Chapter 40 – To Settle a Score

Molly hadn't slept well. Molly hadn't eaten much. Molly was in a terrible mood.

"How do they dare?" This was the question constantly popping into her mind.

When Sirius Black showed up to tell them Harry and Ginny's new plans, she had almost killed the messenger. Molly didn't do it, because the man looked like a lost puppy. He was lost, almost as lost as she was.

Molly was frowning her face, grumbling to herself during the whole night and part of the morning. All of her children were running away from her, scared about her fury. Even Arthur was avoiding talking too much.

From the start she hadn't liked the story, they were too young. Too young to be so powerful, too young to challenge dark wizards as their equals, too young to have inappropriate dreams, too young to be married, too young to be independents, too young to live alone… The list didn't stop increasing.

What would come next? A pregnancy? She couldn't even think that.

Ginny had always been too precocious, too mature and too smart for a child. Now she was out of control. Who would've thought that poor skinny boy with kind eyes and tattered clothes would be the responsible for turning her girl uncontrollable?

'Where are we?' Molly grumbled.

It looked they were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees.

Sirius had thought it would be more practical to use a Portkey to transport them, since they were so many and the children didn't know how to Apparate. This way, she didn't have a clue to where they really were. Sirius had said Godric's Hollow, but it didn't look like a village.

'We're close!' Sirius said. 'I thought it'd be better not to show up in the middle of the road, in case there are Muggles around… Let's go! This way!'

Sirius guided through a small path in the forest until they reached a dirt road.

'Look!' Sirius pointed when they left the forest. 'The village we're seeing is Godric's Hollow. The castle is down the road.'

They kept walking a few more hundred meters. In the distance they could see a huge lake.

'Why didn't we use the floo?' Ron asked. 'I don't like walking…'

'It isn't connected to the floo network.' Sirius explained.

'Why not?' Fred inquired. 'It'd be easier to get in there, wouldn't' it?'

'Exactly!' Sirius confirmed. 'When James lived here I too didn't understand it, but Harry explained me the reason.'

'And what's the reason?' Arthur asked.

'The castle of the Lake is unplottable… It can only be found by those the castle's master allows. And even if someone finds the castle one time, it doesn't mean they can find it a second time… The floo network is monitored by the Ministry and the castle's magic doesn't allow anything that makes it vulnerable. So the floo doesn't work here.'

Sirius left the dirt road and stood in front of the lake.

'We're here!' He shouted.

'Is this some kind of joke?' Percy, who wasn't any happier with the situation than his mother, asked.

'No, it isn't.' Sirius replied and turned to the lake. 'My name is Sirius Black and with me is the family of Lady Ginevra. Open the gates to the guests of the castle's masters.'

Before anyone could say any remark, a light began spreading as a wave from the lake. Everywhere the light touched, stone walls were revealed. A large bridge was forming on their side of the lake and in its end stood large wooden gates. The gates opened to reveal well-tended grass and a huge castle.

Molly was speechless with shock. This was where her daughter was now living?

'I've never see anything like this…' Bill spoke, impressed. 'Some short references in some ancient manuscripts, but I've never found this kind of magic before.'

They crossed the bridge. The beauty of the place was outstanding and the magical sensation they got when they entered was comparable to the sensation gotten by the first time going to Hogwarts.

Remus was waiting for them in front of the castle and went near them.

'Hello, how are you?' He greeted with a gentle smile.

Arthur and the boys mumbled their greetings, but Molly didn't even think of answering.

'Why don't we go inside?' Remus suggested. 'I'll ask one of the house-elves to go get the children.'

'Where are they?' Molly asked clearly.

'Ah, they're in the gardens.' Remus distractedly pointed to the grounds in the back of the castle. 'Lucy, a house-elf, told me they were exercising… It's good they spending some energy.'

Molly ignored Remus' chatter.

'I'm going there.' She said and skirted the castle towards where she hoped to find Harry and Ginny. Ah, they had a lot to listen! Indeed, they had…

Everyone else followed her, probably worried about what she was going to say to the two children, but she didn't care. They could listen too, if they wanted.

At that moment, Molly didn't notice the exuberance from the beautiful property or the exquisiteness of the gardens. In an outrage, she watched a spectacle that shock her so much she could not speak. Ginny and Harry, armed with swords, engaged in a horrendous fight. Molly was terrified as she saw sometimes saw Ginny having the upper hand over Harry, who was attacking her daughter with a level of violence she had never seen before.

She run to end it once and for all, but they were so focused that they did not notice her. When she got near them, the fight had an impressive outcome with Ginny's sword at Harry's neck. However, the act didn't end in a blood bath, but in a totally inappropriate kiss for children of their age.

'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?' Molly needed to shout.

They didn't flinch nor did they move from their scandalous position. Ginny's answer came with a challenging smile and a look of tranquillity.

'We were kissing, mum! It was a bit rude of you to interrupt, but it's alright, I forgive you.'

That felt like a slap to Molly's face.

'HOW DARE YOU SPEAK IN THAT TO ME, YOUNG LADY? I AM YOUR MOTHER! YOU HAVE TO RESPECT ME. GETTING INTO FIGHTS, CLIGGING TO A BOY LIKE ANY. I WON'T ADMIT THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOUR.'

While she spoke, Ginny got up quietly and so did Harry. The girl walked serenely towards them, holding Harry's hand, and without showing any reaction to her mother's words.

'I will respect you when you respect me back.' Ginny spoke authoritatively, but she didn't raise her voice. 'I am in my home with my husband. I'm afraid that now I'm the one who decides how I behave, not you, mum… Accept it.'

Molly was speechless for a moment. No one had ever spoken to her like that before, especially none of her children.

'You are a child!' Molly said in a lower voice, but she was till irritated. 'You don't know anything about life.'

'I assure you, mum, I know a lot more than you do.' Ginny replied, ending the topic and turning her back to her mother. 'I'm so glad you came, Bill!' She said to her oldest brother in a sweeter voice. 'I missed you.'

She hugged Bill, who hugged her back despite still being in shock due to her attitude, but Ginny had never hidden from anyone who her favourite brother was. Harry approached them, and greeted his brother-in-law with a handshake.

'Welcome Bill.' He said. 'And it's nice to have you here.'

'What happened to you two?' Bill asked with a frightened face.

'It's a long story.' Harry began, but Bill interrupted him.

'No. I mean… How did you grow so fast?'

'Ah… What do you mean?' Harry asked in doubt.

'You're at least a foot taller than last month and I think you're stronger as well…' Bill, noticing that Harry and everyone else was watching him with confused faces, asked. 'Did no one notice it before? Not even you, mum? Ginny grew too, and she's more…. woman.'

Molly observed better Ginny and Harry. Now that Bill had mentioned… How had she not noticed before? She compared the memory of the two children in the hospital wing in the previous month with what she was seeing at the moment.

Harry was taller and no longer looked frail. In fact, for the first time, she agreed that they boy looked healthy. He no longer looked like skin and bones, and he wasn't so pale anymore. And seeing him without a shirt, she noticed he was developing some muscles, which was precocious, considering his age. She could try to create the illusion that Harry was going through a growth spurt, which was normal for boys reaching their teenage years. But Ginny…

Ginny had changed so much that she could only be in denial to not notice it. Not only was Ginny taller, but her face was thinner and she had lost most of her childlike looks. Her waist was thinner and her hips larger and it was undeniable that she had developed small and firm breasts. The change could have seemed small to somebody else, but a mother has eagle eyes when noticing her daughter growing into a woman. Ginny would turn eleven in the next month, but if she hadn't known that, she would say her daughter would be turning thirteen or more… She had never met a teenage girl with the same aura of maturity that Ginny was showing and that only made the change to be more drastic.

'Now you're mentioning, Bill.' Sirius spoke up before Molly. 'Harry really got taller... Look, you're as tall as Ron.'

Harry glanced to his best friend, who he had always known to be taller than him, but at the moment he no longer felt that difference.

'What were you expecting? Andromeda spent the month filling me up with nutritional potions, and things like that. I reckon growing a bit is just a consequence, isn't it?' Harry joked.

Bill's semblance remained doubtful, but he seemed to agree with Harry's supposition. On the other hand, Molly was still suspicious. But before she could say anything, Ginny spoke.

'How about we get inside?' She suggested. 'We have a lot to talk about and I really prefer not to do it under this hot sun.'

Mostly everyone agreed with her and Remus began guiding them inside.

Harry went back to the lake's shore and grabbed the shirt and the swords left on the ground. The lake waters were crystalline and very appealing, which made him think that a shower would feel great in that moment.

'Lucy!' He called.

In less of a second, the house-elf showed up in front of him with a crack.

'Did Master Harry call Lucy?'

'Yes, Lucy.' He confirmed. 'Could you put the swords in their place for me?'

'Of course, Master Harry.' Lucy accepted the chore happily. 'Can Lucy help with anything else?'

'Just ask the others to attend to the needs of the Weasley.' Harry requested. 'Make them feel welcome.'

'With pleasure, Master Harry.' And then Lucy disappeared with a crack.

Harry turned in order to return to the castle. Everyone had gone inside, except Ron, who awaiting with his arms crossed. Harry knew his friend well enough just by his body expression and he knew Ron was bothered by something. But he couldn't blame him for it. Harry walked towards his friend and waited in silence. Ron would talk sooner or later, he wasn't the type to hold it in.

'In Hogwarts, when you and Ginny woke up from that coma, you told me nothing would change, Harry.' Ron reminded him. 'But since that damn day, nothing has been the same… It seems Ginny's the only person that exists for you. I've been trying to understand, Harry, but it's been difficult… Do you even remember you have other friends? Try explaining it to me, because I don't bloody know what's happening.'

Harry took a deep breath. Giving the tone Ron used, he had been holding in that for a long while. Before he replied, he thought it was fair to at least think about Ron's complaint and he realised his friend was totally correct. Despite his promises, everything had changed. Ginny had become his centre of gravity, everything he did revolved around her. That wasn't an issue for Harry, but he understood Ron's side. His friend was feeling left out, to say the least. When had it been the last day he had spent with Ron without Ginny around? For sure it had been before all had happened.

'You're right, Ron. I'm being a foul friend… and to make matters worse, I'm also stealing your sister.'

Most likely Ron wasn't expecting that answer, because he simply raised his eyebrows and asked partially surprised, 'So you admit it?'

'Yes, but it's only now that I realise it. You're right when you say I've been forgetting my other friends. The thing is Ginny isn't only a friend… she's my life.'

'Do you hear what I'm saying?' Ron burst. 'You are being very weird.'

'I really am! And it's just the beginning.' Harry told him. 'Ron, I get what you're feeling, mate. If the situation was reversed, I'd probably be reacting a lot worse than you are. But I can't promise I'll be the guy you've always known. Honestly, I think that Harry is gone forever.'

'What do you mean by that?' Ron asked puzzled.

'The issue isn't just Ginny. What happened to us completely changed our lives and everything has been happening so fast that it's hard to process it. My head's a mess and one of the reasons I've isolated myself so much with Ginny, it's because she's the only one that can truly understand what I'm feeling.'

'Because of that story of soul-mates?'

'No, because she's going through the same things that I am.'

'If you tell me those things, maybe I'll understand!'

'And do you really wanna learn the truth, Ron?' Harry asked. 'If you do, I'll tell you the whole thing. But if you don't like it, I won't be able to do anything about it.'

'Try me!' Ron challenged.

Harry sighed, half annoyed, half impressed. 'Alright! What do you wanna know?'

'What's really the thing you two have?'

'What thing? The soul-bond?'

'Yes, that thing.'

'It's the most powerful kind of magical wedding known in the history of the wizarding world. My soul and her soul are linked in such a powerful way that I could even say we are sharing the same soul. If she's happy I'll know, if she's sad I'll know, if she's lost I can find her, if she's hurt I can heal her, if she dies so do I… That's a soul-bond.'

Maybe because of the way Harry spoke, Ron turned a bit pale at the mention of death. It reminded him it all began because Harry was dying.

'Even so…' He managed to find his voice. 'Why did this happen to you two? If that soul-bond is so powerful… You're only eleven years old.'

'Ron, a soul-bond only happens to the souls that have shared many and many lives. It only happens to souls that know each other so perfectly that they can't stand being separated. That's why it happened to Ginny and I.'

'So is it true you remember your past life?'

'Yes.'

'And were you really married?'

'Yes.' Harry confirmed once more. 'Do you wanna know how we got married the last time?'

'How?'

'With an Unbreakable Vow.'

Ron's chin was left hanging in surprise. 'That's possible?'

'Yes. In my vows I swore I'd protect and love Ginny during all life and beyond. And I swore I wouldn't live a single day more than her, because not even death had the right to separate us.'

'You're mad!'

'I always have been.' Harry grinned. 'I fulfilled my vows. In the day Avalon died so did I without any regret.'

'Was Avalon Ginny's name?'

Harry nodded.

'And what was yours?'

'Vougan.'

'Vougan Potter?'

'Potter is not such an ancient name. It was Vougan Peverell.'

A/N: Next chapter's title: Mysteries Of The Past

I was unable to post any more chapters, because it took forever to get my laptop fixed. Sadly, I won't be able to post everyday as I was doing before, but I will try to not take a long time between updates.

I wish you all happy holidays and a happy new year!