A/N: This is a REALLY long chapter, so I'm going to leave the reader responses to the next one. Enjoy!

CQ

Chapter Four: The Burrow

"Mum?" Ginny Weasley looked up from the sink where she was helping her mother peel potatoes. "What's that noise?"

"Ginny, concentrate love... you'll never get the charm right if you..."

"No, Mum... listen!"

Molly Weasley suddenly stilled. What was that noise? A low rumble...

"Mum!" Ron rushed into the room. "Mum, come quick... you've got to see this!"

"Ron?" Molly followed him through to the front of the house, drying her hands on a tea towel as she went. Opening the front door, she was startled to see a golden motorcycle making it's way up their drive.

"Ron," she whispered. "Floo your father."

"Mum?"

"Now!" she said, pulling her wand from the pocket of her robe. "Ginny, go and wake Bill."

Bill, the eldest of the Weasley children, was currently asleep upstairs in the tower room he'd occupied before leaving home for Egypt. He was now home again, having transferred back to England to assist the Order, and had worked all night on some secret bidding of Dumbledore's.

"I'm here, Mum," he came down the stairs, barefoot and barechested, pulling on a Chudley Cannon's t-shirt that Ron had given him the Christmas before. He still had sleep in his eyes, but his long hair was tied back, and his wand was stuck in the hip pocket of his faded muggle jeans. He, apparently, had also heard the strange noise.

"Bill," Molly turned back to the open doorway, where they could see the visitor coming to a stop in front of the house.

Cutting the engine, he lifted off the helmet and grinned at them.

"Harry Potter!" Molly's hand came to her throat before she hurried out of the door into the yard, and rushed up to Harry. He'd just dismounted the bike and hung the helmet off the back when Molly pulled him into her arms.

"You silly, silly boy! Oh, Harry! What on earth were you thinking? You shouldn't be out without..."

"Mrs Weasley, I'm okay," he comforted her, hugging her tightly. He could remember when his head had come to her breast. Now, at over six feet tall, her own red curls rested against his chest, well below his chin.

Ron, Bill and Ginny came from the house, grinning. Bill was pulling on his dragon hide boots as he came, skipping a little to keep his balance.

"Nice bike there, Harry," he commented, an appreciative smile in his eyes.

"Where did you get that?" Ron was practically drooling.

"It was my birthday present," Harry said softly, keeping his arm around Molly and looking at the others as they admired the bike.

"From who?" Ginny ran a hand over the leather of the seat, still warm from Harry's body.

"Sirius," Harry said, looking down at Molly, tucked under his arm.

All four sets of eyes turned to him.

"It was... delivered... this morning," Harry said uncomfortably. "Sirius made the arrangements before... I guess."

"Does Dumbledore know about this?" Molly began. "Harry, these things are dangerous..."

"Mrs Weasley, I'm fine... the bike is fine... I don't think I could have fallen off it if I tried."

"But you rode this from Surrey?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"You must have gotten good time..." Bill commented, his eyes running appreciately over the golden finish.

"Three hours... give or take," Harry glanced down at Molly, bracing for the blow.

"Through London?" she screeched.

"I... jumped London, actually," Harry admitted. "Didn't want to deal with the roundabouts."

"Jumped?" asked Ron, raising a brow at him.

"It flies," Harry admitted, telling himself he'd get hold of Ron later and make him pay for leading the conversation there.

For once, Molly Weasley's children were treated to the sight of their mother, speechless.

Bill, Ron and Ginny turned glowing eyes on Harry. Bill's hand remained on the bike, gently touching the handlebars. Harry grinned. Digging in his pocket, he brought out the keychain that Hagrid had given him that morning, which now held a single key.

"Want to take it out?" Harry held the key up. Bill and Ron's eyes sparked. Ginny's smouldered.

"I think not!" Molly cried. Harry nearly laughed at the open disappointment on his friend's faces.

Suddenly hit with an idea, he smiled down at her. "Mrs Weasley, do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, Harry... but that thing is dangerous..."

"It got me here from Surrey without a hiccup, and I'd never driven one before. Would you do something, if I asked you to?"

"What?"

"Will you? I promise, you're perfectly safe."

"I... if I can, of course."

"Get on the bike."

"What?" Molly's eyes rounded with horror. Harry didn't notice the reactions of the others, he was focused on Molly, but had he seen their looks of shock, he would have been highly amused.

"Get on the bike. On the back."

"What? No... I..."

"Look, I'll get on, and all you have to do is get on behind me."

With that, he loped a leg across the bike and looked at her expectantly.

Molly swallowed nervously.

"It's nothing to be afraid of. I've seen you in a car dozens of times."

"That's different."

"No, it's not. Just get on. I promise, I won't do anything without telling you."

Molly hesitated, then moved forward. Bill, shocked as he was, stepped forward to help her.

Harry could tell she was struggling. He grinned at her.

"I thought you Weasley's were a Gryffindor family?"

"I thought you Potter's had the sense Merlin gave a goose," Molly shot back, and gave a little screech as Bill lifted her and then sat her down in the seat behind Harry. She tensed, then moved back against the back-rest.

"Yes, yes... very nice..." she made to get off, but Harry stilled her with a hand on her knee.

"Just a minute," he said, putting the key in the ignition and starting the bike with a roar.

Molly squealed.

"It's okay... I just wanted you to feel the engine running. Okay?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Here," Harry handed her the helmet.

"What?"

"Put it on," he said. "I want you to know how safe I was. I stopped to buy that outside London."

Hesitantly, Molly placed the helmet on her head, and Bill stepped forward to fasten it for her.

Harry smiled.

"Put your arms around my waist," he said.

Molly, overwhelmed, did as she was told. With a start, Harry moved the bike forward several feet. He felt her hands tighten around him with alarm.

"Okay?"

"Fine... fine..." she said, loosening her grip.

"Good. Hold on."

And with that, they were off, leaving Bill, Ginny and Ron staring, open mouthed, after them.

"Where's a bloody camera when you need one?" Ron asked no one in particular.

When they returned, ten minutes later, it was to find four people standing waiting for them. Arthur had arrived, and was curiously watching. His children had told him what had happened, but he couldn't quite believe it. His eyes danced with pleasure as Harry pulled up in front of the group.

"Mum?" Ginny said, concerned, as Molly drew off the helmet.

"Help me down, Bill..."

With Bill and Ginny's help, Molly dismounted the bike and Harry after her.

"Okay, Mum?" Bill asked, glancing between his mother and Harry.

"Quite," she said, turning to Harry. "Okay, love... I don't pretend to believe that you went that slowly if you made it all the way from Surrey in three hours, but..."

"I promise I won't do anything silly, Mrs Weasley," Harry said softly.

"You'd better not, love," and with a nod, she turned and entered the house, her very excited husband following, asking her for every detail.

"Bloody hell, Harry," Ron was in awe. "How'd you do that? If it were me..."

Harry grinned, holding out the key to his best friend. "Want a go?"

Ron's eyes lit, "Really?"

"Of course," Harry tossed the key to him.

After explaining the workings of the bike, as Hagrid had earlier that day, Harry handed the helmet to his friend and stepped back. Ron, as big a grin as Harry had ever seen on his face, started the bike and moved slowly off. By the time he reached the bend in the drive, he'd speeded up and they could hear his whoop of glee.

Bill grinned.

"From Sirius, huh?"

"Yes," Harry agreed.

"And who did you say delivered it?"

"I didn't," Harry turned dancing eyes back to the eldest Weasley sibling.

"Do I need to guess?"

"He's afraid of your mum."

Ginny snorted, "Well, that doesn't exactly narrow the field any, does it?"

"I promised I wouldn't tell," Harry smiled, looking away down the road, relieved when he heard the rumble of the bike coming closer. Ron rounded the corner and approached.

"Don't worry, Harry," Bill grinned. "Hagrid's secret is safe with us."

Ron pulled to a stop in front of them, his face glowing as he pulled off the helmet.

"Bill, you've got to try this..."

Bill's eyes turned to Harry.

"Go ahead," Harry said.

Without any more encouragement, Bill took the helmet, hopped on and was off almost before Ron stepped back.

"That is bloody amazing, Harry!"

Harry responded to Ron's excited conversation as they waited for Bill to return, but was fully aware of Ginny standing, silent, beside them. Something was bothering her.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

"Sure," she said in a falsely bright voice.

He watched her closely, not fooled for a minute.

"Sure?"

"Yes, Harry..." she nodded. "I'm fine."

"Want to take it out next?"

At this, he was surprised to see her face show... fright.

"It's okay if you don't, Gin, really."

"I..." Ginny looked up at him. "I do, Harry... it's just..."

Harry looked into her eyes. She was really scared.

"It's okay to be frightened, Gin."

"No, it's bloody well not!" she muttered. "What kind of Gryffindor gets frightened of something like this?"

"Gryffindors are known for their courage and loyalty, not their stupidity," Harry commented.

"What?" Ginny looked at him, confused.

"Ginny, courage isn't not being scared... courage is being scared out of your wits and doing something anyhow, or choosing not to."

Ginny considered his words as Bill roared up.

"I need to get me one of these," Bill said, his blue eyes sparkling happily.

"Come on," Harry grinned, taking the helmet from Bill and placing it on Ginny's head. Fastening it, he grinned at Ron. "Tell your mum I took Ginny out for a ride."

"What?" Ron yelped., looking alarmed "No way, mate. You tell her!"

"She's perfectly safe, Ron. Your mum knows I wouldn't endanger her."

Ginny squealed, much as Molly had, when Harry lifted her bodily and placed her on the rear seat. Swinging his leg over, he started the bike, and reached back, taking Ginny's hands and showing her where the hold bars were on either side of her seat.

"You can hold on here," he said over the noise of the engine. "But you don't have to. You won't fall off. The seat back will keep you there."

Smiling and nodding her understanding, she watched as he put the bike into motion, and waved gaily at her brothers as they pulled away.

"Mum is going to kill us," Ron said morosely.

"No, she's not," Bill replied, smiling as he watched the other two pull away down the drive.

"Are you insane? Harry just drove away on a motorcycle, with Ginny on the back!"

"Exactly," Bill grinned, turning back to the house. "He could have let her go alone. Then Mum would have killed him. So long as he's with her... well, Mum isn't blind."

"What?"

"Ron," Bill put a brotherly hand on Ron's shoulder. "Ginny is with Harry. Ginny is safe with Harry. Ginny will always be safe with Harry. Mum knows this."

"I don't..." Ron was confused.

"Wake up, Ron," Bill said softly. "And see what the rest of us have known for years."

"You mean...?"

"I mean, that not just anyone would have gone into that Chamber for her... and not just anyone would have gotten her out."

Ron swallowed, glancing back down the driveway that his best friend and his sister had just disappeared down.

"I guess you're right," Ron sighed. "But best friend or not, if he hurts her, I'll kill him."

"Get in line, mate."

For twenty minutes, Harry and Ginny drove over the rural Devon roads. Harry had fallen in love with the feeling of driving the bike within minutes of driving away from Little Whinging that morning, and he was thrilled that Ginny seemed to be sharing that.

Ten minutes into their ride, he'd glanced into the mirror to his left to see Ginny sitting, arms raised in the air much like a muggle riding a roller coaster, laughing with joy. It was a mental picture he knew would take years to fade. As she dropped her hands, he tensed as he felt them snake around his waist. It took him a minute to relax. Ginny Weasley was pressed to his back, her arms wound tightly around him, and Harry found that he didn't mind the feeling at all.

Finally, some miles from the Burrow, he pulled over onto the verge, and cut the engine.

"Harry?" Ginny looked curiously at him. "Why did you stop?"

"To teach you," he said.

"Teach me what?"

"How to drive the bike."

Ginny gulped, her cheeks lost their color and she glanced nervously at him.

"What if I..."

"It's just like riding a broom, Ginny, and you do that really, really well."

"But what if I..."

"We're just going to go slow. You won't get hurt."

"I'm not worried about getting hurt," she said under her breath.

"The what are you worried about?"

"Harry... what if I wreck your bike? Do you know what these things are worth? I could never replace it!"

"It's a thing, Ginny. Things can be replaced."

"I could never afford to replace it, Harry! This bike is probably worth more than my dad makes at the Ministry in a year."

"So?"

"So..." she looked at him, startled.

"Ginny, before this morning, I didn't even know about it. Trust me, if you crashed it, the least of my worries would be the loss of the bike."

"But Sirius gave it to you..."

"No, he didn't," Harry shook his head. "Sirius is dead, Ginny. Gone. Hagrid brought it to me. It was Sirius' but he hadn't even seen it since the night... the night that my parents died. Ginny, it's a thing. It can be replaced. I just want you to know the feeling... it's an amazing feeling, Gin."

Ginny swallowed again, then moved forward on the seat. She gripped the handlebars and sighed.

"Tell me what to do."

Half an hour later, they pulled into the driveway of the Burrow, Ginny driving and Harry seated behind her. Her grin rivaled Ron's and Harry was laughing.

"It's lovely to see," Arthur spoke quietly to his wife, standing in the hall window, where she'd returned time and time again to peer out ever since Bill and Ron had told her where Harry and Ginny had gone.

"Yes," Molly nodded. "Arthur, do you think..."

"I do," Arthur said. "Look."

Molly turned and looked out the window again in time to see Harry catch Ginny as her legs gave out under her as she dismounted. They were both laughing and Harry kept his arms around her as she steadied herself.

Molly sighed, "It's true, isn't it?"

"What, love?"

"What Albus told us, after Harry brought Ginny out of the Chamber. There is a link there now."

"Yes, Molly. But I believe that it's always been there."

Molly and Arthur watched as the couple outside stepped away from each other. Ginny's legs were still wobbly from the unaccustomed feeling of the bike, and they could tell by the way he held his body and stayed close to her that Harry was ready to catch her again, if need be.

They smiled at each other, and turned towards the kitchen.

"Tea, love?" Molly asked.

"Sounds wonderful," Arthur confirmed.

"You okay?" Harry asked. Ginny giggled.

"Silly, aren't I?"

"No, not silly at all. You were brilliant."

She raised shining eyes to his. "Thank you, Harry. It was wonderful. A wonderful feeling..."

"Told you so," he grinned, turning to the house and pocketing the key to the bike.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"You will be careful, won't you?"

"I thought I proved to you, and to your mother, that it's safe?"

"I didn't mean the bike, exactly," she said, biting her lip.

"I'm an adult now, Gin. A full-fledged, of-age wizard," he said wryly, remembering Hagrid's words.

"That doesn't mean that he's going to stop looking for you."

"No, it doesn't," he agreed. "But now, maybe I can do something about it."

"Harry?" her brown eyes held fear. He could tell by the look on her face that he'd said too much.

"Never mind, Gin," he said, draping a brotherly arm around her shoulders and urging her ahead towards the house, where he was sure that Molly would have a pot of tea ready. "I'll be careful."

They found the others in the kitchen, drinking tea. The moment they entered, Molly rushed forward and got two more cups. Harry looked curiously at Ron, who was staring wordlessly at him, a rather odd look on his face.

Bill was smirking.

"What?" Harry looked between them, wondering what he'd done now.

"Rather... close... to my sister there, aren't you, Potter?" Ron asked dryly.

Harry realized then that he still had his arm around Ginny and hurriedly dropped it, flushing wildly.

"Lay off, Ron," Ginny said, moving to the table where Molly placed two more cups of tea.

"Mr Weasley," Harry greeted him. "It's good to see you."

"And you, Harry," Arthur smiled. "Harry, we do need to talk..."

Harry, still trying to get over his embarrassment, looked up, rather disconcerted to find Arthur Weasley looking at him intently.

"Mr Weasley?"

"Harry, you put an almighty scare into the Order this morning."

"How so?"

"You disappeared from your aunt's home and no one knew where you were for over three hours."

"I suppose that the Aurors who were supposed to be watching me missed my leaving, then?"

Arthur sighed. "The point is, Harry, you weren't supposed to leave. You and Albus agreed..."

"I didn't agree to anything, Mr Weasley. Professor Dumbledore didn't give me a chance to disagree. He sent me an owl close to midnight last night telling me that I wouldn't be allowed to leave today."

Arthur looked at him, obviously strained.

"Look, I'm sorry..." Harry ran his hand through his already messy hair. "When I... when I got the bike, all I could think of was coming here... seeing... well..."

"Harry..."

But Harry wasn't listening. He stood, pulling his keys from his pocket and tossed them across the table. Bill caught them reflexively in mid-air.

"Harry?"

"I've got to go to London. I'll be at the Leaky Cauldron. The bike isn't safe there, and I won't be able to take it to school with me, so it's yours until I graduate in the spring. Take care of it."

"Harry..." Bill's eyes widened.

"I just..." Harry sighed, glancing at Ron and Ginny. "Let me know when you're coming to Diagon Alley."

"Harry..." Arthur began again.

"No, Mr Weasley, you're right. Dumbledore is going to be upset, but he's going to be upset with me. I'll let him know that I'm okay, but there's no reason to drag you and Mrs Weasley into this."

"Harry, sit down," Molly said, pressing on his shoulders and forcing him to sit back down.

"Mrs Weasley..."

"Harry," she pulled out a chair and sat, facing him. "Harry, you are always welcome here, and it has nothing to do with your involving us. We are involved, Harry. But you need to be in your aunt's presence, living with her, for her blood to protect you."

"Until I came of age," Harry said quietly.

"No, Harry... for as long as you're in danger," Arthur said. "But Dumbledore... he knew how much you hated living there, and he never believed that it would take this long for us to..."

"He expected me to take on Voldemort before now?"

Molly and Arthur exchanged an odd glance.

"He expected us to find a solution before you ever came of age, Harry."

"He hasn't told you the prophecy, has he?" Harry asked, glancing between them, stunned. He had thought the entire Order would know it by now.

"The prophecy?" Arthur looked at him. "You mean the one from the Department of Mysteries that we were guarding?"

"Yes."

"But, Harry," Molly said quietly. "It was lost... that night. Smashed..."

"No... I mean, yes... it was smashed, but..."

"You heard it?"

"Dumbledore told me, later."

"But how?"

"He was the one who witnessed it," Harry explained. "It's about me. And him... Voldemort."

Molly and Arthur, and the three of their children present, were silent. Harry sighed.

"Look, it's rather long and involved," Harry glanced around. "But, basically, it says that either I have to be the one to kill Voldemort, or die trying."

Ginny gasped, Molly cried out, and Ron made a strange gurgling sound.

"Harry?" Ginny was the first to recover her voice. "You mean...?"

At that moment, there was a flare from the fireplace, and Dumbledore himself came into the room.

"Harry, here you are..." the old headmaster sighed.

"I'm sorry, Albus..." Arthur stood. "I was just about to floo you..."

"That's fine, that's fine..." Dumbledore said, glancing at Arthur, then back to Harry. "I spoke to your aunt..."

"You spoke to Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked.

"Yes. I've explained that you need to come back, to stay there until..."

"No."

"Harry?" Dumbledore looked closely at him, noting the expression on the young wizard's face.

"I'm not going back there, Professor. I'm sorry."

"Harry, you can't stay here..."

"I know that," Harry agreed. "I'll stay at the Leaky Cauldron... or somewhere in Diagon Alley. I'll even go to Grimmauld Place if you want, although I won't promise not to pin that bloody house elf up if I do. But I am not going back to my aunt and uncle."

"Harry, you must. You must be in the care of your aunt, one of your mother's blood..."

"I am of my mother's blood," Harry said stubbornly. "And I am of age, as of today. I will not go back there."

"Harry, your aunt's blood protects you."

"I am not going back."

"You need to be in her presence..."

"Then bring her to me," Harry said. "Because I am not going back there. Ever."

"Bring her...?"

"Let her see. Let her see what she turned her back on. Let her see what I am. If you want her with me, it's on my terms. She can be an unwelcome guest in my home, instead of the other way around."

"Your home?" Dumbledore looked pale.

"Yes. I have enough gold sitting in Gringotts. I'll buy a house."

"That won't be necessary," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Necessary, nothing. I'm of age now... I'll spend it as I see fit."

"Certainly, Harry, but you don't need to buy a house. You already have one."

Harry was silent for a moment, looking carefully at the old professor.

"I do?"

"You do. Come."

"Come? Come where?"

"I shall take you there. Come, it's quite safe."

"Where?"

Dumbledore's eyes shone. Harry knew it wasn't happiness, it was some other emotion. Acceptance, perhaps.

He hoped.

"Where?" he repeated.

"Godric's Hollow, Harry. The Potter family estate at Godric's Hollow."