Hi all! I've been very busy. I've seen Central Australia and parts of France and New Zealand now! Whoo!
Read and review, please.

The people travelled back. Some - the Hogsmede folk - walked home. Some only took a carriage to the gates to Apparate.

Some went all the way back to Hogwarts for final check-ups and/or to Floo home or stay an extra night or two.

Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys were part of the latter Hogwarts group, as they didn't know the state of the Burrow and didn't wish to find out by wandlight.

Andromeda, Tonks, carrying Teddy, and Remus (with crutch tucked under an arm, Harry noticed) said goodbye at the top of the staircase. They were part of the former Hogwarts group on their way to the Hospital Wing and warm fireplace-travel.

Looking around, Harry noticed the Hogwarts groups were smaller.

The Weasleys travelled up the staircases, not talking, then went to the Common room. Ginny gravitated towards her mother.

The boys paused and exchanged glances, then Ron said quietly, "There are f-five beds in the seventh year boys dorm."

The others nodded and started up. Hermione said goodnight and headed to the girls dorms; after a moment, the other Weasleys followed her (the keep-out spell had been affected during the fight and had not been reapplied afterwards due to the large amount of people staying).

Harry was left alone by the fireplace. He didn't mind much; he thought the Weasley boys deserved to have some time alone. Ron had hinted as much already. He sat in one of the chairs and realised he had automatically picked his favourite one. Then he was assaulted by a rush of memories. First year - Snape, Malfoy and finding Flamel on a Chocolate frog card. Second year - the madness of the Chamber, suspicions and tension. Third year - Hogsmede, half-truths, traitors and Sirius. Fourth year - the Tournament, puzzles and Dark shadows. Fifth year - secrecy, anger, rebellion and bad choices. Sixth year - revelations, more puzzles and staying up into all hours talking.

There were no memories of Common room fireside chats in seventh year, of course, because there were none.

Harry sighed, got up and stretched, then grabbed nighttime things and headed for the bathroom. Luckily, the toilet block had two doors, so he didn't have to disturb the Weasley brothers. When Harry had changed, he went back downstairs and sat down again, closed his eyes and leant back against the chair. Today had drained him emotionally. He'd get what rest he could.

Harry had a troubled night's sleep. The dead wove through his dreams - his parents, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore, Dobby, Fred, Colin and the faces of countless others. They died because of you ... We will die because of you... A strangely familiar mix of voices chorused. At this, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, Hestia, Neville, Luna, Hermione and the Weasleys floated into view - dead. No, Harry thought frantically, you're alive, you're alive, wake up...

Harry awoke with a start, drenched in cold sweat. It was five am. He sighed. Why did the nightmares have to come now? Why couldn't they have waited a few days, at least?

He had been lucky that he'd been tired out when he crashed in the dorm the first night afterwards. But last night, his body had recovered enough strength to dream. Damn it. Sleeping in his favourite armchair and reliving memories before bed hadn't been a good idea either. Maybe I should start trying to clear my mind properly, he thought, then reflected how ironic that would be - to start properly Occluding after the threat had vanished forever. The known threat, anyway. Harry reminded himself, I can't afford to be lax until the last Death Eater's been brought to justice. I'm still wanted by them. Then he caught himself. Don't want to end up like Alastor Moody, though. In mind or body.

As he smiled wryly at the grate, he heard someone coming down the stairs. He turned. It was Ginny and she had been crying. Upon seeing him, her eyes watered again. Harry had a hunch as to why. "Nightmares?" he asked. She nodded. He sighed and beckoned to her. "Me too."

Ginny sniffled, then pulled out a hanky and daintily blew her nose. "Look at me," she whispered. "Before last year I never cried really, except for my first year. I was a tough girl. But now I cry at the drop of a hat, thanks to this stupid war."

Harry sighed. "Yeah. I dreamt about the - the dead and - those who could've been. Blaming me." he added the last part in a whisper.
Ginny sighed. "Don't ever think that, Harry. No-one blames you. They thank you. And you do deserve it. Not many people would have had the guts to do what you did, with or without a glass orb influencing the fight."

Harry sighed and smiled slightly. "I guess." he then looked at her, sitting practically on his lap. "What about you?"

Ginny swallowed, then suddenly flung her arms around him. "The Forest and - and Riddle's voice." she paused. "Never pretend like that again, Harry."

Harry nodded. "I promise I won't." he whispered. Then he wriggled over a little to give her more room. "Let's get some more sleep," Harry murmured.

This time, safe in each other's arms, neither of the two had nightmares, but slept peacefully.

Several hours later, they woke up again to find Ron and Hermione standing near them having a whispered discussion. "Be reasonable, Ron. They wouldn't do anything like that."

"I know Hermione, but that's my little sister. Should we wake them up or-?"

Ginny sighed. "You already have. Both Harry and I woke up in the early hours of the morning cos of nightmares, so we talked then rested here."

Ron smiled sheepishly. "Oh. Right. Well, err... We're going home soon I think. Well, breakfast here first, then home. The others will come down soon."

Harry and Ginny got up and parted ways for the bathrooms.

Meeting up again, they followed the others down to breakfast.

Only one long table was in use in the Great Hall. They ate quickly with their bags near them. Then Arthur said, "Right. I'm getting our things from Muriel's. Bill and Percy, come with me. The rest of you, Apparate to the lane outside the Burrow and wait for us there."

He rose with and left with Bill and Percy. Fleur and Molly rose quickly, followed by the rest of the family. At the doors to the Hall, Harry realised something and told the others, "I'll be a minute - go on without me. Just need to talk to Kreacher."

They nodded. He went to the kitchens and tickled the pear, then walked through. As Harry walked, the elves stared at him again. He walked to the centre of the room and called his elf. He appeared immediately. Harry said, "Kreacher, I'm going - home - now. If there's still work to do you can finish it, but I just wanted to let you know where I'll be."

The elves nodded. Then an elf next to Kreacher said, "Sir, when you says 'home' does you mean Potter House?"

Harry blinked. "Err, no. I mean The Burrow - the Weasley house. I have a House?" he added to himself. The elf nodded and snapped her fingers. Two other elves popped up. "You has not claimed your full inheritance at Gringotts, Sir." said one, in alto.

"Of course not Paddy, he were too busy." whispered another, in high soprano.

Harry said, "Err, I'm sorry, but how do you know this? Who are you?"

The 'soprano' elf said, "You is not knowing us, Sir? Oh woe, a heir not knowing his elfs!"

The 'alto' elf said, "How can he? He be brought up away from us in Muggle World and have now fought battles. Could not be learning Wizard Custom. Or Heritage."

The elf who had called the other four said squeakily, "His full Heritage be secret until he be seventeen, it be wrote. But no-one tell him then!"

Harry worked things out pretty quickly. Apparently, he had three extra elves and, by the sound of it, a House and more vaults than he'd realised.

He sighed. "Well, ah, could you just tell me your names and story, please? I'll work the rest out later."

They bobbed respectfully. The elf who'd called the others was a lady elf by the name of Muffy. Her sister Miffy was the second elf (the softly spoken one). Miffy's 'bonded', Paddy, was now Harry's gruff Gringotts elf; he knew Harry's heritage secrets. Apparently, it was normal for a House or Manor to have two elves; a male and female bonded pair usually. Harry's current elves were the two daughters of the previous bonded pair. Apparently, when the previous Lord and Lady Potter (Harry's grandparents) had died and Lily and James had gone into hiding, Potter House had gone into 'stasis' (whatever that meant) and so the elf family had moved to Hogwarts. After the events of Halloween 1981, the parents of Miffy and Muffy had passed away. According to Muffy, that could sometimes happen if the Master/ Lord and Mistress/ Lady died and the older elves could not bond properly to the new heir. Especially if, as had been the case with their parents, the elves were fairly elderly themselves and had children old enough to take over.

Harry wasn't quite sure what to make of all the new information.

Muffy said, "We shows you your House and goods later. Where you be going now?"

Harry explained. Muffy said, "Then we be going with you!"
Miffy, Muffy, Paddy and Kreacher said their goodbyes to their friends in the kitchens, then followed Harry out of the kitchens.

In the Entrance Hall they met Professor McGonagall. Muffy held out her hands. "Permission to leave Hogwarts Service in favour of returning to Potter Family Service?" she asked. Harry was beginning to suspect she was the oldest of the three; she certainly seemed to act like it, leading the other two.

"Granted." stated the Headmistress, reaching down to tap the hands. The elves snapped their fingers. Instead of Hogwarts pillowslips and tea-cosies, they were suddenly wearing a red, silver and gold uniform: dyed red smock-like garments, belted around the middle with silver-grey strips of fabric, and a gold crest emblazoned proudly against the red.

The elves blushed at Harry's stare. "You likes it, sir?" Paddy asked, "It be Old Mistress' idea."

Harry smiled and nodded. "I think it's great." he said, then farewelled Minerva and led his elves out to a carriage. At the gates, he said, "The place we're going to is called 'The Burrow'. For safety purposes we're going to the lane outside it. Okay?"

They nodded. He said, "Right then. Let's go."

Harry and the elves went to the Burrow lane and could immediately tell something was wrong. The other Weasleys and Hermione were just standing at the side of the lane with their belongings, looking upset. When they saw him, Ginny beckoned him over and he went. Hermione immediately asked, "Who are they, Harry?"

Harry introduced his elves. He skirted around the other revelations, because he sensed now wasn't the time.

Then Harry noticed what was missing. From here, you could usually see at least the top three floors of the Burrow. "What've they done?" he muttered.

Arthur sighed. "We were just about to find out, but I don't like what we can't see."

They walked slowly up the rise that led to the Burrow. When they reached the top and were able to see down the other side (where the Burrow ought to have been) Arthur and Bill, leading, stopped. After staring for a moment, Arthur cried, "No!" and ran forward. As the rest came up they saw what had caused such a reaction: the magic holding the Burrow up had been unravelled. The house was a lopsided two storeys high. The other storeys were scattered around a burnt yard. The broomshed had been smashed and burnt; the chickens roasted. There was even a few burnt gnomes.

Strangely, the contents of the rooms were untouched by flame; but a fair few things were still smashed to bits - irreparable even with magic.

While everyone was still wandering dazed amongst the ruins, checking for salvageable goods, Harry sent Muffy and Miffy for help. They returned with Kingsley, Hestia, Neville and Augusta Longbottom and Luna and her father.

Luna frowned. "This is like the damage done to The Nest, my home." she said.

By lunchtime, the repairable had been sorted from the irreparable. The Weasley clan went back to Hogwarts with the salvaged items. They would stay there until the Burrow was rebuilt, which could be several months.

Harry could tell they really didn't want to be there. While the food was good and friends - aka Luna and her father, plus the teachers and Minerva - were there, it was still too close to the Battle and Fred's death.

So Harry spoke with his elves. "I know you said you'd show me my House and goods later. But in light of these circumstances, may I be shown them now, please?"

Paddy stepped forward. "You needs to go to Gringotts. Is you wanting some help making appointment?"

Harry frowned. "Yes." he said, "They might be a bit frosty, considering what I did a few days ago."

Paddy's lips twitched. "Yes, we hears about that. Offer goblin-made items from your vaults and explains why yous had to do it. Bring a friend who can help."

Harry sighed. The next day, he spoke to Neville, who readily agreed to his request. He also spoke to Bill. Then he was ready when his appointment came up on May 9th. As well as telling the true story and offering them goblin-wrought items, he would give them back the true sword of Gryffindor.