Warning – bashing of Molly and Ginny in this chapter. Please review so I know everyone is enjoying the story or if there is anything I've missed or got wrong. Apologies for any grammar/spelling mistakes as I don't use a beta reader.

BellaK26 - I'm so happy you're enjoying my story and I should be updating more often for the next few weeks

Guest - I'm glad you like that I portrayed Ron this way. I just love the friendship between them and though he can be thoughtless and sometimes his temper gets the better of him, they will always come first to him.

Chapter 9

They did not manage to avoid Ron's mother.

The house was busy when they came back, but according to a sorrowful looking Arthur she was outside, arguing with the twins who were still refusing to go into the ministry. "Apparently they already have a job lined up but won't tell Molly so I guess it's something she won't approve of –"

"All that means is their job isn't in the ministry," Hermione pointed out, arms crossed. "I mean Molly didn't approve of Charlie working with dragons or Bill working in Gringotts though both are happy and enjoying their jobs. She wanted them to go into a 'respectable job' which apparently is only found in the ministry."

Guilt wormed its way through Harry, as he knew what their job was. Running a joke shop. They had already showed him their plans and he had given them an empty store he owned in Diagon Alley, approving of their plans and the products they were going to sell and some more experiments for others. While he knew not only was Mrs Weasley in the wrong here and that they were going to do what they loved, with or without his help he still felt responsible for the fracturing family.

Sirius then slung an arm around his shoulder, squeezing it gently. He must've noticed the slight tension beginning to build and Harry leant gratefully into him, relief at finally having the support of an adult.

"Have you come here for anything?" Arthur asked, eyes flickering to Ron before back to Remus and Sirius.

"I'm staying with Harry and Hermione for the next week so we can go to school together," Ron said nervously, knowing that while his mum would never let him stay with Sirius his dad would be more reasonable.

After a brief consideration Arthur nodded, his eyes flickering over the way Harry and Sirius stood together before agreeing. "I'd grab your stuff now and go, I'll tell your mother later. I'll try and keep her calm but I can't promise anything." There was a heaviness in his eyes as he spoke, shoulders slumped.

Ron gave his dad a grateful smile before hurrying up the stairs, Harry, Hermione, Sirius and Remus following behind. Ron and Hermione watched in wonder as Remus waved his wand and all his belongings flew on his trunk, neatly stacked and folded. Harry guessed it was the same charm Tonks used at the beginning of the year after the dementor attack to pack his stuff.

"That's sick," Ron marvelled. "How do you do that? That's so much quicker than packing!"

Hermione turned eagerly to Remus who smiled, "I'll teach you guys when we get home."

Harry smiled as he thought of the cottage they had moved into in Cornwall while Sirius got Potter Manor done up, partially destroyed from a Death Eater attack from the first war and after 15 years had fallen into a further state of disrepair. According to Sirius and Remus it was one of the three holiday homes the Potter's owned, another being in Devon and the last in Italy. Ron had been eager to stay in that one but Hermione had knocked him on the head, scolding him to the amusement of everyone else.

Remus then shrunk Ron's trunk who grabbed it and they headed downstairs to the floo, relief that they hadn't been caught when the sound of a cup shattering reached their ears. Sirius and Remus winced, their ears more sensitive thanks to being a werewolf/dog animagus.

Harry's head snapped to the source of the sound. Ginny. Her eyes were wide as she stared at them, eyes focused on… his and Hermione's entwined hands. His confusion cleared, remembering only Ron, Sirius and Remus knew they were together. Well, Hermione's parents knew as well.

What made Harry nervous was the look on Hermione's face, the one she wore whenever they were going on one of their adventures. Determined but slight fear trickling through. Since she had been fine with everyone else finding out that they were dating, what about Ginny made her nervous?

The door then flung open to reveal Molly, shrieking "Ginny, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Ginny remained silent though, stunned look still on Harry and Hermione. Sirius made a move to steer them to the floo, where Ron and Remus were when tears pooled in Ginny's eyes and blotches of red appeared on her cheeks, clashing with her hair. "How could you?!" she yelled, stomping up to Hermione. "How could you betray me like that?!"

The hell? Harry twisted his head to look at Hermione but she avoided his gaze. Catching Ron's eye, he was slightly relieved to see he looked as confused as Harry felt.

"Ginny, I don't know why you're so upset but –"

Remus didn't even manage to finish his sentence before Ginny blew up, this time speaking to him. "Damn right you don't know why I'm upset! I'm upset because this – this bitch stole him from me!"

It was like a bomb exploded with those words. Almost everyone began yelling at once. Fury pulsed through Harry at how ginny had referred to Hermione, joining Ron as he yelled "Take that back!" along with other similar things. Ginny was still yelling at Hermione, who remained silent, hand still gripping Harry's while Remus tried to calm everyone down. Sirius also remained silent but his jaw was clenched, clearly holding himself back from yelling, knowing if he lost his temper it would only make everything worse and Ron less likely to be allowed to stay, now that Molly Weasley had turned up.

Remus managed to calm Harry and Ron down enough that they stopped yelling, instead scowling at Ginny who had been calmed down by Molly. Sirius was slightly surprised but grateful for that. Maybe he had misjudged the woman a bit?

The woman in question the turned around, hands on her hips. "Hermione Granger, how could you do this to my daughter? You knew she had her heart set upon Harry and even promised to help get them together but here you are, taking him for yourself."

Sirius's eyes widened, the clueless look on his godson's face and guilty and fearful one on Hermione's forcing him to step in when the matriarch took a breath. "She didn't steal Harry from your daughter as he was never hers to begin with, nor is he an object to be played around with. Just because your daughter likes my godson does not mean she is entitled to him and that no one else can date him."

Before Molly could respond to him, Remus broke in, eyes on Hermione. "What does Molly mean you tried to set the two of them up?"

"Ginny told me about her crush in fourth year, though everyone knew she liked him at that point. She asked if there was anything I could do to help her get together with him. I told her he didn't like her but she told me he would and she just needed some advice on how to get close. I suggested just being his friend first as beforehand she was too nervous to even be in a room with him, yet alone speak to him –"

"Please," Ginny snorted, "like you told me anything useful. You just told me that to get me off your back so you could take him for yourself."

Sirius gaped at the absolute gall the girl had to say that. He had never known the youngest Weasley well but thought she was alright, considering she hadn't been any trouble when staying at Grimmauld Place the previous summer. Clearly he had been wrong.

"Ginny, I'm sure Hermione was only trying to help as she was right, there was no chance for you if you couldn't even speak to me," Harry pointed out dryly. "However, unfortunately for you it didn't matter what you did, I already liked Hermione and have done since third year and compared to her you would never have stood a chance."

At this Molly stepped in, anger in her face. "Harry dear, if you were just a normal half-blood then this would be fine but you have to realise you're not only the 'the boy who lived' but also a Lord of a Ancient and Noble house. Ginny is a pureblood and unfortunately, Hermione isn't, not even born of magical blood like you are dear."

Sirius burst in at that, boiling with rage. He had heard every argument under the sun of why purebloods were better than muggleborns to marry for high status wizards as James had been pressured to marry a pureblood, even by light sided family's as they wanted the power and status of having married into the Potter's. "She may not be born of magical blood but why should that matter? If we're going by that standard then Ginny isn't fit for my godson either –"

"What do you mean?" Molly snapped, "She's pureblood –"

"And I'm sorry to say it so crudely but as poor as a church mouse. Nor does she have any status as the Weasleys are neither a noble or an ancient house. If you believe Harry needs to marry a pureblood then going by that logic the pureblood will need money, power and status, three things Ginny doesn't have. If he can't marry Hermione as she's muggleborn, he can't marry Ginny due to her lack of money and status."

Molly looked enraged at his statement and moved forward but Sirius blocked her, stepping in front of his godson and his friends. Remus followed suit, keeping the three kids behind them in case it got ugly. Ginny had started crying after Sirius's statement and while he felt bad, it was the reality check she needed. She couldn't just stop his godson from going out with other girls just because she liked him as that's not how the real-world works.

Upon voicing that, his anger with Ginny faded at her response. It wasn't her fault she thought this but her mother's.

Tears streamed down her face as she stammered out "Ever since I was little I had a crush on him and mum said I could have whatever I wanted. She said there's no way Harry Potter will refuse me."

"Unfortunately what you mother didn't consider is that Harry can make his own choices and if he doesn't choose you, you can't just throw a tantrum to get what you want," Remus said gently to the tearful girl.

"Ginny," Hermione interrupted quietly. "The problem is that this crush started when you were young. You fell in love with the boy who lived, not Harry. You've built this – this fantasy of him and that's not who he is."

She hit the nail on the head, Sirius thought privately. That was the issue, Ginny didn't know Harry. She loved the idea of him, not who he was as a person. Honestly with the amount she hung out with him (about never) he doubted she even knew who he was as a person.

At Molly's snort Hermione frowned, anger flaring as she turned on the matriarch. Sirius smirked inwardly. While Hermione rarely got angry she was a force to be reckoned with. His mind wandered back to when she stood up to him, someone she believed to be a murderer and a man who was a werewolf. Molly Weasley didn't know what was coming to her.

"Meanwhile, I believe your mother was so insistent for different reasons. I mean, if her daughter could snag 'the boy who lived' who was also the heir to the Potter fortune? The Weasley's would gain power, status and money! They would be in a better position than they had been in centuries, ever since they lost their noble house status in the 1850s. Any normal mother wouldn't be so uncaring about a friend who led her son into so much danger unless she got something out of it, such as a marriage."

Sirius inwardly cheered, now smirking outwardly, matching Ron and Harry's grins. Even Remus was hiding a smile, secretly agreeing with Hermione. And Molly's face at the accusations were a sight to behold.

"Like you're not a social climber! A penniless muggleborn with no status or power either, you could be doing exactly that by marrying Harry!"

Hermione smirked, crossing her arms as she said "But I'm not. I did an inheritance test in Gringotts and it turns out I'm the closest living relative to Rowena Ravenclaw, meaning I have taken control of the fortune she left behind and now have the title Lady Ravenclaw."

"Her family died out! They were killed in the war –"

"Apart from the squib daughter, who married a muggle so gained a new surname and through my mother, she is my distant relative. So no, I already have money, power and status so why would I marry for anything other than love?"

Molly spluttered out denials when Bill appeared, Fleur in tow. The twins and Charlie hovered behind them, watching with a mix of fascination and horror.

"Mum –" Bill tried but she spun around, snapping at him "Don't you speak to me! Ginny is the only sensible one here as she is the only one who still listens to me! I have tried to warn you about that – that half-breed!" she shrieked, eyes burning into Fleur who glared back.

Remus gave a low growl at that, the change in the room immediate. A cold look settled on Bill's face as he faced his mother, Charlie and the twins stepping forward to help him, anger in their expressions. Sirius now had a hand on Remus, grounding him while trying to calm himself down. Both Harry and Ron were pissed and Hermione was horrified as well as angry, disgusted that a woman she looked up to would use what the equivalent to calling someone like her a mudblood.

Fury burned through Sirius. The fact that she believed she had the right to refer to someone as a 'thing', not even deeming them human. "Well Molly, it doesn't matter what your intentions were when teaching your daughter she could get whatever she wanted, including my godson because that doesn't matter anymore. I refuse to associate with you nor your daughter when you will treat people like that, nor will I let my godson be around you anymore."

Red faced, Molly raised her voice, saying he had no right to prevent his godson from doing anything, that Harry should get a choice in this.

"Ironic then mum," Ron snapped, having had enough. "Harry doesn't get a choice in who he marries as it has to be Ginny, but as soon as Sirius – his guardian – says that he can't associate with bigoted people? Oh, then he should be allowed a choice. I don't care what you say, I'm leaving to stay with Harry and Sirius and I won't to stay here with you, whatever you say."

"Fine!" Molly screamed, swelling with fury, "You do that! It's not like I cared about you anyway! You were just a disappointment, not good at anything nor the girl I wanted! I never wanted you anyway so get out!"

Ron flinched at her words. Though he always felt unwanted, it still hurt to have his feelings confirmed. Harry's anger heated at his friends pain, snapping "Well good thing no one cares what you think. Ron will be taken into the house of Potter along with anyone here who wants to rid themselves of this woman!"

The twins immediately crossed the room, summoning their trunks which they had never even bothered to unpack, preparing to leave at any minute to Diagon Alley. Fleur stepped over as well, followed by Bill and Charlie. "We're leaving and I'm never coming back," Bill said coldly, glancing briefly at the address Hermione passed him before stepping in the floo, yelling "Sage Cottage, 22 Spring Street."

Fleur, Charlie, the twins, Harry, Ron and Hermione quickly followed in succession with Sirius and Remus blocking Molly's way to the floo before themselves quickly going through, the minute they entered the cottage Sirius turning off the fireplace to prevent Molly following them.

"The hell was going on in there?" Bill exclaimed, Fleur's hand curled in his.

"Ginny found out we were dating," Hermione explained, gesturing between her and Harry, blushing as they received congratulations. "She got upset as she wanted to date Harry and Mrs Weasley backed her up, reasoning that Harry can only marry a pureblood –"

"That's insane!"

"She said that to you?!"

"She's that bigoted?!"

Shocked cries echoed from the small crowd they'd collected. Fleur remained silent, Hermione grimly guessing that what Mrs Weasley's had said today hadn't been the first time she'd heard things like that from her.

"Unfortunately so," Hermione said. "Then Sirius defended me, saying by that logic Harry had to marry someone wealthy with power and status like titles or being in a Noble or Ancient house, neither which Ginny is meaning she was out of the competition anyway. I pointed out that Ginny was in love with the idea of Harry, the 'boy who lived' rather than Harry himself and her mother was probably making her get with Harry for the money or status the Weasley's would get from the marriage. She got angry at that and accused me of being a gold digger as I was muggleborn –" outrage exploded in the room at the people hearing this for the first time "– and I said that having the title Lady Ravenclaw as her closest living descendant, there was no reason to be a gold digger as I'm now a millionaire, which she didn't take too well. Then you guys came in and heard the rest."

Bill rubbed his face, looking exhausted while Charlie was frowning, casting worried glances at Ron who had remained quiet after what his mum had said to him. Fred and George were staring angrily at the table while Fleur shot Hermione a sympathetic smile. They may not have gotten along very well before but Hermione vowed she would change that and would try and be nicer especially since she knew Fleur still kept in touch with Harry, a friendship forming between them after he saved her sister.

"Right," Bill muttered, "we need to sort a living situation out for Ron, Fred and George. I refuse to let them go back home to that, especially Ron. I've got a house lined up in England but it doesn't have enough bedrooms for the three of them."

"We've got a flat," George said, "so we'll be fine."

"Ron can stay with us for as long as he wants, whether that's until Hogwarts or until he gets a house of his own once graduating, he'll always have a place here." Sirius's tone was honest as he looked at Ron who thanked him quietly, grinning slightly at Harry.

Remus glanced at his friend, knowing his own disownment from his family was running through his mind. He was unsurprised Sirius was so keen to pay back the favour as Sirius had moved in with James after Walburga had cast him out and now he could help someone in the same situation he had once been in.

"Thank you so much Sirius." Bill looked so relieved that his little brother would have a place to stay.

Charlie leaned forward, asking "What do you thinks going to happen to Ginny? Do you think we could get her out the house?"

Sirius shook his head regretfully. "Being bigoted isn't a crime and many purebloods would probably agree with her views, especially on 'half-breeds' unfortunately. She'll stay with her mother unless she requests to leave, which I'd be surprised at considering her mum has spoon fed everything to her. As long as she leaves my godson alone, I don't care what happens to her."

The elder Weasleys nodded regretfully, a few more pleasantries exchanged and some thank yous before they left along with Fleur and the twins, leaving Sirius and Remus alone with the Golden Trio. Sirius sat down heavily in one of the empty chairs, uneasy for the conversation ahead. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at him curiously while Remus leaned back, understanding in his eyes.

"We need to talk about Hogwarts."