Disclaimer: Not mine. All character belongs to JK Rowling.
Chapter 10: The home away from home
Harry looked around and began observing his surroundings in the forest. It was dark and the silvery moon was shining down between the branches of the trees and leaves around him. Harry loved nature. It was so peaceful.
Before he could enjoy where he was at or do anything, he heard some distant rustling and breaking twigs from behind and in a flash he had his wand armed and ready. His training under the Aurors and his famous mentors had not dulled his sharpening skills. The first thing that he saw was a cloaked figure that was at least thirty yards away and was walking apparently away from him. Usually he wouldn't be the foolish Gryffindor who would just walk in and chase the suspicious person who was walking away from him in a forest, however something told him to go after the cloak figure. Curious at whom the cloak figure was, Harry began to follow the figure stealthily.
As he got closer, the figure apparently began to notice him and did nothing but slowed down its pace.
When Harry was sure he was close enough for any confrontation or anything, he called out to the figure boldly.
"Who are you?" Harry said now summoning his sword into his hand.
Though Harry could not see it due to the surrounding darkness of the night, which was odd because he was a Darkness Mage that could see through the night easily, the figure turned around and pulled down its hood.
"Who are you?" Harry asked again, something told him it wasn't an enemy and that he should lower his sword, but Harry knew he should never let his guard down.
Slowly, the figure stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. What shocked Harry was who it was.
"Harry... my love…"
It was Ginny…
Harry froze in shock. Was this Ginny standing in front of him? What the hell was going on? Wasn't she dead?
Wait… she's dead? When did this happen? How did it happen?
As quickly as he was thinking about it waves of memories appeared into his head. Memories of him accidentally appearing in this universe, him turning younger, his parents, his new family, and the last thing he did before he went to sleep was tucking in a tired Little Lily to sleep.
"I'm dreaming…" Harry said falling to his knees and looking at his beloved Ginny in shock.
"Yes, you are."
Harry couldn't believe he was dreaming of Ginny. He had not dreamed of her in so long. The last time he had dreamed of her was before he went to this dimension and met his new family.
"And you must wake now."
Harry snapped out of his daze and gave Ginny a wide eye look.
"Ginny… I don't want to wake… I want to stay here… with you."
Ginny gave her beloved a sad look with a mixture of love and desire.
"I… I... want... to be with you... as well Harry… but we can't... you must wake up now."
"No. Ginny, I don't want to! I… I…"
Ginny closed the distance between them and gave him a small kiss.
It was so warm and peaceful. The love that she was giving him from just a simple kiss made him not wanting to wake up. He rather stayed in a dream forever. Just to be with his love.
"You must wake up Harry… wake up." Ginny said in sad sorrow and stepped back.
Harry tried to step forward, but she was slowly fading away.
"Ginny! Please! Don't go! Ginny! GINNY! NOOO!" Harry shouted trying to touch her before his surroundings changed.
Harry, now fully awake began to quickly observe his surroundings and the closest person next to him.
His mother…
Without another thought, Harry gave her the biggest hug that he had ever given her and began to relax.
His mother who had woken up earlier embraced him and spoke to him quietly.
"Harry dear, it's okay, it was only a dream honey."
After several minutes he looked up to meet his mother's green eyes.
"You okay now sweetie?"
Harry nodded.
"You sure? You want to talk to me about what the dream was?" His mother asked.
Harry shook his head slowly.
She looked to be slightly disappointed, but nodded in understanding nevertheless.
"I understand, but remember I'll always be at your side." His mother whispered.
Harry half nodded.
She smiled and took his response as a yes. Putting her arm around him in a caring way, she held him close and began to sing him to sleep.
His mother had such a beautiful voice. It was like a melody to Harry's ears. He loved every moment with his mum. Even though it has only been a year with his family, he was still feeling unfamiliar emotions and feelings that he had never felt before.
Closing his eyes, Harry slowly began falling back to sleep. His last thoughts before he fell to sleep, was the love for his family and his mother.
"Love you… mum."
Lily sighed. Wide-awake, with nothing to do, she stood up from Harry's and her bed becoming official after sleeping there for the last year, decided to have a cup of coffee downstairs.
As she sat down on one of the kitchen's seat and drinking coffee, she began thinking about her eldest child, her son Harry.
Something was very different about her son. It wasn't just recently that she noticed, she noticed it for a long while now. It all started last year when they found him returning back from the forest or cemetery when he went missing.
She hated to say it, but before a year ago, Harry was clumsy, never showed any advance intelligence, and tried the best he could be to live up to his father's reputation by learning how to become a better Quidditch player and prankster. However, her son had changed. It was a huge change to. Her son was able to use wandless magic, which deemed to be very impressive, he was brilliant, very powerful, sometimes seemed older, and more mature than people his age! The sudden change in Harry worried her greatly.
Just recently, two months ago she came to Hogwarts from an emergency call from Dumbledore telling her that her son had just saved the Sorcerer's stone from Voldemort and killed a Death Eater.
Killed a Death Eater…
That sentence rang inside her head. She didn't know whatever to be proud or just worried. Her son killed a damn Death Eater and he was only a 1st year! He stood head to head against an adult wizard and he was only eleven years old! Eleven! Even though they did not want it to go public, somehow, (namely Hagrid) had spilled the beans and it ended up in the Daily Prophet. Now everybody knew about her son saving the school and fighting off a Death Eater who tried to steal the Sorcerer's stone. It was madness! Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE was hounding her and James with questions that she couldn't answer. She herself didn't want to question her son. It would just make them both feel uncomfortable. Why didn't they just go bug Dumbledore for the information? She was just an everyday mother.
Speaking of Dumbledore, it was quite odd. The things that Dumbledore told her and James…
Her son knew Occlumency. Who taught him that? Just how did her son managed to learn and know so much about magic even though she had never seen Harry even lift a book till a year before he went to Hogwarts? Surely Harry would have at least let out a small slip when he was a child?
Then, there was another thing that had worried her.
The original Prophecy that had said that Neville Longbottom, The Boy Who Lived would eventually kill Voldemort had somehow changed! When she and her husband had tried to question Dumbledore about it, he had just said it was recently and he had not revealed all of the facts to them about what the Prophecy had said...
The Prophecy...
That cursed thing had almost caused her to lose everything in the first war. Siding with Dumbledore publicly was dangerous to her and her family.
Lily couldn't help but feel a sharp pain in her chest. It was an awful feeling considering all of her relatives were either dead, or just disliked her because she was a witch. For James, when his parents had made it publicly known that they were allies of Dumbledore, his family was hunted and several of his family members had died in the 1st war, including his two elder brothers who were Aurors like him. Thankfully, his parents were still alive as well as his younger sister.
Lily sighed.
Harry and Neville were the candidates for the Prophecy child. Dumbledore seemed to think that Harry, the child prodigy might still be the one and not Neville all this time. He has showed power and skill that even Neville Longbottom did not have.
"No! Harry is not involved with that damn prophecy!" Lily said out loud. She did not want to be involved in another war and especially involve her eldest son! Should there be another war... screw the pride of Gryffindor, screw James' family descendant honor, her family came first and she was not going to join up with Dumbledore or anyone. Her family was her top priority.
She prayed to God that the Prophecy had nothing to do with her family again. If it did... she was pretty sure that Voldemort would be after her family again. Lily did not want to fight another war.
Later in the Morning
Harry sighed to himself again and pulled himself out of bed. He stood up and yawned trying not to wake his mother who had returned to bed after being awake for an hour or two. Slowly getting out of bed he got ready for the day. It looked like his mother really had made his bed her bed as well, not that he mind.
It was the middle of summer. His 1st year had ended and his mother was quite proud of his grades. Well, not quite proud, she knew he was very smart and could have taken the exam with his eyes closed. There were whispers of him being a child prodigy. Heck, people were suspicious that he was truly holding back what he truly known.
He had two weeks of summer vacation left to spend time with his family. Harry had spent most of his entire vacation on playing Quidditch with his family and the neighborhood kids of Godric's Hollow, going swimming with the neighborhood teens, mailing letters back and forth to his friends, doing his summer homework, and above else, spending time with his family.
Though lately... he hadn't been feeling well and just a few hours ago, he had a dream of his beloved Ginny... Ok his dead Ginny…
Was it right for him to manipulate people into the world that they were supposed to live in? Was it right for him to move on?
After he was done with his private needs from the bathroom and had his day exercising clothes on, he went outside and went to the Potter Lake in the backyard. It was still dark outside and light was barely about.
Stretching, he observed his family property. The Potters had own a huge property in the backyard. There was a beautiful lake that would have been a perfect place for a romantic date, a private swimming pool, a tree house, and of course, all of them were magically enhanced.
Closing his eyes, he then jumped into a fighting stance and started to perform his Martial Arts Katas.
He didn't know how long he had been training, but he stopped when he heard some clapping. Harry didn't bother turning around to the clapper. He had just finished his last Kata and bowed to the things around him. Nature's song of peacefulness still lingered in the air. It made him feel light headed and free whenever he performed his Martial Arts exercises. It had reminded him of flying on his broomstick.
"I had heard a lot about Martial Arts back in the Muggle world. That was impressive Harry." His mother asked.
Harry gave his mother a warm smile.
"Thank you." Harry said quietly while sitting next to his mum.
She smiled and put her arm around him pulling him close.
"Eww... you're sweaty and sticky!" She said in disgust and then giggled at her son's affronted look. "You know… that was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. You looked to be dancing in the wind. It looked so beautiful." His mother commented.
Harry smiled and nodded. He was sweating all over the place. He had just completed the most difficult Kata he knew. It had been a while that he was able to do a difficult Katas. At Hogwarts, it was hard for him to practice his Martial Arts without visiting the the Room of Requirements. He didn't want people to know that he knew Martial Arts, especially Voldemort and he used the Rooms unique abilities to create better environments to train in.
Spreading out a bit of his Legilimency, he found out that she thought he might have learned it from a few of the mundane books that he collected.
The two sat there as the sun rose. Both had admired the beautiful lake and were currently in a state of peace… until his mum jumped up suddenly.
"What's wrong mum?" Harry asked.
Lily panicked.
"Oh sweetie! I'm supposed to cook breakfast!"
Harry smiled and calmed her down.
"Mum! I'll help you. So don't worry."
His mother gave him a hugged.
"Oh sweetie, come on, we have to hurry, before your siblings wakes up. You know how grumpy they get when they don't have their food!" His mother said running to the house with her son following her from behind. When they got there, Harry noticed that no one was awake yet.
Soon enough they began their cooking. Well, actually, his mother had demanded him to go take a bath first before he helped her cook.
While they were working, his mother began to sing a beautiful melody that made Harry feel lightheaded. Sometimes Harry wondered if his mother was a Veela, she was gorgeous, she had a beautiful voice and like most Veelas, they had a fiery temper when they were mad. With her temper out of control, her hair ignited like it was burning and it scared the crap out of him when his mother got mad. Usually Harry wasn't afraid of anything, even when Hermione would get angry, however his mother could scare him in a heartbeat. Just thinking about how mad she was at him when he saved the Sorcerer's stone made him whimper.
"Harry." His mother interrupted his thoughts.
Harry gave his mum a cheery smile and spoke.
"Yes mum?"
"The Weasleys floo called us yesterday. They were asking if you could stay at their place for a few days, and we agreed. So you'll be leaving tonight okay? You'll be staying there for a few days, no more, and then you will return. I want no trouble. Understand?" His mother said in her stern voice.
Harry didn't even flinch from her tone. He just nodded in reply. He, of course wanted to stay at the Weasleys a bit longer, but he knew his mum wouldn't let him. Why? Well, his mum had said to him to stay home whenever he was from school and teach her the basics of wandless magic, but secretly, Harry knew it was because of something else.
Lily couldn't help but giggle at her son's reaction and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Let's hurry up and finish cooking breakfast sweetie, before everyone else wakes up."
Harry nodded wordlessly.
Sure enough, breakfast came and everybody was downstairs eating like they were starved for weeks.
"Harry! Can we go play?" His baby sister asked while yanking his arm.
Harry smiled at his sister. Ever since he returned from Hogwarts, his little sister had demanded him to give her bedtime stories every night and play small games all day.
"Sure Lily, what do you want to do?" Harry asked.
Little Lily looked around making sure no one was watching them and yanked Harry to move him closer to hear. Harry nodded and pulled her onto his lap, which she smiled happily.
"I want to go flying... I want to learn how to fly just like you." She whispered while looking around them nervously, but doing a bad job about it.
Harry immediately frown, his mother would kill him if he went flying with the youngest in the family, but his baby sister was now 4 years old, then again, even Sylvia is barely allowed to go flying. Plus, he had to act his age. He didn't want to pull a Percy on his little brother and sisters. Leon seemed to be slightly on the way to be like Percy, he was as strict and cold when adults were around, but around his siblings and friends, he was a prankster and preferred the attitude to be cool.
"Okay. I'll tell mum we are going to go play later okay. Don't say anything about flying." Harry whispered.
Little Lily immediately giggled, and planted her favorite family member a big sloppy kiss on the cheek.
"Promise?" She said pulling out her pinky.
"Huh?" Harry said clueless.
Little Lily gave him a big smile and whispered.
"Promise?"
Harry smiled and whispered back.
"I promise and I'll even let you use my broom if you show me that you can handle a basic broom." Harry said connecting his pinky with hers.
Little Lily squealed and gave her brother another sloppy kiss on his other cheek.
The rest of the morning at breakfast, Harry and Little Lily could be seen sitting next to each other whispering, giggling, and chuckling every now and then. They were in their own little world, which made their mother murmured, "Brotherly and sisterly love, I'm a bit envious. I was never that close with my sister."
Lily noticed ever since the summer before 1st year began, Harry's been Little Lily's favorite. Most of the time when Harry was around, she ignored everyone and chose to mainly play with her brother. This tended to make Sylvia, Sakura and Rosa jealous of who gets to play with Harry. Leon didn't mind, he was always hanging out in the neighborhood causing trouble with his friends.
She mentally thanked the lord that her eldest son Harry wasn't causing any trouble. Leon was troublesome enough and she didn't fancy seeing her fellow neighbors coming over her house everyday about not just Leon, but Harry as well.
"Hehehe… big brother, you're so funny." Little Lily giggled out loud as Harry continued to whisper in her ear.
Lily, who was entrapped at looking at her oldest son and her youngest daughter whispering and smiling spoke in a soft loving voice, "I hope to you two aren't planning to cause any kind of trouble right." Both children merely shook theirs heads and went back to whispering to each other. They were just talking like they usually are. It was hard not to say Harry and Lily have been getting quite close lately. Lily was happy that Harry and little Lily were getting along well. It gave her more time to lecture Sakura and Rosa on their studies this year at Hogwarts. Though she would love to spend more time with Harry, who's been gone for a whole year. She has barely had time to talk to him much outside the kitchen or during bed time.
After Harry returned back to Hogwarts during Christmas Vacation, James and Lily had begun tutoring their children and getting them ahead of their studies so that they would be in top form when school began. Sirius and his wife Amy were the same, they were tutoring Alex and Yuna as well, though Lily was far stricter in teaching and tutoring.
The Potters and Blacks had a long known history of having smart Wizards and Witches. And just recently, the Potters were given lots of praise from the School Board when they found out how Harry was a possible Prodigy. Even though he had not taken his Wizard IQ test, they knew he was smart enough to get a high score. They had all said Harry was even more brilliant than his mother and father when they had attended Hogwarts.
Her thoughts were interrupted by their youngest and eldest children speaking, "Mum! Lily and I are going to go play in the backyard." Harry announced out loud.
Little Lily just raised her cute hands in the air and shouted, "Yeah!" before the parents could object or anything.
When they were outside, the first thing Harry did was give her a training broom that they gave Sylvia to practice on. It would only float up to 4 feet at most and didn't fly to fast either.
"Okay… here's how we do it."
After several explanations and a surprised that she understood, they began to practice.
To Harry's surprise, she was a natural. After the first 10 minutes, Harry decided to upgrade on what broom she would ride on. She was riding on Leon's old Clean Sweep 5 and later, his Nimbus 2000.
"This is so fun big brother!" She cheered while flying.
Harry smiled at his 4-year-old sister. She was so cheerful. You couldn't help but be cheerful as well. It was so strange.
"Okay Lily! It's time we get back home. Mom's going to get suspicious!" Harry shouted to his little sister who was above him. He had stayed flying under her in case she would fall and he was there to catch her. She was a natural in flying, but sometimes people could still make mistakes and fall.
"Aww… I don't want to!" She pouted touching down to the ground, and then getting off her broom.
"Lily, if we stay out here any longer, mum's going to come and investigate on us."
Lily gave a confused look.
"Harry, what does en-jest-did-gate means?" Lily asked with several question marks above her adorable red head.
Harry mentally slapped himself. Sometimes he couldn't help but think she was so smart for her age, she would understand anything that was said to her.
"Oh, sorry sis, let me explain… it's 'I-N-V-E-S-T-I-G-A-T-E' and investigate means…
The Next Day
"Harry! Did you make sure you packed everything yet?" Harry's mother shouted from upstairs.
At the moment, Harry was packing his stuff and getting ready to go. He wasn't alone, his sisters and little brother was in the room as well.
"Why can't we go?" Sakura whined.
"Yeah, I want to meet the Weasleys!" Rosa said excitedly.
"Why do you have to go?" Sylvia pouted.
"Hrmp! I don't really care." Leon mumbled.
"I don't want you to go!" Little Lily said teary eyed.
Harry couldn't help but chuckle at his siblings chatter. Though Leon was being cold about it, he could tell he didn't want his older brother to leave.
"Well, I'm done now. I'll see you guys later!" Harry said running down to the living room getting ready to use the Floo. He couldn't wait to see the Weasley family again.
His sisters who followed him downstairs immediately began to pout and gave his parents a small tantrum.
"Don't worry; I'll be back in a few days!" Harry said giving each of his sisters a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Leon, like Ron decided to be manly and just gave his brother a pat on the back. When Harry gave out the last hug, which was Little Lily, she refused to let him go.
"Lily. You have to let me go."
Little Lily shook her head against his shoulder.
"No!"
"Lily!" Harry said in a fake stern voice.
She shook her head furious again and clung onto him tightly.
"No!"
Harry gave his mum a look.
His mother just looked amused while his dad didn't know what to do. He didn't want Harry to go to the Weasleys. Yes, his father trusted the Weasleys, but he just didn't trust that Harry wouldn't caused trouble that could affect the Potter family.
"Lily! I'll make you a deal, let me go and when I get back I will give you more flying lessons ok." Harry whispered to little Lily.
His little sister immediately let go, but she gave him a water eye look.
Harry's eyes soften.
"I'll back in a few days. In the meantime, why don't you go play with your stuff dragon Ruby? You haven't been playing with him lately ever since I came home."
She shook her head cutely.
"I want to spend time with you." She said looking down.
Harry couldn't help but hugged the little girl in his arms. He loved her so much, she, his siblings, and his mother were the most important in his life then anyone else.
"I'm sorry sis, I got to go, I promise when I come back, we'll have extra fun and I'll make tons of my special M&M cookies for you."
Little Lily continued to look down, but took a few steps back.
Harry gave his youngest sister one last hug and a small kiss on the top of her head.
"I'll see you in a few days my little flower, if you need me, I'm always a Floo call away, just make sure someone is by you when you use the Floo, I don't want you getting lost."
Little Lily nodded, but still didn't look up.
When Harry turned to his parents he asked out loud.
"Where's Leon? He was here a moment ago. I figure he would watch me go?"
His mother of course answered him.
"He just left when you were talking with Lily. He went outside to go play.'"
Harry nodded. His little brother was a Quidditch and prank addict. He had yet to stop asking him to join in the daily neighborhood Quidditch games and prank set-ups. When he's not asking, he's oddly enough, acting like a cold Slytherin.
"Okay, well I'll see you guys in a few days, bye!" Harry said giving his family members one last hug.
"The Burrow!" Harry shouted throwing Floo powder into the fire.
With a burst of green flames he was gone…
Harry felt the familiar green spin and found himself passing dozens of fire gates. After a several moments of spinning, he saw the fire gate that he was looking for. Without another thought, he willed himself to enter the Weasley fire gate.
When he did enter, he did his infamous fall and fell flat on his face. He heard a few "Harry!" "You okay Harry?"
Harry looked up while brushing away a few soot from his robes and saw a few of the Weasley family their in the kitchen eating lunch. The only people who were missing were Ginny, Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Mr. Weasley.
"Hi. Sorry, I really don't like using Floo powder." Harry said embarrassed.
"It's fine mate, you're not perfect at everything." Ron said not trying to look please at one of his best friends that weren't perfect at everything.
"Harry dear, welcome to the Burrow, I hope you will enjoy your time here." The mother hen said ignoring hand shaking and giving him a hug.
"It's great meeting you again Mrs. Weasley." Harry said returning her hug, but in an embarrassed way.
"Are you well dear? Hungry? I'll make something right away if you want."
Harry held his hands out in polite protest.
"That's fine Mrs. Weasley. I already ate. Thank you for the kind offer."
She nodded and gave him a pat the cheek and walked off while saying to them. "Well, I'm sure you kids want to go have fun, have a nice day."
Harry nodded and turned to meet the eyes of his friend and his brothers who had mischievous looks.
Harry knew what that look very well. They had a couple of ideas of a good prank in mind and Harry for some reason hoped it didn't involve him in it.
"Well my young Seeker…" Fred said putting his arm around him.
"My brother and I…." George winked at Harry who felt slightly uncomfortable from the smiles they produced who also put his arm around Harry.
"Best be going…"
"Lots of trouble to make…."
"Lots of mischief to cause…"
"You know the usual…" The twins said at once while giving them a jolly wave goodbye.
Harry raised an eyebrow and felt relieve that he wasn't going to be targeted. The Weasley twins would usually give a person a notice that they were going to be prank, to provide them a challenge, unless it was someone like Malfoy, who they disliked. From what Harry believed and understood, a random person is chosen every month to be prank, and when they had unluckily chose Harry, they had tried to prank him, but with Harry's special Auror training, he had been extra careful of what he ate and he could sense magic whenever it would target him. Every prank the Weasleys did, none have ever targeted him, some even backfired on them. This made him the main target for the rest of the year, while ignoring their monthly choice of pranks. He was a challenge to them like Dumbledore.
Maybe he could strike a deal with them and they could leave him alone.
"So where do I put my stuff?" Harry said turning to Ron.
"Upstairs in my room, follow me."
Harry nodded.
While they walked upstairs, Harry saw a glimpse of a small red head that was looking between the openings of a familiar door and was staring at his every move. When Harry caught the person's eye, she squeaked and closed the door fast.
Ron seeing this also, explained.
"My sister Ginny, she's been talking about you and Longbottom all summer long." Ron said the Longbottom part with much distaste. "Mainly Longbottom though." Ron grumbled.
Harry wan now listening to what Ron was saying.
"You don't know how weird it is for her to be this shy. She never shuts up normally and…"
"Ron, be nice to your sister." Harry said sternly.
Ron stopped walking and walked right into the door.
"W-why are you defending her?"
"Ron, younger family members are sometimes annoying, and it's all part of being the older brother."
Ron thought for a moment, and nodded.
"Yeah, you're right." Ron said opening the door to his room.
"Welcome… to my room." Ron said waving his to the orange posters which was all over the walls.
Later the next day at the Burrow…
"Mum, why should I be the one to go to go de-gnome the garden? Harry's here, I need to entertain my guests." Ron said looking pointedly at Harry to his mum.
Mrs. Weasley raised a stern eyebrow at her son.
"And why did you not do it yesterday when I ask you Ronald before Harry came?"
Ron colored.
"I was busy." Ron defended.
"What were you busy doing the entire day? You were doing absolutely nothing, just flying on your broom and just doing nothing." Mrs. Weasley said standing tall and proud against her son who cowered.
While Ron and his mother were arguing, Harry took the moment to observe the other Weasleys.
Yesterday evening Harry had met up with Mr. Weasley who still treated him like a son, Percy who was as stern as ever, and lastly, Ginny.
Ginny... from what Harry understood from Fred and George, Ginny had a crush on Neville since the beginning of time and they hinted to him that she maybe have a crush on him as well.
Harry had tried to talk to her that evening, but all she did in reply was blush and stammer a hello and remained quiet.
Harry sighed. It was hard to try and open up her emotions to him.
"Hey mate, what are you thinking about?" Fred asked.
"Yes, if it's a prank, then by Weasleys rules, you are under orders to reveal us what you're planning under the House of Weasley." George said laughing.
Harry said nothing for a moment.
That was when a quick idea came to him. Waving his hands so they could come closer so that they wouldn't be overheard, the twins closed in to hear his voice.
"How would you two love to learn how to use magic over the summer?" Harry mischievously.
The Weasley twin's eyes immediately widened, with a quick whisper.
"What's it in for you?"
Fred asked in a low whisper making sure no one else heard them.
Harry smirked.
"Rule one, stop trying to prank me, I'm getting tired of trying to dodge you guys every prank just because I backfired some of yours, rule two, at Hogwarts or at the Burrow, scratch that, don't ever prank Hermione or Padma, oh add my sisters to the list when they start Hogwarts. I would add Ron to the list, but I know he'll find it odd that you stop pranking him all of a sudden. Rule three," Here Harry thought about Ginny. "I know you guys are protective of Ginny, but ease up, or she won't ever open up to you guys. I have three little sisters, and if you keep being protective of your younger family members, they will never come to you and ask for help on problems. Treat her like you would if she was your little brother, not a little girl and for rule number four, I should warn you guys, if you ever prank me, I'll have my whole family including my brother who has become a big time prankster like our father prank you so bad, you won't ever show yourself in public again." Harry said in a dead whisper in which the Weasley twins gulped.
Harry wasn't sure if they found the Marauders Map yet, but he knew if they did find out who Harry's father, Sirius, and Remus was, they would definitely yield to them.
"Understood sir, Weasley honor." Fred said saluting.
"Prankster's honor." George said saluting as well.
Harry nodded. He couldn't find them making a better oath.
"Meet me later in Ron's room when he de-gnomes the garden."
The twins nodded.
"Hey Seeker, just how are we going to be able to use magic?" George whispered.
"Not to be curious, but it'll be interesting to know ahead of time." Fred whispered.
Harry shook his head for them to be silent, because Ginny who was nearby was trying to eavesdrop on them, however when she noticed that her twin brothers and her crush was staring at her, she flushed a darker red and began eating again, but not forgetting to put her elbow on the butter dish.
For some reason, Harry couldn't help but chuckled at her putting her elbow on the butter dish. It was the same as his last dimension.
Ginny blushed harder and tried to hide her face away from his gaze.
Fred and George who were chuckling was about to tease her, but instead they remembered what Harry said and nodded their oath.
When Ron went outside to de-gnome the garden grudgingly, Harry met up with the twins in Ron's room.
The moment he entered, he felt a slight presence hiding in Ron's closet. He knew instantly who it was, but he ignored it knowing that person wasn't a threat.
"So our beloved Gryffindor Seeker…." George began.
"Just how are we going to be able to use magic…?" Fred finished.
Harry immediately looked stern and hard which made the twins flinch, his face now looked harsh and cold.
"What I'm going to show you, make sure you do not reveal this to anyone. Don't tell anyone I did this for you, or all three of us will be sent to Azkaban for breaking Under-Age Sorcery. I learned over the summer last year in my parent's library on how to break the under-age tracking charm on our wands. I know you two are smart enough to not perform magic in front of your parents?" Harry lied. He really didn't learn how to break it from his parent's library, though the information on how to break it was there, Harry learned it from Nicholas Flamel in his original world.
Seeing the twins nodded, Harry spoke.
"Give me your wands." Harry said putting his hands out. When they gave it to him, Harry closed his eyes, and began murmuring an incantation that the two couldn't hear. Both wands began to glow a bright white, and then faded away. Without a word, Harry gave both wands back to its owner.
Fred frowned.
"Hey, you're not going to tell us or show us how you did it?"
Harry smirked.
"The trade was to allow you to use magic. It was not to tell or show you how to disarm the tracking charm on the wands."
George smirked in return.
"Quite the Slytherin of you, my young Seeker."
Harry smirked.
"Thank you for the comment George, but do be careful when you use your wands. If your parents find out, especially your mother…" Here the twins shivered. "Then they are going to question you and try to find out.
The twins nodded.
"So how do we know that the tracking charm has been removed? We've been trying to sneak into Knockturn Alley since our 1st year to try and get rid of the tracking charm, but our mum had always caught us."
Harry didn't reply to their question but raised his wand.
"Like mines…"
"Engorgio! Wingardium Leviosa!"
The pillow that Harry aimed for his wand tripled in size and began floating. While it was floating, Harry and the twins watched the window for any Ministry Owls.
In a flash, the twins had Harry in a hug.
"Brilliant mate! Just brilliant! You have our prankster honor that we won't break any of these rules." The twin's said at once.
Harry nodded in return.
With a whoop, the twins left Ron's room.
Harry, however, didn't leave, with a flick of his wand, Ron's closet burst opened and Ginny came tumbling down with a horrified look.
Her eyes were widened in shock and fear.
Using his Legilimency, Harry wondered what she was thinking about.
Shock that she had been caught… Fear of Harry hating her because she was spying on them and that he might hate her.
Harry lowered his wand and extended his hand.
"Hello Ginny, interesting place to stay isn't it?" Harry said with a smile.
Ginny turned scarlet red and had quickly recovered from her shock and took his hand hesitantly.
Pulling her up, Harry spoke.
"Is something wrong Ginny?" Harry asked kindly.
"You're not mad?"
Harry raised his eyebrow interestingly.
"Mad about what?" Harry asked.
Ginny gave him a disbelieving look and began whispering out.
"Because I was spying on what you and my brothers were talking about?"
Harry shook his head.
"No, I'm not mad, as long as you don't reveal what you just heard. You and I know we don't want your brothers to get in trouble to. You love your brothers very much, and I know you won't get them into deep trouble… unless they did something awful to you in return." Harry said the last part very quietly.
Ginny blushed and began staring at her feet.
Harry smiled in return.
"Ginny, would you like to sit down and chat? Out of everyone I met in your family, you are the only one who won't talk to me. Did I do something wrong that caused you to not like me?"
Harry knew he was playing dirty, but he had no choice. He wanted to make her talk.
Ginny shook her head furiously and blurted out.
"I like you!"
Her eyes immediately widen and covered her mouth, she tried to run away in shock and embarrassment, but Harry grabbed hold of her hand.
"I like you to Ginny. I'm glad that you don't detest me and I was hoping we could be friends." Harry said smiling at the little red head.
Ginny if possible, turned redder and looked like she was about to faint.
"F-friends?" She whispered.
Harry nodded.
"Friends." Harry said sticking his hand out to shake.
Hesitantly, she accepted it, and gave him a wide smile.
"Friends." She said confidently, and losing some of her blush and nervousness.
"So... how… how did you meet Ron?" Ginny asked hesitantly while trying to start a conversation.
Harry smiled and opened his mouth to respond.
At that very day, Ginny began to open up to him. They began making jokes and sometimes take walks around the Burrow.
This did not go unnoticed by the Weasley family.
Ron was sulking half the time because Harry was spending time with Ginny and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley did not mind that Harry was spending time with Ginny, on the contrary, they were happy about it. Being the only girl, she was bored out of her mind half the time and Ginny didn't really have many friends in Ottery St. Catchpole. One, her home was very far away from the next homes, two, her family were mainly boys, and they always treated her like a little kid, and three, well, her family were wizards and witches, and at St. Catchpole, their were living in a Muggle area that had only a few wizard families nearby.
Fred and George were mainly up in excitement at using their wands and a list of ideas for pranks that Harry gave them from his old dimension. The faster they learned how to create pranks from Harry's old dimension, the faster they will be able to learn new and funnier ones.
Harry loved pranks. He just didn't like to be the one pranking people or the one to be targeted for that matter.
Percy was mainly in his room half the time writing letters to Penelope Clearwater from what Ginny had told him.
"Hey mate, Fred and George want to go flying. Come on." Ron said interrupting his thoughts.
Harry gave Ron a quick smile and gave Ginny a quick glance whom looks dejected that her brothers were leaving her out.
"Why don't you have Ginny play with us? With another person, it'll be more fun." Harry said looking pointed at Ron who frowned at this.
Ginny perked up at Harry's sticking up.
"Harry, she's a girl. Girls can't play Quidditch." Ron said still frowning.
Taking another glance, Ginny began to sulk.
"And? Our Chasers for Gryffindor are girls and they are good at Quidditch. Are you trying to say Angelina, Alicia, and Katie can't play? " Harry asked.
Ron looked horrified at the thought of having the three Gryffindor Chasers threatening him.
"Harry, this is Ginny, she won't want to play Quidditch, she's…"
"Ron." Harry interrupted.
The whole time Harry was arguing with Ron, Ginny had a hopeful expression on her face while giving Harry a glowing smile.
"Ron, how do you know that? Why don't you ask her? I bet you guys never ask her."
"B-But… the teams will be uneven." Ron blurted out in defense. He hated that Harry would try and involve his little sister in everything they do.
Harry inwardly frowned.
"Yeah, you're right." Harry said quietly.
Ginny began to sulk again and was about to leave the room, but Harry interrupted with a smirk.
"Then she could play for me, I'll just referee."
Ron was about to protest, but Harry said nothing but walked out the Burrow with a smile.
An hour later, you would have seen four red heads flying in mid air playing Quidditch with a messy black hair boy being the referee at the home of the Weasleys. The twins were impressed that their little sister knew how to use a broom and Ron was quite angry at seeing his sister was a better Quidditch player then him.
They were all eating dinner when Harry realized that this was his last night here at the Burrow.
Mrs. Weasley had created a huge feast as a farewell meal and Harry loved everything that she cooked. When Harry helped along, Mrs. Weasley for some reason began treating Harry as if he was her seventh son. She had tried to stop him from helping, but Harry would insist. From then on, she would only argue half-heartedly.
"Oh Harry dear, your parents must have taught you how to cook didn't they? I wish this lot here would take the time to learn how to cook, all they do is play jokes, Quidditch, and…"
Harry smiled. He loved it when someone commented on his cooking.
Ron who was sitting at the table watching Harry help his mum cook gave Harry a jealous look because his mum was treating Harry as if he was her favorite child.
"Harry, cooking isn't cool. You should stop cooking. It's not manly thing to do and you shouldn't…"
"What did you say Ron? Are you saying that girls are born to just cook for men and guys shouldn't cook at all?" Ginny said scowling at her older brother who had obviously not realized what the full meaning of what he just said. After getting to know Harry quite a bit, she was more lax around him and was no longer shy.
Seeing that upcoming fight was about to break out, Harry quickly interrupted the family quarrel between the two.
"It's too bad Padma and Hermione couldn't make it over here for vacation. I sure miss them."
Ron frowned.
"Yeah, Hermione said something about going somewhere with her parents, and Padma said something about her parents wouldn't let her leave Godric's Hollow and that she had already spent time over at your house already over the summer and that she couldn't leave for anywhere else."
Harry smiled.
"Yeah, I got her to play Quidditch a bit with my twin sisters who…"
"They look just like me." Ginny said interrupting both of them.
Harry didn't even think before he responded.
"Yeah Sakura and Rosa do, but then again, I'm just their brother so my opinion doesn't really count." Harry said absentmindedly not noticing that Ginny had smiled. Her mother who was sitting nearby smirked at her husband who rolled his eyes. The twins weren't even listening they were too busy whispering on their beginning joke shop that Harry hinted to them. They had been a bit too excited about Harry's idea.
"Nah, your sisters are better looking then Ginny." Ron said thinking in memory.
Ginny raised an eyebrow. She didn't know how she should respond to that. If she said she was prettier then Harry's twin sisters, would he feel insulted?
"So what are you going to do for the rest of the week and a half of break?" Harry asked Ron who smirked and motioned Harry to move closer.
When he did, Ron frowned when he noticed that Ginny tried to eavesdrop to.
"Ginny, go mind your own business, Harry and I are talking." Ron snapped.
Ginny went red and was about yell but didn't say anything when her mother interrupted their conversation by telling Ginny to help her clean the dishes and put away some of the extra food.
As Ginny stood up to leave, Ron began whispering to Harry.
"My dad had recently enchanted a Muggle car that can turn invisible and can fly, Fred and George want me to help them plan to try and sneak it out and fly it when mum and dad are asleep."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
Harry would have warned him that it was dangerous and against the law, but he didn't want Ron to consider him like Hermione when it came to rules.
"Cool, to bad I can't stay here a few more days. I would love to come and go flying with your brothers."
Ron nodded with a hint of sadness.
"Yeah, it would have been better if you went with us mate, I get this feeling whenever I'm around you, I feel safer you know?"
Harry laughed which made Ron blushed.
"Ron… I don't swing that way." Harry said in a dead serious voice.
Ron gave him a mock glare, and punched him the shoulder.
"Prat, I didn't mean it like that."
Harry began to chuckle.
"Just messing with you,"
After a moment of silence when almost every dish on the dining room table was gone, Ron and Harry took off upstairs and sat in their respective room and began relaxing.
"You know… even though you came over the summer to hang out with me, I think you spent time with just about everyone in my family." Ron blurted out all of a sudden.
Not wanting to screw up his friendship with Ron, Harry spoke truthfully.
"I just think everyone in your family is fun to hangout with and I didnt want to be rude by ignoring someone whose lives in the home that welcomed me as their guest. I guess you can say, I kind of miss my family even though I only been here for a few days having fun." Harry said.
Ron sent Harry an expressionless look.
"Sorry mate for the interrogation. I didn't know you were feeling homesick. Just thought you know" Ron said looking slightly uncomfortable, "you didn't like hanging out with me or something."
Harry raised an eyebrow. This was unexpected. Ron seemed to be growing up quite quickly. Maybe acting mature and staying around Ron helped him grow up.
Seeing Harry raising his eyebrow, Ron couldn't help but tell him. "You see… "
"Calm down mate, I see you as a friend and if I didn't, do you think I would have come here for a week?" Harry asked.
That's when Ron bolted up his bed.
"That's right! Sorry I'm sounding so girly I just..."
"Ron…" Harry said interrupting his friend who seemed ready to start ranting again.
"Okay you lot! Get to sleep! Harry dear, you have to return first thing tomorrow and I want you to have plenty of rest!" Mrs. Weasley said barging inside the room and giving them a stern look that left no argument.
Ron began to protest saying he and Harry deserved to stay up late because today was Harry's last night, but he was speechless when he noticed his best friend jumping into bed with the covers over him without a response or anything.
Ron sighed. There were times when Harry would just stand up to anyone, but for some reason, he just wouldn't stand up to his mum no matter what.
Ask if reading his mind, Harry responded.
"Not really, I just prefer not to argue with red heads, they have a fiery temper, like you Ron."
Ron immediately turned red while ignoring his mother who just chuckled at him.
However this night was far from over for Harry.