check. "Bill was soo worried; we heard about ze bank robbery, he knew it was you."
Harry looked slightly embarrassed as he said to Bill, "You were right about the Goblin's definition of ownership. He grabbed the sword and left while we were struggling to get out of the safe."
Charlie looked impressed, "I think its great that you got away on the dragon. I can't believe you all stayed on!"
Harry chuckled, "I think it had more to do with the fact that the Dragon didn't seem to be aware of us, not because of any great skill on our part. I was getting really worried it would take off over the ocean, but it came down near a lake and we jumped off."
Charlie laughed at the thought of the three of them jumping off the dragon. "They are looking for her, you know - The Ministry. Got people out searching for her now, they're worried about the Muggles seeing her. They asked me to help with the search, but I couldn't leave now."
Harry nodded and they all walked into the house. Mrs Weasley was standing at the stove, her shoulders were shaking and she was crying. "Mum," said Charlie as he walked up behind her, "come on, let's go and sit down. I'm sure the others can take care of dinner." He nodded to the others and they are agreed. Charlie directed his mother out of the room, they could all hear her say "Thank you Charlie, it is such a comfort that you are all here."
Fleur directed the activities, Ron and Hermione wandered down the stairs to see Harry peeling potatoes with Ginny, Bill chopping tomatoes and Fleur stirring the contents of a pot on the stove.
"Can we help?" Hermione asked.
Fleur used her wand to move a bag of onions to the table, "Pleeze cut up some onions" she requested. Hermione and Ron sat at the table and started cutting, the group quietly working.
"Bill?" Hermione started.
"What?" Bill asked
"I need to get word to my parents. Now everything is safe. You see I put charms on the house and on them so they would want to move to Australia. They don't know their real names or that they have a daughter," she finished sadly.
"Wow, great spell," said Bill looking impressed. "Well, I do have a friend at the Gringott's Bank of Australia, it's in Sydney. Do you know where they are?"
"I think they're in Sydney," said Hermione happily. "Do you think your friend can locate them for me and get them to come home?"
"Well, I'll have a chat to Julian. What's the time difference to Australia?"
Hermione looked the clock and worked out that they would be ten hours ahead. "Well, that would mean I would be able to contact him tonight, his morning. Can you give me details about them so Julian has something to start with?"
Hermione gave Bill a hug. "Thanks," she said and hurried off to get the details and photos she had.
Fleur looked out of the window and said "Look, 'ere is Percy". Percy came through the door and looked at the group sitting there cooking.
Ron stood and looked at his brother. "Hi, Perc," he said, "long time, no see."
Percy nodded, "Yeah. Sorry about that."
Ron looked at him seriously, "I'm glad you were there last night."
"So am I," replied his brother.
Neither of them said anything for a moment and then Percy moved forward to hug Ron. "I am so glad you are okay," he let go, "…all three of you," he said looking at Harry and Hermione, who had just re-entered the room with a handful of papers.
"Sorry I was such a prat going off at you all like that." He looked sheepish and said, "I had been trying to work out how to get out of the Ministry for a while, then the family went into hiding and I heard that you had escaped from the Malfoy manor. I was scared for you all," Percy shuddered.
"What's happening at the Ministry, Percy?" Harry asked thinking that they all needed to talk about something apart from family.
Percy pulled three envelopes from his pocket, "Acting Minister Kingsley would like to see you all for a debrief," he told them as he handed them out.
Hermione passed over the information she had to Bill some photos. "Right-oh," he said. "I'll visit the bank in the few hours and see what we can do."
Harry and Ron had both opened their letters and Ron almost yelled "Wow," in the middle of reading it. "You won't believe it," he told them all.
He read from the letter, "The Ministry nominated a reward of Ten Thousand Gallons for information leading to the capture or demise of Lord Voldemort one year ago. Ron, as part of you efforts to rid the magical world of Voldemort, I am delighted to advise you of your reward in the sum of Ten Thousand Gallons."
Hermione quickly opened her letter and nodded once she read the same in her letter. "I have a reward too," she said. "I guess you did as well, Harry?"
Everyone looked at Harry as he nodded after scanning the letter. "Brilliant," said Ron, "I'll have money to spend on a new broomstick, Firebolt, here I come". Mr and Mrs Weasley came into the kitchen to find out what all the noise was about. "Dad, Mum, look at this," Ron shoved the letter into their hands.
They looked pleased for Ron and the others once they read the letter. "Don't spend it all at once, Ron," warned his mother.
"I won't, Mum, but a Firebolt… its' brilliant!"