Chapter 1: The Family Learns

July 17, 1998
Ministry of Magic, London

Miss Hermione Granger had not been one to pay attention to the Daily Prophet, thank you very much. This was in no small part to how they lead the charges against Harry over the last several years. She also had better things to do than pay attention to the wizarding world newspaper, as she had thrown herself into her work assisting Kingsley Shacklebolt, acting Minister of Magic.

Of course, when the paper is thrust into one's face, one does have a tendency of noticing the daily paper.

This was thanks to a somewhat irate, familiar redheaded woman by the name of Ginny Weasley. At this moment, Ginny was starting to turn a shade of puce that would have made Mr. Vernon Dursley quite proud. "Look at this!" Shouted Ginny, not giving Hermione time to get the paper out of her face.

Hermione pulled the paper down so that she could read it, presuming that if Ginny threw the front page at her, the offending article must be the daily headlines- 'Man-Who-Won to return to Quidditch?' Hermione had to pause; this headline had completely come out of the blue. It appeared that both Ron and Harry were implicated in the article, she noted.

Hermione offered the paper back to Ginny, who declined. She handed it off instead to Percy and a nearby Auror, who began to look over the front-page story of the day.

"Well?" seethed Ginny, finally taking a breath for the first time in too long.

"Well, what?" replied Hermione, returning to read the paper.

"Why didn't they say anything? Anything? This is the first I've heard of it!"

"And it's the first time I've heard of it as well. Neither of the boys mentioned it. I won't say I'm surprised, what with the Prophet's tendency for fantastic journalism."

"I would have to agree with you, except our headline comes from Penelope Clearwater, who you and I both know would have no reason to lie about Harry and Ron. Oliver Wood also weighs in, and you know he's not likely to lie either."

"Agreed," replied Percy, weighing in, "Wood and Clearwater are not that sort of people."

"More importantly, why didn't they tell us? Why wouldn't they tell their family or friends about this?" continued Ginny.

June 20, 1998
Weasley Place, Ottery St. Catchpole

The house had been constructed in a much less haphazard manner than before, thanks to generous donations from well-wishers and friends who wanted to help the family get back on their feet. Ron and Percy had also argued in favor of this change, as the original Burrow was constructed when the family was much smaller. This would make it easier for the family to visit for holidays, the sons argued, reminding their parents of how cramped things had been at Bill and Fleur's wedding.

Still, Arthur found that he missed the house that he had spent most of his years in. "It was a shame," he chuckled to himself, "the old house almost made it through the entire war." In the end, they had to abandon it a little more than three weeks before the Battle of Hogwarts, and sometime during their absence, it had been burned down.

He had been thinking of turning on a quiet record to listen to, when he heard the familiar woosh of a broom. Quickly grabbing his wand, he ran out of the shed, scanning the skies nearby. A brief look to the bedroom window confirmed his suspicions that Molly had heard it too, as she was standing at the open bedroom window with her wand in hand. In the distance, a pair of figures sat on brooms, not moving, and not having noticed the worried Weasley parents.

The silence was broken by a drowsy Molly asking "Who's there?" in a sonorous-amplified voice. When the figures began to approach, Arthur dove behind a rain barrel and cast a shield in front of the open bedroom window. As the figures got closer and slowly, Arthur got back up, but had his wand at the ready until he could make the familiar shock of red hair of his youngest son. In the dim light he could see a meek, embarrassed expression on his son's face.

"Sorry, dad."

"Sorry, Mr. Weasley," chimed in the other voice, that of Harry.

Arthur brushed off some of the dust, then turned to the pair. "I think we'd better get inside quickly. You've given your mother and I quite the fright."

The Kitchen, Weasley Place

As Molly set the kettle down, she looked at the boys across from her, both meekly looking down, Ron with cup in hand, Harry swirling his spoon about the tea quietly. She put her hands on her hips. "So, do either of you care to explain why the two of you were out flying at this hour?"

"Not particularly," mumbled Ron, earning him a warning glare from his father. Molly appeared to have missed it- or maybe ignored it. Another moment passed with the quiet clinking of the spoon in Harry's cup being the only noise made by the four.

Arthur, it turned out, would be the one to break the silence. "Why couldn't it be done in daylight?" Still no answer, though Harry would stop stirring and take a gulp of tea. "And why-" Arthur continued briefly before stopping. It was secret from the rest of the family too. It was something they wanted to keep a secret. He looked at Molly, who was currently looking a bit annoyed at the pair sitting across from them. He turned towards Molly. "Molly dear, whatever the reason, this needs to stay between the four of us for now."

Molly turned to her husband. "But Ginny and Hermione-"

"Will find out in good time, I am sure." Arthur turned towards the boys, finding Harry nodding softly. "Besides, I am sure that the boys have good reason for not saying anything to them yet."

Molly's face changed complexion as she glanced over at the clock. Neither hand was pointing towards "mortal peril" so whatever it was couldn't have been too dangerous, right? "Oh all right." She huffed, "But I'm only making a promise, no vows."

"I'm sure that a vow would not be necessary?" Arthur turned back towards the boys, who were more actively nodding now.

Ron would be the one to speak up. "Well, you see… as much as Kingsley would want it, we're not sure the Auror route is the way to go."

Molly chipped in, the exasperation mostly gone from her voice "Why not?"

Harry, who had up until now been concentrating on his tea, was the first to chime in.

"I spent my entire life with the threat of Voldemort hanging over my head. This last year with the fate of Wizarding Britain." Then in a much quieter voice, he continued. "I don't know if I can really do any more of that." Molly briefly shot him a worried look before he continued, "At least for now."

"Plus," added Ron, "can the Wizarding World ask for more out of him? Out of us?"

"Maybe not the right question and wording, but he does raise a point." Molly looked at Arthur inquiringly following that response. "He was orphaned at 1, losing his parents and godfather, then sent to live with the worst sort of people imaginable-"

Ron muttered "too true."

"- and then over the last several years, he had to face obstacles that no grown man should have to deal with, most of them before he was an adult. He faced off against the worst dark wizard in our history seven times. Five were before he was an adult. The boys were on the run for most of the last year-" Ron briefly grimaced "-and you know how they looked when they came back home." Molly nodded, having spent much of the week after the Battle of Hogwarts cooking, both out of instinct and to distract herself. "Besides, I don't believe Ron and Harry are planning on becoming wastrels, living off of their fame for the rest of their lives."

"Right," agreed Ron, somewhat relieved.

Harry added, "If the quidditch thing wouldn't work out, Auror would be on the table."

Molly looked at her two youngest boys. She couldn't deny what Arthur had said, though it sat funny to her. "But-"

Ron uncharacteristically cut his mother off, beating Arthur to it by a small bit. "Mum, the happiest I ever saw Harry was either teaching or on a broom. Not while dueling."

Arthur chipped in, "Dumbledore himself was among the most gifted duelists the country had seen and he became a teacher, not putting himself on the front lines day in, day out. When he defeated Grindelwald, he was just a professor at Hogwarts."

Ron added, "Plus the D.A. was among some of the best trained fighters, trained by Harry, and many of them would be lining up to join based on Kingsley's offer."

Molly looked between her husband and her son for a moment. She still felt as if something wasn't sitting right. So, she looked at the boy- man- who she considered an adoptive son. Harry hadn't spoken much, and he seemed to be more interested in the mug of tea that he was holding than saying anything. And in that instant, she saw it. It was a look a much younger Arthur Weasley had on his face before asking her out on their first date, and when he asked her to marry him. Fear.

It seemed silly, the man who had faced death himself was afraid of this. One way or another, he was going to need his family's approval in this moment. This family was what he had left. And she knew that the next words she spoke to him could be among the most important words of the next chapter of his life. In that moment, she knew she had a choice. She could tell Harry that it was a silly idea, and that he shouldn't squander that dueling prowess. She could make him do exactly what she knew the Wizarding World expected. And if Harry went, so most likely would Ron.

She briefly opened her mouth, then closed it.

But could she? For years, Arthur spent his time in an office that was widely looked down upon. She knew she could have pushed him to do more at the Ministry and they would have had an easier life. Arthur could have been more influential and had a higher paying job. He was probably going to get that boost of influence and prestige, but at the cost of the office he worked in for years.

And then Fred. Fred died in the name of what was right. A businessman, not a fighter. Not a man who was perpetually on the front lines, except by virtue of being a Weasley. He and George had risked their lives on multiple occasions, even running their radio show was dangerous. In the end, they stood with what they believed was right, even if it had cost them dearly.

What of Harry and Ron? What was to say they couldn't end up like that, with every day risking their safe return to families? If there was ever a threat, they would be the first to stand up. Like Fred. And Wizarding Britain should be wise enough to see that.

Molly was brought out of her musing by 3 sets of eyes waiting for her response. "Harry, Ron. I don't know if I can honestly say I will be fully on board. But I only want what is best for you. Just promise me that you will be good and responsible and if things don't work out, find a career that can support you." Following this, an audible sigh of relief came from the boys and Arthur. "When can I tell the rest of the family?"

Immediately Ron and Harry looked at each other, wondering who had to be the one to speak up. It would be Harry. "Well, we're just not sure if they'll see it the same way... So not yet. I'm not ready to face either of them if they are angry." Ron was nodding his head furiously.

Molly looked to Arthur, and then looked back at her two somewhat relieved boys. "And we'll need to get you some daylight hours of flying again. You'll not make it if you can't put in the work."