Chapter Four

The Dinner Guest

Harry was happier than he had ever been. With the pain and heartache he had seen and experienced, this was a miracle. This happiness was all thanks to Ginny. In his eyes, the youngest Weasley was perfect. He knew that he would never hurt her again.

"Did you hear Harry? The family is coming to dinner tonight, as well as members of the Order." Ginny said as they walked towards the door after breakfast, with Hermione and Ron following close behind.

"Hold it you four," Mrs. Weasley said, pointing a finger. "Come back in here a minute. You lot have been leaving this house a mess lately, and I think it's time for a little cleaning."

"Oh! Come on mom," Ginny said.

"Don't argue with me, Ginerva Weasley. If you don't like it, you can do it all by yourself," Mrs. Weasley replied, daring her daughter to say something else. Ginny just glared at her mum, who continued. "Well okay, Hermione and Ginny - you two do the kitchen. Ron, you and Harry start in the living room."

It took them the better part of the morning to get everything the way Mrs. Weasley wanted. They would have been done a littler faster if they could have used a bit of magic. When the kitchen was almost done, Ron decided to go give Hermione a little scare. He walked up and grabbed her hips from behind, causing her to scream in surprise. He failed to realize that she was carrying a jar of flour, which she barely manage to hold on to, spilling only half of its contents. The other half she promptly threw in Ron's face.

White faced and laughing, he grabbed another jar and proceeded to throw its contents at Hermione, who dodged it, instead hitting Ginny, leaving her just as white as her brother. "Hey!" she yelled, grabbing an egg and heaving it at her brother, hitting him square in the forehead. That was when Harry strolled in to see what was going on.

Ginny was the first to act, jumping on him and smashing an egg on the top of his head. He stood there, feeling it ooze down his head. Then he turned and picked up a jar of sugar. But as he made his wayto herhe slipped on the flour, dropped the jar, grabbed out for Ron to catch his balance and sent Ron falling to the floor with him.

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other and nodded. They jumped upon their fallen prey and attacked, laughing up a storm.

"I heard something break and came down to… WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Mrs. Weasley shrieked as she entered the kitchen.

"We were, umm, making bread," Ron offered, careful not to look at his mum.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Mrs. Weasley roared.

Not one of them said a thing until they were outside. It was only then they all dared to burst out in laughter again.

"That was fun!" Harry exclaimed out of breathe and continued to laugh.

"Scourgify." Hermione barely got the word out and the mess was gone from there clothes.

"Hurry up kids, they'll be here any minute." Mrs. Weasley yelled up the stairs

Ginny was still in her room when she heard a crack from behind her. "And what if I hadn't been dressed and you did that?" Ginny asked, slowly turning around, still fussing with her hair.

"Maybe that's what I was hoping for," he said jokingly while a smirk crossed his face.

"You naughty little boy," she said wrapping her arms around his neck kissing him deep and long.

They walked down the stairs and outside to the table where they were greeted by the rest of the Weasley's, Fleur, Lupin and Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, and to Harry's surprise, Professor McGonagall. Harry and Ginny sat down by Ron and Hermione, who were across from Fred and George.

"Before we start," Lupin had stood up. "I would to like to announce that Nymphadora and I are engaged."

As everyone clapped and yelled out their congratulations, Mr. Weasley and Moody got up to shakeLupin's hand. The dinner was a happy, noisy occasion that left everyone in high spirits. When dinner was almost over and dessert was about to be served, Professor McGonagall got up and walked over to the youngest members of the table and asked, "Do you four mind if I have a word?"

"Sure," they replied. They followed Professor McGonagall over towards the house.

"I would just like to say how very proud I am of you three," she said beaming at them. "I would also like to say that Hogwarts will be opening again this year and I hope that you all plan on coming back."

"Really?" Hermione looked eager and excited, but Ron looked a little sick.

"That is all, but Potter, if I might have a private word," she said, as the others turned to walk away. "I would also like to extend an invitation to you. I have been made the new Headmistress and I would like to ask you to take up a teaching post after you finish your schooling."

"I will have to think about it," Harry said looking up at Professor McGonagall, who just smiled. Harry stood thinking as Professor McGonagall walked back to the table.

"Well thank you Molly and Arthur, it was a real enjoyable evening, but I must take my leave," she said, before Disapparating.

Was it really possible or plausible that he could be a teacher, Harry wondered? But he really didn't have to think about that right now. He needed to talk to Ron and Mione to see what their plans were going to be. Hermione, of course, would want to go back to school and finish, but Ron was a different case. Yet he would do whatever his mum and Hermione told him to do. He knew Ginny would be there.

"Can you believe that? It's opening again! I have been waiting for this…," Ginny said as Harry rejoined the table. But Harry couldn't help drifting off into his own thoughts about Hogwart's untimely closing, after Dumbledore was murdered by Snape as the school was flooded with Death Eaters one dark night. "…I was so bored this past year. Hun, you okay?" she asked Harry. Harry just smiled and joined in the conversation with his friends.

A/N: I hope that you enjoyed this chapter has it took some work to complete. So let me know what you thought about it. Would Harry make a better teacher or Auror?