AN: Queen Rowling owns it all.
A FEW WEEKS LATER
"Okay so here is the plan, I will bring Ginny here to meet you before taking her out for dinner. Yes mum, I will give her flowers and all that jazz; don't worry." Harry said rolling his eyes as Lily and Dora whose portrait with Remus had been recently fixed in the study beamed at him. Ginny would be leaving for Hogwarts in three days, as Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, with Hermione as the returning Eighth Year and Head Girl and Neville as the Head Boy. Ron and Hermione had returned two weeks after the Malfoy trial which took place on 4th August 1998. Lucius Malfoy was sentenced for life in Azkaban, while Narcissa Malfoy was sentenced for house arrest of three year, Draco was fined heavily for his role in the war but he was returning to Hogwarts that September.
Ron had decided to stay back and help George with the shop, Lee was happy to assist but Lee had his own Radio Station to handle. Harry was joining the Auror department, his training would commence in mid September, though he would take the NEWTS at the end of the year privately. At this very moment however, he was rocking a sleeping Teddy in his cradle, the cradle which originally belonged to Charlus and was passed down to Harry. The quilt covering Teddy was made by Lily; it was pale blue with a wolf, a dog, a stag and a rat on the four corners and a doe nuzzling her young one in the centre.
As his parents had informed him, they had sent the house elves to salvage any and everything from the cottage. It turned out that the cottage itself had faced no damage apart from the blasted nursery; but the elves had been able to salvage his soft toys, cradle, his mobile which again comprised a dog, a stag, a wolf, a rat and a doe.
"So when did Andy say she would return?" Sirius asked for the hundredth time.
"I don't know, but Narcissa won't be stupid enough to do something to her, especially when she knows that Andy would inform me before going to meet her." Harry replied patiently.
"I just don't understand why Narcissa wants to connect with her now? She shamelessly ignored Andy's existence for so many years, why can't she keep doing it?" Sirius muttered darkly.
"She might have changed Sirius, the two wars killed all of her family, Andromeda is the only living relative she has, maybe she realized how important family is." Lily reasoned.
"Or maybe she is trying to save the Malfoy name by snivelling into Andromeda's good books, which would ultimately lead to some association with Harry. I have known them all my life Lily. We were trained to always have an ulterior motive."
"That maybe so, but at least let them try. Andromeda believes that Narcissa is repentant, she said so herself after returning from that lunch a week ago." Harry reminded him.
"Yeah. Well I don't trust Narcissa Malfoy." Sirius declared and James nodded. Dorea shook her head and Charlus and Lily shrugged.
"Well, Sirius, I knew Narcissa as a child. She would always try to diffuse angry situations between Andromeda and Bellatrix, from what I remember, she cared about Andromeda deeply. Bellatrix though protective of Narcissa was at times way too cruel. Maybe she wants to be the same person again." Dorea said.
Sirius frowned at this but said nothing. Harry was still not used to the idea that his grandmother was a Black before her marriage with Charlus Potter. More shocked to find out that this marriage was an arranged marriage between the two families, even when the Blacks regarded Potters as odd and unconventional, no one could deny their political and social standing. He was the most amused by the fact that his Grandmother hated the idea of being married, because she wanted to pursue a career and that she really fell in love with his grandfather, when he supported her dream of being an Auror and enrolled her in the academy. It was quite an uproar in their times, the Blacks threatening to disown Dorea for such a digression, but once Charlus stood up for her and the Black family realized that her husband supported her dream, they calmed down. They however, broke all relations with her, when years later Charlus condemned Muggle baiting and murder in the name of pureblood supremacy and she stood by his side.
"Sirius, you need to-" Remus was cut off mid sentence, as the clock gonged loudly, declaring that it was 12:00 o'clock, Teddy woke up with a loud wail and a house elf appeared behind him with a loud crack, his mother gasped horrified. Harry turned slightly, but from the corner of his eye saw Grumpy barely supporting an unconscious Mrs. Weasley as Doc scooped up Teddy from his cradle to calm him down. Harry stood up alarmed. Grumpy had gone to the Weasley household to help Mrs. Weasley with his weekly chores, as it was difficult for her to maintain the household without some assistance.
"What happened? Grumpy where are Ginny and George? What happened to Mrs. Weasley?"
Grumpy whimpered before starting in a whisper, "Mister and Miss Weezly left for Diagon Alley, I was helping Mrs. Weezly when two of them came. I heard Mrs. Weezly scream, they were torturing her, when I defended her; they tortured me, so I held her and came home."
"Who came Grumpy? What did they look like?"
"I didn't see, Sir. They were wearing masks and they were asking for you."
Harry slumped back, there were a few renegade death eaters left, most were in Azkaban, but the few left outside were out for their blood, that's why they had put protective enchantments on all their homes, how could the death eaters break in? Harry got up and sent a Patronus to Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, Luna, Neville, Percy, Bill, Mr. Weasley and Andromeda informing them about the attack at the Burrow, assuring them that Mrs. Weasley was fine with him at the Manor and enquiring about their whereabouts, asking them to come to the Manor as soon as possible.
Then Harry bent down to check on Mrs. Weasley, her pulse felt fine but she was unconscious and Grumpy was still shivering violently. "Doc, please go fetch some calming draught for Grumpy and Mrs. Weasley." His grandmother said to Doc.
Doc placed Teddy back in the cradle and apparated away to come back moments later with two vials of calming draught. He gave some to Grumpy who calmed down immediately, though he still looked teary eyed. Harry enervated Mrs. Weasley who started shivering instantly and gave her the draught. Doc went back to caring for Teddy as Harry steadied Mrs. Weasley. Once she had calmed down enough to take in her surroundings, Mrs. Weasley jumped slightly before pulling Harry in a hug.
"Oh Harry, they came looking for you. I don't know how they got past the enchantments, before I could draw my wand; they had used the Cruciatus on me. Bless your elf, he saved both of us."
Before Harry could respond, several patronuses soared in through the window. Neville was at 'Longbottom Heights' with his grandmother and Hannah, he asked Harry to not worry about them as the property was heavily secured. George was with Ron, Ginny and Luna at the shop. Ron, Ginny and Luna were flooing in immediately and George would follow suit after packing the products away. Hermione was with her parents in muggle London, but she said she would be apparating outside the Potter Manor. Bill and Fleur were at work, the Goblins had been unrelenting and they would be able to come after work. Mr. Weasley and Percy were at the ministry and had already heard of the attack, Kingsley had given them the day off and they would be flooing in as soon as they could find a substitute. Andromeda was at Malfoy Manor and was safe at the moment, she would however be returning soon.
Harry turned to see the other house elves standing in line, alert and ready for action. "I need one of you to go the visitor's room and bring everyone who arrives through floo to the study." Doc nodded and disappeared with a crack.
"I need one of you to open the gates of the Potter Manor and lead the three people who appear there in. "
"You don't need to send a house elf to do that Harry. As soon as Hermione arrives at the gates, the painting above the mantelpiece would inform you of her presence. All you have to say is 'enter' and the gates would open to let her in." Charlus informed Harry. Harry nodded.
"I need one of you to go to the Tonks Residence. You will find an elderly house elf called Kreacher there; tell him Harry has asked him to accompany you to the Potter Manor. Be careful, he is old and very sick; he can't apparate on his own so you will have to bring him here with you."
"I will go Master Harry; I will take care of Kreacher." Sneezy said before disappearing with a loud crack.
"Grumpy, go sleep and rest for the entire day, you have been through enough." Grumpy smiled at him gratefully before disappearing with a loud crack.
"Dopey, Bashful make lunch for our guests, and bring some tea in for Mrs. Weasley as well as Grumpy" Dorea Potter said jumping in the role of Lady Potter "Sleepy and Happy please prepare the rooms in the family wing for our guests." Harry knelt beside Mrs. Weasley, who managed to smile faintly at him before slumping back in her chair. The buzzing sound made Harry look up, the painting above the mantelpiece changed to show a girl with brown bushy hair. "Enter" Harry called before turning to see Happy.
"The rooms are prepared, Sir." Sleepy informed him. Harry nodded and thanked him before the elf left to help out in the kitchen. Harry had taken a short tour once, he hadn't entered any rooms but he knew the general layout of the Manor. Putting Mrs. Weasley in enchanted sleep and conjuring a stretcher for her; Harry picked Teddy up before lifting Mrs. Weasley out of the study and walked to the end of the corridor, following the set of stairs that led up. On reaching the second floor landing which opened into a hall decorated with cups and orders of Merlin. The hall opened into two corridors L-shaped corridors with six rooms each on both sides of the hall, with rooms lining one wall of the open corridor with wide open arches giving a view of the grounds and the lake below.
Harry turned towards the left corridor which was nearer and opened the first door. A large, dark cherry wood four poster bed was placed in the centre of the room, facing the fire place on the wall opposite to it. The room was large with pale green walls and carpet; a desk was placed along the wall to the right of the bed, next to a large window opening to the forests beyond. The wall along the fireplace opened into a large closet with a large wooden wardrobe covering the right wall, while a floor length mirror and shelves lined with perfumes, colognes and ornaments covered half of the left wall; the rest of which was covered by a large vanity mirror, an attached shelf and a vanity chair. Beyond which stood the door to the bathroom. A large door, opposite to the entrance of the room, opened into a balcony, with a view of the forest. A sofa set seating five with two soft stools and a small centre table, all made of dark cherry wood, placed on the left side of the bed was white with pale green cushions, a similar theme was followed for the bed sheets. A bonsai tree stood in the centre of the marble mantelpiece.
Harry tucked Mrs. Weasley in her bed, before returning to the study to find Ron, Hermione, George, Ginny, and Luna waiting for him outside the study with Doc. Harry thanked Doc, and assured everyone that Mrs. Weasley was fine and was sleeping in a room upstairs. He requested them to sit with him in the study for a while, giving Mrs. Weasley time to recuperate. Ginny whimpered, Ron and George squared their jaws, eyes full of worry.
"Alright, you guys can go up and see her. Don't wake her up though; they used the Cruciatus curse on her." Ginny choked, as Ron and George glared furiously. All of them knew what the Cruciatus curse did to a person emotionally and physically. "Just go to the end of the corridor and follow the stairs up, take a left when you reach the hall. The first door is her room. I have put her to sleep. She will wake up in about an hour for some lunch. If you need anything, just give me or one of the house elves a call." They nodded before walking away briskly. Harry sighed, turning to look at Luna and Hermione who had hung back to give the Weasleys a moment with their mother. Harry smiled at them politely as he opened the door of the study and ushered them in.
"Mrs. Weasley is alright. She is sleeping; she will be fine in a while." He assured the portraits, "Now for introductions. Sirius, Remus, Dora, Mum, Dad, Grandma and Granddad, meet Hermione Granger, my sister in all but blood." Harry said smiling at Hermione affectionately. "Hello" Hermione said blushing slightly. Luna looked on dreamily, smiling to herself. "And this" Harry said, pulling Luna to him and ruffling her hair affectionately "Is Luna Lovegood." Luna smiled serenely at everyone. They sat in the study chatting with everyone when Dopey announced lunch as well as assure Harry that Kreacher was down in the elf quarters and was being taken care of.
Harry, Hermione and Luna met George, Ron, Ginny, Mr. Weasley and Percy who had arrived and visited Mrs. Weasley straight off, in the dining room for lunch. Conversation was fluid as everyone relaxed now that Mrs. Weasley would make full recovery. Though the Burrow was secure Harry had insisted that everyone stay back for the night. With nothing more to do everyone decided on exploring the Manor.
AN: I am trying really hard to speed things up. A couple of more chapters would go this slow probably and then it would speed up and end. While you are at it, check out my new Remus- Dora fic, which is a sequel of the ones we love but can be read independently too. You know what to do guys, Read and Review. Happy Reading.
