A/N: So... Ginny... HAH! She's gonna end up on meds. Thanks for all the reviews.

To the Reviewers: I love you!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That's JKR's.

Chapter 14: The Debt and the Preparation

Ron POV:

I stared at Ginny with a mix of anger, shock and pure disgust. "YOU DID WHAT?!" I yelled at her. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! TELLING A BOY YOU WERE GOING TO POISON HIM AND THEN GOING AFTER HIS BOYFRIEND WITH YOUR WAND?! ARE YOU MAD? HAVE YOU LOST ALL SENSE?!" George and Fred were there as well, both tight lipped and pale, neither looking or even glancing in Ginny's general direction.

"You don't get it! I LOVE Harry, LOVE him." My baby sister cried. "I've loved him ever since we were little Ron!"

"NO! You do not get to claim to love someone you NEVER met! Your behavior was so stupid!" I roared. The three of us had been immediately summoned to Professor McGonagall's office after she'd contacted our parents and informed the headmaster. Dumbledore hadn't expelled her, but suspended her through Christmas Holidays to the date of the Second Task. Personally, I thought the judgment was fair, even a touch too kind. "You are going to go home and listen to Mum and stop ruining us! We might not be posh, snobby purebloods like the Malfoys, but we're supposed to be a good family! People who don't hurt others out of selfish desires! Our parents raised us better, and while we may not always have money and I haven't always been the most exemplary person, I can honestly say that your actions, if continued, would warrant you getting disowned and your wand snapped! You could end up in jail if you actually did what you're thinking Ginny!" Something must have knocked some sense into her because she stayed silent after that while George and Fred nodded in agreement. Our parents were currently apologizing to Harry and Krum, both who refused to even acknowledge Ginny's presence outside of a hissed, "Leave." That lead to her being escorted into here with us. Since Dad was the heir to the Weasley family lordship, and Mum to the Prewitt, they had to discuss the substantial life debt owed to Harry, who was now Lord Potter and Heir Black, before anything else could possibly happen. After sitting in silence for another two hours the door opened and a grim faced Dad and Harry stepped out. I blinked in surprise. Both were wearing their ceremonial robes, though Harry's was much fancier and higher quality demoting his higher rank and greater wealth. Surprisingly, I wasn't jealous, I felt instead, a small burst of pride in my friend who was so obviously paving his own way and life. Ginny looked up at them both and paled.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley," Dad said coldly. "As of this day, you are bound by the life debt you owe to Lord Harrison James Potter, honorable Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and the Honorable Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, in agreement to your paternal lord and heir's wishes. Hear and obey your punishment and recompenses with what dignity and honor you still hold." A bright light round around Ginny making her kneel in submission. Dad and Harry drew their wands.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley," Harry said curtly, "as of this day forth you, as well as your children and husband, your children's children will forever lose the right or privilege of seeing me or mine, unless an equal debt or mutual service acknowledged by I, my heir or a future lord of my house, permits it. Furthermore, any potions, be it love or lust, bought or made by your hand, will forever fail. Any spell meant to rid a person of their own free decision in the manner of devotion, love, friendship, and lust will be forever removed from your ability, and any you've already made broken as of now. All such ties you forge in the future must be done by your own hand, no person, man or woman, shall suffer from your own desires if it demonstrates a direct or indirect disregard for their own well being. Finally, you, Ginerva Molly Weasley, shall forever hold the disdain of I, and my House, until the day you die, with or without magic. If you break this magic, or try to circumvent it in anyway, a mark will appear upon your body followed by another for each similar action. Nothing will hide it, and you will bear it for all of your days. By the power, and the debt you bear to me, let this serve as payment for the debt you and your father's family owe to me through my selfless and morally correct actions of saving your life at the risk of my own. So mote it be." The light flashed silver, then red, then gold before settling into her skin. Harry then turned and left the room. Ginny wept as the magic finished whatever thing it was doing to her.

Dad put his wand away and sighed in tiredness. "Ginerva..." he said wearily, "do you even realize what you've done?"

"How could he?" She sobbed brokenly. "How could he?! We're meant to be! He's supposed to love me..."

"Ginerva you quite nearly ruined us," he continued sinking into an armchair. "He could have sued us for attempting to steal line rights."

"What?" I asked startled. What does he mean by 'line rights?' I thought.

"If Ginerva had successfully dosed him and he found out about it, he could have charged us all for stealing his lineage, whether or not they had children. Even now he could charge Ginerva, and anyone in the family who knew about it, for premeditating it. The fact we owe him a life debt that hasn't been formally acknowledged by either the Weasleys or Prewitts already nearly ruined us. At the age of seventeen, even though he's already emancipated, he would have come into his magic inheritance and any standing debts that went unacknowledged would have plagued our family. Depending on the severity of our actions against him in the five years til that time would have been observed by Magic and God before punishing us. The fact Harry was so understanding and no one was injured, thank goodness Mr. Krum has such excellent reflexes, Harry was able to spare us to what was within his power and what he considered reasonable."

"Blimey," one of the twins muttered but Dad seemed to not even realize what George or Fred said because he continued on.

"Harry still hasn't settled the debt with your mother's family either. Since your mother technically is the holder for the Prewitt line, and Charlie the next heir of it, we have to make amends for that as well. With Charlie's ties to the Romanian Dragon Preserve and Harry's own kindness, he's negotiated for a meeting with Charlie's supervisor on the chance there may be an excellent line of investments his families can make with the reserve or their own abilities in supplying apothecaries, thus allowing us to pay for the debt in that manner." Arthur said. "It's a way of not over paying the life debt, but furthering not only Harry's financial but Charlie's job perspectives."

"Harry's brilliant," the other twin said this time.

"He is," their father said tiredly. "We're lucky he didn't demand monetary or blood repayments. He could have even gotten Ginerva banished."

"Why didn't he?" I ask.

"He said he couldn't do that to us. That while Ginny was acting insane, and that he and you weren't on good terms he still thought of us as family indirectly. Your mother was quite overwhelmed by that and hugged him nonstop before he had to change and come in here with me. I asked him how he came up with it, and he said he'd been talking to Salazar Slytherin's portrait as well as the Longbottom heir and Malfoy heir." The last name was said with a bit of disgust.

"Malfoy helped us?" One of the twins said with an arched brow.

"Begrudgingly. Or that's what Harry said. Since he learned of his lordship, the two heirs of those houses have been teaching him proper pureblood and Wizarding manners, politics, monies, and duties... He's apparently already gotten and accepted his lordship rings and work, and is in constant contact with Gringotts and his financial adviser." Arthur said tiredly.

"How is he able to do all this?" I burst out. "I mean, he's in the middle of the Triwizard Tournament and has school!"

"He's dedicated and has his friends helping him!" My father snapped. "Something I hoped you all would find one day! But instead I have to worry over every little thing with my younger children! Harry's been under enough stress with his forced entry in the tournament, emancipation, lordship duties, and the studies for his OWLs that he shouldn't have to be dealing with this as well!" His eyes turned to my sister and I watched, with Fred and George, as she curled in further in on herself, "And," he said with a bite, "if you do anything, earn a single mark, I will be dragging you home young lady and you will be home-schooled!" Ginny nodded. The door opened again and Mum came in white faced and silent. She merely looked at us, not even bothering to acknowledge Ginny.

"You boys head back to your dorms, your father and I will be leaving with your sister in a moment." She said softly. She then finally glanced at my sister. Her eyes, which were usually fond exasperation or loving, were filled with disappointment. "You," she pointed at Ginny, "will be coming back to the house with us. A mind healer, on the advice of Harry, will be visiting us at the end of the week." She turned gave us boys a hug, before going back through the door and closing it gently. I stared at my sister for a moment before leaving without a word. It wasn't until I was back in the dorm rooms, curled up in bed and curtains drawn shut, that I finally said the words.

"Ginny Weasley, you are a daft fool." Glancing at the ceiling of my curtains I couldn't help but wonder what the ball would be like in a few weeks, and if it was even worth staying for.

...o0O0o...

Harry's POV:

It was the day of the ball, actually it was the early afternoon right before the ball, about seven hours to be exact. Somehow or another I was convinced to get ready with Fleur, the other Beauxbaton girls, Hermione, and Luna. I don't know how they got me to say yes, but now only thirty minutes into the whole thing I was flabbergasted and aching to leave.

"Oooh! 'E's 'air! It's so cute! Vhy 're ve taming it?" One girl cooed over me. They fluttered around me like a flock of pigeons being fed by an old lady.

"Vecause it iz not proper!" Another answered wistfully. "Zough it izz very adorible."

"Maybe you should lengthen it and the braid it?" Luna asked airily as she checked her image in the mirror. "Do you think I should give myself bangs?" All the girls, and I, looked at her as she gathered her hair to drape it across her forehead.

"Non," Fleur said firmly. "'Oo should curl it, long vertical curns with a few whimsy curls that are shorter around your face." The girls all nodded and I, after mentally imaging it, nodded as well.

"I hate my hair," Hermione grumbled. "It's so thick and curly."

"Nonsense!" Another girl said. "It is very voluptuous! Ve just need to harness it! I have a spell zat vill tame it, as vell as vone zat vill add zome interesting highlights. Vould you like zat?"

"Why do I have to do my hair before I bathe?" I grumble. The girls all stop and turn to stare at me as one.

"Ve could condition all of his skin zhen." One murmured, her eyes calculating. I felt a shiver of dread flutter down my spine as soon as all fourteen girls stared at me appraising.

"Strip!" They ordered. Damn, I think, me and my big mouth.

Four hours later, after an extensive 'spa session' (read Hell session) I was freed from the hands of the rather frightening Olga, a masseuse who looked more like an overly muscular Beater, and the claw like hands of whatever you called the person in charge of the face gunk and nails. Personally, I was currently calling her the Bearer of Evil Instruments. Seated in a bathrobe I sipped the lemon water Olga had ordered me to drink and flinched whenever a girl went by with something I did not recognize, which, quite frankly, happened a lot. The ball, only three hours away, had the girls in a flurry of motion. Some were still deciding between multiple outfits (there was one girl trying to decide between three that looked the same to me but I wasn't going to say so), shoes (who knew there were such a thing as five inch heels?) and jewelry. Hermione and Luna were nowhere to be seen. From what I gathered in between the sessions of bathing, lotion, massages, the face stuff and the nails, both girls were getting prepped in another room. Hermione's hair, bushy and uncontrollable, was proving to be a fun challenge for Fleur who had taken it on with a glint in her eyes that was scary enough to cow the Hungarian Horntail I faced down.

"'Arry!" Fleur called sticking her head out of the doorway, "ve need a man's opinion. Please?" I nodded and drained my glass before setting it aside. I stepped in and felt a smile grow on my face at the sight of my best friend.

"Well?" Hermione asked nervously.

"You look beautiful," I told her and she smiled widely at me. "And you're not even in your robes yet." She laughed. She was merely wearing a plain shift but her hair and make up was already done. The thick, curly hair had been relaxed and the soft curls lengthened to fall past her hips. They had gathered most of it up, pinning it in an elegant curve, while letting a few strands by Hermione's face go, to swirl and wave down her front. Pale white and blue flowers interspersed with small diamond like stones sparkled in her hair, and some tiara like headband could be seen glinting behind her gently shaped bangs. Her make-up looked quite natural, a warmer pink added to her lips and her dark lashes thickened and blackened while her eyelids were bronzed with and edge of blue at the corners mimicking the color of her dress robe. Someone had done something to her eyebrows, making their natural shape a bit more defined, and her skin looked smoother than silk or marble. A warm glow seemed to emanate from her and I could feel my smile grow even more. "Makes me almost jealous of your date." I gently teased. "Grigor's going to probably bite his tongue off!" I frowned at the thought. "I'll have to warn him from any funny business."

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. Her face turned bright red and I smiled.

"I should probably do it to all the dates. I mean, I probably won't have to threaten Cedric but... Well, you can't be too safe. I know I'll definitely be talking to Sasha. Especially Sasha." I glanced at Fleur who was fighting back laughter. "Do I need to take Rodger aside as well?"

"Non," she said bemused. "I vould not mind being ravished." I sighed.

"Just don't get caught?" I say with a smile. I glanced around the room. "Where's Luna?"

"Here," I heard her say softly. She floated through the door her robes, a dove gray with silvery lace over it. It was a strapless number, the robes curving from a sweetheart neckline to being gathered at her right hip into bunt shaped flowers. The underskirt shimmered more than the upper part though the bodice had been done in interesting folds and studded across the top. Her hair was loose instead of pinned like Hermione, part of it gathered on either side to be braided and then swept back. The long curls suggested actually did happen and they were currently swirling down her back, framing her face and neck. Her pale eyes seemed to glow and were showcased by the black eyelashes the curled daintily against a shimmering silver and pale pink eyeshadow. Her lips were done it a more red-like color and it was rather bold on the rather ethereal girl. She wasn't wearing any jewelry and I frowned. I glanced at both her and Hermione.

"You don't have any jewelry," I said. Studying their empty necks, wrists, and ears.

"I didn't think I would be invited," Luna said as a way of explaining. "I only got the dress robes just in time."

"I didn't bring any." Hermione said simply. "Well, mostly anything. Let me finish getting dressed, and I'll show you."

"I vill 'elp." Fleur said. She hadn't put on any of her own items yet, but would do so soon, I could tell. Luna smiled before settling on a small bench.

"So..." the girl started shyly, "how do I look." I smiled at her.

"Cedric will probably thank Merlin he ended up with someone as pretty as you." I tell her honestly and she flushed.

"Really?" She said.

"I'm pretty sure all the girls will die from envy. That is, anyone who isn't your good friend. You'll be getting hit on tonight and I'll be giving Cedric the 'I'm her big brother and if you know what's good for you' talk." I tell her with an evil smile. She giggled.

"Harry," she said with a roll of her eyes, "Cedric's a gentleman!"

"He's also a teenage boy, and I know teenage boys. I am one. Plus, have you seen Neville's neck lately?" I smile down at her as she daintily giggled. I loved how she opened up and was more relaxed now. The girl wasn't being bullied any longer and was finding fast friends with us all. Studying her bare neck and empty wrists I plot. Feeling a sudden brilliance explode into my head I wonder if I can get a floo call done in the next three hours or so.

...o0O0o...

Luna's POV:

Harry vanished from the room after talking for a bit and I could heard the fireplace flare followed by a muted discussion. I was curious but decided to leave him be. He'd tell me what it was about later, probably. Hermione returned before Harry did. Her periwinkle blue gown floated palely down her body. The pale see through straps glittered and I smiled at her as she settled across from me on the couch. Fleur bustled in after muttering in French. She finally started putting one her make up, quickly cleaning it, adding on a little moisturizer then foundation. Next she did her eyeshadow, a dark charcoal color that turned her lids smokey with a dark pink at the corners and a shimmering gray powder going over all of it. She pulled out a small glass jar, unscrewed the lid, stuck a lip brush into the color and applied the dark pink to her lips. She rubbed her lips before checking to see any missed spots and touched it up.

"That's a lovely color," Hermione commented as she watched with me.

"Merci," Fleur said as she reached into a drawer. She shuffled through it before pulling out a bottle and lightly dabbing at her wrists with the stopper. She then applied a little to her neck and chest. She paused before grinning at us both and adding a bit to her thighs and ankles. "Kept zis a zecret between us girls?" She said with a giggle and I nodded. She motioned us over. Pulling out two bottles.

"Perfume?" Hermione said with a smile. I smiled as when I saw them. They looked identical, pale flutes with silver toppers. The only difference was one had a H carved into the front of the glass while the other had a L.

"Oui," Fleur said handing us two bottles. "Zese," she motioned to the two, "vould vork vell on 'oo. I suggest 'oo apply it to 'our wrists, neck, behind 'our ears, and just a little between 'our breasts."

I sniffed mine and smiled. It was a light scent, maybe lilies or a rose mix, like a spring evening headed towards twilight. Hermione sniffed her own before smiling. I leaned over, she let me smell it as I let her smell mine. The scent was a bit richer, calling to the library and sunny days. I grinned. It was perfect for the other girl, just like mine was for me.

"What is it called? I'll have to get some of my own," Hermione said with a wide smile, I followed that statement with a grin and a nod. Fleur smiled at us both.

"It is made from a special flower called ze Vraiment Personne, or True Individual. It's nectar and petals 're mixed vith firewhiskey and a drop of unicorn tears. It is zen sealed and ze first person to open it gets a scent special to only zem. Zey 're 'ours. A gift for mes amies nouvelles." I felt my eyes tear up and hugged her quickly before Hermione followed up and we were all sniffling.

"Thank you," I breathed in her ear and she nodded.

"Now, do NOT cry! It vould be terrible to ruin owr make up." She said determinedly as we moved away from her. I nodded before quickly dabbing the perfume on. She smiled and got up, moving back into the other room to dress. She returned and we chatted amicably for a few moments. She paraded us through stories of Paris and Venice, as well as the Roman dance clubs she visited while on vacation. Halfway through a story about a night club in Angers the door reopened and Harry strode in carrying a box.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "Where have you been?" The teenage boy had been gone for about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. His clothing was still the robe from after the spa treatments, and I felt a shot of curiosity. I thought he would have gone to get dressed after the conversation, but it looked like he hadn't. However, instead of answering, Harry just smiled at her and held the box out. It suddenly grew legs and he placed it gently between us all.

"You said you didn't have any jewelry." He said fiddling with the top nervously. I got up and wandered over, Fleur followed with Hermione. I studied the box closely, it looked rather familiar though I couldn't place it. Fleur sucked in breathe and stared at Harry in surprise, respect and a question that he answered by nodding at her. I raised an eyebrow in surprise, apparently the French girl knew what it was.

"I have some." Hermione chided before she touched the small silver necklace and studs in her ears. Fleur merely smirked before pointing at her jewelry box. Neither of us had wanted to borrow anything and, in fact, hadn't been able to. All of her pieces were specially enchanted to dim her Veela charm and to only be worn by her, or those of her blood. All the Beauxbatons girls' jewelry had been that way.

"Well..." He said with a smile, he opened the top. "Now you have a lot." I stared down and felt a few tears well up, inside of the wooden box, not particularly remarkable at all, was the Potter jewelry. Rows and rows of trays, boxes, and jewelry stands stared up at us. My tears ran a lot faster and I even heard Fleur sniff back a few.

"Oh Harry, I couldn't," I heard myself say touching his hand gently. They were his family's, maybe even his mother's.

"You're my friends," he said simply. Hermione glanced at us both, shock having set in.

"Harry, is this your family jewelry?" She asked as she hugged him.

"Yes, none of my mother's pieces though, she didn't have much and they went to my aunt apparently, but..." I wrapped myself around him next, and he gently hugged us both. "Everything else is here for you to borrow." He let us go and picked up the first tray, an assortment of bracelets, and motioned for us to sit.

"Harry I couldn't," Hermione said her eyes welling up but Harry pushed her down before handing the tray to Fleur and reaching in for the next one.

"Hermione it's fine. I want you guys to wear it. I'm not going to. These are the girl pieces after all." He said chidingly as he pulled out a flat stand holding earrings.

"It's your family's though." I say.

"I consider my friends family. Don't worry Luna, even if it gets lost there's a special spell that returns it to it's place on the tray in the box." Harry said. I felt my tears well up and knew, dammit, my make up was ruined.

"'Ou, 'Arry Potter," Fleur said giving him a solid kiss on the cheek, "'re irreplaceable!" He flushed before smiling shyly.

"If I have it, I don't mind sharing it." He said simply before the pair stood in front of us both and said, "anything you like?"

"You." I said dazed and Hermione laughed between a sob before nodding. He turned a color similar to a tomato.

"Yes, well," he said after clearing his throat. "Don't let your dates or Viktor know, we'll keep this love secret." He offered up a half grin and I smiled brightly at him.

"Do you have any radishes?" I quipped and he laughed.

"I think there were some flowers and moons, will that do?" He asked before setting the tray down in Hermione's lap.

"As long as it keeps the Nargles jealous, I'm good with anything." I tell him seriously and he just laughed before giving my hand a squeeze.

"Just for you Luna, dear, just for you."

...o0O0o...

Harry POV:

I was pretty sure that I will never be able to handle tears. Both Luna and Hermione had repeatedly started crying through the whole session. Finally, the two each had picked out a selection. Both ended up in a mix of platinum, white gold, and rose gold. Luna had these dangle type earrings made of soft white and rose gold mimicking unfurling roses. Her neck had a necklace made up of a trio of strands, each connecting to each other with a small diamond or flower shape. A matching series of bracelets adorned her right wrist, leaving the left one free for a corsage. Something I know Neville had suggested and all of the girls' dates had gotten. Hermione had long straight platinum dangles irregularly sized rectangles in different textures. Her necklace was simpler than Luna's a braided platinum chain with a circular locket with a butterfly rising off of it with a bright topaz for a body. Her right wrist held three simple platinum bracelets, each with a different center stone that matched her dress colors; pale blue, sky blue, and periwinkle. I'd offered Fleur a choice but she brushed it off stating she already had her's chosen and thanked me.

It was now an hour before the ball and I stared at my reflection nervously. The emerald robes Mrs. Weasley had gotten for me originally, had been changed out for a robe in sumptuous black with dark green highlights and my family crests emblazoned on it over my heart. Under them was a formal tux, the vest a dark burgundy to go with Viktor's own robes since he was required to wear his school uniforms formal attire as the Durmstang Champion. Crystal cufflinks, a silver pocket watch with my crest on it's back and my house's motto inscribed on the front, and a platinum neck tie was the only jewelry on me. My boots, dragon skin and shined to a painfully bright degree, were comfortable and gave me a little extra height. My hair had been gelled back, swept from my face in a rather artful curl. I hadn't escaped the make up either, though they had limited it to only moisturizer, a touch of foundation and a clear chapstick that I was actually rather comfortable with. It had smoothered over the roughened edges from my long-term habit of biting my lower lip when apprehensive.

"Harry?" I heard Hermione call through the door. "Are you dressed? May I come in?"

"Yes, it's fine. You can come in." I say, trying to fight my nervousness. I looked okay didn't I? And Viktor liked me even in my plain clothes and my school robes, so by comparison he'd like me now, maybe even more.

"Oh Harry," she said with a wide smile as I turned to greet her. "You look so handsome." She brushed my lapels before tugging at my tie in a motherly-sisterly fashion. I grinned at her shyly.

"You think he'll like it?" I ask her tugging at the cuffs and robe sleeves. "Viktor I mean."

"No, Harry," she said with a brilliant smile, "I know he'll love it." I smiled at her relaxing.

"If you say so, most brilliant witch of this generation. You would have to know." I say to her teasingly. She smirked back and gave my ear a firm tug making me yelp.

"Of course," she snarked back, "and if he doesn't he'll have us all cursing him. The same reaction my date or Luna's or Fleur's would if they aren't properly worshipful." I grinned evilly at her.

"But of course."

A/N:

Okay... My apologies for taking so long to update. Its just I've been in a bit of a funk, and school started and I had exams... Yearh... Lots of excuses. Anyway, I'll try to update faster, and sooner! I love you all, and thanks for all the supportive comments. If you get alerts later and no chapters it's because I'm fixing previous chapters, my apologies. Also, my laptop's screen decided to like... not work, so prepare for more delays! I apologize if my French is bad as well... Gee wiz... So many apologies.