It had been a few weeks since Harry had settled into life at the manor. He had received his OWLS and though not surprised he failed history and divination, he was stunned to get three O's, having expected only DADA but got charms and to his shock potions, E in the others. Severus was going to pair Harry and Draco for he thought it would be just another way for the boys to be able to be friends without the world knowing Harry knew the truth. They kept telling Harry that he needed to pretend he did not know the truth until it was safer but they had never really explained when that would be. For now Draco was keeping him busy with talk about the pranks and things that they could pull on his so called friends and since Harry would be living with Remus in the school year he would not have to watch his back. For all intensive purposes he would only be a Gryffindor for quidditch and other then beating him on the field. Draco and his friends assured him they would let him hang out though Pansy had not given up on her hopes of giving Harry a make over some time.
Harry was surprised one day about two weeks in when he and Draco were about to take a ride and Severus came out to find them. He had received word from Ted that the headmaster was about to pay Harry a visit at their house and Harry would need to be there for it of course. They had made the portkey could Harry could travel easy enough back and forth so if this happened they could send Harry right back there. He wondered what excuse the headmaster had, for he had never come to check on Harry previous summers and now he suddenly seemed interested in him. Harry of course knew why but the headmaster was not aware that Harry knew of course. Harry knew without asking what was up for he saw the portkey. He shared a look with Draco and Severus as a promise to do what was needed, and activated it.
Harry arrived in the bedroom that he had lived in for the two days he was there and he stashed the portkey away. He headed off into the kitchen where Ted hugged him and pointed out the window where the headmaster was coming up the walk way. Harry grimaced when he noticed the man had brought re-enforcements with him, in the form of Hermione and Ron, Ron fully recovered from the attack of the brains.
Ted squeezed his arm. "Well at least we have an excuse to see you. We did not think we would until the birthday party for you here in a few weeks."
Harry, who had never had one, was to have two parties, a fake one here and a real one at the manor. "I have missed you too."
The older man smiled and he led Harry outside where his wife was greeting their visitors. Ted had never been fond of the headmaster and his wife was the same. They had never joined the order because of it and they knew their daughter only had because she was an auror and wanted to fight Voldemort. Like Moody, her loyalty always lie with the light side and not with the headmaster, one of the reasons she had been so active in helping Harry with all of this, well and Remus of course. The couple had never had the man come to visit before but they were fine with it as long as Harry was safe.
Harry looked at his former friends and reminded himself he had to play nice. These were still supposed to be his best friends and until it was safe he had to keep it that way. He was reminded though of one of the pranks that he and Draco had already decided to use and kept that in mind as he greeted the two of them.
Albus turned to Harry. "We are here to invite you Harry to the Burrow. I know you said no before but just for a week or so, to celebrate your birthday."
Harry looked at the Tonks and back. "Aunt Annie and Uncle Ted are having a birthday for me, I am sure Ron and Mione you got the invitations already."
Of course they had, them as well as Neville and Luna and his quidditch buddies had been invited. He had hoped with the twins and his old buddies it would be bearable being around these two, not able for obvious reasons to have Draco or any of his new friends. But the Malfoys would have a party for him later on. He had no desire to celebrate his birthday with the Weasleys. He may have once upon a time but he had even when he had not known the truth, never been allowed to leave the house until August, celebrating every birthday alone at Privet Drive. Of course the headmaster would always use the excuse of the war to keep that at bay.
Hermione smiled. "You know we will change the invitations. The Burrow has a pitch after all. Besides you know Mr and Mrs Weasley would love to have you."
Albus agreed. "Andromeda and Ted I am sure understand as much as they are your family now, the Weasleys are too. You need your old family and friends around."
The couple knew there was no real way to protest it and as much as Harry hated to admit it he knew he would have to agree to go. Harry would have jumped at the chance to spend the summer with the family. He knew there was a chance they would try and convince him to spend the rest of the summer there, but he wouldn't. He would agree to spend a week with them before his birthday. When Albus argued he should stay longer he reminded the man his godfather was expected to be out of the hospital not long after that and he wanted to be with him as soon as he could.
Ron beamed. "You know Bill and Charlie are still in the country, both jobs here now. You have not got a chance to see much of them before."
Hermione nodded. "Bill and Fleur are engaged to be married they just announced. You remember her, I mean you saved her sister from the lake and all."
As they spoke Harry wondered about the two older brothers for they had both been well done school before the Weasleys came into his life. He had his suspicions Percy may have been involved in all of this but the older two he had his questions about. He just wished the twins would be at the Burrow with him but he knew it would raise too many questions if they suddenly decided to patch bridges with their family after not speaking to them in months now. He just hoped he could use their bedroom or something for some how the thought of sharing the orange bedroom with Ron again was enough to make his head spin.
Harry was forced to spend most of the day there for Albus invited the three of them to lunch himself and Harry kept thinking about pranks to get through it. The headmaster told him one of the Weasleys would come and collect him from the house a week before his birthday and bring him. Back at the manor Harry explained what had happened and everyone angered that there was little else Harry could do.
Severus clapped him on the back. "It is only a week and your proper birthday and your godfather will be waiting when you get back, well Remus a day or two after."
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Harry returned to Andromeda and Ted's the night before he was to head to the Burrow. Tonks and Moody were coming for dinner, Moody having become good friends with the couple as he trained their daughter who he considered the closest thing to a child he would ever have. Harry was happy there were members of the Order he could trust beyond those he lived with, having found the spies seemed the most trust worthy. He had never really got the chance till last summer to get to know the real Moody though he had actually liked the fake for the first while, but the man could grow on him he decided.
The morning after breakfast Harry saw a red head coming his way and he was surprised to see it was Bill. He would have thought that Arthur or Molly would have come, and again he had questions of the two older boys. Bill stayed for a slight talk with the couple before he whisked Harry away but on the bus to his shock, even more when he brought up the question of money and thanking Harry for letting his parents keep the house.
Harry eyed him oddly. "Your parents never meant me harm and I would not take their house from them. They after all have taken such good care of me."
Bill was not buying it though. "I know how close you are to the twins. But for the sake of my siblings and me who grew up there, thank you for not taking it."
Harry sat there in silence watching Bill and wondering how much he knew, and how much he suspected Harry knew. Bill said nothing more but Harry was reminded that he had saved Bill's soon to be sister in law and wondered if that would affect Bill at all. He reminded himself to stay on edge around him for he had never known him before other then a bit in the summer and he would not be smart to let his guard down. The rest of the family though soon had his attention when he got there.
Molly smiled. "Since Bill and Charlie are home Harry space is a bit tight so you will be staying with Ron up in his room of course. He'll show you up."
Harry hid the grimace and turned to his former best friend. "Like old times."
He was reminded there was plenty of room but he assumed Fleur would not be camping in with Hermione and Ginny, as he had seen her there. He assumed she was in the twins' room for he had no doubt Molly and Arthur would never let her share a room with Bill there till they were married. As Harry put his bag down in the room at the top, he reminded himself it was only for a week. If he had lived in a cupboard for years, he could survive a week with Ron.