CHAPTER 2

Something was Bothering Harry, Ron thought as he watched his Brother in Law. Last night even as He had greeted him and Remus with hugs and smiles, when Hermione arrived with their youngest in tow he'd greeted her warmly. He didn’t fool Ron though, Ron hadn't fought by Harry's side for years only to be unaware when his best friend was upset. He had waited for a chance to get Harry alone, But when his own parents had arrived, and Ginny had come home the house had quickly spiraled into happy chaos. But dinner was over now and the kids tucked into Bed. Fluer, Hermione and Ginny where in the kitchen with his mother, Percy, Fred, George and Charlie where in the Den, and Harry was sitting in the garden alone. Something was definitely wrong.

Ron walked into the kitchen, still alive with the smell of dinner and the women of the house looked up at him, they eyed each other and burst into laughter. Ron grinned and shifted uncomfortably. "Why do I get the feeling you've been talking about me?"

"cause we were, I was telling mom what a wonderful father you've become. You know how yesterday you let our son play with your little Toys." Hermione tossed him a playful if scolding smile. Ginny giggled behind her hands. Ron scowled at her.

"Its ok dear, I cant tell you all the times I had to Drag you lott away from your fathers things. What with all those Muggel contraptions cluttering the house" Mrs. Weasly smiled in fond memory. Ron rolled his eyes, here we go again. "Mom, really Muggels can be really quite inventive now adays." Hermione had her hands on her hips ready to defend Muggels alike, her own parents being Muggels. She worked at the ministry with Muggel Wizard Relations. She took her job so seriously, it was cute. Ron smiled at her and took her shoulders in his hands rubbing away any tension he could find. She smiled up at him.

"Don’t you two ever stop?" Ginny rolled her eyes at them, Mrs weasly smiled teasingly at her daughter. "Oh hush, Gin, its not like You And Harry aren't extremely fond of each other." Ron shuddered,

"please I didn’t want those images." Not that he would have his sister with anyone else, but even still. His best mate and his little sister wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on. Ginny sighed exasperated at the look on Rons face.

"Oh buck up really Ron, we have two children where do you honestly think they came from" Ron Winced and then smiled. "I prefer to imagine you adopted them. Speaking of dear old Harry is everything ok at home here?" Ginny's smile disappeared and she sighed sitting in a chair heavily. "So you noticed, I mean really who wouldn’t. He thinks he's hiding it. I thought it might be work?" She looked up at Ron hopefully, he wasn’t sure no lie being an Auror was hard of course. And more then likely with Harry's scars and the pain of his past it was a bit of a strain, But he had a feeling that wasn’t it.

"He comes to work upset and distracted, most of the time." Ron said, as he watched Ginny frown. "Men do have zer moods, Ginny. Poor Bill he gets so angry and lost sometimes." Fluer said placing a comforting hand on her Ginny's shoulder. Ron cringed, poor Bill being a where Wolf, living with that kind of curse for the rest of his life. He felt a surge of love and respect for his sister in law, who stayed with him so supportingly.

"Papa" The little voice caused them all to turn, and just like it always did when he looked at his four year old daughter his heart melted. Her little red braids where all eschew and her big brown eyes where wide if a bit hazy from sleep. "What is it Lillian?" Hermione asked placing a hand on their daughters cheek. Lillian's, frowned slightly then snuggled in closer to her mother. "I cant sleep mama, James and uncle Harry wont be quite!" Ginny sighed. Walking to the door way.

"Harry, James go to bed!" She turned and smiled back at her niece, "Better honey?" Lillian nodded in accent and took her Grandmothers hand in her tiny one. "Will you tuck me in?" she inquired with sleepy eyes. Ron frowned as his mother led his daughter away rethinking her words. "Harry's upstairs with James?"

Ginny nodded a slight smile on her face, "James, is definitely Harry's favorite, he loves both his sons no doubt. But theirs something about your first" She smiled to herself. Remembering the look on Harry's face when she had presented the screaming red skinned messy bundle that was his son, to him for the first time. She remembered that first look of absolute male terror, and how it had softened to an almost fearful wonder.

"It doesn’t surprise me he's up there keeping him from sleep" She said on a half smile, now if only Harry would tell her what was bothering him.

"He must be feeling better then, cause he was in the Garden earlier." Ron said half heatedly smiling. He really had to talk to Harry, the worry he saw in his sisters eyes, worried him.

"You muzt have faith, Ginny. Men handle their demonz in differn ways, no?" Fluer said once again offering Ginny comfort. Ginny smiled nodding.

Ron didn’t know what woke him, one minute he was asleep wrapped in his wives arms, the next he was awake and aware something was dreadfully wrong. There was silence, Hermione's soft breathing was the only sound, but the air was thick seemingly with impending danger. He Gently moved, Hermione’s head from his bare chest and reached for his wand. The moment he gripped it, the silence was shattered by a scream, A childs scream.

Ron was out of bed in an instant, Hermione's shocked cry his only warning just before a green flash of light enveloped the air around him, and a cold sucking wind of death forced him to his knees. His hair whipped in his face so hard it felt like a stinging smack, he could still hear one of the children crying out in fear and pain. He gritted his teeth and tried to rise, but the wind was too strong it forced him to his knees again then onto his stomach. Then the world was still again.

Ron lay on the floor of the guest bedroom, panting for breath his knees weak. Hermione rushed to his side, checking his body for any bruises to see if he was hurt. "The children, one of the kids. She nodded and grasped his arms pulling him to his feet, together the left the room, wands out ready for anything. The doors to Fred and George's rooms were wide open, as was Fleur and Bills. Charlie's door was closed, and when Ron peered in he saw that his brother had tried to reach the door but had fallen and struck his head. Seeing that his breathing was even, he cast a safe charm on him, and they continued into the main part of the house.

The first thing they saw was the body, James lay sprawled on the ground in his pajamas his dark hair as shock of color on his abnormally pale skin. Ginny lay next to him, her arm thrust out protectively over her son Harry stood over his son’s body not saying anything, almost mesmerized. His wand was in his hand and still pointing at the little boy. His body shook with light tremors, it was then Ron knew everything was about to change.

"Oh God James" Harry’s body shook in light tremors, his wand dropped clattering to the floor. He sank to his Knees, shaking visibly. Hermione knelt by his side, Harry’s scar had ripped open and a stream of blood was flowing down his face. His skin was pale and their where scratches on his cheek.

"What happened Harry?" Ron asked gently, Harry looked up at him, his eyes sent a shock through Ron they were pale and almost lifeless.

"I’m the seventh…I killed my son, my wife…my life" His voice was a shallow echo what had once been great strength seemed to have withered and died. Fred and George looked at each other and edged closer as if to prevent Harry from breathing. Hermione shook her head in denial.

"Harry their both breathing tell us what happened" She shook him slightly but his eyes remained sightless. He stared at James and Ginny’s seemingly sleeping forms as if instead they were mangled corpses, he stared at his own hands as if they were covered in blood. Hermione shot Ron a pleading look, Ron sank too his knees at Harry’s side griping his friend by the shoulders. Harry shuddered.

"I kept dreaming he was alive, that he would kill them. Now I realize he is, he’s alive in me Ron. I couldn’t stop it, couldn’t stop him…He was in me…I’m the seventh. Oh God I killed my family." Harry jerked away from Ron stumbling backwards as if he couldn’t bear to be touched; he shook his head as if to clear his mind of the sight of his wife and child. "Harry their both alive, their not hurt, Harry Listen" Hermione pleaded. Harry backed away coming up against Fred and George who held him steady.

"Harry just think, you destroyed the Last Horcrux, I was there remember." Ron said patiently they had to reach him. Harry’s eyes where wild they darted everywhere then they zeroed in on Ron. They seemed to swirl to Darken… they grew wider and paler to an almost sick color of green.

"no, we thought we did…it must have been a trap" Harry began to laugh a heart wrenching sound of pain that turned to a chilling merciless echo of insanity. "All this time he’s waited inside me, waited for his revenge. Waited to turn me into the monster that he is" Harry wrenched backwards his head hitting Fred’s knee a scream of horrible pain filled the room. Hermione with tears running down her face tried to calm him. Harry, he let out a snarl of pain and clawed at her. Ron pulled her away from Harry, Ginny stirred on the ground but Harry just continued to scream, as if he were slowly being tortured to death, and in that moment Ron had no doubt he was.