Disclaimer; I don't know it, but I wish I did. Hope, on the other hand, belongs entirely to me. :)

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Chapter Fourteen: The New and Improved Burrow

Hope winced yet again as she wrapped the bandages tightly around her arm. Two days after Ginny's attack of her room, Hope's arm was worse than ever. She sighed and pulled on some black sweatpants and a blue camisole tank top.

A knock sounded at her door and she rushed over to pull it open. Her brother and Hermione were at the other end. Opening the door wider, she motioned for them to come in.

"What's going on, guys?" She asked as she pulled her tennis shoes on.

"We were just making sure you still wanted to help today. We would understand if you didn't…after what Ginny did."

Hope shook her head. "The way I see it, the sooner this place gets built, the sooner she is out of my house and away from Harry."

Hermione and Draco laughed. "That's a good way to think about it," Draco said.

Hope shrugged. "What did Dad say the other day? He hasn't talked to me since."

Draco made a face. "He said you were acting completely irresponsible with no thought to safety."

Hope winced. "And he still expects me to figure out how to fix my bed and wall?" Draco nodded. "Great, here goes another night on the couch."

They both gave her looks of sympathy when there was another knock at her door. Everyone turned and saw a smiling and disheveled Harry.

"Hey Everyone! Let's get started! Where's Severus?"

"Right here," a voice said behind them. "Let's go, and Hope, let's not experiment with shields while we're there," he added with accusing eyes.

Hope sighed. "Yes sir."

He nodded curtly and held out a necklace. Everybody reached out and grabbed it before it glowed and they felt the tug behind their navels and landed on the hard ground.

"Ow," Hope complained as her head hit a tree. "Couldn't you have picked a better place to land?"

Severus glared at his daughter. "Maybe you should practice shielding yourself," he said sarcastically.

Hope sighed and looked at the ground. "Let's just get this done."

Severus stopped in front of the annihilated burrow. He took out his wand and turned toward the children.

"Watch carefully. Before we can begin any construction, we have to clean up all the old parts of the house. I'm going to show this to you once, so pay attention. There is no incantation to go with it, only wand work."

Severus waved his wand in a very complicated motion before turning to the children. "Now you try it."

All of them pointed their wands at a piece of debris and tried the wordless spell. Hope and Hermione got it on first try, but Draco had to try twice and Harry just couldn't figure it out. Hope laughed before going over to help him.

After Harry figured it out, Severus split them into partners. Harry and Hermione, and Draco and Hope. Hope shook her head at her father's obvious attempt at trying to keep her separated from Harry.

"Is he ever going to speak to me without scorn again?" Hope muttered while angrily banishing a piece of debris.

"Probably not," Draco said, attempting some humor. When Hope glared at him, he patted her on the back encouragingly. "Give him some time. I'll show you how to fix the wall and bed later."

Hope sighed and nodded. She continued banishing pieces of debris for several hours. Finally, after the last piece, they all sat down to eat some lunch. Hope leaned against the tree, closing her eyes to rest for a few moments.

"Hope, you okay?" Harry asked, as he sat down next to her and handed her a cold drink and sandwich.

"Yeah, just a bit tired," she replied as she opened the drink and drained it empty.

"Maybe you should wait for a bit. You're supposed to be taking it easy for a couple months."

Hope glared at him. "It was my idea to do this. My father is already pissed at me; do you really think it would help matters if I took some time to relax while everyone else is working?"

"He would if you explained to him why you need to take a break."

Hope sighed. "I appreciate your concern Harry, but I'll be fine. I'll just make sure I sleep tonight."

Harry shrugged and helped her stand up. "Then work with me so I can watch you. I don't want you passing out and nobody realizing it."

Hope smiled as she banished their trash and joined the others. Severus was inspecting the area to insure there was no left over trash. He returned and pulled out his wand.

"Today we are only going to focus on the exterior frame of the house. We'll be in three teams once again. I'll do the front. Hermione, you and Harry will do the left side while Hope does the right. Draco will do the back."

"What about me? I'm better at these spells than Draco and everyone knows the front and back are the hardest." Hope asked.

"I don't trust you with that kind of magic," he said cruelly. Then, turning to everyone, he asked. "Do you all have your plans of what it is to look like?"

Everyone nodded. Severus showed them how to build the brick exterior, and also how to add in windows. An hour later, they started.

Hope built about half the wall before pausing to catch her breath. The advanced magic was really starting to take its toll on her. She looked around and saw Harry and Hermione laughing as they finished their side. The front was built and her father was helping Draco with the back. Hope rubbed her head to try to block the headache she was receiving before raising her wand again.

"Need some help?" Harry asked from behind her.

Hope sighed. "My father might throw a fit."

Harry shrugged. "Let him."

He raised his wand and together they completed the last side of the house. Once they were done, Hope staggered back and felt Harry's arms encircle her. She leaned against him for a moment.

"You okay?" He asked her.

She nodded against his chest as she caught her breath before backing away from him and rejoining her father. Severus looked at the girl carefully, noticing the fatigue in her eyes. He brushed it off to the advanced magic and continued on.

"We still have some time tonight. We'll go ahead and build the rooms, and decorate them tomorrow. We also need to ward, but we'll do that once Albus gets here with some help. The more people involved in the warding, the stronger it will be."

Hope sighed as she followed her father inside.

"There are two floors. The top floor will be devoted to bedrooms and the bottom floor will have a kitchen, sitting room, dining room, and an office. Harry, Hermione, and Draco, the three of you will stay down here and build half walls in between all the rooms. The office will need a full wall with a door. Draco, I believe you and Hermione know the spell from your research?" Draco nodded. "Very well, Hope and I will be building the bedrooms upstairs."

"Sir, aren't the bedrooms harder to build?" Harry asked, knowing how close to exhaustion Hope was becoming.

"Yes. The half walls are a simple spell, while full room building takes full concentration. While I'm not sure my daughter can control herself, I'd rather have her within sight so she doesn't destroy anything."

The three teens sighed while Hope turned away and looked about to lose her temper. Severus ignored them and turned to build the stairs. He turned toward the teens and spelled a wood floor under their feet before turning and doing the same thing for the top. He then turned and headed upstairs, with Hope solemnly following.

Harry shook his head and turned toward his friends. "He's being really hard on her."

Hermione nodded. "He thinks she blew up her bedroom though, can you blame him?"

Draco was still staring up at the top of the stairs. "She looks like she's about to collapse. I think he's forgotten that she's supposed to be taking it easy for the next couple weeks."

Harry sighed. "She's tired. She almost fell when we were building the walls outside. She's not going to be able to help with the warding. It'll weaken them rather than strengthen them."

Hermione shook her head as she started building the walls. "It won't hurt the wards. It'll still help, but they wouldn't be as strong as they would if she was fully energized. We'll probably re-ward them later, though."

Harry and Draco nodded as they also began building. They got done quickly and went upstairs to see if they were needed. Instead, they walked head on into a confrontation.

"Hope, what is wrong with you? You try to destroy my house, then don't even focus hard enough to complete a project that you suggested?"

Hope gritted her teeth as she tried the spell again. Her magic was drained and she was exhausted. But her father was so wrapped up in his anger that he refused to see it. "I'm trying, Severus!"

He turned and glared at her. "You're not focusing."

"It's hard to do that with someone constantly yelling at you and criticizing you."

"I wouldn't have to if you would just get it right."

The look Hope gave him could've frightened even Voldemort. She walked straight up to him and stared at him while she spoke in low dangerous tones. "I don't give a damn how mad you are at me for destroying a part of your precious house. You don't understand what the hell went on in that room; you only know what I chose to tell you, so get over it. In case you've forgotten, my magic is a bit weakened at the moment. It's not because I'm not focusing that the spell isn't working, it is simply because my magic isn't strong enough at the current time."

Severus looked as if he'd been smacked as Hope turned around and walked down the stairs. He went to go after her but was stopped by Draco. Severus turned questioning eyes on all of them as Draco nodded to Hermione to go.

"What really happened in the room?" He asked.

Harry sighed. "I walked in as Ginny threw a curse at Hope that hit the wall. It grazed her arm when Hope's block fell a little. The bed was already on fire but Ginny basically admitted to doing that also. Ginny said she just snapped at something Hope had said."

Draco looked at his father whenever he turned his eyes to him. "Hermione and I came up after Harry had left to get you. Hope said that Ginny was making sure Harry never wanted anything to do with her again by cursing her skin off by flame."

Severus looked dangerous. "And nobody felt it important to inform me that my daughter was attacked in her own home, at a time when her powers are the weakest they could possibly be?"

Draco sighed. "Hope was afraid you'd kick her out. She felt sorry for Ginny and said that unless she was bearing the dark mark, she didn't want to make her life any worse."

Severus sighed and rubbed his head. "Let's finish up here, I'll talk with your sister later."

Together they built six bedrooms and a hallway before going downstairs. Looking around, they didn't see Hope and Hermione so they went outside to the starry night.

Hope was leaning against a tree when a series of pops sounded around her. She didn't even bother opening her eyes. "Are those death eaters?" She asked Hermione.

"Not quite, child. Just an old headmaster and some friends."

"Damn," Hope muttered as she stood. "Guess it's time to ward this place then, huh?"

"Hope, maybe you shouldn't…" Severus began.

"Like you give a damn," Hope replied scathingly, as she brandished her wand.

"Of course I care, you're my daughter."

Hope rolled her eyes. "When it pleases you, I am." She turned to everyone else. "Let's get started."

Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder. "I agree with Severus, Hope. Your magic is still weakened from the healing. You've done enough for today, I believe. However, it is completely your choice."

Hope nodded at the headmaster and lifted her wand. Dumbledore explained to the four teens how it worked before starting the old incantation.

About halfway through, Hope began to feel very weak. She stumbled over a rock, barely catching herself before falling. Shaking her head, she continued around the house, muttering the incantation.

Hope reached back to the starting place and collapsed against someone behind her. "Harry?" She asked.

"Not quite," the voice replied gruffly as he picked her up. "Can you get the rest of the kids back to the manor, Albus?"

The headmaster must have nodded because Hope heard a pop and suddenly she was at another destination. She looked around her bedroom and groaned.

"Thought we couldn't apparate directly into the manor…" she muttered against the person's shirt.

"You can't, only I, as the owner of the manor, can." She recognized the voice this time…her father.

"Oh…" Hope muttered, her eyes fighting to stay open.

"Hope, why haven't you fixed your bed yet?" Her father asked gently yet sternly as he juggled her weight and pulled his wand out. He muttered some spells and the bed was brand new.

"Didn't know how," she muttered. Her father carried her over and laid her on her bed. She went to sit up and felt his hands on her shoulders pushing her back down.

"No, have to change my bandage…Herm says it'll come infect'd," she murmured tiredly as she tried to sit up again.

"I will get child, lay back down."

Hope laid back down and close her eyes and then she felt the bandages on her arm being pulled off. She heard her father let out a small gasp when he saw the damage.

"Lea, why didn't you come get me? It's already infected."

"You were mad," she muttered against her pillow. She jerked her arm when her father touched the burn. "th't hurts…"

"I know," he whispered gently. He summoned some cream and put it on the burn. He then wet a cloth and put it against the burn before re-wrapping it.

Hope groaned and turned over onto her side so she was facing him. "You still mad?"

Severus shook his head at the girl. "No, I know what really happened now. I'll overlook Miss Weasley's stupidity because of the fact that she will be out of my house in two days. If she even threatens you again, then please inform me?"

Hope nodded. "Can I sleep now?"

Severus laughed. "Yes, Lea. You can sleep."

The next morning, Hope was awakened by Draco and Harry jumping on her bed. She groaned and hit them with her pillow.

"Hope, come on, we have a house to decorate."

Hope warily got out of bed. She looked toward the two boys. "Is Severus going to allow you two to handle paint?"

Both nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, Merlin, I'm wearing old clothes then," she threw at them as she grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom to shower. She came back out and pulled her hair into a bun on the top of her head. She turned around to the boys laying on her bed and raised an eyebrow.

"You two louts about ready to go?"

They both jumped up. "Finally! Hermione is downstairs waiting for us. She's got layouts of all the rooms. If each of us take an upstairs room, as well as a downstairs room, we'll be done in no time."

Hope laughed as she led the way down the stairs. She was still extremely tired from yesterday, but she was more than ready to have her house back.

They all arrived in the room where Hermione was with Severus. Upon seeing her, Severus walked over and looked at her closely.

"You're still tired," he stated.

Hope shrugged. "Just a little, I'll be fine."

"Yeah, Dad. We're all going to do two rooms and then be back here to present it to the Weasleys.

"Absolutely not. After yesterday, Hope is not to be by herself. I'm not convinced she's okay to do advanced magic again. She'll work with me."

Hope wasn't in the mood to argue about being partnered up, but she'd rather partner with someone other than her dad. "What about Harry? I can work with him. He'll watch me closely."

Severus pondered the idea before nodding. They all took the same portkey as yesterday and were on their way. Hermione did Ginny's room, Severus did the adult Weasley's, Draco did Bill's, Hope and Harry did the twin's, and they all worked together on Bill and Charlie's rooms. Afterwards, they went downstairs. Hope and Harry did the office, while Severus did the kitchen, Hermione did the sitting room, and Draco did the dining room. After five hours, they went back to the manor.

Harry used a sonorous on his voice and smiled. "Calling all Weasley's, please quickly pack your belongings and move toward the sitting room."

Everyone laughed until the Weasley's showed up looking nervous a few minutes later. Mr. Weasley looked at Severus.

"Did we wear out our welcome, Severus?" He asked, wondering why they were being ejected.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I said you were welcome to stay as long as you wanted, but I assumed you would prefer to stay in your new house. If you'd rather go back to your rooms, be my guest."

Arthur stared at the man. "Our home was destroyed."

"Nuh uh," Hope countered. "We fixed it. It's better than ever."

Molly looked at Hope and went to hug her. "Woah, wait. Hugs are later, house is now. Let's go people," she said as she held out the portkey for the last time. As all the Weasley's grabbed on and disappeared, she smiled.

"Hey Dad?" She asked her father.

"Hmm?" He asked.

"Since we actually have a free Quidditch pitch for the first time in ages, how about we all go play?"

Severus smiled. "I think that sounds great."

"I call seeker!" Harry and Hope yelled at the same time as they raced toward the pitch.

Severus shook his head and threw his arm around his son's shoulder as they walked out after the other two.

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This is honestly my favorite chapter in the first two parts. I love it, and am extremely happy with how it turned out. What do you all think? Love it? Hate it? Let me know so I can fix it or write more scenes like it.
Kayla

P.S. For those who are angels and joined my yahoo group, you should know that I am going to post chapters for the third there on Wed.'s not Fri.'s On Fanfictioin it will still be Friday, but that's just a perk for members. Plus I'm going to add some scenes that aren't in the original stories.