Chapter 1
"Bye Harry!" Arthur watched his youngest son wave Harry Potter as he crossed the platform barrier. They had grown so much... He still remembered the tiny child as he had asked Molly where 'Platform nine & three quarters' was. So much had happened in the 4 years they had known the boy.
The whistle blew its warning as the few stragglers hastily jumped from the train. Fred and George came running over to their group. Ron was busy talking to the lovely Hermione Granger, chatting over the school year and promising to write letters. She had been a great influence on his son. He held no doubts that if not for Miss Granger, Ron may have even gotten expelled during his first year.
His wife, the lovely, if slightly plump, Molly Weasely, was chatting with Mrs Granger. Mr Granger had had to go to his clinic, due to an emergency of sorts, and so he himself was left with nothing to do as he observed the barely controlled chaos around him.
More than one set of parents were busy looking for pets that had escaped their charges.
Children were crying, some due to finally meeting their parents, others because they already missed their friends and the magical castle. He chuckled as he saw one small child refusing to step out of the couch and had to be dragged out by his father as the train started moving.
"... You-Know-Who, we would love to join you." Arthur suddenly focused on his wife's conversation.
"But... didn't he focus his tyranny on the Magical World?" Mrs Granger inclined her head. "Surely the best place to hide from him is our world?"
"But… well, Harry needs us," she said slowly, not quite sure of the words herself.
A look of disdain crossed Mrs Granger's face. "No, apparently not," she said with some contempt, though Arthur could see that it wasn't directed towards his wife. "He is very 'safe' with those wretched creatures. I swear, if there weren't any extenuating circumstances…"
"Not if I got to them first, Julia." Molly spat out. Arthur only nodded his head. "They have earned their place in hell, those Dursleys."
Julia Granger gave a commiserating nod. "Still," she said, bringing them back to their earlier conversation. "We would love to have your family for a vacation. A trip into the muggle world." She smirked slightly, "Your husband can only benefit from such an experience." He smiled and inclined his head. Everyone knew that Arthur knew as much about the Muggle world as a fish knew about clouds.
"Still…" Molly refused, "I think our family will be needed here. You-Know-Who's threat must be countered, and with the Ministry refusing to even acknowledge it…"
"What about the kids, Molly? Shouldn't you be worried about their safety?"
Arthur winced. You never touched that topic with Molly, not if you wanted a civilized discussion anyway. He was instantly by her side, stroking her back in a placating manner. "She's not saying you're a bad mother, dear. You're the perfect mother."
Julia's eyes grew in alarm. "Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't think…"
Molly took a deep breath and nodded. "I know," was all she said.
A few minutes of silence grew around the group. By now most parents had vacated the platform, and the kids had stopped talking, sensing the tense discussion going on among the adults.
"But she's right, you know?" Molly finally spoke up. "They aren't safe here. We cannot go back to the Burrow, too many people know where we live."
"I'm sure we'll figure something out, Molly dear. Keep faith." Arthur continued whispering into her ear. "We'll keep them safe. Dumbledore…"
She instantly whirled around at him. "Don't you dare say that Dumbledore can keep us safe. Not after…" Her voice broke. "Not after Ginny," she finished hoarsely.
Ginny immediately hugged her, and so did Ron. Fred and George kept looking at each other, not knowing what they could, or should, be doing.
Ginny's first year had been a harrowing experience for their whole family. When she had slowly stopped writing letters to Molly, they had chalked it up to their daughter growing up and trying to find her independence. When she stayed cooped up in her room for long hours, Arthur had allowed her time to get acclimated to the life in Hogwarts. But then the much dreaded horrors had came rushing out of the mouth of a 12 year old Harry Potter as he spoke about killing a Basilisk and saving their daughter from the ghost of Voldemort.
When Bill had received the letter, he had apparated all the way from Egypt, letter still clutched in his hands as he hugged his baby sister and refused to let go before he had cast several dozen charms to ensure no trace of that monster still tainted his sister.
He had never managed an apparation across such a long distance again.
Then he had demanded to go talk to Harry Potter to thank him personally. Only after a rather long winded explanation had he finally relented.
"I won't go on any trip without Harry." Hermione spoke up with conviction. Ron just nodded, still hugging Molly.
"I think I have a solution." An unfamiliar voice spoke up from behind the group. Everyone whirled around, six wands pointing straight at a man who was stuffing a piece of cloth in his pocket, before the man himself transformed into a pink-haired woman. "Tonks at your service," she said with a flourish as she bowed, the effect rather ruined as she stumbled before she stood back up.
"Tonks?" Fred asked. "What are you doing here?"
"How do you know her?" Arthur asked sharply.
"Uhh… She was a few years ahead of us in Hogwarts," he said hesitantly.
"Oh wouldn't you mention the midnight jaunts to the kitchen where we first encountered each other?" She grinned. "Or when I saved your tiny asses in Forb–"
"Stop!" Fred shouted, before adding lamely, "Yeah, we know her."
"Now that we have that outta the way," Tonks clapped once before rubbing her hands, "Let's talk business."
"No," Arthur interjected before Molly could. "Let's try that again, who are you? Why were you hiding behind us?"
"As I said, newly christened Auror Tonks, and I'm from the Order," she gave a meaningful look towards Arthur. His eyes widened before he nodded in understanding.
"What? What order?" Julia asked.
"Order of the Phoenix," Hermione suddenly spoke up. "A group of wizards and witches who fought in the last war against You-Know-Who under the banner of–"
"Shushhh!" Tonks exclaimed, looking around the platform before finally giving a relieved sigh. "We're not exactly advertising ourselves right now. And you must be Hermione, right?"
Hermione nodded, before whispering to her mother, "She was sent by Dumbledore to keep us safe." Julia also nodded.
"How can you help us?" Molly asked.
"She's a metamorphmagus, mother," George said.
Tonks nodded before transforming into a blonde supermodel, quickly changing into Dumbledore, Moody without his Mad-eye, McGonagall, and finally back to the pink haired form.
Their reactions were everything she had been hoping for. Hermione's mother fainted on the spot. Hermione's eyes were wide. Molly stumbled into Arthur's arms, who himself looked rather shocked. Ginny was gaping. And finally, Fred and George were grinning.
They recognized a successful prank, it seemed.
"So, let's go to Privet Drive, shall we?" She clapped again, bringing them out of their shock.
"A shape-shifter? Truly? The last Metamo–"
"Yes yes I know, 427 years ago, let's move on, yeah?" she interrupted Arthur. "I don't want Harry to suffer even a single extra second in the house of those monsters."
"Yes." Molly tried calming herself. "Your ability is rather remarkable, my dear. Anyway," she said before Tonks could interrupt again, "Let's go, Arthur."
Fred cast a low powered ennerverate and Julia slowly woke up. "Did…" she looked around before her eyes settled on Tonks, "Did she just…"
"Yes mom. It's a magical ability," Hermione shook her head. "I still can't believe it…" she murmured.
"Well the important part is that I can look like Harry," as she said this, Tonks shrunk in size and soon looked like Harry, except…
"You don't look right," Ron shook his head. "You look like if someone asked me what Harry looked like. I mean, you got all the prominent details right, but… anyone who's known him would know the difference."
"I know," Tonks admitted as she reverted, "but that's not the point. We just need to make it look like Harry is staying inside his house. If done well, no one needs to look too closely," She shrugged.
"That's… actually a good plan." Hermione grudgingly admitted. "But I'm still not sure going behind Dumbledore is a good idea. I mean, what if we need help? What if Death Eaters attack us? What…"
"Breathe, Hermione." Ron smirked. "And, I think Harry is quite capable of fighting any Death Eaters himself. Besides, we will have father and mother helping us, not to mention Fred and George who are of age now. And we're no slouch in magic, are we?"
Hermione just looked at Ron, kept on looking till his smirk dropped and he relented, "Fine, it's a terrible idea."
She nodded, "Not to mention the fact that Harry can't use his wand outside Hogwarts."
Julia hesitantly spoke up, "I… I have an idea that might work."
Hermione's eyes widened. "You're not suggesting…"
"Yes I am."
"But… but what if You-Know-Who follows suit? I don't think the Wizarding World is ready for that…"
"We'll just have to leave no witnesses." Julia had a hard glint in her eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked.
On that day, a grave mistake unknowingly occurred in the quiet corner of Platform nine & three quarters, the repercussions of which would be felt throughout the Wizarding World. On that day, Julia Granger introduced Arthur Weasley to the miracle known as "Guns".
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AN: The idea of a Bad-ass Arthur Weasley was introduced to me by 'Core Threads' from 'theaceoffire' and I have been itching to write this story since then. Well, here you have it, yet another story from your friendly neighbourhood VanWilder.
Reviews are always welcome.
#STAYHOME, #STAYSAFE.