"We sent you to stop her and you come back and tell us that she's WHAT?" Fred demanded pacing the living room of Ron's apartment. It was six o'clock in the evening that very same night and Charlie would rather have been anywhere else. Like with his wife and daughter for instance, he knew he was likely to catch hell from Clarita when he got home his quick visit to Diagon alley having now extended for several hours. Never mind that he had lied to her and she seemed to have an uncanny ability to catch him at it when he did.

However he understood the importance of such a meeting the Weasley men had not had a full gathering since 'The Percy Problem', it was generally saved for disasters in the family in which the men felt the women were better left in the dark. Not that they did not value their women's opinions usually Charlie respected his wife's view over anyone else's. There were just things however that women would never understand. Men things.

Fred was pacing, George was pacing with him mirrored dislike of the notion of Ginny going alone to Harry's apartment on his face. Ron was leaning against the couch his legs crossed at the ankles looking quietly thunderous. Bill and Dad were sitting looking slightly calmer then the rest and Percy whom had been forced to floo in from the Americas were he had been visiting his wife Penelope's cousins to attend the meeting was looking disdainful at the entire process.

Dean and however looked the most uncomfortable, after a general vote the men had agreed that Dean had to be present. He worked with Harry on a daily basis and if Harry had been crowing about finding an easy conquest in their sister he would know. He would also be able to warn Harry off in a way that he might listen. He obviously didn't think bodily harm was much of a deterrent.

Charlie sighed and tried to explain again. "I tried to stop her I reminded her she had a date tonight hoping that a mention of her fiancé would remind her being in an old flames apartment was probably not the best idea. Heaven knows I tried but Jane…"

Bill let out a bark of laughter slapping his knee, "Jane? I should have known she had something to do with this. Charlie it's a shame you didn't marry that girl she keeps you on your toes."

Charlie scowled, "You'd have to put me away for murder after the first year she drives me crazy."

Fred nodded, "Charlie's right Jane needs a leash or something!"

Ron scoffed tossing a glance at Fred. "Who are you and what have you done with terrible twin number one? You love Jane and her antics. You're always encouraging her and when they were dating you did everything possible to help her drive him loony."

Fred crossed his arms looking mulish, "Not when those antics could harm Ginny."

To this there were general nods and grunts of agreement. Dean however leapt to Harry's defense. "Harry isn't like that he wouldn't take advantage of her just because she's alone with him."

Their were snorts of mirth and general disbelief Ron stuck up his hands and began to tick off names, "Rachel, Christina, Bethany, Hanna, Merrill, need I go on?"

"That was before he became and Auror, in the four years he's been on my team I don't think I've ever seen him take a girl back to his place. He has girlfriends but their casual and their far apart. Just like any bloke his age. And that's not even lately, for the last year he's been single and seems determined to stay that way. Corry our other partner keeps trying to hook him up but he's having none of it." Dean insisted.

This was met with grudging silence, Dean wouldn't lie for Harry and the image he just painted warred with the one of the fast playboy they would all like to paint onto Harry.

"Alright so he's stopped playing it fast and fancy but he's still a drunkard…" Bill began but Dean was shaking his head.

"No that's not true either. If you'd listen to Harry when he talked instead of hitting him till he cant. And mind you if you answered Remus letters instead of burning them because he supported Harry you'd know that Harry hasn't been a drunkard for five and a half years now. He can take a few drinks like any other bloke but he doesn't indulge in excess anymore."

Charlie had to hide a grin, his brothers did not look thrilled at this news. They looked angry that Harry was robbing them of reasons to dislike his pursuit of their sister.

Percy was glancing thoughtfully around at all of them he raised his hand as if he was in a class room and Ron rolled his eyes. "yes Percy do you have something to say?"

"Why yes I do Ronald thank you for noticing. It seems to me the only problem we have on our hands is Ginny herself. Now she's young and it's sometimes hard to separate yourself from a first love. Such foolishness however could ruin her entirely in this case. I know Davey and I'm sure if we tell him exactly what's going on he'll put a leash on the entire matter." He replied tapping his wand to accent his words.

Silence.

"Why George I think he's got it!" Fred exclaimed happily.

"Not a bad idea Percy it's only right her fiancé be warned an old fame is sniffing around her." Bill was nodding.

"Wait wait hold your hippogriffs doesn't that seem underhanded to any of you?" Charlie sat up in his seat.

"No, if one of Clarita's old boyfriends was sniffing her out wouldn't you want the heads up old chap?" Bill asked him.

Damn, that was true he would. Not that he didn't trust his wife there were just things a man wanted to know about.

"Yes I would," he admitted grudgingly "But I also wouldn't go charging in like a troll in a teashop I'd let her deal with it because I trust her. I believe in our commitment and he could try all he wanted and I'd trust her even then!"

Bill grinned at him reading his obvious hesitancy. Of all his brothers he'd always been closest to Bill naturally because of their closeness in age.

"You're not switching sides are you old chap?" Bill grinned.

Was he? He in no way approved of Harry's actions in the past and if that was all he ever had to go on he'd lock Ginny up before he allowed her to walk down the isle with him.

But that wasn't all he had to go on. He had the years before Harry's darkness and these year after it's passing. As hard as he tried he could not see a bad man in Harry. He saw a troubled one, one that needed and hurt like everyone else. A man who had made mistakes but a Goodman nonetheless. He was a national hero the savior of the entire wizarding world when Charlie thought on what all of that meant what Harry could have asked for what he could get away with . Harry could have the entire world presented to him on a silver platter if he asked, could have strings of women any job he wanted he could have even shot for minister and the people would have carried him into office.

Harry was simply an Auror and not even the head of his team. He lived in a simple apartment all his money in the bank increasing by the year but unused. He dated sporadically and lately not at all. All marks of a man who was not a glory seeking arrogant pratt as Ron had so often named him.

There was also the fact that Harry for all accounts had not appeared to want Ginny to walk alone with him to his apartment. That had been clear between the two of them back in the hospital.

No, Charlie sighed he was no longer convinced Harry was a monster , but he was a haunted person and a hunted one.

Harry was haunted by his own daemons and hunted by the followers of the man he'd destroyed. He'd nearly died because of them and Charlie did not want his sister touching that anymore then he wanted her touching a drunken playboy.

"…No. I haven't I still think her being with him is a bad idea but not for the reasons you might think. I think Harry would truly make and effort to make her happy and even might succeed for a while. In the end though he'd hurt her though being wife to an auror is hard enough on a woman never knowing if her husband will come home that day but being wife to Harry Potter would be even harder." Charlie answered his brother after much thought.

"But that's no different then anyone who's an Auror, many Aurors are married and yes there is risk but you cant possibly think Ginny isn't strong enough to handle it?" Dean scoffed.

Bill shrugged, "I don't know is she. Normally I'd say yes Ginny's made of some stern stuff but Charlie has a point Harry's different all together as soon as he goes on a job he's no longer the hunter but the hunted can you deny it Dean?"

Dean bit his lip grudgingly and shook his head, "No. Dark wizards don't avoid him when we go to bring them in like they do other aurors. Most Dark wizards wont attack us till their cornered. With Harry they want to see him die. they attack and try to trap simply because he's who he is."

Arthur nodded speaking for the first time, "That young man hurt my little girl. He has some repercussion to pay for that but I'll be honest with you boys. I loved him like a son and part of me cant help but hope he has changed as you say Dean. I would like nothing more for Harry's sake alone. And if he has then I'll be more then happy to welcome him back into the fold."

At the immediate hisses and uproar that this caused Arthur Weasley raised a hand for silence, "Hush you lot! Where you got your impatience I'll never know your mum and I are not nearly this hotheaded. If you'd let me finish please?"

Once they'd quieted he nodded continuing. " Although I'd welcome him and expect you boys to keep a civil tongue in your heads I would never allow him to marry Ginny. I've watched what war does to a woman. In the last one it nearly tore your mother apart and she's a strong woman no one can deny that. To watch me go to work for the order and not know if I would return was hard on her you all remember that. Harry will never not be a hunted man and unlike even us back in the last war he's singularly hunted. His family, his wife and his children may never be truly safe. He would certainly never be safe one of these days as sad as it is some Dark wizard is going to get lucky and score a hit. They nearly did this time if it weren't for Deans quick thinking. That kind of life is not what I want for my daughter. With Davey she doesn't have to worry about any of that."

"But Dad, what If she doesn't love him." Charlie asked as everyone else except he and Dean agreed.

"She said yes to him didn't she? Seems to me she's already made up her mind perhaps this is pretrial nerves." Ron shrugged.

Charlie glared at him, "Like your groom ones? Then we might as well rule Davey out because Davey isn't like Hermione Ron he wont wait around for two years for her to stop dithering about."

When Ron clenched his fists and stomped towards him Bill shot to his feet and pushed both of them apart. "Ron he's only speaking the truth for the life of me I can't figure out your hesitation to just marry the girl already! And Charlie that was a low blow and really it's none of your affair. Now what decision have we reached here?"

"That Harry might or might not be a complete loss but either way he doesn't get to have our sister and to make sure that doesn't happen we're giving her affianced the heads up." Percy stated helpfully.

"I didn't agree to that." Dean mumbled.

"Are you with or against us Thomas." Fred snapped.

"I'm with you and with Harry. I understand your reservations and I understand your wanting to be fair to Davey even though that's not what this is about and you know it. I don't even think you particularly like Davey, and this is just a way to get him to warn off Harry but even so it's the fair thing. However I have some conditions I help you out and warn Harry off if you agree to be fair to him. No more beating him up for the fun of it, no more shadowing Ginny like overprotective mongrels. Alow them to be friends if nothing else." Dean insisted

Ron looked like he wanted to protest but Bill gave him a quelling glance. "Alright we agree, we'll stop beating on Harry and leave Ginny alone and If after we tell Davey the man is still willing to let Ginny be friends with Harry then we wont interfere. Agreed Gentlemen."

Dean sighed in defeat, he had done his best Harry would have to run with what little he had. "Agreed."

Change of scene

"Do they think we're blind? I mean there we are just arrived at my cousins and Percy tells me he's been called into work. He leaves for work in such a hurry that he forgets all his supplies now I ask you ladies has my Percy ever been unprepared for work a day in his life? Never mind the fact that his boss has never screeched , Percy you back nosed blighter get on home we have an emergency, before" Penelope Weasley, formerly Clearwater laughed arching her eyebrows as the other ladies gathered in the kitchen of the burrow chuckled rolling their eyes at the foolishness of the men they were married too.

Mrs Weasley who was pouring Tonks another cup of tea shook her head, "And he expected you to believe he was fleeing to work?"

Hermione giggled behind her hands, "Penny you should tell him he left his things at home and you went to the ministry to give them to him."

Jane who had arrived just in time to hear the tale was nibbling daintily on a scone laughed aloud. "You think too simple granger she should hide them first. He'll go back to his office and no one will have seen them. He'll be looking for his supplies for weeks."

There was more chuckling amongst the women and Clarita shook her head smiling at her cousin. "Your evil Jane. Something like that would likely drive poor Percy mad."

Jane shrugged, "He has only himself to blame for lying to his wife and being such a stick in the mud. Me I wouldn't even blink."

Clarita, Mrs Weasley, Tonks, Angelina, Alicia, Fleur Hermione, Jane, Penelope and a wary looking Corry were gathered in Mrs. Weasels kitchen at her request. Corry was the only one not sure why she had been owled for tea but she was fast warming up to the warm hearted women whom so obviously cared for Ginny and their men.

Penelope smiled to herself, Percy got itchy about those kinds of things it would be amusing to watch him fall to pieces over what anyone else would have seen as something small. She'd keep it in mind.

"What do you think their discussing, probably Men things. Oh yes something so masculine we poor women couldn't wrap our heads around their logic." Alicia George's wife shook her head.

Angelina snorted she and Alicia were newly weds George and Fred having married them only a year before in a rather rambunctious double wedding. However she was fast learning that when it came to logic her husbands was incredibly twisted. "Thank you god" She sighed and laughter broke out again.

"Oh now dear of course their discussing Ginny and Harry it's what we're all discussing. Whether or not to give them a boost or give him the boot." Mrs. Weasley clarified.

Having had the topic of discussion finally brought up the women more then eagerly began to toss in their two cents worth.

"Well I've always liked Harry he helped save Katie in our seventh year and he's always been kind to me." Alicia said.

"Potters always been decent enough I never had a problem with him. He was nice as a kid but if you read the papers he's kind of one of them fastboys." Penelope added glancing around for confirmation.

Angelina nodded, "Yeah for a while there the papers were calling him the Play Boy Prince. You couldn't read a magazine without him and some blonde on the cover." She shrugged, "Not sayin that makes him scum boys will be boys but it's not exactly a plus on the marriage lists."

Tonks was nodding, "When Harry lived with us we were either throwing out bottles of booze or women from his room. Ladies I want you to understand that fame didn't go to Harry's head and he didn't turn into another jaded celebrity. Harry…well…" Tonks couldn't seem to find the right words to explain.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak. "All I know was that one day I had a best friend I was proud of and willing to follow anywhere. The next day he was tearing all of that apart and telling me he didn't need me. Once I got past the hurt part of it I began to think maybe he did it to protect us to keep us from going with him. Wouldn't that have been just like him to go it alone. So despite everything I was hopeful but when he got back and I saw how he treated Ginny I thought I'd been wrong after all."

Tonks shook her head. " No I think you were right I think Harry loved all of you and loosing the headmaster made him do what he thought would keep the rest of you safe. If he simply asked you to stay behind then even if he somehow got you to agree at first, eventually you all would have followed anyway. So he told you a bunch of lies, I think Harry thought that if he died defeating Voldemort at least he wouldn't have to watch you suffer and that if he lived he could come back and tell you why he did what he did and everything would work out."

Molly nodded, "Ginny would have forgiven him right away she was ready too and Hermione you just said you would have. I think even Ron in the back of his mind was ready to forgive him."

Hermione scoffed and Mrs Weasley rounded on her, "Oh I know my son Miss granger and he blusters but most of it is just hurt pride. He still loves that boy as much as you do and is waiting for him to come around. Why do you think he won't marry you?"

Hermione blinked at her in confusion, "what does that have to do with Harry?"

"Everything! weren't you listening to all of that nonsense when he was helping plan? He was planning that wedding the way we all thought we would be planning it. For four. And the fact that it wasn't going to happen that way didn't sit right with him and still doesn't. So he makes up excuses and he'll wait years until Harry comes around and he can have the wedding he really wants."

Hermione threw up her hands in exasperation, "Well a double wedding always did sound nice and I would like that after all we've been through it might even be perfect but if that's what he really wants why is he so adamant about Harry staying away from Ginny."

"Because he did hurt her and he is unstable no matter what he secretly wants or wishes he'll try his best to protect her. Harry may have hurt her at first to protect her but when he came back he was so cold so distant he continued to hurt her. How do you explain that?" Molly asked turning to Tonks.

"The same way I explain the drinking and the women." Tonks sighed. "I don't like to talk about it because it scares me and I'm worried about what it all means but Molly if you had stuck around to try and help heal him you would have seen that Harry was not just acting like a playboy. A playboy enjoyes sexual conquests and drinking because they give him a thrill. Harry wasn't living fast because it gave him enjoyment, Harry didn't even know what Joy was I don't think. Sometimes he would look at you and your blood would freeze, if you looked into his eyes you would have to look away because there was nothing."

Tonks shivered and their was absolute silence in the room a chill having come into the room as if speaking of it alone could have the same affect.

"The boy we all knew that decent kid you ladies are discussing died on his mission to free all of us. Harry didn't come back that thing standing on the platform and attending classes was a shell, a corpse. And a tortured one at night Remus and I could hear him in his room. He had such terrible nightmares some of the things I heard him mumble made me terrified. Harry suffered out there and he suffered horribly. He drank to drown away the memories and he slept around to feel close to something but it never seemed to work the way he wanted it to because he kept wanting to die. He would go out on his broom in thunderstorms flying into the wind chasing lighting bolts. He would do things that no sane person would do as if he was begging to be killed. I don't know exactly what we did to get through to him but eventually he started living again. The boy we knew never came back but the man that he is today began to emerge." Tonks explained.

Her Corry nodded finally jumping in, "Harry's sober and dedicated he knows how to have fun and he does laugh. Not easily but he can party with Dean and Devon or enjoy a couple bottles of fire whisky with them if he's in the mood. He's responsible and truly he could lead our team our chief has offered him the leadership of his own team but he's refused. He's happy to live simply when he could afford so much better. He's dated a few women but it's only lasted a few months and after the third one of those he quiet dating altogether. He's married to his work now and he's been the steadiest partner I've had since I met him."

Molly was grinning from ear to ear obviously pleased with these results.

"However, lately…lately he hasn't been the same. Those nightmares Tonks was talking about I think they're coming back and they're getting worse. It's like he's having a panic attack he'll completely freeze and when he opens his eyes they'll be blank and empty and its frightening. Whatever happened to him it wasn't good and I think it's crippled him."

A shiver went through all of them at once. Molly put her hands to her lips and they were trembling slightly.

"poor boy, he's never asked for any of his lot." she said.

Corry nodded, "And he really does love your daughter Mrs. Weasley. And your son and you Hermione. He's bored Devon and I to tears with the same stories about the three of you but we let him because when he talks about you the nightmares seem far from his mind and he seems whole and happy."

Hermione's lips trembled slightly, "How did Harry get hurt on the job."

"A former death eater set a trap for him. The bait was a little boy and Harry tried to save him. The man nearly got him with the killing curse but Dean knocked him out of the way with a wooden beam. He fell on a piece of metal and stabbed himself. He knew it was a trap but he couldn't help but try anyway. The boy ended up dying anyway and if Dean had been a second later Harry would have died with him." Corry said with a shake of her head.

Mrs. Weasley glanced around the set faces of the women around her. "Well ladies what do you think?"

A slow smile spread on Hermione's face. "I think that sounds like Harry. And everyone knows Harry and Ginny are perfect for each other. Like always they'll need a little boost though."

Molly nodded smiling fondly, "It does sound like Harry. He always was such a dear boy. I've missed him and you bet your pixies now that we have him we aren't giving him up. His daemons or whatever else is haunting him will just have to find someone else to have."

"What about Davey?" Clarita asked.

"Ginny doesn't even like him, and She likes Harry believe me you should have seen them this morning like too guilty teenagers caught in the back seat. " Jane giggled. "And she's walking him to his apartment tonight…alone."

There was more wild giggling.

"Do the men know?" Molly asked.

"Unfortunately yes, Charlie that ape was hovering as usual when I set that up." Jane sighed. "And you can bet there will be four or seven hound dogs on her trail tonight preventing any romanticism whatsoever."

Mrs. Weasley smiled a determined glint in her eyes. "Not if we can help it. Agreed ladies?"

The women all looked around at each other slow cat like smiles spreading from ear to ear. "Agreed."

Change of scene

"So they're telling Davey, that's not good Dean not good at all." Seamus frowned wiping the counter top of the bar in front of the stool in which his friend sat upon. It was early evening and people were beginning to tinkle in but the real rush wouldn't come until after dinner.

His sandy blond hair kept flopping in front of his eyes but he refused to cut it. He was working on a playful sort of charm that his mother assure him he had succeeded with. Seamus was fairly popular with the ladies he wasn't a knock out looker or anything. He was proud to say it was his charm that attracted them, Dean often said that it was a mix of his Irish brogue and goofy grin that fooled women into thinking he was semi-human. What were best friends for.

"Yes they plan to meet up with him after he drops Ginny off." Dean confirmed.

Hmmm, this was a pickle indeed. As soon as the brothers told him Davey would march over to Harry's and the end result would not be good. Unless…a wicked cat like gleam glowed in Seamus eyes as he grinned. "Oi mate we cant have none of that now can we. You just tell them to come on over to my place for a few drinks before hand don't care how you do it just do. I'll have them dancing on my tables before ten. They wont remember their own names before I'm done with them." He smirked.

Dean glanced at him then burst out laughing. "Sea you imp that's perfect. It will only be temporary but it will give Harry and Ginny this evening alone together. It's brilliant."

Seamus winked at him, "I always was glad you finally noticed Thomas."

"It is a little underhanded their wives wont be happy when they come stumbling in." Dean noted.

Seamus rolled his eyes, "it's their own faults for being unromantic, had it been me dealing with this mess I would have done everything in my power to help them along without batting an eye."

Dean was shaking his head, "Alright see you later you scamp I'll bring the boys around and look the other way as you take advantage of them."

Seamus nodded still grinning, "Of course you will did you think you wouldn't?"

Dean tried to toss his glass of whiskey at him but Seamus scampered out of the way still grinning. "Don't ruin the place now."

"When are you going to get a woman and stop making me worry about you Finnigan?" Dean sighed.

"When I find someone who can keep up with me. You never could, pity that." Seamus sighed.

Dean cocked an eyebrow, " I was never in the market. Was I?"

Seamus tossed his rag at him a green tinge coming to his face. "Good God no, get out of here with that."

Dean laughed. "Just checking, mate just checking"