I don't own Harry and gang. Thank you JKR for having the foresight to give us a wonderful world to play in!

Fluff included.

Thanks beta ZephyrDragon!

CHAPTER 7 – The intrusion

"Harry? Harry! You're not listening to me! What's the matter with you?"

Harry had agreed to meet Hermione the next day, while Ginny was at Quidditch practice. They were sitting at the back of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in Dragon Alley. Florean Fortescue himself was no longer with them, having perished in the war, but his daughter Florence had taken over the business in honour of her father who had valiantly fought against the Death Eaters during the war.

Despite Hermione's request of sitting outside to enjoy the warm weather, Harry had adamantly refused. He still did not like to be seen in public or make himself an easy target for any Dark Wizard who happened to be passing by. He had chosen a table at the back of the shop, and had sat with his back to the wall, surveying the rest of the restaurant for potential enemies. A few of the other patrons who had recognized them had whispered "Harry Potter! Hermione Granger!" as they had walked by and some were still looking in their direction.

"Sorry, Hermione... What were you saying?" he asked, taking his eyes off of his surveillance and looking at Hermione

"I was saying…"

"Well, well, well! If it's not Harry Potter! And Hermione Granger!"

Harry would have recognized this voice he disliked so profoundly anywhere. In the second he had taken his eyes away from the front door, she had sneaked in like a little annoying bug.

"Good morning, Rita," said Hermione sweetly, turning to look at the woman who was now standing next to their table. "Have you destroyed anybody's life lately?"

Harry was fuming and could barely control himself. He could not believe he had been stupid enough to drop his constant vigilance. He was lucky the only bad thing to happen was Rita Skeeter, since a Death Eater would have undoubtedly been more unpleasant, if not deadly...

It was the first time he had seen the reporter since she had written Dumbledore's biography, and the only thing he wanted to do was to transfigure her into a rat so she could go and live with her kin. However, after a moment he considered the option to be inconsiderate for the rats.

"Tsk! Tsk! Such an unbecoming question from such a lovely girl," said Rita lightly.

"Rita, in case you didn't notice, you're not welcomed here," said Hermione coldly, losing any pretence at civility. "Go and find someone else to annoy!"

With her chin in the air, Rita walked away, tripping on the door step. Harry and Hermione exploded with laugher as they watched her disappear into the street.

"I hate that woman," said Hermione, turning to Harry and sharing a grin with him.

"That makes two of us!" said Harry, looking back at the street where Rita had vanished.

He frowned. Judging by the direction she had taken, he should still be able to see her.

"So, tell me, why are you so… distracted today?" asked Hermione, bringing back his attention to her.

Harry did not answer. He simply grinned at Hermione who inhaled sharply.

"You did not!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," he said, blushing furiously.

"Tell me: was it like you'd imagined?"

"Hermione!" exclaimed Harry surprised by her curiosity.

"I want to know," she said unapologetically.

"And I don't want to tell you... but I did tell her not to worry; I won't leave her."

"Oh, Harry! You're so sweet! Ron could definitely take a pointer or two from you… He's not very romantic, you know… I don't think he had a lot of very good advices, with five brothers and all. Can you believe he still hasn't asked me to Commit yet? And we've been dating for how long now?"

"Commit? What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"What? You don't know?"

"No," answered Harry, wondering how many other things he didn't know of the wizarding world, despite having lived in it for the last nine years.

"It's this old wizarding tradition, you see. Before a wizard and a witch get Engaged, they Commit to one another, she began, in full lecture mode. "It's a little like the Claddagh ring tradition, if you would. Actually, the Claddagh ring tradition is inspired by the Wizarding Commitment however, with the status of secrecy, other explanations have to be provided for the origin of the ring.

"The Claddagh ring can be worn four different ways: one to show you are not involved with anyone, one to show somebody has captured your heart, another one to show you are engaged and the last one to show you are married.

"The Commitment shows somebody has captured your heart and the ring is worn on the middle finger of the left hand. The Commitment is also a little more binding than the Claddagh ring tradition as it contains some elements of the Unbreakable Vow worked into it."

"Unbreakable vow? Isn't it a little… much?" asked Harry, remembering the consequences of the Unbreakable Vow Snape had taken.

"Not really. The vow can actually be broken after a period of time if the heart doesn't stay captured… It's a little like an Engagement, really, but a step down from it, if you will."

"Does Ron even know about this?"

"Yes, Angelina and George Committed last year. Apparently they were the first ones to follow the tradition since Aunt Muriel. For once in her life, she actually approved of George."

"Wow! And Ron hasn't… Committed? Or ask you to?"

"No, which is a little disappointing since we've been dating for over two years. It's as if I haven't captured his heart."

"Does he even know you want to follow the tradition?"

"Well, I left some books on the subject lying around," said Hermione.

"You mean to tell me Ron reads book now? Have I been gone that long?"

"Oh! You've got a point there, Harry," said Hermione with a sigh. "Ron does not usually read books unless it is about Quidditch…"

Harry shrugged, taking another mouthful of ice cream while he surveyed the Parlour. While he looked around, his mind wandered again. He had very much wanted to try what Fleur had shown him the day before, but Ginny had to go to Quidditch today and he didn't want her to be tired. She hadn't come to his room and he hadn't dared to seek her out. As much as sleeping next to her would have been immensely satisfying, even fully dressed, he knew she would not have got much sleep, and she needed the rest.

"Enough about me! What about you? What have you and Ginny been doing these past few days?" asked Hermione, bringing his attention back to her.

"We went to visit Buckingham Palace and the House of Parliament. She was intrigued by the Muggle government system. She wondered how the Muggles can keep it all organised. I think Ginny understands why I like it in the Muggle world: no staring... no 'Harry Potter' whispers everywhere I go."

"Now that you mention it, I think that's why Ron doesn't like it much there," said Hermione, laughing. "I think he prefers by far all the attention."

"He can have it!" said Harry. "I would love to be plain old nobody Harry!"

"Yes, you probably would."

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That night, dinner with Ginny had been a wonderful and peaceful moment. Again, she had told him about Quidditch and Harry had just enjoyed just listening to her. Following dinner, they had spent the evening sitting in the Drawing Room, reading and listening to Muggle music. Ginny definitely had a taste for it, especially the local artists. It had been almost midnight when she had stood up and said: "It's late. I think I'm going to call it a night."

Harry, freshly showered and holding his pyjamas in his hands, was sitting on his bed, wondering if he should join Ginny in her bedroom for the night. He wanted to be with her so much, he felt almost sick with need. She didn't have Quidditch practice the next morning, but he didn't know if he should go to her, or if Ginny would want him to.

The last two years had changed her. While Harry knew Ginny would stand up to him if she didn't want him around, the Ginny he had seen these past few days was so much quieter than the forceful and fierce girl he had known at Hogwarts. Somehow, she had, like him, grown older and, while she was still quite independent, she was also a lot more introverted and withdrawn. He wondered if the Carrows had done that to her.

Regardless of how much she may have changed, his heart, his mind and his soul still craved her as much as his body now did, and he knew, deep in his heart, he would never be able to love anyone else like he did her.

He was still debating the idea of joining herwhen he heard someone on the stairway. A few moments later, the door opened and Ginny entered his bedroom, closing the door behind her. Harry realised at that moment he was still holding his pyjamas in his hands, and thoughts of her had had its usual effect on his body. He blushed when he realised Ginny could see it too.

However, Ginny was not looking at him. She was staring at the floor and hesitantly, she walked to him.

"I don't want to be alone," she said shyly. "Ever again!"

She removed her bathrobe and let it slide to the floor, revealing the same sleeveless nightdress she was wearing two nights before. She climbed onto his bed, removed her nightdress, and threw it to the floor next to her bathrobe. She lay down behind Harry and pulled the blanket over her.

Harry, looking at the bathrobe and the nightdress on the floor at his feet in surprise, just sat there without moving for a few seconds. He shook his head to clear it, turned off most of the candles with a flick of his wand, removed his glasses and turned to Ginny. She looked back at him, uncertain, waiting to see what he would do next. He lay on his side under the blanket next to her and began to trace small circles on her shoulder with his finger, looking at her with a contented smile. He kissed her hair, not sure if he should take things further. Relaxing, Ginny snuggled against his chest, her head resting close to his shoulder, her eyes closed.

With his finger, he began to slowly follow the scar from her left shoulder to her right hip. He had just reached the space between her breasts when suddenly, Ginny's eyes flew open and she pushed his hand away. Harry realised the scar was probably a very sensitive issue for Ginny and maybe he shouldn't have tried to trace it. His suspicions were confirmed when Ginny rolled on her side, turning her back on him.

'What?' wondered Harry, completely taken aback by her reaction. The last thing he had expected was for Ginny to react so strongly as to pull away from him. He debated for a moment if he should leave her alone. If she had been Ron, he would have let her figure things out on her own before approaching her... but this was Ginny, the woman he loved and the one he knew had suffered greatly in his absence. In the last few years, he himself had only been happy when she was with him. He couldn't let her pull away from him like this, visibly hurt by her past.

Slowly, he pulled her back towards him, pulling her body against his, all desire forgotten in her moment of distress. Gently, he kissed her temple and just held her, letting her know, by his presence, he was there for her. He wanted so much to know what was wrong, but he figured she would talk when she was ready... and he wasn't disappointed.

"I was coming back from the library shortly before Easter," she began. "We always travelled in pairs... It was just too dangerous to do otherwise. We were almost to the stairway to the dormitory when Crabbe surprised us. He knocked the other girl I was with on the head with something... I think it was a statue of some sort... and before I knew it, she was lying unconscious and I was stuck in a full body bind.

"He dragged me into a classroom and... and he took out a knife... A big, huge knife. He cut my clothes with it. Let me tell you, he doesn't have a lot of skill with a knife," she added with a sad chuckle, "he managed cut me, too.

"I have never been so afraid in my entire life. I have never regretted that we hadn't made love before you left as much as I did then..."

Brusquely, she wiped the tears that were now falling from her eyes.

Harry was tensed with hatred. He wished, at that moment, he could resurrect Crabbe so he could killed him again, slowly and painfully. How dare he touch Ginny like this? Harry felt the huge to stand up and pace his frustration around the room. It took all his willpower to actually stay where he was, holding Ginny, giving her the strength he knew she wanted and found in his arms.

"He ripped off my clothes and... and pulled down his pants," she added with a sob. "I never saw anything so disgusting in my entire life... I was so afraid I would be repulsed by you, too.

"Then he said he wanted to hear me scream, so he unfroze me. Stupid git! As soon as I was free, I kneed him, hard. Unfortunately for me, I had lost so much blood already. My head was spinning and I couldn't get away quick enough.

"He was about to catch me again when Neville arrived... The paintings, Harry, they went and got him.

"I was so disgusted with myself; I didn't want anybody to see me, or touch me, or look at me. Neville patched me up as best he could and that night, I slept in your bed while Neville just watched over me.

"The next morning, the cut had got infected pretty badly. I was feverish so Neville went to get McGonagall. Somehow, she got Madam Pomfrey to the dormitory to see me... but by that time, it was too late to prevent the scar.

"Somehow, McGonagall managed to get a message to Mum... That's why she kept me home after Easter - it was just too dangerous for me to go back... You see, since I'm a pure blood, they considered I wouldn't contaminate them... but at the same time, I was a blood traitor, so it meant they could try to do whatever they wanted with me. That time was too close a call... McGonagall just couldn't take the risk of keeping me at school."

Harry just held her, kissing her hair gently.

"I always wondered if you would be repulsed by me once you saw it," she said, turning around in his arms and looking into his eyes.

"How can I? Ginny, I'm not in love with you because of the way you look. I'm in love with you because of who you are. The fact you are drop dead gorgeous is only an added bonus as far as I'm concerned," he said to her sincerely.

She looked at his chest, at the dragon which was covering his own scar.

"You really mean that, don't you?" she asked, caressing the dragon.

"Yes, I do," he answered, kissing her forehead.

She looked up at him and kissed him softly, then insistently. Harry could feel himself getting hard against her belly. Here was the woman he loved, naked in his arms, kissing him with a hunger that took his breath away. And he wanted her so much... but he also wanted this moment to be all about her, all about the love he felt for her. He remembered Fleur's instructions and let his love guide his movements.

Without breaking their kiss, he gently pushed her on her back. His hand found one of her breast, which he hadn't dared touch the two nights before. She gasped in surprise and moaned softly against his mouth. Once her nipple was hard, he took the other breast in his hand and caressed it until it became as hard as the first one. All the while, Ginny breading became harder.

When both her nipples were hard, he caressed her flat stomach, moving lower and lower still, until his hand found her pubic hair. With his inexperienced finger, he probed her and soon discovered, guided by her reaction to his probing, her centre of pleasure. She moaned even louder, and in less time than he thought it would take, she came, whispering his name. He could now feel with his finger how very ready she was to accept him into her.

She looked at him and, he could see, by the dimmed light, that her eyes were very shinny and somewhat unfocused. Her lips founds his and she kissed him again, her lips begging for what her body so desired. She pulled him on top of her and slowly, he eased his way into her. She was still tight but her lubrication made his progress a lot easier. He still moved slowly and he was relieved that not once did she wince in pain.

He moved into her, with a regular rhythm, and more than once he had to stop, so close was he to coming. But he refused to give in to it until he could give Ginny the pleasure she deserved. And finally, what he had hoped for happened; Ginny began to contract erratically around him, moaning with her climax, her face against his shoulder. Feeling the contractions all around him, he could not help himself and came too, his moans joining hers.

He rolled off of her and pulled her on him. She lay there, panting, completely covering him.

"How?" she simply asked a few minutes later.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked softly.

She didn't answer so he didn't explain. He simply enjoyed the feel of her on him, and the ability to caress her back and her long hair.

"I love you Harry James Potter," she whispered.

"I love you Ginevra Molly Weasley."

Very soon, she was sleeping and, content, and Harry followed her into sleep.

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The next morning, Harry was sitting at the table eating breakfast with Ginny when she squeezed his hand hard. Holding hands with her, he had been reading a book on Defence Against the Dark Arts over his breakfast, while she was reading the Daily Prophet.

Harry looked up from his book and saw her eyes opened wide in surprise.

"What?" he asked.

She turned the paper towards him and Harry saw a picture of himself, next to one of Ginny in her Quidditch uniform.

Harry Potter – The most eligible bachelor now taken!

By Rita Skeeter

Harry Potter, Conqueror of You-Know-Who, is no longer on the market for romance. The Boy-Who-Lived is now dating his best friend's little sister, Ginny Weasley, the recently recruited Holyhead Harpies Chaser.

One must wonder if Weasley, a few years younger than him, is not so desperate for attention that she went as far as bewitching our poor hero. "I think she did," said Pansy Parkinson. "I think she bewitched him. He never set eyes on her at school."

While the couple has not been seen in the wizarding world, they spent a significant amount of time in the Muggle world. "Ginny understands why I like it in the Muggle world," said Potter. Will Weasley, who is the daughter of famous Muggle lover and Head of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects, Arthur Weasley, use her influence over Potter to promote her family views into the wizarding community? Her efforts seem to be already gaining success with our hero, who now seems to prefer the company of Muggles to the company of his own kind…

"How in the world did she find out we were dating?" asked Ginny, sounding as annoyed as Harry felt.

"No idea," answered Harry. "How did she…"

But he never finished what he was about to say as he suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Hermione the day before. He remembered saying to Hermione the quote Rita used in her article. It could only mean one thing: she had been listening to them!

"Malda!" called Harry, now furious.

"Harry, what's going on?" asked Ginny puzzled.

"Yes, Master?" asked Malda, Apparating right next to Harry.

"Malda, do me a favour, would you? Take this to Hermione at the Ministry, show her this article, and ask her what she thinks."

"Yes, Master."

Malda Disapparated with the newspaper.

"Harry?" prompted Ginny again.

"She's done it again!" said Harry, standing up and pacing alongside the table. "Rita Skeeter transformed into her bug, and spied on Hermione and me yesterday afternoon when we were in Diagon Alley."

"Oh! I see," said Ginny.

She watched him pace for a few moments, then a grin appeared on her face.

"You know, come to think of it, it is amusing actually," said Ginny.

"Amusing?" asked Harry, stopping in his tracks. "She spied on me!"

"And she called me attention seeking," replied Ginny. "Now, you have to admit, that is quite funny. I've already got all the attention I want with the Harpies and being a war hero myself... Who do you think will believe a word she wrote? Everybody has read all about me in the newspaper already, anyway."

Harry grinned back at her. He had to give it to her to find humour in some more fabrications by Rita Skeeter.

"You know, I wonder what her Patronus looks like," she added thoughtfully.

"A giant cockroach, maybe?" he answered amused.

"That would be fitting!"

"Very much so."

Malda Apparated next to Harry.

"Master, Miss Granger said: "This witch should know better than to spy on us. I'll make sure she remembers that"."

"Thank you, Malda," said Harry with a smile. "It takes care of it, then," he added, sitting down.

He took Ginny's hand in his and returned to his book.

"Harry, I was wondering…" began Ginny after a few seconds of silence. "Have you ever thought about changing bedroom?"

Harry looked at her frowning, wondering why she was asking.

"As much as I love spending my nights with you, I do not really fancy being stared at by women in bikinis who do not have the decency to turn around when we're together," she explained, blushing almost as red as her hair.

Harry just laughed. While she was right, her request was actually funny.

"I have no problems with moving," said Harry. "Actually, it's a brilliant idea. I think it's about time we occupy the master bedroom, don't you think? However, it may take a few days to fix it up. If you remember, the last occupant was Buckbeak," added Harry.

For the next week, Harry, with the help of Kreacher and Malda, worked on cleaning and restoring the master bedroom every time Ginny was away to Quidditch. Harry also spent some mornings at the Burrow, learning and perfecting his healing skills. He was not as good as Mrs Weasley but she told him he was better than average since most people did not bother learning any healing skills at all. Harry didn't know if it meant he was any good, but if it meant he could make Ginny comfortable when she was hurt, and heal her minor injuries, it was good enough for him.

He got to practice his new skills when Malda hurt herself helping him with the bedroom renovation. His skills had shown to be surprisingly improved and he healed Malda pretty well.

A week and a half after Ginny's request, Harry was finally ready for them to move into the master bedroom. After a very small amount of consideration, he had decided to decorate this room after his Gryffindor dormitory. The walls were now a rich red with incrusted gold designs. The floor was a dark golden hardwood, and the four-post bed was set on a dais, red drapes hanging down each side. Harry had also bought two antique wardrobes and a chest of drawers in the same golden wood as the floor. He also found an antique dressing table with a large mirror and a small stool for Ginny. Finally, he had placed a comfortable love seat in front of the fireplace, with a fluffy golden carpet right in front of it.

On the wall, next to his bed, he had installed the painting of the Marauders, which he had cut out of Sirius' bedroom wall. He would eventually have to get rid of all the walls in that bedroom as he hadn't found a way to remove just the posters, which were stuck on with permanent glue.

All in all, any Gryffindor would have found themselves quite at home in this redecorated master bedroom.

That night, when he showed the room to Ginny, she smiled.

"This feels like – home, doesn't it?" she asked.

"You like it?" asked Harry.

"Oh, yes!" she answered, walking around the room and stopping in front of the dressing table.

Malda had already put Ginny's things on it.

"You know, during the war, the Gryffindor tower was one of our only solaces from the Carrows," she said quietly. "We knew Professor McGonagall would never have given the password or let any of them in. It was one of the only places we were safe and found comfort.

"While the Gryffindor represents 'home' to you, it represents 'safety' to me."

She turned to look at Harry.

"I will always love places which remind me of Gryffindor, Harry. And even more when I get to share them with you."

She walked to him and took refuge in his arms.

"You could not have chosen better," she said against his chest. "Honestly, you could not have."

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Harry and Ginny were fast asleep that night when they were shaken awake by a very frightened Malda.

"Malda, what's wrong?" asked Harry surprised, instantly awake.

"Master, there is an intruder in the kitchen!" she said fearfully. "He just Apparated there, and Malda and Kreacher do not know him!"

"Malda, you and Kreacher hide yourself in the attic and do not come out until Ginny or I tell you to, okay?" said Harry urgently, reaching for his pyjamas.

Malda Disapparated while Harry got dressed, reached for his glasses and grabbed his wand. As much as he wanted to tell Ginny to hide, he knew she would not and besides, he may need her. She was after all a very good duellist.

"I disarm and you petrify?" he asked Ginny.

"Yes," she whispered, slipping her nightdress over her head.

Harry pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and hid them underneath it. They walked out of the bedroom and awaited the intruder at the top of the stairway, looking down towards the second floor. Harry figured if he was up to no good, the intruder was bound to come up and look for them. And he was not disappointed. A few seconds after they had taken position, they saw light on the second floor and heard someone who was quietly searching the rooms one by one. The intruder was very thorough in his search and took his time, as if expecting no one would wake before he found them.

The intruder finally came into view and was slowly placing his foot on the first step up when Harry yelled: "Expelliarmus!" and Ginny said: "Petrificus totallus!"

The intruder's wand flew away and he froze at attention, falling to the floor. Harry and Ginny ran to him while Harry lit all the lights with a flick of his wand.

"Yaxley!" he said when he saw who it was. "Yaxley! But you're supposed to be dead!" he yelled in frustration, violently kicking the man in the ribs.

"How did he get in?" asked Ginny. "The Fidelius Charm?"

"He grabbed Hermione when we tried to Apparate here during the war," said Harry. "Ginny, go to the Burrow while I take him to the Ministry lock up. Take Kreacher, Malda and the baby with you. Once you're there, send an owl to Hermione and tell her to come tomorrow morning first thing. It is time we reset the Fidelius Charm and Hermione is the best I know with protection spells. I'll join you there as soon as I am done with this."

Ginny nodded firmly and left to get the house-elves.

"And you!" said Harry, turning to Yaxley. "You're going to jail! Mobilicorpus!"

Harry levitated Yaxley to the kitchen and took the Floo network to the Ministry. At that time of night, the place was deserted except for a guard.

"Mr Potter," he said, recognizing Harry at once.

He looked Harry up and down, and frowned to see him wearing pyjamas.

"Late night, I see," said the guard.

"We could say that, all right," said Harry annoyed. "I found this vermin crawling in my house just now," he said, pointing at the floating Yaxley. "And I would like very much to show him the inside of an Auror cell."

The guard, who had worked at the Ministry during the war, recognized Yaxley at once.

"We wouldn't want to prevent our guest from enjoying our hospitality, would we?" said the guard with a charming smile, walking from behind his desk. "Let's show this…thing… how cosy things are nowadays, shall we?"

The guard walked towards the lifts followed by Harry and the floating Yaxley. Ten minutes later, Yaxley was enclosed in a magical cell of the Auror's Department. Neither the guard nor Harry saw fit to remove the Petrify curse.

"Would you do me a favour?" asked Harry once they were back in the lift.

"Of course, Mr Potter," answered the guard.

"Would you tell Head Holmes I will drop by in the afternoon to explain all this?"

The lift doors opened into the lobby.

"No problem, Mr Potter," answered the guard, following Harry out of the lift. "Good night, now."

"Night," said Harry, taking the Floo Network to the Burrow.

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The next morning, after a thorough search of the house, Hermione reset the Fidelius charm with Harry as the secret keeper. They then tested its effectiveness by asking Ron to try and pay a visit to Grimmauld Place. The charm proved to be a success. After sharing the secret with Ron, Harry, accompanied by Ginny, visited all the Weasleys and their closest friends to share the location of Harry's home.

As he had promised, Harry went to meet Head Holmes early in the afternoon.

"I see that when you are not working, work seems to find you," said Holmes with an amused smile when Harry walked into his office.

Harry closed the door and sat in one of the chairs in front of Holmes' desk. The Head Auror took his wand and casted a Muffliato charm on the door.

"You're quite the talk of the office this morning," he said still amused. "Not only are you the best and most effective Auror we've got since Moody, you catch Death Eaters when you're not trying! Actually, you're such a Death Eater magnet, Harry, I wonder why we don't put someone down in Knockturn Alley with a sign that says 'Here stands Harry Potter'!"

"You may be surprised, sir," said Harry with a grin. "By the look of some of them, they may actually fall for it."

"I take it you have secured your house?" asked Holmes, becoming serious.

"Yes, sir," answered Harry.

"Fidelius?"

"Yes, sir."

Head Auror Holmes waited a few seconds expecting Harry to reveal the location of his house however Harry didn't do so. He may be working for Holmes but he had known him for a very short time. Besides, he would not share the secret with anybody until he had discussed it with Ginny. After all, since she was now practically living with him, her safety also depended on the secret remaining secret.

"You're wise beyond your years, Harry Potter," said Holmes after a few moments of silence. "I would not have told myself either!" he added, chuckling. "But I can tell something is bothering you."

"Well, sir, I thought Yaxley had died of his injuries after the Battle of Hogwarts."

"So did we," said Holmes so seriously that Harry raised an eyebrow. "Finding him in our jail this morning has more than your co-workers in an uproar, and for very different reasons… You see, if Yaxley did not die after the Battle, who died in his place and who is buried in the Azkaban cemetery? And if he could get away, how did he do it and, most importantly, how many others managed to get away as well, others we know nothing about? As you can imagine, all this is making the Ministry very uneasy and, of course, we are investigating this issue very carefully.

"Anything else you are thinking about, related to Yaxley's break in?"

"It was too easy," added Harry hesitantly, not sure himself why Yaxley's capture had seemed so odd to him, other than the fact Yaxley was supposed to be dead.

"What do you mean?" asked Holmes.
"Well, sir…" Harry hesitated. "The Yaxley I knew might not be the nicest person in the world, but he was not stupid, sir… It doesn't make sense for him to break into my house alone. I just don't think he would have done something so stupid, not after so long on the run. Yaxley was ambitious, sir. I don't think he would have taken such a risk just to get to me, especially since everybody thought him dead. I thought it would be more like him to try and gain followers to get more power, not reveal he actually got away.

"My thoughts exactly," said Holmes. "The only explanation we could find for this strange behaviour is that he was forced somehow."

Harry looked up quickly.

"Imperius curse, sir?"

"Maybe," answered Holmes. "And if it's the case…"

"But if it's the case, the person who sent him is going to reveal a lot more than the fact Yaxley survived and escaped. He would indicate to us that it happened, and he must have known we were bound to investigate... Anyway we look at this, it isn't good, sir," said Harry.

"No, it's not good," affirmed Holmes. "However, you, young man, are supposed to be on holiday," said Holmes with a totally different tone. "Therefore, this is not something for you to worry about – or at least, not yet."

Harry was not happy to find out he was not allowed to come back to work just yet, but he had to admit to himself he was really enjoying his time with Ginny and wasn't ready for it to end.

Harry stood up and left when he saw Head Auror Holmes was now concentrating on his paperwork, effectively dismissing him. When he arrived at the house, he found Ginny sitting at the kitchen table, reading one of his Defence Against the Dark Arts books. Kreacher was busy cooking dinner while Malda was feeding her baby.

"How did it go?" asked Ginny.

"Well, I think," answered Harry.
"You've got an owl," said Ginny pointing her chin towards the kitchen cupboard. "A very persistent one! He wouldn't let me remove the letter from him."

Harry walked to the owl and took the letter from its leg. As soon as he was free, the owl disappeared up the chimney. Harry looked at the letter and opened the envelope with a frown.

Dear Harry Potter,

You are hereby summoned to a meeting with Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt tomorrow morning at 10am.

Percy Weasley, Minister's Personal Assistant

Harry gave the letter to Ginny.

"Typical!" said Ginny amused. "Not even a 'Hello you lot, how are you doing?' Why do you think they want to see you anyway?"

"Don't know," answered Harry. "Probably got to do with Yaxley not being as dead as we thought he was."

Harry told her of his conversation with Holmes.

"Sounds to me like he learned something from the Order's operating book," said Ginny.

"What do you mean?"

"Using Polyjuice Potion to confuse the opponent," said Ginny, shrugging.

Harry stared at her.

"Why didn't it occur to me?" he asked.

He went to the study and came back a few minutes later with a letter in his hand.

"You know, we really need an owl," he said to Ginny.

"Master wants a letter delivered?" asked Malda, getting to her feet.

"Yes but you're taking care of your baby, Malda. It can wait," answered Harry.

"Malda will be but a minute sir," she said visibly eager to help Harry.

Harry looked at her for a few moments than gave her the letter.

"This goes to Sherlock Holmes, but…"

However, Harry did not have time to tell her to wait until she was done feeding the baby as she had already Disapparated. Harry had only time to sigh before she came back.

"Done, sir!" she said with a smile.

Ginny looked up at him, laughing amused.

"We are getting an owl," said Harry exasperated.