Haunted Jaded Eyes

Chapter 49


"Harry? What are you doing here?" Fred questioned, surprise flittering over his face, it took him a few seconds to realize that yes, and Hogwarts was indeed in session. Harry should be at Hogwarts just like Ron and Ginny for that matter. "You decided to leave early? See us as role models?" he teased puffing up in feigned pride.

Harry grinned and shook his head; nothing got them down did it? Even in the midst of a crisis of the potential loss of the Burrow they always found a way to smile and make others forget their troubles for a brief time. "I came to see you, actually," he answered, pondering on whether he should have discussed this with Sev first. It was a bit late for that; he would just have to make do. "What are you up to?" gesturing towards the till he was emptying as if he had no clue. Out of sheer morbid curiosity on whether they would actually tell him anything. Probably not, like Ron the rest of the Weasley's were quite proud with a few obvious notable exceptions.

"Hmm, oh, nothing, what did you need?" Fred asked, genuinely curious about what had brought Harry out of school to see them.

"How close are you to losing the Burrow?" Harry questioned, not even putting up a pretence, Fred flinched at the words, which struck a cord in Harry, this wasn't fair on them at all, and it completed his desire to help them. "How much of your money are you planning on giving up?"

"Er…all of it," Fred blinked rapidly, "How did you…"

"I got it out of Ron; he's just as worried as you all are worse I'd imagine since he can't do anything to help and feels useless." Harry replied wandering over, "I didn't give you my Triwizard winnings to see you buy a shop only to get it taken from you," they had to pay rent after all, on both the shop, their flat and need money for supplies.

Fred swallowed, that was his worst fear, but they had to help their parents, yes even his mum, despite the fact he was quite disgusted with her. "We have to do it," he answered almost brokenly, this was literally killing them but they had to do it.

"Do all of you even have enough to cover it?" Harry asked, pensively.

"We don't know, we're all getting what we can to try," Fred said quietly, sliding the till drawer closed, rubbing his head where the pounding headache sat. His dad had sounded so ashamed to admit it to them that he was close to losing the only thing he had in his name, their home. It might not look or be much compared to some families but to them it would always be home.

"Look, I know your pride and stubbornness is going to want to say no to this, but I'll give you the amount to cover what Arthur owes," Harry said after a few moments of silence, "The only stipulation being that it's paid back in instalments, and you only pay back what I handed over, obviously it won't include the proceeds I get from the shop. I would rather you didn't tell anyone though, I can't imagine your dad would be amendable to the idea especially with the guilt he already harbours for what happened." he didn't need to elaborate or say her name for Fred to get it. "Although I understand if you have no choice." he added grudgingly, knowing the others would realise something was going on they were too smart.

"We can't do that, Harry," Fred said stubbornly. "This isn't your burden to bear, our family has done enough to you," he added bitterly.

"So you'd rather lose your shop, your apartment, and end up back under your mother's roof? Unemployed, without two Knuts to rub together? Every single one of you broke beyond capacity?" Harry pointed out the alternative in hopes of getting through to Fred. "Having your mother telling you she was right and that you couldn't do it?"

Fred grimaced in pain, it was more mental than physical, and the last thing on earth he wanted was to lose his shop. For once in their lives they were doing something they held a great deal of passion for. The desire to take Harry up on his offer was so strong; he was almost helpless in the face of it. No, they couldn't, not after what his mum and Ginny had done…even his dad although he was more innocent in this than his mum and Ginny. "We'll be alright, we will do owl orders and start back up again." he tried and failed to delude himself.

"Look I don't have all night," Harry said becoming curt, "When I walk out that door consider the offer withdrawn." pointing towards the door, "You will just have to live with the consequences of your actions, I'm giving you this one chance to save absolutely everything you've built. Everything in your life. I mean seriously do you actually think you can pull together and pay off his debts with what you all have? You two have the most money out of all your brothers. And you don't even have a quarter of what you need, do you?"

Shame splashed across Fred's face, shame, hurt and acknowledgement that Harry was right. "No," he croaked out, admitting the reality that he and George were so desperately avoiding.

"It's not like I need the money," Harry said softly, placing his hand on Fred's shoulder, "Let me do this, don't let what Molly and Ginny did besmirch the relationship I have with all of you. You, George, Ron, even annoying Percy, Bill, and Charlie are like brothers to me…unless part of you blames me for…"

"Never think that!" Fred snapped right back, squeezing his hand that was on his shoulder, "None of us blame you for what happened, Harry, not even a little bit." did Harry really think that? It angered and shocked him, no, Harry wasn't to blame and he hoped his words got through. When he wasn't trying to get this together he made a mental note for them to meet up with Harry more often, have a proper conversation.

Cursing quietly when he heard the door going again, he should have closed it but apparently nobody could look at signs and see that his shop was closed. Looking up, he was just in the process of opening his mouth to tell whoever it was that they were closed, only to see distinctive red hair of his brother. Percy. He was standing at the door awkwardly, staring anywhere but at Harry.

He narrowed his eyes, "What happened between you?" they'd seemed alright, Percy had left Hogwarts when Harry was in his third year so what was going on? What could have happened.

"Me? Nothing," Harry chuckled dryly, rancour deep in his voice. "But apparently I am a bad influence on Ron and the rest of you, he encouraged Ron to stop being my 'friend' when it was his own dear mother and sister that was bad for Me." watching Percy flush a painful red of shame and embarrassment. "I honestly have no idea how you could think for a minute I lied about Voldemort being back, I mean you must have thought I killed Cedric Diggory as well then. You'd rather think I was a murderer than believe that Voldemort was back even after what happened to your own sister."

Percy cleared his throat, "I apologise," he said shamefaced. "I didn't think you'd killed Cedric, honestly, I just thought you were confounded, and that you were going to drag my family down with you in your delusions. I was wrong, and when I'm wrong I know to say I am wrong." not too proud to do what was right, just like he'd been brought up to do by his father.

"Apology accepted," Harry said sincerely, "Don't worry about it, I wasn't holding a grudge…alright maybe I was but a relatively small one. It matters little in the list of grudges I have over people who have screwed me over."

"I…thank you," Percy said, bewildered over the fact Harry was forgiving him just like that, he didn't think he'd have it in him. "What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be in school?" he wondered, going back to being uncomfortable again.

Harry didn't take offence; he realized that Percy was uncomfortable because he didn't want to say anything in front of him. He absently wondered just how much Percy had in his name, especially considering he had just proposed to his girlfriend. He had at one point been in a long term relationship with Penelope Clearwater, it hadn't lasted long after they graduated Hogwarts. Which didn't surprise Harry, both of them were headstrong, stubborn and Percy had worked extremely hard at his job and Penelope had done the same, in the end they'd grown apart. Audrey he hadn't met but from all indications she was nice.

"Harry knows," Fred supplied, reading his own brothers discomfort easily enough.

"Fred!" Percy exclaimed indignantly.

"He didn't tell me, Percy, Ron did, very reluctantly, it isn't just you that's worrying, and Ron feels guilty and useless that he can't contribute…" Harry informed Percy seriously. "I offered to help but so far Fred has been resistant to aid, I'd rather not have to give the same speech a few more times so I'll wait…I assume you're all meeting up here?" turning to Fred in query.

"Yeah," Fred sighed, sitting himself down on the stool, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Percy ambled towards the counter himself, confused and curious about this aid Harry was going to offer up. Well, it was obviously money, since that was the only way out of the mess. Unless he wanted to pay off the loan at Gringotts and purchase the Burrow itself then maybe start up some sort of repayment plan. He yawned tiredly, his hand over his mouth; he hadn't gotten any sleep last night. He might be distant from his family lately, but he'd never let them lose the Burrow if he could help it. Anything worth selling that he had to his name had been sold in a bid to get everything he could to help. Audrey had helped as well, but the one thing they absolutely refused to sell was the engagement ring he'd given Audrey. It didn't matter the things he'd sold they could live without.

"When will they get here?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence.

"Any time now," Percy was the one to answer, glancing at the ceiling with the others when they heard distinctive sound of footsteps from the flat above.

Then within a few minutes, George was coming through the entrance from the flat, Bill and Charlie through the front door of the shop. All of them tense, grim and looking tired, as if none of them had gotten sleep in the past few days. Each of them was startled and surprised to see that Harry was along them.

"Hey, Harry! How you doing?" Charlie said giving him a pat on the back as he approached. Bill did the same thing enquiring how he was with a smile. Despite their surprise they were happy to see him.

"I'm…very happy," Harry said, and that was the truth, a bright smile on his face.

"Not that it's not good to see you but what are you doing here? Have you left Hogwarts?" Bill asked him, leaning against the counter, but all Weasley's were looking at Harry curiously.

"No, I'm still going to graduate," Harry said he hoped so anyway, otherwise all his hard work would be for nothing but the baby growing in his stomach was more important. "I came to offer help." refraining from rolling his eyes at the fact they all stiffened.

"We should at least see how much we managed to get together before we decide?" Fred suggested, his pouch lying on the counter where he had placed it after taking the money out. "We have nearly nine hundred galleons from the shop and the vault." nobody was confused by the 'We' since Fred and George were rarely apart.

"Add another forty that I got together minus a few Sickles," George said, placing his own on beside Fred's.

"Three hundred," Charlie said, closing his eyes already realizing that they just wouldn't have enough to cover it. He only had the money he'd got from his job. The money he had saved up in case of an emergency he'd used it to survive here, without a job.

"One hundred and fifty," Percy admitted, it was all he had been able to scramble together, and he hadn't been paid yet, and wouldn't for over two weeks still.

"Three hundred and thirty," Bill flung his own pouch in the pile, mentally calculating how much they'd accumulated and found that they still didn't have enough. "Dad won't get enough from the heirlooms he wants to sell to pay for it all,"

"How much is it exactly?" Harry asked after watching them, just as he thought the twins had the most.

"It's well over two thousand he's owe to the bank," Bill replied, they had half at least, he supposed they'd have to make do, pay what they could but his dad just didn't make enough to pay the monthly requirements that the goblins were demanding leading to another round of trying to pay it again until the goblins had enough and took the house as repayment - they didn't take lightly to anyone 'stealing' from them and his dad not paying was the equivalent of stealing in the eyes of the goblins.

"How much has your dad been paying?" Harry asked his brow scrunched up.

"Dad works in a part of the Ministry that doesn't pay a lot, I get three times the amount that he does," Percy admitted, "He get's barely one hundred and fifty galleons, but sometimes more depending on the overtime he accumulates." his boss takes pity on him and gives him more work than he should.

"And the amount the Goblins are demanding?" Harry pushed, noticing he'd avoided saying anything.

"Half, for both loans, along the way it's a hell of a lot of profit they're wracking up as well," Bill groused the Goblins were draining the entire family dry. He still didn't know what his father had been thinking by actually going to the goblins for loans, they wanted too much back in interest for it to be feasible.

"Look you guys shouldn't have to do this, it's not fair on you to give every single Knut you have to pay for this, let me pay the loans off, and I'll let your dad pay it back at a better rate without interest." Harry suggested, "That way you'll not all end up skint and your dad can pay it back."

"You want to buy the burrow by clearing both loans and let dad buy it back in instalments?" Bill blurted out in surprise.

"Yes," Harry replied, knowing that was one way to guarantee that Arthur Weasley would repay the money. Bill seemed so surprised, it was as if they were expecting him to still be the clueless idiot who had entered Hogwarts seven years ago. No, he'd had an abundance of books to read down in the chamber which meant he knew the ins and outs of both Ministry law, Goblin law and everything else in-between.

The brothers all looked at each other, obviously torn, accept Harry's offer and save themselves a lot of hassle both current and future…or try and fail to pay it off. Resignation steeped into each of them when they acknowledged that there truly was no other way.

"I'm curious though, why hasn't anyone else taken the opportunity to do that?" Harry queried, a lot of Pureblood's hated the Weasley's and wouldn't think twice about purchasing the land and knocking the Burrow down around them.

They Weasley's paled pasty white at that, making their freckles stand out in abundance, "Er…nobody knows yet." then they knew true to Harry's words that there would be people grabbing at the opportunity to disgrace them even more.

Harry cast a spell at the money pouches, sending them flying back to their owners. "Bill, since you know the Goblins best, I suggest you come with me and help set up the contract for your father's repayment schedule,"

"Shouldn't you go with our dad?" Fred suggested.

"What would he say?" Harry pointed out seriously. "How bad did it get before he told you?"

"He won't like this," Percy cautioned, but honestly…it was the better alternative. Their dad would say no, and would not relent; they'd either lose the house to someone else or buy themselves a little time by making themselves broke.

"He doesn't have to, but the important thing is that he'd get over it, with a roof over his head," Harry stated sharply, Bill and Charlie both nodded that it was very true.

"Alright," Bill sighed, "But at least let us contribute to it,"

"No, I'll make it so its something your father can afford, I promise, he won't be struggling to pay it back, so there's no need for you to worry, all of you have no need to worry." Harry stated resolutely.

"Harry we don't min…" Fred didn't get to finish.

"I said its fine," Harry told him firmly, green eyes filled with determination. "Now let's go,"

"Side-long or meeting up?" Bill questioned.

"Apparation," Harry confirmed before he disappeared with a pop.

Bill smiled grimly at his brothers before he too Apparated to Gringotts to meet up with Harry.

-0

"Just sign these three parchments on the dotted line," the goblin informed them, handing the four (one being a official document for a will that cannot be disputed or delayed even by law it would be read seven days after his death without fail) documents over, before rounding his seat and reclaiming it. Happy to wait until the wizard had thoroughly checked it over, which made him respect Lord Potter, he wasn't stupid enough to just trust a goblin and sign it. Although they would never rip their clients off, they'd never risk it, they held the standards of Gringotts but it never hurt to be cautious.

Harry signed them using his title 'Lord Potter' he couldn't very well sign them as 'Lord Harry James Potter-Snape' after all, it defeated the purpose of keeping his marriage a secret. The goblins knew though, since he had re-written his will after his bonding, and he was about to do it again to include his child. They would never reveal it, they wouldn't dare to. He was well aware of the power his name held, and it wasn't solely focused on the fact he'd survived Voldemort as a baby. The will document he slid into his pocket, ignoring the curious look Bill shot him, but he was smart enough to ask realizing it was none of his business.

The documents were handed back over only to disappear with a pop when the goblin signed it as witness that it was all above board. "Is there anything else we can do for you today, Lord Potter?" the goblin asked a gleam of amusement in its eyes, evidently the young Lord didn't want anyone knowing he was married judging by the way he signed his name.

"No, I believe we are done for the day," Harry stated, he had signed the money over to the goblins for what Arthur was owe, accepted the deeds to the lands the Burrow sat on. Also arranged for a direct deposit from Arthur's vault to his (which Arthur obviously had to sign) he'd made it a monthly deposit with a generous fifty galleons a month. It was more than half off of what he had been paying to the goblins each month. "Thank you." he added, handing the document over to Bill, he'd have to give it to Arthur. He wanted no part in the discussion that was going to happen when they finally met up with their father.

"May the gods grant you more gold, Sneirk," Harry said, not waiting for the reply, already knowing it by reading up on the etiquette of the goblin race.

"I need to return to Hogwarts." Harry said as they both made their way hastily through the marble halls of Gringotts. "You going to be alright?" aware that it was going to be a long day for them all, but at least they didn't need to part with every single hard earned penny they had to help their father.

"Why did you do it?" Bill asked, glancing at Harry as they walked down the steps.

"I'd like to think if it was me and my family that someone would help, unlikely I know, but what are friends for?" Harry said, shrugging.

"Thanks, Harry," Bill said, and brought Harry into a hug, surprise flittered over Harry's face as he let Bill hug him, feeling extremely awkward, he wasn't used to people touching him. Least of all unexpectedly, Sev, Hermione, and Ron he could tolerate because he had grown accustomed to their touch. Neither noticed the flashing of a camera going off or the scheming look on one Rita Skeeters face as she quickly made a beeline to safety.

"I'll see you later," Harry said grateful when he let go.

"You will," Bill nodded, then Harry disappeared on the spot, he did the same, only to Fred and George's shop where the rest of his brothers (minus Ron of course) would still be waiting there for news.


Harry's Room (Head Boy) Hogwarts

"So what was it you wanted to tell us?" Hermione asked impatiently from where she sat on the sofa in Harry's room. It was similar to her own, which she and Ron used for most part. She had been waiting impatiently for answers to whatever Harry had to tell them. She sat up straighter as she observed Harry checking the room for Animagus', listening devices, and casting his own silencing charm. This had to be big if he was taking such drastic precautions.

"Harry?" Ron asked, frowning at his best friend, glancing at his girlfriend as if she had the answers - which she usually did.

Harry took a deep breath, idly wondering how his best friends would take it. "I'm pregnant," he told them, against his will a soft smile appeared on his face when all he had wanted to do was convey seriousness.


Uh oh is Skeeter going to cause trouble for Harry and Severus? Or will the bond be the saving grace in both insecure men? How will Ron and Hermione react to the news? Will the news of Harry being pregnant get out before he's ready? Or will the baby have been born before the world at large finds out? I'm thinking after one or two chapters doing another skip :) but a small one perhaps one or two months to get the story going along as fun as it is to write school work out (yes sarcasm) it will get boring fast :D R&R please! :D