Still don't own Harry Potter yada, yada, yada... on with the story.
Harry walked into his study to see his wife and brother - in – law in a desperate duel with their father. They had been quick to challenge Arthur Weasley as soon as he had arrived, Ron had been itching to duel his father ever since James and Sirius had told him of Arthur's skill. Neither knew that Harry had specifically asked Arthur to duel all four of the teens tonight, nor did they know that Arthur had spent the better part of the day planning the lesson he would teach his children. Harry had been out of the room to put the elder Weasley's cloaks in a closet. Harry chose to let the house elves serve food and drinks, he often carried out these menial tasks himself, and had not seen the start of the duel. Now as he watched his wife and brother in law defend themselves he had to laugh. Arthur seemed to block every curse Ron and Ginny sent at him with an almost bored expression on his face while they fought ferociously, rolling and diving to avoid his countercurses. Arthur glanced up at Harry while sending both Ron and Ginny's leg locker curses back at them with a careless wave of his wand. Both curses slipped in before Ron or Ginny could block them and both fell to the floor exhausted.
"Harry, really I would have thought that Ginny at least would have been a challenge. After all, she writes glowingly of your classes" Arthur grinned as Hermione released her friends.
"Yes, well it's still early in the year now isn't it?" Harry asked in an amused voice. Ginny laughed slightly hoping to herself that Harry meant to teach her how her father had so effortlessly defeated her. Ron on the other hand was utterly amazed at his father's dueling.
"Sirius wasn't kidding was he Dad? You really are undefeatable in a duel" He said grinning into his father's face.
"Hardly" Arthur answered laughing, "You and Ginny are just utterly predictable to me after raising you both and Fred and George. If you want to see how good you really are you should duel someone who doesn't know you so well. Sirius for example" he laughed as their expressions went from disappointment to amazement.
"Let's save that for after dinner shall we?" Harry asked placing an arm around Ginny's shoulder and leading them all into the dining room where his elven staff had prepared a celebration dinner for Sirius. They all took seats around the table which had adjusted itself so that it was not overlarge but rather just large enough for the diners. Harry picked up his goblet of wine and examined it, Squeaky appeared at his side holding the cork from the bottle. Harry smiled at her before taking the cork and holding it to his nose. He nodded at her and she quickly ran to Ginny who also sniffed the cork before nodding her approval. Harry lifted his goblet and proposed a toast. "To Sirius Black, a man wrongly convicted and now rightfully freed" Harry said inclining his head to his godfather.
"Thank the God's above too" Sirius said as everyone else laughed before raising their goblets and toasting Sirius. As they all sat down to the meal Sirius remained standing. "I must thank you all for your support," he said, "However most of all I must thank my cousin for her testimony." Bellatrix Lestrange cowered in her seat which was in the darkest part of the dining room feeling that she did not belong here. "Bella your heart has changed, you have returned if only for the moment to the girl I once knew" Sirius continued not noticing that she looked uncomfortable. "I hope that you will consent to continue to live by my side rather than return to the dark ways of our family." Bellatrix nodded slowly and the rest of the diners smiled at her.
Sirius had just sat down to eat when the great chiming doorbell rang. Harry excused himself to go answer it, he returned a moment later and motioned to Bellatrix. "The Minister has arrived to speak with you," Harry told her, "I've taken his wand for the moment so you needn't worry about that" he said as he led her to the sitting room off of the entry hall. Harry was about to open the door for Bellatrix when Sirius tapped him on the shoulder.
"Do you mind if I accompany her Harry?" Sirius asked looking into the relieved face of Bellatrix.
"Of course I don't mind Sirius, I told you and everyone else to act like you live here" Harry said sighing as he opened the door. The Minister of Magic stood from the armchair he had been sitting in as Bellatrix entered the room followed by Harry and Sirius. "Minister Diggory, may I offer you something to drink or eat?" Harry asked. The Minister shook his head. "Bellatrix, anything for you?" Harry asked
"Perhaps I could have my glass of wine from the table?" Bellatrix said uncertain of where she stood now that she had testified at Sirius' trial. Harry smiled at her and snapped his fingers, Dobby appeared at his side. Harry knelt and whispered to Dobby who disappeared and reappeared holding not only Bellatrix's wine goblet but also her plate and the bottle of wine.
"I'm sorry Minister but you caught us just as we sat down to Sirius' celebration dinner, I'd hate for Bellatrix to miss out on the wonderful food. Sure I can't get you a plate or something?" Harry asked temptingly.
"Oh go on then" the Minister said as Harry laughed. Dobby disappeared again returning again with Sirius' dinner and a small plate for the Minister.
"If you'll excuse me Minister, I must return to my guests" Harry said bowing slightly and, after the Minister nodded he left the room.
After dinner Harry and his guests walked out into his garden each carrying a light cocktail. "Absolutely gorgeous night is it not Harry?" Ginny asked wrapping an arm around his waist.
"That it is dear" Harry responded squeezing his wife affectionately. "So interested in dueling your dad again anytime soon Gin?" he teased her lightly.
"Not unless I absolutely have to" Ginny exclaimed drawing a laugh from the rest of her family. They spent the next few hours just talking or telling jokes and generally just enjoying each other's company. It was getting late when the Minister stepped out into the garden to speak quickly with Harry before leaving.
"Well, Mrs. Lestrange just provided me with the name and address of practically every Death Eater there is. I think that if we catch them all a full pardon would be in order don't you?" Amos Diggory asked Harry.
"That is your decision to make Minister" Harry replied, "However I do have a favor to ask of you."
"Name it Harry" Diggory said.
"Wait to try to arrest the Death Eaters, I am looking for some artifacts that Tom Riddle has collected and bewitched. If you arrest his followers before I find them he might panic and do something we'll all regret" Harry said.
"Fair enough," The Minister said, "It'll take months to plan the raid anyway." Having said this Minister Diggory handed Harry Bellatrix's wand and left. Harry and Ginny were heading up to bed after locking up when Sirius stopped them.
"Harry I think Bella knows where the other horcruxes are." Sirius said.
"Really" Ginny asked intrigued.
"Yeah, or at least she said that the Dark Lord had asked her to keep a watch over a few objects that he had hidden." Sirius said seriously.
"What's in that devious little mind of your Padfoot?" Harry asked.
"Well, I thought that I might go with her to quote check on these items. Then we would have them all and after we destroy them you just have to out duel the great prat and we can all settle down to a quiet life" Sirius said mischief flashing in his eyes.
"Hey, that just might work Harry" Ginny said thoughtfully, "I mean if Tom sees Bella around the Horcruxes he won't suspect anything. She could tell him that she just testified at Sirius' trial to win him over to their side and to butter you up so she could escape."
Harry considered the matter for a moment then said quietly, "Very well Sirius but you be careful and take good care of both of you." He stared at his godfather with a concerned stare but handed him Bellatrix's wand. "She will probably need this then."
Sirius nodded as they all turned and went to bed.
The next morning Harry woke early, extracted himself from his wife's arms and made his way to the kitchens to start breakfast. He was surprised as he passed a drawing room to hear laughter coming from the room, he peered through the door to see Sirius and Bellatrix dueling playfully in the center of the room. They were only shooting sparks at each other, but both were laughing as sparks bounced off of both of them. Harry smiled to himself as he continued to the kitchen. He had just pulled the cinnamon rolls from the oven when Ginny appeared in the door smiling sleepily at him. Harry was again amazed at her beauty even at this early hour. "Well, I guess I should know better than to try to hide breakfast from you shouldn't I?" he asked laughing at her.
"Oh, that depends on what you're cooking" Ginny said laughing and coming to kiss her husband. "But when you cook cinnamon rolls, then yes you should." She grabbed a roll and bit into it savoring the taste with her eyes closed, and expression of euphoria on her face.
"So are they up to standard?" Harry asked smiling.
Ginny's eyes snapped open, "No, they're far above your usual standard Harry. What did you do different?" she asked hugging him.
"Added a touch of orange zest to the syrup" He said smiling at her. "Why don't you go wake the others while I put all of this on the table." Ginny smiled at him and left to let her house guests know that breakfast was ready. Ten minutes later they all met in the dining room for breakfast, Sirius and Bellatrix still teasing each other about the morning duel. Harry and Ginny sat beside each other and watched the two cousins. "He's really been a help to her hasn't he?" Harry asked
"I think he's just about worked a miracle changing her the way he has." Ginny responded squeezing his hand. The rest of their guests finished breakfast and, after complimenting Harry on his cooking, left to dress for the day. Harry and Ginny started to clean up but the house elves stopped them looking very insulted. After seeing the looks on their staffs faces Harry and Ginny decided to go get dressed themselves.
Ten a.m. found the Molly and Arthur Weasley in yet another duel, this time it was Ron and Hermione facing them while Harry and Ginny sat at the garden table and made notes.
"Nice one Ron," Arthur said as Ron's red colored sparks found their mark on his wife's arm. Ron grinned for a second before a set of green sparks from his mother's wand hit him square in the chest. Arthur laughed, "Never let your guard down in a duel Ron" he said as he blocked Hermione's purple sparks again. Moments later Hermione was felled by Arthur. While busy defending herself from Molly Hermione had lost track of Arthur who had circled around to her undefended back and shot his blue sparks into her back.
Ron walked over from the sidelines, helped Hermione to her feet, gave her a comforting kiss and said, "well you and I lasted longer than Ginny and I did last night. Let's go get the debrief shall we?"
Hermione chuckled as they walked over to the table and picked up the notes that Harry and Ginny had made for them while Molly and Arthur reviewed the notes on their own performance. Ginny left briefly to get both couples a drink while Harry conjured more chairs for them to relax in. "Okay, so other than improving our accuracy and being a little more selective on what shots to take what else can we fix."
"you both think too much," Molly said looking at Hermione. "Not about when to curse," she said seeing Hermione's confused look, "but about where the other is."
Hermione spluttered incoherently trying to think of a response or explanation for a moment before Arthur spoke up. "Hermione Molly's right, dueling can't be learned like other subjects. That is to say from a book, there are no set rules or logical progressions that guarantee victory. You and Ron need to simply relax and allow the big picture to present itself to you. When you do you will find that you already know where Ron is and have a good idea where he will be next.
"How is that possible Dad, neither Hermione nor I are legillimens and that takes eye contact anyway" Ron exclaimed.
"Your relationship with each other had brought you closer to each other than either of you is to … say Harry." Arthur responded. "It is not a matter of mind reading, more an awareness of each other's presence. For example Ron, when Hermione enters the Burrow you know she is there before she speaks even though you may be three floors above her at the time." Ron considered this quietly. "How do you know she is near you without looking at her?" Arthur asked him
"Usually I hear her" Ron said.
"You hear her voice?" Arthur probed
"Sometime but usually I can hear the rhythm of her breathing, sometime I can smell her or feel her eyes on me" Ron said drawing raised eyebrows from his girlfriend. "Not that you stink Hermione, you smell like a summer breeze and I pick that up from time to time." Ron said in response to Hermione's glare.
"Exactly Ron" Arthur said triumphantly, "all of your senses tell you that Hermione is near you so that you don't have to see her. In a duel the more relaxed you are the more of your senses you can use. Fear and panic cause us to forget most of our senses leaving us to rely on sight and sound in preparation to fight or run, a good duelist masters their fear long before the duel and opens themselves to all of their senses, sight, sound, smell, touch, even taste. Because of this they are much more aware of their surroundings. The other thing that you two must do is stop trying to protect the other and trust them to defend themselves. That's how you got beat Ron. You were so determined to protect Hermione that you defended yourself poorly. Then you lost focus and let your guard down, true you had cost your mother her wand arm but most spells can easily be performed with the non dominant hand so she wasn't out of the fight. Hermione, you spent so much time worrying about Ron that you lost track of me. When Ron went down then you were in a position that was impossible to defend. When you trust each other to watch out for themselves first and your back second you find that if you start in positions that allow you to each cover the other's back and stay in position the duel is much easier."
"That is expert advice by the way, take it from the Dark Lord's best" Bellatrix said as she and Sirius entered the garden. Everyone looked up at her in surprise. "I have studied the art of dueling since I was very young and it took me many years of practice before I could duel with a partner very well. I was always good alone but I made the same mistakes that the both of you made before I learned my lesson."
Harry and Ginny took on the Weasleys next. They lasted longer than Ron and Hermione because their positioning was better. They started side by side, but when Molly tried to circle to the back they unconsciously grasped left hands which kept them connected and in position. In the end Ginny went down because her mother was faster than she was firing a barrage of sparks at her that was more than Ginny could block. With his wife down Harry had quickly moved his back to the garden wall but couldn't defend himself against the perfect coordinated attack of the Weasleys. The debriefing went much quicker this time as Harry and Ginny were both excellent duelers alone and they seemed more aware of each other than Ron and Hermione.
Arthur had a final lesson to show the kids before everyone went home or to school. He had Sirius and Bellatrix duel each couple. These duels only lasted a few moments and Sirius and Bellatrix lost both spectacularly. "My point in this exercise was to show you that you Ron and Hermione share a bond Molly and I and Harry and Ginny share with each other. This gives us an advantage over a pair that are not in love like we are cousins though they may be. You four handed Sirius and Bellatrix some of the worst losses of their lives I'd wager and they have dueled against and with each other many times as children. The reason for this is that you four know your partners far better than Sirius knows his. This is an advantage that I pray you will remember if you ever have to fight together against the Death Eaters.
Bellatrix spoke again, "You four should also remember that most of the Death Eaters do not know love nor do they respect it. Because of this they fight rather like a large collection of individuals rather than a cohesive unit, it is rare when two death eaters are aware of each others presence like you four are. Therefore if you remain calm you will have a great advantage over any of them."
The eight of them sat down to a fantastic lunch that the staff had cook under Dobby's direction. After the meal they all returned to their rooms to pack. Sirius and Bellatrix were leaving immediately to go and collect the horcruxes that she had been asked to watch over, while Arthur and Molly were going out into the field for the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix which had combined their forces under Minister Diggory's administration. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione returned to the school at about two o'clock that afternoon and spent the rest of the day relaxing in Harry's sitting room before they started the next week.