Disclaimers: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters.

Chapter Five: The Birthday
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'What do you think about Harry?' Hermione asked, two days later.

Ginny gave Hermione a curious look. 'Um, I think he's brave and funny and –'

'No, no, I mean in regard to him joining the Order. What do you think about that?'

'I – I don't know. I suppose it's a good thing. He's really excited about it, and the Order sure could use him,' said Ginny. 'It'll be dangerous, yes, but I think he can do it.' Hermione considered her.

'Aren't you scared ...for him?' Hermione asked.

Ginny didn't know how to answer. She would be lying if she said the thought of Harry leaving her didn't give her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was still afraid that he would die, but she wasn't betting that Voldemort would be the one to do it. She knew Harry, and if there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that he'd never give Voldemort the satisfaction of killing him. But then again, would Harry's pride hold up against someone as evil and powerful as Voldemort? He had killed other wizards who were far more powerful than Harry Potter. His luck could only hold out for so long...

A new wave of anxiety washed over Ginny as she imagined a life without Harry Potter. 'No,' she said, hoping Hermione didn't notice the slight shaking of her voice. 'I know that Harry has to fight Voldemort, I've accepted that. We all just need to stay positive.' She sighed quietly and looked out the window of The Burrow, into the backyard. Harry, along with Ron and the twins, was currently working up quite a sweat, de-gnoming the garden for the wedding.

'Well, yes, but what about everything else? We have to survive the missions ...we have to get the Horcruxes, before Harry can even begin to think about Voldemort.'

Ginny nodded solemnly. She had been told all about the Horcruxes, and what they did, the night McGonagall visited. She was disappointed to hear Ron, Hermione and Harry talking about missions and how they'd go off to fight side by side. Ginny would, of course, be left behind. She always was.

She would've been frantic with worry for the three, having no idea what to expect on their search for the remaining Horcruxes, but she didn't give herself time to really think about it. Her fury overrode any other emotion when she imagined the three of them on another one of their special, golden trio adventures. She was angry that she wouldn't get to come along, and that she would, yet again, have to miss out on the fun because she was too young. She didn't understand it. Harry had been doing dangerous things since his first year at Hogwarts, and Ginny wasn't even allowed to leave her house, because she was only sixteen.

'I'm not worried,' Ginny said confidently, perhaps more confidently than she felt. 'Speaking of Harry, what are we going to do for his birthday tomorrow?'

Hermione contemplated the younger girl's question. 'Your parents have to attend an Order meeting tomorrow night, and I don't expect we'll be left alone here, so I'm not sure. We might have to go with them, to Grimmauld Place.'

'That'll be horrible!' Ginny exclaimed. 'We need to convince Mum to let us stay here.'

Hermione nodded. The two girls refocused their attention to the backyard, where the boys were still working, now shirtless due to the almost unbearable heat.

'When are you and my brother going to get together?' asked Ginny. She didn't want to embarrass her friend, but it was ridiculous to watch the two of them together, completely oblivious to the other's advances.

'Excuse me? I don't know what you're –'

'My arse you don't know,' said Ginny. 'You two couldn't be more obvious about your feelings if you tried.'

Hermione blushed. 'Oh, and I suppose you and Harry aren't bad either, then?' Ginny's smile faded. 'That's right, I know what's going on with you two. I'm not stupid, you know,' Hermione said matter-of-factly. 'That day in the attic was completely tactless.'

'Shut up,' Ginny hissed, turning a bright red. 'You've got to watch what you say around here. You never know who's got an Extendable Ear.'

'Everyone is outside,' explained Hermione. 'And if your mum was listening, she would've busted in here the second the words left my mouth.'

'We weren't doing anything in the attic,' she lied. 'We – er – we were running away from that awful ghoul that's up there.' Hermione raised an eyebrow and folded her arms against her chest, clearly not buying into Ginny's story. Defeated, Ginny sighed and said, 'We aren't talking about it until the wedding.'

'Why? If you're together, why wait until the wedding to announce it?' Hermione asked clearly not grasping what Ginny had meant. 'Your brothers won't mind and your Mum will be thrilled.'

Ginny looked down at her hands. 'We – we aren't exactly d-dating,' she admitted. 'That's what we need to talk about at the wedding.'

Hermione gasped quietly. 'Okay, so you aren't dating –' Ginny shook her head 'but you ...what are you doing, exactly?'

'I don't even know.' She looked back out the window and watched Harry. He was laughing at something, probably the twins. Ginny thought he looked amazing when he smiled. 'But you know what? I don't particularly care.'

'What do you mean?' inquired Hermione. 'You two snog but you don't date? And you don't mind?'

'Pretty much.' Hermione cast a disapproving look. 'I know that I sound like a slag, but I'm not! I've really fallen for that stupid boy,' Ginny said laughingly. 'He doesn't want to be open about our relationship because of, you know, Voldemort. This is the only way ...for the moment.' While Ginny didn't entirely believe her words, she said them anyway, hoping Hermione would buy into them.

'I love Harry like he's my brother,' said Hermione, 'but it sounds a bit ...dodgy. Is he taking advantage of you?'

Ginny giggled in disbelief. 'Merlin, no! If anything, it's the other way around,' she said, and gave another small laugh after seeing her friend's look of utmost shock.

'Ginny! Do you – what kind of – why are you doing this?' she sputtered.

Ginny sighed and her expression turned serious. She didn't take her eyes off of Harry, who, along with Ron, was making a game of who could throw their gnomes the furthest. 'Look at him down there. Look at how happy he is,' she said. 'If we're going to be perfectly honest here, I don't know how long that will last. As much as we try to avoid talking about it, Hermione, it's getting closer.'

'What is?' Hermione asked, though Ginny got the distinct impression she already knew the answer.

'The battle. I know what the prophecy said, and I know that it would be foolish of me to expect Harry to come out on top,' said Ginny. Hermione turned her attention away from the window and refocused it on Ginny, but the redheaded girl continued to stare at one Harry Potter. 'Unless you know a place where we can get loads of Felix Felicis for free, so we can give it to everyone before the battle, we're going to lose some people ...maybe even Harry.'

Hermione sucked in a breath and Ginny pulled her gaze from Harry to study her friend. She looked positively mortified, as if she had never even considered the possibility of losing Harry before.

'Yeah, maybe we'll get lucky and it won't happen, but there's a good chance that it might. I don't know what's going to occur, but I know that if Harry dies, I'll always regret not being with him when I had the chance. I have that chance right now, and I'm taking it,' she explained.

'But Ginny –'

'What if it was Ron?' Ginny asked. 'What would you do?'

……………………………………………………………

'Huh?' Hermione said, flushing. 'Ron and I aren't –'

'Bloody hell, Hermione, give it up,' Ginny sighed, throwing up her hands. 'I don't care what you say. You fancy my brother just as much as he fancies you. I won't tell anyone, but you might as well admit it.'

Hermione looked around the room, her eyes coming to rest on the redheaded boy in the backyard. His stature had changed since she had last seen him shirtless, two summers before, at Grimmuald place, where she had accidentally walked in on him changing. He had developed muscle, but Hermione doubted it was from Quidditch. The duties of the players didn't really require a strong upper build, in her opinion. They mostly needed to grip the broom and not fall off. Balance and coordination were key, yes, but not necessarily muscle. So where had he acquired it? The thought of Ron alone in his bedroom, doing pushups, was oddly enticing to her.

'I suppose so,' she confessed, turning a slight scarlet.

'It's about time you admitted it,' said Ginny, beaming. She turned serious again. 'Now, pretend that Ron was The Boy Who Lived, pretend it was you who was in love with the "Chosen One". What would you do, if you were me?'

Did Ginny say she was in love with Harry?

'I – I don't know,' admitted Hermione, looking at her hands. 'It would be a terrible situation to be in. I expect I'd be a worried mess ...' But would she do the same as Ginny was? Would she really be able to be with Ron, without at least being considered his girlfriend? Sure, she had kissed Viktor Krum once, when she was fifteen, but that didn't count. The only other person she'd ever kissed was Cormac, and they had been together, at least for a little while. She and Ron had kissed as well, but Hermione didn't count those. A peck on the cheek before a Quidditch game, a kiss on the forehead before bed, and a kiss in the attic to prove a point didn't mean anything to her. 'I still can't imagine ...'

She saw a flicker of annoyance on the other girl's face. 'And you don't have to worry about it,' Ginny said, her voice oddly shaky, 'because it's only a hypothetical question. But it's real for me and Harry. We didn't ask for these circumstances, but we've gotten them anyway, and we have to deal with them somehow.'

'Ginny, I understand, but –'

'No, save it,' Ginny yelled, standing up. 'You can't possibly understand. You might've been the cleverest witch at Hogwarts, but this isn't something you can learn from a book! You don't know anything when it comes to love! You don't get it. You don't know what I feel like right now, and I pray that you'll never have to find out, because it sucks.' With that, she stormed off, leaving Hermione alone to contemplate what had just happened.

Hermione wasn't used to being told she didn't understand something. She especially wasn't used to it being the truth. She wanted to understand, but maybe it was best that she didn't ...kind of like the time she wished she had been able to see Thestrals.

Sighing, Hermione got up and climbed a flight of stairs, up to Ginny's room. She knocked lightly on the door.

'Gin? Can I come in?'

'Yeah,' Ginny said quietly. Hermione walked in and looked at her friend, who was lying flat on her bed and staring up at the ceiling. 'I'm sorry for yelling like that. I'm just very ...frustrated right now.'

Hermione sat on the edge of her own bed, which was on the other side of the small room. 'You were right. I don't know what it feels like to be in your situation. I imagine that it'd be terrible ...never knowing if his next fight will be his last.'

'It is, but it's not even that. It wouldn't be so bad if I were at least coming with you to the fights, because then I'd know what was happening,' explained Ginny. 'Since Mum makes me stay behind, I have to picture the battles in my head and every time I try to see it ...it's so horrible and I go crazy with worry until you three are safe again.'

Hermione didn't know what to say in response. 'Perhaps you'll be allowed to come this time ...after all, you're much older now, and you're a clever witch.' Ginny snorted. 'You don't need to worry about us so much, you know.'

'I can't help it,' she said. 'I've worried about you lot since my second year, when everyone at Hogwarts thought that Sirius was a murderer and the three of you chased after him and Peter Pettigrew.'

Hermione was about to respond when the sound of Mrs Weasley calling 'Dinner!' reached her ears and she and Ginny – both hungry from a hard day's work of cleaning and tidying – rushed to eat.

……………………………………………………………

The first thing Harry heard the next morning was the screeching of two loud female voices exclaiming, 'Happy birthday, Harry!'

Groaning, Harry pulled his blankets up over his head, desperately trying to return to the state of sleep, one that he could feel rapidly slipping away. He heard footsteps beside him and the distinct sound of curtains being opened. He shut his eyes tighter, trying to block out the sunlight that was streaming in through the bedroom window.

'Hurry up and get out of bed!' came the unnaturally chipper voice that could only belong to Ginny.

'Bloody hell, Harry, just get up and get her out of here!' Harry heard Ron yell, somewhere to his right. 'Ginny, you're my sister and I love you, but I need my rest and I won't hesitate to hex you this instant if you don't leave us to our sleep.'

'Come along, Ginny, I'll take care of these boys,' Hermione said laughingly. The next thing Harry knew, he was hanging upside-down from the ceiling by his toe, as was Ron. Ginny had collapsed on Harry's bed in a fit of giggles and Hermione was trying desperately to contain herself, as well.

'I thought you didn't approve of this spell?' Ron barked, who was blinking like mad against the invading sunlight. 'You sure yelled at Harry enough when he used it!'

'That doesn't mean I didn't make the effort to remember it, incase you two gits ever needed the extra ...lift out of bed,' she laughed.

Harry scowled, trying to ignore her clever pun, and threw her a pleading look. 'Hermione, do whatever you'd like to Ron, but give me a break ...it's my birthday!'

'Traitor!' yelled Ron.

Hermione appeared to consider his plea and dropped him onto the bed. He landed on top of Ginny, who was more startled than injured. 'Get off the poor girl and go clean yourself up. Mrs Weasley is waiting for you downstairs, and while it is your birthday, I am under strict orders to do whatever is necessary to get you moving this morning.'

Harry uttered another groan before lifting himself off of Ginny and helping her up. 'Alright there?' he asked.

She nodded and threw a quick glance at her brother before giggling and saying, 'we'll leave you two alone.'

Hermione smiled but said, 'Nonsense.' With that, she dropped Ron onto his bed and scurried out of the room after Harry and Ginny.

When Harry descended down the stairs and entered the kitchen, the two girls in tow, he was bombarded by redheads. 'Happy birthday, Harry, dear!' Mrs Weasley yelled as she pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, after which, Fred and George rushed over and clapped him on the back. Bill, who was still in town on official Order business (which Harry was excited to discover he would soon be informed of and participate in) lingered behind for a moment, waiting for the mob to clear, before greeting him in a way similar to the Fred and George's. After wishing him a happy birthday, though, Bill said goodbye and Disapparated out of the kitchen.

The six (seven, once Ron finally accepted defeat and got up to embrace the day) of them had a nice lunch around the kitchen table, before giving Harry his gifts. He got an assortment of pranks and other devious and fascinating products from Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, courtesy of George and Fred; a rather heavy book entitled Defense Against the Dark Arts Volume IV: Ancient Curses and How to Deflect Them from Hermione; a large box of chocolate frogs and other treats from Ron; an interesting Quidditch book from Ginny; and a knitted jumper from Mrs Weasley.

'Thank you,' Harry said bashfully, 'but you really shouldn't –'

'There's one more thing,' Molly said, jumping to her feet. She smiled excitedly and pulled out her wand. 'Arthur wanted me to wait until tonight to give you this one ...but I can't! I hope he'll understand,' she laughed. 'Is it alright with you, Harry?'

Harry looked at the other five, wondering what the woman could be going on about. 'Um, sure.'

'Excellent!' She waved her wand toward the clock on the wall and two more hands were added, one of the hands reading 'Harry' and the other reading 'Hermione' in fancy inscription. Both immediately pointed toward mortal peril, something Harry could've done without, but it was the thought that counted and the thought was not lost on him.

Harry smiled at the woman who had become somewhat of a mother to him over the past seven years. From sending him jumpers on Christmas to inviting him into her home, she was always warm and loving. He felt a pang of loss in his gut as he wondered – perhaps for the first time – how different his life would be if he still had his rightful mother. He had pondered this question over and over, but never in regards to the Weasleys or Hermione. If he had arrived at school that first day at Hogwarts without a scar and with parents waiting for him to return for Christmas and summer holidays, would he have befriended Ron? Wasn't it Mrs Weasley's mothering appearance and Ron's friendly (if slightly twitchy and removed) company at King's Cross followed by Hermione barging in on them that began the trio's friendship? If Harry had arrived with his own parents, knowing perfectly well how to make it onto the platform, would he have been the same to Ron and Hermione, and all the other friends he had made throughout his time at Hogwarts? Or would he have taken Malfoy up on his offer, and joined his ranks? Would he have even been offered a spot in Malfoy's group, if he weren't The Boy Who Lived?

He had always thought that he wouldn't trade his friends for anything, but would he trade them for his parents? Would he trade them for the chance to be a faceless nobody, instead of the "Chosen One"?

The answer used to be simple, black and white: YES. But now, the lines had blurred and he wasn't so sure what he would do. He was positive he wouldn't willfully let go of his parents, but he didn't want to think about all the people he'd have lost if his parents hadn't been killed. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. His parents were dead. They weren't coming back, and he didn't need to worry for no reason.

For the first time in Harry's life, he felt content with the circumstances under which he had been placed.

'Mrs Weasley, I –' He fell silent, at a loss for words. He would never be able to express his gratitude for the woman who took him in, nurtured him, and had not once rejected him, though he landed Ron and Ginny in more dangerous situations than he could even count. Through it all, she loved him as if he were her own son. Harry, who, ironically, had been saved sixteen years ago by the power of his mother's love, had never been touched by that particular emotion since. There was no love at the Dursley house, and no matter what terms they had left on, Harry was not anxious to ever return to Privet Drive. He didn't harbour any fondness for Little Whingingin any way, actually.

He looked at Hermione, hoping for some help, but she had tears in her eyes as she stared at the clock. She rose from the table and hugged Mrs Weasley tightly. Harry, deciding this was a good idea, followed suit.

'Thank you so much,' said Harry, 'but you didn't have to –'

'Oh, hush now,' said Mrs Weasley, 'you're my son, Harry.' Harry simply nodded as she turned on Hermione. 'And I know that you already have a family, dear, but you've still got a place in ours. Always. Both of you.' Molly took out her handkerchief and her watery eyes met Harry's again. 'You're a grown wizard now, and – and –' she looked down at her hands before giving a melodramatic sniff and rushing around to clear the dishes. 'You lot've grown up too bloody fast,' she sighed.

Fred grinned and said, 'Now, now, Mum –'

George, whose swig of pumpkin juice apparently went down the wrong way, choked out, 'Don't get your knickers in a twist –'

'You'll always have Georgie and me –'

'We're the best of the bunch, y'know.'

As if on cue, there was a small explosion from upstairs, which, Harry guessed, was a result of the twins. They exchanged fearful looks before mumbling something about getting back to the store and Disapparating before Mrs Weasley could stop them.

……………………………………………………………

'Did you hear that, Ron? Hermione's family now,' Ginny beamed as the four entered the drawing room, minutes later. She and Harry exchanged amused looks. 'I suppose it was only a matter of time before it happened ...one way or another.'

'What do you mean by that, exactly?' asked Hermione, shooting Ginny a warning look.

'Oh, nothing, just that I figured you'd be married into the family before you got officially added to the Weasley clock,' laughed Ginny. She looked at Ron who was seething at Ginny's comment.

'Marry into the family?' asked Ron. 'Hermione, you didn't tell me you were dating one of my brothers.'

The busy-haired girl laughed and rolled her eyes. 'Oh, didn't I? Percy and I are actually having a double-wedding with Bill and Fleur, I thought I told you. I've always thought he was the most attractive of you lot.'

'What! You think he's attractive?'

'Relax, Ron, I'm only joking.' When Ron gave a feeble laugh and started to change the subject, she added, 'Of course he isn't. I've always fancied Bill ...though Charlie's no troll, either.'

After Ginny's fit of giggles ceased, she choked out, 'Now, now, Hermione, don't talk about my brothers that way. They're yours too, after all. All of them.'

Hermione's face held a rather curious expression for an instant before replying. 'If you're right, then I guess Harry's kind of like another one of your brothers.' Ginny scowled and shot a nervous glance at Ron, who seemed oblivious to anything, while Harry gave his friend a questioning look, and a nervous realization dawned on him when Hermione winked in return. 'So,' she said, clearing her throat, 'I trust you'll be taking your Apparition test soon, now that you're seventeen?'

'Yeah, I guess I will. When are you taking it again, Ron?'

'Dad's taking me in about a week. You're coming, right?'

Harry nodded. 'Maybe you should consider shaving your eyebrows for the test, so there's no chance of leaving them behind,' he joked.

Ron gave him an unappreciative look. 'When do we begin looking for Horcruxes?' he blurted out.

'As soon as possible,' said Harry.

'As soon as possible, after the wedding,' corrected Ginny. 'I'll hex all three of you if you leave me here alone to deal with Phlegm.' Harry laughed, but Ron shook his head and muttered something.

'Maybe you'll be able to come with us,' Hermione suggested hopefully, earning her dirty looks from both Harry and Ron.

'She most certainly won't be coming,' her bother insisted.

'Why not?' Ginny demanded.

'Perhaps you don't understand how dangerous this is, but it isn't some silly game where I'll be able to protect you from getting hurt,' he said.

'I don't need you to protect me, Ron!'

'Yes, you do!'

'No, I DON'T! How d'you know you'll be any better than I would be? The only one of us who knows what a mission is like is Harry! Or are you just assuming that you'd be better, because you're a male?'

Hermione and Harry remained silent, knowing better than to get in between the two when they fought. They exchanged slightly worried, slightly entertained glances when both Weasley children got to their feet and started yelling in each other's faces. Harry briefly wondered if Mrs Weasley would bother putting a stop to their arguing, or if she was so used to it that, by now, she merely turned a deaf ear.

'I'm not basing any of this on me being a male, Ginny! I'm a better fighter than you, that's what I'm basing this on. Hermione's not a male, y'know, and she's coming,' Ron bellowed.

'Good of you to finally notice my gender,' Hermione said dryly, getting a nasty look from Ron and an amused one from Harry.

'Excuse me – you're a better fighter?' Ginny asked, incredulously.

'You're damn right I am!'

'That's funny, because – now, I might be wrong here – but I distinctly remember you yelling something along the lines of 'Accio brain' at the Department of Mysteries!' scoffed Ginny. 'A load of good you did that night! Who was the one fighting on their broken ankle and who was the one playing with brains?'

'That wasn't my fault!' argued Ron. 'And I think that I did pretty well at Hogwarts last month.'

'I did, too!'

'You're still not coming!'

Ginny turned to regard Harry. 'Aren't you going to say anything?' she asked.

He looked from one sibling to the other, unable to determine where his true loyalties were. He agreed with Ron, he didn't want her there, but she did make a point when she said she's a good fighter. A battle was waged between his head and his heart, and he didn't know which one he wanted to prevail. He opened his mouth to speak, but firmly shut it again and looked to Hermione for assistance.

'Don't look at me,' she said, 'this is your call. You're the one in charge.' He made a mental note to remember for later that he wasn't speaking to Hermione.

'I ...I don't know,' he stammered, averting his eyes from all three friends. He didn't want to have this particular discussion and, hoping to draw some sympathy from the fact that it was his birthday, he said, 'Can't we talk about this later?'

'All you ever want to do is put things off and deal with them later!' Ginny growled; her eyes alive with fury.

'What's that supposed to mean?' he yelled.

'You know what it means!'

Now, it was Ron's turn to sit back and watch the events that unfolded. The expression on his face told Harry that he had no idea what they were going off about, but he now knew that Hermione had been brought up to speed.

'Ginny –'

'Save it, Harry,' she sighed. She marched over to the door and, before leaving, muttered, 'Happy bloody birthday.'

……………………………………………………………

The dinner that night, with Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Arthur and Molly was uncomfortable. Ron was not speaking to Ginny, Ginny was not speaking to Harry and Harry briefly attempted to not speak to Hermione. All that could be heard was the clattering of plates, loud chewing and the occasional haughty sigh.

'Any big plans, now that you're of legal age, Harry?' Mr Weasley inquired after dinner that evening.

Mrs Weasley firmly stated, 'He's staying here, of course. Harry, I wouldn't dream of letting you return to those horrible Muggles – and oh – the thought of you at Grimmauld Place is far too unsettling.'

'Thanks, really, but I was actually thinking of spending a little time in Godric's Hollow before I settled down anywhere,' Harry said.

'Oh,' Molly said evenly, her features calm. Harry couldn't figure out her true thoughts on the matter. 'Yes, well, you know there will always be room for you here, if you want to come back.' She glanced up at the wall and Harry followed her gaze, looking happily at the clock in front of him. This was, by far, one of the prouder moments in his life. It was better than the feeling of catching the snitch during a Gryffindor game against Slytherin. It was better than sending Lucius Malfoy to jail and it far surpassed his kiss with Cho Chang. This moment was right up there with seeing the DA members' improvements and kissing Ginny after they won the Quidditch Cup. Just as Harry was about to thank them again, Fred and George appeared in the middle of the kitchen.

'Anyone fancy a game of Quidditch?' George asked.

'Absolutely not,' Mrs Weasley said sternly. 'No child of mine will be outside, flying around in the open, during times like these.' Harry saw Hermione beam as Mrs Weasley regarded both she and Harry as 'her children'.

'Molly,' Arthur said, not looking up from his edition of the Evening Prophet, 'it's about time now. We should go.'

'Right,' she said, not turning away from the kids. 'There's an Order meeting at Grimmauld Place tonight, so you lot have two options: You can either come with us to the meeting, or I'll stay here and watch you.'

Harry felt that both options were a bit extreme, but said nothing. Ginny glanced at him, looking outraged and embarrassed that her mother would even suggest such a thing, and said, 'Oi, Mum, Harry doesn't want to spend his seventeenth birthday at an Order meeting, even if it is in his own house.'

'Then I suppose I'll stay here. Arthur, you can go on both of our behalves.'

'Why?' asked Ron.

'You aren't old enough to stay home alone ...not under these circumstances!'

'Mum, Fred and I are nineteen, and all of us are legal but Ginny; we can manage things while you're gone!' George yelled.

Fred added, 'If something happens, George, Hermione and I can Apparate –'

'And Ron, Ginny and Harry can do Side-Along-Apparitions –'

'So go on, get to your bloody Order meeting –'

'The ones we still aren't allowed to attend –'

'Because everything will be fine over here,' Fred finished. Molly Weasley looked at the children, obviously debating whether to remain at The Burrow or attend the meeting.

'Honestly Mum, if You-Know-Who wants to bust in here and kill Harry, it won't make any difference whether you're here or at the Headquarters!'

'George!'

Mrs Weasley looked uneasily at them, and turned to her husband. Arthur Weasley glanced up from his paper and raised his eyebrows. 'I think they've all proven that they can handle it, Molly. Actually, if anyone will need protecting, it'll probably be Fred and George,' he chuckled.

'That's true,' she agreed. 'They haven't even graduated from Hogwarts.'

'It's like we're not even here,' Fred muttered. He waved his arms wildly, trying to get his mother to look at him, but it was to no avail.

'And actually, Mum, we came a helluva lot closer to graduating than these ones did,' George reminded her, gesturing toward Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron.

Molly waved them both off and sighed. 'I suppose we'll be alright by leaving them here,' she said to Arthur.

Arthur turned to the kids. 'Remember the rules: Don't let anyone inside without the secret question; don't go outside for any reason; don't let Ginny use magic; don't let Fred or George use their products –' (these last two were instructed to Hermione) 'and if there's trouble, you all get out as quickly as you can – don't stay and fight.' Harry couldn't help but notice the way Mr Weasley's eyes lingered on him slightly longer than the others when he said that.

A few minutes – and many promises to stay out of trouble – later, Molly and Arthur left. Fred and George turned to regard the others with satisfied smiles on their faces.

'Right, well, who wants to test some of our products?' Fred asked.

Hermione gave them a look.

'Okay, okay. How about we order up some – er – exotic dancers for the birthday boy?' George suggested.

Ginny gave them a look.

Fred grinned. 'Alright, then. Where does everybody stand on Firewhisky?'

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