Harry looked around the orange bedroom wishing there was some where else he could have been, he would have slept in the shed. He still did not get why this was safer for him, he honestly hated when people said those words, they never seemed to explain them. He had been left with his abusive relatives for his safety; he had faced Quirell because it was safer the students did not know about the stone. He had once believed they loved him and they thought they were doing what was right, but he had found out they had been lying to him all this time. But he knew Remus and as much as he never thought he would say this, he had come to trust the Malfoys and Severus and he knew they were trying to protect him. They would with time tell him more, they had already told him more then the headmaster ever had, they had been honest with him even when they had known it would hurt him. He reminded himself it was just a week and he would be back with them at the manor and soon enough his godfather would be there as well, that was all that mattered.
He heard Molly calling for him to come down and join them and groaned, wondering what she had in store, worried about his motives. He was reminded that he owned this house and they were all too aware that he could kick them out at any time he chose to do so, well Andromeda could, but she would do as he asked. They of course had no idea he knew the truth about them and thought he actually believed them, believed the lies that he had believed all these years, that they cared about him. As he walked down through the house he wondered just how much in the house he had also bought. He never quite understood why the Weasleys had so many kids; they obviously could not afford them, especially now he learned they would have not even had a house if they had not taken his money.
He found the family down in the kitchen and he could see that dinner was on the table. He noticed a look from Bill and after the bus ride he found himself wondering. He found himself hoping maybe Bill could be trusted, for even though he barely knew Bill, he would have found some relief. He still was wishing for the twins.
Ginny looked up when they were all seated at the table. "Where are Dad and Percy Mum? Surely we are not having dinner without them tonight."
Molly looked up from where she was ladling out the food. "You know your father and bother have been working more hours lately."
Harry had a feeling as he was handed some food that this was not some casual talk. He even noticed that while the food was still abundant it was not the same quality it had been before. He wondered if the family had decided to lay in on thick in an attempt to convince Harry who they were still sure had never found out the truth about them, to stop making them pay him rent or at least lower their rent. From what he had been told they were actually paying reasonable especially with Bill, Percy and Charlie all living at home and supplying money. Really they only had two kids who needed to be under their roof any more.
Bill shot a look at his mother. "Father has been putting in over time since the war was over. You know if he ever took the promotion he was offered, he'd make more."
Molly shot her oldest son a look. "You know what your father thinks of that department besides it would have detracted away from family time and the order as well."
Looking down at his food Harry refused to be drawn into the conversation going on between them. He knew Bill and Fleur were to be married in the Fall and were already looking for a house and that Percy had moved home recently but likely would not be long. He was not sure what Charlie did since he came back to the UK. There were no dragons he was aware of but he had been told Charlie had some job in the country. Perhaps he was doing something in quidditch, he was always good.
A few times through dinner they tried to draw him into the conversation and to be polite he did for a moment or two here and there and then slipped back out of it. He had no great desire to play nice with these people or to be convinced into taking it easy on them.
Molly looked at Harry when she was giving out seconds. "You barely have touched the food Harry. You should not let such good food go to waste."
Harry put on the best polite smile he could as he stood. "I'm sorry Mrs Wesley, the food is delicious but I have no appetite. I think I need some fresh air."
Escaping out into the gardens Harry sunk down onto a bench and prayed they would leave him alone for a while. He knew it was too much to ask for that they would keep their distance for the evening. He heard a few of them coming from the house but also the voices of Arthur and Percy coming up the front walk, loudly talking about work and the stress of all of the over time that they were being forced to put in lately.
He felt a hand on his arm and looked up to see Fleur. "My room is free for the evening. I told Molly I am going to London. You can hide there if you need too."
Harry sent her a grateful look. "Thanks Fleur."
She simply squeezed his shoulder and after kissing her fiancé she took off with a bag. He was reminded she worked for the bank in London since she moved from France. She had been living with the Weasleys since the final battle, not having a place of her own but he got the impression she never got along well with them. He wondered if Harry was just an excuse to get away from her future in laws for a while. Either way he was grateful to escape to her rooms and was surprised when he found his things had been moved down there. He warded the doors and slumped down on the bed, praying that the week would go by fast.
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It seemed Fleur either needed a bad break from her in laws or she was trying to help Harry for she had stayed away the full week. Bill was gone a lot and Harry assumed he was likely missing his fiancé. Harry would have liked to have one red head he found himself trusting around, but he was grateful for the private room. Ron and Hermione were constantly trying to get him to come out and talk or play quidditch, Hermione to help him with home work, but he made excuses. Other then meals he avoided the other floors of the house like the plague.
He had found a stash of the twin's former product under a floor board and had used them to booby trap his room. The few times the traps had gone off Molly or the family assumed that they had been left by the twins and they activated them. The first real laugh Harry had since coming came when Hermione, Ron and Ginny all sported pink hair and purple polk a dots for the rest of the day when they had tried to go into the wardrobe when he had been in the bathroom.
On his birthday at the strike of midnight a Malfoy elf had appeared with a cupcake and wishes from those friends he had left at the manor. He knew he would have gifts and a proper party waiting when he got back. He just wished he could be there with them that day and with Moony.
At breakfast Molly presented him with pancakes before the party, though they were chocolate chip. "Your favourite. Happy birthday."
Harry could have pointed out blueberry were his but he held his tongue on it. "Thank you Mrs Weasley, they smell amazing."
The only relief of the day came was when Andromeda and Ted came as well as Neville and Luna, and Oliver and Katie. Oliver and Katie would be at his real birthday as well for they knew the truth, but they had come to be there for him today. Angelina and Alicia could not for they were dating the twins. Harry knew more then Oliver, he could find comfort in the fact the friends who had been invited he could count on, unlike those housing him for the past week now.
Oliver handed him a practice snitch for his birthday and it was signed but Harry noticed that it was not signed but the members of the United as some would have expected. The autographs on it meant far more to Harry then signatures from a professional team.
Oliver hugged Harry. "Just a reminder we might be done school but we have your back, and Katie still around for another year. Your back, on and now off the field."