Harry Potter and the Ancient Shrine of Providence
The Rest of the Story of the Boy that Lived
Book 8 Chapter 26 'The Wandmaker's League'
Chapter 26: 'The Wandmaker's League'
As Harry and Auror Hobbs were walking along the narrow cobbled street, nobody paid any attention to them. They both had their hoods up over their heads but it seemed everyone was presently thinking that at least more than one Auror would be protecting Harry Potter. When they arrived at Ollivanders, Harry opened the door and Auror Hobbs followed him in.
As they waited, Harry noticed who he thought was one of the Hufflepuff third-years trying out a new wand. By the talking going on, it appeared that he must have just broken it yesterday and his mother had taken him here to get a replacement. He heard Hobbs locked the door behind him and as he turned and lowered his hood, he saw him also took the open sign down and replaced it with the closed one.
Suddenly the room was lit up with a shower of sparks and Harry knew that another wand had selected its owner. "Yes, it's mine!" The boy shouted with delight. "Look at my new wand mum." As Harry looked back toward the boy, he was holding up his wand up for his mother to see.
"I see you have found your new wand, Timmy," Ollivander remarked. "Treat it well and don't sit on this one." As the exited boy turned around, his body suddenly froze in shock. He had just realized that he was looking into the face of Harry Potter.
Harry smiled and told him, "I broke my wand too, though it was last Christmas Eve. Once you get used to a wand, it's really hard to find one that can replace it."
Timmy was frozen in space and in time. In front of him was not just a student but also the hero of the last several weeks. He, along with the rest of his House, had quickly stood up for Harry's protection. This was when that nasty Parkinson girl wanted to turn him over to the Dark Lord. His House knew it was the just and loyal thing for all of them to do. Now this fourteen-year-old couldn't say anything, but just stood there, staring at Harry.
Harry offered his hand for a handshake as Mr. Ollivander said behind him, "Timmy, he is just like you and he is here to have his… wand checked. Even strong wizards take the time to make sure their wands are in good working order."
Timmy reached out to shake Harry's hand and then suddenly it seemed that he wanted to ask him all types of questions. "Are the rumours true in the Prophet, that you're going to come back to finish school next term, Mr. Potter?"
"Well, first call me Harry, and as much as I am finding it hard to do everything that I need to do right now, I am planning to return in the fall for my seventh year."
"Harry, are you going to be teaching Dumbledore's Army again and if you are, will you allow any new students to join?" Timmy now asked in a rush of words.
As Harry looked down into the third-year's face, he saw a sense of hope and the need to prove himself in his eyes. It sort of reminded him of himself, back when he was sorted, and felt that maybe this young Hufflepuff should have been in Gryffindor. "I think you're in Hufflepuff?" Harry asked the boy.
"Yes, and Hannah is my cousin and has told me a lot about you, Harry. If you could find the time, I would like you to help teach me how to defend and protect myself." He had said it in one breath and Harry laughed to himself about the boy's nervousness.
Harry wondered that maybe Timmy had asked the sorting hat to put him in Hufflepuff, so he would be with his cousin.
"Yes Timmy, I would be happy to teach you on how to defend yourself. But the first thing I want to tell you is to take care of your wand. I was in battle against Voldemort on Christmas Eve when I broke mine, and it possibly could have cost me my own life. Your wand is your number one way to protect yourself, and don't ever forget that."
The boy had slightly flinched when Harry had said the Dark Lords name, but he quickly recovered and looked up and replied, "I'll remember, Harry, and I'll make sure I don't break mine again."
The boy's mother walked over to Harry and addressed him, "Thank you, Mr. Potter, for all you have done, and I bet you're getting tired of everyone telling you that."
"Yes, it's been a very interesting ten days for my friends, and me," Harry replied.
The mother then told him, "In my first year, your parents were Head boy and girl. By the end of the year, they showed that they were very much in love with each other. I guess you were at least able to avenge their deaths, which he caused…" She made a short pause and then continued, "And thank you for taking the time to talk to my son today. Even with you being a Gryffindor, he practically worships you along with most of his classmates, I hear." She then turned to her son and said, "Timmy, we need to leave now to go have your new robe fitted."
Timmy looked up to Harry and told him, "Well, I'll see you in the fall, Harry," and started walking toward the door.
Hobbs then unlocked the door and held it open for Timmy and his mother. As they left, Harry remembered about his own robes. He turned and mentioned, "Hobbs, I just remembered that I am to pick up our new dress robes today."
As Hobbs relocked the door, he turned and told Harry, "I remembered, Harry, I was wondering if you forgot about them. I was going to remind you when we were done here today."
"Thanks, Hobbs," replied Harry, and then he turned and walked back to the desk where Ollivander was standing. "I'm ready now, Mr. Ollivander. I hope my wands are alright." Harry then pulled out his two wands and set them both down on the counter in front of the wandmaker.
"Auror Hobbs, I was wondering if you might leave Harry and me alone?" Ollivander asked. "We are going to talk about some very personal things here and it might be best that we have some privacy for a while."
"I'll just go sit across the street then," Hobbs replied with a grin. He then looked over at Harry saying, "Just wave when you need me to return, Harry." He unlocked the door and left and then Ollivander picked up a wand and waved it and Harry could hear the latch lock by itself.
Ollivander then asked, "Mr. Potter, where is your other wand?"
"I thought I would give it back to Draco. That is if the Ministry decides to give him probation. It might be a good way to maybe help clear the air around us."
"You speak wise for you age, Mr. Potter." Mr. Ollivander then brought up a small instrument from under the counter and set it in front of Harry. It was shaped like a small plate on a saucer. He then picked up Harry's phoenix wand and eyed it closely. As he did, he rubbed his hand along its wooden holly shaft. He carefully set it down on the plate in two small slots. Then he picked up another wand from off the counter. As he waved this wand around it, the plate began to turn slowly within the saucer and a small but continuous stream of coloured sparks began to shoot out the end of the wand. The colours were starting to scroll continuously through the visible spectrum of the rainbow. After three rotations, the old wandmaker raised his wand and with a twist of his wrist, the colours suddenly changed to a solid white for a few seconds and then they stopped. He then repeated the very same process with the Elder Wand, which looked, to Harry, to give the same effects.
Mr. Ollivander then detached the Elder Wand and set it down next to his phoenix wand on the counter.
Harry looked at him and then asked, "Are they all right, Mr. Ollivander?"
"Harry, both wands are very balanced in the types of magic they will respond to and no adjusting is needed. They are both in excellent condition. Now, we will start looking at how they respond to whom they call their 'Master', Harry." He then brought up what appeared to Harry to be a large spring for a screen door from behind the cabinet. It appeared to be made of silver and was wrapped with some type of hair.
"Harry, I want you to wear this dragon hide glove to protect your hand from any burning that might result if some type of ignition happens from your wand." While Harry was putting on the glove, Mr. Ollivander walked over to the wall and lifted up a target that reminded Harry of a dartboard. He then applied some liquid to the surface of his phoenix Wand, which reminded him of Frog Spawn Gel. Harry watched Mr. Ollivander then slide the spring over it and then he gave it back to Harry.
"The paste and the coil are to dampen and slow the reaction time of your wand, Harry. The faster the spell leaves your wand will tell us how much the wand is in tune with yourself. The target on the wall is a very special device. It will absorb most of the general spells used today and give us a rating in the form of a sound. The lower the note, the closer you and your wand are in tune with each other. If there is no delay, then the wand has totally given its allegiance to you. I want you to try your hardest to cast a spell that your wand and you have already done before. I have heard that you're good at using a disarming spell so that would be a good one to use."
"Mr. Ollivander, I have only used the Elder Wand to fix my phoenix Wand. Should I use that spell on both of them?"
"That would be fine, Harry, but I want you to put everything that you have into this spell."
Harry looked at the target and imagined that he was fixing a wand and uttered, "Reparo." There was just a slight delay in the reaction, but in a blur, a red flash shot out of his wand and as it hit the target, a very low cord of a note was sent echoing throughout the room.
"Very good, Harry. It is apparent that your phoenix Wand knows that you're its Master, but it seems that two different notes were just played. This is very strange and I have never had that happen before." He took the wand from Harry, took the strange spring off it and then wiped off the gel from the wand. He looked at it, did a flick and cast some strange spells to see what it did. After a few attempts, he turned to Harry and said, "This wand knows that you indeed are its master, Harry. It remembers that I made it but it is truly yours in its preference. Now I would like to check out the Elder Wand and see how it will react to your commands."
Ollivander picked up the Elder Wand and applied the Frog Spawn looking stuff onto it. He then slid the silver looking spring back over it and then placed it back into Harry's dragon skin gloved hand.
As Harry turned and pointed his wand and said, "Reparo," nothing appeared. He turned and looked at Mr. Ollivander and asked, "What just happened?"
Ollivander looked at Harry and replied, "I'm not sure yet, Harry. Try it again."
Harry pointed it and said the charm, "Reparo," and again nothing happened. He turned and looked at the wandmaker with a doubtful face.
"Harry, I think we might have a very wise and stubborn wand that knows what is going on here and does not want to show your true connection with it. I want you to take the glove off and make skin contract with the wand coil."
"Will I get burned, sir?"
"You might, Harry, but I think the wand is probably going to behave quite nicely for you."
Harry pointed the Elder Wand and as soon as he said the connotation, a red burst came out of his wand and hit the target that caused a large and very low sounding, echoing tone that filled the room. As he looked over to Ollivander, he was smiling and told him, "Very well Harry, you have done quite well with the Elder Wand and it is quite in tune with your mind."
For the next forty-five minutes, Ollivander then used a number of strange and exotic looking instruments and tested each of the wands in different ways. Harry had no idea what he was doing most of the time and when he had finished with the last test, he looked at Harry and said, "Both wands are in perfect working order, Harry. The Elder wand though... is very strange. It just doesn't seem to show the power I would have thought that it should have. Also your phoenix is still showing a strange echo of some sort. It is possible that maybe some cracks in the wood may still exist from the repair. I have three more tests that I want to do today. These will tell us much more about how these wands will respond in your control."
He went upstairs and as Harry waited for him, he looked across the street and saw that Hobbs was sitting on a bench and was continuously looking around. The words of Moody came back to his mind about keeping constant vigilance. Harry appreciated Hobbs and was going to put up a fight if they ever tried to remove him from being in charge of his protection.
Soon the old wandmaker came down the stairs, carrying a box and set it down on the desk. He cleaned the rest of the stuff off the counter and then removed from the box; three shiny and very strange looking instruments, that he could only wonder what they would all do. He then set the empty box on the floor.
"Harry, these are my secrets that very few know about and I know you will stay silent about them. When my family started making wands over two thousand years ago, they found the most valuable instruments that they could find. These will tell us some secrets about your wands."
Ollivander then set the phoenix Wand on top of what looked like a scale and then watched as a dial slowly moved around and stopped. Ollivander looked at the reading and wrote down the figure.
He then said, "Harry, would you remove your wand and put the Elder Wand in its place. As Harry reached for the wand and just as he touched it, the dial started moving again. Ollivander suddenly yelled, "Stop, Harry! And don't move your hand."
Harry froze. He looked at the dial moving and then at Ollivander and had no idea on what was going on. The dial kept moving and after it turned a few more circles, it finally stopped. Ollivander stood back up and looked at Harry and told him, "Now remove your hand but leave the wand, please." Slowly the dial turned the opposite direction and then began to slow and then stopped at where it had been before.
"Harry, you have seemed to have done something that I have never seen or thought was possible." Harry knew from the strange tone in his voice, that something had greatly confounded the old wandmaker and this brought up some of his own anxieties. Ollivander just continued to stare at him and he knew that Ollivander was thinking deeply on what had just happened.
"Let us try the other wand, Harry," he told him. Harry picked up his phoenix wand and then placed the Elder Wand on the scale. Again it rotated and ended up in just about the same spot. When it stopped, he asked Harry to again carefully touch the wand and again the scale slowly moved until it stopped in about the same place that the phoenix wand did.
Mr. Ollivander was looking quite mystified at Harry and then asked him a question, "How did you fix your wand, Harry?"
"I just used the Elder wand and touched my wand and said the repair spell, 'Reparo'."
"That is all that you did?" The old man's voice sounded quite baffled.
"Harry, I want you remove your wand and then I want you to touch the scale and we will see what happens."
This was strange, Harry thought as he removed his wand. As he carefully touched the scale, the dial again started turning and Harry realized that it turned as much as his wands had done. He looked up to Ollivander and asked him, "What does this measure, sir?"
"In a moment I will tell you, Harry." The wandmaker looked at him and put out his hand and touched Harry's arm and closed his eyes. At first, Harry sensed nothing, and then he felt something quite subtle as if it wasn't quite there. The sensation began to grow from the place of where Ollivander was holding him. Soon he could feel this strange feeling throughout his entire body. Whatever it was, Ollivander's face now had a curious smile across his face. This only served to heighten Harry's own feeling of uncertainty about it.
"Harry, this is so strange but I can sense it within you now. I don't understand how this could have happened or for what reason. You now appear to somehow, have what I think is some type of a magical core within you…"
There was only silence as Harry thought rapidly to himself. When he couldn't reason on what this actually meant, he asked in a nervous voice, "What does that mean for me, Sir?"
"It could possibly mean two things, Harry… One is that these two wands will work alongside with the core in your body and will help serve to strengthen your spells to be more powerful. The other possibility is, if you can just figure out how to do it, you might not need a wand anymore… "
Harry looked at him and then suddenly an answer appeared in his mind like he had always known it was there. He now knew that all this was somehow associated to the prophecies that had been given. He was not exactly sure how it all connected but he knew something have just prepared him for…
Suddenly he heard a voice and it told him, "He must not be told. Beware Harry, for things are not as they all appear to be."
As Harry looked around, Ollivander had just put the one instrument back into the box.
"Now Harry, let me check on something else." He took one of the other two instruments and then laid the Elder Wand down upon it. Harry saw that it had about twenty different dials that all started moving that were upon it, but soon they all came to stop. Ollivander then took the phoenix wand and replaced the Elder Wand with it. This time, only one dial turned and then stopped for a moment. Then it started moving again and when it stopped, all the other dials started moving for a few seconds and then slowly they all started slowing down and stopping, but again not at the same time.
"So curious you are my boy. You have always been the one that has showed me the unexpected." All the dials had stopped rotating and as Ollivander looked at Harry, he told him, "Your phoenix wand somehow has two cores now. It even appears to even be quite stable. Others and myself have tried to make them before, but to no avail. They have always been so unstable when you try to use them that they have destroyed each other. I now want you to put your hand on it, Harry. I think I know what it will show us, but I want to see it before I say anything else to you."
As Harry replaced his wand with his hand, only a few dials began to move and as soon as they had stopped, Ollivander looked and nodded his head. He paused and then looked at Harry and told him, "It appears that the Elder Wand has split its core between you and the phoenix wand, Harry. You all have the same core signature within you. That is why it measured as a normal wand. What was a powerful wand once has appeared to decide to leave part of itself in your phoenix wand and also within your body. I have never heard of a wizard with a core, Harry, and I am not sure if this is good or bad for you."
"But how and when did this happen, sir?" Harry panicky asked. He almost was afraid of what he was going to tell him.
"It is obviously happened when you repaired your wand, Harry. Just why did it happen is for much debate, but I think it was done for a reason. I think that you have been given a true gift, Harry, and the first time I have ever heard of it happening. It may not make you that more powerful but I bet that somehow it will."
"But why?"
"That young man is again a question that I fear quite possibly no one can answer for you. Remember the time when your phoenix wand chose you Harry. I told you then, we could expect extraordinary things from you. Now it appears that possibly we can expect much more from you.
"Now, I have one more test, Harry, and it is to measure the overall potential of magical strength that is held within you."
"What is that, Mr. Ollivander?"
"It is the focusing and delivery power that shows the true potential strength of your spell. This will show what your wand and now in your own case, what you might be able to do with your magical abilities."
"Such as?" Harry asked not knowing for sure where all this was going.
"It is the size of the impact and how much of it can continue on. It is like the differences of night and day, Harry. Such as knocking down a fence or destroying an entire wall of a castle; like throwing a small stone or a boulder at a window. You break it but you can still be breaking things long past the initial contact. This is magic being carried along with the object, Harry, and nobody today can do this with much success in our society. This ability has been hidden and lost for thousands of years, and it is well that it has been forgotten.
"Harry, this is the true ancient magic that our forefathers wisely learned, that was unwise for mankind to control and have access to. Many wizards, and especially children, died because of the lack of control of this type of magic. This is why we have used wands to focus our magic today. The ancient ones somehow created all the base spells that we use today. They also developed the ones that prevented us from being able to address this type of ancient magic.
"Now, about you, I have heard a rumour from a friend of mine in the Ministry that there are some new prophecies about you. It is thought by some that you may have a way to somehow access this type of magic." As Ollivander stared at Harry, he became uncomfortable with what the wandmaker had just suggested that he could do.
"Oh, that's what it all means," replied Harry as he tried to sound amazed about hearing this.
"I have one last test, Harry, which I want you to take. This instrument is from Ancient Egypt and it will give us an idea about your power. I have no idea what they called it but I just call it a Magical Dynoendometer. This type of magic does not radiate very far from the body, so only with close contact will it show anything. This is what makes us different from Muggles. They will not show anything. Some Squibs may show a few tenths.
"There are ten steps on the gauge and each level is about ten times stronger than the one before it. Most wizards will only show in the three to five ranges. I once measured Dumbledore and he was able to tip the scale at over six. I have never seen anybody else come close to him on this scale, but I am sure the Dark Lord would have been close to his reading. This reading will give us a good idea on what to expect from you in the future, young man.
"And Harry, whatever shows up here is not a measure of what you really are. What makes a good wizard is what you do with yourself and show in your heart, Harry."
He had Harry come over and put his hand on the scale and slowly the lever travelled up and stopped on the lower level of four. Ollivander then walked around the desk and he told Harry to take his arm off the scale and turn around. As he faced Harry and smiled, he told him, "I kind of wished, dear boy, that you might have shown to be a future wizard with a reading around Dumbledore's power level. But with your wands, you will still be quite powerful, Harry."
As Ollivander put his hands on Harry's shoulders, it caused Harry to move away so his upper body was touching the counter and the edge of the device. At the time of contact, his upper body was very close to the Dynoendometer. The gauge rose rapidly up past the four and was still rising toward five, but it suddenly dropped and faded away, as Harry moved away from the desk. Since Ollivander was in front of Harry, he didn't see what had just happened.
"Harry, treat your wands well and whatever this core is that has now shown up in your body, it is something that should be watched closely in case it causes you problems."
"Mr. Ollivander, do you really think that if I have a magical core within me that I might be able to do wandless magic?"
"Anything might be possible around you, Harry, but again, I have never seen anything like this or understand what it really means for you. It also may somehow amplify your own level of magic within your wands, but at this time, I am not seeing any of this to be the case. This is a true unknown for you and you may have to wait until it just shows up on its own someday."
Then Mr. Ollivander did something quite strange, he started whispering and talked to Harry in his ear, "And I want to say something to you. I think you were meant to break it and try to repair it with the Elder wand. And whatever you have done to yourself by doing this, it was meant to happen to you and will not cause you problems. This core signature now exists within you and your wands for a special reason, Harry, and be very careful on who you tell about it."
The old wandmaker then turned and walked back around his desk and told Harry in his normal voice, "I will need to report to my friend in the Ministry on everything that we have found out here. I did though think it is best that I omit and say nothing about the core that lies within your body. I don't think it is wise to tell anyone right now, except for maybe your young love about it."
"I understand," replied Harry.
"And lastly Harry, going back to Hogwarts is probably the best thing you can do right now. It will give you an environment that will help you get a handle on whom you really are."
"Thank you for all that you did here today, sir," Harry told him. "You answered some questions but you have given me far more questions to try to figure out. But I thank you and I'll change your signs around for you." He walked over to the door and traded the signs so it now read open to the shoppers. Auror Hobbs saw the movement in the window and came over from across the street. Harry unlocked the door and opened it for the Auror.
"You ready to leave, Harry?" asked Hobbs.
"Yes sir, I am ready to go to Madam Malkins." He pulled his hood over his head and then they both left Ollivander's workshop and he gave him a final wave as they shut the door.
A few minutes after Harry had left, several wizards dressed in dark robes came out of the back room and looked at Ollivander. The taller one that had a deep scare across his neck asked, "Is he the one we have been waiting for?"
"Gangus, I don't know if he is," replied Ollivander. "He may be, but for now he didn't appear that he has the power to be the one. He might only be the messenger to warn us that the one is finally coming."
"So when will we know then?"
"We will have to wait and look for any other signs that he may be the one to lead us to him. But I must tell you that something is very bizarre about young Potter and it is best that we all be quite careful around him."
"So I have heard he has the Elder Wand with him," replied Gangus. "But he still must have the skills and knowledge to be able to use it properly. Now old man, about of what I have just heard, he seems to be just an average wizard."
"It is obvious you didn't listen to what I just told him, you stupid fools," Ollivander remarked. "He is one you don't want to go looking to pick a fight with."
"He is still just a boy, old wandmaker. We already heard that it was only luck in him beating the Dark Lord. We are not scared of this boy."
"I wish I was not forced by the League of Wandmakers to be involved with any of this here," remarked Ollivander. "But since I have sworn an oath to protect the knowledge of wand making, I am forced to do this. But tell the leaders that I still feel he is an innocent party in this and even if he is the one, I don't think we have anything to worry about."
"They will decide, Ollivander, not you. You will do what the leadership says or else... Now is there anything else that you want us to tell them before we take our leave?"
"Tell everyone to stay away from him right now. He is in the process of developing his skills and any misunderstood contact may ruin our chances of him helping us. I feel that he is somehow going to be involved in what is coming, but how, I have no idea. For now just warn the other wandmakers, that he appears to have, what I think is a stable living core within him, and it is quite inadvisable to risk intercepting him for now."
As they left, Mr. Ollivander sat down quite upset. He hated having to do this, but when he was seventeen and was starting to learn his craft, he had to take an Unbreakable Vow to protect the knowledge of wands. Long ago, it had been foretold, that a wizard would rise to control the power of the wand around the beginning of the third Millennium. No one ever understood what this had meant, so the League of Wandmakers was taking no chances for someone to possibly put them out of business.
Bill was tired. They had looked everywhere within the safety perimeter he had told his men to search today and found much of nothing inside. He had decided to start having even the floor swept around them earlier that day. So far, they had found nothing, but a few signs in the floor that just gave some directions inside the building. It was after five-thirty and with skipping lunch today, he was ready to call it quits. He had told everyone to just stop what they were doing and clean up for the day.
As soon as he was able to walk outside, several people told him to turn around and then he could not believe what he was seeing. The upper floors were bricked with limestone blocks and beautiful carvings were engraved across them. His first thoughts were at least the outside appeared to be a treasure.
The more he stared at all the beauty; Bill began to think to himself. If someone built such a building with such expense, there had to be a reason, he thought. Something grand was once here and the treasure that was now staring him in the face left no doubt in his mind about this. This was not abandoned because of non-use. It was still here with all its glory and beauty and something cataclysmic must have happened here and without much warning.
What was strange to Bill was why there was nothing inside including skeletons. The place was just empty so far. Because of what this building material was worth in the past, meant that this place was buried with short notice and with very few if anyone that knew about it. For those that did survive, it meant that they could not or did not want to return to reoccupy it again.
Bill knew now that this meant one thing. The men most likely died last week, because of some type of protective curses that were still active. This place had a hidden story and had nothing in the history records about it. Now he was just a little more than just curious about it. It also meant that most likely, that somewhere below was going to be some very priceless treasure being protected. He knew with these new revelations that the Gringott's goblins were going to really be interested now in proceeding to investigate.
He turned around and started walking up the ramp whistling and thinking about all the possibilities of what could be buried here.
Harry walked into Madam Malkins and lowered his hood. Her niece saw him, came over and told him, "It is all ready for pick-up, Mr. Potter."
He smiled at her and as she brought over a rather large box, he put his hood back up and then took the box from her hands. "Thank you, and Ginny and I appreciate everything that you did for us." Harry turned around and headed toward the entrance and Auror Hobbs opened the door for him.
As they proceeded back to George's shop, he asked the Auror, "Winston Hobbs, what do you think about who I am?"
"You're a fine young wizard, Harry. You appear to be someone that cares a lot about people and except for what happened the first time I met you, I have enjoyed being around to protect you and Ginny."
Harry could think of nothing else to say but replied with, "Thank you, sir."
As they walked further down the street, the Auror asked Harry a question. "I think that Ollivander might have said something to upset you, Harry?"
"Not really, but he sure has given me a lot more questions about who I am," Harry replied.
"If you really need someone to talk to, Harry, I will listen and make suggestions if you want me to. If it is only personal, I can keep my mouth shut. But don't tell me something that you know I would have to report."
"Thanks Hobbs."
When they walked into Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, Ginny came up to him yelling, "You got them Harry!" She dragged him to the back of the shop and then as soon as he had time to put the box down, she started opening it and pulling out the robes. "I can't wait to get home and show mum," she told him. She grabbed Harry and in her excitement, she gave him a kiss that ended up sliding all over his cheek.
Harry then wisely excused himself from her excitement, and walked over to see Angelina and George for a while. When Harry first reached him, he asked, "George, how is everything coming together on reopening the shop?"
"I think that we will be done tomorrow. I know you feel guilty for not being able to help us, but Harry, I understand that you have been slightly over committed on your time."
"George, do you think you can come to the Burrow on Thursday or Friday night?" Harry asked. "Since Ginny leaves on Saturday to return to Hogwarts, and we leave early on Sunday on our trip, it would be nice for all of us to get together one last time. And by the way, bring Angelina with you."
"I would like that, Harry." George replied. "We've got the grand reopening on Friday. I expect we will be busy all weekend, but we shouldn't have much to do on Thursday. Plan on us coming around seven-thirty."
Auror Hobbs suddenly appeared and told them, "The time is after four-thirty and it might take a while to get you home by five o'clock today. I think getting to the Leaky Cauldron with your hoods down will take at least thirty minutes. When you all get home, I would be prepared in case Molly has found out about your hoods being down today. She and those above me in the Ministry are not going to be happy about it.
"Now Harry, give one of the Auror's your box of robes to carry. This way you will be able to meet and interact with the crowd today. The only way I am going to keep from having to listen to Dawlish and Arthur tomorrow morning is to get some good feedback from the Daily Prophet."
Soon, they all headed out into the streets with their heads uncovered and started walking toward the Leaky Cauldron. In just a few seconds, people were swarming all around them. The three Aurors were being given a workout on keeping the crowd under control and watching out for anything abnormal.
In the space of the next twenty-five minutes, Harry had probably shaken the hands of at least several hundred admirers. There were witches, wizards and children of all sizes and backgrounds. Everyone wanted to congratulate the three of them on their success. Even Ginny was quite popular and only once did a witch expressed her outrage about her capturing Harry's heart. She had told her that since she was a Weasley, she would have had to have used a love potion on Harry. Ginny just said nothing to the vile sounding witch and continued to shake the hands of the rest of her admirers. Even with so many well-wishers appearing, everyone was quite courteous and knew that they could only take a few seconds of time from the heroes. Soon it all just became a blur to Harry, for so many had wanted to see and thank him.
Finally they were in front of Quidditch Quality Supplies. Between handshakes, Harry looked in the window and saw a Firebolt broom on display and he wondered what happened to his own lost broom. Then his mind drifted away as he thought about Hedwig and…
"Harry…HARRY!" Hermione's voice suddenly popped him to his senses. She was looking slightly worried at him and told him, "We're here, Harry. You have been shaking hands, but you have been acting like you are kind of like out of it. It was almost like when he used to be in your mind."
"Harry, are you… alright?" asked a worried Ron.
"Sorry, I saw the broom and started thinking about my Firebolt and then Hedwig. I guess I was being a little sentimental and lost in my thoughts about it." Ginny put her hand around him and together they passed through the entry into the Leaky Cauldron.
He asked Auror Hobbs, "I want to take a few minutes before we head back, sir." He walked over to Tom the bartender and then requested, "I've missed being able to stay here for the last few years Tom and I am dying to have one of your Butterbeers."
"I have miss you too Mr. Potter," replied the old toothy bartender. He smiled and poured him a glass and told him, "It's on me, Harry Potter, my friend."
When Harry still offered to pay for it, Tom just shook his head. Harry with a smile then gulped down about half of the liquid and then as a nice feeling rushed over him, he replied saying, "Today, it was a welcome relief to finally be able to stand up at the bar and talk to you for a few minutes."
They then chatted about the old times when Harry had stayed in there in the past, and how his business had suffered a lot in the last several years. He then told Harry that he was looking forward to his retirement. He was only planning to work for a couple of more years.
Harry then raised the glass to his lips and emptied the rest of his Butterbeer before finally saying, "Thank you Tom. I plan to see you a lot more often now." He turned around and told everyone, "Let's go home."
Since Harry was the first to go into the Leaky's large Floo, he was the first one that Molly saw walking out of the stone fireplace. Her smiling face quickly faded, to one with a scornful look. As he walked by, she told him sharply, "Why is your hood down, Harry? You're supposed to be in hiding, young man…and you, Ginny Weasley!" She exclaimed, as she saw Ginny walk out behind him. She twisted around and then remarked, "along… with the rest… of you," as she followed Ron and Hermione walking out without their hoods on either.
As she turned a hot shade of red, she turned around and was quite ready for him, when Auror Hobbs came out of the fireplace.
"HOBBS! Why did you let them?" Molly yelled at the Auror. "You know good and well what Arthur has ordered!"
"Mrs. Weasley," replied Hobbs in a commanding voice, "I have no right to really force them to do this and they have been careful today and I think it was finally time."
Molly replied in a very disconcerted way, "But… Ginny… she is only a girl… If I lose-" Molly collapsed into a chair and was close to tears and quite upset. Ginny returned quickly to be next to her mother and put her arms around her.
"Mum don't cry," Ginny said as she tried to calm her. "We all were fed up hiding from everyone."
Meanwhile, Harry motioned to the Auror to leave quickly before she might rebound on him again. For Ron and Hermione, they had already disappeared by quickly making their own exit outside. Hobbs put the box down on the floor and waved and was quick to disappear back into the Floo.
Harry walked over to Molly and gently told her, "I take the full responsibility, Mrs. Weasley. It seemed this morning that many on the street already knew we were there. I think someone in Gringotts leaked the information about us being there today. I finally felt it was time to stop hiding from everyone. You wouldn't believe all the people that came to talk to us in the short time they could see us this afternoon."
Molly reached out around her daughter and pulled her close to her. She was hugging her tightly and then turned and replied to Harry, "Harry, I do understand. I just want to make sure that Ginny and you have no harm done to you two. We expect it to come looking for you in due time."
Ginny responded spiritedly but calmly in saying, "Mum, I'm almost seventeen and in a few months it will be totally up to me. Now or then, it will make no difference on if someone decides to attack me. In four days, Harry and I go our separate ways and I want to be with him every minute before he leaves me. We already had people looking at us and following us around today, because they already knew who we were. Once we uncovered, everyone was so excited to see Harry and they just wanted to shake his hand. They just want to thank him for what he has done for our world."
Molly started to show a smile as she listened to Ginny. "Mom, it has been ten long days for us. Yes, you're probably right and we know it is still dangerous for us." But I think it is alot safer right now then it will be later this summer." Ginny stopped and looked at her mum. When she didn't say anything, she continued. "We appeared out in public for part of this day and now we won't be seen until I leave for Hogwarts. The two of us love each other, mum and we sure don't want to lose each other. Harry has complied with all of your other wishes and please don't be upset with him."
When Ginny was done, Molly slowly nodded her head. "It's just been so hard for me to forget that you have grown up, Ginny, and maybe you're far wiser then I am ready to admit."
She turned back to Harry and told him, "Harry, this is what you're going to be in for, because Ginny will follow in my shoes and she is also a true blooded Weasley witch. I may seem to be over demanding at times on Arthur and my children but you, Harry, will be finding out what being under the management of what a true Weasley witch is like. You will learn and see what her sense of motherhood to her children is. She will protect them at all costs and will always be there to sustain and be devoted to you, Harry."
Harry bent over and reached around Molly and Ginny and gave both of them a big hug. "Molly thank you and I love you as if you were my mother," Harry told her.
When Harry pulled back from the hug, she told him, "As you know Harry, Arthur and I are quite proud of you. It's just so hard to let go of her for me. I still see my Ginny as a little girl and here she is, standing in front of me all grown up."
"Thanks Mum," whispered a slightly embarrassed Ginny. "Would you like my help with dinner?"
"No Ginny, we have a lots of leftovers tonight, so you two just run along."
Harry walked over and lifted up the box and as Molly gave Ginny a questionable look, she replied, "Mum, it's our new school and dress robes that Harry bought for both of us. If you want I can go get dressed to show you?"
"I would like that Ginny," Molly replied.
Molly watched the two of them run up the stairs to her room. When they arrived, Harry set the box on her bed and grabbed Ginny into a hug and the two held each other for a few minutes. While together, Harry told her, "Boy, she was your mum today, but I guess we at least lived to tell the tale. Now I've just got to worry about your father."
Ginny pulled away laughing and told him, "If Mum was alright with it; then Dad will probably not say anything in order to keep from upsetting her. Harry, let's both try on our dress robes and go show Mum."
The two of them quickly discarded their outer clothing and carefully put on their new robes. For the longest moment, they stood in silence as they looked at the reflection of the couple standing together. Ginny finally was the first one to speak and replied, "We really look attractive together, Harry, don't we?"
Harry stood still, not wanting to break his stare at the most perfect and beautiful red haired lady, he had ever perceived. He was awe struck and speechless at what he saw. It wasn't until she approached his lips, that he had realized that she had felt the same about him. He was so stimulated by the beautiful site; he almost searched out the rings in his other robe and proposed that moment. Suddenly, Harry had realized that she had given him so many fulfilment's, that he almost didn't want to go with Hermione but rather return to Hogwarts with Ginny. He really didn't want to ever leave her again.
"Harry…Harry…Harry, snap out of it," said Ginny. He drew her back to his lips; his passion almost uncontrollable… Robes went everywhere.
About ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door and Hermione's voice was heard, "You two okay in there?" The sound of her voice made Harry pop out of his passionate fever and then he realized that the two of them were just wearing their undergarments and he was quite embarrassed. He pulled away from Ginny as she answered Hermione's voice.
"We're fine, Hermione, but it would be best that you not come in right now."
"You two are doing alright then?" Hermione replied with a slight giggle in her voice.
"Hermione, we will be downstairs in a few minutes to show Mum our new robes," replied Ginny. She rubbed her hand on his face and said in a light whisper, "It's going to be a long wait my love."
They quickly redressed in their new robes and then Harry saw that there was a matching set of hats, which had come with them. He brought then over to Ginny and placed one of them on her head and told her in a low seductive voice, "I don't believe you can look any better, Gin."
She blushed and took Harry's cap from him and placed it on his head. As she moved his hair around a bit, so his cap would set properly, she replied, "You're the pick of the crop, Harry. I know that in the end, I got a pretty good bargain in you. Even though it took about seventy percent of my life to finally get you; I'm thinking you're going to be quite worth it."
He smiled and told her, "Well Miss Weasley, I think it is about time that you introduced me to your mum properly." They gave each other a quick kiss and proceeded to go downstairs and when they got to the bottom, Arthur and Molly froze in place and just stared at them.
It was about ten seconds before Arthur was able to do or say anything. He had been amazed at what his future son-in law looked like. His daughter was even more of a shock and had totally caught him off guard. In all of his years, he had never seen Ginny dressed up in a way that in this moment, she was. She was the most beautiful young lady he had ever seen and he then told her, "You are really outstanding, beautiful, and enchanting, Ginny. The family will be so proud." He turned to Harry and told him, "For someone to marry someone so beautiful, Harry, she will require a handsome prince. I would have to turn you down, but looking at you now, young wizard, what else can I really say? The two of you are quite the couple and I suggest tomorrow the two of you appear just as you are. The public will love you."
It had taken several minutes for Molly to recover from her own shock. As soon as she had finally been able to walk over to them, she preceded just slowly shaking her head and holding a smile. "Oh, you two look so lovely together. Harry, you're so striking and handsome and you would have given Gilderoy Lockhart a run for his money in his day." She turned to her daughter and lovingly told her, "My baby, you grew up into a beautiful princess." She just looked intently at Ginny and then reached out and enveloped her into a motherly hug.
Harry felt very happy watching the two Weasley ladies and hoped that whatever Arthur would say about today would be mentioned only as in a light matter… He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Arthur say, "Harry, I talked with Hobbs already. He caught me just before I left the Ministry. I know that you may have put my daughter and yourself at risk today, but Hobbs explained that a large number of the public somehow knew that you were already there.
"I can't condone what you did today, but I can understand, and from a public relations aspect, it was incredible. The Daily Prophet sent a reporter to my office to verify that this was really the four of you there and we did confirm it. They were able to get some excellent pictures of you meeting the crowd late this afternoon. Even Kingsley was satisfied when you all returned here safe tonight. With what I just got to see in your appearance tonight, I just can't find it in my heart to be cross with you. Just please be careful out there, Harry, she is still is my little girl."
At that time, Ron and Hermione were walking down the stairs from whatever they had been doing. When Hermione saw Harry, she took a double take and said, "Ginny, if you decide that you don't want him, I might want to re-evaluate my position with your brother."
"Hermione!" yelled Ron.
Ginny started laughing and said, "Ron, you don't have to worry about anything. I for sure have already made my choice for Harry."
Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and said in a sulkily tone, "Well, I guess you'll just have to do, Ron."
"Hermione," Ron cried out again, "It's not funny. I love you…" He froze and dared not move his eyes. She saw the desperate look in his face and Hermione knew what she had to do. She grabbed Ron and kissed him in front of everyone and told him in a loud voice, "You just don't understand, you hard headed troll. You have always been my choice, Ron, ever since you saved me from the troll in our first year."
Ron just stared at Hermione and then a small grin appeared in his lips. She also noticed his eyes had started to water a bit.
Molly, in her own happiness, announced, "Well, now that you two have seemed to profess your love to all of us, it is time for supper." Ron turned a slight shade of pink with his mother's remark, but he knew that this had finally made him realize exactly what Hermione had meant to him.
They all sat down and as the food was being passed around at the table, Arthur started telling them, "I have a lot to tell you tonight and I sense that I will be doing most of the taking. Please just eat and listen and try to hold your questions until the end.
"Later tonight, I would like to have all of you look at a list of one hundred questions. These have been selected for your interviews tomorrow. All of these have been prepared for you from questions the public has been asking about. We have asked the News organizations to select from this prepared list in order to have the most be answered by you tomorrow.
"They will also be some time allowed for them to ask you some questions that are not on this list. After this interview, it will be best that nothing else is heard from you, until you get back from your trip this summer. We will be making reports about what you are doing in Britain and setting the traps that we hope will allow us to capture the ones we most desperately want to find.
"Ginny, I must tell you that you must be very careful on what you say to anyone at Hogwarts. The last things they need are Death Eaters and supporters in Australia looking for them." Ginny looked at her father and nodded as a reply.
"Now are there any questions?" Arthur asked.
"Mr. Weasley?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry."
"Since we all received a lot of money today. Could you tell us what happened?"
Arthur smiled and looked at the four faces that were staring at him. "Well, if you don't want it, I can arrange to have it all taken back and given to someone else."
He saw Ron eyes open wide and quickly added, "Just kidding, son. Kingsley and I knew that the Goblins were going to be asking for a lot of money to pay for the major damages that had been done to the bank.
"Now to answer your question, the Ministry has found reason to freeze accounts that total over one hundred and seventy million Galleons. So far, we have determined that around seventy million of these Galleons are stolen, misappropriated, or otherwise have been taken illegally. This had all occurred of course, over the last forty years during Voldemort's rise to power. As an example, I think the Malfoy's will probably find that they will be able to keep over sixty percent of their holdings and that will still leave their families combined wealth at well over twenty million. Add their other wealth in their estate and other real estate holdings; they are still one of the wealthiest wizarding families around.
"Minister Kingsley on Friday, asked the Wizengamot if they would at least consider paying for the damages that occurred when the three of you were forced to gain entry and then leave as you did. He told them that the Lestrange's vault had something that had to be recovered in order for Harry to be able to kill Voldemort. It was quickly decided to pay for it but then many wanted to pay the three of you a large sum for what you did for the wizarding community. It soon became apparent that this sum could become far more then you would ever need, and in time might cause a backlash from much of the wizarding world. We mentioned our worries and soon we had an agreement on what would be considered fair.
"What the three of you received is small in comparison to what you actually did for everyone. I am sure the three of you understand why it cannot be more. You will remain heroes for everyone, because of the fair nature of the reward. I hope many of his former supporters, once they find out what has really happened, will in time come to agree that the three of you were also heroes. So what you all got to see in your vaults today is what you all now have. Harry, the Goblins really could have made life quite difficult for you. Luckily, they truly are a little in awe of you, and Kingsley and I were able to convince them that it might be best to overlook this little matter.
"Now are there any questions about this so far?" When nobody asked any, Arthur then said, "Now everyone listen because I have a lot to tell you.
"Tomorrow after your interviews, the Ministry will issue you some Polyjuice Potion for all of you to use. This will now allow you to either go to Diagon Alley, or anywhere you want to go to in London. If you go to Diagon Alley, you may go without an obvious escort. Hobbs will follow you around from a distance and he will also be using Polyjuice in order to hide his own appearance. Please get everything you need for school and for your trip during the day Wednesday if you can.
"Several Aurors have now been stationed at Hogwarts for the rest of the term. Thursday morning, our Floo will be temporary connected to the Headmistress office. During your visit that day, Harry, you and the Headmistress will be going over this coming years plan. Also Hagrid has also sent an Owl to see if you would like to have lunch with him that day. The rest of you can pack or do whatever you want to do that day.
"This now brings us to Friday. This was meant to be a day that I was hoping that the four of you could just stay here and enjoy having some time together before you left. The plan would also allow Auror Hobbs and his staff to help protect George from any possible attacks on the shop. Plans have now changed and now I must request that my department take a number of depositions from all of you before you go on to your destinations. I will come back to this in just a minute, but I want to talk about your travel arrangements first.
"Ginny, we almost decided that it would be best that you didn't go by train but your new Headmistress put her foot down and said that all students will return by train. Since I assume that Harry will want to see you off at the station, we will need to leave around eight o'clock on Saturday. The train will be leaving its usual time at eleven o'clock.
"On Sunday, the three of you will be leaving around nine o'clock from Heathrow and you will be flying to Mumbai, India. Aurors in India will brief you on everything when you arrive. Once there, your security will be switched to the Australians. They wanted you to change planes in order to see if you are being followed. Your tickets right now shows that you are not staying over in India.
"For now, you will be having a two-night stay. This is to ensure that nobody is following you. You will be able to proceed, once the Australian Aurors are sure that you have nobody tailing you. The current plan is to have you arrive in Sydney, late on Tuesday evening. From there the Australians are arranging everything, and the plan is to recover your parents memories on Friday, Hermione."
Hermione asked, "Why do they want to wait until Friday?"
"It seems that they have taken up a new sport, Hermione. They have decided that they both love to play a Muggle game that you hit a ball with a stick to put it in a hole. I think it is called goof. So then-"
"I think you mean golf Mr. Weasley."
"Yes, right you are Hermione. I knew it was something like that."
"So it has been arranged to have everything done that afternoon when they usually participate. The Australians have already arranged to have two Aurors that like to play golf take their place. They will be using Polyjuice, so nobody would miss them if they didn't show up. They will also arrange that they end up playing separately from the other group, so as not to blow their cover. Your parents now have a very busy social schedule and it is felt that this is was the paramount time to do this.
"They have arranged a private room at the golf course for the retrieval of their memories to take place. In case something goes wrong, Healers and counsellors will also be on hand to help you. With their help, it is hoped that you will be able to return your parents to their previous memories and no one will expect anything."
Hermione was holding on to Ron and then put her face on his shoulder and started to softly cried.
"'Mione don't cry," said Ron. He started hugging her and was slowly rubbing her back.
"Hermione, your parents are fine," continued Arthur. "They've already built a growing clientele of customers. They have happily settled down into Australian life. You will have everything that you would need to do this. The Australians have arranged for their best Healers to help you succeed into breaking your own spells."
She looked up and tried to appear strong but everyone in the room knew that she was quite upset at what she had done. Everyone also knew that there was always a chance that her spells might be impossible to reverse.
Arthur continued, "Molly and I hope that the three of you will have a fine trip, and I know that for both Harry and Ginny, it will be hard for you to go on for so long and not see each other right now. The Australians have also arranged to let you have a special letter between the two of you each week. This will be delivered to each of you by a secure source."
"We get to write each week. Great!" Harry yelped. Even Ginny looked at Harry with a large smile across her face.
"Now kids, I must tell you some of the not so happy stuff. At this time, intelligence is telling us that the renegade Death Eaters are regrouping. We have been told that their first attempt will be by the end of the month. If they don't succeed, then around the middle of next month they will try to get to you in earnest, Harry.
"Ginny, if necessary, we may need to hide you as soon as the Hogwarts term is completed. You may have to go to France or possibly another country and lay low until we can locate them.
"Fleur has also talked to Victor Krum. He is trying to arrange that you can go to Bulgaria. Here you will either meet or wait until you can meet up with Harry on his return flight from Australia. If that works out, then you will be Victor's guests along with their Ministry there. Since it now appears, that the Bulgarian team will most likely win in their bracket, then all four of you will travel with the team to France for the World Cup.
"All of you must known that I have the four of yours security in mind and so you must understand that everything is subject to change. It is also possible that none of you will make it to see the World Cup. Indications are they are trying to eliminate you before August, Harry. Why this time period is so important, we just don't know for sure.
"Now back to why I need to have you all report to the Ministry on Friday. My department is already getting ready for trials this fall. Most of the people we have arrested have been quite loose with their tongues. So with this, we are starting to have mountains of evidence on a large number of Death Eaters. It now appears that the Ministry will be having about twenty-four trials on staff members and we have about forty Death Eaters that will have to go to trial.
"Harry, you are one of the star witness's and your own testimony will be needed in at least ten of these cases. Friday morning, my staff will be meeting with all of you to see if each of you has any credible evidence that can be used at any of their trials. Then starting around mid-morning and going on throughout the day, your testimonies will be needed in a number of pre-trial hearings.
"Ginny, you are a witness at the Carrow's trials. They will also be talking to you on Friday on any allegations about them. You are considered to be a key witness on what they did to any students at Hogwarts, just how they disciplined, and for grievous acts committed to students and Muggles in the school.
"This part of the reunification of our people is going to be the hardest, but if we ignore any part of it, we are not serving justice to everyone. We will have several hundred people going to Azkaban prison for up to two years that have openly expressed their guiltiness' and sorrow's. We will be lenient but some have committed acts of terrible injustice and murder and that I will not tolerate."
Mr. Weasley quickly started feeding his mouth with some turkey and potatoes and then turned to Harry as he had started to ask him a question.
"Mr. Weasley, I have a number of people that I would like to never see again but the one person I just want to make sure that never is placed into a place of power again is Dolores Umbridge."
"Harry, I have already have files that tell the stories about Umbridge and I have a rather large file that contains briefs from students from two years ago. They tell what she did to them and you in the year she was at Hogwarts. The atrocious things she has put people through the past nine months are a plain fact. The terrible truth is that over one hundred and sixty Muggle-borns are still unaccounted for. This leaves open the possibilities that she may never leave Azkaban again.
"Harry, Kingsley is going to ask you and you must address the Wizengamot about your own feelings on what the government needs to do. Input from the three of you will help inspire them to make changes and hopefully help prevent something like this from happening again. This will need to be a speech from your heart and directed to each of the members.
"From Muggle-born, to the most blood families like the Malfoys; you are the one that everybody will at least listen to, Harry, and while you are gone over the next several months, it will give you the time to think of what you want and need to say."
"Arthur… would you... want me… to talk to them before I leave?" asked Harry as he tried to talk with a mouth full of potatoes.
" Kingsley and I have talked about this. We think that it would be best left until late summer or in the fall. This way as some forget and others just want to forget, you can help bring it back to the forefront. We will start getting the information out into the society as a whole this summer. This will be the information and awareness for the need to change. Changes will not happen easily and all of us will need to work quite hard in order to be able to make these changes."
"Mr. Weasley," asked Hermione. "I still would like to see changes also happen for all the Goblins, Centaurs, Giants and House-elves. Even many of the other creatures like the Merpeople should have rights given and at least some type of protections."
"Yes Hermione, I have been informed that this is something that is dear to your heart. Changes will happen, but first we must get started on the trials. This will probably take most of the next year or so. Once these are started then some of the changes that you are wanting will be seriously looked at. For now, the real debate on what you want will be starting to happen after you have graduated from Hogwarts. I also just happen to know that the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures would love to have you come work for them. They are now holding a position open for you if you want it next year. If you come to work for them, this will allow you to help use your influences to make some changes quickly on the laws regarding the house-elves."
"Thanks Mr. Weasley, I'll remember that," replied Hermione. As Harry and Ron looked over at a smiling and happy Hermione, they could see what looked like tears forming in her eyes.
"There is so much to be done and we cannot do this overnight. Now, unless there is something else that can't wait, I would like to enjoy some of Molly's good food before there is nothing left for me to eat." Everyone smiled and settled down to finish eating their supper.
It became quite quiet for a time as everyone was eating and looking at the itinerary in the travel plans. Harry could tell that Ginny yearned that she could go with them but they both knew it was out of the question. Ginny only wished that she was already seventeen but knew that her Mum and Dad would never allow her to go since she was still underage.
Soon everyone had eaten and Harry suggested that he and Ginny go change. He told Ron and Hermione they would meet them outside in their favourite shady spot under the group of large trees. Everyone agreed and after thanking Molly for the good dinner, they all went off in different directions.
Harry and Ginny changed quickly and soon they were walking back downstairs and heading outside. As they reached the porch, Ron and Hermione were both laughing and waiting on them and the four of them took their favourite path and were soon were in a hollow under the trees.
They all set down in the grass and Hermione pulled out the list and started reading the first question, "Harry Potter, why were you able to kill Voldemort?"
They all looked at him and Harry replied, "Well, it seems that some of these could have some very long answers. I guess it would be easier if I just explain the prophecy to everyone. That is if the Ministry will let me talk about it."
Hermione then went on and read the second question. "Harry Potter, do you feel you're a powerful wizard?"
"No... Well, maybe some will be short answers," Harry replied as everyone laughed.
Hermione kept reading out questions and each of them tried to give short answers to them.
When she got to the twenty-seventh one, it said, "Hermione Granger, it has been suggested that you are the smartest witch in many years to have attended Hogwarts. If so, how do you plan to use your skills after you graduate from there?"
"Oh I like this question," said Hermione. "I am planning to work in the Ministry and work to change laws that discriminate against other magical creatures. I also hope to help make others more aware of the house-elves plight and why they should have the right to be free."
"Hermione, you might want to be a little more politically tactful in your answer," Ginny told her in a hilarious tone.
Everyone, including Hermione, laughed.
They kept reading and around eight-thirty that night, it was getting to be dark and Harry suggested, "Why don't we go up to the porch and get a snack and something to drink and finish the rest of these questions?" Everyone thought that was a good idea and they all rose and then, hand in hand with their partner, walked back to the Burrow.
Hermione and Ginny went inside to see what they could find. Ron and Harry talked about some of the things that Arthur had said and both wondered how much substance there was to rumours of people wanting to kill them.
A few minutes later, Ginny and Hermione reappeared with a tray of snacks and a bottle of Butterbeer. Ginny started passing out some glasses, as everyone got comfortable. Then as the bottle of Butterbeer and the tray was passed around, Hermione read out, "Question seventy-nine. We have heard that Ron and Harry want to become Aurors. Why do both of you want to do this and do you think you could be a fair person to former Voldemort supporters?"
"Good questions," said Harry. He thought for a moment and then looked over at Ron and asked him, "Any ideas mate?"
Ron replied, "We have seen much injustice and unfairness for the past few years. Everyone must try to change and forgive or we cannot succeed. I feel I can be open-minded and fair to everyone. I personally feel that if anybody can be that for sure, then Harry Potter is that person."
Harry nodded back to Ron and then added, "I grew up with much hatred around me for what I was. When I found out who I was at eleven. I still saw much hate and ignorance toward Muggles by many of the wizardly folk. We have had many problems between Muggle-borns and Purebloods with the Half-Blood's like me caught in the middle. We are all magical folk and we must learn to live together in peace and harmony. We can all change if we really want to."
Ginny reached over and gave Harry a quick hug and then they all went on with the questioning. Finally Hermione said "Question ninety-eight. Are the four of you quite happy that it appears that the four of you will someday be related to each other?"
"Yes," they all said in unison.
"Two left," said Hermione. "Oh… Wait a minute," and then she appeared to be reading something else. "These next two questions appear to be rather personal for all of us and you may want to pass on them if they ask them."
She looked around for any opinions and then Ginny said, "Just read it, Hermione."
"Okay, but the first one pertains to the two of you," said Hermione. "Harry, do you and Ginny plan on getting married and are you engaged yet? Also, if you have you proposed, is there a date set for the wedding?"
Harry and Ginny both let out a groan and then looked at each other. Harry thought for about a minute, while Ginny rubbed his back and Hermione could hear Ginny quietly whispering, "Now would be a good time to just get it over with," in Harry's ear.
Hermione noticed a slight reddening of Harry's face and then as he coughed to clear his throat, he said, "Privacy for a public figure is something that is short coming for me. Due to the amount of anticipation for my impending long-term commitment, I feel I should just make it abundantly clear to everyone that I plan to formally ask Ginny when she turns of age. We are planning to get married next summer and I think that is all I need to say about this private matter between us." Harry looked around at Ron and Hermione, as Ginny laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I think that is all I am going to talk about this question."
"Well, you're not the only one that has to say something," said Hermione. "The last question is for Ron and it asks the same thing, "Ron, do you and Hermione plan on getting married? Have you proposed? If you have is there a date?"
"Oh bloody-" Ron looked at Hermione and turned as red as his face could turn.
Hermione exclaimed. "You can pass Ron, but I might suggest you not turn quite as pink as you just did." She reached out and gave him a hug.
"I think I will just say something like what Harry just said," replied Ron.
"Ron, I think we could ask your dad to delete these two questions because of the personal issues they bring up," Harry told him. "I think we all understand here that we know what is going to happen between us and that is really nobody's business right now."
Ron looked up and replied, "Personal it is, but if we don't answer it tomorrow, somebody else is going to ask it. We probably should try to answer the bloody questions."
It was so agreed that to leave the list as it was. The time was approaching eleven o'clock that night and slowly the two couples began to only talk to each other. Ron asked Hermione to join him on a walk, and Ginny and Harry decided to just say seated, and turned off the lanterns that lit up the porch. They started talking about the stars and the planets and Ginny explained several of the things that they both saw in the sky. As they talked, Harry soon realized that Ginny knew far more about the stars then he did.
The night was cooling off and soon Ron and Hermione reappeared and then went indoors. Harry soon took out his wand and pointed it over to some blankets and said, "Wingardium Leviosa" and floated them over to cover the two of them.
Ginny slid down so her head was against his chest and then asked him. "Harry, I love you so much and whatever you want to do is okay with me. Do you just want to wait because you think it would be best for my family honour, or is it because you think it would be best for the two of us to just wait till I am seventeen to propose?"
"Ginny, I understand why you keep asking me and yes, you're kind of right both ways, but I will tell you the real two reasons. It is because we both love each other so much. I just want us to have some time to learn to know each other and do things together. So far that has been something that is clearly not meant for us to have right now. Your parents have given us permission to marry and I promise you that before you return to Hogwarts next term that we will be engaged, unless you decide that I am not what you want."
Ginny thought for a moment and then asked, "There is something else isn't there, Harry?"
Harry brushed his hand on her cheek and told her, "Yes, my love, and I really don't want to say it either."
"It is about Ron and Hermione, isn't it?"
Harry wasn't sure he should answer and then just did, "Ginny, I feel that they should ask each other first. If we do, our happiness might really hurt the both of them. They're our friends and family and I just don't want to possibly hurt their own friendship to each other.
"Hermione is not showing this much, but she is so worried about her not being able to recovery her parent's memories correctly. Ron so much wants to ask her father for permission but he too is quite worried that they may say no. So for all the pressures on us, your brother has much more then I do. I just wish that he would just do it and get it over with."
"Harry, does he have a ring for her yet?"
Harry paused to think if he should and then said, "You must not tell her, but yes, he has a very nice ring for her."
"Did you help him get it?"
"Yes"
"Is it pretty?"
"Yes."
"Did it cost a lot?"
"A lot more then he realizes," chortled Harry.
"Have you got me a ring?"
"Not telling, my love."
"Well, I thought I would ask," replied Ginny as she tried to fake a pouting face in the darkness.
"Just trying to guilt me into telling you are we?" Harry answered in an amused voice.
"Well you can't blame me, dear. I want to know and you can't fault me for asking anyway."
"You can always ask, Ginny," smiled Harry.
Harry carefully brought her head up and bent over and kissed her lips and then laid her back down against his chest.
"Is my reasoning okay with you, Ginny, I don't want you to misunderstand or think I am doing this casually, but I think it is for the best."
"We already have seen how we feel, Harry. I know from when I have been in your mind; I can see how noble you are and you do have a honourable reason to do this. I must agree because I love you so much and I truly understand your line of reasoning, but I feel you owe me a big one in the future."
"I will agree to that, my love."
The two of them sat back on the bench and gently held each other and before long, they were both asleep. Later that night, the stars begin to slowly disappear in the sky. A few hours later, low clouds were slowly filling in the night sky and then the light breeze shifted to the north. As the wind picked up, the air lost what little it had left in the late spring warmth, as an unseasonable colder breeze was now present.
Arthur Weasley had awakened at five o'clock to be at work early that morning. When the sound of thunder was heard in the distance, Arthur had been going around shutting windows, when he saw the outside door was still open. He started to close it and then decided to just check to be sure. When he did, he saw the two of them were asleep.
Arthur smiled and walked over to his daughter and future son-in-law. He gently prodded both of them, until they each stirred in their sleep and then told them, "You both need to go inside before you get soaked." They slowly arose and both wobbled upstairs, half-asleep. As they entered her room, they just dropped their robes and were back in their dream state, before Arthur had finished closing the rest of the windows downstairs.
Next Chapter: 'The Interviews and a Surprise'
11/15/09 WBW-FB 'Pottercomplete'
Betaed by 'Ginnyweasley777'
Betaed by 'fictiondreamer'
Betaed by 'Nat3738'