Disclaimer: 'Hairy' Potter? What's that? Well it certainly isn't mine, no matter what it is...

A/N: Um, shameless self-promotion time... so I put up a bunch of new Harry Potter one shots; you wanna check 'em out for me? :-D I'm craving feedback! And one of my fics, "Merlin's Staff!" has only one measly review... *puppy dog face* Will you read it? Pwetty pwetty pwease wit suga on twop? ANYWAYS, I want to thank everyone by name for reviewing last chapter in "It Ends Now" as per usual... that's Melora, Randomchick16, Kirby77DP77, jimmy-barnes-13, 10thWeasley, Cowabunga, TwilightsCalling, kittyrunner, Element's Sole Protector, iheartharryxxo, Haunted, iheartharry10xoxo, Hayley, jessie, herminione, and iheartharryxoxox(haha you must have been desperate to leave so many reviews... I loved every one of them! Thanks so much!).

Yes, it's short. But I have a crapload of homework (grr college) and I just used my free time to write this. So be happy :-P If I fail though, I'm blaming you guys!!!

Postscript: Sorry about the delay! I've been attempting to upload this chapter for a couple days now, and continuously got an error message informing me that the "chapter could not be found"... damned irritating, since it's right here! Here's hoping that if you're reading this, all is well...

It Ends Now

Part 31: "Suspicions: Part 1"

Harry could feel his body twisting and undulating while airborne. Vaguely, he wondered if this was some strange aftereffect from expending one's power too much before every fiber of his body started screaming in pain. Dimly, the Boy-Who-Lived registered that he'd just hit a tree. Ow.

"This isn't the end, Dumbledore!" Voldemort was howling, and Harry staggered up. Suddenly, he was watching the Dark Lord and his Headmaster from within the safety of the woods. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were bolting for him, ashen but alive. Harry spared a concerned eye sweep for Ginny, then returned to playing spectator. From his blurred vantage point due to annoyingly cracked lenses, Harry could tell that Riddle was sporting boils and what looked like second or even third degree burns... Did I do that?

"I will haunt your every move, you old coot! No one in your precious Order will be safe from me! ...Retreat!" And with those thundering parting words, Voldemort was gone in a swish and crack. Resounding sounds of disapparition echoed throughout the yard. Dumbledore seemed to deflate, wand falling to hang limply at his side as he searched out the Gryffindors. Harry limped out with his friends, anxiously watching Ginny stumble on his left.

"Gin-"

" 'm fine, Harry," Ginny cut in tiredly, but exasperation flecked her tone. Apparently, this wasn't the first time someone had inquired about her well-being in the past few minutes since she'd regained consciousness.

"Oh, Harry- reparo," Hermione flicked her wand, and Harry smiled as his glasses repaired themselves. Myopia was never fun...

"Thanks, Hermione. I really should start remembering that handy spell..."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. They'd reached Dumbledore now, and the man appraised their conditions with his idiosyncratic X-raying blue eyes working full-force. "Good, it seems no one is in immediate danger of death or disembowledge... Madam Pomfrey will have you four patched up in no time."

"Sir," Ginny piped up uncertainly. The Professor faced her.

"Yes, Miss Weasley?"

"I... I was wondering..." How could you let this happen!? You said the wards would protect us! How could they fall? How could you lie? We trusted you! "I... well, how did this happen? You said... the wards..."

Dumbledore seemed to know exactly what the youngest red-head was implying. No Legilimency was required to observe the betrayal marring Ginny's countenance, or the anger in Ron's. He sighed heavily, and Harry was once again struck by how old he looked. The teen gazed pityingly at his fallible mentor as the wizard pondered the correct words to console Ginny with. Weary, sorrowful cerulean depths pinned the Fifth Year with intense... pleading? Harry couldn't be sure, but the Headmaster looked ready to weep. "I am so sorry that you had to witness the destruction of the Burrow. I assure you, Ginny, that I never expected an oversight, nor an assault, of this scale. I was certain the wards were secure; impenetrable... but I miscalculated the... fidelity of the Order. Or some... though I cannot be sure now. We shall see."

Harry glanced at his comrades. Good- he wasn't the only one confused. "Professor, are you saying-"

"Not now, Harry. We shall discuss the matter once at Headquarters. I will be holding a special meeting and will permit the four of you to attend once Pomfrey has tended to any injuries. But first... Harry, come here, please."

Harry shuffled forward, feeling chagrined and very wrong-footed for some reason. It was second year all over again, after he and Ron had stolen the Ford Anglia... Dumbledore was wearing his disappointed expression, though it was not as severe as it had been four years ago. Dumbledore reached out and began kneading his student's raven head, raking his wizened fingers through the ebony locks gently.

"Sir...?" Harry kept his visage averted to school his sudden urge to snicker. Albus didn't speak until his fingertips brushed against an egg-sized lump on the boy's head. Harry winced. Was that always there?

"I apologize, Harry. I didn't mean to fling you so hard, but I had no choice," the Headmaster said, remorse gracing his baritone. He pulled his roming appendage away, continuing his admonishments. "You acted brazenly, without any considerations for your safety. Brave, but very foolish. You were lucky to have avoided being killed."

"I'm sorry. But... that was you?" Harry asked, surprised even as he blushed in shame. "You blasted me away?"

"I feared if I did not do something to get you away from Voldemort, he might retaliate. That, or your own brash power was going to damage your magical core. You are a powerful wizard, Harry, but still a growing one. Your core has not matured yet, and such stress on it... well, I was afraid..."

"It would explode?" Harry elucidated keenly. Dumbledore nodded.

"Please have Madam Pomfrey check you for a concussion; you slammed against the tree very hard. And I'm sure you'll be wanting your hands and ankle healed as well."

Harry started, glaring at his bloody hands as if they'd committed some terrible umbrage against him. The Headmaster bent over and snatched up a piece of glass, ripped from one of the Burrow's many windows during a heat-induced explosion. "Portus," he mumbled, tapping it. The small pane shard glowed blue briefly. "It's a portkey to Grimmauld. I'll join you shortly-"

"My parents!" Ron suddenly exclaimed. If possible, the Keeper's complexion blanched further, every freckle standing incarnadine against his pallor. "Oh my God- are they...?"

"Fear not, Mr. Weasley. I myself witnessed them escape relatively unharmed and aid in the extinguishing of the fire. No doubt they will have some extravagantly adventurous story to tell you upon their return. But for now, they will stay to help recover what possessions were left unaffected in the Burrow. Now, it is unwise to linger in an unprotected area like this, even if I do not believe Tom will attack a second time tonight- Harry has unnerved him greatly-" Harry's startled green eyes jumped up to connect with Dumbledore's twin sapphires- "so... if you will...? Thank you. One, two, three."

The Gryffindor quartet, in varying states of shock and injury, were whisked away from the sight of the Burrow still smouldering. Harry heard Ginny sniffling, and a rush of sympathy overcame him, as well as an odd tightening in his own chest. The Burrow, his second home only to Hogwarts, was gone in a blazing inferno. Despite this mournful ache, Harry was happy.

Houses could always be rebuilt.

Families couldn't.

And- thank Merlin- the Weasleys' was still intact. Broken in spirit, for now, but... they were whole. And they were safe. All nine of them. Harry could've sobbed for joy.

Please review! The more who do, the quicker I'll update!

Next chapter: The Weasleys are reunited, but a shadow has fallen over the Order... Dumbledore's special meeting includes a dark revelation, we learn why the wards fell and why this is so significant... and lastly, Harry finds himself an unwilling conduit for Voldemort's wrath...

AngelMoon Girl