Birthday Surprises Chapter Twenty

Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only… Lolly, xxx.

In the morning, breakfast was a tense affair. Harry was almost glad when his wrist gave a twinge, and he had to ask to be excused to see to the triplets. He knew he ought to do something about the situation, he just didn't know what. As he fed and bathed the triplets, he decided that he'd speak to Molly first, and then the others. Just as soon as he'd finished seeing to the babies. He was just lulling Sam to sleep when Remus knocked lightly on the door.

"Harry? Can I come in?"

"Sure." Harry said. He smiled as Remus walked in, looking slightly wary.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry - I shouldn't have mentioned the pensieve." He said.

"It's ok. Really, it is. You weren't to know. Besides, maybe if I'd have been a little more willing to talk about it, they wouldn't have had to use it." He smiled again, a little sadly this time. It made Remus' heart break. The boy had a right to be shouting at all of them, but he wasn't. He had grown up.

"You have every right to be angry." He said softly.

"What good would it do? You and the Weasleys are the closest thing I have to a real family - there's not much point in losing that just because they did something that I'd rather they hadn't." Harry replied.

"I hear you and Ron had words?" Harry laughed at this.

"Is that the diplomatic way of saying I bit his head off? Yeah, I guess I was a little harsh."

"What did he say?"

"That I should talk about it. I guess I told him what I thought about that - and it wasn't good."

"I'll bet."

"Then he went to see Molly - they talked, and it just made me realise that it's all pointless - being angry at them."

"Did they know you were there?" A small sly grin flickered across Harry's face.

"No." He said.

"I won't tell if you won't." Remus said. Harry grew serious again as he placed Sam back into his cot.

"Thanks for everything Remus." He said quietly. Remus put his arms around him.

"Anytime. I'm here if you need to talk - about anything, ok?"

"Yeah - thanks." Harry straightened to his full height - a head taller than Remus, and sighed.

"Well I have to go and speak to Molly. Wish me luck."

"Good luck." Remus said.

"I'll see you later." Harry left the room while Remus stayed. He crossed over to the cot and sat down beside it. All three babies were fast asleep and looked peaceful. Briefly, Remus wondered how it was possible for three babies to look so much like Harry when they weren't related to him - at least he didn't think they were related to them, and from the conversations he had heard Harry having with his friends, he didn't think they were related to him either.

Harry walked silently into the kitchen. It was empty now, with the exception of Molly. Through the window, he could see the other three sitting outside by the lake in the sunshine. Hermione was leaning against Ron, and Ginny was dangling her feet in the water. There was just one problem with the scene - they all looked miserable.

"Mrs Weasley?" Harry said quietly. Molly turned to him, her expression blank. Harry was sure she was trying to keep a look of pity from her face, and he was glad of it.

"I wanted to say sorry - I shouldn't have did what I did last night. I should have told you what happened, rather than leave you to find out by the pensieve."

"Oh, Harry, we were just worried about you. If I'd have known….."

"I know. It was pretty awful."

"Pretty awful? Pretty awful? It was downright horrifying!" Molly said loudly.

"Yeah, that too. That's why I didn't want you to see it. Anyway, it's in the past now. Finished with. Vernon can't hurt anyone else."

"Why?"

"I put a restraining spell on him - he can't go within two feet of anyone he intends to harm."

"That's what you did when he tried to stab you? The sword on his hand?"

"Yeah. It'll stop him hitting Aunt Petunia too - I wasn't his only punch bag, though I was his favourite."

"Why doesn't your Aunt leave him?" Molly asked, thoroughly shocked.

"She says she loves him and he loves her. I don't know." Harry said sadly. He felt bad that his Aunt was still living there, but he didn't have the power to change her mind. She was her own person, and could live wherever she wanted to.

Harry wandered outside, having made his peace with Molly; he wanted to clear the air with everyone else. He walked over to where Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat. Ginny looked up first.

"Can I sit down?" He asked, making Ron and Hermione look up.

"Uh huh." Ginny replied.

"Thanks. Look, I'm sorry about last night - I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

"We only wanted to see what had happened - we only knew that this wasn't a once off because Ginny overheard you telling mum - how d'you think that makes us feel?"

"I didn't tell you because I wanted to forget it. I didn't want you to look at me and see a three year old boy getting kicked in by his so-called Uncle." Harry said quietly.

"But we were worried about you!" Hermione protested.

"I know, but it's over now. Finished. And it's time to move on."

"What about your Aunt? You told Remus that your Uncle hit her too?" Ginny asked

"Yeah. But he can't hit anyone anymore - I can't make her change her mind about

Vernon."

"She shouldn't have let him get away with it." Hermione said angrily.

"With all due respect, 'Mione, it's easier said than done. It always is." Harry shuddered, remembering the time he had found his Aunt in the bathroom, crying her heart out.

"He made her have a miscarriage once, you know. She was pregnant and she lost the baby because he beat her. I was six at the time. That was one of the few times he hurt her badly. I found her in the bathroom, sobbing. I never understood why she put up with it - she was so much bigger than I was, she could stand up for herself. It was only when I got old enough to stand up for myself that I realised the beatings got worse if you opened your mouth."

"I'm sorry, but I don't see why you are so forgiving. She knew better than anyone what you were going through, and she should've done something." Ron said

"Maybe, maybe not. It's in the past now, though."

"You can just move on, as simple as that? Forget everything that he did to you?"

"I'll never forget what he did to me, but yes, I can move on - it's not particularly easy, but it's what I have to do. I've been through hell and come out the other side."

"Well, if you can put it behind you, we can put it behind us, can't we?" Ginny said, elbowing Ron.

"Yeah, I guess so. Just one thing - you talk to us in the future, ok? Don't keep us out." Harry's smile froze in place.

"Erm…..there is something else, but we'll limit it to one bombshell per week, right?"

"Is it bad?" Hermione asked.

"Depends on your point of view, I suppose." Harry shrugged.

"Am I going to be included in this?" Ginny asked.

"If you want to be." Harry shrugged. An insistent pulsing in his wrist told him that there was something wrong with the babies. "'Scuse me." He said, pulling his wand and apparating into his room.