Disclaimer: I don't own HP or associated.

A/N: This chapter is unexpected filler between two and four. I edited it as best I could but it is a little choppy. This chapter has some of the lighter humor (of the Weasley type) than the rest of the story. Sorry it's so short. ENJOY.

Harry Potter and the Ghosts of Past

Chapter 3 – Simpler Questions

Harry didn't wake until breakfast two days later.

"Hungry?" Ron asked from where he was getting dressed. Harry sat up; he was in Ron's room. His stuff was sitting in the corner, including a cage that held his snowy owl, Hedwig.

"Hey, girl," Harry put out his arm and Hedwig landed, nibbled on his ear, then flew back to her perch. A smell caught his attention, "Ron, what's that smell?" He asked wrinkling his nose.

Ron's neck and ears went red as he strained not to laugh, "Mate, that...smell is you." Harry made a skeptical face, "no. I am dead serious."

"Oh," Harry got up and opened his trunk and grabbed some clothes, "I'll be back in a minute."

"No," Ron said carefully, "take as long as you need." Harry rolled his eyes as Ron chuckled. As Harry proceeded to the washroom he stopped at the landing of Ginny's room the door was open and she sat at her desk with her back to him.

Ginny turned to her door but there was no one there. She shook off the feeling that she was being watched, figuring it was just Ron, and continued to think as she pretended to do her already finished Charms homework. She knew it was a stupid excuse to escape her family and Hermione, but it was a reason that Hermione would except and her family understood.

She had been thinking about what Harry had told them, he seemed so calm when he told them about Remus. Harry hadn't told them about his 'traveling' afterwards or who had held Voldemort back while he killed him. These thoughts led her to be very bore with her Charms.

"I'll sneak up there now," Ginny mumbled to herself as she got up.

"Mumbling to yourself sis?" Ron said from the doorway making Ginny jump as she turned and saw Ron leaning against her door frame."

"Didn't you just walk past?" Ginny said irritably, closing the book she had been staring at.

"No," Ron smiled at his sister, "that was Harry on his way to the washroom." She spun around and Ron nodded that he wasn't lying. Ginny smiled too.
Harry came out of the washroom feeling clean and at peace. He sighed and headed downstairs to the Weasley kitchen where he caught a whiff of the smell of food that made his stomach grumble and his mouth water. Heading down the rest of the stairs he saw that Mrs. Weasley was in her usual huff about the meal, and Fred and George were just sitting and talking about Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Mr. Weasley was reading the Daily Prophet and drinking pumpkin juice. Hermione, Harry guessed, had gone home.

Harry walked into the kitchen, "Morning," he said and watched as everyone turned and said hello back and then continued with what they were doing. He figured that Mrs. Weasley had told them to leave him be. He was grateful and seated himself as Molly started to fill his plate with a ton food. Harry hadn't even started eating when there was the sound of someone rushing downstairs and Ron's booming laughter.

Ginny had reached the bottom of the stairs and felt her face grow red as each person in the kitchen turned to look at her. Ron had caught up with her still laughing and she moved as her mother started to address her.

"Ginny, what was all the noise about?" Molly stared at her daughter.

Ginny was thinking fast as her mother served her and Ron breakfast. "I was hungry," she declared. She hadn't felt this stupid around Harry Potter in some time. Ron was about to start another round of laughter but the combined looks from Mrs. Weasley and Ginny kept him quiet.

They got through part of breakfast when an owl came through the window, landed on Harry, dropped its letter and flew back out the window. The letter had a Ministry of Magic seal on it. Must be the court dates Harry thought. The Weasleys were waiting for Harry to open it.

"Dear Mr. Potter,

The Wizengamot has arranged to meet you on July 10th in Courtroom Ten at the Ministry of Magic. This trial is in accordance with the Law of the Unforgivables section 7; sub section b; paragraph nine; lines 3-118, the Killing Curse. Which was used by you, Harry James Potter, on Tom Marvolo Riddle a.k.a. Voldemort on May 26th 1998. The trial will be at 10:30 a.m. please arrive early in case there is a problem.

On the same above date at noon, the will of Remus Lupin will be recounted in my office. Being as he was a werewolf he was not allowed to legally set aside a will. But the persons who witnessed his testimony will be there to give everyone involved what belongs to them.

Yours truly,

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Minister of Magic"

Harry read it out loud then reread it to himself a few times before setting it down and turning to Arthur Weasley, "Sir, could I see your Daily Prophet when you are done?"

Arthur turned to him, "Yes. And I believe that between Ginny, Ron, the twins, and Hermione have the last couple weeks issues, intact." He looked Harry in the eye, "If you're interested..." Harry nodded then looked at Ginny, Ron, and the twins for confirmation, each nodded enthusiastically.

There was a 'swish' and then a 'thud' from the fireplace. Hermione appeared in the doorway. "Good to see you up Harry."

"How did you get the Floo Network connected to your house?" Harry asked Hermione, "You still live in the Muggle world, right?"

"I'm just using it until I get my Apparation license. Which I go into get July 10th at 1:30 p.m. on the sixth floor of the Ministry of Magic," Hermione said in a matter-a-fact manner.

Mr. Weasley looked over his paper, "They must have figured you'd be there anyway," he said knowingly.

"Why would I be there?" Hermione looked around the table.

"Because I have my Wizengamot trial that day," Harry replied, feeling he was full he put down his fork and excused himself. The twins followed his example, excused themselves then Disapparated. Mr. Weasley said that he had to get to the Ministry and also exited.

Hermione had made it halfway up the stairs before Ginny and Ron excused themselves and started up the stairs. Hermione had reached the door of Ginny's room and waited for the other two. They were all thinking the same thing, 'what do we say?'

"Well he is tried of hearing how grateful everyone is," Ron said after a moment.

"Well he didn't give us any details about the 'ghost honoring'," Hermione offered.

"But that might have been really hard," Ginny said, "I mean he had to see many people, some who he knew some who he didn't. It is worth a try but I wouldn't push him to open up." That was the only thing that all three agreed on: not pushing. They started up the rest of the stairs. Ron had Hermione's hand and Ginny just followed the couple.

Ron knocked on the door and then poked his head inside to make sure that Harry was decent. Then opened the door, let the girls in, and closed the door. Harry was browsing through his trunk banishing some of the things he found and making a list.

"You disappeared quickly," Ron said, "anything wrong, mate?"

"No just need to know what I will need to buy," Harry replied looking up at the three, "anything wrong?"

None of them could answer in truth they were bursting with questions. Ginny chose the one that they should start with. "Harry, what did you mean the other day when you said clean up the manor?" Hermione and Ron had forgotten about it.

"You asked Mum if you could stay until you cleaned up the manor," Ginny continued.

"Oh that," Harry thought, "Remus informed me that my parents' house, the one that they owned before going into hiding, was still standing and well hidden. He told me where to find the key."

"When did he tell you this?" Hermione inquired.

"Four days ago," Harry responded, "he was the last and longest visit I had."

"Any idea how many," Ginny asked, "ghosts you visited in total?"

"At least a hundred," Harry said sadly, "but those were the only ones that wanted to see me and most didn't say too much. Those were only the ones that were killed by the Killing Curse. That doesn't include all of those that were tortured or controlled." Harry hung his head, "Remus said that he was the last one and he stayed so long because he didn't want me to come back feeling guilty. He didn't want me to push those who mean the most..." he looked up at them, "you guys, away."

"Why was he so worried about something like that?" Ginny asked.

Harry looked at his group of friends, "Truthfully, what is the one thing that I end up doing every summer?"

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny knew what he meant, but none of them really wanted to say it. Harry hadn't realized he was that bad that they would be afraid to tell him the truth. A silence filled the room.

"You go into an emotional breakdown-" Ginny started quietly.

"-Blame yourself-" Ron continued.

"-And yell at anyone who talks to you." Hermione finished just as quietly as Ginny started. Harry was startled that it scared his friends so much to tell the truth but amused by how the three sounded like the twins trying to complete a sentence.

He smiled and said; "Remus said that almost exactly the same thing. I believe he called me an emotional train wreck. I was surprised he even knew what it was." Harry took a deep breath, "Most of them just told me they were sorry or thanked me for what I did, finally. Some more recent people had things that they asked me to do. Others told me about my parents, Sirius, or Dumbledore. There were a few who gave me warnings..."

"What types of warnings?" Ginny inquired.

"The basic sage advice. Most of it was unnerving to listen to, kind of scary how much they knew." Harry replied pensively. He looked up at them, "I'm guessing you came upstairs just to hear about my encounters." He looked at Hermione; "You might be able to finish your theory if I start soon. I need Neville here. He fought well, not that anyone didn't, and deserves to hear this." Harry and Neville had been close since fifth year. Neville just never felt that he and Harry were very different after the talk on the train ride home.

Harry knew that the story would take days to tell, that they would have a lot of interruption and questions, and that none of them would completely understand. Not for a very long time.
Please review. constructive critism welcome.