Chap 2: Pepper Imps

That night, most of the families present for the funerals were to stay in Hogwarts. Between the students presents, the families, the Ministry workers and the wizards working on the repairs, the Great Hall was full for dinner. And such a crowd meant a lot of noise, regardless of the sad events that had occurred that morning.

Harry Potter was sitting at the Gryffindor's table, close to the Head Table. Not only, because Harry still had a knack for overhearing conversations and because with Minister Shacklebolt and Headmistress McGonagall close by, journalists and fan left him somewhat alone. The Weasleys had sat with him also, along with Andromeda Tonks, shaking with sobs once in a while.

The infant in her arms had not liked that, so sensing his godson's discomfort, Harry had proposed Mrs. Tonks to take him while she ate, for which she was grateful.

Halfway through dinner, George arrived, which lessened Mrs. Weasley's fussing. She went back to caring for Ron and Percy, her two sons who she hadn't seen in months. The lonely twin sat next to Harry, not really caring that he had pushed his sister from the boy whom she was trying to talk to.

"I'll give you back your advance by the end of the week"

As George had not talked since he had seen his twin's corpse, anything he could have said would have surprised his family. But to say such a weird phrase to Harry was not at all what their were expecting. The black haired wizard knew that he was talking about the Triwizard Tournament Prize money he had given to the twins to open their shop.

"I gave it to you, I never had any intention of asking it back, I did not want it then. What maked you think I want it now?"

"I'm closing down" said George taking a bite of whatever was in front of him. "It's procedure that I gave you your share."

By then, the rest of the family had caught on. The mystery of how the twins had the money to open their shop was simply Harry. And now that he was alone, George wanted to close. They protested, Mrs. Weasley the most, surprisingly enough. It was the twins' dream to open a joke shop, why crushed it now, when less than a week ago, he was still inventing the Toughtful Tonic (slip a drop in your friend's drink and the victim will be forced to say his thoughts aloud for 24 hours unless he takes the antidote - the Shut-Up solution - whose side-affects is that the victim will be mute until the Tonic loses his effects) with Fred.

And there was why. Fred was not here. George would not admit his twin's death but he had no choice but admit his absence.

Ron, of all people was the one to stop this non-sense.

"How about we stop before making rash decisions?" He looked from Teddy who was happily sucking Harry's fist to his father before looking at a serious George. "You want to sell the shop? Fine. I'll buy it." He raised his hand to stop Hermione. "Weasley Wizarding Wheezes is the product of years of hard work of both Fred and you. You might be ready to say goodbye to it, but not me, not us" he said, pointing to the family. "It is proof that our Fred was alive, did something in his life that will be remembered. I will not stand by and watch it become another nameless joke shop who sells regular tricks. Fred helped invent them, he should get the credit, even if he's not there."

George closed his eyes and nodded. His little brother was right. Reluctantly he admitted something to his little brother. "I'm not like you Ron. I'm not proud of saying this, but right now I am in awe in front of you, and we always were with Fred." He looked to his left, but his sister was there not his twin. "You are brave, you can run to the Chamber of Secrets with Harry while we could only be scared for Ginny. You keep on doing all those things and act like it is nothing, when you could have the ego of a hippogriff." He sighed and got up. "We were never like you Ron. We - I can't go back there alone." and with that George left the hall to go cry by himself behind a tapestry.

Ginny had stayed in Hogwarts, with only the promise of a long talk with Harry as soon as classes were over, while the rest of the family had went back to the Burrow.

There too, there was a lot of reconstruction to do; the Death Eaters had had a blast destroying the house looking for the family.

Mrs. Weasley picked up her clock from the debris and with this, the family started working on their home during the day and going back to the now safe Grimmauld Place to sleep.

Hermione was in Australia looking for her family for a week, before bringing them back to London and help them get re-installed, "that is if they pardon me", as she kept saying.

Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones had contacted Harry about his family, saying (between multitude of thanks) that they were unhappy but safe. That day, he had left the Weasleys to go back to Privet Drive to pick up the stuff he had been forced to leave behind and see that they were indeed back to their normal lives. He saw immediately that Uncle Vernon must have kicked the wizard and witch out of his house as soon as they had returned, because remnants of a fights were to be seen on every wall.

He took a deep breath before ringing the front door bell and was greeted by Uncle Vernon's shouts of why he could not leave them alone, that it was all his fault and that he better not think of coming back to living here.

Harry waited for his uncle to calm down, before seeing his chance by seeing Dudley. His cousin had lost a lot of weight and looked like a proper human now, even had a smile on his face as he saw Harry on the doorstep.

To avoid stares and to make his son happy, Vernon let his nephew in. He politely shook Dudley's hand and greeted Aunt Petunia from afar before addressing them, for was he hoped was the last time.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience of the past few months. As Dedalus probably told you, to the Mu- I mean to your world, your absence was not a problem."

"Dudley school's has paperwork that he was sick this year and I believe if you phoned them now, Aunt Petunia, they will let Dudley pass equivalence exams in a month, that will let him graduate with his class and will do no damage to his record. I am sorry that you will have a bit of studying to do though Dudley."

As that issue was taken care of, Harry turned to his uncle. "It was registered with your company that you were on a paid vacation to care for your son, you can go back anytime this week, and all will be like it was before, no questions asked and you will have your salary."

"Aunt Petunia," He sighed. Looking at her made him remember all he saw in Snape's pensieve, which made him that much harder to be nice to someone so bitter toward his loving mother "None of your neighbors can see the damages to your house. A spell" he answered before she could ask. "For them, your house looks the same way as it did the night you left. Now if you let me, I can actually repair it, my way,"he said glancing at his uncle "and it will take a minute."

Harry took a step back toward his former guardians. "Trust me when I say, it brings me no pleasure being here, and after today you will hear nothing of me and my world. I just wanted to do this for you for Lily. She was a nice person who always saw the best in everyone and treated others fairly, qualities I have been told to have too. I regret we never got along. Dumbledore had asked you to 'raise me as your own' just as Lily would have done to Dudley if something had happened to you. You never treated me right, but I do not have to deal with it anymore so I will take my belongings and wish you a good life Dursleys, no matter what you have to say."

Harry did not look at either of the three wide-eyed people as he left them in the sitting room to get his belongings. How grateful he was to be of age and just swish his wand and have everything neatly organized and in his reduced trunk. It now looked like a business case, which he put by the door as he went back to the Dursleys.

Vernon was on the phone with Smeltings making sure his nephew had not lied, while Petunia waved at the neighbor outside who did look at the house as if nothing was wrong, not seeing the caved in ceiling and holes in the walls.

Harry cleared his throat and his aunt went to see him. He was reminded of the time when they had left the house in July, she had looked as if she had something to tell him. She had that same look now and asked softly, so that her husband would not hear. "I've had not seen magic since Lily, and being in that safe house with all those wizards and witches in hiding was..." The look of wonder quickly left her face, she was now again the bitter girl who had not been gifted like her sibling. "You really do remind me of her, always have." she sadly sighted "I would appreciate if you could help me fix the house, just the major repairs like the walls and door, I can take care of the dust"

Receiving his first smile from his aunt since he had known her, Harry mumbled under his breath and did his best to fix the damage done to his childhood home. And thinking it was better late than never, Harry also fixed her garden, making it look as green and grand as it would if she had been present to tend it.

His uncle had noticed that Harry had done magic and was doing his trick of changing color before Dudley grabbed him and showed him his car was also as clean as the garden. While they were busy, Harry gave his aunt a piece of parchment on which he had written '12 Grimmauld Place, London'

"That is the house my godfather left me. If you need anything write to me at this adress"

And as his Uncle and cousin turned around, the first to yell at the wizard, Harry grabbed his case and apparated on the spot, his aunt's smiling face still on his mind.

As he arrived at the Burrow, where he knew the Weasleys to be, he quickly found Mr. Weasley.

"How is it going?" he asked after the men greeted and talked about the visit at the Dursleys.

"Well we easily separated our belongings to the remnants of the walls and furniture" Mr. Weasley had a sad voice as he said that. "You know that I bought this house when Molly and I eloped, it stopped at the first landing, and we kept building it as our family grew." the older man sighed as he was taken back in his memories. "I know it will never be the same, but I feel awful watching all i have left of my house, not knowing how to fix it."

Harry glanced at the site. He had always loved this house that only seemed to stand because of magic, he hated watching it being this way, all mangled where all that was left was the stone wall of the kitchen and sitting room.

And idea struck him and he beckoned Bill, Charlie, Percy, George and Ron. The six boys said they would take a break by the pond so that the matriarch would not worry and as soon as they were out of earshot Harry told them his plan.

"You are surely gonna object, so I'm asking you all to shut up and listen to me until the end." after receiving five unsure nods Harry continued. "I've always loved the Burrow, coming here was always the highlights of my holidays, and after Hogwarts, this place has become home for me. And I have to thank you all and your parents for that. It's crushing me to see your father like that. He hasn't done a single Muggle insinuation since he has seen the damages. And your mother; I do not recognize her. I want to help. And not just like pushing a wheelbarrow are do some charms to fix the old house."

Harry looked pointedly at Ron. "Remember our late night talks about going to Grimmauld Place next year?" The red-head nodded and guessed what his friend was hinting at. "After this awful year, I rather just stay here and enjoy a homemade kidney pie, don't you?"

Adressing the other brothers, Harry explained what his plan was. "What makes your mother the happiest is to take care of people, her family especially. And I know you do not live here anymore, but remember last summer, how cramped it was and we all got on each other nerves before the wedding?"

"That was mostly because mom was the one planning." added Charlie, looking at George hoping he would be the one to comment.

"No matter. How happy do you think she would be if she could house all her family at the same time for the holidays?"

"You want to create a new bigger house for my parents?" asked Bill, awed by the younger man. "Most of us already moved out, they would be only two, wouldn't it be a bit depressing, living in an empty house?"

"We aren't fighting anymore" said Percy to his brothers "I would be delighted to stop for dinner at least once a week, and a week-end away from the city is relaxing."

"And when we have our own families, Mum will love having all her grandchildren home." added a blushing Ron to which George could not stop himself from teasing.

"Already planning on having a bunch of bushy-brown haired freckled blue-eyed babies, are you litle Ronnikins?"

The boys were happily surprised to see their brother joking again and that made his task that much easier for Harry.

"I know your parents will not accept money from me" the Weasleys all snorted in agreement. "and I do not believe you will either, it was a pain making the twins accept the joke shop money. But I want to get them a present, a useful one they cannot refuse. You are all like family to me, and family helps one another."

Convinced Bill asked Harry what he had in mind.

"I know the timing is awful with Fr- I mean with what happened but can you find any excuse for them to go on holidays?"

"I think Mum and Dad found out they were gonna have Bill around May and that's why they ran away here and got married in secret."

"Great" mumbled Ron "our house got kablooyed on its own anniversary"

"Bill, you think you can manage to convince your parents to go on vacation for their wedding anniversary?" asked Harry, thinking they could get two birds with one stone.

"I'm sure I could get Fleur's parents to invite them somewhere in France."

"Great then, let's tell them tonight at dinner and Bill, use money from my vaults to pay for the expenses, alright? Then when they leave tomorrow, we'll start on the plans."

After a quick word with his wife Bill sat down next to Harry in the kitchen in Grimmauld Place. There wasn't much talking and the mood was so subdued, you would not have guessed that the younger people had a surprise for their parents.

Harry had summoned Kreacher to deliver a message to Ginny at Hogwarts about his plans and asked him to come back the next day to lend a hand. The old elf was overjoyed with the plans.

While they were all finishing their dinner with a nice apple pie, Bill cleared his throat. " Mum, Dad, I know the time is not of celebration but we all have a surprise for you and we are all hoping you will not refuse." With a pointed look toward Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley guessed that Harry would be the one who would be the most crushed if they dared refuse. ("Nice job of Bill to point out their favorite" mumbled George to the red-faced Harry.)

"I talked to Apolline and her husband and they would like to invite you to their villa in France for your wedding anniversary."

Mrs. Weasley had tears in her eyes as she hugged her daughter-in-law. "Thank you all dears, that was very generous of your parents, Fleur"

"But the house?" asked Mr. Weasley to his older sons.

"After living there most our lives, don't you think we could fix it up ourselves?" asked Ron, hoping he would not betray the surprise.

"It can't be worse after we work on it than it is now, can it?" asked George in an amused voice.

Harry was biting his lips saying that knowing the tw - knowing him, it very well could be, but his brothers would be there to prevent all major catastrophes.

After a lot of arguments, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley accepted and were to go get a Portkey for France the next morning.

It was an unsaid agreement between the boys that some time in the two weeks while their parents were away, they would talk George into going back to the shop, maybe not open it back to the public, but at least go past the front door.

On their first morning meeting in front of what was left of the Burrow, Bill and Percy adressed two important points.

"We have all been granted a paid month off from our jobs to grieve and help reconstruct our houses but Kingsley might stop by to talk to us. First the goblins aren't happy with you three" Bill pointed to the two boys present out of the legendary trio "But as the Minister gave them back the power to rule their bank without wizards' authority present, they are willing to overlook the fact that you three broke in, as long as you do not mention it to anyone. Second, I know Kingsley want to talk to all three of you about what you'll do. He said he had talked to Hermione and she will go back to Hogwarts next year to finish her education, and while he honors that choice, he is in dear need of Aurors and has a deal for you; start an accelerated program in September and be official Aurors by the next summer. I believe he has many more options for you and a crowd of journalist on his hand but when I told him of your plan Harry for the Burrow, he said he would stop by when he had a minute to lend a hand and talk to you."

"Now that the fun talk is over" said Charlie taking his shirt off, much to the amusement of his brothers, "how about we decide how the new Burrow should look like.

AN: I do not have a Beta, maybe some noticed... if someone is interested, please pm me or leave a review. Leave a review anyway, it makes my day :)