Aftermath - Chapter 7 - The Witch's Lament
Narcissa Malfoy was in front of Harry in the Auror training classroom in the Ministry of Magic, dressed in black robes, with a black hat on top of her pale blond hair. In an instant Harry was up and had his wand out, pointed at Narcissa. She just shook her head.
"Silly boy," she said in her contemptuous tone. "Put that away. I think you have nothing to worry about here in the middle of the Ministry of Magic. I have no wand anyway, Draco having lost mine at Hogwarts. Besides, I mean you no harm."
Harry remembered Draco saying he had borrowed his mother's wand and he had indeed lost it during the small battle in the Room of Requirement. But Harry couldn't quite believe she meant him no harm and ignored her request, keeping his wand up. "What do you want? How did you find me?"
"We need to talk…about Draco. I've have just come from visiting him. As to how I found you, you are all anyone has been talking about all day. Training to be an Auror is the latest rumor, and I can see that it is true."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"I think you owe me a few moments of your precious time."
"Owe..?" he asked in puzzlement, but Harry figured she'd never leave unless he let her say what she had come to say. "Right. Get on with it then."
"It's about Draco...I know you despise him but…Lucius, there is not much chance he can avoid a long term in Azkaban, but Draco…he's just a boy…he's all I've got left."
And then she just sighed and all her efforts to seem aloof and better than Harry fell away. She sat in the teacher's chair and pulled out a dainty flowery handkerchief from a handbag. She sniffed, wiped her nose, and then stared at Harry who had at last lowered his wand, but kept it at his side as he remained standing.
"So what's all this to do with me?" Harry asked in a suspicious tone.
"You have received a summons to appear as a witness at Draco's trial, I believe," Narcissa began as soon as she composed herself.
"Yes," said Harry, still standing, ready for anything, not sure where this was going.
"And will you attend?"
"I have no choice. It's the law," said Harry.
"Quite. So that is settled. Now, what will you say?"
"Depends on what they ask. But the truth seems to be appropriate," Harry said and she seem not to be disturbed by this.
"Then you will tell the truth of what happened after the Dark Lord believed he had killed you?"
"I…what?"
She smiled now, a cold, heartless mile. "You don't recall how I saved your life, Harry Potter?"
"Yeah, I remember," he said reluctantly. "I guess you could say you saved my life." She had indeed, telling Voldemort Harry was dead when in fact he wasn't. That was why Harry "owed" her his time.
"Good. And what about at our mansion? When that scum brought you and the others? You remember how Draco did not recall who you were?"
"Well…I didn't look like myself, did I?"
"Oh, he knew it was you. Knew it was all of you, told me all about it."
"Then why didn't he sound more positive at the time?"
"I'm sure you understand that my family fell out of favor with the Dark Lord after the fiasco at the Ministry a few years ago. The failure to obtain the prophecy led to him directly using Draco to attempt to kill Dumbledore. He threatened Draco and all of us with death if he failed. My poor son, the torments he went through. The Dark Lord also forced Draco to torture some of his followers who had failed him."
Harry knew that was true, had seen it through his connection with Voldemort.
"I think they send people to Azkaban for using Curses," Harry said. "And for attempted murder. Katie Bell and Ron almost died because of your precious son."
"Nothing that can be proven," she said with an airy dismissal, as if these matters were nothing to her. "So why do you think Draco did not say more about you when you were captured and at our mercy at our mansion?"
"I haven't the foggiest," Harry said, his anger growing at the causal disregard she had for the fact that two of his friends had almost died because of her son.
"Because he knew you were the only one who could stop the Dark Lord."
Harry couldn't believe what she was saying. "What rubbish is this? The whole lot of you worshiped him. I saw your husband kiss his robes when he first came back."
"I told you!" she almost shrieked with impatience. "We fell out of favor! We were as good as dead. It didn't matter if the Dark Lord had defeated you! Draco sensed this, as did my husband and I."
"Then why did your husband and sister want to recall Voldemort when you thought you had captured me?" She flinched at the name of her dead master, but Harry kept going. "Wouldn't he have killed you the instant after he killed me?"
"Perhaps," she said, unsure of herself. "But…my sister…and Lucius…believed it was the only way."
"Tried to get back in good with him, didn't you? But now he's gone and it's too late to switch sides now, isn't it?" Harry said with some malice in his voice. "Did that last time, didn't the lot of you? Claimed you were cursed? Not this time. Now your sister is dead, your husband is in Azkaban where he belongs. As for your son, I know what happened on the Astronomy Tower. I was there! I saw Malfoy disarm Dumbledore. He's an accomplice to his death."
She didn't even seem sad that her sister was dead and her husband in prison. She ignored Harry's anger and pressed home her attack. "But you saw Severus Snape kill him, not Draco, yes?"
Harry paused. What was she up to? "Ah, yes. Snape killed him, but…"
"And during the battle at the school, did you not say it was Dumbledore's plan all along to have Snape kill him?"
There it was, what Hermione had guessed. Harry couldn't deny it. He had said it in front of dozens of witnesses. It was already in the papers. "Yes."
She smiled now, for a brief moment. "And did you or any others see Draco attack anyone during the battle?"
"No," Harry admitted in a quiet voice. In the Room of Requirement Malfoy was busy trying to stop Crabbe from killing Harry and then he had lost his mother's wand. And she knew it.
"Did he not, in fact, try to stop his friend from killing you?"
There it was. "Yes, but only because he knew Voldemort wanted me."
Again, she flinched at the name of her dead master but kept on.
"Did you not, in fact, save Draco's life? Twice?"
"Yes," Harry said in a quiet voice.
"And you will tell the truth?"
Harry remembered Ginny's words. "Yes, I will tell the truth."
She sighed deeply and stood. Harry almost raised his wand again, but kept it at his side. "I will see you in two days," she said, a slight smile on her face, and then she was gone, leaving Harry very mystified and perturbed.
Harry immediately went to find Mr. Weasley, lugging his six books with him. He couldn't recall the name of the new department he was running so he went back to his office where he had been responsible for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, planning to ask the old wizard Perkins who had been his partner. Perkins wasn't there, but, fortunately, Mr. Weasley was.
"Ah, Harry, come to welcome me back to my old department, have you?" he said as Harry squeezed into the small office.
"Sorry?"
"Oh. You haven't heard. Well, with the end of Voldemort, seems there is less need for protective charms, so my promotion has ended and my small team broken up. There's a lot of reorganization going on, now that things have changed. Well, guess I can't complain. I'm back where I truly belong." Harry could tell he was happy, as happy as a man could be who had just buried his son the day before. "So, how are things going?"
Harry immediately told him about the visit from Narcissa Malfoy.
"It's as we suspected," Mr. Weasley said. "They want to use you to prove Dumbledore had a plan to die all along and that he used Draco Malfoy to help carry out that plan. She didn't mention the Elder Wand, did she?"
"No. Why?"
"Good, good. Just…if no questions about it come up, might be wise to say nothing. I think Kingsley might just order the court to restrict any mention of it. "
"I hope so," Harry said, a bit puzzled, trying to remember where he had put the Elder Wand. He had it and then…but…oh, well, it's somewhere safe. He felt that it was anyway. Then Mr. Weasley was talking again.
"Now, Percy and I won't be done for ages, so why don't you pop back home. I'm sure Ginny would like to see you. Oh, and I had Charlie and Bill finally take the protective charms off the house so you can Apparate directly to the front door. You can Apparate, yes?"
Harry had a worried look. "I can, but I never took the test for the license. All that happened last summer, there was no chance."
"No, of course not. Ron never had time to retake the test, either. Failed him for half an eyebrow, wasn't it? Well, use the Floo Network for now and we'll get that straightened out as soon as we can.
Harry grinned. "Thanks, Mr…Arthur," he said and then Mr. Weasley grinned and asked him to wait a moment while he wrote a short note for his wife. He gave Harry the note and also found a bag Harry could use for his books.
When Harry got back to the Burrow through the Floo Network, only Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were home to greet him. Bill and Fleur were out shopping for food in the nearby village, Charlie had gone to Gringotts to ask what kind of dragon they would like, and George, Ron and Hermione had gone to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes joke shop in Diagon Alley.
After Harry changed into more comfortable clothes, they sat at the kitchen table and had tea and the two Weasley women immediately pestered Harry with questions about Auror training. He told them about Charlie George and they had a small laugh about a man having two first names, and the odd coincidence that they were the same as two Weasley brothers. They were righteously angry when he told them about the pay fiasco, and Harry let them say some nasty things about the Department of Accounting, although he really did not care that much since he did have his own money. It felt like Mrs. Weasley had had some things to say about them in the past by the tone she took. When he got to the story about Narcissa Malfoy, things became more serious. They both agreed that she was just sounding Harry out, and that she just wanted to know what he would say during the trial.
"Oh," Harry said remembering the note. "Mr. Weasley asked me to give you this." He handed Mrs. Weasley the note. She took it, opened it, smiled for a second, and then her face fell a bit and she just sighed.
"Your father has been demoted," she said sadly to Ginny, and Ginny just groaned.
"Back to spark plugs and light bulbs is he?" she said, with a bit of derision. Mr. Weasley's supposed lack of ambition and definite lack of connections at the Ministry, not to mention having so many children, had left the Weasley's in a precarious financial position most of the time.
"Now, now, not to worry." Mrs. Weasley said. "Things are better than they used to be. You and Ron are the only ones left at Hogwarts now, and your brothers send money when they can, so let's let your father enjoy himself a bit."
"Ron isn't going back to Hogwarts," Ginny said absently as she sipped her tea. Her mother just stared at her.
"What?" she said in a quiet, dangerous sounding voice.
Harry groaned and Ginny let out a sigh and closed her eyes, suddenly realized she shouldn't have said anything as Mrs. Weasley's fury started to build.
"Not going back to Hogwarts?" Mrs. Weasley said in an unbelieving tone. "Last year was one thing, but now there is no reason not to finish! And what does he plan to do without an education? Become a thief like that wretch Fletcher?"
Just then there was a small pop from outside and Ron and Hermione entered the kitchen a few moments later, arms loaded with bags, some from the joke shop, some from other Diagon Alley shops.
"Hullo, Harry!" Ron said with a grin. "Have a good day?" Hermione was about to join in the greeting, but saw the look on Mrs. Weasley's face and stopped, knowing something wasn't quite right.
"Better than yours is about to become, mate." Harry said with a warning tone in his voice.
"Ah…what?" Ron said and then looked at his mother who was building up a head of steam.
"You three, out," said Mrs. Weasley in a low, menacing voice to Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. They didn't question her, just left in a hurry, and Ginny helped Hermione with the shopping bags as Harry also grabbed his bag of Auror training books. They looked back at Ron who had a pleading look in his eyes as if to say, 'Don't leave me!' As they raced upstairs they could hear the beginning of the tirade. 'NOT GOING BACK TO HOGWARTS, IS IT?"
As they reached Ron and Harry's room at the top of the house they could still hear the row going on below.
"My fault," Ginny said to Hermione's questioning look. "I let it slip."
"I hope she can convince him to come back," Hermione said. "But George has already got Ron in his pocket I believe. He paid him an advance, which well,…a lot of shops are opening again in Diagon Alley, and…I tried to stop him but…we spent the lot. And…maybe it is better if George has someone from the family with him."
Harry and Ginny agreed with her and then Hermione started asking Harry all about his day and when he brought out the books her eyes popped open in joy and she immediately started looking through them. He told her about Narcissa Malfoy as she read and she agreed that it was all just her trying to find out what Harry would say.
"In fact, I think it might be a bit illegal, her talking to you before the trial," Hermione said.
"How so?" asked Ginny as she started going through the bags Ron and Hermione had brought.
"Well, it is her son's trial and Harry is a witness, so it could be considered inappropriate."
"That never stopped the Malfoy's before," Harry said.
A long twenty minutes later a very red-faced Ron came into the room.
"How'd it go?' Hermione asked immediately with concern as Ron gave his sister a dirty look. "Oh, Ron, she'd find out eventually."
"Guess so. Still no fun being at the end of one of her rants." He glared at Ginny. "I wanted to tell her myself, in my own time."
"Sorry," said Ginny, but it didn't sound too sincere, as she poked her head into another shopping bag.
"So, what did you tell her?" Harry asked quickly, as he could see Ron about to start in on his sister.
He turned to Harry. "That I'm gonna help George for bit…and…maybe try to finish my schooling…part-time."
Hermione beamed. "Oh, that's wonderful!"
"So you waffled?' Ginny teased.
"No, I did not waffle!" Ron said with indignation. "Just, she asked what I wanted to do with my life and I said I wanted to be an Auror like Harry and she went off on how they only let Harry in cause of what he did and how they aren't gonna pay him cause he didn't finish Hogwarts. Is that true?"
"Yeah," said Harry. "So far, anyways."
"Well," Ron said. "They might make an exception for you, but not me, that's for sure. Anyways, I guess there is some rule where you can take N.E.W.T. exams if your parents or someone outside Hogwarts teaches you. So…Mum is gonna be my teacher."
Ron turned bright red as they all fell over laughing, a long laugh that Ron soon joined in and it felt good and it was something they had needed for some time now.
Then to Ron and Harry's great surprise a witch from the Department of Magical Transportation arrived at the Burrow. She said she had been sent to test Ron and Harry for their Apparition license. Despite being nervous, Ron more than Harry since he'd been splinched twice already, ten minutes later they had both passed and were now legally allowed to Apparate.
"You'll be able to do it soon too, Ginny," Hermione said. "Your birthday's in a few weeks, isn't it? You'll be of age and can then do magic outside of school and can take the Apparition test!" Hermione and Ron were both already 18, while Harry was 17 and Ginny still 16.
Harry had almost forgotten her birthday was at the end of May and was about to ask her what she'd like, but Ginny looked glum. "Haven't had any Apparition training."
To their great disgust during the last year at Hogwarts none of the sixth years had been trained to Apparate. It was punishment for all the trouble Ginny and Neville and the others had caused.
"I can teach you!" Hermione said enthusiastically. But Harry and Ron and Ginny looked at her in horror.
"And what if I splinch myself?" Ginny asked wide-eyed. "Know how to put me back together?"
"Ah, no," Hermione admitted. She had some experience, repairing Ron's wounded arm, but that had been much smaller than a missing leg or arm and she actually hadn't put him back together. They finally agreed Ginny could Side-Along Apparate with one of them if they went anywhere and she would wait to learn how to Apparate till she had a proper teacher under close supervision.
Then rest of the afternoon was spent going over Harry's Auror books and talking about the upcoming trial of Draco Malfoy. As it would take place on the same day and time as Tonks and Lupin's funeral, Mrs. Weasley said that the rest of them could not attend the trial. She didn't think they would be allowed in anyway.
Late in the afternoon, just before suppertime, Ginny and Harry manged to sneak away and find time to be alone in her bedroom that she shared with Hermione.
"I don't think I should be in here," he said with a gulp after the door closed.
"Why not?" she replied, almost laughing at his shyness. "You've been before."
Harry smiled, remembering that kiss they had that seemed so long ago. She pulled him toward her and the next few moments they were lost to the world as they kissed. Then they heard a pop from outside and Ginny looked out the window and saw her father and Percy.
"Oh, no, Harry! My father's home!" she said in mock worry but Harry didn't get the joke.
"What?" he said in shock. "Oh, I'm just…see you." And then he was gone with a pop, leaving Ginny to smile at his shyness and fears of her father, which she believed were totally unfounded.
The next day the mood in the Weasley household seemed better. At breakfast, Ron was teased merciless by his brothers about their mother being his teacher.
"Make sure he does all his own homework," Charlie said with a look towards Hermione.
"Homework?" Ron groaned.
"Yes, homework," Mrs. Weasley said. "I'll have to send an owl to Professor McGonagall to get permission and to decide what you need to do to prepare for N.E.W.T. exams. And Hermione you are not to help him one bit! It's time he earned his grades, instead of letting you do it for him."
"What?" Ron sputtered. "I always did my own work, Mum! Right, Harry? Hermione?"
"Course," Harry lied, supporting his friend.
"Ah, yes…," Hermione started, trying to think what to say and then brightened a bit. "Ron did do all his exams by himself."
"Right, I did it all my by myself," Ron said proudly.
"That's not what she said," Bill said as Mrs. Weasley was glaring at Ron, then softened a touch.
"Well, he did mange to get seven O.W.L's and he was a prefect," said Mrs. Weasley a little proudly. "But still, Hermione, no helping him."
"I imagine I'll be too busy doing my own work," Hermione said quickly and Ron looked at her with despair, but she just pretended not to see him and sipped her tea. Harry knew she'd help Ron as much as she could.
Harry also knew part of the reason Ron agreed to finish his schooling was so his mother would have something to do to keep her mind off of things. As they were just finished breakfast two owls arrived, one with the Daily Prophet for Hermione and another with Witch Weekly for Mrs. Weasley. As she unrolled the magazine Mrs. Weasley gave a shout and dropped it.
"It can't be!' she said. They all looked at the magazine on the floor and there was Mrs. Weasley's picture on the front cover, not moving much, a stern look in her eyes. The headline said "Molly Weasley: Witch of the Month". Before anyone could grab it she snatched it up and ran from the room.
"What's that all about?' George asked. "Witch of the month?"
"They name someone Witch of the Month every month," said Hermione, who always seemed to have the answers. "At the end of the year they invite all the witches of the month to a big dinner and select one as witch of the year."
"Blimey," said Ron. "That's fantastic. But why is she so upset?"
"Not upset," his father said as he took a last sip of tea and prepared to leave. "Just happy. Let her be for a bit. Harry, Percy? Off we go."
"Right," said Harry as he stood and said goodbye to everyone.
"Come on, Ron. Move your arse," said George. "You don't need to hold your girlfriend's arm while you Apparate anymore. Work to do. Galleons don't grow on trees you know. And you already spent this week's pay."
Ron grumbled, but quietly, so his new boss wouldn't hear him. Ron said his goodbyes, and headed out to join the others as did Bill and Fleur.
"We're off to work at Gringotts," said Bill to Harry. "Place has been repaired. Loads of things to do, now that things are back to normal. Say, Harry, about your vault…I'll have a word with them today, so no worries, OK?"
"Thanks, Bill," Harry said and then in a flash all seven of them had Apparated off to work.
This time Harry did not receive a rousing reception and he was glad of it. People still stared and some shook his hand but mostly he was left alone. Charlie George met him in the classroom with the news that Kingsley had stepped in personally to make sure Harry got his pay. Harry was quite pleased.
They spent the morning reviewing the stuff he had read last night, which Harry had barely managed to finish before midnight. After lunch with Mr. Weasley and Percy, Charlie George and Harry went off to meet the Head of the Auror Headquarters. After a brief welcome and some chit-chat, he was asked to delivery a written message to Hermione. Harry had the feeling it was about the Horcruxes article and promised it give it to her that night.
The afternoon proved to be more fun and interesting. First, they spent an hour doing some physical training. Charlie George stressed that all Aurors had to be in top physical shape. The Ministry had a small health club, which was deserted.
"Empty, as usual," said Charlie George. "Being able to use magic makes some of us quite lazy. But Harry if you want to be a top Auror you need to be in top shape. And don't ever let me catch you using some short cuts. No diet potions or muscle strengthening spells for us. Hard work is the only way."
They changed into exercise clothing in a locker room and did some jogging around a small track and lifted some weights for a while. Then Charlie George had another surprise. A small Korean wizard named Mr. Kim came into the health club dressed in a white martial arts outfit and Harry learned he was to take instruction in hand to hand combat. Introductions were made and Harry noticed that Mr. Kim was one of the first wizards he had ever met who did not look to see if the scar was on his forehead or even make any sign that he knew anything about Harry.
"Today, Harry, you begin to learn the ancient secrets of martial arts," was all Mr. Kim said in a serious tone after being introduced.
"But, why do I need this for?" Harry asked Charlie George, more than a bit surprised. "Sorry, no offense," he added for Mr. Kim.
Charlie George looked to Mr. Kim. "Want to explain it to him?"
"Sure," said Mr. Kim, a little more relaxed. "So, Harry, what will do if you are in London, with the Minister on a crowded street full of Muggles and something happens? Pull out your wand and do magic in front of hundreds of Muggles? Or what if you don't have a wand? What if it is taken away or lost? Can you do magic without a wand?"
"Not really," Harry replied meekly, beginning to understand. He had never felt as powerless as when his own wand had been broken last year and had to use others to do magic. "So, I need to be prepared for anything."
"Exactly," Charlie George said. "Now you'll have lessons with Mr. Kim twice a week. I'll be back in an hour. And please, Mr. Kim, don't hurt him. He's my first student in years and I don't want you scaring him off, all right?"
Mr. Kim smiled. "Not to worry, Charlie." And Harry gulped, not exactly liking the intense look in Mr. Kim's eyes.
First, he had Harry remove his shoes and put aside his wand. There were no wands and no magic allowed in this lesson. Also, he had to remove his glasses, just in case of an accident. Harry had always had trouble seeing without glasses, but they were close together so it wasn't too bad. Mr. Kim recommended Harry get prescription sport glasses from a eyeglass shop in Diagon Alley and Harry thought that was a brilliant idea, wondering why he had never thought of it all those years he had played Quidditch. Mr. Kim's first lesson was all about balance, keeping one's feet and making sure your opponent was kept off of his. After being thrown to some mats for the tenth time, Harry finally managed to keep his balance once.
"Good!" said Mr. Kim. "Now, try to knock me off balance."
But it was hopeless and Harry felt he would never get the hang of hand-hand combat. After an hour he said so to Mr. Kim. His teacher motioned for him to sit down on the mat and then joined him.
"Harry, patience and perseverance are necessary to learn the skills of martial arts. Not everyone learns it in a day, a week, even a lifetime. I have been doing this for thirty years, and I still have things to learn. You've made a good beginning."
"Thanks," Harry said wearily. "Sorry, but, are you an Auror?"
"No," Mr. Kim said with a smile, the first time he smiled since Harry met him. "I work in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Asian Branch, of course. I help out the Aurors when I can. Now, get a shower and Charlie George will be back soon. I will see you on Friday, same time. And I will have some proper martial arts clothing for you. And please, tried to get a better pair of glasses. Or contacts, if possible."
Harry said he'd do his best and then Mr. Kim bowed and Harry mimicked him and they said goodbye.
The shower felt like heaven after the last two hours of exercise. He ached and knew he would have new bruises but felt much better after the shower. Charlie George was waiting for him outside of the locker room.
"Right, off we go to do some alarm work."
The next two hours were spent in a large room where Charlie George showed Harry all kinds of magic detectors such as Sneakoscopes and Foe Glasses and other things wizards and witches used as alarms. Harry knew a lot already, from his experiences, but Charlie George started teaching him ways these things could be beat, and Harry was absorbed like no lesson he had ever had at Hogwarts. Too soon it was time to end class and Charlie George gave him more reading for homework. They headed back to the Auror office where Harry was assigned his own cubicle near the back. He also had to sign some documents for his pay and also what looked like a legal document saying the Ministry of Magic was not responsible should he get injured or…killed…during his training period.
"Not to worry, not to worry, just standard things," said Charlie George. Just then a paper airplane inter-department memo arrived at Harry's cubicle with his name on it. Harry took and read it quickly.
"I have to be at the main court room on the lower level for the hearing tomorrow at 10 AM."
"Know where it is?" Charlie George asked him.
"Oh, yeah, been there…few times," Harry said and Charlie George just nodded.
"Well, let's put off meeting until after lunch tomorrow, shall we?"
Harry agreed and then Charlie George told him it was quitting time and went off to his own cubicle. Harry decided to go back to the Burrow, but wanted to let Mr. Weasley know he was going. He looked at his cubicle and saw a stack of bluish papers with the word "Memo" on the top of each page. Next to the stack was a quill and ink bottle. Harry took some paper and wrote a memo to Mr. Weasley explaining about the court time and that he was heading home. Harry finished, but did not know what to do next. He knew that the memos flew around the Ministry in paper airplane shapes but he did not know how to do it. Fortunately, a witch nearby saw he was a bit lost.
"First time sending a memo?" she asked. She looked like she was in her early twenties, had short blond hair and was quite fetching.
"Yeah," Harry confessed.
"Just touch it with your wand and say the name of the person and/or the department it is for."
"Thanks," Harry said and did just that and the paper folded into an airplane shape and zoomed out of the room.
"By the way, congrats on getting in," said the witch. "I'm Lucy McMullan."
"Harry Potter," he said as they shook hands.
She smiled. "Course, we all know who you are. I was actually seventh year when you were first at Hogwarts. In Ravenclaw. I was one of the last ones trained as an Auror until now."
Harry immediately sat down and for the next thirty minutes he asked Lucy as much as he could about Auror training. She said the hardest part was the concealment, stealth, and tracking training, but all that came in handy last year when she and most of the others had to go into hiding because of Voldemort taking over the Ministry. Harry was so engrossed in her stories he that completely forgot he was due home, until Charlie George came back.
"Now, now, Lucy, don't be giving him no exam answers," he said with a teasing tone. "Ok, Harry, quitting time. Off you go or I'll have Molly Weasley sending me a Howler."
"See you," Harry said to both and in no time at all he was back at the Burrow, arriving only ten minutes before Percy, who explained that his father had to stay for a big meeting of all department heads and offices. Hermione and Ginny were there helping Mrs. Weasley prepare supper, and Ginny greeted Harry with a big hug and a quick kiss on the lips, which she did in front of her mother, who gave them both a stern look, causing Harry to blush. But then her eyes softened and she told Harry to wash up as it was almost supper time. Bill and Fleur were already home, with Fleur packing their things as they were to head back to Shell Cottage as soon as Tonks and Lupin's funeral finished tomorrow. Harry found Bill in the living room, listening to the wizarding radio network, still full of news about events following the end of Voldemort. Bill had also had some good news for Harry. The goblins of Gringotts reluctantly agreed he could continue to use their services. Bill had causally mentioned about exchanging all Harry's gold into Muggle money and the head goblin of the bank almost had a fit and angrily told Bill to get out of his office after agreeing to let Harry keep his vault.
"Not in trouble, are you?' he asked Bill with worry.
"Don't know. Goblins have a funny sense of revenge," he replied. "Might find myself sent off to some foreign land again for being so cheeky, though."
"Gosh, Bill, sorry," Harry sad sincerely.
Bill grinned, his scarred face making it seem a bit macabre. "Was bound to happy soon anyways. Not too many human curse breakers work for Gringotts and goblins can't exactly go around showing their faces to Muggles. Fleur hopes they send us to France, or at least somewhere in Europe, but I suspect it will be somewhere too hot, cold, dusty, or dirty with plenty of work for me."
Harry promised he would do something for Bill first chance he got. He did owe him for a lot, including the time they had spent at Shell Cottage last spring.
Charlie had been off to Gringotts also, for more talks about the dragon, and he and Ron and George arrived about an hour after Harry. Mrs. Weasley tried to hold off supper until her husband was home, but all were too hungry and she relented. As the others ate, she kept staring at the clock with all her family's names on it. Harry hadn't noticed it lately but there is was back on the wall again. Mr. Weasley's hand said he was still at work while the rest of the hands showed everyone safe and sound at home. Then with a shock he noticed Fred's name and hand were now gone. He knew he should make no mention of this, but it brought home the loss of Fred once again. Just then Mr. Weasley's hand moved to "Traveling" and a few moments later he came in the door.
After everyone had their full of roast pork, boiled potatoes, and salad, apple pies came out of the oven and everyone had dessert. Harry felt a little guilty, eating so well, knowing food could not be produced by magic and knowing the Weasley's had not much money, despite what Mrs. Weasley said about her sons giving her money. He knew they would never take money off of him, but made a promise to himself to do something for them as soon as he could.
That night seemed to go too fast, and the main topics of discussion were the reorganization of the Ministry of Magic which Mr. Weasley talked about at length, Mrs. Weasley being named Witch of the Month, Harry's training, the funeral of Tonks and Lupin, and the trial of Draco Malfoy. Also, as Harry had guessed, Hermione had been asked to lecture at the Auror office sometime in the next few weeks, when she was free, about Horcruxes. She couldn't believe it, had to read the letter five times and made Harry promise it wasn't a joke, and then with a look of absolute joy she raced upstairs, saying she had so much to do to prepare.
"I expect that's the last I'll see of her for a while," Ron said glumly as his brothers gave him a ribbing. Living in the same house as your girlfriend had some definite advantages, but privacy was not one of them, as Harry and Ron were discovering to their displeasure. The sooner he learned how to do the protective charms for Grimmauld Place, the better thought Harry.
The article in Witch Weekly was all about how Mrs. Weasley had raised seven children, how she was like a mother to Harry Potter, and about how she had defeated Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts. Of course, they couldn't leave out the sadness of Fred's death. But overall, it seemed to do Mrs. Weasley a world of good, especially since owls had been coming non-stop all day with letters of congratulations from her friends in the wizarding world.
The next morning came too soon, the mood somber as most prepared to attend another funeral today. Mr. Weasley, Percy, Harry were the only one's leaving early, Harry having an appointment at Draco Malfoy's trial and the other two unable to get out of their duties with things so busy at the Ministry. George and Ron would also go to work, immediately after the funeral, George saying he trusted his assistants to mind the shop, but only for few hours. As they made to leave, Mr. Weasley, Percy, and Harry told the rest to give their regards to Tonks and Lupin's relatives.
"Good luck," Ron said as Harry was about to leave. "Wish I could see the little git get what's coming to him."
"I wish I didn't have to," said Harry glumly. "Listen, mate, tell Mrs. Tonks and Remus' families I'm sorry, and I'll be around to see them soon as I can."
Ron said he'd take care of it and then Ginny, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley gave Harry big hugs, with Ginny whispering she loved him in his ear so only Harry heard her, which made Harry feel much better. Charlie Weasley gave him a bone crushing hand shake and then soon Harry was back at the Ministry of Magic and after spending an hour in the nearly empty Auror office, reading his training books, he headed to the lower levels where he had once been tried.
A wizard from the Auror office Harry had seen once or twice stood outside the familiar doorway and told Harry to take a seat on the bench outside. Harry wanted to ask him what was going on but he had a stern look and seemed all business like so Harry held his tongue. After about ten minutes, the door opened and a witch looked at him.
"Harry Potter? You have been called to the witness stand."