The House and Everything Else Too

The House and Everything Else Too....

By: Mae Silverpaws.

Harry had only been at the Weasley's for a month but he was amazed at how calm and free he felt. He never realized that worrying about having to go back to Aunt Petunia's and Uncle Vernon's every summer had been such a heavy weight on his shoulders. Harry truly felt like the weight of the world had been removed from his. Harry smiled as he realized that this was how normal 17-year-old wizarding kids felt.

The best part of Harry's new life, as far as Harry was concerned, was the beginning of the day. No rude pounding on the door no sharp piercing voice telling him "Get up boy!" Just the wonderful smells of breakfast, wafting up the crooked stairwell to Harry and Ron's room and the best part of his day was to come down the stairs to hear "Good morning dear", and being able to respond, "Morning Mum, Morning Dad."

Just being able to do that simple little normal family thing made Harry's throat choke up a little everyday.

Today was not a normal calm day in the Weasley household though. Today was the first day of school. Which meant that trunks packed, then put into the boot of the car, pets caught and breakfast eaten very quickly so that the resident students could catch the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 3/4.

"My," sighed Mrs. Weasley as she sank into the front seat of the borrowed Ministry's car. "It's so much easier with only three of you going instead of 5 or 6. Now you three," she said, turning to gaze at the three teens in the back seat, "I know your intentions are always good but please try to have a normal year this year. No saving the world this school year, do you understand? I hope that you three will be able to concentrate on your studies and not the problems that the adults should be concerned with. It shouldn't matter who you are; a child should lead a child's life."

"Now Mum," started Ginny "It's not like Harry tries to get mixed up in these things. They just seem to happen to us - I mean him." Ginny gave a half hearted shoulder shove to Harry who was sitting between her and Ron.

"Oh I know dear," said Mrs. Weasley. "But it is enough to give a mother gray hair. Harry gave me enough gray hairs before he was officially mine; I don't know what I'll do now that it's legal."

"Here we are," said Arthur Weasley. "Let's go find a trolley and unload the boot of the car." The two boys hopped out of the car and sprinted across the car park to grab a trolley. Once they were finished, Mr. Weasley turned to his wife. "Come along dear. If we are lucky we can get to that nice little restaurant you wanted to try out before the lunch crowd."

"But Arthur dear," said Mrs. Weasley. "Shouldn't we walk the children to the platform?"

"Molly, they are 17 and 16 yrs old now. I certainly think they can find the platform on their own. Am I not right, everyone?"

"Yes, Dad" the three said in unison.

"Oh and boys," Mr. Weasley added as he tried to entice Molly back into the car, "you two take care of Ginny."

"Yes, sir," the two boys said.

"Daddy, I'm not a little girl anymore!" said Ginny.

"Exactly," called Arthur as he pulled the car from it's parking spot and grinned at his youngest child. Ginny quickly turned the color of her flaming red hair.

Hermione was already waiting for the trio as they entered the platform. "Hurry up you three!" she shouted over the hustle and bustle on Platform 9 3/4. "If you three don't hurry the train will leave without you."

"Oh, such the pity," drawled a deep voice from behind Hermione. "Leaving Potter," the voice continued "and his new family behind would be such a loss for the school this year."

Hermione turned and stared in amazement. Draco Malfoy stood in front of her. At the end of last term, Hermione could easily look Draco in the eyes but now she stared squarely into his chin. A chin with a small nicely manicured goatee attached to it.

"What's the matter Granger?" drawled the voice attached to the chin. "Forget how to speak?"

"Oh no, not at all, "stuttered Hermione, "It's just that you have grown over the summer. And it suprised me," she said haltingly.

"Well, yes, Mother did say I was going to be quite the ladies man this year. I'll save you a dance at the Yule Ball then Granger." Draco drawled as he swaggered away towards his bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle.

"What," said Ron sounding very annoyed, "did Malfoy want?"

"Oh, nothing," said Hermione with a perplexed look still on her face. "Just wanted to start the year off early I guess. He usually does not start harassing us until we get on the train. Hey, I just thought of something," Hermione added with a huge grin. "This year in Transfiguration we get to learn how to turn people into animals. Wonder if Malfoy feels like another bounce around the Great Hall?"

"Practice, yes. Do, no," said a voice from behind the four friends.

"Oh Professor Snape," said Hermione turning beet red. "I didn't realize you were behind us. Are you taking the train this year?"

"No, Miss Granger, but due to the fact that Hogwarts is the school of a certain student Professor Dumbledore felt that the staffs' presence should be seen and felt here at the platform. Now run along, I would hate for Potter and Weasley to be left off the train again another year. I am sure there is no convenient mode of transportation handy for them to steal, I mean borrow."

All four scurried onto the train as quickly as trunks and pet carriers would allow and found an empty compartment.

As Harry stepped off the train in Hogsmeade, he heard a familiar deep voice. "First years over here. All first years come this way please." Harry turned to wave at Hagrid just as someone ran squarely into his back.

"Oh sorry sir," squeaked a very small 1st year "I didn't mean to run it to you. I'm Mouse Crowley by the way. Actually, it's Alfred but 'cause I'm so small and squeaky I'm called Mouse." Mouse extended his hand to Harry.

"Nice to meet you Mouse. I'm Harry, Harry Potter and this is Ron and Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger."

Mouse's eyes became wide and his jaw dropped open. "Wow, THE Hermione Granger? You are the smartest witch to hit Hogwarts in probably forever."

Harry stepped back he was used to that reaction on his behalf not on his friend's.

"Yes, that's me," said Hermione, "Now you go tell Hagrid you are a personal friend of mine and I said to keep an eye on you."

"Yes, ma'am," said Mouse scurrying away.

Hermione laughed at the look on Harry's face. Hooking her arm into his she started to drag him towards the horseless carriages. "Looks like our poor little Harry just got a blow to his ego, huh Ron?" she said with a big grin.

The Great Hall was as spectacular as ever. The thousands of candles illuminated the room as the sorting hat sat center stage waiting for its yearly exercise. The first years filed in looking scared and wide-eyed and the sorting began.

Crowley, Alfred became a Gryffindor and squeezed into a seat next to Hermione. In short order all 1st years were sorted and in true Dumbledore fashion, the feast began.

Suddenly two eagle owls appeared at the windows at the top of the Great Hall's ceiling. One owl dived towards the Gryffindor table as the other dropped towards the staff table. Both birds dropped their envelopes and with a great flap of their wings each were off again out the open window.

Harry looked down to see Mouse crawling out from under the table and to find a very official looking parchment poking out of his potatoes.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione before opening the letter. All that was in the letter was the Death Eaters' insignia. Harry dropped the letter as if it was on fire; all of the Gryffendor's close enough to see gasped in surprise. A hand touched Harry's shoulder and he looked up into the troubled eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione I believe you should all come with me please," he said in a quiet but kindly tone. "As you may have guessed something of great importance has just come to my attention."

Prof. Dumbledore nodded to the staff table as he passed and three people rose to follow them. Harry, almost trance-like, followed Dumbledore and paid no attention to who it was as he followed Dumbledore's flowing purple robes into the room behind the staff table.

"Sit down everyone, please," said Dumbledore as he gestured towards the chairs that were about the room. "Now Harry, would you kindly show the rest of the people here what your letter says?"

Harry held up his letter and was suprised to see Prof. McGonagall, Remus Lupin and Professor Snape all sitting in chairs about the room. All three of them sat back in shock.

"My letter," began Dumbledore, "is a little more informative then yours, Harry. I am sorry there is no nice way of saying this. It seems that your Aunt, Uncle and cousin have been killed in an accident. They were taking your cousin to school and there seems to have been a bombing. According to my letter, it was made to look as if your family had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, just a family sitting in an outside cafe having lunch when a car accident occurred. Unfortunately, the cars involved as well as having an accident also blew up. My letter was to inform me that this was no accident." Dumbledore turned troubled eyes toward Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Cars?" said Ron in a shaky voice." Mum and Dad borrowed a Ministry car today. It wasn't them too, was it Professor?"

"W-were others hurt as well Professor?" asked Harry in a shaky voice.

"Yes, I'm afraid so Harry. All that were dining at that time were killed. Would you like to read the letter? In addition, no Ron, we were not informed that Molly and Arthur were involved in the accident."

Harry shook his head then looked around at the people in the room. Even though he never cared for the Dursleys, he had never wished anything like this on them and of course, it was his fault since they were his family. "I know you just told us you think Mum and Dad are fine Professor, but what about them? Can you please make sure they are ok too?" asked Harry quickly. "Voldemort tried to hurt me though my family. Arthur and Molly Weasley are OK aren't they?"

Ron made a small sound of concern and Hermione squeaked.

"Of course, we will check on that immediately," said Dumbledore. "Remus, would you please?"

"Immediately Headmaster." said Prof. Lupin as he headed for the door.

"Ahem," said Prof. Snape. "Something you wish me to check on Headmaster? If not I will be going back to the Great Hall."

"Yes, please Professor. Please check with your contacts about this, ummm, incident and let us know what you find out," said Dumbledore looking Professor Snape squarely in the eyes.

"Yes, of course Headmaster, right away sir." Professor Snape turned and with a flip of his robes left the room.

"Would you care to finish your feast in here?" inquired Dumbledore of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Perhaps they would rather go back out to the Great Hall, Albus," said Prof. McGonagall.

"I could send them straight away to their common room but I do have a few announcements to make that all should hear," said the headmaster looking form each of the students and then at Prof. McGonagall.

"If the others don't mind, sir, I think - I know I would like to go back out to the Great Hall. I'm really not that hungry anymore but ... " Harry's voice trailed off.

"Of course Harry. And if any of you need anything tonight to help you sleep, please go see Madam Pomfrey. I will, of course leave word with Mr. Filch and the other staff members that you three may be heading that way later this evening."

Later that evening an owl swooped into the Gryffindor's Common Room with a note for Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione:

We are fine. Please do not worry. Love Mum and Dad.

The four young people went to bed with heavy hearts for the Dursley family but very relieved to hear that all was well with the rest of Harry, Ron and Ginny's family.

A week later while sitting in Prof. Sprout's class someone knocked on the door and then peeked in.

"Sorry to disturb ye Professor," said the booming but kindly voice of Hagrid. "But Professor Dumbledore wishes to see 'arry, 'ermione, and Ron."

"Of course Hagrid," said Professor Sprout, looking up from the plant she was examining. "You three go. I will send your assignments along with Mr. Longbottom."

"Yes, ma'am," the three chimed together.

Harry, Hermione and Ron all turned toward the main school building.

"Naw, he ain't up there," said Hagrid. "He's down in his house in Hogsmeade. Seems some muggle came to visit 'arry. This is where Dumbledore always meets unexpected muggles. You best take off your robes though. You all got regular clothes on underneath there, don't ye?" Hagrid asked turning a soft shade of pink under his bushy beard.

"Yes, I know I do," said Hermione, removing her robes and placing them in her school bag. Harry and Ron both did the same.

Fifteen minutes later Hagrid escorted the three into a house that was down a side street that Harry had never noticed before. The house was very neat inside and looked almost identical to Mrs. Figg's house. Albus Dumbledore, dressed in a grey turtle-neck, dark corduroy trousers and a tweed jacket was seated on the couch while a man in a dark suit was seated across the small room sipping tea.

"Ah, here you are children," said Dumbledore. "No problem finding them then, Hagrid?"

"No, sir, Professor, sir," said Hagrid. "Well, I'll be going now, then, sir." Hagrid turned and left the room.

"Now Mr. Anderssen this is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. Children this is Mr. Anderssen, he is in charge of your aunt and uncle's estate, Harry."

Mr. Anderssen rose and extended his hand to each.

"Well, if you don't mind, I would like to get right down to business here," he said, clicking open his briefcase. "I will need you to sign a few papers, Harry. It seems that if something were to happen to the complete Dursley family then everything was to go to you. If you sign these few papers then the house and your aunt and uncles holdings will become yours."

"What about Aunt Marge?" asked Harry in a shocked voice. "I thought she was the person who they left everything too. At least that is what they always told me."

"Yes, well, it seems Ms. Dursley has refused to have anything to do with this. She keeps mumbling about tainted by magic and how she had told Vernon no good would come from this. Ms. Dursely seems a bit distracted. She did ask for a few personal possessions and some photographs, though. Well, then," said Mr. Anderssen after Harry had signed the papers. "Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, isn't it? If you could just sign here and here as the witnesses, please. It seems, Mr. Potter, you now have half ownership of Grunnings Drills, full ownership of the house on Privet Drive and also all of your aunt and uncle's assets that are in the bank. Once you graduate from school here Harry, and if Grunnings keeps up as they are now, you may never have to have a real job. I am sorry for your loss. I must be going though," Mr. Anderssen rose but then added, "If you would like to have me continue on as retainer, I will gladly do so."

"No, that will not be necessary, Mr. Anderssen, but thank you for the offer. Harry has someone on retainer through his parents' estate. But again, thank you very much." Professor Dumbledore escorted Mr. Anderssen to the door.

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat back on the couch and looked at each other, very confused.

"Professor," said Hermione when Prof. Dumbledore had returned to the room. "How did that man get here?"

Professor Dumbledore smiled at Hermione. "Don't worry dear. He will remember going to a small, very hard to find private boarding school just north of London and will not remember any magic if he happened to see any on his way to the house. Would anyone like tea?" Dumbledore asked and with a wave of his hand, three more teacups appeared on the table in front of the couch.