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. Expecting to just grab his backpack, he arrived at his camp bed, quickly finding a surprise. Sitting on the bed, like something out of a Christmas holiday special, was his Hogwarts trunk. A note rested on it. 'Special delivery by Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes,' written on a card with the company logo. Harry opened the trunk and found it packed with clothes from his drawer, the odd sparse objects, largely acquired from school, and everything of importance that he had left at the Dursleys. To the left of the trunk was Hedwig's cage. Behind which was his Firebolt.
Harry was filled with a deep sense of gratitude, but also a small amount of dread. 'How much did they have to deal 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," they said in unison.
He held the signed card up. "First of all, thank you guys, very, very much."
Fred and George exchanged looks and shrugged. "No problem."
"Did you have to deal with them- the Dursleys?"
"Nope," they both said with grins.
"Harry, do you remember, a couple years back, when we picked you up?" George asked.
"We tore the bars off your window and everything." Fred reminisced.
"Yeah, you three 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 mischievously.
"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 saw that their room was full of boxes. Harry noticed that 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 cause 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; the desperate swim upwards holding 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 over for the summer. To learn the language better and get to know the family."
Harry let that statement hang in the air for a moment, then frowned, "Wait, she's coming to get to know the family, so you two are moving out?"
"Yep," in unison.
Harry thanked them again, and got cleaned up and changed. He arrived 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 exclaimed.
"Molly dear, they are in love and engaged. And his work has been busy."
"I know." She grumbled.
That evening was spent sharing stories. Arthur shared his adventure at the bank, respectfully skipping any sensitive details. But Arthur the hero and 'dueling a goblin' was just too good a story to pass.
It was the best Harry had felt in weeks, if not longer.
It was clearly noticed, as Ginny leaned over. "You seem a lot better today."
Harry took a deep assessing breath, and nodded. "Your dad is a good guy."
Ginny turned over to Arthur with a full beaming smile, which her father reciprocated. "Yeah, he has his moments." Turning back to Harry, "You still owe me a conversation."
Harry nodded, accepting. "I do. Free after supper?"
The surprise on Ginny's face was clear.
After supper, Ginny found Harry leaning on the balcony railing looking over the Burrow. "Master Potter," she greeted, with an ear-splitting grin.
"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 banister 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 now? Four, five?"
"I don't count, I don't care."
Harry took a breath, trying to find courage.
But this time, Ginny jumped in. "Harry, I don't mean to push. I mean, I know I reminded you at supper, but that was half joking."
"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?" She could see the weight of his solemnity registering in his eyes. "Okay. I'm here."
Another breath for strength. "Putting it 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, letting him speak his piece. She hadn't known how much she had needed to hear that. This was not a subject she enjoyed discussing. "Apology accepted," she whispered.
"Thank you, now that we have established that you are one of the most important people in my life, and especially after today," Harry took another courage breath. "What do you want to know, Gin?" His emerald eyes always focused on her with their fullest attention, but there was more openness present than she had ever seen before.
She slid against the banister 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." He said breathing deep again. "Yesterday, it started with making breakfast…"
So Harry told her, play by play, blow by blow, what had happened the day before. Again Harry spoke calmly, neutrally, as if reporting. 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 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 weight 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, he wasn't going to make her back down. "Agreed." He pressed her close.
Arthur and Molly were far quieter 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 stated anything unusual.
"Albus, if we may, Molly and would like a word… in private."
From such important members of the army of the 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 Dursleys."
"The Dursleys?" 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 Lily'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. Dumbledore was no stranger to wizards and witches yelling to get their point across. But never had he seen mild-mannered Arthur acting like this.
"What have your watchers reported?" Molly asked pointedly.
"What do you think they have seen?" the grand wizard asked, curious.
"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 of Directors, 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 confused, Dumbledore answered slowly. "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 he can be protected."
"Outside, nothing inside? No charms, no scrying?" Molly pried.
"None, 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 with her teeth clenched, Molly glared at the most powerful wizard of their world. "I will ask you this one time. You will answer plainly. Did you know about the abuse?"
Finally, Dumbledore 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," Dumbledore answered in shame.
"Merlin's beard!" Arthur shouted as pushed his chair over in frustration.
Molly had a slight waver in her voice as she reported to the professor. "He came to our house. I saw his black eye. I cleaned 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 summarised.
"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 Harry's family is then." Molly summarized coldly.
Dumbledore paused and looked closely at two of the most 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 the foremost focus of mine," the grand wizard said.
"Education is not all there is to life!" Arthur argued. "Merlin. 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 knows 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 comes 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 a proper Head of House to have would just appear? Some arcane miracle would erupt from him and 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 put seven children 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 raised his hand. "May I ask if you plan for him to continue at Hogwarts?"
The Weasleys exchanged a complete conversation with a simple look. Twenty years of marriage had its 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 one 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 it will!"
"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 knew 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."