The Unbreakable Vow 26
by
Ash Darklighter
It all belongs to JK Rowling and I thank her for her inspiration – There are no galleons to be made from me or by me. This little story is my first Harry Potter fic. It is AU and of course comments are welcome. My thanks to Tad and Mona for their help.
The voice on the other end of the telephone sounded apologetic. "I'm sorry, Helen. I can't make it today. I was hoping to come but..."
"It's okay, Jenny, I understand."
"Things are happening right now," the voice said. "I can't explain over the phone – it's just too...difficult. Family things."
"Family!" That was a new one. As far as Helen knew neither Jenny nor her husband had any. They'd never mentioned them.
"Yes." There was an awkward pause. "I'm sorry again and I'll be in touch – I promise. 'Bye."
"'Bye, Jenny." Helen Buchanan put down the phone and turned to her friend Caroline. "Jenny," she said by way of explanation, although she didn't really need to.
"Don't tell me," Caroline drawled slowly. "Something's come up and Jenny can't make it."
"Yes." Helen frowned.
Caroline pressed her lips together before saying quietly, "that's the third one she's missed since the incident."
The three women had met together almost every week since the birth of their children.
The furrow on Helen's brow deepened. "I suppose it is."
"I guess it's understandable," Caroline mused carefully. "She must have got a bit of a scare when those yobs were shooting fireworks at cars. I don't know if I would have got behind the wheel again. Maybe she should have seen somebody...got some counselling or something."
Helen switched the kettle on to boil and grabbed a couple of mugs from the cupboard. "She's been a bit funny ever since," she murmured slowly.
Caroline snorted. "I don't blame her."
"Me neither." Helen poured the tea and pushed the sugar bowl towards her friend. "But then, Jenny's always been ...a bit peculiar."
The blonde woman paused in the act of heaping a large spoon of sugar into her tea. "What do you mean?"
Helen searched in her mind for the right words. "Oh, she's lovely. So sweet and kind but...she's different and I've never worked out exactly what's different about her."
"You've got something there. It's almost as if she's not used to modern conveniences. She did say that she went to this very strict boarding school and hadn't even touched a computer until she went to college." Caroline gave her beverage a quick stir. "I've known Jenny for what...two, three years now and I don't think that I know her at all. For all that she's got a wicked sense of humour, she talks without saying anything."
"She's not the only one that does that," Helen said dismissively with a flick of her wrist. "Loads of people do it...politicians, for example. I never thought of it like that before but I agree with you. I don't feel that I know anything more about her than I did when I first met her. She's never mentioned her family – not even in passing. It's as if they never existed. She's never mentioned her parents or if she has brothers and sisters. My brother and I fought like the proverbial cat and dog growing up but I would never have cut him out of my life. Actually, we get on pretty well these days and I'm not saying that I think about my mother-in-law often but she's there whether I like it or not and she's very good about babysitting the kid." She held out her hands helplessly. "They're family."
Caroline grinned. "And Gary's such an ordinary bloke."
"He's never mentioned a family either." Helen visualised Jenny's thin-faced, anxious-looking husband and gave a fond smile. "What you see is what you get with Gary. He's a real sweetheart but I've never met such a worrier."
"True. I'm surprised he doesn't already have a stress ulcer." They all liked Gary. He was so devoted to his wife and son. "I swear that if Jenny's a minute late home he's on the phone wondering if she left on time and if everything is okay."
"And it is normally. It's rare that anything horrible like that happens up here. I still can't believe that people were actually setting fireworks off into the path of passing cars. If it was Glasgow or London..." Helen shrugged. "I would understand."
"I love him to bits and wouldn't change him for the world but I wish my husband was as considerate as Gary is. It seems to me that his whole life is Jenny and Jamie and that's wonderful for them." Caroline tipped her head to one side. "What is it?"
"It's nothing," Helen protested.
Caroline's eyebrows went up disbelievingly. "I know that look, Mrs Buchanan. Out with it."
"You'll laugh. This is really silly." Helen hesitated for a moment. "I swear this is going to sound daft but I'm convinced I saw one of Jamie's toys hover in the air."
Caroline gave a short bark of laughter. "You're kidding?"
Helen shook her head. "I told you you'd laugh."
"Hovering toys!" Caroline waved her hands in the air in surrender. "I give up. You're overtired. He probably just threw it. It's official. You are daft."
Helen shook her head. "I was making the tea and came back to ask what she wanted on her sandwich. The boys were playing and laughing and the teddy bear was spinning above Jamie's head. Jenny... lifted her hand and caught it."
"Did she see you?" Caroline asked curiously.
"No, I ducked back into the kitchen and rattled the crockery. She didn't see me."
"How did she look?"
Helen's mouth twisted. "Scared but not really surprised. She sort of gasped and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. I ducked back out of sight. It looked like...well...magic and we both know that only happens in fairy tales and Hollywood films."
"God bless Walt Disney." Caroline laughed and shook her head. "It will have been a trick of the light. You're tired. It's getting near end of term."
"You're probably right." Helen gave a rueful chuckle. "Either that or I need to cut down on the gin or get more sleep."
Caroline leaned forward. "Since when have you drunk gin?"
Helen glanced towards the drinks cabinet. "Ah..."
Caroline's eyes narrowed. "Everything else I've seen you down but not gin."
They shared a conspiratorial grin as Helen confessed, "I must admit that I can't drink the way I used to back when we were students."
"Good grief! Who can?" Caroline took a large swig of tea. "I know that I can't. One millimetre over my allotted alcohol consumption and I'm no use to job, husband or children the following day."
"I like how you put the job first," joked Helen.
Caroline's eyes gleamed wickedly. "Of course I put the job first. How else could I afford to have the husband and children?"
The two women began laughing again, pushing the levitating toy firmly from their thoughts.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Ministry
Percy Weasley was many things but he wasn't stupid. He'd been called a number of unflattering epithets by wizards of his acquaintance over the years but was so unshakably set in his very certainty that most of the names bounced off him. Prissy, pompous, self-important – he'd heard them all. He preferred to describe himself as professionally efficient - a perfectionist - someone hard working, capable and organised.
His career in the Ministry of Magic had been rather disappointing to date and the Department for Magical Transportation was rather stifling to one of Percy's political skills and ambitions. But he waited, watched and listened. There was still time for him to gain the position of power and influence and ultimately have affluence he craved. He would be what he deserved to be.
Percy tapped the feather end of his quill against his chin thoughtfully. Something important had happened very recently. In fact, it had probably happened within the last few days and they were now waiting for the effects to trickle through into the public consciousness. It had to have been something important to have significant members of the wizarding world jumping to attention and he needed to know exactly what it was. Knowledge was power, after all.
His first clue had been the sound of voices in the outer office. After Cornelius Fudge's fall from grace, Percy had been shifted sideways and down to his present post. However, that didn't mean that he'd been stripped of all his aspirations and he'd still been deemed important enough to have an assistant. Certain members of the Ministry were aware of how hard he worked. That his new assistant was his future sister-in-law was a bonus. Hermione Granger was close to Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore and was now, according to his sources, a member of the Order of the Phoenix.
Oh yes, Percy knew all about Albus Dumbledore's little organisation. He'd made sure he knew as much as he could about the headmaster of Hogwarts and his little cabal. If they were hiding Harry Potter or knew the whereabouts of his sister he would have them in Azkaban faster than they could say 'Lumos'. The fight against He-who-could-not-be-named was incidental at this point. The rumour was that Harry Potter had sent the dark wizard packing for the second time not long before he himself disappeared.
The disappearance of You-know-who for the second time had left certain prominent wizarding individuals scrambling for safety. The Nott family sprang to mind, with several unexpectedly large donations to St. Mungos hospital. Whether Harry Potter was the reason for V...V... Voldemort's demise this time was moot. The dark wizard had ceased his operations and the wizarding populace breathed an uneasy sigh of relief.
Percy's hand tightened into a fist around his wand. He could barely think the name of the dark wizard, let alone say it aloud.
Dumbledore could say it. But then it was said that Dumbledore was the only wizard that You-know-who has ever feared.
He turned his thoughts to his assistant. Hermione currently worked in the outer office, screening his appointments, dealing with his correspondence and research into the latest developments in magical forms of transport. They had a cool, perhaps even a frosty professional relationship. He'd made the mistake at the beginning of their working life of assuming that the brightest witch of her age ever to come out of Hogwarts would understand his reasons for betrothing Ginny to the Malfoy family. He'd been wrong.
"I will not speak of this to you again," Hermione had declared stiffly. "In fact, I wouldn't have mentioned it at all if you hadn't brought up the subject in the first place. I don't agree with what you did, although I realise you were doing what you thought was best for your sister. But you didn't ask her. You didn't ask Ginny what she wanted. She should have been able to make her own choices, Mr. Weasley. She's not stupid and certainly not a child any longer. She never wanted money or power and position. She's a true Weasley and wanted someone who loved her."
"Hermione..."
"It's your fault that she left and no, I don't know where she is...or Harry. We don't even know if they are together. For that, we can only hope because they'll be safer together. They didn't confide their plans to any of us. Trying to pump me for information will gain you nothing. I don't have any information to give you." She'd levelled him with a steely glare. "I don't know that I would share anything with you if I did know." She'd picked up her quill and bent her curly head over the report she was working on.
All Percy could say after that was, "leave the report on my desk when you are finished with it, Hermione."
"You're a fool," said Hermione scathingly without looking at him. "Harry would have died for Ginny. He would have done anything to keep her safe - anything. An alliance with the Malfoy family has placed her in more danger than she ever would have been in with Harry. Once you would have seen that and respected it. It was Lucius Malfoy who planted V...V...Voldemort's diary on Ginny in her first year of Hogwarts. She nearly died then. If it hadn't been for Harry she would have."
Hermione couldn't say the name without stuttering over it but she could say it.
They'd never spoken of Ginny, Harry or the disastrous Malfoy betrothal since that day. However, yesterday Lucius Malfoy, accompanied by his wife and son, had strutted into the Ministry looking as if he owned it.
The Malfoy patriarch had actually been keeping a low profile since Ginny had disappeared. Percy had heard rumblings that it was because He-who-should-not-be-named had been destroyed and the Malfoys were rumoured to be strong supporters of the Dark Lord. He'd heard that the Aurors had been keeping a close eye on certain suspected families despite their claims of being subjected to the Imperious curse.
His father hadn't believed Lucius Malfoy's claims of innocence. Percy's mouth twitched. His father had been a fool who had got his himself killed. Percy swallowed hard. He missed his father – he'd been a decent man.
The red-haired wizard had decided that such an illustrious family probably did have skeletons in their closets – the Weasley's did have that cousin who was an accountant - but Lucius had always been an important financial donor to the Ministry. That was surely an indication that they wanted what was best for the wizarding world. Still, that swaggering, arrogant confidence had not been so apparent for some time.
Percy waited for the miniature portrait on his desk to announce the name of the visitor but no communication came. He sniffed with annoyance. Hermione wasn't paid to chat in the outer office to his afternoon appointments. Eventually he opened the connecting door to find the Auror, Nymphadora Tonks, speaking rapidly and quietly to his assistant.
Hermione gave Percy a wary glance at the young Auror and nodded. "I'll be there."
"As soon as you're finished," Tonks murmured. "We'll wait for you down in the atrium."
"Of course." Hermione again glanced sideways at Percy and then focused on the parchment in front of her.
"Auror Tonks..." Percy began stiffly.
"Percy," Tonks said abruptly and disappeared out into the corridor.
"What did she want?" he asked, bewildered at her abrupt departure. He was used to the visible dislike of Potter's associates by now.
"Oh, nothing..." Hermione said airily. "She just popped in for a chat. Tonks is a friend of mine, you know. We are still allowed to have them." She gave him a perceptive glance. "And before you remind me that I'm employed to work for the Ministry and not to chat..." She indicated a sandwich lying next to her. "I must remind you that it is still my lunch hour and I am working through it. I could visit the staff canteen instead but you wouldn't get the Bobbleton study done." She gave him a frosty smile and picked up the sandwich and took a large bite. "Mmm, lovely."
Percy scowled and retreated back into his office. Several hours later he noticed the time with surprise. It was almost time for Hermione to finish work and he wanted something verified on the viability of developing a better, more efficient strain of Floo powder. A report had been done on it at some point during the last year but he couldn't remember what conclusions had been reached. He had no doubt that Hermione would know. He took another glance his watch. It would keep until tomorrow but if he got the figures tonight it would save a lot of time.
He checked his diary for the following day. He had several meetings scheduled with important wizards. No, he decided, it would be better done today. Hermione wouldn't mind working late, so shouldn't be a problem. She never left early because he always had something vitally important for her to do. He bent his head towards the miniature portrait on his desk and spoke into it clearly. "Hermione, could you come through to my office, please? I'd like you to check on a couple of things before you go home."
Silence.
"Hermione?"
There was no answer.
Percy's brow furrowed and with a sigh he threw open the door. "Hermione..." The office was empty, the desk clear and Hermione's coat gone from the rack against the far wall. He glowered and checked his watch. It was three minutes past 5pm. She'd waited until the dot of five and left without informing him. Hermione Granger never left work when she was supposed to and certainly never without telling him that she leaving. She was, in Percy's opinion, as dedicated to her work as he was.
Moving to the corridor, he peered down into the main atrium and spotted her distinctive figure rushing towards a small group of waiting wizards. Even from this floor he noted the bubblegum pink hair of Tonks, a wizard in a sandy brown cloak and a tall, dark-skinned wizard that Percy thought was Kingsley Shacklebolt or Osgood Montgomery. If Tonks was present, then the wizard in the sandy brown cloak could possibly be the werewolf, Remus Lupin. These were all people close to Albus Dumbledore.
This was atypical behaviour from his hardworking assistant. He'd thought that of late she'd distanced herself from the Hogwarts headmaster but obviously he'd been wrong. She'd just not mentioned him in front of Percy. In fact, she rarely addressed anything to Percy unless it was work related.
She had returned to work the following morning on time as usual but with such an expression of strain visible on her pale face – her eyes red as if she'd been weeping - that he'd thought he was going to have to send her home. She'd been distracted all day and, during her lunch hour, he'd observed her pouring over thick tomes which she removed from sight as soon as she'd thought herself observed. Enquiries as to her well-being had been answered with a stiff, "I'm fine, Mr Weasley." Again, she'd departed on the dot of five leaving him glaring at the mounting pile of parchments rolled up together in her in-tray.
It all began to make even less sense when the unmistakable form of a grim-faced Albus Dumbledore was seen making his way towards Scrimgeour's office, followed five minutes later by a tense-looking Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Relations between the Hogwarts headmaster and the Minister for Magic had been cordial – if not exactly warm. Scrimgeour did not need or fear Dumbledore in the way that Fudge had. In fact, the headmaster had not been present at the Ministry since the last session of the Wizengamot. Percy was quite certain that the Minister – a former Auror - would and did disapprove of the existence of the Order of the Phoenix.
Percy wandered back to his empty outer office and glared at his assistant's empty chair. Hermione should not have left early. She knew they still had the report on Floo powder to complete. He gave a bitter laugh. Floo powder! Where was the thrill in reporting on that? Whatever had upset Hermione had also unsettled Dumbledore, Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour. Once, he would have been present at a meeting between Dumbledore and the Minister. For the first time in months, Percy ignored the work on his desk and decided to go home. He had much thinking to do.
Hermione, Tonks and Lupin were part of that tightly knit group of wizards that Harry Potter had called friends. Percy didn't have to be a genius to realise that the Order of the Phoenix was operating once again, placing his family right in the firing line.
Dumbledore was actively seeking out the Minister and the Minister was not turning him away. Added to the rising arrogance of certain wizards, it could only mean one thing. Percy knew he'd made mistakes with Crouch and Fudge. He hadn't wanted to hear the worst and he'd let himself be led around by the nose believing that the Ministry could do no wrong. He'd alienated himself from his family and ruined his career. Scrimgeour hadn't wanted to employ Percy anywhere near him after that. He was fortunate to be employed at all. He still believed that his family's ideals had helped prevent him from advancing in his career but they were his family.
Something was wrong – incredibly wrong. He'd never put any faith in the art of Divination but he'd never felt his magic tingling like this before. Not even when His then girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater had been petrified by the Basilisk and Ginny had been dragged into the Chamber of Secrets and left to die. Not even the time when he'd stood in the Atrium behind a shocked Cornelius Fudge, mere feet away from the most powerful dark wizard in history.
This time there were no pleading speeches by Dumbledore in front of the Wizengamot or disbelief and derision in the press with Harry Potter to blame. Everything was proceeding as it normally did on a daily basis but something deep inside Percy told him that shouldn't be the case. Things didn't feel right any more. He could sense the change in the air – that horrible, dreading anticipation of catastrophe.
Harry Potter was reputed to be the chosen one, the child of prophecy and the one who would rid their world of the dark wizard. Percy managed a sigh of relief until he remembered that Harry Potter was gone and couldn't be found – he might even be dead. And if he were dead, the wizarding world was in serious trouble.
Could it be true – could it really be true? He swallowed nervously and finally gave words to his feeling of dread. It was more than likely that He-who-should-not-be-named was back but Percy still couldn't say his name. Harry Potter could say it. He'd always been able to say it. What else but the return of He-who-should-not-be-named would make Dumbledore seek a meeting with the Minister at this point in the school term?
Percy tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. This time there was no saviour of the wizarding world willing to rescue him and his family.
xxxxxxx
Bill and Fleur Weasley had returned to Shell Cottage after the fractious Order meeting and the visit to Poppy. There was little else they could do but talk over what they'd learned and try to make tentative plans for the coming months ahead. They had a baby on the way and a dark wizard to fight. It wasn't going to be easy.
Bill pulled the robe gently from Fleur's shoulders. "You're tired," he said as he watched her sink into the sofa.
Fleur let out a sigh. "Yes, I'm tired and I'm not even sure if it's because of le bébé. It's been a long day and things are going to get harder, not easier."
"I know," he whispered. "Are we doing the right thing having this baby?"
"I've asked myself that question so many times but if we wait we're letting 'him' win," she answered. "We've been married for nearly six years and we deserve to have a family. Le bébé is coming now whatever we think is right and I am glad."
"Then you must take care. The baby comes first." Bill looked worried. "You need to be protected."
"Mais, oui, but I am a capable witch. You do not mess with a pregnant half-Veela," Fleur gritted between her teeth.
"I know." Bill's mouth creased in a sudden smile at the fierce expression on his wife's beautiful face. "Although wasn't that the reason you got pregnant in the first place – the messing about thing?"
Fleur rolled her eyes and muttered something derogatory in French under her breath. "I may not like having to take it easy when my family is in danger but I will take care and not jump into any unnecessary wand fights."
"Thanks," Bill murmured, resting his head upon hers. "That's all I can ask."
Fleur let out a graceful yawn. "Bed, I think," she said. "Tomorrow we visit Harry?"
"Tomorrow we visit Harry," Bill echoed and pulled out his wand, waved it at the lights and whispered, "Nox."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"What is the plan this morning?" Fleur asked prettily as they lingered over breakfast. "We go to The Burrow and collect your mother?"
"That's the idea."
She carefully buttered a croissant. "What about Ronald? Are we taking him and Hermione?"
Bill paused. "I had hoped to avoid Ron and Hermione but as it is Saturday..."
"But surely they would want to see Harry..." Fleur stopped as she took in the expression on her husband's face. "Harry does not want them to know?" she asked in surprise.
Bill let out a sigh. "Harry doesn't want Dumbledore to know. At least, not until he's ready to tell him. I think Harry blames the professor for many of the things that happened in his life."
"Dumbledore has made certain decisions for Harry over the years. It makes sense that Harry feels angry," Fleur agreed. "Even if it is not true and the headmaster was acting in Harry's best interests. Dumbledore loves Harry."
"The problem is that some of it is true," Bill said wearily. "In my opinion, Dumbledore has made major mistakes with the way he's treated Harry and the boy understandably resents some of the decisions made on his behalf." He lifted his blue eyes. "I also have problems with other things that the headmaster has done."
"Ginny." Fleur understood.
"It has not been easy for Dumbledore either," Bill admitted. "Merlin knows, I couldn't do it but he treated Harry like a...thing."
"But Dumbledore is not Ronald or Hermione," Fleur mused thoughtfully.
"No, he is not. But for some reason Harry links them firmly with the headmaster and doesn't quite trust them. I suspect that Harry sees them as being too dependent on someone he feels has let him down. I love them both but Ron cannot keep his mouth shut when he is angry and Hermione has an almost naive trust in authority figures."
"Well, she did," said Fleur slowly. "I'm not so certain that's true anymore."
"Bill!" a voice began shouting in the fireplace. "Bill!"
"Sounds like Fred...or George," Bill muttered.
Fleur got out of her chair. "Go and speak to them and I will finish up here."
Bill nipped into the study and returned five minutes later. "It was Fred," he said. "Apparently Hermione needed to go into work this morning for a couple of hours and Ron decided to go with her."
"So Molly is alone," Fleur said slowly.
"Come with me to the Burrow instead of going into the office," Bill urged roguishly. "It will save time and you can distract my mother with..."
"You want me to distract your mother, Bill? Why?" Fleur's narrowed blue gaze made the red-headed wizard uneasy. She wasn't the kind of witch he would ever want to cross but was the one he wanted forever by his side.
"I don't want Mum to guess ahead of time what I'm trying to do. She doesn't have a clue that we're taking her to see Harry and Ginny but I need to find the contract," he answered. "The one Percy and Lucius drew up for Ginny's marriage. I need the actual copy."
Fleur arched a perfect silvery eyebrow. "Pourquoi?"
"Harry and Ginny say that it's not legal. I thought I would take it to Gringotts and get the goblins to inspect it in detail. I am ashamed to say that I never examined the document myself. It should have been the first thing I did. Hell, I should have been there and it would have never happened."
Fleur crinkled her nose prettily in confusion. "But I was told that it was drawn up by the most accomplished law wizards the Ministry employs. How is it not legal?"
Bill tapped his finger against his chin. "There are a number of reasons but I suspect that the main one is that the pair of them managed to perform a blood bond with one another before Percy produced the document. That's what they think has happened."
"That would be a reason," Fleur said thoughtfully. "There are ways of checking to see if the magic of the contract took hold. Yes, you are correct. The goblins would know and possibly the house elves."
"I don't want to alert Mum or anyone else in the family apart from the twins that I'm investigating this," Bill said firmly. "I can't risk it getting out to anyone - especially Percy, the Malfoys and Dumbledore until we're certain of our facts. We need to be able to deal from a position of strength."
"I shall immediately go to Gringotts and talk quietly to Silverbreath. He is the expert in such things and has no love for the Ministry of Magic. If the goblins are helping Harry to hide then it is more than likely that the contract is...how would you say it - a dud?"
"As good a word as any." Bill smirked. Fleur's Eenglish had improved rapidly since she'd moved permanently to Britain.
"Then I shall follow you to The Burrow and distract your mother. She will want to talk about her coming grandchild, non?" Fleur summoned her cloak and with a faint pop apparated to Diagon Alley.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Mum!" Bill Weasley called as he came through the fireplace. "Mum!"
"Bill?" Molly hurried down the stairs. "I wasn't expecting to see you this morning. I'm just changing beds and tidying up. Hermione decided that she needed to go into work for a couple of hours this morning and Ron decided to do the same."
He smiled. His mother was never happier when she had something in the house to do. "Will you be long?"
Molly shook her head. "No, why?"
"I thought we might go for a little trip to see some friends of mine. They've invited us for lunch. I'll let you finish what you're doing and then we can go."
"Friends?" Molly's plump face lit up at the thought of a surprise outing and she hurried back up the stairs. Bill could hear the whoosh of spells and the rumbling sounds of magical cleaning.
There was a rumble in the grate and Fleur gracefully stepped into the room. Bill's face lit up at the sight of his wife. "You are early," he said.
"I finished sooner than I thought," the blond witch said smugly. She gave a little shimmy and the soot accumulated during her travel fell from her cloak leaving it spotless. A quick Evanesco removed all traces from the carpet. "The goblins were very interested in what I had to say. I did not need to persuade them at all. Silverbreath and Griphook would like to speak to you as soon as you have something to show them. They wouldn't give me any information until then."
Bill dropped a kiss on his wife's smiling mouth. "Your powers of persuasion are legendary."
"Only for you, Mon cher," she whispered. "Only for you and I had to work harder for you than anything in my life."
"I wanted you to respect me in the morning. I didn't want to be thought of as easy," Bill murmured, his nose in the air.
"That's not a word I would use about you," his wife said dryly.
"I fell in love with you," he said. "I wanted the whole thing, not some hole in the corner affair. You've never been just a Veela to me. I fell in love with the inside as well as the outside."
Fleur's smile at that moment could have rivalled the sun.
Suddenly, his mother's footsteps were heard as she descended the stairs. "I thought I heard the Floo. Good morning, Fleur," she greeted her daughter-in-law with a smile. "That's the beds finished and the bathrooms clean."
"You have been busy?" Fleur kissed Molly's cheek in greeting.
"Just general house work. It's nice to have a bit of peace and quiet to get it all done. Merlin knows that Hermione, with all her cleverness, is more of a hindrance than a help." Molly moved towards the kettle, her wand already in her hand. "We have time for a cup of tea?"
Bill nodded. "I think so. Especially if there's cake to go with it."
"I was hoping that your mother could show me the knitting spell and perhaps talk about the baby." Fleur looked a little nervous, her accent thickening. "After all, Molly has had seven babies and this is my first."
Bill stifled a smile at the expression of happiness on his mother's face as she enfolded Fleur in her warm embrace. He'd not seen her like this since she'd lost his father and Ginny and Harry had disappeared. His darling wife didn't really want to learn the knitting spell but he'd asked for a favour and Fleur's distraction would give him a little undisturbed time. He could have just asked his mother to let him know where the marriage contract was but she would have wanted to know why he was looking for it. He wasn't ready to tell her that little tit-bit for at least another hour.
He grabbed his mug and a large chunk of fruitcake as the women huddled together to discuss Fleur's pregnancy and moved to the cramped room Arthur had used as a study. "Now," he muttered to himself. "I need to find this blasted contract."
"Let me tell you a little fact about this so-called magical betrothal...Ginny and I had already claimed one another and we felt the magic take hold."
"We made a blood oath," said Ginny simply.
"We didn't use words," said Harry. "We didn't need to. Ginny and I belonged together. We'd only split up to protect her."
The memory of Harry and Ginny's words rang in his head. If what his sister and new brother-in-law said was the truth, and he had no reason to believe that it wasn't, then Percy and Lucius Malfoy could never have forced Ginny into marriage with Draco. Her friends and family would have done that themselves not realising that the contract was void. Ginny would have married Malfoy because none of them truly believed there had been a way to prevent it.
They'd fallen into the trap – the family, the Order and Dumbledore. Bill chuckled darkly. But they weren't the only ones. Malfoy and Percy also believed in the contract. They thought it gave them power. The chuckle faded as he considered what could have happened to Ginny if the contract had been genuine. She would have been left powerless in a hostile environment and perhaps even her sanity and life would have been threatened.
"If she'd married Malfoy that would still have been the result," he muttered to himself. "Thank Merlin for Harry Potter."
Harry said that Ginny never touched the parchment. Therefore Hermione must have put it away in a safe place. There was only one place that could be deemed safe in The Burrow – his father's old desk. The twins certainly never used it to keep documents. They now had their own office and development room at their shop in Diagon Alley and a small flat above the premises.
Bill eyed the old desk where his parents had kept anything that was important to them. More than thirty years worth of Weasley Family documents were rolled up and crammed inside. He took a deep breath and reluctantly began the hunt with a feeling of prying into things that didn't belong to him. An hour later he had sorted through just about every piece of parchment stuffed inside its creaking innards. There was no sign of Ginny's marriage contract.
He exhaled wearily. Ginny might know where it was but if not, he was going to have to involve Hermione. Harry did not yet want Ron and Hermione to know his whereabouts because he couldn't trust them not to let something slip to Dumbledore. He could see problems ahead with that as Hermione wasn't known as the brightest witch of her age for nothing and they would eventually need her help as she worked for Percy. She was ideally placed to spy on their estranged brother and possibly the one to persuade him that Ginny and Harry should remain together.
He rolled up a piece of blank parchment and replaced it in the drawer where he'd found it. The other option would be asking at the Ministry. There would have been an official copy lodged there. If there was one thing he would trust Percy with, it was making certain that things were done in the proper manner. The Malfoys would have a copy, the Weasleys, and the Ministry.
"Bill!"
"Coming," he shouted. He would have no access to the Malfoy copy and would only go to the Ministry as a last resort. He hoped it didn't come to that.
Fleur raised her eyebrows enquiringly.
He shook his head feeling frustrated. "I think we should get going..." He picked up his cloak.
Molly turned to look at her eldest son. "I was just about to make some lunch."
"Don't bother. I told you that Fleur and I are going to take you out to meet our friends for lunch."
Molly's face brightened. Since Arthur died, she had been wary of going out alone. She missed him more than she could say but life went on and if the war was going to restart, she would need to be strong for her family and the Order. "But..."
Bill shook his head. "No arguments, Mum. We're going out. Think of it as a celebration of the arrival of the next generation of Weasleys."
Molly's smile brightened even more. "Lovely. I'll go and get my cloak."
Bill grinned. "Accio Mum's cloak."
"Where are we going?" Molly asked as she fastened her winter cloak around her shoulders.
"It's called Sheilhill Cottage," Bill replied.
Molly shook her head. "Never heard of it."
"You'll love it. It's a beautiful house in a gorgeous setting." Bill grinned at her. "I'll side-apparate Fleur there first and come back for you." He grinned at his wife. "Ready?"
"Oui." Fleur grabbed onto Bill's arm and with a pop they were gone.
Two minutes later he was back. "Okay?"
Molly smiled. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been anywhere new. "This is exciting. Which friends are these, dear?"
"I didn't say. That's part of the surprise." Bill closed his eyes, visualised the Potter's house and, with another faint pop, disappeared from The Burrow's kitchen and arrived at the Sheilhill Cottage gates to find Fleur waiting patiently for them.
"Where exactly are we?" Fleur gazed around her as if she couldn't see the large metal gates to Harry's property.
"We're in front of their property."
"I don't see it," Fleur said, arching a silvery eyebrow.
Bill realised that she couldn't see the gates until he let her into the secret. "I'm sorry, Cherie. We're at the entrance to the property."
"I gathered that," Molly said dryly. "I just wondered where in the world you'd apparated us to – it's cold wherever it is."
"It's November; of course it's cold." Bill passed her a small piece of paper. "Read this, memorise it and then give it to Mum. This place is under a Fidelius."
Molly read the slip of paper before handing it back to Bill. "Oh my goodness – a Fidelius!" she exclaimed and then turned to look at her son in exasperation. "Who is Gary Peters?"
"The friend I was telling you about."
"I've never heard of him – it doesn't sound like a wizarding name. Why is he under a Fidelius?"
"He's an important client of the goblins," Bill admitted. "They want to protect him. This was the house I was sent to ward."
"But you don't usually help with the warding," Molly said.
"No," Bill agreed. "I don't but it's what I was asked to do. It's good experience."
Fleur slipped her hand into Bill's and gave Molly a gentle smile. "We should not lurk out here any longer. We are expected, yes?"
"We are," Bill murmured resolutely. He stepped up to the large metal gates and waited for them to swing open. "Come on."
Molly shivered as the gates clanged shut behind her. Ahead stretched a long tree-lined drive but she couldn't see the house. "Is it far?"
"No," said Bill. "Just a hundred yards or so. Once we turn that corner you'll see the house. It's well hidden."
Leaves skittered along the ground, dancing and tumbling as a gust of wind caught them unawares. This late in the year, the trees were losing their leaves quickly and many drifted down on the wind to lie under their feet. "They value their privacy," Molly declared. "I could sense the wards as we passed through them."
"If we had not been welcome we would not have been able to pass," stated Fleur matter-of-factly. "These are goblin wards at their finest."
"I was thinking of getting these for The Burrow," Bill offered carefully. "It would make Fleur and I much happier, Mum. The goblins would be willing to do it for us."
"If it would keep this family safe," Molly whispered, her eyes bright, "I would agree. We've lost enough."
Bill smiled with satisfaction. "I'll get onto it first thing on Monday."
They continued to walk up the lane. As they turned the corner, the trees opened up and Molly finally saw the house. In the late-morning sunshine, the greyish brown stonework sparkled, framing the reddish-brown window frames, making the dwelling look welcoming.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "It's lovely but it doesn't look like a typical wizarding house." She stared with fascination at the discreet satellite dish on the side of the roof. "I don't think I've ever looked at one of those saucer-shaped things properly before. What do they do again?" Molly gave a wistful sigh. "Your father would have known."
"A lot of Muggles have them on their houses, "Bill commented thoughtfully. "I'm not exactly sure why but I think it's something to do with those boxes they watch called television."
"It's bigger than I thought it would be," said Fleur. "I suppose it's the same size inside?"
"They haven't converted all of it into a dwelling yet," explained Bill. The house will eventually be in three sections. It forms three sides of a square, but the building on the right of the property – which was the barn - is still a barn. I think H...Gary is doing some of the work himself."
"To save galleons," murmured Molly approvingly.
"He's not short of galleons," Bill murmured with a smirk. "I think he just wants to do things himself."
"I can also understand that," said Molly with a wistful expression on her face. "Your father was like that, too."
Suddenly from the barn side of the house a tall gangly figure wearing a red knitted hat and a thick woollen jumper emerged pushing a wheelbarrow filled with rubble that he emptied into a large skip beside the garage. Bill laughed. "Sometimes he forgets he's not a Muggle."
"He's a Muggle?" Molly asked in surprise.
"No, he's a wizard but he moves quite comfortably between both worlds. He was Muggle-raised but his parents were magical." Bill raised his arm and gave a shout in greeting. "Hey!"
The figure placed the now empty barrow on the ground and straightened up. It was a thin-faced young man wearing round-rimmed spectacles that framed emerald-green eyes. "I wondered when you would arrive," he said. "We got tired waiting."
Molly's mouth dropped open in shock as he approached them. She knew that face.
The young man came closer, pulling off his hat to uncover messy black hair and revealing on his forehead a lightning bolt scar. "Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said simply as if it hadn't been over five years since they last met. "It's good to see you."
Molly's mouth dropped open. "Harry?" she whispered.
"Yes. It's me," he replied simply and opened his arms to the woman who had been the nearest thing to a mother he had known. "Do I get a hug?"
"Harry!" she exclaimed, her eyes tracing every inch of his face. "Harry!" She threw her arms around him, clasping him tightly against her heart. Her seventh son was alive and safe. "Oh, Harry," she said. And then with sudden savagery she turned on Bill. "All this time and you knew where he was," she shouted fiercely. "You kept this from us. How could you, Bill?" Tears ran down her face. "How could you? I was beginning to think that he was...dead." She stepped away from Harry and buried her face in her hands. "So many deaths."
"Mrs. Weasley," Harry said quietly, his hand on her arm. "Bill didn't know."
Molly lifted her tear-streaked face. "What?"
"I didn't know where Harry was, "Bill admitted. "I only found out last week."
"I requested Bill's presence when I asked the goblins to place this house under the Fidelius charm. The goblins have always known where I was – no one else did. It wasn't safe to tell anyone."
"The goblins!" Molly couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Harry nodded. "I trusted them to keep my whereabouts secret. They were the only ones who knew where I was. It was something that Sirius arranged for me before he died. He wanted me to have a safe haven away from the pressures of the wizarding world and my Boy-who-lived persona – somewhere I could just be 'Harry'. I didn't realise that I would be in hiding for over five years." He looked at the pretty blonde witch by Bill's side. "Fleur," he said warmly, "as gorgeous as ever. It's been a long time."
"Too long, Harry," the French witch said, embracing him. "But we are together again. Things are good."
"Things are about to change once more but being with family is always good," Harry said soberly.
"You should have told me the minute you found out, William Weasley. You've known about this for a whole week and you said nothing. Who else knows?" Molly demanded with a narrow-eyed look at her eldest son.
"The twins," Bill admitted. His arm tightened around his wife's shoulders. "Fleur actually guessed but this is the first time she's visited."
Fleur's smile was smug. "I am beautiful. I am not stupid."
"Harry James Potter..." Molly began, her finger pointed at the dark haired wizard.
"Guilty." Harry held up his hands to forestall the scolding. He could still remember the Howler she'd sent to Ron in their second year. "But save your wrath for later. I have someone else for you to meet."
Bill glanced down at Fleur, who looped her arm in her husband's. "I did say 'friends', Mum."
"He doesn't stay here by himself?" Molly asked. "You share the house with someone? Harry, dear, is that wise? Suppose it was a Death Eater or a werewolf or worse. How well do you know them? Harry Potter, explain yourself this minute."
Harry stifled his grin and began walking towards the side of the house. Molly Weasley hadn't changed at all. "This way," he murmured. "All will be explained."
Bill, Fleur and Molly followed him, gazing around them as they did so.
"This house was selected mainly for its isolation as well as its beautiful location," Harry stated calmly, although inside his heart was thumping. What would she think?
"How long have you lived here?" asked Molly curiously.
"About four years," answered Harry. "We moved here just after we got married." Harry kept walking waiting for the next explosion he knew would come from Molly.
"We...What!"
Harry turned around and held up his left hand. The gold ring glinted on his wedding finger. "I got married four years ago," he explained. "Would you like to meet my wife? We're very happy."
"Wife!" Molly screeched. "You're far too young to be married..."
"I know for a fact, Molly Weasley," Harry remonstrated gently, "that you were married straight out of Hogwarts and by the time you were my age, Bill and Charlie were running around at your feet and Percy was on the way." He tapped his temple. "I can count."
Molly huffed. "That was then. Things are different now."
"Are you certain that things were different?" Harry asked calmly. "I'm not so sure that they were."
"Of course they were different. There was a war on," Molly snapped. "We could have been killed at any moment and had to take the chance to live our lives. I lost my brothers and...Oh!" She clapped her hand to her mouth, her eyes full of pain.
Harry nodded. "Things aren't so different after all. There is still a war on – it never stopped. Last time I lost my parents and this time I lost Sirius. You lost Arthur and in a way you lost Percy."
"I lost you," Molly whispered. "I lost you and..."
"But you have me back," Harry returned whimsically before she could continue. "You have me and now you'll have my wife to love and spoil, too. We want to be able to live our lives, too."
"Does she know that you're a wizard, Harry?" Molly asked. "Is she aware of the danger you are in?"
"She knows," he said. "She doesn't like it but she knew what she was taking on when she agreed to marry me. She's wonderful." His mouth curved into a smile. "I love her and I'm glad she knows everything. I wouldn't have had it any other way."
"I'm glad you are happy, Harry and I promise that I'll love your wife whoever she is but..." Molly's eyes glittered with tears, "all I really want is to know where my daughter is." Ginny had been in love with Harry before she disappeared. It would break her heart to know that he'd married someone else.
"And you think I know where she is?" Harry raised one dark eyebrow.
Molly sighed and produced a handkerchief from somewhere. "I'd hoped you were together," she said. "In my heart, I hoped that you were the one to save her from that marriage but Ginny didn't want me to tell you that she was leaving. She couldn't stay and be forced into marriage with that Death Eater but didn't want you to be blamed for helping her get away. Ginny loved you. She knew they would blame you and they did, didn't they?"
Harry's mouth twisted into an odd sort of smile. "That's my Ginny," he said. "Yes, they suspected me but they had no proof. I was questioned several times by Aurors and P..." He glanced at Bill before continuing on. "Percy wanted to drag me into the Ministry for questioning. I didn't want to do that. But why would I have remained in the wizarding world without her, eh?" He turned and began walking quickly. "Come on."
"Your Ginny!" Molly hurried after Harry. "What do you mean, 'your Ginny'?"
"She's always been mine and always will be," Harry said reverently. "She was targeted partly because of me and I couldn't let anything happen to her. There was no way that I would let her be tied to Draco Malfoy. Of course, I was going to help her." He stopped and gestured forwards. "Mrs. Weasley, I'd like you to meet my wife - my heart and my lifeblood. I'd die without her."
Bill gave Fleur a fond smile. He'd never heard it expressed in quite that fashion before but he understood what Harry meant and it explained the comment Harry had made to him when he'd given Bill the vial of blood for the warding.
Sheilhill cottage was surrounded by trees on three sides and on the fourth by the gentle rising slopes of Ben Llachie. The hill rose gracefully upwards, sheltering and protecting the property from prospective foes and the worst of the elements. There was a large mossy lawn behind the house containing an area big enough for a Quidditch pitch – that was an important factor in both Harry and Ginny's future plans for their home. A small stream marked the boundary of the warding before the hill rose steeply for several hundred feet more. The heather had all but died off this late in the year and the rocky peak was visible in the cold winter sunshine. But it wasn't the isolated beauty of Sheilhill Cottage or the stark splendour of Ben Llachie's winter foliage that drew the gaze of Harry's companions. Running about on the grass kicking and throwing a brightly coloured ball was a young, slender woman with hair like fire tumbling down her back. With her was a child – a child with black hair and when he turned and ran towards Harry, they could all see that he had green eyes – the green eyes he'd inherited through his father from his grandmother Lily.
"Daddy!"
"My heart and my lifeblood," repeated Harry, swinging the child up into his arms. "Hey, Trouble."
The three Weasleys gaped in astonishment, their surprised attention focused completely on the boy. As they dumbfoundedly took in the appearance of the child, the young woman dropped the ball she was holding and gazed at the visitors, her expression one of tearful yearning. "Mum," she whispered.
The child tilted his head to one side and stared for a moment at the strangely garbed visitors before burrowing his head into his father's shoulder. Harry chuckled. "Surely you cannot be shy?"
Jamie squirmed closer against his father, keeping a wary eye on the strangers.
"You cannot deny this one, Harry." Fleur was the first one to recover and after an all-encompassing look at her gobsmacked husband declared with a chuckle, "this is the first my husband knows of this young man, I take it? You do keep the surprises coming."
Harry was about to answer when his wife barrelled past him and threw her arms around Molly. "Mum!"
"Ginny!" Molly was left speechless for the second time in five minutes - speechless and tearful. She hadn't wanted to meet this wife of Harry's. He was supposed to be with her daughter and not this Muggle outsider and when she'd seen the girl running about after the ball, she'd not registered the obvious signs. This living, breathing wonderful girl in her arms was her Ginny returned to her. She didn't think she'd cried so much since Arthur had died. All she could do was clasp her daughter close and let her emotions rule. Ginny was Harry's wife. Harry had risked marrying Ginny and prevented her from being sacrificed to Ministry approved wizards with Dark connections like Draco Malfoy.
The marriage contract had been broken or circumvented and her daughter and the boy she considered to be as good as a seventh son had married and had a baby together.
"Bill, this is Jamie. This is my son...I mean, our son. Mine and Ginny's."
Molly could hear Harry's voice through the strange ringing in her ears. She had her daughter back – her Ginny, the longed for seventh child - only to find that her baby had a baby of her own. This wasn't the way things should have happened. Ginny should never have had to leave the only world she knew.
"He's gone very shy which isn't like him at all," Harry muttered. "Jamie Arthur Potter, this is your Uncle Bill and your Aunt Fleur. The lady hugging mummy very tightly is your Grandma Molly and she's going to love you to bits. She will also feed you until you can't move."
"Why didn't you say anything, Harry?" Bill couldn't take his eyes of the child. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"We trust you more than the Order, you know that," Harry declared. "But Ginny and I wanted Molly to be the first to know about Jamie - apart from Poppy. She was present at his birth and helped us hide him." He looked at Molly. "We wanted him to be your special surprise, Mrs. Weasley."
"Call me Molly or Mum, Harry. Please." Molly lifted her head and gazed dazedly at the child in Harry's arms. "Is he a....?"
"Wizard?" Ginny gave a watery chuckle as she stepped away from her mother. "Oh, yes. He's definitely a wizard and already levitating his toys," she said proudly. "Mum, this is your grandson. He's called..."
"I wouldn't care if he was a squib. He's my grandson." Molly pulled herself together. "I heard the words 'Jamie Arthur Potter'. It's a good name. Arthur would be so proud and Harry, he looks just like you."
Harry chuckled. "So I've been told, but he has his mother's smile," he said, his eyes catching Ginny's.
Jamie suddenly held out his hands to Molly. "'Lo," he muttered uncertainly. His mother seemed to think that this strangely dressed lady was alright and his Dad was happy too.
"That's your Grandma, Jamie," said Harry. "She's going to love you, spoil you and knit you jumpers that match your eyes with a 'J' on the front."
Molly gave another soft sob and took the boy from his father's arms. "My precious boy," she crooned. "Won't everyone be surprised about you when they see you and..."
"Mum..." Ginny said hesitantly. "Nobody knows about him in the wizarding world. We told you that you were the first to know about him. We have to keep him safe fr...from..."
Molly frowned. "The Ministry will have..."
Ginny shook her head. "They won't – we've made sure of it. Think, Mum. The child of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley would be a wonderful target for someone good or evil to exploit. He's not in the Magical Register for births because we didn't want him there and Poppy...Madam Pomfrey helped us with a spell that hid him from the wizarding world."
Bill and Fleur exchanged a look. The mediwitch had been keeping some very important secrets. They'd only discovered that she was close to Harry. "I don't think I've heard of that spell," said Bill."
"It's old magic," said Ginny. "Poppy knew about it – Dumbledore would probably know about it, too."
"Is this a permanent solution?" Bill asked. "He could have problems if it is..."
"No, it's temporary," said Harry, an anxious frown creasing his forehead. "Now that others know about him it will get harder to disguise and disrupt his magical signature as he grows. We just wanted to keep him safe and Poppy had read up on this spell. I don't want to have to hand him over to Malfoy or worse." A shadow passed across his face. "I was about his age when my parents were killed. He won't be two until May. I don't want Jamie to experience what Neville and I had to go through. I don't want my son to stay with people who don't love him and used for something that might never happen."
Jamie began to wriggle in his grandmother's grasp so she handed him to Bill. The curse-breaker stared at the child wondering if this is what it would feel like to have his own child. There was something about Jamie that instantly melted his heart. This was his nephew and soon he would hold his own son or daughter.
"Down," the child ordered. "Ball."
Bill was about to place him on the grass when Harry said. "What do you say?"
Jamie's little face scrunched up in thought and then he flashed his father and his Uncle Bill a huge grin. "Pease," he said.
Bill laughed as he set the child down and watched him scamper away after his ball. "You're right, Harry. The smile is pure Weasley."
"That's what I'm worried about," the dark-haired wizard replied gravely. "It's the propensity for mischief involved with the name."
Ginny arched an eyebrow. "Are you referring to me, Potter?"
Harry's smile vanished. "No, Ginny-love. I was, of course, thinking our darling son's twin uncles, Fred and George."
"Of course you were," Ginny mumbled. "I don't think you can talk, Mr. Potter, when it comes to mischief making."
"Me?" Harry held up his hands in surrender wearing his most innocent face. "Watch Jamie for a bit and I'll finish getting lunch ready." Molly moved to go with Ginny. "No, Mum, stay with Jamie and Ginny for now. I'll do it, Gin. We can talk properly after lunch."
Ten minutes later Harry directed the Weasleys into the spacious kitchen. "Have a seat and help yourself," he said as Ginny began handing out large mugs of tea and various types of sandwiches.
"Dumbledore will be so happy to know that you're safe," said Molly. "He's been very worried about you."
"You will not tell Dumbledore anything," said Ginny stiffly.
"Now young lady..." Molly began, her voice rising irritably. Dumbledore was the most powerful light wizard alive and needed to know that Ginny and Harry were safe.
"We do not want to tell Dumbledore anything yet," said Harry, his voice soft. "We will tell him when we are ready to and not before."
"But..."
"No, Mum," said Ginny.
"I think I know what's best for you," countered Molly. "Dumbledore should be told."
"I disagree," said Harry. Ginny nodded in agreement with her husband. "Dumbledore is the acknowledged leader of the light and, yes, the only one that Voldemort feared...oh for heaven's sake," he spat as Molly winced. "Voldemort...Voldemort!" Harry got up from the table and paced back and fore. "Mrs. Weasley...Molly, I had issues with the headmaster before I left the wizarding world."
"And after hearing what happened to Harry over the years, so do I," said Ginny. "Dumbledore used Harry shamefully. He didn't monitor his upbringing, he deliberately placed him in danger at school and kept him ignorant of his history and possible fate. And he would have done nothing to get me out of the Malfoy marriage..."
"And you think that marrying Harry in a Muggle ceremony has done that?" asked her mother. "You've broken the law. When they find out where you are, there's a good chance that you will still have to marry Draco Malfoy."
"No," said Harry and Ginny together. "That will not happen," Harry continued.
"We think that it's Percy and the Malfoys who haven't paid attention to the rules," admitted Ginny, a hard look in her eyes. "Anyway, Malfoy wouldn't want me now. I'm damaged goods – not the spotless pureblood virgin. I would be imprisoned or killed."
Bill gave the fang earring he was wearing a little tug. "Your marriage contract...what did it look like? Were there any distinguishing features?"
Ginny scowled. "I didn't touch it, remember?"
"It was written upon a sheet of the finest cream parchment," murmured Harry. "I remember the calligraphy artwork was impressive and to complete the presentation, it was tied with a silver and green silk ribbon." His green eyes widened behind his glasses. "Typical Malfoy Slytherin ostentation, don't you think?"
"Was it in the family bureau?" asked Bill. "I did have a scan through the contents before we left but I couldn't find it. There were some parchments tied with coloured ribbons but none of them were your marriage contract, Gin."
"I think that Hermione placed it the bottom drawer where Dad kept the family grimoire. That's where all our best pieces of parchment are kept. She wanted me to frame it and hang it on the wall or something." Ginny shook her head in disbelief at Hermione's actions. "As if I would do that. It was the last thing I wanted to see displayed."
"I think it's important that we find it," declared Bill. "They would have copies in the Ministry but I don't want to alert any of our enemies yet by asking to see those. As soon as they find out about Harry and Ginny, all hell will break loose."
"Mrs. Weasley...Molly..." Harry said earnestly. "We have to protect Jamie and..." he glanced at his wife, "the new baby."
"What!" exclaimed Molly.
"Yes," confirmed Ginny, her face lit up in a smile. "Harry and I are expecting a brother or sister for Jamie. I personally think that it's another boy but..."
"You were right about Jamie," Harry acknowledged. "But that could just have been a lucky guess."
"Another baby?" murmured Molly dazedly. "You're having another baby? But you're still a child..."
"I'm twenty-two. I'm not a child. I haven't been a child since the Chamber of Secrets back in my first year at Hogwarts." Ginny's lip trembled. "We're married, albeit in the Muggle world, but it's legally binding nonetheless. We've been married for four years, Mum, and Jamie wasn't an accident. He was planned and wanted. This is no overnight idea. We wanted Jamie to have a brother or a sister," she said. "I'm due in June. We're a family and we really know how Harry's parents must have felt. We would do the same to protect our children."
Molly opened her mouth and closed it again. "Well," she managed to eventually say. "I didn't mean..." She looked helplessly at Ginny and Harry. "When you left, you were only seventeen and Harry, eighteen. Part of me still thinks that's how old you are. You didn't even go back to Hogwarts for your final year."
"I can take my Newts any time I want to." Ginny winked at Fleur. "The cousins will be the same age."
Fleur moved from her seat and hugged Ginny. The days of her being referred to as Phlegm were long over. The Weasley daughter knew that Fleur loved Bill deeply. "They will be playmates, Oui?"
"They will. Merlin, Hogwarts had better watch out." Ginny looked over at her son who was shredding a slice of bread into tiny little pieces. "He needs a nap or he'll be the grumpiest toddler in this part of the country and no, I'm not saying exactly where we are. I'm sure you'll make educated guesses but I'd rather you didn't say anything out loud."
"I'll take him upstairs," Harry offered lightly "Come on, Trouble," he said and bore a protesting Jamie upstairs.
"Are you sure that your marriage is legally binding," asked Molly worriedly once Harry and Jamie had disappeared from view. "The Malfoys will look for any loophole and will not consider a Muggle ceremony to be legal."
"At first we wondered about that," Ginny admitted. "Harry and I married under our assumed names, Jennifer Weston and Gary Peters. When we checked the marriage certificate it had been magically altered to display our real identities. We think that magic approves."
"Either that or the goblins fixed it," Harry added with a smirk.
"I'm going to nip back to The Burrow," decided Bill with a smile at his sister, "and look again for the wedding contract. I think if we find it I should take it to the goblins. I would like their take on it."
Ginny put the dishes in the dishwasher and switched it on. "A good idea but you'll need to move outside to apparate away." Bill grinned, gave Fleur a kiss and headed outside to disapparate.
"What?" she asked turning her mother. "What are you looking at me like that for?"
"Why did you put the dirty dishes away in that strange metal cupboard Ginny?" asked Molly.
Ginny giggled. "It's a Muggle device called a 'dishwasher'. I thought you would have heard of one of those."
"I have heard of it," Fleur admitted. "Why not do them by magic?"
"We've been living as Muggles without magic." Ginny looked a little haunted. "There is a reason for it but I'll wait for Harry to finish with Jamie before we talk about it. Bill already knows..."
"Why didn't you contact us before this, Ginny," asked Molly. "I missed you so much. I thought you'd be gone for a few weeks – a month or two at most but when five years passed and no news..." She fished in her pocket for a handkerchief and giving her nose a good blow continued, "I thought you might have been killed or captured and no one told us. Just one word would have been enough to let me know that you were, at least, alive. Instead you've been safe here all along."
"Describe your definition of safe." Ginny's voice was dry and bitter. "The reason we didn't contact you was because of the safety issue."
Harry returned to the room and heard Molly's words and Ginny's challenge. "Mrs. Weasley...Molly..., there was a real explanation for why we couldn't do magic. I think the fact that we still do a lot of things 'the Muggle way' is habit. I was brought up in a Muggle household and was used to doing chores without magic. For Ginny it was much more difficult because she'd never been without it before."
"You didn't want to be tracked." Fleur declared.
"The trace certainly was a good reason for not doing magic but it wasn't the main one." Harry nodded approvingly at his sister-in-law. "It was more than likely that Dumbledore or someone at the Ministry would be able to locate me if I performed any magic at all. However they might have found that difficult." He took a deep breath. "Mrs. Weasley, I couldn't do any magic at all. I completely lost my magic because of Voldemort's curse. Basically, I'd been turned into a squib."
"What!" Fleur's perfectly manicured fingers flew up to her mouth in horror. "Magisiphonoux," she breathed the name of the curse. "You lost your magic. Merde!"
Harry's mouth dropped open. "You have heard of it? You've actually heard of it?"
"Oui." The French girl nodded her silvery head. "At Beauxbatons the very best students in the senior Defence class learn about the Unforgiveables and Dark Arts curses such as these so that we recognise them. That particular curse is one of the most horrific I have ever heard of. It should also be classed as 'Unforgiveable." She looked at Harry anxiously. "Your magic...?"
"My magic had to drain away completely before it could begin the slow recovery process. It's taken me over five years to be back at something approaching full strength and I'm one of the lucky ones as far as this curse is concerned. Madam Pomfrey, by some miracle, had been relaxing with some 'light' reading from the Black family library." He felt a soft hand wriggle into his own and he looked into his wife's bright brown eyes. "Poppy originally gave me ten years to recover – it took me five. I was lucky."
"Harry thinks that Dumbledore heard the curse being cast but made no effort to get him the correct treatment. It was lucky that Poppy was close and knew the spells to stabilise things."
"I didn't know what exactly had been cast in my direction but considering who was on the other end of the wand, I guessed it wouldn't be a walk to Hogsmeade on a nice day. But as I said, luckily for me, Poppy did know what it was." He moved restlessly in his chair. "I think Dumbledore guessed that I wasn't going to calmly submit to his plans for me any longer. I was an adult and there is always the chance in Dumbledore's mind that I could go dark."
"Harry would never become dark," declared Ginny fiercely.
"He kept quoting the 'power he knew not', phrase at me." Harry scowled. "Voldemort is a powerful wizard and has had years more to study magic. How could I compete with that? I don't have any idea how I am going to defeat the snake. I don't think it's through sheer magical power." He laughed bitterly. "Dumbledore doesn't either. He said that he thought the curse had missed me. Missed me! Voldemort was standing over me. There was absolutely nothing I could have done. I sent the Avada Kedavra curse at him in a last gasp attempt to save my life. It saved my life but in the process of defending myself once more I lost my magic."
We've discussed this many times, Mum," Ginny offered quietly. "Dumbledore is apprehensive over the amount of power he thinks Harry has."
"The way I think he sees things is this: I have to defeat Voldie by myself or die trying. That's the prophecy in a nutshell. My magical ability before the curse was strong but I can't think that I was any stronger magically than say...Hermione or Ron but the headmaster thinks that I am. I personally think that I hadn't approached anywhere near the level of a Dumbledore or a Tom Riddle but the headmaster is worried about what happens if I survive the final confrontation. If perhaps, the Magisiphonoux curse did reduce my power, it would make me less likely to become a dark wizard in some eyes." His expression darkened. "It makes me so...angry that Dumbledore could even consider that I might turn...evil."
"Harry..." murmured Ginny softly. "We know that."
"He should have known, too." The young wizard's voice showed the hurt he felt at his onetime mentor's apparent betrayal. "Reducing my power gives Voldemort the edge."
"But you have truly recovered, Harry?" asked Fleur.
"I think so."
"Being here has helped," he said softly.
"We've been here for four years and we love it," Ginny said. "This is our home but you are welcome in it. Dumbledore isn't...yet. He will not use Jamie as a bargaining chip for our compliance. Nobody will."
"Soon," Harry said reassuringly. "In a way I can understand Dumbledore's reasoning. He was only doing what he thought was best but I must be allowed to make my own decisions – my own mistakes. I will forgive him eventually but I repeat, he cannot be making my decisions for me...or my family."
Molly gave a reluctant nod. "Alright, Harry. As you are safe and well I won't say anything for now."
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The records book at Hogwarts gave a little shudder as the magical quill scratched out a single initial followed by a series of illegible ink blots into a space no one previously considered to be there. But as it would be several months before it was even looked at, no one would take any notice.
In the Weasley family home, the head of that family was raking through the fourth drawer of his late father's desk. As his hand closed over a stiff roll of creamy parchment, a voice behind him asked, "Bill, what are you doing with that?"
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