Chapter 13

Harry woke up to a blinding pain in his scar. Somehow Voldemort found that the dementors hadn't returned and that only one person in the house had been kissed. Who cared about a zookeeper? Arthur Weasley had proven that he could get legislation passed within the Ministry with his muggle protection act. Voldemort needed a win if he was ever going to gain any support within the mainstream wizarding community.

He calmed down as he planned his next move. By the end of the morning, his anger had dissipated and Tom Riddle had a maniacal gleam in his eye.

-

Ginny felt him convulse in pain and rolled over to comfort Harry. She kissed his forehead and held him tightly. After a minute he relaxed, and she could feel much of the stress leave his body.

Harry said, "He must have found out about last night."

Ginny didn't know what to say. She and her parents, KJ, and the man that she loved had been survived, and they'd managed to destroy thirty of those monsters, but she felt so very bad about Charlie.

Harry knew that the best thing to say to Ginny might be nothing, but he had an idea regarding the dementors that he wanted to talk over with Dumbledore. He held her and stroked her hair and kissed eyes. He grew hungry for her, but knew that this was not the time. Harry felt his healing energy flow into his heartbroken girlfriend. A half hour later, she kissed him back, and said, "Thanks for being there for me Harry. I'll never forget Charlie, but thanks to you, I still have mum and dad."

"Let's get up and face the day. You shower, and I'll find you some thing to wear."

"Don't forget the little things," she said playfully

"I couldn't possibly forget about them. I'm just jealous of them. They spend all day by you. I'll lay them outside the door."

Fifteen minutes later, Harry walked down into the kitchen. He glanced at the headlines of the Daily Prophet.

Harry Potter Kicks Death Eater's Arse! Walden McNair killed in a legal duel.

Death Eaters Attack Ministry Employee's family. Visiting son is kissed by rogue dementors.

Neither story carried the details of the other Death Eaters capture or the destruction of the dementors. Harry wasn't mentioned in the story from the burrow.

The crux of the Death Eater story was that nice guy Charlie Weasley – A former Quidditch captain, and dragon handler who never hurt anyone was intentionally kissed by the dementors. The individuals behind the attack had made the wizarding world a lesser place.

KJ had been quoted as asking, Who would feel proud supporting a cause that ruined the life of an innocent pure blood game keeper who had no enemies and had never hurt anyone?

Harry felt bad about leaving the Weasleys that afternoon. The joy that they had expressed about their new house had all been erased. Molly would probably never feel completely safe in her own home again.

Harry recalled the anxiety of Mrs. Granger asking about McNair. Only his death seemed to have brought any closure for her.

Somehow he didn't think the destruction of thirty nameless dementors would provide the same level of closure for them as the capture (dead or alive) of the Death Eater who had led the attack.

Harry had his suspicions, but he had no hard proof that Narcissa was behind the attack. He considered her to be the most likely suspect because Riddle seemed to have lost most of his competent supporters, and the newest recruits did not seem to possess much of a skill set.

Harry wrote Dumbledore and Flitwick letters. He tied them to Hedwig's leg after holding her for a few minutes and stroking her feathers. He opened the back door and set the beautiful bird off on her journey.

Harry and Ginny went outside for a quick walk in the park. They both hated that they hadn't been able to spend much time together over the holiday. They held hands but didn't have a lot to say. It was just good to be together.

Harry asked, "Gin, this last week has been the best and about the worst that I can remember. Can we go one a proper date one day next week? Tuesday is New Years Eve. If your Mum and Dad would let you, let's go to Paris. We could bring one of the watchers along if they insisted. I could ask Dumbledore to make us a portkey. I spent a bit of time there a few weeks ago, and it was fantastic. What do you say?"

Ginny was delighted. She was OK with spending so much time together with the other witches, but she was Harry's special witch. "Did you mean for the day, or longer?"

The hunger returned to Harry at those words. "I'd ask to stay for a month, but would settle for an hour. I'll leave that up to you. Remus will help you get a passport if you don't already have one. Please don't say anything to the other witches. I don't want to cause hard feelings, but I really want to spend some time alone with you. If your mum says no, don't press. We could sit together in the back garden at the burrow, and I'd be happy."

Go to Paris, for a dream date. If her mum said boo, Ginny'd hex her into the next century. "Thanks, Harry. I'd really like that too. I'll talk it over with mum, and leave you a note if we're gone before you get back. What time are you invited to the Bones?"

"One. Do you suppose I could borrow your owl for a bit?"

"Sure. Do we need to go back now?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. This was the best hour of my day. Thanks for spending it with me." She reached up and kissed him. For a single minute they weren't fighting a war. For a single minute, she hadn't just lost her second brother. For a single minute, there were no thoughts of weapons. For a single minute she allowed herself to see a future as the mother of his many beautiful children. It was bliss.

"Wow," was all he could say.

"Thank you Mr. Potter. Let's get going. You have a letter to write and people to see. I'll have a conversation with mum after you leave."

Harry wrote a quick note to Hermione, asking that she devote her considerable talent to a specific worthy effort. Ginny's beautiful owl would reach the Granger's window in less than an hour.

Harry had a few quick words with Remus, and went to his room to pack.

-

Professor Flitwick hurried to the headmaster's office. He saw an identical note on Dumbledore's desk. Flitwick asked, "Did he bring up the idea to you too?"

The old wizard nodded. "It is a brilliant idea really, though I have no idea if it is even possible."

Flitwick replied, "We should contact Miss Granger. If she has a few days to spare, she might be able to find something given the change in circumstances."

Dumbledore looked out of the circular window from his beautiful office. "There is no need. It appears that he contacted her as well. Please show her in."

-

Amelia Bone's home in Berkshire was a charming English country home. It was built in 1674. Even the address was charming – Old Basingstoke Road, Swallowfield, Berkshire. It was nowhere near the size of his own home, nor did it have any of the quirks of the original burrow. It did have a lot of charm. Unlike the sterile row houses that he'd grown up with at Privet drive, Amelia's home had charm. With five gables from additions built onto it over the years and wonderful massive dark oak woodwork, the home was built to last. The back garden was private and offered a place to relax at the end of the day.

It was too a large home for one, and Amelia was glad that Susan had come home for the holidays. She was delighted that Harry had accepted her invitation to come and visit. Spending time with him had been good for Susan. In all honesty, Amelia could hardly recognize her Grand Niece when she came home for the Christmas holiday. In place of the kind and gentle (though overly shy and slightly overweight) young witch that she'd sent to stay at Grimmauld place in July, was a young witch, brimming with confidence. Fit, firm, and obviously well tended, she commanded anyone's respect. Where there once was a young woman destined to be an administrator's wife stood instead, a competent witch, comfortable with her beauty, and with the confidence and poise of any third year Auror.

Amelia could only attribute the change to one factor – Harry Potter. Talking Dumbledore into including Susan in the training program that was being planned for Harry was the single best thing that had ever happened to Susan.

Susan greeted Harry at the door. She was wearing a pastel blue sweater that hugged her very well, a pair of jeans, and her diamond studs. "Hi Harry", she smiled at him. "Did you find the house OK?"

"Yes, but only because I'd had a portkey. I didn't travel much growing up, so it's hard for me to get to someplace for the first time."

"Come in. I'll show you around." From the entrance going straight was a hallway. On the left was the eating area and the kitchen. Going straight was the back door. To the right was the family room lined with books and pictures of the two together in London, or on a holiday. Harry noticed that at least as many were muggle as not. As much as possible it looked like Amelia had provided a warm, caring and balanced life for Susan.

The three bedrooms were upstairs. An alcove by a window had been made into a sewing room. Harry put his things into the extra room, and they went down to the family room. Susan told Harry, "Auntie's over at the neighbors for a bit. They garden together and are always discussing what they will be planting in the spring – Flowers, vegetables, herbs, and such. How is Ginny?"

"She's OK. I didn't get to see her parents much. It was a really crappy thing to happen. The good news was, there was no place for the dementors to run. The bad news was there was no place for Charlie to run either. KJ was in a bedroom, he was out in a hallway trying to see what was wrong I suppose. We had them cleared out within a minute or two, but it was too late."

There was nothing that Susan could say.

"Anyway when it was all over, I picked up thirty cloaks. Charlie was taken to St. Mungo's, and the others went back home with me. I got back to sleep about four and that was my day. How about you?"

Having fought dementors with Harry before, she knew the terror that he'd faced, and shuddered. "Nothing like that. Auntie and I had stayed in and were watching videos. She got a call at about two, you know about that, and she was home when I got up this morning."

Harry nodded. His attention had shifted to the drawings that were on the walls. He hadn't noticed them before. There were several of Quidditch games, different areas of the castle, and different people that he knew. Harry noticed that he had been the subject of more than one of them. They were all pencil sketches, and it was obvious that Susan had a good eye for detail, and the patience to draw in the little details that made the difference. Harry commented, "I really like your drawings. You put in an amazing amount of detail."

"Thanks," said Susan. "Sometime I start from a picture and work from there. I like to sketch, but they're not very good."

Harry shook his head. "I like them a lot and I'm certain that other folks would too. Maybe you'll end up a famous and famously wealthy artist. The muggle world seems to like fantasy art. Charlie's friend KJ might have a need for some drawings for one of her books."

"Maybe, but then I wouldn't have a hobby."

"I suppose. You'd would be doing something that you like though. Oh, hi Ma'am."

"Hello Harry. Amelia, Remember? I'm glad that you could make it. Rough night?"

"The worst."

"Thanks for the tip about the fire. We arrested Michelle Edgecombe this morning. She confessed to stopping the floo service at the original burrow too."

"Things went bad for Marietta about a year ago, and sort of went down hill from there."

"Maybe, but apparently Michelle has been providing information and helping their side for years. She started with Malfoy nearly five years ago. By shutting off the floo service, most parents that had been attacked ended up staying in their homes to try and protect their children, and got killed."

Her words made sense to Harry.

As long as he had her in an a setting where they wouldn't be interrupted, Harry asked her about the war. It appeared that Riddle's group had suffered serious blows over the summer and were having a difficult time recovering. The confiscation of the Malfoy assets and loss of so many of the Death Eaters that had been in prominent positions within the Ministry had removed much of the influential power base that the dark side had enjoyed. If Arthur were successfully moved into the number two spot, the light side's lock within the ministry would be nearly complete.

Harry asked her what if anything he could do to help. Amelia replied, "Harry, you could help our cause best by staying alive, continue to be visibly fighting the dark side, and continue to be visible in your support of Weasley."

Harry put down the coke that Susan had given him. Amelia continued. "Harry, Susan told me that each of you were asked to provide input for the next term apprentice program. What are your thoughts?"

Harry said, "I'd personally like to take classes on strategy, charms, transfiguration, combat, first aid, and business management. I'd also like to keep working with Tonks on a project."

Amelia thought about what he'd said and replied, "That's not a very balanced agenda, Harry." Unless you're looking for a career as a master hit wizard. I'd hire you in a blink.

"Probably not, but I could hire a potions or an Arithmancy tutor when I'm twenty if I still wanted to learn the topic. I believe that things will come to a head with Riddle in the next 6-9 months. The outcome there will determine what doors are open or closed."

Harry looked at Susan, who had been listening carefully and asked, "What are your thoughts?"

"I would like to continue with Herbology, Potions, Healing, and take a photography class if I could. I'm interested in drawing and photography."

Amelia asked, "Is that a very practical extra topic?"

"I noticed the different shading in the snow yesterday when I spotted the footprints. That's how I saw them."

Harry added, "Fred and George turned their interest into a pretty successful business."

"You both should keep thinking about it. How about an afternoon at the mall, dinner and a bowling match?"

"That sounds great to me. Susan?"

"Perfect. Let's go."

-

Molly Weasley had not stopped crying since Harry had left. Arthur, Bill, Fred and George could simply not find the words to ease her suffering.

Ginny and KJ were at St. Mungo's. Harry had written her a hundred thousand Galleon draft to fund any and all expenses that might be incurred. Some wizards lived years after being kissed by a dementor, others lived only a few months.

Bill mentioned, "It sounded like the Order was doing everything that it could to help put an end to the war. When we were here at Christmas, I talked with Dumbledore. He seemed satisfied."

Arthur said, "The Order and the Ministry have done almost nothing in the last year except block the path of the one man who is likely to actually get something accomplished. I saw his memory of the duel yesterday. Harry was bloody fantastic. It was supposed to be impossible to destroy a dementor, but somehow he did it. Who from the Ministry has done anything proactive?"

Molly wailed, "I dreamed about this a year ago, in the library. I'm losing my family." Her boggart vision had been the loss of her entire family.

Fred and George said, "We'll win this thing mum. Whatever he needs, we will help him. He's helped us plenty in the past. If we need to train up a bit, than we should be able to at least help. He taught us more in his defense group last year, than I ever learned in the Order."

"Thank you dears. I know we'll get through it. Our parents got through the war fifty years ago, we'll manage too."

-

Dumbledore's mustache quivered a bit as he chided his apprentice. "Harry, I'm surprised. You're a natural on a broom, a master on a battlefield, and a fourteen pound bowling ball seemingly has you flummoxed. I'm nearly 140 years older than you. If I can roll one down the alley, you can too."

Susan said, "Come on Harry. We will win this game for sure." Harry's score from the first game more closely resembled a champion golfer than a bowler.

"OK, but I'm switching bowling balls. I think that one really was jinxed."

Dumbledore said, "Thank you for inviting me Amelia. I haven't had the opportunity to do this in years."

"The lapse doesn't seem to have affected your game, Professor," said Susan.

"The old wizard nodded in agreement. Perhaps it's like riding a broom, once you learn, you'll never forget."

Susan looked at the other bowlers in the bowling center. "Professor, everyone here seems to be attempting wandless magic. Look."

"It's called body english my dear, and is considered to be an integral part of the game, as is I believe, the consumption of at least moderate quantities of beer. Allow me to refill your glass."

Susan giggled a bit at the thought. "Thank you Professor. Auntie, it's your turn."

Dumbledore commented, "All ten at once. An excellent roll Amelia."

"Thank you. Harry, your turn."

Harry aimed dead on the first pin in accordance with his somewhat incomplete instructions regarding strategy and technique. Amelia kidded him, "That was quite impressive, Mr. Potter. Very few bowlers can create three 7-10 splits in a row."

Susan who was a much better bowler said, "Come on Harry, You can get it."

Harry took careful aim and rolled the ball down the lane with an extra twist in the ball to give it a bit of spin. As the ball was about to land in the left gutter, it nicked the left side of the pin, which flew to the right and glanced the rightmost pin causing it to wobble for a moment and finally to fall over.

"A memorable moment. Excellent Harry."

"Thank you Amelia."

"You have one more turn Harry."

Harry aimed carefully and released the ball. Nine pins went down. Dumbledore nodded at the outcome. "Just enough Harry. Congratulations you two. I must be going now. Thank you all for a wonderful evening."

"Good night, Albus."

"Good night, Amelia."

Harry had only wished that his visit with the Weasleys had been as relaxed.

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