money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
Please, if you read, take two minutes to review.
Harry and Ron woke up to the smell of bacon wafting up from the kitchen.
“Come on Harry, I’m hungry.” They got dressed in silence and headed for the door. Harry hesitated.
“You sure you're OK, Ron?” Ron scowled and thought for a moment before replying.
“After the Ministry this spring, I know what is important. I don’t want to fight with you about this. If we do, neither of us has a shot at her. We agreed to give each other a chance. That means it’s up to her, which it was anyways.”
“I guess it is, isn’t it,” Harry answered looking at the floor.
“I’m hungry Harry, let’s go,” Ron said, heading out the door. Harry and Ron headed down the stairs running into Ginny on the way.
“Morning,” she said brightly.
“Good morning, Ginny,” Harry replied. Ron just grunted at her, she stuck her tongue out at him. The three of them stopped on the landing looking out over a spotless living room and kitchen.
“Wow!” exclaimed Ron. “What happened?” Harry and Ginny looked out over the house in shock. The Weasley house had always had the appearance of barely contained chaos, but now it looked like an advertisement for Witch Weekly’s house-keeping ideas column.
“Mum, how long have you been up?” Ginny asked.
“Only just got up dear, are you the ones responsible for this?” she asked, waving her hand at the spotless house. The three of them shook their heads.
“Oh, well in that case sit down, breakfast is almost ready.” Mrs. Weasley turned back to the cooking and seemed to be unconcerned about what could be responsible for the state of her house. Ginny and Ron walked over to the table, Harry stood on the landing a second or two and headed back up the stairs to Ron’s room.
“I’ll be right back,” he yelled over his shoulder. Harry burst through the door to Ron’s bedroom. Looking around he could see that everything had been picked up and cleaned here too. The floors were actually shining. Harry walked down the stairs back to the kitchen, pausing to look into Ginny’s room.
Ginny had always kept her room tidy, but now even her standards had been exceeded. Walking back into the kitchen, Harry had smirk on his face that Mrs. Weasley saw in a second.
“And what are you smiling at this morning?” she asked. Harry looked at her and around the table; everyone was there - all the Weasleys, the Grangers and himself. Everyone seemed to be trying to figure out who had cleaned the house. But no one was stepping forward to take the credit.
“Because I know who did it,” he said, waving his arm around indicating what he meant. They all stopped to look at him waiting for him to clue them in.
“Well?” Hermione asked impatiently.
“Dobby, I know you’re here. Come out here,” Harry called out. There was a loud pop behind him and as Harry turned around he heard Dobby’s familiar squeaky voice.
“Sir wanted to see Dobby?”
“Dobby, what are you doing here?”
“Dobby reminds sir that he is a free elf and can be where he wants,” Dobby replied, more timidly than normal with down cast eyes and drooping ears.
“I know that, Dobby. But I thought yesterday was your day off and that you had to be at Hogwarts today.”
“Ah….Harry Potter sir,” Dobby said brightening a little. “Dobby is seeing the mess everyone makes at sir’s party last night and is seeing that the Lady Weezey and,” Dobby pointed at Hermione’s mother, “Dobby is not knowing her sir?”
“That is Hermione’s mum, Dobby, you remember Hermione?” Harry asked, as he pointed her out. Dobby’s eyes grew wide even for a house elf. He pulled Harry down to whisper in his ear.
“She is the one Sir and his Weezey is talking about last night?” Harry tensed.
“And she had better not find out, Dobby,” he hissed back. Dobby backed away from Harry.
“Yes Sir, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby is seeing the work for the Lady Weezey and young miss’s mother and is thinking they need help sir. They need Dobby’s help.” He looked around smiling triumphantly at everyone.
“So, Dobby is asking the Headmaster if he might have an extra day off this week to help, and the Headmaster is saying yes to Dobby. Dobby is not making Harry or the Lady Weezey upset sir? Dobby can put everything back if sir wants.”
“You will do no such thing,” Mrs. Weasley snapped from the kitchen. The elf shrank behind Harry’s legs, afraid that he was in trouble for something else now. Mrs. Weasley could see that she had scared him.
“Dobby, thank you very much for all of this, I like it very much,” she said in a gentle voice. Dobby relaxed again and came out from behind Harry’s legs.
“Come sit down and eat with us, Dobby,” Mr. Weasley said, conjuring up another chair for the elf. Dobby recoiled in fear at this.
“Oh no, Sir. Dobby could never do that, Sir. Dobby is still having work to do.” The others tried to convince the elf that he was welcome. Dobby would have none of it. Finally putting his fingers in his ears and repeating loudly, “No, No, No.” until Harry finally managed to shush them. He pulled the elf’s fingers from his ears and was about to go eat when Dobby tugged on his pants again.
“Yes Dobby, what is it?”
“Sir is remembering that Dobby is free elf, he is free to leave Hogwarts to find employment elsewhere, Sir. Dobby is wondering if he might work for Harry Potter, Sir? Dobby is willing to work for free if Harry Potter cannot pay him.” The elf stood trembling in front of Harry. Harry didn’t know what to say, though it seemed that Hermione did.
“You will do no such thing, Dobby. If Harry wants you to work he will pay you,” she said in an angry voice. Dobby snapped back at her.
“Dobby is a free elf and will conduct his own negotiations for employment, and will ask Miss to mind her own business.” The elf shrank as he realized what he had said. Harry was more than a little shocked too. Hermione flapped her mouth a moment and sat back down, it was one of the few times Harry had seen her without a response. Ron, however, piped up.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself, Dobby.” The elf seemed to relax again. Hermione turned to glare at Ron.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, “but he was right.”
Harry turned back to Dobby, ignoring Hermione’s glare at Ron, unable to deal with a possible row between the two of them right now. He was glad for the distraction though because it had given him time to come up with a possible solution.
He had looked at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and circled his finger around the room, asking them with his eyes if Dobby would be welcome to work at the Burrow. They had turned to each other, shrugged, then looked back to Harry and nodded. Mr. Weasley had also pulled out his pockets to indicate that while the elf was welcome, they had no way of paying for his services. Harry made up his mind.
“Dobby, I would be honored to employ you but I really have no home for you to work at. I’m not sure there would be enough for you to do if you worked for me.”
“Harry Potter Sir, this is your home, your family, Sir. Dobby will serve Harry Potter, his Weezey’s and,” he turned to Hermione, “young Miss's family,” he finished.
Harry smiled. Dobby was smart, figuring out in a day or two what Harry had only gotten last night - that this house and these people were his family and home, if they would have him.
“Will you take ten galleons and two days off a week, Dobby?”
“Sir insults Dobby. Dobby will work for no more than five knuts and half a day off a week.”
“Five galleons and one day off a week, Dobby,” Harry countered.
“One galleon and one day off a week, and that is my final offer sir.” The elf crossed his arms and glared at Harry. Harry suppressed a smile.
“Done,” he said, offering his hand to the elf. “When can you start?” Beaming happily, Dobby shook Harry’s hand.
“Dobby must go tell the Headmaster that he is resigning from Hogwarts and will be back this afternoon.”
“Ok, see you later today, then,” Harry said.
“Yes, Sir, Harry Potter sir,” Dobby answered bowing at him then turning to bow at the others. “Good bye.”
“Dobby….hurry home,” Mrs. Weasley said. Dobby grinned at her.
“Yes Lady Weezey, Dobby will be quick.” He raised his hand preparing to Disapparate.
“Dobby, one other thing,” Harry said, stopping him.
“Sir?”
“Why did you not want to serve the Malfoys?” Dobby cringed at the name, and turned his head side to side looking for the world like he expected Lucius Malfoy to burst in any second.
“Because Sir, they was bad wizards, Sir. They did not deserve Dobby’s trust.”
“Remember that when you work for this family Dobby. Make sure we always deserve your trust.”
“Dobby will not forget sir.” He snapped his fingers and was gone.
“Well things certainly are interesting around here this summer,” Mrs. Weasley said, to no one in particular. “Harry, you and I and Arthur will need to talk later. In the mean time,” she continued, “I can’t find where anything is in this kitchen now. Come see if you can find where that crazy elf put my other fry pan.”
“Yes, Mrs. Weasley,” Harry replied walking into the kitchen.
Harry sat at the table eating breakfast, talking with Ron, Hemione and Ginny. Things between he and Ron seemed to be ok, but Hermione was very quiet.
“What’s wrong Hermione?” he asked.
“That’s not very much money for a lot of work Harry, and not much time off either.”
“Come on, Hermione,” Ron said, defending him. “Harry offered more, Dobby wouldn’t take it. You can’t be mad at Harry for that. I know you want to free all of them. But Dobby is free and you have to let him define what he wants, not what you want for him.” Harry stared at Ron in surprise. His response had sounded a lot like something Dumbledore would have said. Hermione and Ginny were looking at him kind of funny too. Ron looked back at them.
“What? I can’t come up with something profound once in a while too?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” Hermione said. “Ron, I’m sorry,” she added a moment later.
“It’s OK, Hermione,” he replied. Hermione leaned over and kissed Ron’s cheek.
“Thanks,” she said. Ron’s face turned about five shades of red darker than his hair and he quickly stuffed a sausage into his mouth. Harry however could see the glow in his eyes. He felt himself wishing that he had been the one to come up with Ron’s little bit of wisdom.
This is getting difficult, said the voice in his head.
I know, Harry answered.
“Hermione, Harry showed me your birthday gift last night. We…. Erm, well I was wondering if you would go back today? So we could get one of the three of us. And I was wondering if I could get one of you also?” Ron asked timidly.
“Hey, what about me?” Ginny asked, kicking Ron under the table.
“Ouch!”
“Aren’t I part of this group too?” she demanded.
“Of course you are, Ginny,” Harry said to her. “Come on Hermione, it’ll be fun, what do you say?” he added, hoping to help keep things between he and Ron smooth.
“Come on, Hermione,” Ginny pleaded with her. “Though I can’t figure out why you would give one to this Git,” she pointed at Ron. Ron ignored his sister and just looked hopefully at Hermione.
Hermione had been taken aback by Ron’s request. She was glad to see that he wasn’t mad about Harry’s picture, but then quickly asked herself why he would be mad in the first place.
Because he likes you, said the voice.
Wishful thinking! Hermione snapped back.
“Ok, let’s go. But at least let me go try and look a little better than I did for Harry’s.”
“NO!” both Harry and Ron said at once. “You’re going just like that,” Ron finished.
“Yeah, what he said,” Harry added, agreeing with Ron. Hermione sighed in defeat.
“Fine, let’s get going, I need to go to Gringotts if we’re going to do this.”
Ron had ridden with Hermione to her vault; Ginny had come with Harry to his. Harry let out a whoop as they headed down a hill and around the corner.
“This is great, I bet this is what a roller coaster is like,” he yelled to Ginny.
“What’s a roller coaster?” Ginny screamed back, as the cart screeched to a halt in front of Harry’s vault.
“This is. Muggles build things like this and ride them for fun.” Harry indicated towards the cart and tracks.
“Really?....That is so odd….It is a lot of fun though, isn’t it? Will you take me sometime, Harry?”
“Sure Ginny,” Harry replied, laughing at her. Ginny looked at Harry - her ears were turning red.
“Harry, I need to ask you something.”
Uh-oh, the voice in Harry’s head popped up. He braced himself for what he thought was coming.
“Harry I know you just bought me that broom, and it cost a ton of money, and I know Ron says you have tons, but anyways there is something I need to buy, and I just don’t have the money and neither do mum and dad, and I was wondering if I could borrow a few galleons from you?” Ginny’s words had spilled out in a rush and her face was now burning red. Harry felt himself relax; he reached out and put his arm around her shoulder.
“Am I really your big brother?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Then don’t be afraid to ask me again if you need more.” She smiled at him gratefully. Harry turned to look at his vault, handing the key to the Goblin who had accompanied them.
“This isn’t the same vault I’ve been to before,” Harry said to him.
“Yes, well with the inheritance you received this spring we required a larger vault,” replied the Goblin.
Harry had not expected this. The old vault, while it had had large stacks of galleons, sickles, and knuts in it was far from full and now with the money Sirius had left him, it was too small?
“Wait here, Ginny. I’ll get what I need. Then you can get what you need.” Harry didn’t want to see the look on Ginny’s face when she saw what was in his vault and thought it might be better to see it alone for the first time himself anyways.
His jaw dropped when he entered the vault. It was as big as the whole of the Dursley’s house. There were stacks of gold and silver more than halfway to the ceiling. A huge mound of bronze knuts and piles of gems were strewn about. Harry shook his head to clear it and stuffed a handful of gold galleons into his bag. He walked out of the vault past Ginny.
“Go ahead,” he said, and sat back down on the cart to wait for her. Thoughts of his parents and Sirius filled his head.
Ginny walked into Harry’s vault and tripped over a large pile of silver sickles scattering them about. She had never even imagined that this much money and riches existed. That it all belonged to Harry was beyond comprehension.
“It’s none of my business,” she mumbled to herself. She quickly counted out fifteen galleons and put them in her bag.
That should be enough, she thought. Ginny walked out of the vault thanking the Goblin on the way and sat down next to Harry. He was silent. The Goblin came back from locking the vault, ready to bring them back up to the lobby.
“Can you wait a minute before we leave?” she asked. The goblin bowed to her and backed away. Ginny turned to Harry touching his hand.
“I had no idea Harry.” Harry turned to her, tears streaked his face.
“I would trade it all if I could have just one day with them.”
“I know you would, Harry.” Ginny pulled Harry close to her and held him while he cried on her shoulder. It was a long time before the Goblin interrupted, asking if they were ready to leave.
“We can go now,” Ginny said to him.
“What took you so long?” Ron asked when they finally showed up in the lobby.
“The cart broke,” Ginny told him. “I really don’t like this place much,” she remarked, as she looked around. “Come on, let’s go have some fun.” Ginny led the way out the door. Harry walked next to her, Ron and Hermione trailing behind. Harry liked thinking of Ginny as his little sister. And last night she had called him her big brother. He started to smile again.
“Come on, I’ll race you to the picture shop,” he said, taking off with the others chasing after him. Ginny beat them all.
“I had no idea you were so fast Ginny,” Ron said, gasping for air.
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me,” she commented. Harry smiled at how right she was.
It was hours later that they left the shop, each carrying packages of pictures. Ron had even had a few taken by himself to give to his parents for Christmas. They headed back to the Leaky Cauldron and then on to the Burrow. Harry and Ginny went upstairs to put away their packages. Ron turned to Hermione.
“Thank you,” he said to her. Hermione blushed slightly.
“You’re welcome, Ronald.” Ron hated his full name. His mother, Ginny and Hermione were the only ones who could use it and get away with it. If his mother or Ginny were using it, he was usually in trouble. But Hermione could use it when she was angry or when she was happy with him and it didn’t bother him. In fact, he liked it. Especially if he knew she was pleased with him for something.
“Well I suppose I’ll go put these away. See you at supper?”
“Yeah, see you at supper, Ronald,” Hermione replied. Ron started up the stairs, and Hermione started for the door.
“Hermione….” She stopped. “I was going to go flying for awhile, if you were interested.”
“Yes!” she heard herself saying.
Oh, I hate flying,the voice whined.
So do I, Hermione replied.
“Great, I’ll go ask Harry if I can borrow his broom,” Ron said, the excitement in his voice evident to everyone but Hermione.
“Ronald, you have two brooms.”
“No, I sold the Comet to Bill to pay for pictures today.”
“Oh….ok, well meet me in the garden in ten minutes then.” Ron nodded his head and as soon as he was around the corner, he raced upstairs with his things. Harry was in his room. No, their room, Ron corrected himself.
“Hey, Harry.”
“Hey, get what you wanted, Ron?”
“Yeah I did. Thanks, Harry.” Ron set the pictures carefully up on his dresser, pausing to look at the picture of just Hermione for a moment before picking up his new Firebolt.
“Going flying? Sounds like fun, I’ll come too,” Harry said grabbing his broom. Ron winced, the easy feeling of a moment ago gone in a flash.
“Actually Harry, I asked Hermione to go and was wondering if I could borrow your broom?”
“Oh….” Harry said looking at Ron.
“Maybe, I should ask Ginny,” Ron mumbled heading for the door. Harry stopped him.
“Sure thing Ron, not a problem,” Harry handed his broom over.
“Thanks Harry, I appreciate it,” Ron said quietly before heading for the door again.
“Ron, make sure you give me a chance too,” Harry called after him.
“I know Harry. I promise - just flying, OK?” he said looking back at Harry.
“See you at dinner, Mate,” Harry said. Ron turned to go again.
“Hey, Ron.”
“Yeah, Harry?”
“If she falls and breaks her neck, I’ll break yours.” Ron smirked to himself.
“Won’t have to Harry, I’ll do it for you. See you later.” Ron headed out the door to the garden.
Harry headed to the bathroom. It looked like Dobby had been there today too. He thought about going to see what Ginny was up to but could see her buried in a spell book in her room. It looked like she was doing one of the essays she had been assigned over the summer. He remembered how difficult his O.W.L. year had been and decided he better let her work.
“I’m hungry,” he said to himself and turned towards the kitchen. When he got there he found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
“Hello Harry, hungry?” she asked.
“Yeah I am.” Harry sat down and picked up an apple to snack on.
“Harry,” began Mr. Weasley. “Molly and I wanted to talk to you about a few things.”
“Oh Arthur, get to the point,” Mrs. Weasley interrupted him. “Harry, if you want to hire Dobby, that is your business. That he cleans and works here, we allow for his sake more than yours. But we cannot allow you to spend all of the money your parents left you buying such expensive gifts for our children. Giving Fred and George the money to start their business, this family, while not rich, can live without such charity. There are others in much greater need than us.” Harry had been expecting this, but he still didn’t know what to say. He thought for a long time before answering.
“You know, I’ve lived almost my whole life without a family,” he started. “I have never had a home to go to, a place to live yes, but never a home.
“My aunt and uncle, they never gave me enough of anything that I had any to share. I can remember the first day Ron and I met. I bought a ton of candy on the train to share with him. It was the best day of my life.” Harry kept going.
“I’m tired of not having a family or home, so I’m going to make my own. I have a new Godparent now….His name is Remus Lupin. I have a sister, her name is Ginny Weasley. I have brothers, Ron, Fred, George, Bill and Charlie. What I’m missing is a home….and someone I could consider parents,” Harry finished his speech. He sat at the table holding the forgotten apple in his hand. He was scared; the Weasleys could always refuse him. Ron’s father got up and walked over to Harry’s side of the table he sat down on the bench facing Harry.
“Harry you can always call this house your home. And I would be honored if you would call me dad. I think, however, you should reserve that for your father. I would suggest Arthur.” Harry looked at Ron’s mum. She had tears in her eyes.
“And you, Mrs. Weasley?” he asked.
“My children call me Mum. For you Harry, I will allow Molly,” she answered crushing him in one of her famous hugs. Harry looked at his adoptive parents, a sense of relief washed over him. He put the key to his vault at Gringotts on the table.
“I don’t want to offer you charity. But what is mine belongs to my family. Please let me share it,” he said quietly. Mr. Weasley regarded him for a moment.
“Son, you will find that this family does not need much. No matter how much money we have, we will still buy used school books and such.”
“If they were good enough for my brothers and sister then they are good enough for me….Just please buy us new dress robes, those ones you bought Ron were a little scary.” Molly laughed at him.
“Well what are you two doing just sitting there? We need to get dinner ready,” she said. “Harry, you can peel potatoes.” Harry stood at the sink peeling potatoes. Molly had taught him the correct spell and the pile of finished ones was growing in the pot on the fire. Harry thought back to all the times he had peeled potatoes for his Aunt Petunia and how he hated it. Now he was happy to do it, and even enjoyed it.
Dinner that night was fairly subdued compared to the party of the night before. And with everyone still tired from that and shopping that day, bedtime was quite welcome.
Hermione was lying awake daydreaming about Ron and flying with him that afternoon. She had been terrified the whole time. Not been able to get more than a few feet in the air without the broom tipping over and dropping her in a heap on the ground. Ron had taken to standing with his wand under her, levitating her each time she fell so she wouldn’t get hurt.
His patience had been neverending, not snapping at her once, no matter that he had repeated the same instructions to her over and over.
He has been perfect all summer. You haven’t been able to pick a fight with him once, the voice offered. Hermione couldn’t dispute that, it was nice to not be fighting with him all the time. She had finally sat down heavily on the ground in front of him.
“I can’t do this, Ronald,” she had said. He had sat down next to her not saying anything. Then she had asked him if two people could ride one broom. He had jumped up, zipped off to the house carrying one broom riding the other and returned a few minutes later with just his broom.
Hermione had climbed on back and held on to him for dear life. She had opened her eyes once, and immediately closed them again. It was as scary as the ride on the thestrals last spring, scary but exhilarating. Ron was in complete control of the broom. She could feel it respond to the inputs he made, and had been truly sorry when he landed.
Hermione knew she was in trouble. She wasn’t afraid of picking the wrong one anymore. She was scared because she loved both, was pretty sure she wanted both and would only be able to have one.
Ginny got up from her desk and let the delivery owl in the window.
“Finally!” she exclaimed to herself. She paid the owl and went back to her desk, pulling the wrapping off the package from the photo shop. She had just mastered the spells she needed and there was a lot to do before she headed back to school.
Authors note:
Ok, I'll address it now. My friend who reviewed this for me thought the one thing I might have done was mature the characters too quickly. i.e - Ron and Harry being so civil to each other. Perhaps she was right, but I decided to go with it. I think that after the Ministry a lot of things could go a lot of ways. I decided that while they were still kids, they were going to grow up emotionally a lot. After all, how many times can you ask a kid to deal with adult issues and not expect them to grow up some?