Chapter Three: A Talk with the Patriarch

"Mrs Weasley?"

"Oh! Harry, you startled me," Molly looked up from where she was cleaning carrots at the sink.

"Sorry. Is Mr Weasley around?"

"He was here a moment ago... said something about looking for a book. He might be in the library. Something wrong?"

"No. Just something I need to... to talk to him about. Thanks."

As Harry retreated towards the library, he didn't see the shocked look on Molly's face as she dropped her vegetable peeler. Perhaps it was a good think that he didn't.

He found Arthur perusing the titles in the library, chuckling occasionally.

"Mr Weasley?"

"Oh! Harry, " Arthur turned. "I was just inspecting your collection."

"Something funny?" Harry looked at him, a little confused.

Arthur turned and looked at him, smiling before waving his wand at the door, silencing charm and privacy charms set, he turned back to the younger wizard.

"Molly is concerned about you lot getting your NEWTs. I was thinking that with this library at your disposal, none of you should have any trouble. You certainly have the resources here to learn anything you would learn at Hogwarts. There is no need for Molly to worry about your future."

"That's... rather what I wanted to talk you to about, Mr Weasley."

Arthur glanced at him. "NEWTs?"

"Um... kind of. The future."

Arthur stilled. After a moment, he took a breath and moved to an armchair near the hearth that he preferred. Harry followed, sitting on the sofa facing him.

"I can't say I haven't been expecting it," Arthur sighed.

Harry sighed with relief himself. Here was one person he hoped that he wouldn't have to fight to get to listen.

"For a while now, actually," Arthur continued, rubbing a hand across tired eyes.

"Well, I talked to Ron earlier..."

"You talked to Ron about this?"

"Well... yes."

"And how did my youngest son take it?" Arthur smiled. He knew Ron quite well, he thought.

"Well... I suppose he was hesitant at first. This year has changed a lot of things. I think I convinced him it would be for the best."

Arthur raised his eyebrows. Rather an odd turn of phrase...

"He needed convincing?"

"Ron has... responsibilities, now, Mr Weasley. Responsibilities that he didn't have before. I think you'll find that he's given quite a lot of thought to things that before... well, he would have just jumped into or lost his temper over."

"I..." Arthur looked at him oddly. "Harry, exactly what are we talking about here?"

"What?" Harry seemed surprised. "What do you mean? I told you... the future. Ron and I... we need to join the Order. We want to. But..."

"Oh," Arthur sighed. "All right."

"What did you think we were talking about?"

"I rather thought... well..."

"Mr Weasley?"

"I rather thought you'd come to ask permission to marry my daughter, Harry."

Harry flushed deeply. "No... I... not that I wouldn't... well."

"Well, indeed. So you want to join the Order?"

"Rather more than that, sir," Harry said when he'd recovered his voice.

"More?"

"Mr Weasley, I need to be frank with you."

"Of course, Harry."

"There are still Death Eaters out there."

"Yes, there are."

"Snape... Malfoy..."

"Yes."

"We're not done yet, Mr Weasley," Harry said, his voice firm, but quiet. How he wished it were different.

"No... it's never really over, Harry. Not really."

"No, I know. But people are still being targeted. Voldemort's followers are still a problem."

"Yes."

"Until they're dealt with, I can't get on with my life, Mr Weasley."

Arthur looked like he might disagree, but he kept silent as Harry rose and began to pace.

"To do that, I need to do one of two things. I need to become an auror, or I need to join the Order of the Phoenix. I don't want to be an auror..."

"You don't?" Arthur looked at him with some surprise. Harry and Ron had talked of nothing else for years.

"Let me clarify," Harry paused. "I refuse to work for any organization with Scrimgeour at it's head."

Arthur smiled.

"What?"

"I've heard something similar before."

"Oh?"

"The last time the Order asked Albus why he didn't take a position with the Ministry. He said the same thing about Cornelius Fudge. I have a feeling that Scrimgeour is going to be your Fudge, Harry."

Harry smiled. That kind of response definitely was Dumbledore. Perhaps he'd picked up rather more than he'd thought he had from the old man.

"So, that leaves me with one option."

"The Order."

"The problem is, I can't do this without Ron's help, Mr Weasley."

Arthur looked mildly surprised at that, but nodded. "So Ron joins, as well."

"But..."

"But what, Harry?"

"Mr Weasley, Ron and I are in very different positions. I can..." Harry paused, wondering how to put this tactfully. The very last thing he wanted to do was to offend this man... this man who had been more of a father-figure than he could ever have hoped for.

"Harry?"

"Forgive me, sir... I don't know how else to put this. Ron and I are in very different positions. It's rather common knowledge that... well, Ron would have to have a source of income. He has a family..."

"We Weasley's aren't rich, Harry. Not in gold. It's no secret. Nor should it be an embarrassment to have to work for a living."

"It's not, sir. I just don't know when he's going to have the time."

Arthur nodded. "Sometimes, Harry, we have to make choices. Sometimes we have to choose between duty and... dreams. Preferences, even. Things do tend to work out in the end, but in making those choices, we grow. We grow up."

"I understand that, but what if Ron didn't have to make a choice?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Ron needs to earn a living to support his family..."

"Yes."

"And I need Ron's help with this... clean up."

"Yes, but the Order..."

"And," Harry kept going. "Ron needs to get his NEWTs if he is ever to hope to be able to support Hermione and the baby in the way he wants to, which is going to mean studying."

"Yes."

"Ron was right when he told me you don't have to attend Hogwarts to write your NEWTs?"

"Yes," Arthur found himself surprised yet again. "I wonder how he knew that, but yes. Testing can be arranged."

"He knew because Mrs Weasley did it."

Arthur was speechless for a moment after hearing this. Then, he began to laugh. "How long have they known?"

"I'm not sure. Ron really figured it out this past year, I think. But Ginny..."

"Is rather more aware of things such as this than her brother could ever hope to be. They've probably all known for years."

"I would think that they all at least suspected, sir. It doesn't take a genius to do the math."

"Yes, well... Ron is correct. You can study independently and write your NEWTs in June with the other Hogwarts students."

"Well, that solves that problem," Harry said.

"Harry, Ron still needs to get a job. I think I can probably get him in at the Ministry..."

"Mr Weasley, I need him in the Order."

"He can be in the Order, but..."

"Full time."

"It's not possible, Harry. If Hermione weren't expecting, it might be, but..."

"Several people work full time for the Order now."

"Albus arranged a stipend. But it's really only Remus and Moody. Remus wouldn't be able to do it if it weren't for Grimmauld Place, and what he'd got from the Black Estate. Moody doesn't need to work, he has his pension from the Ministry."

"What if we arranged for a decent salary to those working for the Order full time?"

"Harry, we can't afford to..."

"I can."

"No." Arthur looked at him levelly, speaking firmly. Harry had already done all he should be expected to, as head of the Order, there was no way he'd allow the boy to give any more than anyone else was. Not now. The war had already cost the younger wizard so much.

"Where did the money come from before, Mr Weasley?"

"Albus... well, Albus funded a lot of it. Some came from families... well-off families who supported our cause."

"So you had benefactors?"

"Yes."

"Then call me a benefactor."

"Harry..."

"Mr Weasley, it is sitting there. In Gringotts. Doing nothing. More than I'll ever be able to use, if I lived for ten lifetimes. I need Ron to do this!"

"Ron..."

"Is the best strategist I've ever known, and that includes Albus Dumbledore."

"Harry..."

"You've never seen him in action, Mr Weasley. He's good. I can't do it without him. We can't do it without him. If it means providing him with a salary for a few months, what is that? It's nothing! Remus, too. If the Order is going to be effective, we need to make it easier for those who make it work."

Arthur sighed. He hated to admit it, but Harry was making sense.

"Okay," he relented after a moment. He knew that if he didn't let Harry do this through the Order, he'd find some other way to do it.

"Good. How much?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I've never made money in the wizarding world. I've never had a job. I have no idea of what salaries are. How much?"

"I... well..."

"How much would a top auror make?"

"A top auror?" Arthur's voice rose. Top-end Ministry Aurors were some of the most highly paid wizards there were. The reason, of course, was that few lived that long.

"You have no idea of what Ron is capable of, do you?"

Arthur flushed. He didn't know what to say. Harry was right, he didn't know what Ron was capable of. Certainly Ron's marks at Hogwarts had been respectable, but he and Molly had always put that down to Hermione's influence. There son was bright, they knew that, but he'd never really showed any interest in applying himself. Not like Percy...

Well, perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing, really, Arthur thought, his attention drawn back to Harry as he stopped in front of him, his hand on his hips, almost confrontational.
As confrontational as Harry Potter got, anyhow. Arthur did laugh at this. He couldn't help it. Harry Potter, not confrontational? Perhaps not, but nonetheless, considering who he was and just who he had confronted in past...

"Ron could beat Tonks in a wand to wand fight, Mr Weasley. Easily. He could give Moody a run for his money. Probably beat him, although I'm not betting on that."

Arthur stared, more than a little bit shocked. Harry's voice was almost... angry?

"Ginny's charms and hexes are... well, Professor Flitwick wouldn't be able to keep up. I'm pretty sure that, while she could learn a few things from Bill, she'd teach him a few, too."

"Harry..."

"We defeated Voldemort, Mr Weasley, when Ministry hit-wizards couldn't get past first year Death Eaters. Your children are all very, very good at what they do. So, what is the going salary for a top auror?"

Arthur sighed. "I believe that when Moody left ten years ago, he was making nearly ten thousand galleons a year. Kingsley makes about that now."

"Okay, we'll say twelve, then, shall we?"

"That's..."

"Inflation, Mr Weasley."

"Fine," Arthur sighed, knowing he wouldn't win this one.

"So, anyone working full time for the Order will begin to draw an annual salary. Right now, that will include Remus, Ron, Moody, Bill, Charlie and Hermione."

"Fine."

"Anyone working part time will draw a decent stipend. What is it now?"

"A sickle an hour," Arthur sighed.

"I... you're joking?"

"Harry, we don't do this for the money."

"Apparently not. But the members put their lives on the line regularly. They deserve something for taking that risk. How much time do you give it, on average, a week?"

"I have no idea."

"But..."

"Albus simply set it at three galleons a week for most of us, Harry."

"Three..." Harry shook his head. "How many part time members are there?"

"Eighteen, all told."

"That includes Mrs Weasley?"

"Molly doesn't..."

"Nineteen, then," Harry said. "As of now, I want a fifty galleon a week stipend to all part time members."

"Harry, please! Hold on and listen for a moment..."

Harry was silent.

"Some of those members are hardly active. I think, if you're going to do this, you need to

stick to the hourly rate."

"Okay, fair enough. We'll start it at three galleons an hour, then. And I'm going to talk to Hermione and Ginny about a charm to track the hours so the members don't have to be bothered."

"Good idea."

"So with six full time employees at twelve thousand galleons a year, plus another... well, let's say fourteen on part time pay..." Harry did a quick calculation in his head. "I'll instruct Gringotts to transfer a hundred thousand galleons into the Order vault tomorrow."

"I..." Arthur swallowed.

"I have it, Mr Weasley."

"I don't doubt it, Harry. The problem is that the Order doesn't have a vault."

"What?"

"Albus was always concerned that the Ministry might take it into their heads to seize it."

"Where did he keep the money for the Order then?"

"He kept a cash box. Minerva brought it to me when... when I took over the Order."

"A cash box?" Harry was incredulous. The organization standing between the Dark forces and the rest of the wizarding world kept their assets in a cash box?

"There wasn't ever much kept in it, Harry."

"Well, you can't carry about a hundred thousand galleons in a cash box."

"No."

"We need a vault."

"The same concerns..."

"I know, but the Ministry doesn't need to know that it's the Order's vault, now do they?"

"I..."

"Let me talk to Griphook."

"Alright, Harry," Arthur sighed.

"When is the next Order meeting?"

"Tuesday."

"Here?"

"Grimmauld Place."

"Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I will be there. Neville, too."

Arthur nodded as Harry stood and removed the privacy charms as he moved towards the door, his mind already on the problem of how to talk to Griphook without the rest of Gringotts knowing what he was about. He didn't know if it was even possible, but he was absolutely certain that the Ministry would have at least attempted to maintain spies in the bank.

"Oh, and Harry?"

"Yes, sir?" Harry turned, looking at the older man as he stood.

"On the topic of Ginny..."

"Sir..." Harry suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"I would have said yes," Arthur smiled at him.

"You... would have?"

"Of course I would have."

"Mrs Weasley..." Harry looked worried.

"Was young once, herself, son."

"So..."

"Yes?"

Harry swallowed, then took a deep breath. It was now or never, it would seem.

"Mr Weasley, I think you know how I feel about your daughter."

"I think we all know how you feel about Ginny, Harry."

"She has to finish school."

"However she chooses to do that, yes."

"Mr Weasley, I'd like to..."

"Yes, Harry?"

"I'd like to ask Ginny... if she'd have me, sir."

Arthur chuckled, approaching the younger man and patting him on the shoulder goodnaturedly as he turned and guided him towards the door. "Good luck, son. If she says yes, you're going to need it."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Draco sat in the small room he had been assigned. His mother knew where he was, but she hadn't been here in days. All he had for company was Snape, and then, only when the old bat decided to make himself available, which wasn't often.

Draco glared at the wall. His mother had had the room made comfortable, despite it's location, for him. He had a largish bed, about the size of the one that he'd slept in for years at Hogwarts. There were books and a desk, well stocked with parchment and other writing materials. Unfortunately, he had no owl to send letters to anyone. He was supposed to give those to his Aunt Bella when she came twice weekly. Right, like that was going to happen.

He was, after all, Lucius Malfoy's son. He wasn't quite as thick as they thought he might be, although he'd allowed them to believe that he wasn't as intelligent as either his mother or his father for all these years. Sometimes, it was beneficial to have those in charge of your future, or those with a strong hand in it, to believe you were thicker than you actually were.

Only at school had he allowed anyone to see that he wasn't stupid. The other students knew full well that Malfoy had brains. Harry Potter knew, and had never underestimated him. Even that Weasley prat knew better than to go head to head with him, even if he wanted to, and it was glaringly obvious that he wanted to. The red-haired pauper wasn't capable of hiding how he felt; you could read every thought in his head on his insipid face.

Draco's silver eyes darted to the corner as he caught a glimpse of movement. A rat. Wonderful. Now the place was infested...

Wormtail.

No. Wormtail was dead. The werewolf had killed him. Just a rat, then. Draco immediately dismissed the rat from his mind, and continued on with his thoughts.

This was not the future he had planned. He knew full well what everyone assumed was going to happen. Snape was setting himself up to be the new leader of the Dark, and would probably attempt to create some sort of union with either Narcissa or Bella. Lucius was dead, and it would take little to dispose of Rudolphus. Aunt Bella would probably happily do it herself if Snape did, indeed, take over, and expressed an interest in her. Aunt Bella was nothing if not fully capable of seeing the big picture. A visionary, even if her years in Azkaban had damaged her mind's ability to focus on the details.

Draco snorted. No, this was not the way he intended to live his life, as a servant to the one with true power. He didn't intend to live his father's life... or die his father's death.

Not Draco Malfoy. He had plans of his own.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I want to say how very much I appreciate each and every one of you reading and reviewing my stories. I know that this one isn't being updated as often as I have done in past, but my life is rather busier these days – and I just got back from a mini-vacation (spas are heavenly things, aren't they?). My laptop ended up staying in it's bag, and I took Larna's advice and went for a massage! Sorry to those of you who were waiting. I promise to be better in future, and hope to have at least two updates a week.

QueenNilya: I can absolutely, positively, without a doubt promise you that I'm not channeling anyone! LOL! Thanks for the compliment – it's the best one you could give!

Gerie: Do they have spas in the Potterverse? Hmm... maybe the twins ought to look into that...

Kathryn: Writing Draco isn't easy for me, and while I've really enjoyed writing Snape in past, the sixth book really threw my version of Snape for a loop. It's hard to reconcile him in my mind with the changes we saw in canon, so I expect that that is coming through a bit. Thanks for reviewing!

Gigifanfic: You're back! I'm waiting for that story, you know. I promise I'll email soon – gotta get back into the groove here!

Hermionestwin7052: Thanks! 10 hours... wow!

Scott: Wintry, wintery... either way, it's bloody cold! Actually, not too bad yet – January is worse!

CrystalShine: 16 and 17. Thanks!

Alli-Baby: You're scaring me. Only evil... repeat after me: ONLY EVIL!

Larna: I stand, suitably chastised. I went for another massage. Thank you for keeping your head when I was losing mine, your levelheadedness in this matter was appreciated. What was I thinking?

Sunflower3623: Wow... cold turkey? I tried that. It hurt. I stopped. Sure, I have less time for sleep now, but hey, my addiction is fed!

Magiquill9: My thoughts precisely.

Machiavelli Jr: Sit. Right. I'll add that to my list of Britishisms – thanks!

YelloWitchGrl: Thanks for the review. Hey, how do I advertise our other project over here? What is the link I should post?

And the rest of you – you really are the greatest! Thanks: MaryEllen, Padfootlives101, hpgwrwhg4ever, Aprila, magic sparkler, Andrea, FroBoy, Aaron, Penghu-dust, iluvng788, griffindor-girl12, LittleTom45, Halandleg4ever, BexyLou, realfanficts, seekerfan, MsHellFire2005, famousindafuture, snuffles007, BrittSchrick, Honorable, MarinePotterFan, CharminglyHolly, Azntgr01, piglet12345, Katie, Kazziedal