"I think you did very well for your first day," Narcissa told Harry late that afternoon. "All the children seemed to love you and you most definitely have a way with them that they respond well to."

"It was pretty easy for me to get along with them," he said. "I've been in their shoes and I understand what they're going through. Of course, they're much luckier than I was not being left to live with a lot of miserable muggles for ten years. I still haven't quite figured out why Dumbledore left me with the Dursleys, knowing how they were. I don't really completely buy that "blood wards" excuse. I could have been perfectly safe growing up at Hogwarts as a ward to any of the professors, considering that Hogwarts has some of the strongest wards in the wizarding world."

"I'm sure you know most of the answer by now, Harry," Narcissa said gently. "After hearing the prophecy about you and the Dark Lord, Dumbledore intended to use you as a pawn to destroy him, believing that you were the only one who could kill him. As part of that plan, he had to isolate you from anyone who would be sympathetic to your plight, so that you would naturally turn to him as a saviour once you came to Hogwarts. Plus, he had to make sure you'd not prefer to remain in the muggle world."

Harry opened his mouth to protest the witch's blunt appraisal of Albus Dumbledore, but closed it again when it suddenly hit him that her words had the unmistakable ring of truth to them. He remembered how much Dumbledore had kept important information from him, distanced himself from Harry when Harry needed him most. He especially resented the summer before his fifth year when Dumbledore had prevented Ron and Hermione from communicating with him, making his isolation complete until the Dementor incident. Indeed, Harry now felt almost grateful that the Dementors had shown up, for it had forced Dumbledore to get him away from the Dursleys and to Grimmauld Place.

"You know I'm right, Harry," Narcissa said quietly. "I can see it in your eyes."

"Yes," he said dully. His mind continued to wander back over the years and he suddenly heard Molly Weasley's voice echoing in his head, "He's just a boy!", over and over. In an instant, it all clicked into place.

Slamming his fist against the wall, he erupted, "And she was helping him use me all along! I can't believe I was so blind!"

"Who, Harry?" Narcissa asked.

"Molly Weasley," he spat out. "She did her level best to keep me in the dark about things, even when others, such as Sirius Black wanted to tell me more of what was going on. Even Ron and Hermione always seemed to know things I didn't." He turned away from the Malfoy matriarch in helpless frustration.

Narcissa didn't say a word, but merely looked on in silent sympathy.

"And that brings me to another thing," Harry fumed. "She's been staying at Grimmauld Place meddling into my marriage ever since James was born and I want her out. I'm not working any longer and I'm taking care of James now, so we don't need her around. Ginny can recover well enough on her own without her mother hovering all the time, as Kreacher can see to any needs she might have. And it's not as if she's particularly weak, if she'd thinking of going into training to try out for the Holyhead Harpies!"

"I think that's probably a wise move, Harry," Narcissa told him. "Everyone should have peace in their own home, so it's not unreasonable for you to send her home. She should be tending to her own household instead of trying to run yours."

Heaving a loud sigh, Harry stood up to leave, "I suppose I'd better go home now and do it before I make excuses not to." Looking miserable, he said, "This is something I'm not really looking forward to doing, but it has to be done."

"You're right, Harry," Narcissa agreed. "The sooner you attend to Molly Weasley, the better off you'll be."

"Wish me luck," Harry said with a sheepish smile. "I'm going to need it."

"Good luck, Harry," Narcissa said, patting him on the arm. "But I think you'll handle it just fine. If you could handle the Dark Lord, surely you can handle one meddling witch."

"I hope so." Harry wasn't quite so sure. Moving to the door, he said, "I'd better go now. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

Moments later, Harry and James had apparated back at Grimmauld Place. He'd given James a bottle as he and Narcissa had talked, so the baby was fast asleep as Harry carried him into the house.

No sooner than he'd shut the door behind him than Molly Weasley came swiftly out of the kitchen under a full head of steam.

"Just where have you been all day with my grandson," the Weasley matriarch brayed at him in indignation, head cocked to one side, hands on hips. "You had Ginny and I worried sick all day when you took James out without even asking us! I can't believe you could be so irresponsible!"

Harry took several deep breaths to keep from blowing up at his meddling mother-in-law. "I hardly think I need anyone's permission to take my own son out of the house," Harry said in a cold voice, his anger barely controlled. "And I left Ginny a note clearly telling her where I was going and about how long I'd be."

"But James needs to be taken care of by women when he's a baby," Molly insisted. "Men simply don't have the proper instincts when it comes to taking care of babies."

"I beg to differ," Harry retorted icily. "He's my son and I intend to take care of him myself, no matter what you say." Wanting to needle his mother-in-law a bit, he added with a cheeky grin, "And Narcissa Malfoy seems to think I'm doing a perfectly fine job taking care of James."

"Narcissa Malfoy!" Molly sniffed, eyes narrowed. "What in the world would that woman know about taking care of children? I'd daresay that Draco Malfoy was raised by house elves until Lucius Malfoy took a notion to make a Death Eater out of him!"

Harry rolled his eyes to the ceiling at the witch's words. "I can see I'm not going to be able to reason with you," he said. turning to take James to the kitchen, where an extra bassinet for James sat.

Molly Weasley followed directly on his heels, not to be put off. "I'm not done with you yet, Harry Potter! I just want to know what you were thinking dragging James off to an orphanage filled with all sorts of strange children who could be carrying who knows what kind of diseases. And letting him get anywhere near the Malfoys! Why, I should --"

Harry had had enough. Cutting her off, he demanded, "You should what?" Whirling on the red-haired witch, he said, "And you're wrong. You are done with me." Moving closer to her, he said firmly, "I want you out of here today! You've overstayed your welcome."

At this moment, Ginny entered the kitchen, having heard the commotion from upstairs. "What's going on here?" she demanded. "I could hear you both from the loo upstairs!"

Both Harry and Molly ignored Ginny, so intent were they on one another.

"I'm not going to leave!" Molly declared. "Ginny's only just given birth! She needs my help running the household!"

"Help running the household, you say?" Harry said with a derisive snort. "Kreacher runs the household and he does so perfectly well enough without your interference! As far as Ginny's health goes, I'd imagine that if she's getting ready to train for the Holyhead Harpies, that she doesn't need your coddling, either!"

"You can't send Mum home!" Ginny broke in. "I need her here!"

"As far as I'm concerned, you can pack up your stuff and go with her, Ginny," Harry said dismissively. "I've had enough of both of you and I'm not going to take it anymore."

Turning to give his wife a hard expression, he added "But know this. No matter what decision you make, James stays here with me."

Both women were stunned into silence at Harry's aggressive words, not quite believing what they were hearing.

Molly regained her voice first, "Neither one of us is going anywhere!"

"You think so?" Harry said. Beckoning to Kreacher, who was listening in the hallway, he said. "Mrs Weasley is going home. Please pack up all her belongings and send them to the Burrow, then make sure she leaves the property."

"With pleasure, Master Harry!" the old elf croaked, immediately disapparating to do Harry's bidding.

Turning back to Ginny, he said, "So, what's it going to be? Me or your mother?"

Not answering Harry, she ran up the stairs where he heard her bang their bedroom door shut a moment later.

"I'll take that to mean she's decided to stay for now," Harry said with indifference. Facing Molly again, he indicated the kitchen fireplace, which was connected to the floo network. "You can either wait for Kreacher to escort you out or you can go now with a bit of dignity. Your choice."

Muttering loudly to herself, she headed to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder. Just before throwing it, she warned, "Don't think you've heard the last of this, Harry Potter". A moment later, she disappeared into a cloud of green smoke.

"One down, one to go," Harry said in grim satisfaction to James, who was now whimpering from all the drama. "Then it will be just you and me."

---
A/N Thanks everyone who is still along for the ride!
A/N Next chapter as yet unnamed.