Harry Potter and the Arch of Hades

By: Merusa

Chapter 4: Son

Triumphantly, Harry and Ron apparated a few feet away from the start of the Burrow's wards. Marching, they made their way to the kitchen door and banged it open. Ginny, who stood at the counter preparing dinner, said nothing.

Ron scoffed. "Men are here."

Harry dropped to one knee. "Apparating men."

Ginny threw a loaf of bread at them. Harry caught it and pulled a piece off. "Thanks."

"So, I'm assuming you passed? I'm sorry Mum and Dad aren't home, Mum would be suffocating you two."

Ron smiled softly. "Like when Percy passed."

Ginny's eyes slid out of focus. Her mind must have left her. "Just like when Percy passed."

Harry let the siblings have a moment together, not saying anything.

Ginny resumed her meal preparations. "Where's Hermione?"

Ron grinned cheekily, and opened his mouth. Harry clamped a hand over it, and spoke for them. "She's on her way."

"What's keeping her?"

Harry moved to help Ginny. "Well, you do know how Hermione prefers Floo over all other modes of travel, because she hates heights?"

Ginny nodded.

"Well, Apparating isn't any different."

Ginny stopped chopping the pepper. "Bugger. She didn't pass?"

Ron cut in gleefully. "No. Since you can see the ground a little bit while Apparating, she panicked and landed in Singapore. Nearly splinched. She's retaking it- we weren't allowed to stay." His face became solemn. "Don't worry, I'll stop teasing when she gets here- but for now..." He danced around the kitchen happily.

A brown screech owl landed on the window sill. Ginny dodged Ron and offered a treat to the bird. She gently took the note off of its leg. The owl shifted from foot to foot, a clear sign that the letter warranted a response. Ginny unrolled the envelope and looked at it. "Harry, it's for you."

He took the envelope and flipped it over. The Hogwarts seal stared up at him. A grin crossed his face as he read it. He pulled another, still sealed enveloped and handed it to Ron.

Ron raised his eyebrows, but took the envelope and slid it open. A badge fell out. He caught it, wide eyed, and moved to read the letter.

Ginny looked to Harry for an explanation. He shook his head and mouthed the word "Wait."

Ron looked up, wide eyed. "We're sharing the captaincy."

Harry nodded. "I couldn't do all that work by myself, Ron. You're the quidditch expert."

Harry smiled as he felt Ron pull him into a bone-breaking hug.

A loud whooshing sound invaded the kitchen. Acting instinctively, Harry pushed Ron and Ginny onto the ground and pulled out his own wand.

"Calm down, Harry, it's me." Hermione appeared, clutching a rubber ducky, which must have been a portkey. She pushed her bushy hair out of her face, visibly irritated. The bath toy disappeared with a 'pop'.

Harry still had his wand trained on her even as Ron clambered to his feet. Ginny stood with oddly feline grace.

"Tell me something only Hermione would know."

She sighed, and fell into a chair. "In our fifth year, you or Ron thought that one of Jupiter's moons was covered in mice."

Harry let his wand arm relax. "Okay. How was the test?"

Hermione crossed her arms on the table and dropped her head onto them. She was shaking slightly.

"I didn't pass."

Harry and Ginny wisely remained silent, but it was Ron who made the decision to cross the room and wrap an arm around Hermione's shoulders.

Exchanging a glance, the female redhead and Boy-Who-Lived exchanged glances and left the room, giving the potential couple some time alone.

"Oh, here it is." Harry snatched the morning post from the table next to the window. Ginny rushed over to him as he pulled The Daily Prophet from the pile. "Harry."

He looked over at her. "What?"

She looked down at the ground. "Never mind. Go ahead."

He raised his eyebrows at her, but nonetheless flipped over the newspaper. His eyes took in the headline.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" His voice was eerily calm and quiet. Ginny couldn't quite put a label on the look in his eyes.

"I didn't know how."

He nodded, slowly. Calmly, he let the paper fall to the floor, and walked to the stairs. As he descended them, Ginny watched. More than once, he swiped angrily at his eyes.

She left the newspaper on the floor. She didn't want to read it again.

THE DAILY PROPHET- August 20, 1997

YOU-KNOW-WHO AND DEATH EATERS ATTACK ORPHANAGE

Authorities say that few children survived the vicious attack last night. Here's what the minister has to say...

It was late that night- late enough, he knew, to ensure that Ron was in a deep enough sleep that he wouldn't wake, but early enough in the morning so that he would not be immersed in total darkness. He slid the strap of the already packed carpetbag over his shoulder and crept quietly out of the room. He moved easily over the many flights of staircases, but managed to stumble outside of Ginny's room. Praying that he hadn't roused Hermione, he scrambled back to his feet and down the final staircase. He was almost out. He paused, mentally thanking whatever deities there were that they hadn't been forced to stay at Grimmauld Place again. Harry knew it was only because the Burrow had been so thoroughly hidden and that the Order didn't want him snooping around, but he was still grateful. He looked up and around the room. It felt like the last time he would see it, so, for the first time, he really looked. The ashes in the brick fireplace, the worn, deep red rug, the old dilapidated coffee table with the scratched-up molding, the soft tweed couch, the huge denim chair. It was home to him. He'd miss it.

He turned back to the kitchen, able to see the door.

This was it.

He was going to seek out and face Voldemort.

Oddly enough, he'd never felt more calm. He knew what he felt, and this was right- he was going.

He looked around the room, nodded once, and walked towards the door.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

Mentally groaning, he turned to face the youngest Weasley. She stood, wand in hand, hands on her hips. He thought she looked cute in her nightdress, but wasn't about to admit that out loud. "No where, apparently."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Harry!"

He sighed. "I'm serious. I was just hungry. Couldn't sleep."

"Then why did you need a bag?"

He turned around and walked into the kitchen. "Go to bed, Ginny- oof!"

She tackled him. He was so surprised that her small weight managed to knock him over. "Ginny!"

"I'm not moving until you tell me what you're up to."

"Ginny, I could throw you off me very easily, you know."

"Yes, but if you throw me to your right, my head will hit the oven, and if you throw me to your left, I'll hit the wall." He could hear the smirk in her voice.

"What if I throw you over my head or into the living room?"

"Then I'll scream for Mum."

He shifted. She didn't move from on top of him. "Can you at least shift enough so I can turn over?"

She obliged. He moved so that he was lying on his back and she was straddling his stomach, her wand pointed at his chest.

"Harry, one wrong move and you'll be at the receiving end of a Bat-Bogey Hex- and the Ministry doesn't bother sending letters anymore, they can't tell who the magic is from. Now, tell me what you're doing fully dressed and about to leave the house at three in the morning."

He remained silent, stubbornly looking above her head and staring at the ceiling.

"Harry, I'll stay here until the morning, but I really don't fancy my mother or anyone else finding us here, as they may get the wrong idea."

He sighed. She had a point. "I was leaving."

"Why?"

"You know why. You saw that article today. I can't let stuff like that keep happening. They're finally making real moves."

He continued to carefully study the ceiling.

"Oh, Harry...but you don't have a spell to defeat him yet, do you?"

He didn't look down. He heard the sadness in her voice, and didn't want to deal with it.

"It doesn't matter. I'd find a way, even if it would take me down as well."

"Oh, Harry!" He was forced to look down when she leaned forward and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "You're so wonderful!"

Awkwardly, he placed his arms around her, feeling her tears against his skin. "Ginny, uh, it's ok..."

She sat up, sniffling, eyes red. She shoved her hair, now wild, out of her face. "No, it's not! Harry- you- you're so STUPID!"

Again, she hugged him. Realizing that he probably wasn't going to get away anytime soon, he returned it.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Ginny didn't even notice, but Harry looked up and saw Ron. Still visibly sleepy, he nonetheless was smirking.

"Ron." Harry said it quietly, but it was enough for Ginny to sit up and look at him, confused. He jerked his head toward Ron, and she turned. Her hand flew to her mouth. "Ron..."

Harry shook his head. "Ron, it's not what it looks like."

"Then what is my sister doing straddling you in the middle of the night, Harry?"

Harry was lost for an answer. Ginny turned and looked at him, visibly horrified.

That's when Ron made his move. "Mum!" he yelled "Ginny's a scarlet woman!"

They both froze. Harry knew he should be standing, but he was too scared. Surely, they would kick him out. He knew what it looked like. The Weasleys would see him taking advantage of their daughter and throw him out of the only home he'd ever had...

Molly and Arthur finally entered, both with messy clothing thrown haphazardly on. Hermione had crept carefully down the stairs on was hiding behind Ron, aware of the battle that was about to take place. Thankfully, the majority of the Weasley brothers were away from home. The adults took in the scene- Hermione behind Ron on the stairwell, Ginny and Harry scrambling to their feet from a distinctly sexual position.

Molly saw red. "What in Merlin's name is going on?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. Ginny cleared her throat. They exchanged glances, both knowing that Harry did not want the rest of the family to know he had been leaving.

Ron broke the awkward silence. "I caught Harry and Ginny on a little midnight adventure."

"It wasn't what it looked like, Ron, and it's not midnight." Ginny snapped.

Surprisingly, it was Arthur who spoke, and not Molly. He made his way to Harry and towered over him, tall, imposing. The eerily calm look on his face was somehow much more frightening then his wife's screams.

"Harry, were you taking advantage of my daughter in my home," he said quietly, "not fifty feet away from my bedroom door?"

Harry shook his head, his gaze dropping to the floor. "No, sir."

"Look me in the eye."

With some effort, he looked up into the gaze of Arthur Weasley, and straightened slightly. He was telling the truth, after all. "No, sir. I would never take advantage of your daughter."

The rest of the room remained silent.

Arthur sized him up. The rest of those in the room remained silent. Apparently, he passed the test.

"Then what were you doing?"

Harry's gaze dropped again. "Talking."

"About what?"

"Harry." Ginny had stepped forward. He shook his head at her. He didn't need for her to cover for him.

"I was going to leave, sir. To fight Voldemort."

Molly and Hermione both gasped.

Arthur sized him up again before speaking. "You are not to leave this house."

Harry nodded his gaze back on the floor.

"Not ever. No Diagon Alley. No day trips. Until school, you are restricted to the house and the grounds."

Harry nodded, swallowing.

Arthur dropped a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked up in surprise. The older man's face had softened. "You're like a son to us, Harry. It's time we started treating you like it." A small smile appeared. "You're grounded."

Wordlessly, he took the hand away and walked back to his bedroom, sliding an arm around his wife's shoulders. Molly smiled softly at Harry before letting her husband lead her away.

Ron and Hermione turned and walked up the stairs, leaving the original two in silence.

Ginny walked slowly over to him. He tensed, expecting a slap. He was surprised, then, when she slid her arms around his neck and hid her face in his shoulder, but his arms were around her immediately.

"I thought he was going to kick me out." He choked out.

"Harry, if I didn't want to kill you, I would probably in love with you." She sounded close to tears.

He was shocked into silence. They stood there for a moment, rocking back and forth softly. Eventually, she pulled away.

"We care about you, Harry," she murmured, "don't forget that." She smiled, gently. "Good night."

She slipped away, wrapping her arms around herself, and ascended the stairs.

Harry paused, turning to look at the kitchen door one more time. Nodding to himself, he picked up his carpetbag, and went up the stairs to Ron's room.

He didn't notice when the door to Arthur and Molly's room finally closed.

The Next Day

Hermione tossed a bag of crisps at Harry. He caught it easily. "So, 'sister' mine," he said, making reference to a long standing joke between them, "what do you want to do now that you've volunteered to keep me company whilst our friends cavort about Diagon Alley?"

Hermione smiled gently. "How about a little heart-to-heart?"

Harry raised his eyebrows. "About how you want to shag Ron?"

"Harry!"

"What? It'd just be an innocent conversation....about your want of the shagging with Ron."

"HARRY!"

He laughed. "Relax, 'Mione."

"Don't call me 'Mione! You know that I hate that, Harry James Potter!"

"Ooo, the middle name! You only said that because 'Mione' sounds like 'My own', which you want Ron to call you, since you want to shag him."

"HARRY! That's not funny. It's ludicrous, why would I want to shag Ron? We're- we're much too young for that!"

Harry snorted. "Hermione, we're legal! The age of consent of sixteen!"

"You're only saying that because-because you want to shag Ginny!" she crowed triumphantly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I have a girlfriend, Hermione. Do you honestly think that I'd cheat on her?"

"No." But there was something she was hiding, he could tell.

He rolled his eyes. Women.

"I don't get any of it." He shook his head.

"What do you mean?" She pulled the bag of crisps open.

"Nothing. Something Padma said."

"You can't fool me, Harry. I know its something."

He scowled at her. "You know I hate it when people bug me about talking."

She touched his arm. "Harry."

He sighed. "Padma asked me if I thought Ginny was pretty."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "You said no, right?"

He rolled his eyes again. "I told her that yes, Ginny's pretty, but that I'm with her, so it doesn't matter."

Hermione smiled softly. "Harry...that's so sweet."

"Thanks."

"Most boys wouldn't say that it didn't matter what other girls looked like."

Harry grinned sheepishly. "I didn't really say that, actually. I said Ginny was pretty, but I'm with Padma. Was that bad?"

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know."

Harry blinked at her. "What, women don't always get other women?"

Hermione shrugged.

Harry groaned. "Gods, this year sucks already."

Hermione looked at him. "Enough for you to want to leave?"

He sighed. He had known that this was coming. "I don't want to talk about it, Hermione."

"Talk to me, Harry. Please. You didn't react at all to Sirius's death. You didn't react to Percy's. You and Padma are visibly having problems, and now this. Please, Harry, let me in. You're going to have a nervous breakdown."

He stared at her.

She sighed. "One day, Harry, you'll talk to someone. You'll have too...."