Chapter 4
They appeared with a loud pop, Molly had to take a few seconds to get her breath back, side along apperating two others, as small as they may be, was very tiring. They had arrived at the end of a narrow, hedge lined lane, the lane disappeared in to the distance, between the tree covered slopes of a shallow valley. Behind them was the main road that led to the small Devon village of Ottery St. Catchpole, hoisting Harry up to her hip, she started down the lane towards the Weasley home, The Burrow.
It was a beautiful summers morning, the sky was blue, and the sun shone right down the valley. Normally when out walking with her daughter, Molly would stop and pick some of the wild flowers that grew at the lane edge, but today she didn't even notice them. She knew she had to get Harry home as quickly as possible, she would have apperated them closer, but the wards that protected their home prevented that. Reaching a wooden five bar gate, she quickly swung it open, allowing the rusty metal spring to shut it behind them, they were now on their property, rounding a bend in the lane, she could see the roof of her home in the distance.
"Ten more minuets, then we'll be home", she whispered to the boy she was carrying.
Ginny let go of her hand, and started running towards the house. "Get everyone in the kitchen, I'm going to need all of their help", called Molly after her. The only response she got was a wave of Ginny's hand.
Harry had been trying to take in his surroundings as much as he could with his poor eyesight, the sound of the birds in the trees, the smell of the wild flowers that grew along the lane, and in the pasture beyond. These were the things that assaulted his senses the most, so they were the things he concentrated on. He knew the area as well as Ginny did, as was able to share her senses, so it didn't bother him that he couldn't see much. In the distance, he could hear Ginny calling for her brothers, over and over again.
Allowing himself to look through her eyes, he could see the house getting quickly closer, as she was sprinting towards it, again, this was nothing new to him, he had seen it through her hundreds of times. But now was different, he was actually here, he would see it with his own eyes, hear the laughter of the family with his own ears, smell Molly's wonderful cooking with his own nose.
Eventually they reached the house, and without breaking her stride, Molly walked towards the rear door that led into the Kitchen, well, Harry thought it was the rear door, it was hard to tell. This house was built so haphazardly, with walls and windows and doors seemingly added without care or concern. The basic shape of the house was an 'L', with the kitchen and pantry in the small leg, and the living room in the longer leg. Harry thought it had four levels, though it was hard to be sure, as none of the windows on the outside seemed to be in line with one another. He tried recollecting what he had seen through Ginny about the layout, but quickly became confused.
On this side of the house, the garden was mainly lawn, with a couple of flower beds dotted around, beyond the lawn was the little orchard, with it's mixture of fruit trees. Behind that was a pasture, which led up to the woods that went up and over the hillside. Harry knew that the pond and stream lay just inside these trees. On the far side of the house was the vegetable garden and hen house, as well as Arthur's shed and various other out houses.
Molly climbed the couple of steps to the covered porch that ran along this side of the house, walked past a pile of rusty and dented old cauldrons, untidily stacked, and opened the kitchen door. As soon as she had made sure that all her sons were present, she started barking orders.
"Bill, Charlie, go and get the spare bed down from the loft, and put it in Ron's room, Percy, go to the linen cupboard, get some fresh sheets, a pillow, and a couple of blankets. Fred, George, go and run a bath, make sure it's not to hot, do you hear? Ron, you and Ginny get my big pot out and get some vegetables from the pantry, onions, potato's, leaks, carrots, that sort of thing. I'll be making a vegetable soup. What are you all waiting for? MOVE IT!"
After the boys had all scurried away to carry out their allotted tasks, Molly carried Harry through to the living room, and laid him on one of the mismatched sofas. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to get you a drink", with that she made her way back into the kitchen, took a glass tumbler from the side board, and filled it from the tap, casting a quick cooling charm on it. She placed it on the scrubbed oak table that was in the middle of the kitchen, and started searching the drawers for a straw. After a quick search she gave up, taking out her wand, she quickly conjured one, she then took the drink back into the living room.
"Here, let me sit you up a bit, I've got you a drink, just take little sips to begin with, I've got you a straw which should help." Molly then lifted Harry and stuffed a couple of cushions behind his back. Harry took the straw whilst Molly held the glass, he sipped it greedily, almost making himself choke in the process.
"Slow down a bit, there's plenty more from where this came from." Nodding his head, Harry did what he was told. Whilst he was drinking, Molly looked him over to try and ascertain what, if any, injuries he might have. She was relieved not to be able to find any, although his frighteningly thin body worried her immensely.
After the sixth glass of water, Harry stopped drinking, "thank you Mrs Weasley", was all he was able to say, as he was still very weak from lack of food.
"Don't you mention it you dear boy, now let me see what those boys of mine are up to, I'll not be a minuet."
Percy was waiting for her in the kitchen, "I've done as you asked mum, anything else you want me to do?"
"Yes please Percy, go and sit with Harry for a bit, while I prepare the soup."
"Who is he mum, and how did Ginny apperate you?"
"Now is not the time for questions Percy, Harry's very weak, he needs food quickly, please, go and make sure he's ok"
As Percy was leaving the room, Ginny and Ron entered from the pantry. "Is this ok mummy?" asked Ginny, holding a basket filled with various vegetables.
"Yes, perfect, put the basket on the table, while I fill the pot."
Just then footsteps could be heard on the stairs as Bill and Charlie descended them. "Done it mum", called Bill, "anything else you need us to do?"
"Not at the moment, stay in the kitchen though, I don't want to many people in the living room. Ginny, you can go through if you want, you seem to get on with Harry."
Within a few minuets, Molly had lit the hob, and had a massive pot, filled to the brim with sliced vegetables, boiling on it. Percy came back into the kitchen and sat on one of the chairs around the table. "Ginny's with him now, he seems to have fallen asleep." He said after an enquiring look from his mother. With a nod, she turned back to the steaming pot.
The twins then arrived in the now crowded kitchen, looking around to see if any of their brothers knew what was going on. Receiving only shrugs from their questioning looks, they too sat at the table.
With a wave of her wand, Molly turned the flame down so the pot was just simmering. Turning to her sons, she said "right you lot, I'm going to bath Harry, I don't want to find a mess get I get back downstairs, do you hear?" Looking pointedly at the twins as she said the last bit.
Going through to the living room, she found Ginny kneeling on the floor beside the sofa that Harry was on. Ginny turned to look at her mum as she approached. "He's asleep mummy" turning to look back at him, she carried on speaking, "they used to beat him, they never fed him, why were they so horrible mummy?"
Molly wiped a tear way before answering, "I don't know darling, some people are like that, but don't worry, we'll make sure he's going to be ok"
Ginny moved out of her mothers way as she bent down to pick Harry up, "I'm going to give him a bath now dear, can you do me a favour, and ask your brothers to go through the spare clothing boxes up in the loft, and see if they can find anything that might fit Harry?
"Yes Mummy", Ginny replied before skipping out of the room. Wrapping the sleeping boy in the dirty rags that he was still laying on, Molly carried him back through to the kitchen and up the two flights of stairs to the family bathroom. She could faintly hear banging from above her as her sons went through the boxes. The banging though may have come from their resident ghoul, who had made his home in their loft, and hated to be disturbed. After checking to make sure the water was the right temperature, she gently stripped harry out of his filthy pants, she threw them on the floor next to the rags, with a wave of her wand, she banished the lot.
Lowering the still sleeping Harry into the warm water, she gently started washing him with a soft sponge whilst supporting his head, starting with his arms and legs, she made her way up his body to his chest, trying to ignore the sure signs of malnourishment that were his bones showing under his skin. As she reached his neck, she saw his eyes flicker open.
"Don't you fret now, your safe and sound, after your bath I'll give you a nice bowl of vegetable soup, ok?"
Harry smiled up at her, his gratitude showing clearly on his face.
Grabbing the shampoo from the shelf above the bath, she started on his long unkempt hair, as she washed it, she brushed it back from his face, that's when she saw it, the lightening bolt shaped scar on his forehead.
Molly froze in place, it couldn't be a coincidence, it was in the exact same place that the mark had appeared on her daughters face almost five years previously. To this day she remembered it well, she had been so frightened at the time. Nervously, she asked "Harry, do you know where this scar came from?"
Speaking for only the second time since his rescue, Harry nervously replied, "No Mrs Weasley, I'm sorry, but I don't, why, is anything wrong?"
"I'm sure it's nothing Harry", she answered, not wishing to alarm him.
Letting him sit up by himself, she went to the door and called up the stairs, "have you lot been able to find anything?" It was Charlie who came running down the stairs, carrying an old pair of Ron's shorts and a Bright yellow tee shirt that used to belong to Fred. "Sorry mum, this is all we could find, I think all of our underwear was thrown out when it got to small for us."
"Never mind, I'm sure this will do, it's far better that what he was wearing."
Turning back into the bathroom, she passed Harry a freshly laundered towel and put the clothes on the three legged stool that was in the corner of the room.
"Do you think you can get yourself dried and dressed? I've got to go and check on the soup"
Receiving a nod from him, she turned and made her way back down the stairs.
Harry quickly dried himself, and after donning the shorts and tee shirt, he pulled the plug out of the bath, and made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he found seven pairs of friendly eyes looking at him; shyly smiling back, he made his way to the chair that was between Ginny and Ron. Before sitting down he turned to Molly, who had her back to him whilst she worked at the counter. "Thank you for rescuing me Mrs Weasley, I'll never forget what you did for me"
"It's Ginny you should thank", she replied over her shoulder, "she was the one who knew you were in trouble." How she knew though, was something that will need to be discussed by them all later, she thought to herself
Just as she finished speaking, the sound of the floo flaring came from the living room. "Hello family, I'm home, something smells nice." Came Arthur's voice as he entered the kitchen. Looking around the table, he stopped when he saw Harry. "Well, who do we have here then?"
Harry rose from his seat before replying. "Good morning sir, my name's Harry Potter. Your daughter and wife rescued me this morning."
Six identical gasps came from the boys sat around the table, then they all started talking at once, "Harry Potter! in our house", "The Boy Who Lived!", "Cool!"
"That's enough boys" cried Molly, "Don't believe everything you've heard or read about him"
Turning to his wife, Arthur mouthed 'rescued?'
"Later Arthur, sit now and eat your soup, you won't have long until you have to return to work", With that Molly served ten bowels of steaming vegetable soup to her hungry hoard and Harry. Surprisingly to Harry the soup tasted better than he could ever remember tasting it through Ginny. Before he had taken three spoons full though, Molly reached across and put her hand on his. "Slow down a bit Harry, you'll make yourself ill eating so quickly on an empty tummy".
Nodding at her, Harry ate his soup slowly, savoring every spoonful. After his third helping, he felt as though his stomach had never been so full, noticing that everyone else had finished, he rose from the table and started collecting the used bowls and cutlery.
"Harry, what are you doing?" Asked Arthur with a smile.
"The washing up Sir" he replied, whilst still clearing up.
"Not in this house your not, nobody under eleven is allowed to work in this kitchen, under any circumstance." Said Molly, receiving smiles from Ginny, Ron and the twins, and scowls from Percy, Charlie and Bill.
Ginny laughed at her three eldest brothers, "looks like you three are doing the washing up"
Molly led Arthur into the living room, "I'll explain when we've more time, you had better get back to work before your late"
Kissing him goodbye, she went back into the kitchen, "Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, why don't you take Harry outside and show him around?"
Taping each of them on the head with her wand, she turned to Harry, "Sunscreen charm, stops you from getting burnt" she said needlessly, as Harry had seen her do it to her children many times before through Ginny.
"Mind you go no further than the orchard, I want to be able to see you at all times"
Turning to her three eldest sons, who had almost finished the tidying up from lunch, she said "I want you to be careful around Harry while he gets his strength back, we will be having a family meeting this evening after dinner, so no questions until then, understood?" receiving three yes's in reply, she went to the top of the house, and into Ron's room to make Harry's bed.
Harry and the four youngest Weasley's made their way onto the grassy area between the house and the orchard, sitting down on the dry grass. Harry lent back on his elbows, and let the sun warm his face. After a few minutes of easy silence, the twins started questioning Harry and Ginny.
"Hiya Harry", said Fred, "let us introduce ourselves properly, my names George, my handsome brother next to me is Fred, we're eight."
"No your not", said Harry.
"We are eight!" cried George, "we were born on the first of April nineteen seventy eight"
"No, I meant your not George", replied Harry, looking at Fred, "your Fred. Ginny knows how to tell you apart, so I can too"
Fred and George looked at each other, and burst out laughing, "ok Harry, you got us with that one, how can you really tell us apart, mum can't even do that."
"I see everything she sees, I have done for as long as I can remember, can't all wizards do that?"
It was Fred that answered him, "you can do what? you can see through Ginny's eyes? wow, that's cool."
"No, I've never heard of anyone being able to do that, mum and dad certainly can't, and Percy, Charlie and Bill haven't said anyone at Hogwarts can do it either". Continued George.
"That's nothing, I can do the same with Harry, that's how I knew he was in trouble, and we can speak to each other in our heads", said Ginny, keen to let her brothers know that she knew something they didn't.
Ron, who had kept quiet until now, looked up at this, seeing it as a chance to wind up his little sister, "so are you saying your dream has come true?" he said with a smirk on his face.
Ginny narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he was trying to embarrass her, "What are you talking about Ron?"
"Well, you've always said that Harry Potter must be lonely without his parents, and that you'll marry him someday, and then you'll make sure he's never lonely again"
Ginny looked like she was about to burst into tears, until Harry reached out and put his hand on hers.
"Don't let him bother you Ginny, watch this, I'll get him back for you". He spoke into her mind.
"Ron" said Harry, "I can also see all of Ginny's memories, do you remember the time Fred and George filled your bed with spiders, I thought it was so funny, I might do the same thing".
Ginny, Fred and George all burst out laughing at the expression on Ron's face, as he recalled the mass of spiders crawling over his sheets.
"So the people you were living with were really horrible, that's why Ginny took mum to rescue you". Said Ron, changing the subject as quickly as he could.
It was Ginny who answered him, "they are worse than horrible, they didn't feed him, and they made him sleep in a cupboard..." She stopped talking and started crying, looking deep into Harry's emerald eyes through her tears.
"What is it Ginny?" Asked George.
"They never bought him presents, ever, not for his birthday, or Christmas."
"But he's Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the one who defeated He-who-must-not-be-named, how could they let that happen to him?" Cried Fred, jumping to his feet in anger.
While the three red heads and one raven haired boy talked, Molly had returned to the kitchen, and stood by the window, writing several letters with her old cuckoo feather quill, whilst watching them. To say she was worried would be a huge understatement, firstly, what exactly was the connection between the abused young boy, and her daughter? Secondly, how could she prevent him from being taken back to his relatives. These were her two greatest worries, not that she didn't have many others; the twins, lack of money, the twins, how well her three eldest were doing at Hogwarts, the twins, how Arthur was getting on in his Job.
Seeing one of the twins jump to his feet, she couldn't tell from this far away which one, she decided she had better go and see what was wrong. As she got closer, she could hear the twin on his feet ranting at the others.
"You wait until I can use a wand, I'll play so many tricks on those dirty muggels, they'll wish they had never been born."
"George!, that's enough, can't you see how much your upsetting Harry?"
Harry just sat their with his head in his hands, he didn't want to ever have to think of his relatives again, even if he couldn't stay here, with the Weasleys, he wouldn't go back, he would run away if he had to.
George looked up at his mum from his position on the grass between Ginny and Ron. "I'm George, he's Fred, and he's right, people like that shouldn't be allowed to get away with it."
"Oh don't worry, they won't be getting away with it, your father and I will see to that. Now then Harry, I know you've just had soup, would you like anything else?"
Harry looked up at her with a grateful smile, "I'm ok thank you Mrs. Weasley, I don't think I've ever felt so full. If you don't mind, I think I'd like to stay out here for a bit, I really like it here, it's so...peaceful."
Molly looked down at him with a sad smile, "you stay out here as long as you like Harry, you four, indoors now, let Harry have a bit of peace and quiet."
"If you don't mind, can Ginny stay with me please?"
Molly was about to object, when she saw the hopeful look in his eyes, she suspected that he hadn't had given anyone that look for a long time. "Of course she can, you haven't had many children your own age to talk to, have you?"
"But I'm his age as well!", objected Ron. "Can I stay to please mum?"
"No Ron, I need you to help me tidy your room, Harry's going to be sharing with you for a while." Ron reluctantly rose from the grass to follow his mother and the twins indoors, leaving Harry and Ginny alone in the garden.
"Are you ok Harry?, we can go inside as well if you want"
"No, I'm ok thanks, I meant what I said to your mum, it's nice out here." After a long pause, Harry spoke again. "At my aunt and uncles house, I was never allowed into the garden unless I had jobs to do. Like cutting the grass or pulling up weeds."
"Harry, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, anything"
"How can we do what ever it is we can do? I mean, you heard what my brothers said, they don't know of anyone else who can speak in other peoples heads, or share memories, or the sen, sinc,...oh what's the word?"
"I think you mean senses, like eye sight, hearing, smell, stuff like that."
"Yes, that's what I meant Harry, senses, how come we can do this stuff"
"I don't know Ginny, I've been able to share stuff like that with you for a long time, I mean, that's how I learnt to write and add up, because your mum taught you. I know this place as well as you do, every meal you ate, I've tasted, by the way, I can't wait to try your mums treacle tart."
Harry's face suddenly went red, and he cast his gaze to the ground.
"What's up Harry?"
"I'm so sorry Ginny, I didn't mean to, but every time you had a bath, or went to the toilet, I saw that to"
Ginny gave Harry a funny look, then threw her head back and laughed, Harry looked back up at her, frowning.
"Don't worry Harry, I'll got to see you earlier, when mum bathed you, and I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of you as well.
Harry laughed along with her, it felt so good to him to be able to laugh like this, to be able to act like the six year old that he was.
"Your feeling tired", said Ginny out loud, after they had been laying in the sun for a while, practicing talking in their heads.
"And you need to go for a poo" retorted Harry.
Giggling, they made their way inside, Molly was preparing dinner in the kitchen when they walked in. "Having a good time dears?"
"Yes thanks mum, what are we having for dinner?"
"Shepherds pie and vegetables, I'm not sure what to do for pudding though. Any Ideas?"
"Treacle tart please", replied Ginny immediately, sharing a smile with Harry. "Harry's feeling tired mum, can he lie down for a while?"
"Of course he can, you've had quite an eventful day", Molly said, turning to Harry,"so I'm not surprised you feel tired. Ginny, show him to Ron's room, if Ron's up there, tell him to leave Harry alone, and let him sleep.
"Ok mum, this way Harry, I'll show you"
"I Know, remember, I know everything you do, now go to the toilet, before you have an accident."
Leading him up to the top floor anyway, Ginny opened the door of her youngest brothers room, "that's your bed, and that one's Ron's, sleep well, I'll see you later"
Harry lay down on the camp bed, to most people, the thin mattress would have felt quite hard, but to him it was the most comfortable thing in the world, considering that all he had to sleep on at his relations house was the cold hard concrete floor of the cupboard. Closing his eyes, he followed Ginny's progress down the two flights of stairs to the family bathroom.
"Harry, are you there?"
"Yes Ginny, I'm here, are you ok?"
"Sorry about what Ron said earlier, you know, about me wanting to keep you from getting lonely, and wanting to marry you"
"I know that's what you want Ginny, you can't lie to me when I know everything you do, the same way I can never lie to you, it's nice having someone that cares about me for a change. Your the first friend I've ever had, thank you for looking after me."
"I know I can't lie to you, it's nice to have someone to share all my secrets with, what I'm sorry about is that Ron said it in front of the twins, their going to take the micky out of you now."
"I don't mind, from your memories, I can see that they'll never be nasty about it, it'll just be done in fun."
"Ok Harry, as long as you don't mind. Now think about something else if you can, I'm in the toilet, and I really need to go poo."
Harry smiled to himself and looked around the room he was in, even though everything was fuzzy because of his poor eyesight, he could still see the bright orange walls, Chuddly Cannons colours he reminded himself from one of the many Quiditch arguments Ron and Ginny had about their favorite teams, hers being the Holyhead Harpies. He tried really hard not to share senses with Ginny, respecting her privacy, but he had got so used to it during the many hours he had spent alone in the cupboard, it was second nature to him now. He suspected it would have been like somebody asking him not to breathe, it would take a real conscious effort because it was something he did without thinking.
Sometime it did get confusing for him, like when she was really concentrating on something, like learning to tie her shoelaces, or brushing her long hair. Then he found that unless he concentrated on what he was doing, he would make the same movements that she was.
Right now he knew that she had finished going to the toilet, and was busy wiping herself, some things he just couldn't shut out.
"Harry, I've finished, you can look again. I'm going to go downstairs now and play with my toy cauldron, want to watch?"
"Sure, I might fall asleep though, I feel really tired."
"That's ok, we can play when you've woken up, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite"
With that, Harry closed his eyes as he watched Ginny get the cauldron out and start playing with it. He knew he had fallen asleep, but he was still able to watch Ginny play through her eyes, and hear everything going on around her. This wasn't unusual for him to be able to do this, normally though, she would sleep the same time he did.
He knew he was about to be woken, when Molly got up from her chair and walked past Ginny, asking her to put her toys away, and wash her hands for dinner. He felt Molly gently shaking him awake "Harry, dinners almost ready, go and wash your hands, their's a good boy."
He smiled up at her, and did as he was told; coming down the stairs, he heard the sound of the floo coming from the fireplace in the living room.
"Arthur, good your home early for a change, dinners almost ready, we'll be having a family meeting afterwards." Said Molly to her husband as he walked towards her to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Very well my love, I'm sure we all have questions we would like answers to."
After everyone was seated, with Harry in between Ginny and Ron again, Molly placed platters of Shepherds pie and vegetables onto the table. Harry waited patiently for everyone else to help themselves. "Harry my boy, tuck in, or there'll be none left for you," Arthur said from his place at the head of the table.
Harry nodded at him and grabbed the serving spoon from Ron, who had been heaping food onto his plate. After everyone had eaten their fill, and Molly had piled the dirty dishes into the sink, the dessert was brought to the table, two huge treacle tarts, baked by Molly while Harry had been asleep. Even though he had eaten more today than he normally did in a week with his relatives, Harry's mouth was still watering. He was almost crying as well, the thought of someone actually doing something just for him was almost to much for him to comprehend. Ginny sensed Harry's overwhelming feeling of gratitude through their link, and without saying anything, out loud or through the link, simply reached out and held his hand under the table.
"As our guest, I think Harry should serve himself first, and don't be afraid to give yourself a large portion." Said Arthur to everyone gathered around the table. Harry gave Arthur such a big smile, the older man thought the boy might be actually causing himself some great discomfort.
Harry savoured every spoon full, it tasted so good. He was by far the last one to finish, the others having quickly scoffed theirs down. Remembering what had happened at lunch time, he stopped himself from immediately tidying up. Instead Molly quickly added the dessert dishes to the growing pile in the sink.
Looking around the table, he saw everyone looking expectantly at Arthur, "Molly, we'll leave the dishes for now, come and sit down."
Arthur looked at each person in turn around the table, his gaze finally resting on Harry.
A/N I found this very difficult to write, trying to remember how little children spoke and acted around each other, I'm still not happy with it, but not sure how to put it right, any suggestions would be gratefully received.