Questions Without Answers

Molly Weasley and the rest of the Weasley clan did double take when they saw Arthur walk back into the house, carrying a dozing Ginny in his arms. Her first thought was that something bad had happened, but she could tell by the gentle look on her husband's face that it was not the case. Arthur gave her a meaningful look as he walked by her and towards the stairs.

After so many years of marriage, Molly got the message instantly. "Alright kids. Time for bed. I want you to go to your rooms straight away, and I better not find out that you woke your sister."

Even though all of her children were of Wizarding age or even married, they gave no objections and for once, praise Merlin, went to their rooms quietly. Molly watched as Ron took Hermione's hand as they walked out of the room and she allowed herself to smile a little. Ron had been smitten with Hermione ever since the summer before their fourth year but he had never had the courage or confidence to ask her out proper. Even if he did, he would have had to throw it on the backburner as the two did what they could to assist Harry in the ludicrous task that he had been handed by fate.

Molly shook her head. They were just babies. Her babies. Yet they had banded together and accomplished the unthinkable, destroying the Dark Lord's Horcruxes and killing him as well. Pride was too small of a word to describe the feelings she had for the trio. She had to fight the urge to run upstairs right then and sweep them all into a hug. Sighing instead, she turned back to the leftover dinner dishes and began humming to herself as she started to clean them.

Arthur made his way back into the kitchen a moment later, having deposited his daughter safely in her bed. He didn't announce his presence, but instead stood in the doorway, silently watching his wife tidy up from supper. There never seemed to be a moment where he didn't find something enchanting about Molly. It didn't have to be anything profound, just the little mannerisms that she did unconsciously were enough to make his heart burst with affection. Just looking at the way she swayed her hips as she washed the dishes was enough to arouse his passion for her. With a ghost of a smile, he silently walked up behind Molly and threaded his arms around her waist kissing her neck just below her ear.

Molly gave a start but then leaned back into the embrace of her husband. "Arthur! You gave me a fright! I could have dropped all these dishes!"

Arthur had not responded other than to continue lightly kissing his wife up and down her neck.

Molly flushed with pleasure and gave a little giggle, "Arthur Weasley what has gotten in to you? Honestly, you'd think you'd never set eyes on me before."

Finally Arthur replied verbally, "I have, but it always seems like the first time because you always take my breath away."

Molly sighed happily and closed her eyes as Arthur began to run his hands under her shirt. When a start she returned to reality and realized what her husband was doing. Molly whispered fiercely to her husband, "Arthur! What if one of the kids come down and see us like this? They're going to think I'm a scarlet woman!"

Arthur only chuckled and whispered into her ear, "Well you certainly have the right hair color for it, love."

Molly turned to slap her husband's arm but Arthur, overcome with love, grabbed his wife and, like his daughter earlier, scooped her up in his arms.

"Arthur! What about the dishes?"

"They'll be there in the morning dear," he said, finishing with a kiss.

Molly's heart fluttered in her chest as if it was her first time. "I love you Mr. Weasley."

"And I you Mrs. Weasley."

With that they made their way to the master bedroom to partake of the gifts of blessed marriage.

The next morning found Mr. Weasley sitting at the table with his eldest son as Molly prepared breakfast.

"Bill, I need you to do something for me," he said as he set down that morning's newspaper.

Bill took a sip of his coffee as he nodded, "Sure thing Dad. What's up?"

"I need you to contact the Order and have them start looking for Harry."

There was a clatter as Molly dropped the pan that she had picked up. "What's wrong with Harry, Arthur?" Bill's eyes asked the same question.

Arthur looked at both of them each in turn, "I believe that he's in trouble. Quite possibly big trouble." He briefed them on his conversation with Ginny from the night before.

Bill's face filled with concern as Molly put a hand to her mouth, "Oh Arthur! What are we going to do? We have to find our Harry!"

"Our Harry?" Arthur asked while suppressing a smile.

"Of course our Harry. You know he's family. We're all he has!"

Arthur sobered quickly as he thought of all the loved ones that Harry had lost in his short lifetime. "As always you are right Molly. That is why we are going to leave no stone unturned as we look for him."

Molly nodded in satisfaction as Bill said, "So what all is the plan?"

Arthur took a breath before beginning, "Bill I want you to round up the Order and have them start inquiring about Harry and his whereabouts. I'm going to ask around at the Ministry and see if I can't get a lead or two. And I'm going to have George and Ron keep their ears open for gossip about Harry at the Joke shop. As soon as we can find out something, the quicker we can pinpoint Harry's location."

Molly sat down next to her husband and took his hand. 'What do you want me to do dear?"

Arthur smiled. "Molly, I need you to floo Minerva and inform her of the situation. Ask her to keep an eye out and then ask her if she would be willing to let Hermione come back to Hogwarts this term."

Molly seemed confused. "Hermione? I'm sure she would love to go back, but why?"

"I need someone there to keep watch over Ginny," Arthur explained. "This way Ginny won't go running off and try to find Harry by herself. Besides, I think Hermione is still a tad upset about not getting a chance to do her N.E.W.T.s," he finished with a chuckle.

"That's a good idea, Dad!" Bill agreed wholeheartedly. "I'll also ask around at Gringotts and see if I can't find out something."

"Excellent! Now I don't have to remind you how important it is that we remain discreet about this. We don't want reporters flooding the Wizarding world with stories speculating as to what happened to Harry."

"Of course!" both of them said at once.

Bill drained his coffee in one gulp and stood, "Well I better get to it then if we want to find Harry."

Mrs. Weasley protested, "But Bill! You haven't had breakfast yet!"

Bill just shrugged, "I'll eat a big lunch to compensate, I promise. Besides, the sooner I leave, the quicker I getting my brother back."

Molly's eyes misted over as she wordlessly nodded.

Arthur stood and shook his son's hand, "Very well. Good luck son. Be sure to let me know whatever you find out."

"Sure thing Dad." Bill said as he returned Arthur's handshake, kissed Mrs. Weasley and headed out the door for the apparition point.

Sometime later, Ron, Hermione and Ginny made it downstairs to the kitchen where breakfast was laid out for them.

"Oh good!" said Mrs. Weasley as she noticed them come shuffling in. "I was just about to call you to come down."

Ginny sighed as she sat down at the table. She knew that there was no time better than the present to say what she had to say. "Mum, I need to tell you something."

Mrs. Weasley didn't seem to pay much attention as she busied herself with setting out their plates and glasses. "What's that dear?"

Ginny took a deep breath and rushed everything out at once. "I'mnotgoingbacktoHogwartsthisyear."

Mrs. Weasley stopped dead in her tracks. "What did you just say?" She fixed Ginny with a stare that would have made a battalion of Aurors quail. "I could have sworn you said that you weren't going to attend Hogwarts this year."

Ginny lifted her chin in defiance. "That's right mum. I'm going to go look for Harry..." she glanced to the couple sitting next to her, "And Ron and Hermione are going to help me."

Mrs. Weasley now turned her gaze to the two other kids who immediately blushed and lowered their gazes to examine the kitchen table. "I see. So they are involving themselves in this ridiculousness as well?"

Ginny just nodded. She had discussed the events of yesterday with them earlier and they had developed this plan not five minutes ago. 'It's not stupid mum. Harry needs me… He needs us. We have to find him!"

"Well I am quite sorry young lady, but that position has already been handed out. Your father has dispatched the Order to look for Harry, and he is also going to get the Ministry to begin looking as well." Mrs. Weasley replied. "With so many people looking for him, he's bound to turn up soon. I suggest that you not worry yourself about this and instead focus on your last year at Hogwarts." It was evident by her tone that Mrs. Weasley's previous statement was not much in the way of a suggestion.

Ginny's temper was beginning to rise to the surface now. "You can't stop us from going after Harry! I love him and I'm not going to let him rot somewhere until you stumble upon him!"

Mrs. Weasley, who secretly was ecstatic at her daughter's confession of love for Harry, knew that she had to take a different approach if she was going to head off a potential stealing away in the night of the three teenagers in front of her. "Well I'd imagine that Hermione is going to find it a tad difficult to be searching all over the country for Harry when she has classes to attend."

Hermione, who had been watching this verbal exchange between the two Weasley females started at the mention of her name. "Wha? Uh, Mrs. Weasley… what do you mean that I have classes to attend?"

"Oh I almost forgot to tell you, dear." Mrs. Weasley said, concealing a sly smile. "Professor McGonagall flooed me earlier this morning and told me that both you and Ron were more than welcome to come back to Hogwarts to finish your seventh year studies and take your N.E.W.T.s."

Ron groaned at this news while Hermione, as expected, almost squealed with delight. "Did you hear that Ron? She said we could go back and finish our seventh year! This is so exciting! But oh dear, I haven't even done any homework or read any of the material yet! Excuse me please!" And with that she dashed from the table and up to the bedroom she shared with Ginny.

Ginny knew that she had been easily outmaneuvered by her mother, but she couldn't help but get in one final shot. "Well fine then. We'll go to school. But I can't believe that I actually thought that you cared about Harry and what happens to him."

Mrs. Weasley's face drained of all its color. She stood stunned as if Ginny had slapped her in the face. Ron sat gaping like a fish for two seconds before turning tail and running up the stairs after Hermione, desperate to avoid the confrontation that was about to take place.

It took a moment before Mrs. Weasley could compose herself enough to speak. "How dare you say those horrid things about me Ginevra Weasley. I have done nothing but try to show Harry love and what it means to be a member of a proper family. One that loves him as their own."

Ginny was going to defend herself and her words, but she was caught totally off guard by the quiet, trembling voice of her mother.

"I have watched him day in and day out as he has struggled to try and make sense of a life that has done nothing but require him to sacrifice everything and everyone that he held dear to him. I've seen the scars, both physically and mentally, that he has had to endure so that others could have hope. I've watched him from the doorway of Ron's room as he's tossed and turned, caught up in nightmares that would drive any normal person mad with grief. Yet he did it all freely, not complaining about his burden, but shouldering a responsibility that was way too much for him to bear. All that I have ever wanted is to see Harry happy, to see him safe. So never ever say that I do not care about that boy because I love him as if he was my very own flesh and blood."

With her mother's final words, Ginny burst into tears, unable to control herself any longer. The things that her mother said cut her like a knife and she suddenly found herself extremely ashamed of what she had just accused her of.

In an instant, Mrs. Weasley was at her daughter's side, gently holding her in her arms as she sobbed. "I'm so sorry mum! I'm just scared for Harry!"

"I know dear," Mrs. Weasley replied. "Harry is really lucky to have someone like you who cares for him so much. Now…" she smoothly changed the subject, "…how about we go to Diagon Alley today and get your things for school?"

Ginny sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Okay. I'd imagine Hermione would have a fit if we didn't go before long." She managed a small laugh.

"There's a dear now." Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Go and tell our two lovebirds to get ready and we'll leave in an hour."

Ginny giggled as she gave her mother a hug and ran upstairs to inform the two others of their plans for the day.

Diagon Alley was bustling as usual when the three teens and Mrs. Weasley arrived later that morning. As usual, the first place that Hermione raced for was Flourish and Blott's to look for the books she would need for her final term. Ron just sighed as he prepared to make his way into the bookstore in search of his girlfriend. That's when Mrs. Weasley did something that threw Ginny for quite a loop. Her mother walked up to Ron and put her arm around his shoulder before speaking.

"Ron, you don't really want to go back to school do you?"

Ron, looking somewhat perplexed, thought for a second before answering. "Well school's not so bad I suppose, but it's not going to be the same… I mean, Hermione will be there… but Harry is… you know… and well, I just don't think it'd be the same."

Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly at her youngest son and his obvious conflict between his best mate and his girlfriend. "Ron, I'm so proud of you. You are such a good friend to Harry. I know you want to help him, but I also know you don't want to be away from Hermione either." Ron blushed as she went on. "I want you to know that you don't have to go back to Hogwarts if you don't want to."

Both Ginny and Ron were shocked when their mother said this. Molly Weasley not caring if one of her children completed their education?

Ron was finding it difficult to form his words. "But… what about… um… Hermione?"

Mrs. Weasley chuckled quietly as she drew her son closer. "Well I think I may have an answer for you. Isn't George preparing to open a new branch of the Joke shop in Hogsmeade? Why don't we see if you can't move there and take over for him? I mean, you have been helping him all summer, so you should be able to pick it up easily enough right? That way you can be close to Hermione and still in the loop when it comes to Harry."

Ron's face lit up as his mother's words sunk in. "Thanks mum! I'm going to go tell Hermione the good news!' Without another word he ran full tilt into the bookstore.

Ginny turned to her mother, "What are you going to do if George doesn't let him run the new shop?"

Mrs. Weasley didn't even break a smile when she replied, "Oh, he's going to give Ron a job. He will if he knows what's good for him…"

Ginny laughed as she and her mother entered the store in Ron's wake.

Flourish and Blott's was crammed full of people as usual. Children and parents were hustling to purchase books for the upcoming Hogwarts term. The air was warm with all the people in such close proximity and Ginny was beginning to feel smothered by the heat. Knowing that her mother would take care of procuring her textbooks, she instead went in search of Ron and Hermione.

She found the couple in a corner of the store away from the majority of shoppers. Ron was talking animatedly to his girlfriend. "Probably telling Hermione about Mum's proposal," Ginny thought to herself noticing the less than pleased look on Hermione's face.

"I don't know Ron, N.E.W.T.s are really important for wizards and I just don't think it's a good idea to skip them when Professor McGonagall has given you the opportunity to retake them."

"But Hermione, you know it's not going to be the same it Hogwarts. I just don't think I can be there without my best mate." Ron replied looking somewhat crestfallen.

"Nevertheless, it would be in your best interest to stay on and MMMFFF!"

Ginny watched in shock as Ron stopped Hermione in mid-lecture by grabbing her waist and attacking her lips with a fierce kiss. Hermione stiffened in surprise for a moment before melting into Ron's arms and returning his kiss with equal passion. Ginny laughed to herself as she determined that Ron had finally found a good way to end Hermione's constant lectures without getting into a row.

As she secretly watched the beginning of what was soon to be an all out snog-fest, she decided that she should, for the sake of propriety of course, break up the couple before they caused a scandal.

With a smile ghosting her lips, Ginny walked into the open and said in an inquisitive voice, "Blimey, Ron I didn't realize that you knew how to perform Muggle CPR!"

The couple shot apart instantly like two opposing magnets, that is if magnets could blush like tomatoes. "Bloody hell Ginny, can't we ever have a moment of peace?" Ron hissed.

"Oh of course you can Ronnie dearest!" Ginny said sweetly. "I gave you quite a few moments before I decided you needed a verbal cold shower."

"Just how long have you been watching us?" Ron asked angrily.

'Long enough." Ginny replied with a smirk.

Hermione tried to change the subject. "So Ginny, did you get all of your books yet?"

Ginny just shrugged. "I'd imagine that mum is getting them right now. I thought I'd come and find you two because I felt smothered with all the peop-" Suddenly, Ginny gasped, going pale.

Both Ron and Hermione looked at Ginny with alarm. Hermione grabbed her arm as she swayed on her feet. "Ginny what's wrong?"

Ginny was unable to answer because suddenly the pendant Harry had given her jumped against her skin, sending an intense burning pain across her body. Her head began to swim as a door seemed to open in her mind. Feelings of pain and anger came flowing through the opened door, overwhelming her senses and giving her a strong feeling of nausea.

Suddenly, Ginny was aware that she was sitting on the floor being held by Hermione. There was a bitter, metallic taste in her mouth that reminded her of blood. As she tried to figure out what was happening, Ron reappeared at her side with a frightened Mrs. Weasley. Immediately, Mrs. Weasley knelt beside her daughter, asking a million questions.

"Ginny what's wrong? Are you ill? Please speak to me!"

Ginny knew what was wrong. This same type of feeling had come yesterday. Barely finding the strength to speak, she murmured, "It's Harry. He's in trouble again!"

Mrs. Weasley looked grim. She seemed to be contemplating all her options before making up her mind. "That settles it. I'm going to go inform your father that action needs to be taken now. Hermione. Ron. Will you please take Ginny back home and get her in bed? I will be home with your school things after I've talked with your father."

With the two teen's help she got Ginny to her feet and moving towards the door. The intensity of the experience she just had left Ginny trembling like a newborn colt. It took some slow going and a couple of rests to get Ginny back to the Leaky Cauldron so that they could floo home.

Once back at the Burrow, Ron and Hermione got Ginny into bed where she fell asleep almost instantly. The remaining two stood next to her bed holding hands as they tried to assimilate just what exactly was going on.

Hermione was the first to break the silence. "Ron, what do you think is wrong with Harry?' There was a slight tremble in her voice.

Ron, whose gaze lingered on his slumbering sister, was unsure. "I don't know Hermione. But I do know one thing. I can't stand seeing my sister like this. We've got to stop this."

"You can't be suggesting that this is Harry's fault?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Ron just shook his head. "Of course not. Harry is in trouble, even more so than Ginny. We've got to figure out where he is so we can help him."

Hermione turned and gave her boyfriend a small kiss on his cheek. "We will Ron. We always do."

Ron just sighed as he continued to watch over his sister. "I hope we do Hermione. I hope we do."