Disclaimer: I make no money from this and hold no rights to it save for any original characters I may create. Anything you recognise belongs to Warner Bros.
Authors Note:
This story his been rated T due to some violent scenes and some bad language, though the bad language will be kept to a minimum.
Harry Potter-Weasley Chapter Two:
Harry opened his eyes, blinked, yawned and stretched. The first rays of the sun were filtering in through the window of the bedroom he shared with his brother.
For a long while Harry just lay under his blue snitch patterned duvet staring up at the ceiling. The room was silent save for the sounds of his brother Ron snoring loudly at it's opposite end.
Ron, who had a full head of red hair like all of Harry's other brothers and sisters, was a few months older than Harry and had celebrated his eleventh Birthday on the first of March. The two brothers went everywhere and did everything together. They were both obsessed with Quidditch, both loved playing chess and often finished each others sentences.
The only hobby the pair did not share was reading. Ron could read well but didn't enjoy it while Harry loved to read and devoured almost any book he came across, something he had in common with his sister Ginny who would read with him sometimes.
Ginny, a year younger than Harry and Ron and the only girl amongst the eight siblings, had her own friend in Luna Lovegood who lived over the hill with her parents but still did tag along with Harry and Ron on occasions except when the two boys shouted at her to go away which happened at times, usually coming from Ron rather than Harry.
Harry grinned as he remembered just what today was. It was the thirty-first of July and his eleventh Birthday and Birthday's were already a major celebration in the Weasley household known as the Burrow but this Birthday was extra special for Harry for it is on the eleventh Birthday that witches and wizards receive their letter of acceptance to attend the prestigious Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
For days Harry had worried that he wasn't magical enough or not smart enough to receive his letter of acceptance. Claims that had been thoroughly rubbished by his siblings and parents.
Flashback:
"You're worrying about nothing Harry, if they sent a letter to 'perfect Percy' and Fred and George then you're guaranteed to get one", Ron assured his brother.
Their mother poked her head around the kitchen door and said, rather sharply, "Ron stop making fun of your brother, Percy is very sensible and that is a good thing".
Ron rolled his eyes at their mum. "Sorry Mum", he replied with little sincerity. As Molly Weasley returned to her baking Ron whispered to Harry, "Percy is a bit of a prat though isn't he?".
Harry snorted a laugh and nodded. "He's so convinced he's going to become a Prefect he's even more uptight than usual".
Ron sniggered and agreed.
Molly returned to the living room having finished her baking and said. "Ron is correct about one thing though Harry, you are a smart young man and you certainly have more than enough magical ability to attend Hogwarts". She ruffled Harry's hair and kissed his forehead, "and you are absolutely better behaved than Fred and George", she shook her head, "honestly, those brothers of yours will be the death of me".
"Surprised they haven't brought a toilet seat back yet", Ron joked.
"And they'd better not!", their mother said sharply, though Harry could see the corners of her mouth twitch upwards at the comment.
Ginny bounced in to the room. "What's all this about a toilet seat?", she asked no one in particular.
"Never you mind", her mother waggled a finger at her.
Ginny shrugged and flopped down next to Harry and Ron who were playing chess. Their mother left the room and she asked her brothers, "so what were you talking about?".
Ron rolled his eyes. "Our brother here thinks he's not magical enough or smart enough to attend Hogwarts".
Harry put his face in his hands. "Did you have to tell Ginny?".
"Yes he did!", Ginny said hotly and I hope he told you that you're being stupid, because you are. Very stupid".
Harry gave his sister a mock offended look. "Thanks very much, Sis", he retorted sarcastically.
"I didn't mean to sound rude and you know it brother dearest", she replied with an eye roll similar to Ron's, "I just meant that you're being stupid if you think you won't receive your Hogwarts letter".
Ron nodded approvingly. "Just what I said to him. He's definitely smart enough to go if Fred and George are".
Ginny giggled. "Only thing those two are smart at is rule breaking and pranks".
The three of them shared a long laugh over that which left Harry feeling much better.
"Thanks you guys, glad I've got you on my side", Harry said with feeling.
Ginny hugged him. "Always and forever", she said and added, "even more since you're the only one to sneak me out to learn how to fly".
"Hey I helped once", Ron objected.
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Only because Harry was too ill too and you owed him a favour".
Ron shrugged. "Still though...".
Harry smiled at the good natured bickering between his siblings, it was one of the things he loved the most about his family. They could argue for days and yet there were rarely any hard feelings.
Harry returned to the present day, grinning like a proverbial Cheshire cat at the memory. His calm reminiscing and relaxed state was interrupted by a loud bang a bit like an exploding cauldron as the bedroom door slammed inwards against the wall.
"Argh! what? who? where?", Ron babbled intelligently before becoming twisted in his duvet falling out of bed and on to the floorboards from where he stared about in wide eyed surprise.
Ginny bounced in to the room, not surprisingly, despite the early hour, she was fully dressed and her long red hair flew behind her as she leapt on to Harry's bed where she proceeded to jump up and down shouting, "Happy Birthday!" over and over like an excited puppy.
Harry looked at his magical alarm clock which showed the time as being 07:03 am. Unlike Ron, Fred and George he had never much minded getting up early but even he had his limits. He stifled a yawn. "Gin Gin calm down", Harry said as he shooed her off his bed with a grin, "it is my Birthday remember?".
Ginny grinned back. "I know but today's the day you get your Hogwarts letter". Her face fell at this and she sat down on the floor.
Harry frowned and cast a look at his brother. It wasn't at all like Ginny, boisterous, happy Ginny, to be so down especially given her excitement a moment before.
Harry nodded at Ron and then nodded at the door. This was their signal for "give me a minute alone". His brother took the hint, got out of bed, slipped his dressing gown on from it's door peg and left the room. It was an acknowledged fact in the Weasley household that Harry was better at dealing with feelings and emotional issues than his brother.
Harry tentatively asked his sister, "Gin Gin, what's wrong? this isn't like you".
To his alarm, her eyes filled with tears. She tried to wipe them away but more came and eventually she succumbed to the need to cry.
Harry hadn't been expecting this but used his quick thinking and reached out a hand to rub up and down her back comfortingly.
"Hey now, why all the tears Gin Gin?", he asked Ginny.
Ginny sniffled and between sobs she explained. "For the past ten years it's been Me, You and Ron, along with Luna. Everyone else was older than us. We've played together, pulled pranks together, even learned together. I guess...", she shrugged, "I guess I'm just going to miss that".
Harry chuckled and his sister glared at him. "Oh you think that's funny you git?", she demanded.
Harry shook his head. "I wasn't laughing at you Gin Gin. I was laughing at the fact you think anything is going to change".
"But it will!", she insisted hotly, "when you get to Hogwarts you and Ron are bound to make friends with kids your own age and when you come home for Christmas and in the summer you won't want to hang out with two stupid younger girls".
Harry tilted her chin up and said sharply. "You aren't stupid Ginny. You're very smart, who is it that comes up with the best pranks against Fred and George?".
Ginny smiled. Seeing he was having an effect Harry pressed home with his words. "And so what if Me and Ron do make friends when we get to Hogwarts? you'll always be our sister, that'll never change and Luna will always be our friend. You two were there long before anyone we might meet at school".
"You promise?", Ginny asked in a hopeful voice.
Harry nodded. "I promise".
"Swear it", Ginny said seriously, "swear that you mean it".
Harry looked in to her brown eyes and knew she wasn't joking. "I swear on my life and my magic that I mean it. You'll always be important to me Ginny and I'm sure Ron would say the same".
Ginny smiled widely and threw her arms around him in what seemed like relief. Harry reciprocated and they stayed like that for several minutes until the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted them.
"If you two are done then we should get up the hill before the others notice the brooms are gone", Ron said with a furtive glance to the landing.
Harry looked at his brother. "Alright". He looked searchingly at Ginny, "still coming with us Gin Gin?".
Ginny smiled and nodded. "Good but you'd better leave the room unless you want to see us starkers, we need to get changed".
"Ew, I don't need to see that! I'll wait outside!", she declared before hopping off Harry's bed and heading for the door.
She had just reached the door when Ron, rather awkwardly, asked her, "everything alright Ginny?".
Ginny turned and nodded, "yeah. It's fine now". She left the room while Ron looked relieved.
As the door shut Ron cast a glance at Harry and said gratefully, "bloody hell am I glad you handled that".
Harry sniggered, "well we all know what you're like usually feelings wise".
"Sod off", his brother muttered but there was no feeling behind it and he could see Ron grinning slightly.
The pair of them dressed quickly with Harry putting on jeans, a pair of blue socks, scuffed black trainers that he refused to change for something newer because to him they were lucky and his favourite t-shirt bearing the four members of his favourite Muggle band Queen upon it.
The three youngest Weasley siblings headed down the winding staircase of their ramshackle home until they reached the living room.
"We need to be extra quiet", Ron advised in a whisper. Their Mum tended to get up earlier than everyone else and it was just possible they would need to sneak past her.
Ginny guided them to the kitchen. "Lets go this way. Mum is busy putting up banners outside for the barbeque later".
Harry and Ron exchanged grins and followed her towards the darkened kitchen.
They had just reached the kitchen table when the lights came on suddenly and seven people leapt out all at once shouting, "surprise! Happy Birthday!".
All of the seven looked enthusiastic and happy with the exception of Percy who looked a bit miffed at having to hide and leap out like a madman.
Harry was so surprised by everything that he didn't register the two extra people at first. When he did he grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Bill! Charlie!".
He may have been eleven but he felt much younger as he ran over to his two eldest brothers and hugged them tightly.
"Hey there, squirt", Charlie said with a grin using the nickname he'd given Harry when he was younger.
Bill picked him up for a moment and then put him back down declaring. "Oh my back!", using exaggerated movements that caused Harry, Ron and Ginny to laugh.
"Happy Birthday little Harry, not so little anymore though eh?", Bill said, ruffling Harry's hair.
Harry tried to tidy it with no success and protested, "Bill!".
Everyone laughed and Harry asked. "When did you two get here?".
Bill and Charlie exchanged a grin. "Last night after you went to bed. We camped out on the hill and arrived here an hour ago to help prepare breakfast".
Harry also hugged his parents. "Oh Happy Birthday my Harry", his Mum kissed him on the head and gave him one of her usual bone crushing hugs while his Dad patted him on the back, ruffled his hair and smiled, "I still remember the night you joined our family. How the time has flown, Happy Birthday Son".
Harry grinned. His family was the best.
"Everyone sit down and I'll bring the breakfast to the table", Molly announced. As she head over to the worktops Bill and Charlie joined her and Bill told her, "we'll give you a hand Mum".
Molly kissed them both on the cheek. "Such thoughtful boys", she looked at Fred and George, "unlike some sons I could name". Fred and George pretended she was talking about someone else by looking behind them.
As the family tucked in to a delicious Full English breakfast followed by a stack of pancakes each, special treat as they were Harry's favourite, the talk turned to what they would do for Harry's Birthday. "Well you know that we're having a barbeque this afternoon for all the family but your Mum and I thought as a special treat we could take you all to the zoo".
Harry's eyes lit up. "Thank you!", he said happily and finished his meal with gusto to the amusement of his parents.
Harry thought of something then. He, Ron and Ginny only had one friend. "Mum?".
"Yes Harry love?", his mum replied as she finished off her breakfast.
"Will Luna be able to come with us?", Harry asked her hopefully.
His mother smiled and replied, "she'll be here in...", she checked her watch, "about twenty minutes".
Harry shared a grin with Ginny. Ron looked a little unsure about this, he had never quite gotten used to Luna's rather interesting ideas.
It was then than another thought came to Harry and he turned to his dad who was just finishing his coffee while reading the paper. "Dad, has the post been yet?", he asked his father.
Arthur turned to Harry and there was a kind but apologetic look in his eyes. "I'm afraid not Son", he replied.
Harry's face fell.
"Only joking", his dad said with a chuckle. He reached a hand in to his jacket pocket and extracted a cream envelope.
"Dad!", Harry exclaimed and made a grab for the envelope. Of course, he wasn't really annoyed.
Harry grinned at the sight of the familiar Hogwarts crest that he had seen many times before on letters to his older brothers. He tore the envelope open and extracted the parchment within which he duly unfolded and began to read.
He skipped over the address and read the first line which read,
"Dear Mr Harry James Potter-Weasley, we hereby invite you take your place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We await your owl by now later than the thirty-first of August,
sincerely yours,
Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress.
"Please find enclosed a list of books, clothing and equipment that you will need. Students are also reminded that you can bring a cat, a rat, an owl or a toad with you".
"Yes!", Harry shouted jubilantly. He read and re-read the letter five times before he felt able to close it.
'It's finally happening!', he thought with elation, 'I'm finally going to Hogwarts. I hope I'm in Gryffindor'. He shuddered at the prospect of being put in to Slytherin or in a different house to his siblings, all of whom had been or were Gryffindor's.
Twenty minutes later as Harry arrived in the living room refreshed and ready to leave the fireplace flared up with green flames and Luna Lovegood stepped out. She was holding an orange and red wrapped parcel in her hands.
"Harry, Happy Birthday", she greeted him in her usual faraway voice and hugged him.
Harry smiled. "Thanks Luna".
"This is for you to open at the party later", Luna told him as she handed over the parcel.
Harry took the parcel and thanked her.
"Harry who...oh hello Luna dear", Molly greeted Luna.
Luna smiled a little. "Hello Mrs Weasley", she said.
"I take it that's a present", Molly said, addressing Harry.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, Luna said to open it later".
"I'll take it outside to the gazebo and put it with the other presents", Molly offered.
Harry handed the present over and said, "thank you Mum". His mother smiled, put a hand briefly on his shoulder and walked off towards the kitchen.
"Are we all going to the zoo?", Luna asked Harry by way of conversation as they were left on their own.
Harry nodded and was unable to contain his glee as he told her, "even Bill and Charlie are here!".
"That's nice", Luna replied faintly.
Footfalls and a loud squeal of, "Luna!" announced the arrival of Harry's only sister.
Luna turned and Ginny embraced her in a hug as Ron came in to the room.
"Hello Ron", Luna greeted him.
Ron cleared his throat, "err...hi Luna...glad you could make it".
"Me too", Luna said.
"Fred! George!, oh where are those two boys?", Molly said irritably as she returned to the living room, she shook her head.
"Here...", said George.
"We...", said Fred.
"Are...", said George.
"Mum", they finished together as they came down the stairs.
Molly looked at her Twin sons with suspicion. "For what reason have you got your hands behind your backs?", she asked with narrowed eyes as they stood by the staircase.
Fred and George looked at each other and then at her giving as innocent expressions as they could. "Just a bit of cramp Mum", they said together.
Molly gave them her patented "I don't believe you, tell me the truth", look before reaching out and pulling their hands round to their fronts. "Slingshots?!", she exclaimed, "and just what were you planning to use these for?!", she demanded after confiscating them.
"We just wanted to have a bit of fun", said Fred.
"That's right, just a bit of fun", agreed George.
Molly shook her head, "honestly, Fred", she addressed Fred.
"I'm George", he replied.
Molly sighed. "Sorry dear, honestly George".
Fred grinned. "Only joking, I'm Fred".
"Oh you two!", she turned away from them to check Harry, Ron and Ginny's hands and faces were clean.
"Gerroff Mum, I'm clean!", Ron protested.
Harry and Ginny said nothing knowing their Mum would check anyway.
Arthur arrived from the kitchen. "Everybody ready?", he asked.
The children all nodded except for Percy. "Are you sure you'll be alright on your own Dear?", Molly asked in concern. She had been hesitant to leave one of her children on his own but Percy was pretty reliable.
"Of course Mother. I have my last bit of summer homework to finish so I'll be up in my room mostly until you return", Percy assured her.
Molly hugged him. "We'll see you later then Percy dear. Everyone else, we'll be flooing to the Leaky Cauldron and apparating from there to the zoo".
Molly and Ginny went first followed by Fred, George went next followed by Bill and Charlie who were discussing their jobs as they went. Arthur came next with Ron just behind and Harry going last.
Harry hated the sensation of floo travel, it was messy and disorienting. He spun around flying past various fireplaces in the floo network until he saw the familiar stonework fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron and headed for it. He stumbled out covered in soot and would have fallen over had it not been for his father grabbing hold of him and keeping him standing.
"Thanks Dad", Harry said gratefully and then sneezed.
Arthur smiled. "Don't mention it Son". His dad took out his wand aiming it at Harry, "scourgify", he said said. In a moment, Harry's clothes and skin were clean.
Harry thanked his dad who clapped him on the back. They turned their attention to Molly who was busy lecturing Fred and George.
Other than grimacing at the lecture Fred and George didn't seem to be paying much mind to it. "And one more thing, you are to behave yourselves at all times. If I see even a hint of you two pulling a prank, you'll be sent straight home!".
Fred and George rolled their eyes. "Yes Mum", they muttered. She glared at them causing them to grimace a little but as soon as Molly turned to speak to Ginny Fred and George were high fiving behind her back.
"Right then everyone, lets go", said Arthur with a smile. He was visibly enjoying himself just as much as everyone else was. He had even made a good attempt at blending in with Muggles. The only problem was that he was wearing a suit jacket with a t-shirt underneath, a pair of shorts and smart shoes and would quite obviously stand out.
Luckily, Harry, his siblings, Luna and Molly were all suitably dressed in Muggle casualwear.
As they entered the zoo Harry marvelled at how packed it was. There were people everywhere. Molly picked up an information leaflet for everyone and park maps for the adults.
The group had immense fun as they wandered through the monkey house area, the lion enclosures and observed the meerkats.
"Well it's coming up to lunchtime", Arthur said with a look at watch, "what do you all say to a lunch in the zoo cafe". He cast a look around and saw a sign, "just over that way", pointed a finger.
The group headed for the cafe and managed to find a large table. "Fred!, George!", Molly snapped as the Twins kept flicking chips at each other across the table.
Bill and Charlie meanwhile were regaling the children with stories of their respective jobs. "So I got singed all down my arm, see?", Charlie showed Ron and Harry his arm causing them to gasp, "and it took five of us to restrain the Horntail, nasty tempers they have and very protective of their eggs".
"Charlie don't show those scars to your brothers!", Molly said sharply having noticed.
Harry was suddenly distracted by crying at the next table. There was a girl about his own age who was looking down at the floor and sobbing.
Harry followed the girls gaze and the cause for the crying turned out to be an ice cream that had clearly fallen on the floor. He looked from the girl to his own mint chocolate chip ice cream sitting in it's cone ready to be eaten. The girls ice cream had been the same as his. A lightbulb went off in his head. "Mum, Dad, may I be excused from the table for a moment?", he asked politely.
His parents both nodded. "Do you need the toilet?", his Mum asked.
Harry shook his head, gestured to the ice cream, the girl and the floor, "something I need to do", he explained. His parents watched in confusion as he left the table and headed over to where the girl was sitting.
"Oh dear and that was all the money I had left", the girls mother was saying and trying to comfort her daughter.
Harry reached where the girl and her mother were sitting. "Excuse me".
The woman looked at Harry. "Sorry to bother you mam", he said apologetically. He gestured to the ice cream, "only I noticed that your daughter dropped her ice cream and I thought maybe she'd like mine".
"Oh...well...I don't know, I don't think...",.
Harry interrupted, "please mam. Only I'm full anyway and it would only get eaten by my brother who has had enough ice cream already".
The woman stared at Harry for a few moments and then a smile crept on her face. "Thank you young man, that's very kind of you".
She took the proffered ice cream and cleared her throat. "Hannah". The little girl looked up, there were tears in her eyes. The eyes widened when she saw the ice cream.
"This boy...what is your name young man?", she said to Harry.
"I'm called Harry mam", he replied.
"Harry here has kindly offered to give you his ice cream to replace the one that unfortunately fell on the floor, what do you say Hannah?", the girls mother said in a soft voice.
Hannah looked at Harry through wide open blue eyes and said with a shy smile. "Thank you, Harry".
"You're welcome, Hannah", Harry replied smiling back.
Harry returned to his family and as they exited the cafe Harry's father took him aside. "That was a very kind thing you did Harry, I'm proud to call you my son, your mother said the same to me".
Harry blushed a bit in embarrassment.
The tour of the zoo resumed and they went through the elephant, zebra, rhino, lemur and meerkat sections before reaching the final stop on the tour, the reptile house.
Harry and Ron walked around with Ginny and Luna. The four of them approached a large glass enclosure in front of which a rotund boy and his equally rotund father were standing. A thin, bony woman with a horse like face stood behind them wearing the most hideous dress Harry had ever seen, though he was too polite to say so.
"Move!", the boy shouted and banged the glass. The boy turned to his father and whined, "this is boring it's just sitting there", he glared at his father, "make it move!", he demanded.
The large man's moustache twitched as he banged the glass sharply and bellowed, "move!".
Harry, possessed by a sudden urge to help the helpless strode over to them and shouted, "he's bored! leave him alone!".
"What business is it of yours boy?", the large man sneered.
Harry kept his temper in check, "I just don't think it's fair treating a living, thinking being like that".
"Humph", the large man snorted and walked off wife his bony wife at his side leaving the large boy on his own.
The boy turned away and Harry stared in to the tank. "Are you alright? sorry about those two, I don't think they have any manners?".
"That's alright? thanks for the sticking up for me", the snake replied.
Harry stared at the snake in shock. "You...you can speak?", he asked.
"Only to those who speak my tongue, you are one such person", the snake replied.
Harry was shocked. He couldn't recall such an ability, certainly his parents and extended family had never spoken about such a thing before now.
"Where are you from?", Harry asked the snake.
The snake seemed just about to answer when there came a shout of, "the snake's moving Mum and Dad!".
Harry found himself being elbowed to the floor. "Oy that's my brother you git!", Ron yelled.
Harry stared at the glass and watched in surprise as the glass vanished and the boy fell in to the tank. "Argh!", the boy screamed in terror as the boa constrictor slithered over him and escaped the tank.
The escape of the snake caused a panic just as the glass reappeared, trapping the large boy in the tank.
"We'd better go", Ginny said as she and Luna pulled Harry up. The four of them headed for the exit as the boys parents shouted in panic.
The four of them ran headfirst in to Arthur who surveyed their worried faces with a raised eyebrow. "What happened?", he asked softly.
They informed him of the incident with the boy and the snake. "Have you ever heard of an ability like that Dad?", Harry asked Arthur.
"Yes I have", Arthur replied shortly and then said, "we'd better find your mother and leave, bit awkward to explain about magic and everything".
As they left the zoo Arthur patted Harry on the back. "Wasn't your fault Son, don't worry about it".
Harry felt better about the incident but still wondered about this snake talking ability and where it had come from.