Author's Note: I will admit that this chapter is rough. My beta hasn't seen it, but I wanted to get it out. I have bruised my hip and sitting is nearly impossible. Next week's chapter could very well be late. Thanks for reading. MNF
Chapter 9:
Wednesday, July 12, 1995
After two weeks on the job, Arthur Weasley and his small office were finding their rhythm. Percy Weasley handled the logistics in the office; everything from locating those who might need their help to making sure the groceries, water and basic medical supplies needed were prepared for the home visits. The Welfare Department worked closely with the DMLE so those in the gravest need were attended to.
When Arthur went out on the home visits, two people attended with him. A member of the Hit Wizards would go under an Invisibility Cloak or spell, there just in case there was any danger. Arthur had handled a tricky situation with a son wanted a share for himself, not just his mother. The man was in his fifties and his mother had indicated he'd done nothing buy lay about her house, even before the Great Wand Out. Arthur was not going to provide him with anything beyond a few days of food and water. There were plenty of new jobs that needed someone to do, he could go clear trash, shuttle people in carts or work with those collecting food from Muggle stores. When the son attempted to tackle him, determined to take the gold Arthur carried, the older man used the younger's momentum against him and flipped him over his shoulder. He said it was a move Gideon, Molly's brother, had taught him, and it had become useful with his rambunctious sons.
The other person that Arthur always had at his side was Julia Montague. She was a half-blood who graduated with high marks from Hogwarts. When Julia graduated, she found it very difficult to find anyone willing to apprentice her in counselling, so she went to the Muggle world for her degree and career. Had she not been a year mate of Amelia's, Arthur wasn't sure where they would have found someone with her skills. When Julia spoke to the older folks, she was gentle and listened patiently. She helped identify who they could go live with and went along when they asked. Her reports were filed on time and were legible.
Things were running well for the office, and Arthur had put in a request that a second team be developed, letting Julia head that one, so people could be reached quicker. Amelia liked the idea but needed to check where the gold would come from.
With both Arthur and Percy working, money was coming into the Weasley household. While she generally whinged about it, Ginny was helping with the cooking and the twins washed the dishes. Ron did nothing but lay about and complain he'd not heard from Harry. Ginny had received several letters from Hermione and had once gone to Luna's house and Harry, Hermione and Neville had visited. Ginny had only confided this in her mother.
It was a beautiful day, and nearly everyone in the household was up doing something useful. The twins and Ginny had walked to Ottery St. Catchpole to buy whatever staple food items they could. Several industrious individuals had set up stalls in the Ministry Atrium selling produce or Muggle cleaning supplies. Arthur had picked up quite a few items the night before, including some beautiful salad greens which Molly wanted to bake a loaf of bread to go with. Tonight, would be a meatless meal, although she'd already hard-boiled some eggs to top the salad.
"Ron, I need you to come help with the wash," Molly said, standing in the threshold of his bedroom door.
"Have Ginny do it," he said sleepily. "I have revisions to do."
"You don't have your fifth-year books yet, so I have no idea what you're going to be revising. Get up and help."
"Mum, it's summer holidays," Ron whinged.
"Ronald, you get up and do some work or you will find yourself rather hungry. You have missed breakfast and if you don't do chores, you will find yourself with a plate of tomatoes and cucumbers and a glass of water for lunch." He groaned at that, and threw his light blanket off.
"Excellent," Molly said. "Bring yours and Ginny's baskets down to the yard please.
Molly was outside, mixing in the laundry soap in the large, galvanized tub she'd always used for the task – of course before she just waved her wand and the clothes washed themselves – when Ron came rushing out of the house, devoid of laundry baskets but hands full of crumpled letters.
"Why didn't she tell me she'd seen Harry? Why did Harry want to see Ginny anyway?" Ron screamed.
"What are you bellowing about?" Molly asked, exasperated.
"Ginny, she's been getting letters from Hermione. I found them in her room!"
"Why are you reading your sister's personal letters?" Molly asked as calmly as she could. "I know those were put away safely in her sock drawer, which is not where you'd find dirty clothes. Those are in the hamper. What gave you the right to go through your sister's things?"
"She's been in touch with my best friend and kept it from me!" Ron continued yelling and Molly was thankful their closest neighbour was nearly a mile away.
"Ronald, Hermione and Harry asked that she keep their communications a secret," Molly said softly. "Whatever it was you did this year hurt Harry deeply and while he might have forgiven you, he has not forgotten. He's living quite close to Hermione, and she's been helping his family adapt to not having their wands."
"Family?" Ron said with a scoff. "He hates his family."
"Well, yes, the Dursleys did treat him poorly, but Harry was adopted by his godfather last month. He has a home with the man and your former Professor Lupin," Molly explained gently. She fondly remembered Remus Lupin from his younger days. He was always so polite, and the kids had said he was the best defence professor they'd had at school. Then she thought about Sirius, and remembered him as a boy, then the apparent lies that he had betrayed Harry's parents and now the news that he was innocent all along and imprisoned without a trial. She had always felt that something didn't add up, but Dumbledore had said…from what Arthur was telling her, Dumbledore wasn't who she believed he was.
"Sirius adopted him?" Ron said with surprise. "The last I knew he was still on a Kiss-On-Sight Order. How did he adopt Harry?"
"He was cleared by the Wizengamot of his charges," Molly explained. "Amelia Bones did the adoption ceremony herself. She told your father about it at a staff meeting."
"Huh, I mean that's great for Harry, he's always wanted family." Ron was feeling dejected. Surely, he would have wanted the Weasleys to know about it.
"Amelia and her niece were there, as were Hermione's family and Neville and his gran. It was a fun cookout at Remus's little cottage. Amelia said it was the first time Susan had smiled since coming home from Hogwarts."
"Neville? Susan? They aren't Harry's friends. I'm Harry's friend! We should have been invited!" Ron's growing indignation didn't sit well with his mother.
"Ronald, I think you need to think about what friendship really is and then ask yourself if you've been a good friend to Harry. From what the twins and Ginny have told me, Neville always stood by Harry's side, even when everyone seemed to be against the poor boy. As for Susan, if her auntie was going to perform the ceremony, then it makes sense she was there.
"I have always thought of Harry as my seventh son, and we missed out on an important day in his life because of his strained relationship with you. Did you know Sirius is my cousin? I'm sure it was discussed whether we should attend or not, but it was decided against. Your actions are now affecting this whole family, and it is not in a positive way." Molly sighed.
"For going through your sister's things and reading her private letters, you will need to apologize to her in front of everyone tonight at dinner –"
"Mu-um—"
"No whinging, Ronald," she said in a very short tone. "For not following instructions, you will do the wash alone today, and I expect it to be done to my standards. Now, return those letters to where you found them and collect yours and your sister's laundry." Ron opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him with a curt tut.
ITWAU ITWAU ITWAU
"It's very Georgian," Remus said as he, Harry and Sirius stood on the drive of the home Sirius had inherited from his grandfather, Arcturus. His father's father, Arcturus Black had not been a follower of the Dark Lord, and instead had quietly purchased property in the Muggle world and essentially disappeared. The man had rather posh tastes and decided on a good life for himself.
"It's a mansion," Harry said.
"It has fourteen bedrooms," Sirius read off the deed that was among the parchments Amelia had brought over two weeks ago. "Sixteen bathrooms, three dining rooms, seven reception rooms of various sorts, an indoor pool and work out room. There are also stables for horses, a workshop, and a six-car garage. You won't need to park your car in the drive, Moony."
"I somehow don't think my car is what was usually housed in the garage," Remus said, looking back in a loving way at his dear Escort Station Wagon.
"Your car, my new bike," Sirius said. "Maybe I'll buy a sports car, teach Harry to drive?"
"I'm not even fifteen yet. Muggles can't apply for a driving licence until we're almost sixteen, so next summer," Harry answered.
"Shite. Muggles have quite a few rules, don't they? Your dad and I just charmed to car to stay away from other cars and took out your granddad's all the time," Sirius mentioned.
"Sirius, the two of you were stuck doing chores for Fee and Monty for a month as a result of your little joyride," Remus reminded him. "Are we going to stand in the drive all day, or are we going to go inside?"
"Inside," Sirius said. "The gent just inside the door looks like he's going to have a conniption if we don't do something soon."
"Given what I remember of your grandfather, Sirius, he was a rather meticulously dressed man who had very formal manners. That man is probably the butler or a caretaker, since your grandfather has been dead for a while and you're going to send him into an apoplexy when he sees you and learns you're the new Lord of the Manor."
"I can behave the genteel gentleman when I want," Sirius said. "But my motivations must be magnificent to do so."
"That alliteration thing of yours can get annoying, Padfoot," Harry said. He still hadn't figured out what to call Sirius. Dad felt wrong, since that was how he referred to James Potter. Father was too formal, but just calling him by his name felt informal. He stuck with Padfoot, although Harry decided to see what other names there were for father, possibly in other languages.
The door opened before Sirius could knock, and they were met by a smartly dressed man who was shorter than even Harry and had a balding head.
"Welcome, Sir," he said with a whistling 's', "I am Septimus Macmillan, and I am your butler. We have waited a long time for your arrival."
"Macmillan, my grandmother Melania was a Macmillan before she married Arcturus."
"Yes, she was my cousin. I am a squib you see; all of the staff are either squibs or Muggleborn witches and wizards. Your grandfather was determined to save us from You-Know-Who. Please, Master Sirius, come and meet your staff and see your home."
"Thank you, Septimus," Sirius said cordially, but Harry couldn't help noticing the older man's brief look of disgust at Sirius's outfit. "This is my friend, Remus Lupin and my son, Harry."
"I did not know there was an heir, what wonderful news! Welcome Heir Harry."
"Just Harry, please," the young man said but Septimus shook his head.
"You are the heir to the Black Lordship and lands. You will be treated with the respect and honour you deserve." Harry nodded awkwardly.
There were eight people on staff, including a cook who looked like they could have played rugby, given the size of her arms. Four worked in various positions within the house and two worked on the grounds. Septimus took them on a tour of the house, all of the house. It took hours. When they were finished a luncheon spread fit for a king was on the table which normally seated sixteen. The three men sat at one end and discussed what they saw.
"There are far more rooms than we are ever going to fill," Remus said.
"I'm aware, which is why I propose that we invite some friends to come live with us, and if you're willing, have another family move into your cottage, Remus," Sirius said.
"Who are you thinking of, Padfoot?" Remus asked, wondering if he was about to get pranked.
"Amy and Susan," he answered. "Her house doesn't have electricity and she's working long hours at the Ministry. If Susan were closer, she could come spend time with Harry and Hermione. As for who I'd ask to move in, did you know Neville is my cousin? My great-aunt is Augusta's mother-in-law and Neville's great-grandmother. Admittedly, not a close relation, but they're only surviving where they are due to their decrepit house elf."
"It would be cool to have Neville here all the time," Harry said. "He could certainly manage cleaning up your greenhouses and gardens…" he stumbled over what to call his godfather cum father, "Padfoot."
"I was also thinking about asking another cousin's family to move in, but I need to run it by you, Harry. I'm also a first cousin to Molly Weasley. My Aunt Lucretia, sister to my horrible father, married Ignatius Prewett, and Molly was their daughter. I'm related to Arthur too, but it's a bit more distant. Anyway, with all their kids and in that higgledy-piggledy house of theirs, they probably need the help." Sirius shoved another quarter sandwich in his mouth as he waited for a reply.
"If you want to, you should do it, Sirius," Harry said, not saying how he really felt.
"Harry, I want your opinion, not for you to say just what you think I want to hear," Sirius said. "We are honest in this family."
"I have no problem with the Weasley family being here, I just would be forced to interact with Ron, and I'm still hurt by how easily he just walked away from our friendship. I have always sided with him, but when I needed a real friend, he just couldn't be there. I found out from Ginny that he's just sitting around waiting for me to write. He isn't helping his parents; he isn't being useful, and I know if he were here, he'd want me to sit around too. I want to do some reading and decide if I'm going back to school in the fall or using my wealth to study other branches of magic. I want to hear what this friend of Remus's can teach me, and I know that Hermione, Neville, and Susan would at least take it seriously. Yeah, it would be great to have the twins around, but they goof off too much and Ginny still stares at me like I'm her one true love. We can help them, but please don't have them move in." Sirius had suspected this was how Harry truly felt and was glad he was willing to share it with him.
The gents talked about it more and decided that it might be best to have Amelia and Susan move into this house too, and then invite Hermione to stay for a while to help Susan get to know the three Gryffindors better. The meagre belongings that the three had could be brought over easily. Remus stood, but Harry had a better idea.
"Dobby," Harry called out and the hyperactive elf appeared.
"Yes, Harry Potter, sir, what did doings do you have for Dobby?"
"How are you, Dobby?" Harry asked as the flowered pillowcase he was wearing was rather dirty and his socks and hat were a terrible mismatch and filthy.
"Dobby doing the best he can now that Hogwarts is closed. Goblins building new wards by the people are gone. Monies missing to pay bills."
"That's terrible," Sirius said. "Do they know what happened."
'Dumblesedore, that's what happened. At least what kindly McGoggles said."
"McGoggles," Sirius said under his breath. "I have to remember that one."
"Do you know where Professor McGonagall is? I'd like to speak with her about this problem," Remus asked.
"At the Poppy's place."
"Madame Pomfrey?" Remus asked for clarification.
"Yes, Professor Lupinsy sir."
"Lupinsy, another good one. Lupin goes lupinsy for the full lunar light show."
"Now isn't the time, Padfoot," Remus said under his breath.
"Dobby, would you like to work for me?" Harry asked.
"Oh, Mister Harry Potter, sir, Dobby would love you be your elf."
"Excellent," Harry said. "We are going to move here, and we're going to ask some others to move in with us. Are you up to bringing our items to us? Delivering some letters quicker than Hedwig could?"
"Dobby lives to serve you, Harry Potter, sir."
