Harry had woken up hungry. He wondered when the last time his body had eaten a full meal was. Probably never. He thought to himself.
He kissed the top of Ginny's head before crawling out of their fort to head downstairs to make breakfast.
Ginny began to stir as he got up. Mum won't like that you're doing that. She said, still only half awake.
Harry smiled. He knew this of course, and he planned to use it to his advantage.
Come downstairs with me, Sleeping Beauty. I'll make pancakes!
Five more minutes. Ginny mumbled, rolling over and falling back asleep.
One hour later, Harry had made a very large breakfast as well as cleaned every surface in the kitchen.
Bill Weasley woke to the smell of his favorite breakfast, pancakes. He stumbled downstairs and was halfway through both yawning and wishing his mum good morning when he saw who was setting the table.
"H-harry?" he asked, not quite ready to believe what he was seeing.
Harry turned around; dropping the plate he was holding. He looked at Bill with wide eyes. It had been while since anyone had been able to startle him like that. Harry supposed his hearing wasn't as good, being that he was now four. He saw the mess of broken plate on the floor and panicked. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he said, shrinking into himself. Although he consciously knew that Bill would never hurt him, his body reacted out of habit and feared the worst.
Bill just stared for a moment in shock before shaking himself and walking towards Harry. "It's alright; it's easy to clean up." Harry immediately grabbed for the broom and dustpan when Bill reached out to stop him. "Whoa there, I've got it…" He paused; his words about the danger of the now-shattered plate lost to him. Harry had shrunk away from his hand as if waiting to be hit. "Harry, are you…"
Fred and George chose that moment to come chasing one another down the stairs. They stopped short when they saw the piles of pancakes on the table. "Wicked!" They said together.
"But where's…"
"…mum?"
Bill turned to the twin pranksters. "Fred, George, would you mind going and waking her up?"
They looked up at their brother with identical confused faces.
"But then…"
"…who made…"
"…all of this?"
Ron came in just then rubbing at his eyes. He looked up and saw the kitchen. "Why's everything so clean? Did we get a house elf?"
"Just go wake up mum!" Bill yelled at the twins. They ran up the stairs bumping into Percy, who was making his way down.
"Watch where you're going!" Fred and George shouted in unison before continuing up the stairs. Percy scowled at them.
Bill turned his attention back to Harry, who was still cowering in fear. "Don't worry, Harry. I'm not going to hurt you."
Bill however, did not know that Harry was no longer afraid of punishment, but for the fact that he couldn't hear Ginny.
GINNY! He yelled in his mind again.
But he couldn't hear any response from her.
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
Ginny woke up hearing the twins running up the stairs. She could smell breakfast downstairs and smiled. Morning, Harry! She called out through their link. There was no response. Harry... HARRY?
She reached across their bond, but couldn't feel the familiar presence. What's going on? She thought desperately, fearing the worst. She ripped the covers off and ran downstairs, pushing past her mother in her haste to find Harry.
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
Harry was in a panic. He couldn't find Ginny's mind through the link, and feared the worst.
Just then, Ginny came running noisily down the stairs. As soon as Harry saw her, he felt her of panic, and then relief when she saw him. Harry! She called through their minds before running over and giving him a huge bear hug.
Ginny! What's going on? It's never had limits before…
I know. I couldn't find you until I got into the room… Harry, why's this happening?
I don't know, Gin. It probably has to do with the jump. We need to talk to Professor Dumbledore.
Mrs. Weasley, who had been brought down was looking with confusion at the two. She looked at her eldest son, who was just as confused as she was. "What's going on?" She whispered to Bill.
"I don't know…" he whispered back. The magic built up from the bond mates emotions made the air thick.
But Harry, how will we explain to him? He said not to tell him.
Harry thought back to one of their many talks with Dumbledore. "Now, my boy," Dumbledore had said. "Once you are back, you are not to tell me anything about your Jump until absolutely necessary."
"B-but Sir?" Harry had been confused, how were they to get anything accomplished without him?
"You must understand, Harry. I know myself well enough to realize that I wouldn't take it well. I'd try to take control of the situation far too early. If it is possible, avoid telling me until your Hogwarts letter arrives, later if possible."
"But, Professor, wouldn't you understand? I mean, you understand now. Maybe if we explained it right…"
"Harry, my boy, self awareness is an important thing to posses, and I am aware that my past self would not be comfortable listening to a four year old."
"I guess I understand… when you put it like that…"
"Then it is settled." He'd said, his eyes twinkling. "Now, if the situation ever arises that you must tell me, I have a codeword for a time travelers to use. I created it in my youth, when a good friend of mine played a trick on me, insisting I'd sent him from the future. Let's just say it didn't end well."
"If you don't mind me asking, sir, what happened?"
Dumbledore frowned. "I ended up in the Great Hall, wearing an extremely unflattering ballerina costume.
Ginny couldn't help but smile at Harry's thoughts.
That would have been a sight worth seeing. Ginny thought. But how are we to get Dumbledore's help if we can't tell him what's going on?
Act like scared little kids? He did say he'd try to take control, so why don't we just… let him?
I suppose…
"Ginny?" They both turned to see a very worried looking Mrs. Weasley. They both stepped away from each other when they realized they'd been hugging the whole time.
Ginny put on a face of wide-eyed innocence. "Morning, mum!"
"Er… Morning dear. What… what's all this about?"
Mrs. Weasley was surprised when Harry answered instead of Ginny. "Oh, she was just scared because she couldn't hear me anymore."
"I thought something bad might have happened to him, and he was worried at the same time because he was calling me and I wasn't answering, even when he called really loud."
Bill looked at Harry. "What do you mean, 'he called you'… Harry didn't say a word."
Ginny just looked at her brother in confusion. "Why would he have to say anything to call me?"
No one spoke as everyone tried to understand what she meant. Mr. Weasley, who'd followed his wife downstairs, finally broke the silence. "Ginny, how did he call you if he didn't say anything?"
"He called…"
"…in my mind." They finished each other's sentence much like the twins did. It was something they'd gotten in the habit of doing after their soul bond until Hermione convinced them to learn to stop to save her from headaches.
The Weasleys just stared at them, unsure how to respond, or whom to respond to for that matter. Charlie choose that moment to come downstairs, yawning widely while rubbing his eyes and muttering, "Morning, everyone."
The roomful of people all turned and looked at him. "Err... did I miss something?" he asked nervously. Ginny couldn't help but giggle, and Harry joined her, before long they were both were holding in fits of laughter.
"You... all… look so… funny!" Ginny said through giggles.
Mrs. Weasley ignored the laughing children and turned her attention to the breakfast on the table. "Who made this?"
"I did." Harry said in a small voice.
"Harry always had to make breakfast where he used to live, and he wasn't even aloud to eat any of it!" Ginny told them.
"Did Harry tell you this in your mind as well?" Mr. Weasley asked, glancing nervously between his daughter and the Boy-Who-Lived.
"No." she stated simply. "I saw it."
"Saw it? What does she mean she saw it? What's going on?" asked Charlie.
"I saw it in his memory." No one spoke so she continued. "Yesterday morning he was making breakfast, but he burnt it. So his Aunt hit him on the arm with the hot frying pan. Then he was sent to his cupboard without food. Actually, his arm still hurts pretty badly."
Harry grabbed his arm and held it. Truthfully, it didn't hurt much, but he supposed to Ginny, whose body wouldn't be used to pain, would feel it as being worse when she assessed it through their minds. I think you might have over done it Firefly. It looks like your mum is about to cry.
"I'm just telling them the truth." Ginny said aloud to Harry.
I "know," but you know how your mum can get, I'll be fussed over for "days!" Harry said, reverting back to another one of their old habits where they said random words aloud for emphasis.
"Well," you "deserve" to be fussed over. When was the last time you ate "anything?"
"Err…" Harry thought back. He had stolen some bread from the kitchen day before yesterday, and had gotten water from the sink in the bathroom yesterday morning.
"See!" Now you're going to "let" mum fuss over you, and "not" wine like a four year old.
But I "am" a four year old. Harry replied cheekily.
That's enough of your cheek. Ginny smiled.
The Weasleys watched the exchange confused. They couldn't make any sense of what Harry and Ginny were saying to each other, and it was only that confusion that kept Mrs. Weasley from jumping across the room and fussing over Harry.
Ginny turned back to her family and asked, "Well, are we going to eat breakfast?"
That comment made them all shake out of their shock. The boys all went to sit at the table, while Mrs. Weasley went to look at Harry's arm. She gasped when she saw the burned and bruised flesh. "You need to see a healer!" she told him.
"Mum, can we do that after breakfast?"
"Ginny!" her mother scolded. "He is hurt and…"
Ginny cut her off, "Harry hasn't eaten since day before yesterday, and that was only a bit of bread that he stole from the kitchen. He doesn't remember the last time before then."
Mrs. Weasley turned to see a red-faced Harry looking at his feet. "Is that true?"
"Err… Yes, but don't worry, I'm used to…" He paused. "Mrs. Weasley?" he asked.
"Yes, dear?"
"Am I aloud to eat with you?"
"Of course!"
"Good, because Ginny just threatened to push me into the mud if I didn't." Harry stated with a serious expression. The entire table burst out laughing at Ginny's threat.
"Come here," Mrs. Weasley said softly, pulling out a chair for Harry and putting more pancakes on his plate than he could ever eat.
They ate breakfast rather quietly. There were a few conversations, but other than Harry and Ginny, no one continuously talked. They were all watching Harry and Ginny, who kept talking to each other in thoughts and random spoken words.
Once they were done with breakfast, Harry had only managed to eat one full pancake, and a few bites of a second before his stomach had begun to hurt from more food than he was used to. He didn't put any syrup on it, knowing he wouldn't be able to stomach the sweetness.
Mrs. Weasley saw how little Harry had eaten, but didn't comment, guessing by his size that he wasn't used to eating much food. Once breakfast was finished, Mrs. Weasley took Harry – and Ginny because she refused to leave Harry's side – to Hogwarts to see Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore.
After an extensive and rather embarrassing medical exam, Harry's arm was healed, along with a few other injuries he didn't even know he had. He was also given a potion to help with the severe malnourishment he was suffering from.
Professor Dumbledore was in a Wizengamot meeting, but Professor McGonagall promised to have him fire-call when he got back. Afterwards, they'd gone home and were told to play in the garden while Mrs. Weasley had made lunch. Harry had attempted to help her, but she'd shooed him out the door.
Fred and George, being their mischievous selves, suggested that they all play a game.
"What kind…"
"…of game?" Asked Harry and Ginny. Both were nervous, knowing anything the twins planned wouldn't be good.
The twins grinned and glanced at each other before staring straight back at Harry and Ginny. "Wedding," they replied. The evil grins not leaving their faces.
Half an hour later, Harry found himself in Bill's dress robes, standing in front of an amused looking Charlie, a smiling Fred and George, and an annoyed Percy who was squished between the twins to prevent escape.
Ron was walking toward him throwing flower petals, having been put up to it by Fred and George, and behind him came Ginny, who was wearing a white sheet draped around her like a dress and a matching pillowcase tied on her head as a veil. In her hands was a bouquet of wildflowers. She was smiling shyly at Harry. Both of them were rather embarrassed, but had gone along with the twins anyway.
Ginny stopped in front of Harry. Bill, who was standing behind them, said, "Now, Harry, repeat after me." He paused so Harry could nod. "I do."
"I do," said Harry. Ginny giggled.
"Now, Ginny." Bill continued. "Repeat after me," He paused again. "I do."
"I do." she repeated.
"Ok, do you have the rings?"
"Err… no?" Harry said.
"Well, that's ok I guess. I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride."
Ginny blushed a deep red as Harry placed a chaste kiss on her lips. The twins were both cheering and catcalling, so they didn't notice the slight magical surge from the pair.
Mrs. Weasley had been about to call outside for the children to come in for lunch when she saw what they were playing. She smiled when she saw Ginny and Harry. Then Harry kissed Ginny and she felt a surge of magic. That odd, She thought. She decided to ask Dumbledore about this when she saw him.
"Kids, Lunch time!" she called.
They all made a mad dash for the kitchen except for Harry and Ginny, who were blushing and walking slower, hand in hand. Mrs. Weasley sighed to herself. That had to be the cutest crush she'd ever seen.
Once everyone was seated at the table, Harry and Ginny still dressed up, the teasing began. "So, Fred, wherever shall we send the lovebirds for their honeymoon?"
"I dunno, George, maybe to the tree house?" The twins grinned evilly at Ginny and Harry's blushing faces.
"Now, boys, that enough," said Mrs. Weasley as she put sandwiches on everyone's plates.
Harry managed to eat two bites out of his sandwich before his stomach began to hurt. Gin, I can't eat anymore.
Ginny put down her sandwich and looked at him. She could feel that he was in pain from the amount of food, as he hadn't eaten much in his three years with the Dursleys, but she knew how her mum would react if he stopped eating now.
How about a distraction? She asked.
Good idea! Harry said, smiling at her thoughts.
"Mum, they're doing it again!" said an annoyed Percy who had been watching Harry and Ginny's changing facial expressions.
"Percy, leave them be." She replied while adding another sandwich to Ron's plate.
Ginny finished the rest of her sandwich hurriedly, and then put on a three-year-old-needs-potty-now act. She was excused and went upstairs, but instead of going to the bathroom, she went into Percy's room.
She closed the door behind her and quietly went over to the cage that held a sleeping Pettigrew in rat animagus form. She picked him up gently so he didn't wake up, and then she walked up to the bathroom. She walked into the bathroom, took a deep breath, and screamed.
She could hear everyone running up the stairs, and went down to meet them, with the rat in hand. "Ugh! Percy, take your stupid rat!" She said, shoving the rat, which was now awake, into Percy's hands.
Percy stared at it. "How'd he get out? He was in his cage!"
"How should I know?" Ginny asked with her hands on her hips. "Maybe you should keep him locked up better!"
Once the Weasley boys realized Ginny wasn't hurt, just startled, they began making their way back to the kitchen to finish lunch. That's when Harry spoke up. "Hey! I think I know that rat!"
"How do you know Scabbers?" Percy questioned.
"I remember him." Harry replied.
"He's had dreams about him. He looks like the same rat." Ginny supplied.
"Yes, only when I knew him, he wasn't called 'Scabbers', he was called Peter. " Harry added.
"Yes, Peter. Peter… Pettygrey?" Ginny asked her face thoughtful.
"Prettygrew?" Harry tried.
"Pettigrew?" Ginny asked.
"Yes! That's it! Peter Pettigrew!" Harry exclaimed, turning to the rat in question. Pettigrew had started struggling to free himself from Percy's grip to no avail. "But when I knew him, he could turn from being a person to being a rat."
Mrs. Weasley face had paled drastically. "Percy, give me your rat." She said in a shaky, commanding voice.
"But, mother, what's going on? You don't believe him, do you? It's preposterous!"
"Percy! You will listen, and give me your rat!" yelled Mrs. Weasley. Percy submitted to her when she used her 'mother-glare'.
Mrs. Weasley immediately pulled out her wand and stunned the struggling rat. She told all the boys to go finish lunch. "Bill, Charlie, you're in charge. Fred, George, behave! Harry, Ginny, come with me." They went to the fireplace and Flooed directly to Mr. Weasley's office in the ministry.
"Arthur!" She called out.
"Molly!" Mr. Weasley looked up from the paperwork at his desk in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Arthur, we may have a problem." She lowered her voice so Harry and Ginny wouldn't hear. "You remember the story of How Sirius Black betrayed the Potters and then killed Peter Pettigrew?"
"Yes, of course, but what…"
"Harry says he recognized Scabbers, but that when he knew him he could change from a human into a rat. Then he said his name was Peter Pettigrew! Harry couldn't have heard that name anywhere else! I… He…"
"Molly, calm down!" Mr. Weasley said, trying to help his wife, who was staring to have a breakdown. "All we have to do is an animagus revealing spell. We can take him down to the Aurors, they should know the spell."
Once Mrs. Weasley had calmed down (with the help of a calming drought from her husband) they headed to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Harry was putting on a face of wonder as he took everything in. He didn't have to act very much, as everything was very different looking from his shorter height.
It didn't take long to find a familiar Auror. Kingsley Shacklebolt was on his way back to his desk after his lunch break when he spotted Mr. Weasley. "Hello, Arthur. What brings you down here?"
"Ah, Kingsley, you wouldn't happen to know the animagus revealing spell, would you?"
He seemed surprised by this question, but answered, "Of course. All Aurors must learn it."
"Great! Could you possibly perform it on this rat? We have reason to believe he isn't just what he appears to be…"
In response, Kingsley pulled his wand out and a jet of blue-white light hit the stunned rat. There was a pause where nothing happened before a bright flash of light appeared that brought attention from the whole room to the man now lying on the floor.
All movement in the room stopped. Every eye was on the man who everyone had assumed dead.
After a solid minute of silence, Harry brought it upon himself to be the first to speak. "Yupp." He stated matter-of-factly. "That's Peter. I remember him."
Everyone began muttering to each other, louder and louder until Harry conveniently ran a hand through his hair and someone saw his scar. "Merlin! Is that Harry Potter?" shrieked a witch. That statement brought the room into chaos. Someone left the room and the news spread like wildfire.
Harry Potter was at the Ministry… and so was a very much alive Peter Pettigrew.