Got there finally. Sorry it's take so long, hopefully that fact its a little longer will help.
I don't own any of the characters. Etc.
The next morning at the burrow everyone was at the breakfast table to eat before they bid Ron and Hermione goodbye. The Auror's they were to travel with were due to arrive just after 9am.
Charlie showed his face again. But looked a lot like he had a hangover, Harry couldn't help but wonder if there had been a bottle of Firewhiskey somewhere in the house as Bill's eyes looked quite blood shot as well. He was amused that Fleur clearly didn't have any sympathy for her husband as every time she spoke she seemed to crane her neck so that it would be loud in Bill's ear.
George was looking a little tired, but then he had slept the last two nights at St Mungo's. But there was a peace about him that Harry hadn't seen since Fred's death. Like there was a light at the end of the tunnel, and he could finally see a life without his other half, watching George while thinking this Harry noticed George looking back and forth between Hermione and Ron.
Ginny who seemed to have a death wish as far as Harry was concerned was sitting next to Ron trying to talk him out of the strange plan him and Hermione's discussion seemed to have created last night. Ginny and Ron's Whispering seemed to be getting nowhere.
Hermione while not looking overly happy with it, had put on a strong face and after glaring at Ron who was now sourly looking into his eggs and bacon, without even food in his mouth declared to Molly and Arthur. "Thank you so much for having me, but as I haven't seen my parents for almost a year. Once we have found them and returned their memories I'm going to return home with them and stay there until school starts in September."
Ron just about choked, glaring at Hermione before stating. "Yeah it will give me some quality time with Harry."
Harry exchanged a look with Ginny which spoke volumes about how often they were going to hide from Ron.
George just frowned. "I hope we're free to leave here then, I was already thinking not having you two around for the next week or so was spoiling my entertainment."
Hermione just shot back. "Sorry to disappoint you George. Nice to know that's all I'm good for, a bit of entertainment." The last bit of the sentence clearly directed more at Ron than George.
George kicked Ron under the table. "You sure she's not going to hex your bits off while you away?" He asked.
Molly looked appalled at George's term of phrase and Arthur just shook his head. "That's enough. I'm sure your parents will appreciate you being there after not seeing you for a year. Not that they remember they haven't seen you in that long." Arthur stated to Hermione, seemingly confusing himself from the look on his face.
"We'll come and visit if we are allowed won't we Gin?" Harry smiled at Hermione trying to cheer her up. The outcome of the argument had been that they both believed they could live without each other after Australia, but didn't think the other one could cope. So had agreed to see who would be the first to cave after they returned, but would spend the next week while they were away making the most of their time. Harry doubted they were off to a good start considering they weren't even sitting next to each other this morning. He was very pleased now not to be going with them.
The Auror's arrived at 9am like organized, and looked rather impatient to be going, while Ron and Hermione said goodbye to all the family.
They were Auror's Harry hadn't meet before, but assumed they were good if Kinsley had given them the task of looking for Hermione's parents.
Bill chatted to them well Harry thought it was more questioning them. Their names were Alice and David Rivers. They have been in the department for five years spending most of their time working with overseas Departments and International dark wizard catching, only returning to Britain last week after the battle.
Hearing bits and pieces Harry managed to gather that they had always supported the Order, but weren't in the country enough to feel they could do any good by joining it. Harry pushed aside the thought that Charlie had been a member while living in Romania. After all if you were a Weasley you almost automatically a member other than Percy who had been a prat at that stage.
"I'm going to miss you." Hermione declared pulling Harry into a hug causing him to lose his train of thought.
"It's going to be strange that's for sure." Harry hugged her back. "You sure you won't rethink returning with Ron?"
She froze slightly at the comment. "I doubt it, unless he buckles." She mumbled then shrugged her shoulders. "But I should spend some time with Mum and Dad. That much I know."
Harry nodded, Hermione did have parents who loved her, had supported her in education as a witch and it was true she really hadn't spent much time with them in the last few years.
Letting her go to hug Ginny he felt Ron slap him on the shoulder. "It's going to be odd not seeing your ugly face every day." Ron stated.
Harry nodded, "Like wise." and gave Ron a man hug which they both stepped back from looking awkwardly at the ground.
Harry heard Hermione comment to Ginny behind him. "You really think after all they had been through they would be over being typical men."
He just shook his head. Hugging Ron, still just seemed strange.
Once they had left the house seemed oddly quiet and as everyone moved off to find their own thing to do, Molly taking over the kitchen to make some food for Angelina when she arrived, Arthur back to reading up on what Harry now gathered to be a book trying to explain computers and the internet. Something Harry didn't know that much about either, having started Hogwarts in 1991. The most he knew about modern technology had been the Playstation Dudley had been given in 1995.
Percy and Audrey had just disappeared and Fleur after stating very loudly that Charlie and Bill needed something for a headache produced two vials of hangover potion and send them back off to bed. Shaking her head and murmuring away to herself in French as she did it.
George took off with Fred's portrait to start coming up with some good ideas on reopening the shop and some tricky questions as they joked for Lee to ask Harry this afternoon in his interview for winding up Potterwatch. Fred had been complaining about being dumped in Kitchen after Breakfast the other day and not having anyone but Kreacher to talk to most of the time. Which everyone knew was a complete load of hogwash, as there had been people in and out all the time with the house being so busy, and not a whole lot to do but look for snacks to pass the time, considering they had packed pretty quickly the other day.
Harry ended up in the living room with Ginny. She was reading another one of Hermione's muggle novels by the author they had joked about last night, while Harry once again looked through the folder from Gringotts.
Picking up what was clearly the deed for Potter Manor he turned it into the picture again and looked at it. Wondering how you ever even cleaned a house that large. It would surely take a small army to run. Putting it down he looked at some of the other papers. From what he could work out he owned parts of several companies. One of them being Nimbus Series Brooms which caused him to shake his head, as much as he had loved his first broom there was something about his firebolt and the way it reacted to the tiniest thought he had while in the air that he longed to buy another one. Shrugging his shoulders he wondered how much sales would go up of Nimbus Brooms if he made the knowledge public that he owned some shares in it?
Ginny lowered her book from where she was lying on the couch while he had been sitting on the floor looking at the papers.
"Find anything interesting?" She asked.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I think I own some of the Nimbus Series Broom Company."
"Cool, does that mean you can get me a cheap broom? I'll need one if I'm going to have any luck catching the attention of professional teams this year." She asked putting her book down on her chest.
Harry shrugged again. "I have no idea. Tell you what if you get a call up to a team before we start school I'll buy you a Firebolt." He offered looking up at her sideways with a smirk, thinking buying Ginny her dream broom without her arguing too much was getting easier by the day.
Ginny burst into laughter picking up her book again. "Like that would happen. I didn't even get to play last year." And continued reading.
Harry just let it go and went back to the papers, having a bit of a laugh when he realised he also had had shares in Zonko's. Ginny looked over her book at him again. "What now?" She asked.
"One of the shops I have shares in, seems to have run another one out of business." He tried to explain showing her the Zonko's share report.
Ginny smiled looked at it. "Didn't George and Fred put them out of business?"
Harry nodded. "I gave them the set up for the shop. They made me a part owner. Probably lost me some money as well." He nodded, thinking it might be a nice side joke to have with George over the years.
"Yeah, I'm sure it was a great loss. You seem so upset by it." She rolled her eyes back at him, and handed back the report. "I'm not enjoying this book. The heroine seems sappy. Even has a sappy name. Fanny." She said slamming it shut. "When are we going to the interview?"
Harry glanced at his watch. "In an hour. Just after lunch. Isn't it sad that we are so watched that even flooing to the ministry sounds like an adventure?"
Ginny groaned. "After Aunt Muriel's as well, it's like the battle was the only freedom I've had. I wish it could have been from the shop basement where Potterwatch started. I know they had to move all the time after that but….."
Harry nodded. It did sound like more fun. But even though it was Potterwatch as such, it was going to be broadcast to the whole Wizarding Race on a frequency that had been advertised. "Yeah, I think I would find it easier to talk without officials watching and listening as well. I hope Lee and George aren't planning on embarrassing me too much."
Ginny smiled. "They got guidelines. George was grumbling about them to Fred this morning, that's why they had to go over the questions again. Apparently personal life is off limits and there isn't to be any jokes that about you that sound disrespectful."
Harry thought for a moment. "I suppose I should be glad. But I just can't really see the point of having Lee and George ask the questions if they can't be themselves."
Ginny smiled. "Oh, I'm sure they will think of something. Oh, and Angelina's parents are collecting her from St Mungo's and meeting us there. George apparently worked it out with Ange last night."
Harry nodded wondering just what was being planned. But decided he couldn't be bothered worrying about it too much. He was a little too over the whole hero thing and he hadn't even been allowed out to witness most of it.
Harry, Ginny and George left straight after Lunch, once again leaving a complaining portrait behind them. George had just smirked at Fred stating. "I'm not carrying you everywhere with me, dream on."
Fred snarled slightly before throwing back. "You just don't want to look like your carrying around a picture of when you were better looking and had two ears."
George stepped into the Floo, and just before calling out 'Kingsley's office' Threw back. "Two words. Broom Closet."
Harry felt himself chuckle. It was like George could only take so much Fred at a time now that he had a choice.
The interview was all set to go, when they arrived and Lee was being given some last minute instructions by some very serious looking wizards. On spotting Harry he asked. "They think I'm going to pick on you or something?" He half questioned.
"We are just looking after Mr. Potter's best interests." They tried to explain.
Kingsley just waved them off. "Mr Jordan and Mr Weasley have known Harry for years. I'm sure they will be fine." The serious wizards half bowed to Kingsley and quickly disappeared. "Sorry about that Mr Jordan. You have the guidelines?" Kingsley asked.
Lee nodded. "Not sure what's left to talk about though." He mumbled as George grabbed a seat next to him and handed him a piece of parchment.
Lee read a little bit, and then grinned. Looking back up at Kingsley he stated. "Don't worry we'll be fine."
Harry taking the seat he had been pointed too in front of what looked like a 1950's microphone couldn't help but ask. "Should I be worried?"
George just grinned at him. "Nah, you'll be fine."
Ginny was shown a seat in the corner behind a screen and was soon joined by Angelina and her parents. Harry smiled at Ginny giving their old captain a hug, while George winked at Angelina, causing her to blush slightly, a facial expression Harry doubted he had ever seen on Angelina before red with anger yes, but blushing?
"We're live in Five, four, three, two, one." A man off to their left counted down the start of the interview.
Lee nodded his head to the countdown, waited a few seconds then started. "Well, well, welcome to Potterwatch, if you are repeating the password Lily over and over again, it's not going to help. You will still be able to hear me unless you turn your wireless off." He paused for a moment, and looked at George. "Many of you worked out who our team were, so will know we have suffered a great loss at Potterwatch as have many of you during the last year. Rapier gave his life in the battle of Hogwarts and we here will always remember him." He paused again, given just the right amount of silence before breaking into a more upbeat mode. "But I have here a host who really isn't that different, but I have a feeling he won't allow me to call him Rodent either."
"No, you can call me, Excalibur." George answered.
Harry smiled as Lee muffled a groan. "Listeners Excalibur has stepped up from behind the scenes as our producer to join me today as we celebrate the changes in our world since our last broadcast. The most exciting clearly has been the end of 'You know who'. Joining us today we have Royal, who has had a slight promotion since our last show, and to prove we are all in better hands I can now unveil him as our very own Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and also the person we've supported all year the one and only Harry Potter."
Fake clapping was heard and Harry was glad it wasn't Television.
Lee turned to Kingsley. "Are we safe now? Is all threat gone?"
Kingsley paused before answering. "You know I would love to say that we are all safe, that there is nothing to worry about. But we are still working on rounding up people tied to the evil we have seen in the last year, and we're working hard to found out just who is behind a few incidents over the last few days. But over all witches and wizards are now free to move around without fear for their safety."
"Other than our hero." Lee grinned at Harry. "So tell me, Harry what's it like being the pin up model of all young and not so young witches?"
Kingsley coughed. Lee just grinned. "It's not personal, it's just fact. So Harry?"
Harry shook his head and glanced at Ginny. "Well the truth is it's a little unnerving. They don't even know me."
George took the next question. "Yes, well we are very restricted on what we can ask you, so to let our listeners find out a little more about you we have worked out one question for each year of your life since you burst back into the wizarding world at the tender age of 11 and started at Hogwarts."
Harry wondered just where they were going. But thought it could be interesting.
Lee took the next bit. "So to start us off age 11, Harry tell us just what was it like to find out you were a wizard and a famous one at that?"
"Well, it was strange, and yet made sense as well. Like the fact that sometimes things just happened when I thought of them. It was also fascinating and amazing. A lot like the magic world finds muggle ways strange. But overwhelming also, to go from a normal kid to someone everyone stared at."
"Being stared at seems like something you will just have to get used to." George nodded moving along. "Now in your second year it was rumored that you may be the one who was causing strange happenings at Hogwarts when at the end of the day you saved the school and an even earlier return of the dark wizard. Is it true you saved a particularly lovely girl in the process?"
Harry saw the look Kingsley shot the boys, and thought they really were getting a little too clever. "There were many people at risk in that time, one of them my best friend Hermione who as many of you know is muggleborn. But yes I did get the privilege of returning Ginny Weasley to her family."
Lee took the next question. "In your third year it was widely believed that Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban to murder you, when in fact he didn't?"
Harry didn't mind answering this one at all. His godfather deserved a full pardon even if he was dead. "That is correct. The truth was he was not my parent's secret keeper that was Peter Pettigrew who faked his death and really killed all those people. Sirius knew Peter could change into a Rat and recognized a picture of him in the prophet. He broke out of Azkaban to protect me, and expose Peter. Unfortunately Peter escaped and Sirius had to hide until his death at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange a couple for years later. But never underestimate the part Sirius Black played in this war. His support of me through the few years I knew him encouraged me more than I could ever try and put into words."
George smiled at Harry with a thumbs-up. "Now for your fourth year the underage champion of the Tri-wizard tournament, tell us just why it was you gave your winnings away?" Harry's eyebrows questioned what George was getting at, did he want a free advertisement for the shop. George continued. "Just the one line about what the world was going to need over the next few years."
Harry was still a little confused but answered the question. "I gave it to the Weasley Twins to start their joke shop, I didn't need the Galleons, but I did need some laughs, we were all going to need some cheering up over the next few years. Little did I know they would make so much money they pretty much ran the underground for muggleborns and funded it for Hogwarts." Finishing thinking he got to throw in another person lost to the war that helped in a huge way.
George smiled sadly, making Harry realise he must have answered with a little more than they were after. Lee asked the next question. "In you fifth year, you discovered girls." Kingsley coughed again, while the men in suits waved from where they stood. Lee just grinned. "Not that we plan to ask you about that. Tell us about Dumbledore's army in your fifth year and the role they played in the final battle."
Harry relaxed. He was being given the opportunity to praise others and it a situation he was a lot more comfortable in than talking about himself. "Dumbledore's army was a group of students who got together to learn Defense Spells. It was a secret group, and had to close after Umbrigde caught us. But I'm proud to say I was a part of it, and that the whole group returned to Hogwarts for the final battle, several losing their lives in it. Neville Longbottom who ran the underground at Hogwarts was one of this group as well as people who stood with him against the terrible things that were allowed to happen to students such as, Seamus Finnigan, Ginny Weasley, Lavender Brown and the Patel Twins. The group also included the Weasley twins and a group of students who had left Hogwarts but all of whom returned for the final battle. I'm proud to have been a part of it."
George shook his head at Harry. "Ever the modest one Harry, the truth being that you taught us Defense against the Dark Arts, and enabled many of us to learn the skills we've needed to survive, but moving on, as you don't really like being known as a hero. We now reach your sixth year. What was your most memorable moment?"
Harry thought and frowned. That was an odd question Not very leading either. But of course the first thing that flew into his head was his first kiss with Ginny, and realizing just how he felt about her. The frown slipped up into what he was sure was probably a slightly silly grin.
Lee took at up the slack. "He's smiling Ladies and Gentleman, but I have a feeling his not going to be sharing that memory with us, oh well, maybe another day. Just share a defining moment with us?"
Harry nodded, pushing the happier thoughts from his head and focusing on Dumbledore's death. "Probably for me, it was the loss of Dumbledore and knowing that I was going to have to finish what he had started towards destroying Tom Riddle. Realising that I had a huge weight on my shoulders at only 16 and that a normal life was out of the question, but I was blessed to have two wonderful bestfriends who came on that journey with me, I couldn't have made it out alive if they hadn't. Thanks Ron and Hermione."
George winked at Harry, making Harry realise they had made him remember kissing Ginny on purpose, just to suggest he did in fact have a personal life.
Lee continued with the interview. "Well there isn't much we need to ask about this last year, you managed to break into and out of the Ministry of Magic, escape Malfroy Manor and Gringotts. Oh, and somewhere along the way find time to defeat the darkest Wizard of all times. I think our listens would like to hear it from you, is there anyway 'You know who' could return again? Did you really achieve all you set out to do?"
Harry could see the point of this question it was much more along the lines of what he thought the interview was going to be about. "Yes I am sure. Dumbledore spent many years collecting information on Tom Riddle which he passed on to me, there were steps to be taken to make sure that when he was killed again that there were no more ways he could be brought back which is why it took me almost a year. I am sorry it took me so long. I often wonder at the lives that could have been saved if it hadn't."
Lee and George looked at each other, then at the parchment George grabbing it off Lee. "Tell us Harry a little of what you would like out of life now? Other than to be left alone as far as reporters and fan girls go?"
"A normal life, if there is such a thing." Harry answered almost without thinking. "I know there's not, but I would like to think I could have a year or two without hitting life threatening situations."
"You certainly have faced a few of those." Lee nodded at Harry. "One last question and it is on a personal note, not about your life it's your body, but a repeated question we've had owled to us over and over again. Is it true you now have a lightning bolt scar on your chest and how has that affected the Hungarian Horntail tattoo there?"
Harry could hear Ginny's laugh from behind the screen. "It is true I have a scar there now to match the one on my forehead. As to the Tattoo, that was a rumor. I have enough scars to distinguish me without adding body art." He answered highly amused.
George sighed. "Sorry ladies who have been dreaming of that tattoo for the last few years but that about wraps up our time here, we need to get off the air ways so that you can return to normal programming."
Lee nodded. "This is our last broadcast so there is no password, no future date to tune in, but do remember support Harry Potter this is more appreciated by him now days if it's done without screaming and waving. Signing off for the last time you've been listening to Potterwatch."
Please R & R
Hopefulled.