Chapter one

After some rest, some healing and some food, Harry Potter spoke with Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister for Magic and Minerva McGonagall, the new Headmistress of Hogwarts. He told them to watch the memory he left in Dumbledore's pensieve. and that would give them some information without Harry having to explain, because right now, he didn't want to go into all the details. He knew they would have questions but right now, he just didn't want to deal with what he had seen and what he had done.

Harry and Hermione went with the Weasley's back to Muriel's place. Harry was trying to argue, saying he'd stay with Aberforth, but everyone all said Harry had to join the family to have some decent rest and away from the crowds which would want to see him. Reluctantly Harry agreed because he knew it was true, everyone would want to see him now. Voldemort, the worst dark wizard in history was dead, at Harry Potter's hands. Celebration parties were going on all over the magical world, people were raising their glasses toasting Harry's name. That is the only reason Harry decided to go with the Weasley's, he didn't want the attention. Even though he knew he'd get it when he went out, for now, he was just too exhausted to put up with all that.

Arthur led his family out of the ruined castle, Ron taking Hermione's arm to guide her, while Arthur took Harry's arm, then they all apparated away. The group wearily walked into the house, sat at the table, while Molly went about making tea and lunch for everyone.

'Arthur, that blasted wireless said he was dead and Potter did it, but nothing else,' Muriel said as she hurried to the kitchen.

'It's true Muriel, Harry killed him,' Arthur looked cautiously over at Harry who had his head on his arms as he sat next to Hermione.

Harry lifted his head, nodded, 'Yeah, he's gone,' Harry sighed then put his head back down again, 'So are a lot of others.'

'Fred never made it Muriel,' Arthur said sadly at his put his hand on George's shoulder.

'Then you all need rest.'

'We did for a while at Hogwarts, had something to eat, some healing, then we had to wait for Kingsley to organise for Fred to be taken away.'

'I can't get any information on what happened apart from him being dead,' Muriel sat down next to her nieces husband.

'Well, apart from him, most of his supporters are dead, some escaped, not many though.'

'It was thanks to Charlie bringing all those other people, that's when it turned in our favour,' Harry said as he looked over at Charlie and gave him a small smile, 'Then the house elves came out to fight, the hippogriffs, centaurs, everyone,' Harry sighed.

'They turned up and wanted to turn up because they heard him say you were dead Harry. Blimey, we all thought you were,' Charlie sighed, 'McGonagall surprised me, when she saw your dead body, well, you weren't dead, but we all thought you were.'

'Yeah, I've never heard McGonagall show such strong emotions before, she must like you Harry,' Bill said.

'We've always had this connection, I don't know why actually. But I never expected to hear that from her, then I heard Hermione,' Harry bumped his shoulder against Hermione and gave her a kindly smile.

'That slightest bump has made it bleed again Harry,' Hermione put her hand over Harry's shoulder, 'Mrs. Weasley, have you got something to help with this?'

'Give me a look Harry?'

'Madame Pomfrey said it'll take a while before it heals, dark magic always does,' Harry fumbled tiredly with his buttons and moved his shirt aside, 'I just wish it would stop bleeding.'

'Hold this to it until I can make a potion. Poppy gave me the list of ingredients so I can make your potion.' Molly put a cloth to Harry's shoulder and pressed firmly.

'Thanks Mrs. Weasley,' Harry pressed his hand to his shoulder, 'You know, I could do with a drink and I don't drink.'

'You know what Harry, I think we could all do with one,' Arthur gave Harry a small smile then got up and poured everyone a small drink of Ogden's Firewhiskey, 'To surviving, to him being gone, for good this time, to everyone we lost, for Fred,' Arthur raised his glass and everyone clinked glasses before drinking.

'Are you sure it's for good this time because we all thought last time he was gone for good?' Muriel asked but looked at Harry.

'Yes, he made sure he could come back last time, but we destroyed his dark objects, so this time he really is dead and Kingsley is having his body burned. It was all thanks to the information Dumbledore had been collecting for years, then told me,' Harry took another sip of his drink.

'Which ones survived, Bellatrix?' Muriel asked.

'No, Molly took care of her,' Arthur said proudly as he stared at his wife.

'She almost killed Ginny, I wasn't going to let her get away with that.'

'Scared the life out of me when you told us to stay back,' Harry gave Mrs. Weasley a smile, 'I was still shielding everyone while I was under my cloak. I was ready to shield you if needed, but you didn't. I think I know why all of you are scared of your mother,' Harry smirked at all the Weasley kids.

'Yes, everyone got to see that side of Molly. So after some rest and something to eat, we'll go see if the Burrow is still standing.'

'You're not going alone Arthur,' Molly said sternly.

'No mum, we'll go with dad,' Bill said.

'We have to go back and get our stuff, I just hope it's still there,' Harry said.

'We did hide our bags Harry, it's everything else that might be destroyed. We won't know until we go back to look,' Hermione said.

'Where is your stuff?' Charlie asked.

'In the tent in the Forest of Dean, that's where we were staying last until Greyback and some snatchers caught us. When we escaped Malfoy Manor we went to Bill's for a while,' Ron said with his head on his arms and not once did he lift it.

'We couldn't risk going back before in case they left someone to watch over the area,' Harry sighed again.

'Then we'll head out to get your stuff, then to the Burrow, the more wands the better,' Arthur said.

'Yep, it probably would dad,' Ron said and again kept his head on his arms.

'Here Harry,' Molly said handing Harry a potion.

Harry grimaced, then drank, 'Oh shit, why do they always taste terrible?'

'You think you'd be used to these by now, with the amount of injuries you've had over the years,' Ron shrugged.

'Yeah, you would think so, wouldn't you? Thanks Mrs. Weasley,' Harry handed her back the vial and the cloth from his shoulder, did his shirt back up before putting his head back down on his arm, 'I am so knackered, not tired to sleep, just weary.'

'It's a wonder you aren't tired, the three of you, it's been almost two days since you three slept properly,' Arthur said.

'It's everything, we've been on the go none stop, can't close down,' Ron said still with his head on his arms.

Everyone felt the same, they were still too wound up to close down. They knew eventually everyone would sleep and probably for a long time, especially Ron, Hermione and Harry.

After everyone had some lunch and a cup of tea, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Hermione, Ron and Harry stood up, then Ginny did.

'No Ginny, you are staying here,' Molly said sternly.

'Mum, I just went through a war, I can go with them.'

'Ginny, you're staying with your mother,' Arthur said, 'no arguing,' Arthur turned to the others, 'Come on you lot, let's go.'

The group left but all of them noticed Ginny's anger, but also her looks towards Harry. They also noticed that Harry didn't seem to notice anything and wondered if he was just tired.

Hermione, Ron and Harry apparated Arthur, Bill and Charlie to the Forest of Dean. Within seconds they were fighting snatchers. But between the six of them, the four snatchers realised they didn't stand a chance so they quickly apparated away.

'You three are lucky we came, they were waiting for you by the look of it,' Bill said as he stared around.

'Probably, let's get our stuff so we can get out of here,' Ron said.

'We'll keep watch in case they come back,' Arthur said then stood with his two sons while Ron, Hermione and Harry entered the tent, 'They didn't look very worried so I don't think those three would have had too much trouble, especially not after the way we saw them fight last night and just then.'

'No, I don't think they would have either. I was watching them, blimey, they make me feel like I need more training,' Charlie shrugged.

'It's what they've been doing for years Charlie, they had no choice but to get fast and precise. But we have no idea what they had to do over these last nine months.'

'They mentioned being captured and escaping Malfoy manor. Didn't we hear that Voldemort was using the Malfoy place as his headquarters?' Charlie asked.

'He was, it was full of death eater,' Ron said.

'Did you get your things?' Arthur asked.

'Everything that's important, but they did wreck everything else,' Harry said then pointed his wand at the tent magically packing it, 'We never got around to using that other one Bill, Hermione still has it and this is the one you got us Mr. Weasley.'

'I'll stick it in my shed,' Arthur picked up the tent, 'So keep your wands ready, we have no idea if there are any at home,' Arthur waited until everyone was ready then the six of them apparated at the same time, arriving a few seconds later in the garden of the Burrow, 'Well it's still standing and everything looks fine.'

'Let's have a look,' Bill said then the group cautiously stepped inside, 'Looks fine.'

'Everything is how we left it, but we need to check everywhere, but in two groups, no going off alone,' Arthur looked at his youngest son, 'You three stick together and do down here, we'll head upstairs.'

'On it,' Ron said then walked into the living room with Hermione and Harry. By the time they had checked every room downstairs, Arthur, Charlie and Bill were walking down the stairs, 'All clear down here.'

'Yes, same upstairs, we'll just check outside and the shed before heading back to Muriel's.'

The six walked outside and checked everywhere that a death eater or snatcher could hide and found no one, not even in Arthur's shed. They looked at each other, then put their wands away before apparating away.

Arthur led the group inside and stopped dead at the sight before him, but he did pull his wand again which made the others grab their wands.

'It's alright Arthur, we thoroughly checked, so you'll need an explanation,' Minerva said.

'Fred,' Arthur raced over and hugged his son, 'What happened?'

'We saw you die,' Ron said staring at his brother.

'I wasn't dead, deeply unconscious though. Madame Pomfrey was checking everyone because she found someone else alive that everyone thought was dead, one of the shop keepers from Hogsmeade. I'm a bit sore but okay and more importantly, alive.'

'Blimey Fred,' Ron raced over and hugged him.

'It's really Fred?' Harry said as he sat down heavily on one of the kitchen chairs but never took his eyes off Fred.

'Yes, when we were moving all the dead, that is when Poppy noticed Mr. Griswald's chest, he was breathing, so we started to check everyone. Fred was unconscious and it took a lot of potions to bring him around, then she did a lot of healing charms over him,' Minerva saw the look on Harry's face, 'No, I'm sorry Harry, Remus and Nymphadora, they didn't make it.'

Harry sagged, 'I was hoping, but I'm glad Fred is alive.'

'So am I mate, Percy told me how you pulled me into a corner to protect my body. From what Madame Pomfrey said and well, everyone said, that saved me from anything else falling on me or any spells hitting me.'

Harry gave Fred a small smile before George hugged him, 'You hug like your mother George.'

George laughed, then surprised everyone when he kissed Harry on the mouth, 'You saved him, well, that is just you, isn't it Potter, saving people, thanks mate.'

Harry blushed brightly, 'Well,' Harry shrugged no knowing what to say.

'Oh you made Harry blush George, do you think I could make him blush too?'

'Don't think about it Fred,' Harry glared, then laughed, 'Hey, to have you back, you could shag me and I wouldn't care.'

'Harry,' Hermione said with her eyes wide.

'What,' Harry shrugged, then got up and hugged Fred, 'Blimey mate, it's good to see your ugly face. You know why I moved you though?'

'Percy told me,' Fred said as he let Harry go then kissed him, 'Damn, he didn't blush.'

'No, I'm just glad you're here.'

'Yeah, Percy said since he wouldn't move and some spells just missed him, you decided to move me out of the line of fire, so thanks mate.'

'Anytime,' Harry smiled then he was pulled into a hug by Mrs. Weasley.

'You saved my boy.'

'Um, um,' Harry stammered but saw everyone just smiling at him and Molly, 'You know I'd do anything for this family Mrs. Weasley.'

'Yes I do, but you saved Ginny, then Ron, Arthur and now Fred,' Molly patted Harry's cheek as she let him go.

'They might not have needed saving if you weren't friends with me in the first place.'

'Oh don't start that again Harry,' Ron said then hugged him, 'I think we were blessed when we became friends.'

Harry sighed but hugged his friend, 'Thanks Ron.

After that everyone hugged Harry before he sat back down, that's when he noticed Ginny staring like she was trying to figured something out and couldn't. To Harry, she looked confused, probably about why he allowed George and Fred to kiss him. If he was honest with himself, Harry enjoyed those kisses even if they were only small closed lip kisses, they still sent a jolt through his body. Harry figured he knew why, he was gay and over the last year those suspicions got a lot stronger. But now he knew it to be true and that was something he would keep to himself, at least for now.