Chapter 4

Courage Breath

After his run, a very sweaty and tired Harry ran up the stairs to Ron's room for his bag and change of clothes. He expected to just grab his backpack, but when he came to his camp bed, he found a surprise. Sitting on the bed, like something out of Christmas, was his Hogwarts trunk. A note rested on top of it, 'Special delivery by Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes,' written on a card with the company logo. Harry opened the trunk and found it packed with the clothes from his drawers, the sparse decorations, largely from school, and everything of import that he left at the Dursleys. To the left of the trunk was Hedwig's cage. But behind both, was Firebolt.

A deep sense of gratitude filled in Harry, but also a question filled him with dread. 'How much had they dealt with the Dursleys?' He walked up to the Twins room and knocked. "Fred, George, got a minute?"

George opened the door with a smile. "Hi Harry," in unison.

Holding the signed card up. "First, Thank you guys, very, very much."

Fred and George exchanged looks and shrugged. "No problem."

"Did you have to deal with them?"

"Nope ." They both said with grins.

"Harry, do you remember, a couple years back, we picked you up?"George asked.

"We tore the bars off your window and everything." Fred detailed.

"Ya, you both were bloody brilliant." Harry nodded.

"So we know where you live," George said with a smile.

"And we can apparate now," Fred finished.

They both grinned in mischief.

"So we just popped into your room."

"And took what we wanted, "

"The perfect crime!" They finished together.

Relieved they didn't have to endure his uncle, Harry finally looked past the Twins and actually saw their room was filled with boxes. Harry noticed the walls were bare. A far cry from when he had visited the Burrow last.

"Fred, George, what's going with the packing? Please tell me I didn't start this."

The Twins laughed at the idea. George put an arm around Harry's shoulder. "The shop! There is a flat above it that we finally finished fixing up."

"We are moving out this weekend. Just in time too."

"In time for what?" Harry asked.

They exchanged looks. "Fleur is coming," in unison.

"Fleur? Fleur, who?"

"You know her. Fleur Delacour"

"From the Triwizard Tournament."

Memories flashed back, especially the desperate swim upwards with two innocent people while being swarmed by several dozen creatures. "Oh, Bill and she are still a thing?"

"Bit more than a thing now, mate." George clarified.

"Engaged. She's coming here for the summer. Learn the language better and get to know the family."

Harry let that statement hang in the air for a moment, then calculated. "Wait, she's coming to get to know the family, so you two are moving out?"

"Yep," in unison.

Harry thanked them again, got cleaned up and changed and came downstairs to the Weasleys still slipping in around the table. Ron and Gin both gestured to the seat waiting for him. "Bill flamed. He's helping Fleur pack. That will be three suppers in a row he's missed."

"Molly, they are in love and engaged. And his work has been busy."

"I know." Molly grumbled.

The family spent the evening sharing stories. Arthur did share the adventure at the bank, respectfully skipping any of the numbers they learned. But Arthur the hero and 'dueling a goblin' was just too good a story to pass up. It was the best he had felt in weeks, if not longer.

It was noticed, as Gin leaned over. "You seem a lot better today."

Harry took a deep breath in assessment, and nodded. "Your dad is a good guy."

Ginny looked over to Arthur with a full beaming smile, which her father reciprocated. "Ya, he had his moments." Turning back to Harry, "You still owe me a conversion."

Harry nodded acceptingly. "I do. Free after supper?"

The surprise on Ginny's face was clear.

After supper and clean up, Ginny found Harry leaning on the balcony railing looking over the burrow. "Master Potter," she greeted with a grin from ear to ear.

"I'm never going to live that one down, am I?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it." she replied as leaned against the bannister next to him.

"So long as you only mean it as a joke. The last thing I need is another damn title."

Ginny laughed. "What are you up to, four, five?"

"I don't count, don't care."

Harry took his courage breathe.

But this time, Ginny jumped in. "Harry, I don't want to push. I mean I know I reminded you at supper, but that was half kidding."

"And the other half?"

She paused and thought. "Principal. Keeping you to your word. You successfully did not blow me off. The fact you're here is enough for that. But I am smart enough to know this is… big and real enough… "

"Gin, you're fine. You're really fine. If anything, I owe you for several conversations."

"Ladies and Gentleman, Harry Potter has entered the building, let the apologies begin." she summed up with a grin.

Harry smirked and nodded and looked out to the horizon. "Yep, I deserve that."

"You are really serious here, aren't you Harry?" He could see the weight of his seriousness registering in his eyes. "Okay. I'm here."

Another breath for courage. "Put simply, for a while now, you have been a far better friend to me than vice versa. Realistically, I likely owe you several dozen apologies, but what really has gotten me in the last few weeks, is that I forgot."

"Oh hell, Harry.." she protested.

Harry cut her off. "Damn it, Gin, this one, you deserve. I could list a lot of crap. But you know it already. Hitting rock bottom has a way of showing you what's important to a person. And to me, Gin, you are very important. So because you are important, it is important to me that you hear me say, with conviction, I regret that, and I badly want to be better to you in the future."

Ginny listened carefully, let him speak his peace. She didn't know how much she needed to hear that. This was not a subject she enjoyed in the air. "Apology accepted," she whispered.

"Thank you, now that we have established you are one of the most important people in my life, and especially after this day with your father." Harry took another courage breath. "What do you want to know, Gin?" His emerald eyes were focused on her with the fullest attention, but more openness than she had ever seen before.

She slid against the bannister to look him in the eyes and gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever you want to share. I don't want to drag you over pain you're not ready for, but…" she rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand. "You never talk about yourself. Not in the ways that matter. It's not that I need to know everything. I'm willing to hear everything. Mostly though, I just wish you would want to talk to me."

"I think I'm there, Gin." Breath for courage. "Yesterday, it started with making breakfast…"

So Harry told her, play by play, blow by blow, what happened the day before. Again Harry spoke calmly, neutrally, reporting the deeds. Ginny knew he was cutting himself off from the emotions just to get through. She quickly fell into a hug with him just for comfort and to also try to hide her eyes. Harry happily held her, which did far more for strength and courage than breathing.

Ginny's heart was torn in two. Half absolutely broken for Harry wanting to just protect him forever. The other half was a rage incarnate. Who dared do this! Ginny wanted to rain fire from the heavens upon them and tear them limb from limb. She gained a new respect for her mother that night.

When he finished, he exhaled so deeply, like taking another brick off his shoulders. Still holding her, he said again. "Thank you, Gin."

Gin's vice-like grip on Harry had tightened to a point of near trembling. She pulled herself away just enough to look Harry in the eyes. She spoke in rage, fire in her eyes. "You are never, ever, going back."

"Agreed," Harry nodded.

"If they even breathe near you again, I will kill them."

Harry knew she meant it. And this time, after what Arthur had put him through today. He wasn't going to back her down. "Agreed." as he pressed her close.

Arthur and Molly were far more quite than usual at the Order meeting. Still polite, still friendly. Still giving their opinions on the early days of the war. They even smiled and nodded to Bill heading back to the Burrow. It was only when the meeting was finally dismissed that they began anything unusual.

"Albus, if we may, Molly and would like a word… in private."

To such prime members of the army of light, this did not seem out of place. "Of course."

Then Dumbledore waited for the doors to close again. "What is it you would like to discuss? Something with the children?"

Molly squeezed her husband's hand and nodded in support. Arthur continued, "Yes and no. Albus, tell me, what do you know about the Dursley's."

"The Dursley's?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Yes," Arthur answered, his regular smile faded. "The people you have had Harry living with for the last decade and a half."

Still surprised, Dumbledore replied. "They are muggles. She is Lilly's sister. He is a businessman of some sort. They have a son roughly Harry's age. I understand Harry does not get on well…"

"Is that what you call it!" Arthur slammed his hand on the table. Dumbledorf was no stranger to wizards and witches yelling to get their point across. But never had he seen Arthur.

"What have your watchers reported?" Molly asked pointedly.

"What do you think they have seen?"

"Stop it Albus! Stop it right now!" Arthur demanded. "Do not play coy with us. We are having this conversation privately as courtesy. Believe me I am quite happy to speak to everyone from the Order, to the Board, to the bloody Daily Prophet!"

"Now," Arthur caught a breath to compose himself. "True or false, you have Harry Potter''s house under watch."

Still in confusion. "True, but…"

Molly got to the heart of the matter. "Do you see inside?"

"Harry's security is stationed outside so if there is any threat to the Boy-Who-Lived, he can be protected."

"Outside, nothing inside? No charms, no scrying?"

"No, we felt the boy should have some privacy."

"Damn it Dumbledore!" Arthur yelled as he rose from his chair and pounded the table. That line of privacy, ruined Harry's life!"

Growling like a bear and teeth clenched, Molly glared at the most powerful wizard in the world. "I will ask you this one time. You will answer plainly. Did you know about the abuse?"

Finally Dumbledor realized what the Weasleys were speaking of, and the ramifications flowed through his head.

"Did you?!" Arthur demanded an answer as he started breathing heavily,

"No… I did not." he answered in shame.

"Merlin's beard!" Arthur shouted as pushed his chair over in frustration.

Molly had a slight waver in her voice as reported to the professor. "He came to our house. I saw his black eye. I clean his blood. I healed his cracked ribs. What the devil were your people doing if that could happen, and they did not intervene?"

"They were not looking for this. They were on the watch for the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters." The bricks of guilt finally started to add.

"Well, while your people kept their eyes to the skies, Harry was locked in a cupboard, or worse." Arthur summarized.

"You have my word, I will speak with them." Dumbledore said resolutely.

"Don't bother." Molly said curtly.

"But the boy should not be subjected …"

"At least we agree on something." Molly finished.

"Harry is with us now." Arthur reported.

"But his family…"

"We are his family." Molly said the words but Arthur nodded in complete agreement.

"How … is… he?" Dumbledore asked, seemingly to actually care.

"Finally asking the right question!" Molly scoffed.

Arthur reported. "Physically, he is fine. Bless Molly, seven kids, she's a skilled healer. It's his head and his heart that are going to need work. And it's going to take something longer and stronger than a spell to overcome that."

"If the Dursleys seek the boy out…"

"If! That's the whole point." Molly exclaimed. "Even you have to say 'if'. Albus, you may be a grand wizard but you are no parent. If I haven't heard from each of my children by midday I worry. If they miss supper, we start searching."

"For two days, Harry has been under my roof. What have your watchers reported? Have the Dursley's made any signs of looking for him, yes or no?"

Dumbledore had to admit, "No."

"I think that settles who's Harry's family then." Molly summarized coldly.

Dumbledore paused and looked closely at two of the post-positive people he had ever known, enraged, and rightfully so. "The boy…"

"He's not a boy!" Arthur continued, "That's another thing. He's a man! Harry is sixteen this summer. He's finished 5th year. He's a Triwizard Champion. He's a veteran survivor of more curses and hexes than I care to count. He has saved my life and the lives of two of my children, and god knows how many others. Merlin, he started his own resistance team and named it after you! He is not the Boy-Who-Lived any more. He is…" Arthur paused to look at Molly whose eyes were brimming with nothing but support. "He is the Man Becoming… and I feel like Molly and I are the only ones taking the privilege of seeing that."

"Harry's education has been a foremost focus of mine," the grand wizard said.

"Education is not all there is to life!" Arthur argued. "Nine hells, Molly and I, are likely the furthest away from the responsibilities that young man is going to inherit in just over a year, and no one has bothered to talk to him about it. He's known nothing of what his parents left him. He owns this very house we meet in now, and no one tells him anything. It's not right!"

"When the b-" Dumbledore froze as he could see the daggers in the eyes of both the Weasleys. The ire of this redheaded couple was fiery indeed. "When Harry came of age it has always been my intention to assist him in his role."

Molly rose in annoyance. "Albus, what did you think was going to happen? Harry would turn seventeen, and some magical switch would appear that you could just turn, and all the maturity and wisdom that you would want in a proper head of house to have would just appear? Some arcane miracle would erupt from him that he would strike Voldemort down with the flick of his hand? It doesn't work like that."

Arthur lowered his voice but still kept his voice firm. "You can't just sit around and wait for men and women to appear. You have to raise them." Arthur sighed. "Albus, Hogwarts is a wonderful school. I mean, we've got seven children we've put through it," he said smiling to his wife.

Molly continued, "But there is more to life than classes. There's family, kindness, loyalty, love. What kind of bloody hero do you think Harry's going to be if he doesn't have that in his heart."

"Harry stays, with us, end of story, no negotiations." Arthur said firmly.

Dumbledore nodded, "Agreed." He let the answer rest, then even raised his hand. "May I ask if you plan for him to continue at Hogwarts?"

The Weasleys exchange looks for a complete conversation. Twenty years of marriage has advantages. "We just said Hogwarts is a wonderful school. Of course, but… you will be conveying all parental decisions to us. If you keep considering him the Boy-Who-Lived, then you work through his parents. This summer if you want to talk to him, you talk to one of us first, and with one of us present. At school, you will send us a report of anything of note."

Molly growled, "He's fallen through the cracks too many times, Albus. I don't care if he stubs a toe or if it's a bruise from a bludger. I want to know."

Dumbledore nodded slowly, "Hogwarts will grant you full guardian rights."

Both the Weasleys let out a combined breath. Arthur thumped the table in victory. "You're damn right."

"About time." Molly agreed.

Arthur had only one final point to make. "Albus Dumbledore, you know I find you generally a good and decent man. But, I am well aware that you can be more calculating and shrewd than a goblin. If there is any trickery, any loophole, any exemption you try to exploit, and especially if we hear you did know about the Dursleys. There will never be another Weasley in this Order, or that school, and I don't know what I'll do after that."

Dumbledore nodded. "You have made your points quite clear."

"Thank you for your time." Arthur said as he reached for his lady's hand. Molly took it gracefully.

"I feel," Dumbledore interrupted, "I should remind you, that by taking Harry in, you will be placing yourselves directly between him and the Dark Lord."

The Weasleys exchanged a final knowing glance. Arthur replied, "Exactly where parents should be."