Harry Potter Boy who Lives

H P Boy who Lives 7th year

Chapter Fifteen

Family Dinner

--

Everyone sits down for a family dinner where a family secret is revealed...

--

Ginny paced the floor of Draco's bedroom. "Harry's back. That has to be why she's acting all weird."

Draco tied the laces on his dress shoes before glancing up at her. "That's good news isn't it. Now you don't have to catch the train."

"Ron and I have to spend at least three days before Christmas at home with Mum and Dad, that was the deal remember." Ginny rolled her eyes at him.

"I know so you can celebrate Christmas there." Draco sighed.

"Hermione looked thoroughly disheveled in appearance." Ginny sat beside him.

Draco narrowed his eyes at the phrase thoroughly disheveled. "You mean thoroughly kissed don't you."

"Honestly, I don't know what I mean. Just forget I said anything." Ginny got up and headed for the door. "We're gonna be late for dinner."

"They're married, but he swore nothing would happen until after Morgana was vanquished." Draco followed her.

"The boy left her for two weeks. Anything's possible, as for the other that was when he was seventeen." Ginny headed straight for the door to Harry's room.

"You know you really can be a determined little minx when something's bothering you. I hope you know that." Draco watched as she knocked on the door.

"Harry James! I know that you're in there! Now open this door!" Ginny knocked even harder this time.

The door was opened by what appeared to be a very grouchy half-asleep Harry. "There had better be a dozen Dementors outside or I'm gonna get really testy." He bared his teeth at the two of them. "Going on a date? Well, have a nice time. I'll wake up around Christmas." He took in their appearance and then went to close the door.

"Family dinner downstairs. Mum's orders. No exceptions. Now that you're home you have to attend." Draco shrugged, as if to say don't blame the messenger.

Lighting flashed and thunder boomed in the snowstorm blowing outside the windows.

"This is bloody brilliant! I'm dead on my feet and Mummy is craving family togetherness! Fine! I'll be down in a few! Don't tell anyone that I'm here or else!" He slammed the door in their faces.

Lighting and thunder increased outside.

"Does that look like he thoroughly disheveled Hermione to you?" Draco winced as thunder shook the castle. "He must have just got back."

"He's as grouchy as a lion with a sore paw." Ginny beat a hasty retreat down the hallway.

Ron poked his head out of his door and frowned at them. "Did I just hear Harry?"

"Yes, but he's not here." Ginny winced as the castle shook again.

"Yeah, I can see that you got him in a temper. What did ya do wake him up? He finally gets to crash in his own bed after two weeks and you told him about the dinner? No wonder he's off the charts right now." Ron shouted over the constant booms of thunder.

"Well, it's too late now. I say we go downstairs and act as if we don't know anything about the freak thunder snowstorm outside." Draco headed for the stairs.

"I can live with that." Ginny was hot on his heels.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Ron also retreated downstairs.

--

James eyed the storm outside. He surmised that Harry was now feeling the aftereffects of two weeks of roughing it and had decided to forgo dinner to sleep for a few days. "Lily, someone's in a mood so much for your other idea." He motioned towards the windows and the storm raging outside them.

"He's rarely this grouchy, unless someone wakes him up when he's dead tired. Oh dear. His body made him think twice about dinner and one of the kids woke him up." Lily bit down on her lip.

"Nice effect don't ya think." Harry clearly not in a mood at all, appeared behind the two of them. "Hi Mum." He hugged Lily hello and the twins kicked him.

"Oh sorry…Hi Michael and Isabella didn't mean to leave you out." He chuckled when they kicked again. "I'll cool it with the storm. These two don't like it."

The storm instantly ebbed.

"Let me take a good look at you." Lily stepped back to look at him.

"I'm fine Mum. Just stiff, sore, and bone tired. There were Dementors. So, that took its toll on me. I had to use Avada Kedavra on the really sinister of the lot. Roughing it took its toll as well. I'm home now and that's all that matters." Harry found himself hugged by both his parents. "I missed you too." He growled hoarsely.

Ron, Draco, and Ginny took in the touching moment from the foot of the stairs.

"I thought you said he was toasted?" Ron went to go greet his best mate.

"He was at the time, it's this new Harry." Ginny trailed after him.

"He can control his temper like a switch, this bloody well proves it, because now he's all smiles and hugs." Draco growled.

"Welcome home mate you were missed." Ron gave him a hug.

"It's good to be home. I will never take this place for granted again." Harry glanced over at Draco and Ginny. "Sorry about a few minutes ago."

"That's all right big brother we awakened you from your hibernated slumber a few days early." Ginny hugged him.

"Gin jumped to the wrong conclusion. She thought that you and Hermione, but its obvious that you were dead to the world in your room." Draco hugged him.

"I delivered Hermione her early Christmas presents." Harry didn't miss a beat, as he told the partial truth. "We did snog for awhile, but then my body forced me to go crash on my bed."

"Would you care for some taffy?" Ginny produced a Truth or Consequence candy from her pocket. "They really are quite good."

Harry knew exactly what was in her hand and grinned. "Tonks pulled that one on me last week. I know what the T and C stand for. So, no thank you baby sister, I've no need for Truth or Consequences tonight. It was a nice try on your part though."

"Hagrid," Ron raced over to greet him.

"Hello Ron. It's good ta have ya with us again." Hagrid gave him a bear hug.

Ron hugged him back. "Nice to be back. Hello Madame Maxine."

"Call me Olympe, Ronald; we are all family are we not?" She fondly kissed him on both cheeks.

"Okay." Ron turned to watch as his love walked over to him. "Luna, look whose back."

"Hello Hagrid...Miss Olympe welcome home. You were missed." Luna smiled warmly at them.

"Luna..." Hagrid hugged her.

"I missed you too, Hagrid." Luna smiled up at him.

"Lady Watson! Lord Radcliffe! Get your furry tails back here!" Jenna shouted at the pups, but to no avail, they raced down to greet everyone who was coming for dinner. "Sirius Lancelot Phineas Nigellus! You just had to let them out of Harry's room and now they're going to be underfoot!"

"Now what's this...?" Hagrid greeted the pups by bending down to ruffle their furry heads. "This is a first for Hogwarts and about time if ya ask me."

"Those two are Rad and Lady. They happen to be Harry's shadows." Sirius and Jenna arrived for dinner.

"Sirius! Harry's back!" Jenna beamed. "The pups wanted Harry."

"I can see that, my love. Look who else is here." Sirius smiled at Hagrid. "Welcome home old friend and his lovely Olympe."

"Hello Sirius. Jenna, ya look lovely as always." Hagrid grinned at them.

"What I am is very pregnant, but you're kind enough to overlook how huge I am." Jenna hugged him.

"That's as it should be. I can't wait to be bouncin babes on me knee again." Hagrid glanced over at the doors. "Looks like I'll be able to do a lot of that too."

Gene and Remus walked in.

"Remus look! Harry's home and he brought back the rest of our family." Gene lit up when she saw Hagrid and Olympe.

"Now we know why Charlie barricaded himself in his quarters." Remus chuckled.

They went over to greet Hagrid and Olympe.

Albus and Minerva soon arrived. Followed by Fred and Katie Bell, George and Trista, Severus and Sibyll, and the princes emerged from their quarters. Hermione, Rory, and Dromi were all still missing.

--

Hermione frowned at her reflection in the mirror. "Can't I wear the one that matches you and Dromi?" She was wearing a strapless red satin slinky dress that laced up in the back with a ribbon like a corset and matching slinky sandals.

"Oh, relax will you. It's a harmless dress. That looks absolutely fantabulous on you, it'll make them think you and Harry didn't, well, you know..." Rory gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. "It looks like you wanna kick Harry's ass and make him pay for leaving you for two weeks."

"The front of it is a bit daring..." She wasn't one to have her front revealing too much skin.

"You have the figure to wear the dress and showing a little skin won't hurt. Now quit stalling, cast a glamour, and let's go before they send a search party for us." Rory eyed her watch.

"Sorry, Rory. Are we really late? I took a nap in the tub." Dromi tracked her twin to Hermione's rooms. She was dressed in a turquoise blue crochet slip dress, exactly like the sapphire blue dress that Rory was wearing. "Is there a reason Hermione's dressed to kill tonight? Is baby brother finally back home?"

"He's the reason for the fancy dinner tonight." Rory grinned.

"Oh, I see. So baby sister is out to bring him to his knees tonight." Dromi's eyes danced merrily.

"And we can't do that standing here." Rory linked arms with Hermione and winked at her sister. "Shall we go make our entrance ladies?"

"I'm game if you are." Dromi flanked Hermione's other side and they were off.

--

"I'm starving. What's keepin' those three?" Ron grumbled.

"Ronald behave," Luna hissed.

"Well, I am." Ron pouted.

"Relax Ron. You'll be fed." Harry had his eyes focused on the stairs. "Maybe Hermione's making you suffer. You know for making her cry this morning."

He narrowed his eyes at Draco, Ginny, Ron, and Luna. "Or how about going along with this Christmas Nazi rubbish?"

"She was mental for two weeks. We're talkin' seriously way out of control." Ron muttered under his breath. "We decorated everywhere in the castle. Then moved on to Shrieking Manor, the WWW shops, Sanctuary, Lazy Meadows, and would you believe that we even snuck to Highgrove. Nothing was ever satisfactory either! It was hell I tell you Christmas decorating hell!"

"Calm down, Ronnie. There isn't anything left to decorate." Luna patted his hand reassuringly.

Harry spotted Hermione on the stairs. The sight of her made his heart stop. "Nothing to decorate except maybe herself..." He growled hoarsely as Hermione and his sisters made their way over to them.

"You're absolutely right, love. She has a new target to torture and his name is Harry." Ron could see that Harry had broken out in a cold sweat. "A little hot under the collar are we mate."

"She brought out the red dress." Henry whistled under his breath. "She seriously wishes to kick Harry's ass."

"Katherine Aurora is behind this." Wills growled. "Just look at the cat that ate the cream smile on her face."

"Harry's at her mercy in that." Draco did a double-take.

"Leave for two weeks and all rules are off." Ginny smirked.

"Sorry if we held up dinner. Dromi fell asleep in the tub and Hermione couldn't decide what to wear for baby brother's homecoming dinner." Rory kissed Wills on the cheek.

"You're not late, my darlings. Everyone is enjoying catching up with one another." Lily smiled at her girls. "Rory and Dromi, I would like you to meet Rubeus Hagrid and his wife Olympe."

"As I live and breathe...You're the spittin' image of your Mum." Hagrid smiled down at the twins.

The girls hugged him. "It's splendid to finally meet you."

"Hagrid kept us sane for six years." Harry grinned.

"We would have been lost without him." Hermione also hugged him. "We've really missed you."

"Ah, Hermione...I hear my home has come in handy a few times so far this term. I missed ya all too." Hagrid teared up. "Get over here...all three of ya." Ron, Hermione, and Harry all hugged him in one group hug.

"Oi Colin! Did ya get that?" Fred asked.

"I never miss a shot." Colin grinned.

"This is me beautiful dove Olympe. Olympe these are James and Lily's girls." Hagrid smiled at his wife.

"I know that my love. You see I follow the muggle and wizarding press." Olympe beamed happily at the two of them. "Our Wizarding World Princesses fell amoureux with this country's Princes. It's so très romantique!" Olympe clasp her hands to her chest with delight. "Much like our Harry's surprise for our Hermione. You do think that it is the most exquisite thing you have ever seen. Do you not ma jeune fille?"

All eyes turned to Hermione.

"Oh, yes, I love everything. They are truly one of a kind works of art." She hugged Olympe.

"The wedding is a surprise. Our family does not know about it as of yet, but the surprise was breathtaking." She whispered into Olympe's ear.

Olympe winked at her. "We found this merveilleux joaillier in Paris. He made those just for vous. In fact all of it was made just for you and you alone. The diadème, collier, and bracelet are all one of a kind. "

Hermione was stunned, as she realized just how far Harry had gone to arrange her surprise. "I'm sure that they will go splendidly with my official wedding gown or for other occasions as well." She gave Wills a look then focused on Harry. "You spoil me." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Maybe, but I enjoy doing it." He grinned down into her eyes. "So, is there a theme to your look tonight, besides the obvious kick my ass?"

"As I have been crowned the Christmas Nazi. I thought I might dress accordingly. I'm a present. See the ribbon in back. Just like a fancy present that one opens on Christmas morning." Hermione purred at him.

James conjured himself a drink, as did Remus, and Sirius.

Lily, Gene, and Jenna all gave each other knowing looks.

Stephen also needed a drink, but Anna smiled serenely.

Wills and Henry gaped openmouthed at their cousin.

Draco and Ron saw the interaction going on between them and swore.

Ginny and Luna stared wide-eyed at Hermione.

Albus and Minerva had been greeting Molly and Arthur, who had just arrived, and the twins Pendragon smirked.

Olympe whispered something into Hagrid's ear and he blushed crimson, stared at the two in question, but said nothing.

Fred, Katie, George, and Trista waited for Harry's response with baited breath.

Colin kept on taking snaps.

"What are you gaping at us for? She calls her dress a present, because of its design, and nothing more. Now shall we eat dinner before your minds wander even further, where they don't belong? If not I'll be up in my room hibernating for three days. I've been roughing it for two weeks and been to hell and back. So, either we eat or I go be a hermit in my room." Harry snarled at his family. "You are upsetting my princess. Now let's eat, break bread, or whatever it is that you wish to call it."

Hermione calmed his mood with a kiss. "Now Prince it isn't their fault that they assumed that my dress was a symbol for something else. Even if it were the two of us are married adults of eighteen and nineteen. We've been married for four months on the twenty-eighth and have been through hell together. We've endured Morgana's attempts to break us apart. Even the two weeks apart from each other has made our bond stronger than it has ever been." She glanced around the room.

Everyone was listening.

"You wish us to be what can never be. We have seen too much, experienced too much for us to be teenagers. We ceased being kids a very longtime ago. Harry is an Auror and I am well on my way to becoming a Healer. Seventh year was supposed to be a break for us, a time to relax. It hasn't panned out that way, but then we're used to it. I'm sorry if you missed a lot, but not even a Time Turner can bring back those years. We are allowing you to decide when we have our public wedding with all the royal trimmings. We went along with his First-Grandparent's wedding and Handfasting in late August. However, we wish to have something private just for us. We are, thanks to Wills, getting married on Christmas Eve in a little church in Godric's Hollow. Now after that is a reception at our new home. Then the two of us will be officially out of the nest." Hermione finished with her speech and Harry kissed her.

--

"What better way to celebrate such news than with a feast. Let's tuck in everyone." Albus was the first to say something, after those words the table was now loaded with enough food to feed a small army, and there were Wizarding crackers on each of the plates.

"What wonderful news. We'll be celebrating Christmas, and a wedding this year." Molly cried happy tears.

"How about we make it two weddings?" Charlie and Tonks made their appearance.

"Oh, I think that I can swing that. Godric's Hollow is more wizarding than muggle. I've found that most citizens, who appear to be muggle, are actually squibs or can barely make fire." Wills changed the conversation to something other than Harry and Hermione.

:I think the secret is about to be blown.: Lily looked up at James, as he helped her with her seat. "My word William, when you set out to do something you leave no stone unturned." She smiled at him.

:That Katherine is a squib and not a muggle as is Alex? Yep. It's about to hit the fan.: James could see Harry and Hermione's minds at work. They were sitting across from them. "It's a haven for Muggle borne and the like, but muggles also reside there." James loaded Lily's plate up with her favorite foods.

"Well, of course it is. That's why you chose to live there. Besides, Kat and Alex were your best mates and unable to use magic..." Hagrid as usual had a loose tongue. "I should not have said that...I should not have said that." He saw the look on Hermione and Harry's faces and knew it wasn't a good sign.

"Mummy and Daddy are squibs and not muggles?" Hermione stared blankly down at her plate. "The twins and I aren't Muggle borne?"

"They embraced being muggles, because it was unbearable to think about what they'd been gypped out of. They've been muggles for so long that it's who they are now. After we died they left this world behind. Just like Lil's parents did. I imagine that they were floored when you received your letter." James knew the reasons for not telling Hermione the whole truth.

"Mummy threw this huge party. Daddy almost bought out Diagon Alley. I have never seen them so over the moon except when the twins were born." Hermione smiled it was a happy memory. "But, the letter referred to me as a Muggle born with instructions about how to get about this world. They even had to sign the release letter. Now why was that?"

"I was well aware of their secret wish to remain as muggles, so I granted it by keeping their secret." Albus was unfazed.

"All of that magic got passed down to you and then to the tweebs. No wonder you're such an amazing witch!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Is it rare for two squibs to have three magical children?" Hermione asked.

"It's sure isn't common. You see in most families it can take three generations to get the magic back into their lives or so I've read anyway." Wills spoke up.

"It's quite simple really..." Harry yawned. "I needed a soul mate who could keep me in line and the Powers knew it. The boy who lives was always destined for smartest witch in a century..." Harry was finding it hard to think and was losing the battle of staying awake.

"That is entirely right, my boy, even Lily was not told the complete truth about her heritage." Stephen smiled.

"I propose a toast. To Tonks, Hagrid, Olympe, and Harry it's good to have you home." Draco changed the subject.

Everyone raised his or her goblets in cheers. Then all eyes turned to Harry snoozing on Hermione's shoulder. He had lost the fight with his body and was out like a light.

--

"That's what you get for declining sleepin' in castles and homes. Just because you wish to prove that you're no different from anyone else." Tonks shook her head. "He's had three hours of sleep a day for two weeks. Except for when we were in Paris. He didn't wish to be rude to Olympe. He was never first, always last to eat, sleep, or use the facilities. Mind you with two hundred plus Aurors, that's sayin' somethin'. That one there has earned the worldwide respect of all the Aurors. Took out two hundred Dementors when we were ambushed in... Where was that place again... Oh, yeah, Bulgaria. Anyways, he and the two heads of International Auror Headquarters, Maxwell and Harley Romanov, who both had the Patronus charm mastered, took down all of those Dementors. They made an amazing team. When they first caught sight of him at International Headquarters they called him James. In fact a lot of them called him James."

"Max and Harley...By Merlin that takes me back." James ginned at Sirius. "Hey, Padfoot remember the trouble the four of us got into in Vienna?"

"Yeah, we got into quite a few scrapes with Europe's finest Hit Wizard/Auror team." Sirius mused.

"Harley always had a fancy for James and those scrapes nearly got the two of you killed during every mission." Lily scowled.

"Max and Harley are, as I was saying, the heads of the International Auror Division. She got saddled with a worse name than me. Lucky she married Max, cuz Angelique Harley Quinn Romanov sounds, so much better than her maiden name." Tonks paused to take a bite of food.

"They should have a son about Harry's age. I believe his name is Logan. I wonder how he turned out." James glanced over at his son.

Harry was still snoozing contently on Hermione's shoulder while she went about causally eating her dinner.

"Max and Harley are as devoted as Lily and I are to each other. So did they react well to seeing Harry?"

"They look one glance at him and thought he was you. Max said it's about time he got away from that safe classroom and took on a real challenge again. He went to slug him one in the jaw. He wasn't expecting Harry to easily catch his fist in his hand before it even grazed Harry's face. Reflexes of a mongoose that one over there has, Harry calmly told him that he was Harry James Potter-Pendragon. He was quick to come to your defense and said that you made an abso-bloody-lutely brilliant professor and that his mother would flay you alive if you went back into the field while she was expecting the twins." Tonks snagged some ham off Charlie's plate. It seemed that talking about the mission made her hungry.

"He's right. I would flay you alive if you went back into the field, while I'm expecting twins again, and you are a brilliant teacher." Lily kissed James on the cheek.

"I'm well aware of that my flower and I'm glad that you think the kids pay attention to what I say." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"Go on Dori. Everyone wants to hear the rest." Charlie loaded her plate up with more food.

"Harley told him to cough up 100 galleons, because she'd won their wager on if the rumors were true. It was clear as day that Harry was nineteen and a fully trained Auror. Max kept circling Harry, which annoyed snooze boy over there, so he did his Merlin vanishing thing in front of the two of them."

"I'll bet Max loved that." Sirius smirked.

"No not really. It kind of cheesed him off. Cuz he thought Harry was pulling the Prince card. I told him that while being the Next Merlin and a prince did give him an edge...that Harry didn't like anyone gawking at him. Harley asked how it was that Harry could apparate without using a wand. I told her that he could do a lot more than that without a wand." Tonks paused a moment to gather her thoughts. "Oh, yeah, Max goes on about how Merlin was ancient history. That most of the reports from England were purely speculative in nature."

A few family members smirked that if Harry was there then Merlin had to be nearby.

"That's when Harry came back and the occupant of his ring heard every word that Max had just said." Tonks started to giggle. "Max and Harley practically wet themselves, as did anyone near his office, because there was the usual huge flash of blinding light, then there stood Merlin larger than life, and really cheesed off at Max. He really knows how to make an entrance. Anyways he told Max that Harry was his apprentice and Many-Great-Grandson. That if anything foul happened to him the consequences would be unfathomable. Harry politely told his First-Gramps to shove off back to Avalon. That he was going to face this mission head on with no help from him. Merlin respected that and vanished. After that Max put Harry through a battery of mental, physical, and practical tests. It took hours before he was convinced that Harry wouldn't be maimed or worse out in the field. One thing is for certain though Max will never duel with Harry again. It's not fair when one dueler doesn't need a wand. After that it was a day or so spent with Hagrid and Olympe, before we were off hunting the baddies." Tonks finished. "Oh, yeah, their son Logan is a rookie Auror both he and Harry really hit it off. So, wouldn't surprise me if we see them around England sometime."

"Hey, Tonks. Did Harry do his talking to animals bit on the mission?" Ron asked curiously.

"Well, most of the time at night he turned into Prince and curled up by the fire, yeah, he used all of his skills to track down the baddies. What impressed Max and Harley the most was uncanny natural hunting skill. It gave us the advantage ninety percent of the time." Tonks grinned.

"So did you meet up with any dragons and did Harry talk to them?" Charlie arched a brow at her.

"We're alive and breathing because of the dragons and Harry's bond with them. They got us out of an ambush. You see after word got around that three quarters of their population was now a memory the worst of the lot formed a plan. They got in with some Giants. Let me tell you they are nothing like Grawp. Then rounded up the European clan of Dementors... We're talking two hundred of those nasty creatures." Tonks shivered. "Max, Harley, Logan, and Harry handled the Dementors. While the rest of us dealt with the Giants. Anyways, the dragons were our ticket out of that trap. You see Giants don't really fancy fire and these dragons were regular flamethrowers. The next day when the baddies came to check on their trap, well, the dragons were waiting and the Giants had fled. Do I have to paint a picture...?" Tonks wrinkled her nose in distaste. "We set up an anti-Apparation charm around the area catching them in their own web."

"The Deatheaters got what they had coming to them." Harry grumbled in his sleep.

"Of course they did." Hermione reached up and patted his cheek.

"I feel no guilt whatsoever. It was either that or use the unforgiving curse. It takes so much out of me, so I'm glad we chose the latter of the two." Harry frowned. "We left two to interrogate."

"Two out of how many?" Draco's eyes widened.

"They were the last two hundred fifty on the list. The real vile, soulless, heartless, and evil of the lot…" Harry still sound asleep yawned.

"Then they had it coming. Don't give it another thought." Hermione reassured him.

"Angel, am I still at dinner?" He frowned in his sleep.

"You fell asleep on my shoulder." Hermione answered softly.

"That's nice. Well, goodnight, my love." Harry kissed her bare shoulder then vanished from his chair.

--

Chapter sixteen

Make a wish

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I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

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Cindra 2004-2008