Chapter 3
"Dumbledore, this can't be happening!" Molly exclaimed in a hushed tone that same evening, her eyes glanced the stairs to make sure none of her nosy children were tiptoeing down the stairs to hear their conversation.
"I'm sorry, but it is," he answered, his once happy eyes losing their twinkling luster.
"What does it mean for our children?" Arthur asked, a nervous edge evident underneath the words. Dumbledore looked at him and sighed deeply.
"Are you speaking of all your own children or the two additions that have made a permanent dwelling within your hearts?" He asked them.
"Our children as well as them," Molly answered for both of them. Dumbledore looked away from her.
"It could mean their deaths," he said softly. He couldn't bring his eyes up to the two of them. He had known them since they had started Hogwarts years ago. They had become two of his very closest friends. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for them. Bringing them this news was the worst thing he could have ever done.
"That is if we let them go back," Molly answered defiantly. Dumbledore looked back up at her, seeing the resignation in her eyes.
"You can not shelter them forever. Hogwarts is the safest place for them. You know that."
"No! I will not lose any more children!" Molly exclaimed, not trying to keep her voice down. Tears sprung from her eyes and cascaded down like rivers.
"Harry and Hermione are not our children, Molly," Arthur tried to reason.
"Not our children! You known darn well that they are now, Arthur. We have been protecting them and loving them since the first day we learned they were Ron's friends. I knew James and Lily, so did you. Why isn't Harry ours? Why? He is family. So is Hermione. I will not allow it!"
"That is not your place. Hermione has parents and Harry has legal guardians," Dumbledore argued.
"With Harry you don't have a leg to stand on, Dumbledore. I will not allow him to go!"
"And allow your daughter worry? You would be bringing added worry and grief to Ron and Ginny. Ginny needs him. He needs her. Ron and Hermione need him. You can not do this, Molly."
"I can and I will!"
"No one can make me do anything," Harry's voice broke in suddenly. The three adults spun around to see Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie all standing at the bottom of the steps.
"Go back to bed, the lot of you," Molly instructed.
"I can not Mrs. Weasley. I thank you for wanting to protect me, but this is my life. I am the one that chooses what happens," Harry spoke up.
"Now tell us why we are going to die," Ginny said hauntingly. Dumbledore sighed, took off his glasses, and rubbed his face tiredly. He placed on his glasses and looked at the group.
They had all been his students and he loved them. He wanted to protect them all, but he couldn't do that when they aren't there together at Hogwarts. There was no way that he could tell the youngest members of the group of the terrible thing to come.
"You are all in danger. The Death Eaters are angry and they have placed a reward of a thousand Galleons on each of your heads," Dumbledore told them. Molly spun around, sending him daggers through her glare.
"You shouldn't have told them!" She exclaimed.
"Let them come. We can destroy them," Harry said.
"Do you think they will be fool enough to do what He Who Must Not Be Named did? Besides you had an army!" Molly argued.
"No, we didn't have an army. Dumbledore had an army," Ron spoke up.
"Dumbledore's Army," Hermione said.
"We are all in Dumbledore's Army," Fred said, serious for the first time in his life.
"That's what they don't understand. They think we are Harry's army, but we are really Dumbledore's. That's what we'll use against them," Ginny said.
Molly threw her hands up in the air in exhaustion.
"So all of you are just going to prance off and die and leave me all alone with only your father left of this family. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE OF YOU!"
"You won't lose us, Mum," George answered.
"You say that, but it is going to come to that!" Molly protested.
"No, because they also don't understand what happened that night," Fred replied with a smirk. Dumbledore looked at them in confusion.
"We have a protection that they have never encountered," Hermione explained.
"We stood as Dumbledore's army with Harry as our commander. Through our one act of loyalty we became untouchable. By the love of Harry's mother."
Dumbledore looked at them, a smile played upon his lips. The twinkle was back in his eyes.
"You are the brightest witches and wizards I have ever had the privilege to meet. What do you suggest we should do next?" Dumbledore asked them.
"Lay low until school begins again and we will follow you in your army," Harry answered. Dumbledore smiled proudly.
"A wise plan, Commander."
"Of course you would have thought it before I did, Commander in Chief," Harry said.
Suddenly, without warning he bowed his head in respect.
"We follow you. Lead us," They said together, as if one person.
"It is not safe here at the Burrow. You must go the headquarters. It is vital to do so tonight," he said in a commanding tone. They nodded and left the room.
"You aren't going to allow this to happen are you?" Molly asked Dumbledore in disbelief.
"They were meant for this, Molly," Arthur spoke up. She turned and looked at him.
"You can't mean that!" She exclaimed. He nodded.
"Headquarters will follow you as well, Dumbledore. As long as you need us," Arthur said.
"Thank you, Arthur. I wish this was not the way life had to go, but life goes on and we fight the battles and the wars that we must. Once we defeat the supporters and keep those wonderful children of yours safe then life may be back to the happy, blissful place it was when you were children. The place that I know you both have longed to return to since the war began. Now, we need to be leaving within three minutes time. I sense danger afoot."