Ron and Hermione were sitting on the couch next to each other, regaling Molly and Arthur with stories of their recent trip to Australia, telling the success of finding Hermione's parents and the brilliant sightseeing of Melbourne, where the Grangers had moved while they were the Wilkins. She spoke of their new family pets, a Rottweiler and a Pug – Collin and Spencer, named after two streets in Melbourne her mum loved shopping on. Ron voiced his amazement at how the Muggles in Melbourne almost appeared magical, just because of some of the attractions around. He particularly loved a trip to the Melbourne Zoo, but was a bit dismayed to learn they didn't have any Ashwinders on display. However, he loved the meerkats, saying their quirky personality was amazing. Hermione was marvelled by the water at Torquay beach, even if they couldn't swim due to it being mid-Winter in the Southern Hemisphere. They'd also ventured into the Magical side of Melbourne on their own, which apparently was just as good as Diagon Alley. Both vowed that they would go back one day, as they wanted to see more of Australia – both the Muggle and Magical sides.
Though mostly focused on her story-telling, Hermione couldn't help but wonder where Harry, Ginny and George were. Molly was currently bouncing Teddy on her knee – having quickly melted into the role of god-grandmother (an inside joke with the family). Ron's tale about seeing a train station that rivals King's Cross was interrupted by a head appearing in the fireplace, which quickly elicited a French accent.
"Molly, ze boys are 'ungry and Ginny and I are too busy to make zem lunch. Vould you be able to 'elp?"
"Of course, dear. Tell them I'll be there in about half an hour or so with some food."
"Zank you Molly. Eet ees so 'elpful of you." Fleur's head then disappeared, leaving a curious Ron and Hermione in her wake.
"Care to explain, mum? Are they fixing up the shop?"
"No, Ronald. They're working on something entirely different. But I am not going to tell you what. You'll just have to come with me when I take them all lunch. Hermione, dear, would you give me a hand?" Hermione accepted and followed Molly into the Burrow's kitchen, with Molly depositing Teddy in the portable crib that was situated just inside the door to the lounge.
Forty five minutes later, Molly holding a baby bag, Hermione a baby and Arthur and Ron laden with baskets of food and drinks, the four linked arms, Arthur apparating and taking them all along with him. When he landed, all the teen couple could see was grass, grass and more grass. Then they turned around, where they faced with a large, white manor house.
"Mum, what is this place?"
"You'll see. Now, let's go. I'm sure they're hungry, they left right after breakfast and that was hours ago." She led the other three to the ornate gates that locked the house behind a fence, and placed her hand on the lock. It swung open and they ventured into the grounds, making their way to the front door, which was wide open. Molly stepped in, and pointed to her throat.
"Troops! Food is here!"
All of a sudden, there was a blur of red and some black and white as a group of people descended on the small group. The black blur stopped grabbing for food though when he saw two of his favourite people standing there.
"Ron! 'Mione! You're back!" Harry leapt at his best friends, engulfing them but taking care to ensure he didn't squash his godson who Hermione was still holding. "When did you get back? Why didn't you come straight here?!"
"Harry! We got back this morning! And as for coming straight here? We don't even know what 'here' is."
"Oh, of course. Well, Ron, Hermione, I would like to welcome you to Potter Manor. We're renovating! Updating it a bit. Want a tour?"
"Can we eat first? Aeroplane food is terrible, I don't care what you say Hermione. That butter chicken was horrible!" The large group laughed at Ron's need to eat rather than catch up with his best friend.
The group consisted of Charlie, Bill, Fleur, George and Ginny Weasley, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Harry. Percy would help on weekends, and if he got out of work early, but being the Senior Secretary to the new Minister didn't offer many early finishes. Everyone was helping though. So far they'd cleaned out the first floor, as well as the cellar George and Charlie had found by accident. And by accident, George fell through a trapdoor which had hinges that weren't secure anymore. After a quick trip to St Mungo's to heal his broken leg, he helped fix the door and go down to find rows and rows of Butterbeer, Firewhiskey, Elf-made Mead, wine, as well as lots of Muggle alcohol. It appeared that Harry's grandparents were quite the entertainers, considering the amount of alcohol and the ballroom.
Ginny and Fleur had been shopping a lot, deciding they would decorate the house, while everyone else put in the manual labour. Though all legally allowed to use magic, they all used it only when absolutely necessary, wanting to really put everything they had into this house. Into Harry's home. Every day they would arrive from their homes about eight in the morning, work for six hours, with Molly arriving with lunch at about two. Then, they would work until about seven in the evening, when they would either go to the Burrow (where Molly was cooking feasts every night) or stay at the manor, with Molly bringing dinner to them. This routine had been happening for about a week and a half so far.
They wanted to finish the Manor before September 1st though, as so many of them were returning to Hogwarts. There were a few of them that were also testifying in trials, so there would be days when the team wasn't complete, but they knew what dates those days would be, with Harry missing the most. He felt bad, having to leave them so much but they told him they didn't mind, considering they all believed they wouldn't be alive to renovate any house without him.
The renovators ate and enjoyed their meal, feasting upon sandwiches and Butterbeer, as well as muffins and biscuits Molly had made the night before. Once they finished, they returned to their former places, continuing with their work. Molly and Arthur returned home, taking Teddy with them. Harry took his best friends on a tour of his home.
"Well, this is the first floor, a lounge to the right and a formal dining room to the left. I'd take you in but they're actually construction zones at the moment. Here, I'll show you what I'm assuming will be Ron's a favourite room – the kitchen." Harry led them to the kitchen with the adjoining informal dining room. The dining table and chairs had been removed, as well as all crockery and tools. After this, he showed them the trapdoor leading to the previously hidden cellar, but promised to give them an in-depth tour of that at a later date, as it really was a hazard at the moment. They ventured next up to the master bedroom, which had been completely gutted, as Ginny had decided she wanted this room to be completely them, with no hints of the past. Hermione was happy to hear that all of Harry's grandparents' clothes had been donated to a charity that was helping witches and wizards who had been put through hardship during Voldemort's year of terror. He showed them to the bedrooms that had once been occupied by Harry's father and Godfather.
"Now, before entering my dad's room, I just have to warn you, he was a tad lovesick." Harry opened the door and they entered, the room remaining untouched. And true to his warning, Ron and Hermione saw that James Potter was most definitely love sick, for the gorgeous Lily Evans. They gazed at the dozens of photos that had her in them that were plastered around the room. Hermione noticed that some appeared to have been taken at long range, most probably without Lily knowing they were being taken. The biggest photo in the room was one of Lily and James. It was eerie for Ron, realising how similar Harry looked to James, and Ginny to Lily.
"Why haven't you done anything to this room yet?"
"Honestly, Ron? I'm just not ready to. I look around this room and I see my parents. Literally, obviously. Mum is plastered everywhere. But the colours of the wallpaper, the Quidditch gear lying everywhere, it is all Dad. I almost cast a charm so that it can never be changed, but Gin wouldn't let me. Told me I might want to one day, wouldn't say why but she was really keen about it. Anyway, you've seen Dad's room. Let me show the room across the hall." He led them through the bathroom, which neither paid much attention to, through to the room that had once belonged to his godfather.
"Sirius had a room at your grandparents' house?"
"Makes sense, doesn't it? He once told us he used to pretty much live here, and he did run away from home. Where else did he have to go?"
"Bit like you, aye mate?"
"Ron, I didn't run away. You and your brothers kidnapped me in a flying car." The boys roared at this memory, with Hermione pursing her lips, in a very McGonagall manner, but she quickly cracked and joined in the laughter. She had missed hearing her boys laugh, because it had been a very rare sound over the past two years.
They eventually made their way back downstairs, where Hermione was kidnapped by Ginny and Fleur to help them decide on a dining table for the formal dining room, and George yelled at Ron and Harry to stop lazing about like tourists and to help out with ripping up the carpet in the living room. After a few more hours of work, Molly and Arthur returned, laden with food, venturing up to the ballroom that had become an impromptu dining room while the actual dining rooms were being redone. Harry had decided the ballroom could wait, as he didn't see himself hosting any parties anytime soon.
Kreacher had arrived with Molly and Arthur, having gotten into the habit of helping Molly cook dinner every night, because she was making so much. It had taken a bit of persuading but Molly had finally accepted the help, understanding that she did need. However, she had gotten a little frustrated knowing that Kreacher had done her laundry, dusting and degnoming the other day, while she bought lunch to the troops. But quickly got over it, because his assistance was giving her more time to knit, and cuddle Teddy.
After dinner, everyone retired to their own homes, resting up, getting prepared for another full day of renovations.