Chapter 3: Breakfast at Grimmauld Place
Harry woke up early, before anyone else had got up. He was still tired from last night since everyone had stayed up late talking. He had learned that Hermione had been staying with the Weasley's all summer basically. Her parents had received a letter from Mr. Weasley explaining what was going on in the wizarding world. He also explained to them that unfortunately do to her blood she may be a target of Voldemort. So he had advised her to stay with them because he felt that was one of the safest places she could be. Her parents where questionable at first but Mr. Weasley had met with them and explained it better. They in the end decided to let Hermione go to Grimmauld Place for her safety.
The twins business was blossoming very successfully. Ever since they pulled that stunt with the swamp at Hogwarts last year people where dying to get their hands on all the other Weasley inventions they had made. Even though Mrs. Weasley had always been very judge mental towards the twins chosen profession she seemed to have given in. Perhaps she had realized that they where making a lot of money for doing something that they enjoyed. Harry could not wait to go to Diagon Alley and see what his prize money had gone into creating. He had to still wait a week though for it was two weeks before school started and he could not get his books until he knew what courses he was taking. He had not seen the twins yet they where supposed to come by today in the early morning though. He had learned all the information from Ron who went on to describe all their new inventions. The whole time Hermione gave a very disapproving look and kept trying to change the subject. She did eventually but to her horror it was quidditch and Ron, Ginny, and Harry talked about it for over two hours. Eventually they had all wondered up to bed.
Charlie, Bill, and Mr. Weasley did not arrive until after everyone had gone asleep. He wanted to ask Mr. Weasley what was going on with the war. He had been pretty unaware of what was going on except for all though the articles in the Daily Prophet where actually becoming pretty helpful. A week into the summer, an open letter had been printed in the daily Prophet from the editor to Dumbledore. It was apologizing for the false things that they had printed about him and was thanking him for all the work he had put into fight You-Know-Who. Harry went into the kitchen where he found Charlie already awake making a pot of tea. "You know you can use a spell to make that" said Harry seeing Charlie was not using magic.
"Some things, if you put a little time and effort in, can end up a little better if you don't create them with a flick of the wand." Charlie began to pour Harry a cup of tea and Harry sat down at the kitchen table. He gave the cup to Harry and he took a sip.
"Your right it does taste better" Harry agreed.
"Told you, it's great to see you back mate" Charlie said taking a seat across from Harry. Harry the remembered Charlie was one of the names that Dudley had said he heard Harry say in his sleep and since Harry had gotten to Grimmauld Place before Ron had, had time to reply. He was not going to get his answer and he couldn't ask it again because it would sound too suspicious.
"I was just wondering if you could tell me what is going on with You-Know- Who" asked Harry. Wondering if and if so, how much Charlie would tell him.
"Well Harry you are not apart of the Order so I do not know how much I'm allowed to tell you" Charlie began sounding slightly sympathetic. Harry didn't like this and decided to interrupt him before he could inform him even more about how he was 'young' and 'did not need to concern him self.'
"But I'm the one who is trying to be killed. I'm the one who saw him come back to life. I'm the one who apparently thanks to some prophecy I'm supposed to kill Voldemort. Why must I always be left out of the loop?" Harry was getting angry, not at Charlie specifically, but being left out again. He thought after Dumbledore had a talk with him at the end of last year he would begin to be told things.
"You are in the loop, if you would have let me finish. I cannot tell you what exact actions we are taking. Yet I can tell you that ever since the incident at the Department of Mysteries noting has really happened. Your aunt has been killed but you already know that, that was infact the first time anything had actually happened since the Department of Mysteries. We think since a lot of his followers including Lucius Malfoy where captured. Voldemort may be regrouping or planning to somehow regain his lost comrades."
"Thank you, I'm sorry for lashing out before it's just that. Ever since I started going to Hogwarts I would never be told the whole story. When did they decide to let me be filled in now?"
"After Dumbledore told you about the prophecy at the end of 5th year he told the Order that he thought that you should be informed about what is going on since it concerns you very much so, as you know. He then let everyone in the Order vote, 34 members including me said you should be in the loop. Three members did not."
"Who did not want me in the loop?" Harry asked curious as to who either wanted Harry in the dark or was still protecting him like some sort of child and didn't consider him ready for this sort of information.
"I don't think it wise of me to say, yet if you really want to know, but you didn't hear it from me understand?" Charlie looked serious as if he was going to get in trouble for telling Harry.
"Yeah I promise I won't tell anyone you told me, don't worry" Harry said reassuringly.
"Mum, she doesn't want you worrying. Don't take it the wrong way Harry she is over protective of all of us she only voted that way because she loves you." Harry understood this Mrs. Weasley was always asking if he was okay and she seemed to worry about him a lot. "Also Moody voted against you because he says you should not be trusted. Calm down Harry" Charlie said noticing the anger rising in Harry again. Only after three sessions of him interrogating me while I was under Veritaserum he began to trust me. Well trust may be a bit of a strong word he still never turns his back on me" Charlie smirked.
"The most surprising was" but then Charlie was cut off because a voice came from just outside the doorway.
"I was just writing a letter you stupid prat!" The voice belonged to Hermione and it sounded frustrated. Harry didn't have to think hard to guess who Hermione was fighting with.
"To Vicky, make sure you put in plenty of love-hearts and X's and O's." Ron's voice said sarcastically.
"Oh great hear comes the arguing couple tea isn't going to prepare me for this" Charlie said and stood from the chair desperately looking for some Coffee. He couldn't find any so he shrugged and just conjured a cup of Coffee up. He then looked back at Harry and said "well it doesn't taste as good but it's still easier."
Then Hermione came barging into the kitchen looking very pissed off. "Why does he always have to be so rude?" With that she sat in the chair looking annoyed. Harry did not want to work her up anymore so he tried to change the subject.
"So are you still going out with Victor Krum?" Harry asked in the kindest vice he could muster so early in the morning. "I don't mean to pry, just curious."
"Victor Krum!" Charlie looked as if he had just heard a Dragon talk. "The- the...Seeker for the Bulgarian team!"
"That is the only Victor Krum I know" Hermione said matter-of-factly. "And no Harry we are not going out anymore. I was just sending a letter to him in fact telling him that it is over. Ron caught me writing to him and got angry."
"I'm sorry Hermione" Harry told her, he didn't know if she was upset at all. Yet by the expression on Charlie's face he was shocked that she would even ever dream of breaking up with a quidditch star like Krum.
"Why would you ever do that?" Charlie said shocked "it is Krum! Victor Krum!"
"I think I know who he is thank you very much Charlie. If you must know I broke up with him because he said he believed all the nasty stuff that the Daily Prophet wrote about Harry."
"Thank you very much Hermione. That was really nice of you. But I don't want you to break up with him just because of that. If he makes you happy, I'm happy for you." Hermione was a great friend for doing that for him Harry thought. He had never really liked Krum ever since he tried to attack him in the maze in the fourth year even if he was under the Imperius curse.
"There where other reasons to but that is none of your business." Harry wondered if one of those reasons was Ron. "Well anyway I'm going to go try and explain that to Ron without trying to get into a fight." Charlie chuckled. "What was that about" asked Hermione.
"You two, not fighting, impossible" Harry nodded in agreement to what Charlie said.
"That is not true! Well okay we fight a lot but we still are good friends. I wonder why we do fight all the time it's not like I want to?"
"Maybe it is because you like each other?" Charlie suggested. This made Hermione gasp and turn very red she then turned around and ran out of the room. Harry and Charlie burst into laughter. Ginny then entered the room and sat down at the table next to Charlie.
"Hello big brother" she said grinning at Charlie.
"Hello little sister" Charlie said grinning back.
"Not so little, I've gotten bigger while you where away in Romania."
"Oh my god your right Ginny it is amazing you where up to my stomach and now you up to my shoulder" Charlie said laughing. Two loud pop's signaled the arrival of Fred and George and Ginny punched Charlie's arm playfully for making fun of her height.
"Don't beat up our brother Gin" said Fred.
"I only have four others" agreed George.
"Five if you include Gin, George" said George.
"Right you are she is a bit of a brute to be a lady" replied Fred.
"I'm not a brute" Ginny complained. Fred and George both looked at each other and laughed.
"See this" George said showing Harry a scar on the back of his left arm. "Ginny jabbed my arm with the end of Ron's broom stick."
"You stole my Bertie Bott's every flavored beans!" Yelled Ginny accusingly.
"But what did I do?" Fred asked while showing the scar to Harry on the back of his left arm that looked identical to the scar on George's arm.
"You did nothing my dear brother" said George. "You where merely a victim of Ginny's rage you poor boy."
Ginny smiled and stopped a view giggles and then said "well you didn't match after that so I had to do something to Fred to even it up didn't I?" Everyone then burst into laughter and didn't stop laughing for a long time until Fred spoke.
"It's okay Gin we rather like our scars now" said Fred.
"It does make us look rather ruggedly handsome doesn't it Fred?" asked George.
"No doubt" said Fred. With that Charlie, Ginny, and Harry all exploded into laughter. Harry smiled, this is how he wanted to live his life. With good friends who cared about him, that he could have fun with. All the death and loss in his past was a lot easier to stand when he was with these people. Although he did feel like somthing was missing.
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Thank you everyone who has reviewed please keep it up! Next Chapter won't be up for a week because I got to catch a couple of planes. That will though give me plenty of time to think about what I'm going to do next!
Harry woke up early, before anyone else had got up. He was still tired from last night since everyone had stayed up late talking. He had learned that Hermione had been staying with the Weasley's all summer basically. Her parents had received a letter from Mr. Weasley explaining what was going on in the wizarding world. He also explained to them that unfortunately do to her blood she may be a target of Voldemort. So he had advised her to stay with them because he felt that was one of the safest places she could be. Her parents where questionable at first but Mr. Weasley had met with them and explained it better. They in the end decided to let Hermione go to Grimmauld Place for her safety.
The twins business was blossoming very successfully. Ever since they pulled that stunt with the swamp at Hogwarts last year people where dying to get their hands on all the other Weasley inventions they had made. Even though Mrs. Weasley had always been very judge mental towards the twins chosen profession she seemed to have given in. Perhaps she had realized that they where making a lot of money for doing something that they enjoyed. Harry could not wait to go to Diagon Alley and see what his prize money had gone into creating. He had to still wait a week though for it was two weeks before school started and he could not get his books until he knew what courses he was taking. He had not seen the twins yet they where supposed to come by today in the early morning though. He had learned all the information from Ron who went on to describe all their new inventions. The whole time Hermione gave a very disapproving look and kept trying to change the subject. She did eventually but to her horror it was quidditch and Ron, Ginny, and Harry talked about it for over two hours. Eventually they had all wondered up to bed.
Charlie, Bill, and Mr. Weasley did not arrive until after everyone had gone asleep. He wanted to ask Mr. Weasley what was going on with the war. He had been pretty unaware of what was going on except for all though the articles in the Daily Prophet where actually becoming pretty helpful. A week into the summer, an open letter had been printed in the daily Prophet from the editor to Dumbledore. It was apologizing for the false things that they had printed about him and was thanking him for all the work he had put into fight You-Know-Who. Harry went into the kitchen where he found Charlie already awake making a pot of tea. "You know you can use a spell to make that" said Harry seeing Charlie was not using magic.
"Some things, if you put a little time and effort in, can end up a little better if you don't create them with a flick of the wand." Charlie began to pour Harry a cup of tea and Harry sat down at the kitchen table. He gave the cup to Harry and he took a sip.
"Your right it does taste better" Harry agreed.
"Told you, it's great to see you back mate" Charlie said taking a seat across from Harry. Harry the remembered Charlie was one of the names that Dudley had said he heard Harry say in his sleep and since Harry had gotten to Grimmauld Place before Ron had, had time to reply. He was not going to get his answer and he couldn't ask it again because it would sound too suspicious.
"I was just wondering if you could tell me what is going on with You-Know- Who" asked Harry. Wondering if and if so, how much Charlie would tell him.
"Well Harry you are not apart of the Order so I do not know how much I'm allowed to tell you" Charlie began sounding slightly sympathetic. Harry didn't like this and decided to interrupt him before he could inform him even more about how he was 'young' and 'did not need to concern him self.'
"But I'm the one who is trying to be killed. I'm the one who saw him come back to life. I'm the one who apparently thanks to some prophecy I'm supposed to kill Voldemort. Why must I always be left out of the loop?" Harry was getting angry, not at Charlie specifically, but being left out again. He thought after Dumbledore had a talk with him at the end of last year he would begin to be told things.
"You are in the loop, if you would have let me finish. I cannot tell you what exact actions we are taking. Yet I can tell you that ever since the incident at the Department of Mysteries noting has really happened. Your aunt has been killed but you already know that, that was infact the first time anything had actually happened since the Department of Mysteries. We think since a lot of his followers including Lucius Malfoy where captured. Voldemort may be regrouping or planning to somehow regain his lost comrades."
"Thank you, I'm sorry for lashing out before it's just that. Ever since I started going to Hogwarts I would never be told the whole story. When did they decide to let me be filled in now?"
"After Dumbledore told you about the prophecy at the end of 5th year he told the Order that he thought that you should be informed about what is going on since it concerns you very much so, as you know. He then let everyone in the Order vote, 34 members including me said you should be in the loop. Three members did not."
"Who did not want me in the loop?" Harry asked curious as to who either wanted Harry in the dark or was still protecting him like some sort of child and didn't consider him ready for this sort of information.
"I don't think it wise of me to say, yet if you really want to know, but you didn't hear it from me understand?" Charlie looked serious as if he was going to get in trouble for telling Harry.
"Yeah I promise I won't tell anyone you told me, don't worry" Harry said reassuringly.
"Mum, she doesn't want you worrying. Don't take it the wrong way Harry she is over protective of all of us she only voted that way because she loves you." Harry understood this Mrs. Weasley was always asking if he was okay and she seemed to worry about him a lot. "Also Moody voted against you because he says you should not be trusted. Calm down Harry" Charlie said noticing the anger rising in Harry again. Only after three sessions of him interrogating me while I was under Veritaserum he began to trust me. Well trust may be a bit of a strong word he still never turns his back on me" Charlie smirked.
"The most surprising was" but then Charlie was cut off because a voice came from just outside the doorway.
"I was just writing a letter you stupid prat!" The voice belonged to Hermione and it sounded frustrated. Harry didn't have to think hard to guess who Hermione was fighting with.
"To Vicky, make sure you put in plenty of love-hearts and X's and O's." Ron's voice said sarcastically.
"Oh great hear comes the arguing couple tea isn't going to prepare me for this" Charlie said and stood from the chair desperately looking for some Coffee. He couldn't find any so he shrugged and just conjured a cup of Coffee up. He then looked back at Harry and said "well it doesn't taste as good but it's still easier."
Then Hermione came barging into the kitchen looking very pissed off. "Why does he always have to be so rude?" With that she sat in the chair looking annoyed. Harry did not want to work her up anymore so he tried to change the subject.
"So are you still going out with Victor Krum?" Harry asked in the kindest vice he could muster so early in the morning. "I don't mean to pry, just curious."
"Victor Krum!" Charlie looked as if he had just heard a Dragon talk. "The- the...Seeker for the Bulgarian team!"
"That is the only Victor Krum I know" Hermione said matter-of-factly. "And no Harry we are not going out anymore. I was just sending a letter to him in fact telling him that it is over. Ron caught me writing to him and got angry."
"I'm sorry Hermione" Harry told her, he didn't know if she was upset at all. Yet by the expression on Charlie's face he was shocked that she would even ever dream of breaking up with a quidditch star like Krum.
"Why would you ever do that?" Charlie said shocked "it is Krum! Victor Krum!"
"I think I know who he is thank you very much Charlie. If you must know I broke up with him because he said he believed all the nasty stuff that the Daily Prophet wrote about Harry."
"Thank you very much Hermione. That was really nice of you. But I don't want you to break up with him just because of that. If he makes you happy, I'm happy for you." Hermione was a great friend for doing that for him Harry thought. He had never really liked Krum ever since he tried to attack him in the maze in the fourth year even if he was under the Imperius curse.
"There where other reasons to but that is none of your business." Harry wondered if one of those reasons was Ron. "Well anyway I'm going to go try and explain that to Ron without trying to get into a fight." Charlie chuckled. "What was that about" asked Hermione.
"You two, not fighting, impossible" Harry nodded in agreement to what Charlie said.
"That is not true! Well okay we fight a lot but we still are good friends. I wonder why we do fight all the time it's not like I want to?"
"Maybe it is because you like each other?" Charlie suggested. This made Hermione gasp and turn very red she then turned around and ran out of the room. Harry and Charlie burst into laughter. Ginny then entered the room and sat down at the table next to Charlie.
"Hello big brother" she said grinning at Charlie.
"Hello little sister" Charlie said grinning back.
"Not so little, I've gotten bigger while you where away in Romania."
"Oh my god your right Ginny it is amazing you where up to my stomach and now you up to my shoulder" Charlie said laughing. Two loud pop's signaled the arrival of Fred and George and Ginny punched Charlie's arm playfully for making fun of her height.
"Don't beat up our brother Gin" said Fred.
"I only have four others" agreed George.
"Five if you include Gin, George" said George.
"Right you are she is a bit of a brute to be a lady" replied Fred.
"I'm not a brute" Ginny complained. Fred and George both looked at each other and laughed.
"See this" George said showing Harry a scar on the back of his left arm. "Ginny jabbed my arm with the end of Ron's broom stick."
"You stole my Bertie Bott's every flavored beans!" Yelled Ginny accusingly.
"But what did I do?" Fred asked while showing the scar to Harry on the back of his left arm that looked identical to the scar on George's arm.
"You did nothing my dear brother" said George. "You where merely a victim of Ginny's rage you poor boy."
Ginny smiled and stopped a view giggles and then said "well you didn't match after that so I had to do something to Fred to even it up didn't I?" Everyone then burst into laughter and didn't stop laughing for a long time until Fred spoke.
"It's okay Gin we rather like our scars now" said Fred.
"It does make us look rather ruggedly handsome doesn't it Fred?" asked George.
"No doubt" said Fred. With that Charlie, Ginny, and Harry all exploded into laughter. Harry smiled, this is how he wanted to live his life. With good friends who cared about him, that he could have fun with. All the death and loss in his past was a lot easier to stand when he was with these people. Although he did feel like somthing was missing.
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Thank you everyone who has reviewed please keep it up! Next Chapter won't be up for a week because I got to catch a couple of planes. That will though give me plenty of time to think about what I'm going to do next!