Two chapters in two days. I must really be on a roll. I don't think this will keep up for long though. The new semester started today, and I am already kicking myself for taking so man hard classes. Ugh! *bangs head on table* Any who. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 10

"I have never seen something like that before, Arthur." Minerva was saying to her father.

"Neither have I."

Ginny and Harry were still embracing, talking silently.

You are all I ever wanted. Harry was saying to her. Ginny smiled and kissed him. Harry led her to one of the arm chairs and pulled her into his lap. They sat and talked about the coming few days for the next half hour. A couple minutes before four, her father summoned Harry and Ginny over to the fireplace. The portkey was about to leave. Harry brought her the traveling cloak and draped it around her shoulders. Minerva gave her father an empty glass bottle.

"Ginny, I will see you when the term begins." Minerva hugged her. Ginny felt strange hugging a professor, but hugged her back all the same. "Yes, you will."

"Excellent. School supply lists should be arriving any day. In fact, you might get them today." Minerva let Ginny go and hugged Harry.

"And Harry. May I be the first to wish you Happy Birthday." Minerva beamed.

Ginny had almost forgotten that it was Harry's birthday.

"Thank you, Minerva, but I think I will remember this day for something far more important."

With that, there was a tug behind her navel and the group of four was spinning back to the Burrow. They landed in a heap in the fields. They quickly made their way inside and to their respective rooms before Mrs. Weasley caught wind of their absence. Outside Ginny's room, Harry pulled her into a searing kiss. Hermione's cough separated them, and Ginny went into her bedroom while Harry hurried up the stairs.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Ginny woke up to a rather strangled cry. Hermione sat up sharply at the sound. Then there was a yelling, and a pounding down the stairs. Harry burst into the room and dove under her bed.

O, wife, save me!

As if. She laughed. Husband. The word felt good on her lips…er…in her mind.

Ron threw open the door and drugged in, soaking wet. "Where is he?" He growled.

"Who?" Ginny replied slyly.

"You know bloody well who!" Ron stormed.

"Ronald! Language." Her mother's sharp voice echoed up the stairs.

Ron threw up his hands and glared pointedly at Ginny's bed. "You better come out from underneath there before I come and get you."

"You'll have to catch me first." Harry called from under the bed. There was a loud pop and she knew Harry had apparated down the stairs. Ron growled and stomped to the kitchen.

"He is going to get himself in trouble." Hermione giggled.

"Shall we save him?" Ginny asked, getting up and stretching.

"Nope. That's your job now." Hermione countered.

Ginny beamed and headed down the stairs to Harry's rescue. Her mother had already intervened and Ron was sitting at the table, a very disgruntled look on his face. Harry was smiling widely. Soon the whole family was there, except Charlie and Percy. Ginny ate breakfast with unusual giddiness. Halfway through the meal, a deep brown owl flew through the window and dropped four letters before flying out.

"Hogwarts letters!" Ginny cried and launched herself across the table to retrieve hers. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in silence looking at their letters. Ginny saw the happy mood at the table evaporate.

"There you see. Even Minerva knows you need to go back." Her mother piped up.

Harry picked his letter up, and slowly cut the seal.

Harry, don't let mum bother you. She thought. He didn't reply.

Hermione and Ron picked their letters out amongst the eggs and swiftly opened them.

"I think we need to go to Diagon Alley, Harry." Hermione whispered.

"Yes, you do. To get school supplies. I knew you three would see how ridiculous it was to skip—" Her mum was cut off by Ron, of all people.

"We aren't going to Diagon Alley to get school supplies. We aren't going back. When are you going to get that, mum. Dumbledore left something for Harry to do and Hermione and I are going with him. Nothing you say is going to change that fact, and if you must know, these letters are from Professor McGonagall, but not from Hogwarts." Ron finished.

"Well, what did Minerva say?" Her mum questioned.

"She wrote a list of supplies that might help us. She said Dumbledore told her to write the letter." Hermione interjected.

"Harry needs to visit Gringotts today. I can just take all four of them. It won't be a burden, mum." Bill whispered.

"No…no. Ginny can mail order her supplies, and Harry…" her mum began, but once again was interrupted.

This time by her father. "They are going, Molly. Bill and I will take the four of them."

"Arthur, you have work!" her mother practically screeched.

Her father shook his head. "I took off work, already." Her father stood. "Now, who is ready to go?"

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Bill stood and ushered around the fireplace. Ginny took a scoop of powder when it was her turn and soon she was spinning into a marble office with heavy wooden furniture. She dusted off the soot, and watched Harry being introduced to the Head of Gringotts, Glomlir. Her father was the last to floo in, and she had to move or else be knocked over when he came shooting out of the fireplace.

"Mr. Potter, I have called you here to discuss some personal matters. Although I have allowed the rest of your party to floo into my office, I must request they leave." Glomlir said in a quiet drawl.

"Of course. Thank you for allowing us to use your fireplace." Harry bowed slightly to Glomlir, and Glomlir's look of shock was only seen by Bill.

"I will take this lot and we will start shopping. Here, Harry, give Hermione your list." Her father pressed. Harry handed the letter to Hermione and Ginny made to follow the three red heads and Hermione from the office when she head Harry say: Stay. She stopped and the door closed.

"Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter. Please, have a seat." Glomlir said.

Ginny was taken aback.

Don't worry. Your father told me that goblins have a way of seeing family connectios, like marriage. Drives wizards nuts, nobody can figure out how they do it. Harry calmed her.

Ginny nodded, and Harry and her took a seat opposite of Glomlir.

"Mr. Potter, I called you here because you are one of our most valuable customers and you have just become of age. The vault you have been accessing is an inheritance vault set up by your parents at your birth. You also own the rights to the Potter estate, and the remaining valuables of the late Sirius Black. You will be shown to your vaults momentarily. Would you like to make a will now that you are of legal age?" Glomlir rattled off.

"If I have no will, with whom will my state reside, upon my death?" Harry asked.

"Your wife." Glomlir replied.

"I don't need a will. Thank you." Harry said. Ginny choked.

Don't. Harry pressed. Ginny let things go…for now.

"If you do not have any more questions." Glomlir pulled open a long drawer at his desk and removed a manila envelope. A really big manila envelope. "Then please follow Griphook. He will show you to your vaults. This is a reading of all properties and assets within the Potter and Black estates. Have a great day Mr. Potter. Mrs. Potter." He nodded to them each.

The door to the office swung open and there stood Griphook. Harry and Ginny followed Griphook through the bank, down a gut wrenching ride in a cart, and to vault 152.

"This is one of the oldest family vaults." Griphook called as they sailed past a dragon. Harry nodded numbly. Ginny squeezed his hand. Griphook led Harry and Ginny to the door of the vault.

"It requires a blood donation." Griphook sneered. Harry timidly placed his arm into a slot on the right of the vault. He hissed and withdrew it quickly. A small scratch across his thumb bled across his hand. With a wave of his wand, Harry healed it, and the doors creaked open.

"I will wait for you." Griphook called on his way back to the mining cart. Harry and Ginny gasped as the doors swung open and revealed the contents inside. They stepped inside and Ginny's eyes grew wide. The doors shut with a loud snap behind them.

The vault was enormous compared to the Weasley family vault. The outside of the room was lined with bookcases piled high with times of all sizes, chests, and boxes, and an array of magical objects. Galleons and sickles were stacked higher than her waist, on one side of the room. On the other there was an assortment of furniture, pictures, and other unidentifiable things.

A large cheer erupted. Harry jumped and drew his wand.

"Oi! Boy! Put that wand away and come here so I can have a look at you!" Called a voice. Harry lowered his wand but didn't pocket it, as he veered to the right side of the room where the pictures were lined up. There were at least fifty frames all with Harry's relatives.

"And just who are you? Who's kid is this? James!" The voice called again. Ginny saw an elderly man with white hair, blue eyes and a strong jaw, Harry's jaw, sitting in a frame with a woman with red hair. Flecks of white hair glittered about the woman's head.

"What do you want father?" Came another voice.

"This boy must be yours." The old man called.

Ginny's eyes filled with tears when she saw them. A simple frame containing none other than Harry's parents sat closest to the door.

"Harry?" A woman said. Harry put his wand away and stood before the frame. Ginny held his hand gingerly. Harry fell to his knees and a sob broke out from his chest. Ginny hugged him to her and held him while he wept.

"Sweet heart. Don't cry." Lily cooed. James and Lily, and the rest of the Potter family looked heartbroken to see Harry cry. Ginny pulled Harry upright and used her sleeve to wipe his face.

Thank you. Harry thought.

Say 'hello.' Ginny urged him.

"Hello." Harry sat in front of James and Lily. "Sorry about that, it's just a little overwhelming seeing you."

"We know, son, we know. I never thought I would get to see you." James said. "Has it really been sixteen years?"

Harry nodded.

James continued "And a girlfriend already. Redhead. It's the Potter curse. There's your grandmother, and over there you great-grandmother." James pointed to the respective Potter women.

"Wife." Harry countered. A brilliant smile radiating across his face.

"You're married!" Lily cried, and burst into tears herself.

Will you look around at everything and gather up all the things that are important?

Certainly. Ginny left Harry's side. She listened while he told the story of the last sixteen years to the entire Potter family. She smiled at the good memories and cried at the bad. Among the piles of belongings she found a chest addressed to Harry, books she thought Hermione might like, a trunk of Potter clothing she thought he might want to wear, and a small golden box.

Inside the box was a set of wedding rings. Both were gold, one with an oval diamond and Celtic knot designs along the band, the other a band with matching knot patterns. Ginny went over to where Harry was. He was telling his family about the wedding ceremony and the gold chain. The family's eyes were wide with shock. Harry didn't seem to notice.

"Harry, do you know what this means?" Lily asked.

"No. Isn't it just part of the ceremony?" Harry asked. Lily (and the rest of the family) were already shaking their heads.

"Perhaps Charlus should explain." James murmured. The man who had originally called to Harry and Ginny cleared his voice. "What the two of you experienced was a binding of the souls. Not only are you now bonded in life, but also in death, and everywhere. You will find changes in your magic, increases in your ability, and similarities. There isn't a lot of knowledge about soul bonds, so I cannot elaborate much more, but the love you have is extremely rare and hunted after." Charlus, Harry's great uncle, concluded.

I found something. Ginny thought. Harry turned and looked in her eyes. He waited for her to continue.

Ginny opened the box and showed the contents to Harry.

"Look Richard, they found our rings." A woman said. Ginny spotted the name plate on the bottom of the frame: Richard and Genève Potter (1540).

Harry stood and pulled Ginny to her feet. He pulled out the ring with the diamond on top. Harry knelt down and slid the ring onto her finger.

"I am sorry it took so long to find one." Harry said.

Ginny merely laughed and placed the other ring on his finger. A soft golden glow filled the room and lingered around their hands. Slowly the glow dissipated into the air. Harry grinned and stood. The Potter family cheered.

"I need to go. I have people waiting on us. I promise I will return as soon as I can, although you may only see Ginny for a while. Thank you for the stories." Harry turned to his parents. "Love you, mum and dad."

"Love you, son." James said.

"Love you, Harry." Echoed Lily.

"Good-bye everyone." Ginny called. They all waved to her. Ginny showed Harry what she had found, which Harry shrunk and placed in his pocket. Harry also collected a small sack and filled it to the brim with galleons. This he also placed in his pocket. Ginny began to leave when Harry stopped her.

Wait. He waved his wand over their left hands, where the rings were, and they glowed softly before returning to normal. Now only the people who know we are married can see them, and the only way someone else will be able to see them is if we tell them we are married.

Good thinking. Ginny said. It saddened her that she couldn't shout at the tops of the mountains that she was married, but she would be able to. Soon. Outside the vault, Griphook sat in the cart waiting.

"Griphook, can you take us to the exit, please. We will need to come visit again soon." Harry said.

"Yes, Mister Potter." Griphook said and led them back to ground level. Harry cast a quick charm over Ginny and himself. Ginny's hair quickly changed to a platinum blonde and her eyes turned blue, whereas Harry's black hair transformed into a light brown and his signature green eyes dulled to a dark grey. Ginny and Harry left through the front doors of Gringotts.

"What's first on your list?" Harry asked. Ginny pulled out her Hogwarts list and showed Harry the different supplies. They first entered Flourish and Blotts to pick up Ginny's books.

I didn't pick up any money. Ginny began. Then she remembered that she was now married to one of the richest men in Britain. Oh… Harry just grinned. They had purchased most of Ginny's supplies and had ventured into Madam Malkin's when they met up with the rest of the group. Hermione fawned over the books Ginny had found in the vault while Ginny was measured for robes.

For kicks and giggles they headed into Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ginny marveled over the Firebolt in the window with Ron, while Hermione rolled her eyes and talked to Bill and her father. Harry had wandered off somewhere, but they all left the store together and made their way back to Gringotts so they could floo home. Harry repaid Hermione the money she had spent getting him supplies, which wasn't much considering they all had the same list.

Even though Ginny didn't have the typical wedding day, she was happy, and the approach of Harry's birthday celebration that night made her even more excited.

~.~.~.~.~.~

The cake was huge. Her mum had really outdone herself. The cake was a giant chocolate snitch, complete with enchanted wings and all. Harry was almost in tears when he saw how many people were there. He hugged everybody (except Mad-Eye).

"Come on, Harry!" Fred shouted.

"Presents!" George called.

"Ours first!" Fred yelled. Harry looked warily at the flashy box Fred and George placed in his lap.

"Come now Harry."

"Not scared of a—"

"Box are you?" The twins chorused.

"Yes. If it's from you." Harry replied, but started to unwrap the gift anyways. The box didn't explode, so Ginny figured that was a good sign. Harry started to pull out a number of oddly shaped things.

"What are those!" Hermione screeched.

"Don't worry your little head." Fred said.

"It just looks like a grenade, Hermione." George continued.

"It doesn't really explode."

"Well, yes it does—"

"But it explodes and sends out a dark powder."

Hermione still looked wary.

"See this is different than Instant Darkness Powder." Fred began.

"This you pull out the pin, just like a muggle grenade and you can through the little sucker as far as you can, before it explodes five seconds later." George explained.

"Keep looking." Fred pressed.

Harry set down the weird pineapple looking device, and pulled out a sack filled with small toffee candies.

"Now these are new. Not on the market." Fred said.

"Specially made for you guys." George continued.

"Well, really all of this stuff is."

"We wouldn't want the bad guys getting a hold of this stuff."

"Night Vision Toffees. Eat it and your eyes dilate so you can see ten times better than the average human."

"Lasts for three hours."

Harry nodded and set the toffees down. He then brought out several other items including: a staple food that was light weight but had key nutrients, cloaks for Ron and Hermione that acted like invisibility cloaks but not as effective, small disc candies that increased body temperature, and so many other new products that her mum made Harry open a different present.

Next was Hermione's gift which surprisingly was not a book, but dragon hide gloves. Ron gave Harry a matching dragon hide jacket. Her parents gave Harry a watch that used to belong to her great uncle. Harry thought it was brilliant though. Hagrid found an old magical camera, "the really nice ones", and a roll of film. There were also several dark arts books from Remus, Tonks, and Mad-Eye, along with several packages of sweets from Honeydukes from Bill, and a collection of chocolate frogs "for the cards" from Neville. Finally, Luna brought over a rather ugly looking plant to repel Flangerworms.

Ginny was talking to Hermione and Harry when Minerva approached and handed Harry a small box. Harry opened the lid, and inside was a small script of paper and a flat, round stone with a swirl pattern across the top.

Harry let Ginny and Hermione read the note over his shoulder. "Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." Minerva smiled softly and reached for Ginny's hand.

"Very lovely hands you have Ms. Weasley." Minerva said. Ginny beamed widely, knowing Minerva was really referring to the ring and not the softness of her skin.

"Thank you. Harry found this wonderful lotion that all the Potter women used for centuries. They kept it around for a reason." Ginny said.

Minerva chuckled. "Mercy on us all when the truth comes out." She walked away and let Harry, Ginny and Hermione stare after her.

"What does she mean by that?" Harry mused.

"If you have to ask, Harry." Hermione began.

Ginny cut her off. "Please Hermione."

Hermione sighed. "I can't explain it. You will just have to see it for yourselves."

Sometime between the hours of ten and eleven, her mum shut the party down with the reason that Bill and Fleur were getting married tomorrow. As if anyone could forget. Ginny was glad though. Harry still had one more present.

Hermione gratefully distracted Ron while Ginny pulled Harry into her room and kissed him.

We didn't have a real wedding night. She thought.

I already stole the goods though. I don't think it counts. Harry teased. Ginny smacked him.

Fine, no present for you.

I am just joking. Harry pleaded.

I know, but the present I want to give you will have to wait. Hermione wants to go to bed.

Send her to Ron's room.

I want to. Ginny sighed. I have something for you. I wanted to get you something light. Something that wouldn't weigh you down, but to remember me by.

I could never forget you. He reassured.

Please, take it. Ginny handed him a small envelope from her dresser drawer. Hermione enchanted it for me. I can't do magic yet.

She watched as Harry opened the flap and pulled out the small picture inside. A Hungarian Horntail pranced in the frame, occasionally blowing fire and flapping its wings.

Thanks? Harry asked.

Ginny touched the picture, and whispered "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The picture morphed into a picture of Harry and Ginny, dressed in their wedding attire. The Harry and Ginny in a picture shared a long kiss before separating. In the background was Minerva's fireplace.

I love it. Harry thought.

Now you can see me always, and know that I am with you even if I can only read your mind. Ginny replied.

Thank you. How do I make the picture change back?

Are you a Mauraderer's Son or aren't you? Ginny asked.

Harry smiled. "Mischief managed." The picture returned to the very angry Hungarian Horntail.

Next chapter: the Wedding with a capital "w". Dun dun dun! I have decided to stick to some canon parts of the story, but to basically go with my own story line. So you might recognize some things as the same as the books, but for the most part I am going to change things up.