Reign O'er Me

Chapter 8 - I've Had Enough

Return to Grimmauld Place

Harry staggered slightly as the portkey brought them to the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place. Ginny guided him to a chair and gently tugged her right hand from his, not without some difficulty; and switched hands, moving around to sit on his other side. "Sorry," she whispered. "Let me get some feeling back in this one."

Harry looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry, Gin. I guess I was holding on a bit tight. That last bit was kind of unexpected."

"It's ok; we were sitting there in one position for too long anyway."

"Here, Harry." Molly placed a glass of water in front of him.

Harry drank about half the glass in a series of long swallows, and looked around the room. When they had arrived, Tonks had announced the lower level was clear, but she, Bill, Charlie, and Remus had left the kitchen to check out the rest of the house. The Hogwarts professors were whispering in the corner. Molly gave Harry a motherly look, a mix of concern and affection, and moved to join them. Ron and Hermione had also taken seats at the table; they also looked at Harry with worry. For his part, Harry sat staring at the glass in front of him, unmoving, still trying to take it all in, including some of the amounts he had seen scattered about those parchments.

After a few minutes, Tonks and Charlie returned, announcing they had found no problems with the cellars and sublevels; not long after, Remus and Bill arrived, saying that all appeared well with the upstairs. Dumbledore seemed satisfied with their reports. "Thank you. The magical protections and wards around and about Headquarters are intact. However, there is a pressing matter which I must attend to at once; Nicholas, would you, Charlie, Remus and Tonks check the conditions of the wards at Privet Drive, and Minerva, would you and Bill remain here on watch with Molly until we can all return and plan our next moves?"

"Certainly," Flamel replied. He drew Charlie, Remus and Tonks aside, and Harry could overhear bits of their discussing exactly where to apparate and what to do. Not long thereafter, both Dumbledore and the four heading to Privet Drive had left and McGonagall took a seat at the table. Molly began looking through the kitchen, which fortunately had been kept well stocked, with thoughts of preparing lunch; Bill had moved to help her; however, she suddenly stopped short and exclaimed, "The twins - what if they should try and go back there!"

Bill nodded. "I'll handle it." He pulled out one of the magical communication devices used by the Order and spoke softly into it. "Ok, Mum, they know to check first before going anywhere, though it sounds like they're fully occupied at the moment."

McGonagall had been watching Harry. "Mr. Potter, I was quite impressed with how you well handled yourself today. Despite the difficulty of the meeting, and the number of unexpected turns, you maintained your composure and equilibrium at all times. This will serve you, and all of us, well with our future dealings with the goblins."

"Thank you, Professor. I had thought I was prepared, but it was difficult seeing Sirius again, and like that, so full of himself, and then that last bit...."

"I do understand how you feel, Mr. Potter; but whatever his faults - and I assure you that he was not without some faults - Sirius Black was a most perceptive individual. There were many times where his silver tongue extracted himself and his companions from the punishment they richly deserved - or at least lessened the severity of it. I was quite fond of him, despite his rakish ways. However, you should find some cheer in thinking of the reaction when his legacy to the Gryffindor Quidditch team becomes known."

Harry face lit for a moment; the other teens grinning wickedly, even Hermione, then the emotionless mask returned. "That's great; at least Ron and Ginny will be able to play on decent brooms for a change."

"Mr. Potter, are you operating under the mistaken assumption that you are still banned? I should have addressed this when we talked before; however rest assured, that nothing whatsoever that toad of a woman did," McGonagall's voice dripped poison with a vehemence even Snape had never quite managed, "shall stand. She shall have no legacy whatsoever at Hogwarts. I have your broom, Mr. Potter; Madam Hooch has already undertaken to remove some untoward charms that were placed upon it, and has cleaned it and polished it as well. I had thought to keep it for you until you returned this fall, as it seemed unlikely you would have an opportunity to use it before then; however, if you wish, I shall return it to you the next time we meet." Her eyes twinkled for a moment like Dumbledore's. "However, you and Miss Weasley must come to some sort of agreement about who is to be seeker. Your father was an excellent chaser, you know."

Harry heard Ginny squeal with delight and tug him toward her; somehow, Ron had moved behind him slapping his back, and Hermione was beaming at him from across the table. "Thank you, Professor. For everything."

Some of the tension has lifted, McGonagall thought to herself; she had found herself in an unaccustomed position several times of late, from finding common ground and even having civil conversation with Peeves when he borrowed her cane, to her recent interactions with Harry. Well, one more break from protocol would hardly be the end of the world, she thought; perhaps I am growing soft in my old age, despite Nicholas' flattery. "While I would not usually discuss this at this time, and in this fashion, I will trust that all of you will keep this to yourselves until school resumes. Katie Bell, entering her NEWT year, has already rejected any consideration of the captaincy of the team. You, Mr. Potter, would be next in terms of seniority. It would be unusual though not unprecedented for a seeker to captain the team; Charlie Weasley was captain a few years ago but had a much more rounded knowledge of the game; but you have little experience with the other positions. The other four returning members only have a year each; again, it would be unusual to have a captain with so little actual experience. And, there is also consideration of the sheer number of things you have going on about you. However, I thought I would explore the possibility of naming you and Mr. Weasley as co-captains, hoping that between the two of you, you might manage to compensate for each other's perceived weaknesses. Mr. Weasley's chess skills shown some promise in planning strategy, as well."

"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed.

"That would be absolutely brilliant!" Harry agreed, reaching back to slap Ron's back.

"That's perfect!" Ginny said. "I'd almost hoped it would be Katie, because I didn't want either of you disappointed."

Hermione was humming something that sounded suspiciously like Weasley is our King.

"Then it is decided," McGonagall declared. "I shall expect the cup to remain in my office. As Sirius observed, I have a certain fondness for seeing it there."

As they had talked, Bill had been speaking quietly to Molly, and helping her sort through the kitchen. Hermione also rose to see if she could help. Ron was already talking enthusiastically about possible plays to Harry, as Ginny silently mouthed, "Thank you," to McGonagall, who nodded, then motioned with her hands, as if trying to restoring circulation to her right hand. Ginny flexed her fingers a few times, signaling that all was well.

Dumbledore was the first to return; he looked quickly around the room, and took a seat by McGonagall. Listening for a moment to Ron describe a play, by now using Harry's glass and the salt and pepper shakers for props, he quietly observed to McGonagall, "It would seem that Quidditch again proves a useful distraction."

"My co-captains have their work cut out for them; I'm afraid we still have a relatively inexperienced team, and one of my returning seekers will be playing in a new position."

Dumbledore watched as Ron shifted his props into new positions. "From their conversation I gather it will be Miss Weasley who will become a chaser."

"There was no discussion at all, but it that does appear to be the assumption, at least for the moment. Albus, they are distracted for the moment, but Harry will be looking for some answers soon."

"As of yet, I do not think he has formulated all the questions, but yes, I think you are right. As well, we must decide what to say about Sybill; the events of today appear to make that a much easier task. And it seems we may have yet another issue to deal with as well."

"You mean?"

Dumbledore nodded. "But let us wait for Nicholas. I hope there is no problem; I had expected them back before me."

Ron had just finished describing a complex series of movements when the group that had departed for Privet Drive returned. They had a number trunks and boxes with them. Charlie, Remus and Tonks left again almost at once, Flamel moved to the table and sat. "I'm afraid your fears were quite justified, my friend. The wards are not down; however, they are quite brittle. I do not think they would withstand even a moderate assault. We set to removing everything from Arabella's house; Ms. Tonks, Mr. Lupin and Mr. Weasley have returned to gather the remainder of the items there." He turned to Harry. "And some of your things no doubt remain at your relatives' house."

"Most of my school and magical stuff was in my trunk at Mrs. Figgs. But there are some things, mostly clothes, that are still there," Harry replied.

"Is everything reasonably in the open, or is anything concealed, and is everything in the one room?"

Harry described the hiding place under the loose floorboard, and then Flamel nodded and stood. "Then we shall gather your things as well, and return here shortly," he said as he walked out of the kitchen again.

"What about my relatives?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanged a glance before Dumbledore answered, "If the wards do fail, it would be better for them to be away, at least until it becomes more widely known that you are no longer there. Do you think they might, for once, listen to reason?"

Harry thought briefly. "If you talk to my aunt, and make her understand that Dudley is in danger, she might listen."

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Then when the others return, Professor McGonagall and I will make the attempt. Minerva, you have dealt with Petunia before, what do you think?"

"It may be difficult to persuade her there is a real danger, but I see little choice other than trying. The Order lacks the resources to defend them without the wards in place, even if that were the only thing we were attempting to do. And it would be almost impossible to construct new ones."

"Harry, do you have any thoughts?" Dumbledore asked.

"My Uncle Vernon has a sister, Aunt Marge. She has a large house somewhere in the country."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "Then I shall suggest that; other that that, we will have to see."

Ginny had grown a bit bored with Ron's enthusiastic discussion of Quidditch plays which seemed to be only directed at Harry; with her free hand, she reached from the chest that Flamel had carried back from Gringotts and pulled it toward her, intending to inspect the contents. This caught Molly's eye. "Ginny, remember what Sirius said. Bill, would you check? In fact, I'd feel better if you made sure there were no surprises in Ron's and Harry's, too."

"Sure, Mum." Bill moved toward the table; Ginny pushed the chest in front of the chair where Bill had sat.

Dumbledore suggested, "Bill, might I suggest before worrying about curses or hexes, that you check to ensure no portkeys have been placed inside any of those items that were brought from Gringotts."

Bill grinned. "Standard curse breaker procedure, Professor. The last thing you want in an Egyptian tomb is to end up where the warders want uninvited guests to go." Holding his wand, Bill muttered a series of spells; the tip glowed green, and he slowly moved it around the chest, paying particular attention to the latches. "The outside seems ok, anyway."

Bill worked the latches, and then carefully raised the lid. "Merlin!"

Ginny, who had been watching, gasped. Harry, who could see at least partially into the open chest, was staring with his eyes wide; Ron paused his demonstration and moved in back of his sister. "Bloody hell, Ginny!"

The others seated around the table stood, they and Molly moved behind Bill and Ginny to vantage point where they could see into the chest. Molly, after sharp intake of breath said, "That... that can't possibly be real, can it?" as they all stared into chest which was filled with a large assortment of jewelry, of which the only common feature was large numbers of brilliant, colorful gems.

Dumbledore chuckled. "The house of Black was a very old wizarding family, and quite wealthy. There may well be some pieces that were once well known some years ago. I believe that pendant with the large red stone - a ruby - near the back, left was a piece that was associated with Sirius' grandmother. There was also a famous piece that was long in the Black family that had a large pink diamond as the centerpiece."

Molly whispered, "But... that must be worth thousands of Galleons."

"More. Far more than that, Mum." Bill had moved the glowing tip of his wand to the pendant Dumbledore had indicated, the picked it up. "This stone is exquisite, it's visually perfect and it must be at close to 60 carats. A few years back, a 16 carat stone sold for over three and a half million US dollars at an auction in New York. I wouldn't even hazard a guess as to what this piece might bring." He handed it to Ginny, who took it hesitantly.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"But... I had no idea... how could Sirius possibly do...mistake... much too young... couldn't possibly accept... so expensive...." Molly stuttered.

Harry, looking at Ginny, lost in the depths of the stone, said firmly, "This is what Sirius wanted."

Molly looked between them; not able to accept the gem her daughter held, but not quite willing to risk upsetting Harry, especially on anything related to Sirius. Hermione, trying to lighten things up, said to Dumbledore, "If you announce a ball this year, I know whom I'm going to borrow from." This did draw a chuckle from everyone but Molly.

Bill continued to check other items, carefully examining each piece before placing it on the table; Dumbledore and McGonagall moved back to their seats, talking quietly among themselves; Ron, Hermione and Molly stood behind Bill and continued to watch as he worked slowly through the chest. A small pile of sparkling jewelry slowly built before him; Ginny looked as he placed new items on the table, and she and Hermione occasionally made admiring sounds but for the most part, her attention rarely left the ruby pendant she held.

As Bill approached the bottom of the chest, he held up a tiara containing several stones, including a large pink jewel in the center, where Dumbledore and McGonagall could see it. "Is this the other piece you were talking about, Professor?"

Dumbledore peered carefully. "Indeed. That was also well known in the society circles of the wizarding world many years ago."

Bill looked briefly at Ginny, who was paying little attention, then glanced back at Molly, who had been shaking her head with the addition of each new item to the table, but had said nothing since Harry's statement. "Unless I'm mistaken, Mum, this is worth even more than the ruby. Pink diamonds are incredibly rare, and this one is large and nearly flawless." Molly shook her head again, looking indecisively back and forth between Harry and Ginny.

Bill set the tiara down, and then checked the last few remaining pieces. "No problems with any of them," he said, looking up. "I can think of two, perhaps three tombs where we found a larger and maybe more valuable haul, but none that had so many flawless pieces. Some of these are very old as well." Looking at Molly he added, "Well, Mum, after today I think you can safely strike worrying about Ginny's dowry off your list." He turned to his sister. "Ginny? Gin-gin, you've got a king's ransom sitting here. Remember when you were about five; you said you would buy Charlie and me new brooms when you grew up and were rich? Well, it looks like you're just about there, kiddo, and I'm ready to collect."

Ginny looked up at her oldest brother with a grin that matched his when he'd commented to Molly a few moments before. "Well, if you're ready to settle down with that willowy blonde girl everyone says you've started dating again but you've oh so carefully kept away from all of us, and give Mum some grandchildren, I'll help you out."

"Bill is still dating her?" Molly asked hopefully. "I thought they had broken up after the big fight over Bill spending most of his time abroad again." Bill made a comment to Ginny but it was drowned out in the resulting laughter.

"Seriously Gin, this all needs to go back to Gringotts, and in a high security vault as well," Bill told her.

Dumbledore nodded. "I must agree. There is one member of the Order who would find those things a grave temptation, and I would prefer not to see him put to the test. But if I recall, Gringotts offers a service for this sort of item, do they not Bill, where arrangements may be made for certain items to be held security, delivered when needed, then returned for safekeeping? For example, Miss Weasley might choose to wear the ruby pendant to a ball; receive it beforehand, then know its has been safely returned afterwards."

"That's true. I'd forgotten about that. Would you like me to set that up, Ginny?"

"Wait just one minute, Bill; this is all happening much too fast." Molly dropped into the chair next to her oldest son. "Ginny can't possibly...."

"Molly," Dumbledore said, waiting until she finally looked up at him. "I know this must be a bit disconcerting, but you have already agreed. In the papers you signed, all of you signed, you accepted what Sirius had done. Even if you had refused, the items would have ended going to Harry, which would not have changed the end result in the slightest. Perhaps from your vantage point behind them you did not see your daughter's face as she gazed into the stone she held, but Harry most certainly did. I'm afraid the genie has already escaped the bottle."

"But this - it's just too much. That ruby alone must be worth 500,000 Galleons..."

"More that that. The stone that sold in New York I told you about was only a fourth the size, and it sold for that much," Bill commented.

"Bill, please," Dumbledore said. "I do not think a more accurate appraisal would be particularly helpful at this time. Molly, did you look at the parchments that you signed at all?"

"Not really, no. You said it was ok to sign, so I did."

"Do you have any idea how large Sirius' bequest to you was?"

"Perhaps a few thousand Galleons? I had hoped there would be enough to make a few repairs around The Burrow, and I could buy Ron and Ginny some new school things for once, and proper dress robes and perhaps a decent broom for Ginny. She's never had a broom that hadn't passed..."

"Molly," Dumbledore tried to interrupt.

"...down through several of her brothers."

"I don't recall the exact numbers, but the total value of the Black Family Trust was in excess of four million Galleons." Dumbledore said, "Your share and Arthur's alone must be at least 400,000 to 500,000 Galleons."

"Oh my! What could Sirius have possibly been thinking?"

"That he didn't want anything going to the Malfoys," Harry stated firmly. "I think it was brilliant."

Hermione, thinking a change of subject would be a good thing, and Chocolate Frog cards a safe subject, said, "Ron, how about your box? Perhaps while Bill is checking things out?"

Bill also welcomed a change of subject, on any topic that would distract Molly from exploring Ginny's earlier remark. He flicked his wand and the items on the table settled back inside the chest, other than the ruby pendant Ginny still held. He heard Ginny whisper to Harry, "I've never held anything so beautiful."

Harry replied, also in a whisper, "I have."

Bill couldn't resist commenting, also in a whisper. "Yeah, but it sure took you long enough"; then, raising his voice, he said, "Sure, let's see the card collection."

Ron pushed the box toward him, and Bill gave it the once over with his wand. "No problems here." He opened it; the box had been magically expanded; it contained thousands of cards, mostly tied in bundles, but with a few in what looked like wax paper envelopes on one side. Bill ran his wand along the cards, and finally announced, "No problems here, either." He pulled out one of the cards in an envelope, glanced at it briefly, and handed it to Ron. "Here's one of your Agrippa's."

"Wicked!"

Bill pushed the box back to Ron, who started looking through the other cards and gave a running commentary on his findings to Hermione. She tried to look interested so Ron would continue, especially since it seemed to have distracted Molly for the moment.

"Now, how about your briefcase, Harry?"

Harry reached out and pushed the attaché to Bill, who repeated the steps he had taken with Ron's box. Again, finding nothing of concern he opened it. This item had also been magically expanded; looking in, it was divided into a number of square compartments, many of them filled with various sorts of papers or parchments. Many of them were labeled with titles such as Stocks, Deeds, and a few of thm with different sorts of currency, Pounds, Dollars, and Francs among them. Bill ran his wand carefully over each compartment. "This one's ok too," he said, pushing it back to Harry."

Harry noticed the labels, and curious, pulled out several unsealed envelopes from the compartment labeled pounds; opening them, he found the smallest one contained a variety of denominations of bank notes; the larger ones were filled with packets of £50 notes, wrapped with a band indicating £5000. Dumbledore noticed these, and asked, "Harry, might I borrow one of those bundles of bank notes?"

Surprised at Dumbledore's request, Harry handed the packet over without question, and then dropped the rest back into their compartment; he then noticed one of the compartments held a device he recognized as a CD player and several disks. He started to reach for it when he heard footsteps entering the kitchen; he removed his hand from the attaché and looked up.

Charlie, Remus, Tonks and Nicholas Flamel had returned, bringing the remainder of their belongings from Mrs. Figgs, and Harry's things from Privet Drive, Tonks had Hedwig's cage in her hand. They set down the items they were carrying or holding, and Charlie remarked, "We sent Hedwig to fly here on her own. Owls really don't like apparition very much, and she seemed eager to get outside, anyway."

"Did you encounter any problems?" Dumbledore asked.

Charlie and Tonks grinned broadly; even Remus managed a small smile. Flamel explained, "Harry's aunt was somewhat uncomfortable with unexpected callers; however she now believes she spent a relaxing afternoon watching whatever muggles watch on television, so all is well for now."

Dumbledore exchanged a glance with McGonagall, and then said, "We will need to address the question of the Dursleys, then we will need to consider our options here. Perhaps this would be a good time for those of you who will be staying here for now to get settled. There will be a great deal of traffic through this room later; and with all the trunks and other belongings here, it is becoming crowded. Remus, would you?"

Lupin nodded. He motioned for the teens, Tonks, and the older Weasley brothers to gather their things. Bill held out his hand for the pendant, but Ginny shook her head, and Bill nodded, saying softly, "Ok, not quite yet for that one, but the rest goes back to Gringotts with me later today." Ginny nodded reluctantly.

They gathered their things, casting lightening spells on the trunks; Lupin helped Harry and Ginny, who were able to manage their lightened trunks with one hand, but little else. Remus was loaded with the rest of their belongings.

He led them to the second floor. "Bill, why don't you take the 2^nd room on the right; and Charlie, take the 3^rd down the left hallway. The first room on the right's one of the larger bedrooms; we'll set that aside for your parents. Tonks, why don't you take the 2^nd room on the left hand side? I've been staying in the first room on the left. Ron, why don't you take the room next to the one that the twins stayed in last year on the 3^rd floor, and Hermione, the room across from there. The library is on that floor, so that should make things easy a bit easier for you.

"Harry, if you're ok with it, I think you and Ginny might do best in the master suite at the top of the stairs. I think the two of you will be the most comfortable there than anywhere else under the circumstances, and it's what I think Sirius would have wanted." Remus made an effort to grin. "Besides, it's your house. You should be in the master suite anyway."

Harry made no objection, so Remus led them up another flight of stairs, pointed Ron and Hermione in the right direction, then lead Harry and Ginny up the next flight, and through double doors into a large room, set up as a sitting room.

Remus sat down the items he was carrying, and explained, "This is actually a suite of rooms. This is your sitting room; there's a small informal dining room through there, an office there, and the bedroom is through that door. I gave things a quick once over - but all of the papers and so forth in the office are just as Sirius left it. Harry, you should go through all of that when you have time."

Harry nodded. "Thanks, Remus."

"Are you sure you're ok, Harry?"

"I'm still trying to sort through it all; I got off the train from Hogwarts, what, three days ago, and it seems like a year's worth has happened since then. But I'm ok."

"Ok; then, I'll leave you two to get settled. When you're ready, come on back to the kitchen; maybe by then we'll be sorted out enough to at least have a sandwich or two."

Harry and Ginny walked through the suite; there were two sofas and several chairs in the sitting room; the upholstery was a bit ragged. A round table and six chairs were in the small dining room; it looked as if it had not been used in some time. Harry glanced through the door at the office, which was dominated by a huge roll-top desk; then they entered the bedroom.

The room was huge. A massive sleigh bed was centered on the far wall; a couch and two chairs formed a grouping on one side of the room; a large table sat near the door; it was covered with papers and parchments. Two doors were on the left, one lead to a closet that Ginny remarked was larger than her room at The Burrow; the other to a bathroom which contained a huge tub with many faucets, most of which showed some rust; it was in not in particularly good shape.

"I think this is what muggles call a real fixer-upper opportunity," Harry said, sitting down on the bed. "The bed's at least soft."

"It's ok; as long as you're here, I don't care about any of the rest of it," Ginny replied, sitting beside him. "You're right; this'll be ok at least."

He opened the attaché case he'd been given at Gringotts, and pulled out the CD player and disks, which he'd been wondering about. "This must be a muggle group. I've never heard of them, The Who. I've been told Sirius liked muggle music... I wonder if it will work here with all this magic...." There was a disk in the player; he pressed the play button.

The sound was surprisingly good for the tiny speakers; certainly better than Harry remembered from a player Dudley had a year or two ago. It had a hard beat, but Harry liked it; but the words... here, strangely, were words that gave expression to some of the things he had been feeling:

You were under the impression

That when you were walking forward

You'd end up further onward

But things ain't quite that simple.

You got altered information

You were told to not take chances

You missed out on new dances

Now you're losing all your dimples.

My jacket's gonna be cut and slim and checked,

Maybe a touch of seersucker, with an open neck.

I ride a G.S. scooter with my hair cut neat,

Wear my wartime coat in the wind and sleet.

Love Reign O'er Me.

Love Reign O'er Me.

Love.

I've had enough of living

I've had enough of dying

I've had enough of smiling

I've had enough of crying

I've taken all the high roads

I've squandered and I've saved

I've had enough of childhood

I've had enough of graves...

Get a job and fight to keep it,

Strike out to reach a mountain.

Be so nice on the outside

But inside keep ambition

Don't cry because you hunt them

Hurt them first they'll love you

There's a millionaire above you

And you're under his suspicion.

I've had enough of dancehalls

I've had enough of pills

I've had enough of streetfights

I've seen my share of kills

I'm finished with the fashions

And acting like I'm tough

I'm bored with hate and passion

I've had enough of trying to love.

Harry didn't understand all of the imagery but the mood and meaning were crystal clear. As the song ended, he switched off the player and fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Gin, that says so much of what I've been feeling; I've had enough. Merlin, have I had enough of...everything." He shook his had sadly.

Ginny eased down beside him. "We have, Harry. We both have. I guess Sirius felt that way, too. He was restless last summer, staying here almost all the time. I can only image how much harder it must have been after most of us left."

Harry sighed. "That's one of the things that bug me about being here. Everywhere I look there are reminders. I keep expecting to see him come rushing in, then I remember...."

"Remember the good, Harry. And remember what he said. And that we're going to make him proud."

They laid there for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts, before Ginny finally said, "We'd bet get back downstairs soon before someone comes looking for us. I do want to get out of this uniform and robes." Ginny pulled him upright and tugged him along until she reached her trunk; re-entering the bedroom, she changed into jeans, a t-shirt, and forgoing socks, her well-worn trainers. The t-shirt showed a decrepit-looking broom and displayed the words, "My other broom's a Firebolt."

Harry chuckled at the shirt. "Well, we can certainly get you a Firebolt before school starts. You done? Hold on to me while I dump my robes?"

"Just a sec more." Ginny picked up the ruby pendant, fumbled with the catch for a few moments and then fastened it around her neck. "What do you think?"

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said, "You look marvelous. Oh, you mean the pendant? Yeah, that looks ok too."

She hit him softly on the arm. "Ok, change." She slipped the pendant inside her shirt.

Harry removed the robes, tie and shirt, and donned a solid black t-shirt. "Ready?" he asked.

"I suppose. Think Hermione will feel safer now?" she asked, pulling the collar of her shirt aside to show the strap crossing her shoulder.

"I'm not going to hear the end of this anytime soon, am I?"

"That's up to you," she replied, with a smile Harry wasn't quite sure he wanted to categorize.

They walked down the several flights of stairs to the basement and entered the kitchen. Charlie, Ron and Hermione had also changed into more casual clothes; Bill and Tonks were still in their robes; everyone else was sitting around the table. Two large platters of sandwiches sat upon the table; there were pitchers of what appeared to be pumpkin juice and butterbeer as well. Harry and Ginny found places and sat down; Ginny glared as both Molly and Hermione inspected her outfit.

"Harry," Dumbledore said, "I thought you might like to know Professor McGonagall and I talked to your aunt; your uncle is traveling out of the country for the next two weeks, and she was persuaded that this would be an excellent time for her and Dudley to spend some time away from home."

"Thanks, Professor."

"Your aunt was somewhat resistant to your suggestion that she visit your Aunt Marge."

"I'm not surprised," Harry replied. "If Uncle Vernon weren't traveling, it would have been ok; but Aunt Petunia by herself would have been pretty uncomfortable."

"So I gathered." Dumbledore continued. "But I was able to persuade them that perhaps two weeks at the shore would be refreshing. I'm afraid that I gave them the muggle banknotes I borrowed from you; and I'm afraid Professor McGonagall might wish to curtail my contact with parents and guardians henceforth as I told your aunt I wished to ensure they were able to afford adequate food and more suitable accommodations than they had when Hagrid delivered your Hogwarts letter."

As McGonagall gave the headmaster a glare usually reserved for students caught breaking the rules red-handed, the rest of the table roared with laughter. Harry finally recovered enough to say, "What did she say?"

"She sniffed that they certainly didn't need charity," Dumbledore replied. "But she wasted no time taking the money."

Harry laughed again, and then said, "Just as well. At least she won't have an excuse to come home early."

"That was quite a larder you had under the floor, Harry," Charlie commented.

Harry looked away for a moment; he'd forgotten about that. But he'd had enough of hiding; this time the chips could fall where they may. He then met Charlie's eyes. "In the past, I could never count on meals there; sometimes for days at a time. If it hadn't been for some of the things your family and Hermione sent, I'd have been hungry a lot more. Last year was tough without much post; I stocked up on the train this time just in case."

Harry was met by several horrified looks from around the table. There were tears in Molly's eyes as she said, "I knew that they didn't feed you properly, but not this, Harry. When Ron showed me your letters, saying how you missed my cooking, I could have believed your aunt was a poor cook, but not that she - not that any mother could ever withhold food from a hungry child. When you described that horrible diet your cousin was on, I'd thought... that," she stopped there, voice breaking. Molly sat, attempting to gather her composure. "Even when I sent Ginny with that basket, it was to make sure you got something you liked and fit for a growing boy; not... not... Harry, why didn't you say something?"

Harry shrugged; McGonagall nodded as though something she had suspected had just been confirmed. "Molly, I have but recently learned that Delores Umbridge employed a blood quill for detentions where students were forced to write lines. Harry served many detentions - far more than any other student - with her. He said nothing in all that time; when I finally learned of it and confronted him, and asked him why he had not come to me, he told me because I had my own problems with Umbridge, and he did not want to make them worse. A student; my student was protecting me, his head of house. He even took steps to ensure his friends would keep the secret, but the scars remain on his hand. There can be no telling what he has suffered at the hands of those muggles."

Ginny was looking at Harry with a mixture of sympathy and support; Ron and Hermione felt very ashamed; they had known about the detentions. Bill, Charlie, Tonks and Remus exchanged horrified looks; but Flamel looked at Harry appraisingly. McGonagall looked back and forth from Harry to Dumbledore with concern; Dumbledore seemed to be in agony. Molly, however, was livid. "Albus Dumbledore, Sirius was absolutely right, other than it took him too bloody long. If I had known earlier what I have just learned now, I would have ripped those wards down myself, with my bare hands if necessary, to get Harry away from there. Fred and George were right to get him away from there, even if they did take that damned car. I'd thought their tale of bars over the window was nothing more than the sort of fairy tales they've made up all their lives to justify the unjustifiable, but now I'm not sure at all. If you attempt to send him back there again, Albus, it will only be over my cold, dead body. And as far as I'm concerned, you should have let those evil muggles take their chances."

Dumbledore nodded sadly, "Molly, there is no question that I have made several errors of judgment. Rest assured, there is no possibility of returning Harry there now; but even if there were, I would not consider it." He looked thoughtfully at Harry for a moment. "It seems, Harry, that I owe you another apology, though truthfully, mere words do not seem adequate."

Through all of this, Harry's expression had remained neutral, though he was deeply touched by Molly's words. "Two nights ago, Professor, though it seems like a long time ago, before all this started, Ginny and I were talking, and I said to her that I'd treated her and all my friends pretty shabbily; that I was sorry; they had deserved better. And do you know what she told me? That all that didn't matter now, what matters is what we do from here. How can I be angry with you, when I have been given such undeserved forgiveness, Professor?

"All that doesn't matter; none of it. I've had enough; whatever I was doing before wasn't working. What does matters is I have a job that has to be done. And Professor, more than anything else," Harry's voice took on an intensity none of them had heard before, "I want to win. I used to think that if I could face Voldemort and both of us were killed, that'd be the best possible end. That way all of this would finally end. But that's not what I want any more. I have something to live for; I always have. I have my friends, who have been there for me time and time again, even when I've made their lives a living hell. Even when I tried to drive them away, they were there for me time and time again. If I ran away, they followed. They deserve better, and they deserve to live in a decent world and without fear. I love Ginny, and I don't want to leave her; I want to grow old with her like the Flamels have together.

"I've foolishly pushed my friends away time after time, and repeatedly placed them at even greater risk. I've had enough of all that, too. I now see that if I want to protect them; really protect them, I have to get my act together like Sirius said, and stop Voldemort as soon as possible. I've had more than enough of his games. I certainly can't do it like I was last year. I can't do it alone, and I doubt I can do it without your help. I certainly can't do it as quickly or as fast as it needs to be done without you. The past is the past. I've had enough of the past. What matters is what we do from here. Will you help me, Professor?"

Dumbledore peered at Harry over his half moon glasses, hoping that he had somehow managed to keep his emotions from showing openly on his face. How was this possible? Here was Harry, a short time after undergoing what could have only been an emotionally wrenching and draining experience, and but he showed no sign of that at all. He was not concerned with that, but instead suggesting none of the considerable baggage that had built up and carried through the years mattered. Here was Harry, talking openly and directly about his feelings, Harry, who prior to the last three days might well have denied that he HAD feelings... was reaching out to his friends... Harry, who not long before could not accept a smile from a girl without blushing had not only expressed his love for Ginny, in public, in front of three of her brothers and mother, calmly, casually...and using a term most of his students referred to only obliquely as the 'L-word', at least the boys in mixed company, certainly until after their school days. This boy; no, this young man, his mind corrected, a boy no longer sat before him; showed scars, yes, but not the pain that had haunted him all of the previous year. Harry was reaching out to him; asking for his help; not so he could do what must be done and end the pain, but so he could fulfill the first prophecy, and live.

As Dumbledore slowly nodded, Flamel spoke softly, "It would seem, Brian, that some of my concerns were premature. It seems that perhaps the Guardian is almost ready after all; not fully trained perhaps; but almost ready."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I can only agree, Nicholas. Yes, Harry, I will. You have grown a great deal, dear boy. We shall indeed help you indeed; all of us will."