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Sorry it took so long – sick, then computer problems, then busy, then homework... yadda

Chapter Fifteen

Answering the rest of his mail took a surprisingly long time, man he never realized before how many letters he got over a 7-day period. The fact that he had long ago set up a way for his muggle friends to send him mail in the wizarding world, via Hermione's parent's, meant that he spent the next several hours answering his mail. There was nothing particularly of note, asides from the several letters from Bill requesting his presence at that night's dinner and providing a portkey.

By the time he was finished he barely had time for a shower and to pick out an outfit before he had to be headed downstairs to say goodnight.

"I'm off now, I'll probably just stay over, never know how late these things are going to run."

"Well, if you change your mind, you have your portkey." Ever subtle Severus, was it just Harry or was his dear father not quite so happy to learn that Harry had a semi-stable guy as one would think he would have been?

"Have fun." Harry stood by the earlier thought that someone needed to smack that smirk off Draco's face.

"Yes, do have a nice night dear." Oh gods, even Cassi was smirking at him now! Where was a cliff to throw oneself of in mortal embarrassment when one needed it?

Gods, he never got tired of it, the sights, the smells, the warm feeling of almost perfect contentment that came when he entered the Weasley's home. This place could never just be called a house; it was definitely a HOME. Charlie, Bill and Arthur weren't there yet, and Percy was still on the outs of the family, so Harry got to spend time with the rest of the Weasley family.

"Oh Harry dear, or should I say Alex? Well aren't you just adorable like that, look at your silky hair!" Molly exclaimed the second she saw him, wrapping her arms around him in a bone-rearranging hug like always.

"Umm, it's probably best to stick to Alex in this form Mrs Weasley. It's great to see you."

He exchanged hugs with the others too. He was so happy Ginny had finally moved past her little crush of years ago but he supposed that finding out that he had slept with 2 of her 6 older bothers, 1 of whom he still slept with on a fairly regular bases, would put a bit of a dampener on her fantasies of an idyllic life with the hero. And seeing one in their pajamas with messy bed hair, yawning over porridge helped to disabuse one of hero-worship tendencies too.

Speculation ran wild among the teens as they discussed why Bill had insisted on calling the entire family together for dinner: Ginny seemed to be hoping that Bill was going to introduce his new girlfriend, she didn't think much of the current one. Ron thought maybe it had something to do with work. Fred and George came up with a more peculiar theory every 10 minutes. Harry secretly suspected that Bill was investing in a ball and chain, commonly called an engagement ring, and was announcing it tonight, but he wasn't going to suggest it and ruin the surprise for the others.

At 6:00 the Floo sprung to life and Charlie stepped through. Despite the fact that everyone knew they were sleeping together, even Molly knew about it, Harry still preferred not to make with any public displays in front of this particular group of people. Trading a kiss in the family kitchen, in front of said family was a little too sweet. Luckily though no one opted to comment when both boys headed upstairs with lame excuses, and returned 10 minutes later looking slightly flushed. Now that was a hello kiss! It wasn't long before Arthur also appeared. Now they were just waiting on Bill and his guest.

At 6:30 Bill arrived with Fleur, thereby dispelling Ginny theory. Greetings all around and they sat down to a fantastic family dinner. Big news traditionally being given with desert, no one pestered Bill just yet. Conversation flowed as it only can among family, with that grounding feeling of comfort even families who don't generally get along seem to gain from each other. It was over a fork full of mashed potatoes and peas that Harry realized that this almost reminded him of lunch at the manor, that even though he was still more comfortable here, he was starting to feel this way at the manor too. If his mind wasn't already refusing to process difficult thoughts, out of defense to the earlier revelation from Bill, this might have made him terribly uncomfortable in his own skin and mind.

The announcement came with desert like Harry expected. Engaged, of the to be married variety. It was so clichéd, tears and wine flowed, everybody was happy, hell even Ginny seemed happy despite the fact that Harry knew her opinion of Bill's brand new fiancé. Harry was happy too. He knew that his natural sarcasm might imply otherwise but the simple truth was that he loved Bill. He was a good friend, he was family, and this would make him happy. Bill, like all the Weasley's, was the settle down type, and like all the Weasley's, Harry knew this was right for him.

Desert ended and over coffee the weddings plans began, general at this point, just ideas being thrown around. It was nearing midnight before it was decided that they should all call it a night. As always a bed had been set up for Harry in Ron's room, and as always everybody knew that since Charlie was home it wouldn't be where he slept. He did head up to Ron's room though, where joined by the twins the four of them sat around chatting for another hour or so before Harry headed back down to Charlie' room.

Harry rarely indulged in sex under the Weasley's roof, and when he did it was always fast and quite, almost like he wanted to get it over with before he could settle down and relax. Of course that wasn't to say that he didn't find the nearby field convenient, but something about fucking the son of the closet thing he had ever known to parents under their roof always made Harry feel a little dirty, sleeping with was a whole different matter.

Charlie had been lying in the dark waiting for Harry to get back from his brother's room, so it was no surprise when he felt the bed dip and Harry slide in next to him. There was no whispered conversation that night, no sex, or anything else, a brief kiss and then Harry burrowed himself against Charlie's side, Charlie's arms came around him and they settled down to sleep.

Waking up alone when he had gone to bed with someone else was usually a blessing for Harry, saved the annoying morning after conversations with people you are already in the process of forgetting. So, the fact that Harry always found it unpleasant when he woke up alone after having gone to sleep with Charlie next to him wasn't something he planned to examine. It was just something he accepted when he woke up the next morning, already dreading the day. He just new it was likely to suck.

Over a large breakfast Molly reminded the children that September first was only 5 days away, and they had yet to go shopping. 5 days until he had to play Harry Potter for the world, 5 days before it was back to being the most loved, the most hated, and the most unknown person he could think of, unless Tommy Boy actually hugged puppies in secret.

Everybody else was ready, they had picked their subjects, they were all just waiting on Harry. It was just about lunchtime so Harry figured it was time to head home, open that bloody letter, choose some subjects and prepare to smile pretty for the public while shopping. With an agreement made to meet at the Leaky Cauldron the next morning to shop Harry took his portkey back to the manor.

He ran into Cassi in the entrance hall and she told him Draco had returned home that morning to prepare for school, so it would just be 'the immediate family' for lunch, Harry tried not to glare, sneer or grimace at that description, he didn't know if he succeeded though. Lunch was about to start so Harry decided to rush upstairs to grab his Hogwarts letter, deciding to read it and start thinking about subjects over lunch. Of course, later Harry would tell himself it was because he was in such a rush, and just so relieved about being free of Draco, that he decided to read his letter in front of them, but really he knew that was no excuse. He knew they were interested in it, so of course reading it in front of them was just asking for trouble, and his bad mood didn't help any either.

Sitting down to lunch after trading greetings Harry opened his Hogwarts letter.

Dear Mr. Harold James Potter,

Please find enclosed your results from the sittings of your Ordinary Wizarding Levels. The exams were graded impartially and all judges and examiners were tested with veritaserum to ensure no bias.

The grading system is as follows:

O- Outstanding

E- Exceeds Expectations

A- Acceptable

P- Poor

D- Dreadful

T- Troll

Astronomy: A

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Charms: E

Defense Against the Dark Arts: O

Divination: D

Herbology: E

History of Magic: P

Potions: O

Transfiguration: E

Griselda Marchbanks

High OWL Examiner

Ministry of Magic

Well, not as bad as he would have thought.

He had read it through twice, before he realized he had managed to capture the attention of the two other people at the table old enough to not be fascinated by their diced hotdog, and he hadn't even been trying.

"Something I can do for you both, or are you attempting to give me an eating disorder by staring?"

"We were just wondering what your Hogwarts letter said, dear." Harry tried to control his temper. First that crack about family, and then this whole questioning him about school thing, and okay, the bad mood was already there… even Cassi had the power to annoy him today.

"Well gee, I didn't realize it was so note worthy. I passed." Maybe they missed the biting tone since he hadn't directed it at them in a while, maybe they were just glutton for angst, but either way they pushed it. Trading a glance with Sev, Cassi tried again.

"That's great, Harry! But I already knew you would. What marks did you get?"

Slightly incredulous Harry couldn't help the sneer that seemed to take over his face. "Oh, I'm sorry I guess I missed the part were this was somebody's business other then mine. I got a D in Divination, a P in History of Magic, an A in Astronomy, an E in Charms, Herbology and Transfig, and an O in CoMC, DADA and Potions."

There was really no excuse for what happened next. Even Crabbe wouldn't have been so slow as to say what Sev did next. Even with much thought later he couldn't come up with an excuse about what possessed him in the moment the words left his mouth. Why not just yank that tiger's tale and alienate your newfound son a bit more…

"An O in potions? How did you manage that?" Sev's eyes widened almost comically even as the words left his mouth. Oh crap…

Cassi had already begun to realize that asking for clarification on the 'passed' issue hadn't been a good idea, but this was bloody ridiculous. Wide eyed she watched, praying it wasn't gonna be too bad.

The speed with which Harry's eyes widened for a moment before slamming into a look that gave whole new meaning to the saying 'if looks could kill' was almost scary. And the voice could freeze ice…

"How did I get an O in potions? Well it's quite simple you see. I'm actually fairly good at potions, it's quite a bit like cooking, an activity I have always enjoyed. Odd that I have almost failed it every other year then, yes? Well see I had a class full of Slytherin's who were constantly sabotaging my potions, and an arsehole of a professor who not only did nothing, but damn near encouraged it. Hell he hated me so much that he practically sabotaged them himself with the standing over my shoulder yelling constantly thing. A right prick who took far to much pleasure in my failures, in insulting me and mine, and in generally taking points and giving detentions for my mere continued existence, mea culpa for that. Now, if you don't mind, the words Fuck you very much and good day come to mind."

No one was stupid enough to try to stop him as he headed back up to the house.

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