A/N: A short chapter. It was the only way I could end the beginning of my story at the next chapter, which would be 25.
It was the final day before those who decided to return to Hogwarts would return. Everyone seemed aware of this because people visited the Burrow all day, and Molly Weasley worked to contain her emotions. Hermione busied herself with packing, Ron and Harry played games most of the day, both in denial about their soon to be separation, and Ginny insisted on being alone though she did not explain why. Dinner that night included every Weasley, their significant other and Luna. George was trying to figure out Harry's return to Hogwarts.
"It must be my sister. I can't see any other reason you would go back. Mum will be a grandmother sooner than later. He mused.
"I should hope not," Molly warned promptly.
"Yeah, he has no other motivation in life than me, and we're going to shag all the time," Ginny said sarcastically.
"Oh, come on, sis, I'm only- "
"What? What exactly are you trying to do saying something like that?" Ginny said harshly.
"Nothing, it's just that if you're not careful."George faltered.
"You think I'm going to end up pregnant." Ginny supplied in blunt frustration.
"Well, you tend to have a blind spot for Harry." George finished nervously.
"How'd you like to be blind!" Ginny growled.
"Easy, I was just thinking — "
"That I'm a lovesick kid."
"That none of us are going to be at Hogwarts to keep you—
"I don't need to be kept inline," Ginny said through gritted teeth.
People in other conversations were now starring in the direction of the sudden argument that was about to boil over. Harry wished he could disappear. Molly was quick to insert herself into the fight.
"He's only looking out for you. Ginny. You have been awfully sensitive lately." Molly said anxiously.
"Maybe that's because nearly everyone treats me like an idiot or a slag," Ginny said in increasing frustration.
"I know a few people who are both, and I don't think your either." Luna cut in calmly as though there was no tension.
"You and Harry are about the only ones," Ginny said gratefully.
"That's not true. Still, George, you couldn't have done this away from the dinner table?" Arthur interjected calmly.
"Well, I was messing with them, but they're engaged now, and that means— "
"Listen," Ginny cut across him. She was dangerously quiet now, "It doesn't matter if Harry and I want to shag all over Hogwarts or all across Britain; that's not anyone's business but ours. But so that people stop bringing up my relationship with Harry— we've already shagged, but don't worry, I'm on the anti-pregnancy potion."
"Thank you for being safe, Ginny."
"Well, you and dad taught me not to be stupid about it, so it was not that hard. Now... Can we please talk about something else before my fiancé disappears into the floor?" She finished with exasperation.
Ginny looked sympathetically at Harry, who had quietly sunk in his chair to be seen as little as possible.
"Sorry," He said awkwardly, rising again.
"We're very happy for you both about everything," Molly assured softly.
"Yes, I knew your intentions for a while now," Arthur said. "You two remind me of Molly and I." He smiled.
"Just brotherly instinct." George shrugged. "Maybe I'll leave that to Percy and Bill. They're the mature ones anyway."
"I said my piece already. I just gave advice." Bill said from the other end of the table.
"There's nothing I can add that will be of use, compared to what others have said," Percy said, also shrugging. "But it will be nice to celebrate your wedding wherever that is set."
Percy obviously wanted to make up for his absence from his oldest brother's wedding the previous summer.
"It will be a while, but thanks, everyone," Ginny said appreciatively.
The rest of dinner passed with pleasant everyday conversation. Arthur mentioned that he was currently busy checking the Ministry for leftover threats; smaller numbers of wizards and witches trying to overthrow Kingsley. The reluctant Minister of Magic had grown slightly paranoid in his time evading capture by snatchers. That was the reason such a task was given to Arthur; he seemed not to mind, even joking that perhaps Mad-Eye was whispering in Kingsley's ear from beyond the veil, which made everyone laugh.
"It's risking injury sneaking up on Kingsley these days." He chuckled, then sighed. "I feel like that goes for a lot of us."
"You're right." Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny assured him bluntly.
"Well, you are all about to start new chapters in your lives, with the sort of stress that is exciting and much less dangerous." Arthur raised his glass. "Here's to your success. The Burrow will always be here as a home if anyone needs it, and we will be watching you all proudly in the years to come."
Everyone toasted, feeling good as they anticipated the fast-approaching future.
"It's a nice night out tonight," Hermione said quietly, looking at the stars.
"It's been nice to be outside just to admire the view. All that time in the wild last year, and we didn't have any time to appreciate it." Ron said thoughtfully.
Harry gave a rhetorical smile. "Isn't that the drawback of being on the run for nine months? I never took you for a nature enthusiast." Harry laid back, grinning at his best mate.
"Well, the world wouldn't have been the same if Voldemort won, so I'm trying to be grateful for nature itself." Ron shrugged.
"I am, " Ginny said quietly, joining Harry in laying on the ground; she sighed. "We were inside most of last year, detentions for being such a headache for the Carrows." Ginny grinned at the others, though she was subdued, the last year still weight over her.
"You went through a lot." They all said sympathetically.
"I wasn't dealing with dragons or snatchers or little food or destroying a dark soul." Ginny's echoed their sympathy.
Ron was laughing in ironically now. "It's mental, the stuff that has happened in the last seven years, twenty years honestly, absolutely mental."
Harry chuckled. "Well, here's hoping things are less mental from now on, by magical standards anyway."
"I'll take 12 mountain trolls over what we've been through in the last year." Ron declared quickly.
"I wish I'd been there for that." Ginny chuckled.
"No, you don't," Warned Hermione, painfully recalling the occasion. "The smell was downright foul…."
"I grew up with six brothers." Ginny reminded dismissively.
They laughed.
"Girls, look after Harry for me," Ron said.
"They will," Harry assured.
"It will be strange, though." Hermione sighed.
"You can't get in trouble without me around." Ron chuckled.
"The curse is gone with Riddle dead, not that I went looking for trouble all the time." Harry shrugged.
"That's only half true." The others said automatically.
"Alright." Harry conceded.
"We were always sticking our nose in things, mate, all of us, together." Ron reminded him.
"Speaking of that, we're not engaged yet, but we were thinking of a double wedding, you know, we're all ready to get married," Hermione said quickly.
"Well, I kind of want to get married in Godric's Hollow," Harry admitted truthfully.
Ginny looked at Harry deeply. "You haven't mentioned that before; I wouldn't mind. I'm just surprised."
Harry admitted quietly. "I've been thinking about it for a while now; I want that place back, and I feel a pull toward the church."
Hermione blushed. "Oh, well, it was just a thought."
"Sorry, I just—
"It's okay, Harry," Hermione assured gently.
"Yeah, mate… Now that I think about it, my brothers would use a double wedding as an opportunity to get all of us drunk."
"Come again?" Hermione said sharply.
"It's a Weasley tradition, " Ron said defensively, "We've always tried to get out of it, but…." He looked at Hermione apologetically.
"I've heard stories," Ginny said, shaking her head.
"So you are telling me, Hermione was in shock. "That you are probably going to be drunk during our wedding?"
"I will try to get out of it." He assured.
"I would hope so, but this didn't happen last summer Hermione said bluntly.
"We had to be on our best behaviour given the war and the International guests." Ron shrugged.
"Boys." Shrugged Hermione hopelessly.-
"When will you two get engaged anyway?" Ginny asked abruptly.
"I want to make sure I've bought the ring first," Ron said.
I've told him that doesn't matter to me." Hermione said dismissively. "But he insists on it." She smiled at Ron, blushing when he smiled back at her.
"So much has gone wrong between us. I want to do something right," Ron said with conviction.
"If you need help, Ron." Ginny offered.
"Thanks, that will be after you lot are done at Hogwarts."
"I reckon I should start thinking about how I'm going to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts to seven different classes," Harry said rather lazily.
"You mean you haven't planned anything," Hermione said with contained exasperation.
"I'm just going to wing it, rely on instinct and what I've been through." Harry shrugged.
"You can't just rely on practical demonstrations like you did with the DA. You have to give homework out too, Harry, essays and other written assignments, things like that. It's essential, especially for young students who lack an understanding of magic." Hermione advised.
"Remind me why I decided to do this again?" Harry asked earnestly.
"Well, Minerva McGonagall requested it, and you wanted normal; teaching is as normal as a thing there is in life." Hermione pointed out with a grin.
"You'll be fine, Harry," Ginny assured.
"You've already been a teacher once." Hermione reminded encouragingly.
"Not like this, Hermione." Harry dismissed.
"Mate, your defence classes, will be the smartest in years," Ron said confidently. "Don't force anything; that's all, you can't go wrong with what you decide to do."
"Just don't demonstrate the Unforgivable Curses." Harry reminded himself aloud.
"There was a whole year being taught by a bloody Death Eater." Ron shook his head at the ridiculousness of that particular year at Hogwarts.
"New students will only know the history of Voldemort, Death Eaters, all of it. You can't count on one or two hands, the people who know about Horcruxes." Ginny said quietly.
"That was the point to everything over the last seven years," Harry said with solace, squeezing Ginny's hand with a smile.
"Are you ready to give the speech tomorrow?" Ginny asked.
"No, but Kingsley is going to be there, and I owe him. Besides, I can't ignore the public anymore." Harry sighed sadly.
"We'll be up there with you, all six of us," Ginny assured.
"At least it's at Hogwarts and not in London," Harry said with solace.
"It will be weird, not talking the train and then leaving after the fallen 50 ceremony." Ron admitted quietly.
"You'll be around on Hogsmeade weekends." Ginny pointed out helpfully.
"Yeah, and I'll come to watch the Quidditch final," Ron assured.
"We'll only get there if we can build a good team, last chance to come back, Ron," Ginny said anxiously.
Ron squeezed his sister apologetically. "Sorry, sis; you're on your own."
"She insisted I help, even though she's perfectly capable.
"You are good at recognising skill and talent," Ginny said defensively.
"I don't reckon you are better off taking my advice. trust your instincts." Harry said earnestly.
Hermione smiled. "You should take your advice with teaching Harry."
Ron agreed. "Your instincts are great, mate, unlike mine."
"That's not true." They all said. "I've told you you're going to do well with Auror training; you've been studying the material all summer!." Hermione reminded him.
"I'm not worried about that bit funny enough; it's doing it that I don't want to mess that part up, you know." Ron sighed.
"You won't; all we've been through in the last seven years, it's the ultimate advantage for an Auror career," Hermione said.
"I might put it off until I am of the dreamless sleep potion. I'm not exactly full-on energy dealing with it." He said.
"That's probably a good idea." Hermione agreed. "What will you do in the meantime?"
"Keep studying while I help George at the shop, I suppose." He shrugged. "But we'll see you lot off tomorrow and go to the shop after that."
"We should get to bed; I don't want to be half-awake taking the train tomorrow," Harry said, standing you now.
The others agreed, and Harry went to sleep with a calm mind, his final term at Hogwarts little more than a day away.