I Saw My Lady Weep

Chapter 14: The News That Truly Shocks...

Harry sat on the porch, watching the rain. There were days when rain depressed him, and days when rain uplifted him. This was definitely one of the good days, but the sometime ambiguity of the rain mirrored his feelings at the moment. His sudden proposal and Ginny's acceptance made him soar through the clouds... but the sudden proposal and thoughts of the future had brought him back down to earth.

The door opened behind him. "Coming out to check on me? I'm all right... just watching the rain a bit," Harry said. Without even looking, he knew it was Ron. "Thinking, you know?"

Ron leaned next to Harry, each mirroring the other's posture. "Butterbeer?" Ron held out the open bottle, which Harry took without a thought. "The girls have talked Mum out of throwing a big party," Ron grinned. "Seems in all the excitement, Mum forgot she was already planning one three days from now."

"Ginny's birthday, yeah," Harry nodded. "I still need to buy her a present." He took a pull from his bottle and made a face. He couldn't understand how Ron could drink it cold.

"I think you did a pretty good job just now, Harry," Ron chuckled. "Did I ever tell you...? When she was seven she announced to the house that she was going to marry you when she grew up." Ron's chuckled died down just a tad. "We... Uh... We always thought it was great for her to have a dream. Got to say, I didn't think it would actually happen someday. At least not at the time."

"I still can't believe I did that..." Harry said quietly.

Ron looked at Harry for a long moment, a strange expression on his face. "Not thinking of backing out, are you, because at this point I'd have to kill you. Slowly. That's if Ginny left enough of you to kill."

"No... No thoughts of backing out at all. I just..." Harry waved a hand randomly, searching for the word. "She looked downhearted after she found out it was you and Hermione and not... I just couldn't let her feel like that, you know? And I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was thinking about marrying her... I mean, ever since you and I went to get Hermione's ring, yeah?"

Ron nodded. "Go on."

"Well... I knew I'd ask her eventually. I just didn't think 'eventually' meant this morning, is all." Harry sipped his butterbeer again. "We're both very young, after all. She's only sixteen, for crying out loud. I was figuring after we got back from Hogwarts, next year..."

"Harry, she's only sixteen for three more days. Then she's seventeen, of legal age and old enough to decide if she wants to get married or not. For some strange and inexplicable reason, she's decided that not only does she want to get married, she wants to get married to this funny-looking, daft git her older brother dragged home from school one summer." Ron tilted his bottle back, emptying it. "I know you're young. We're all young. But none of us has been a kid for a long time. Not even Ginny. And I don't know about you, but I don't want to waste time."

"You've got me there," Harry conceded. "I just... don't want to mess up. Anyway... I promised your folks that Ginny would finish school. So no matter what else happens, we're waiting at least until she's out of school before getting married. The prospect of a long engagement sounds pretty good to me."

"That's good. At least one of us should finish. I know McGonagall has offered us a chance to go back... I just don't think I'm going to," Ron began. "I've been thinking a lot about things... George, mostly. I think..."

The door opened and Hermione, Ginny, and Molly came out. The women were all dressed in cloaks and had their handbags with them. "We're going out for a little while. Hermione and Ginny thought we should treat ourselves to a lady's day out," Molly announced. "Would either of you boys like to come along?" Her voice made it quite clear that she was only asking out of politeness and expected Harry and Ron to refuse.

"That's okay, Mrs. Weasley... I actually have an errand I need to attend to. Something I should have done a month ago." Harry gave her a hug. "You three have fun." Molly smiled and walked toward the gate.

Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him. "You have fun on your errand. Get Ron to come with you... he needs to get out of the house more."

Harry laughed. "I will. Um... How are you fixed for money?" He asked quietly. Ron's head whipped around toward them, making it clear that Harry wasn't quite as quiet about it as he wanted to be.

At first it looked as if Ginny was going to protest, but Harry put a finger to her lips. "If we are to be married, you need to get used to the idea that everything I have is also yours. So... how are you fixed for money?"

Ginny shrugged. "I've got some. Not a lot."

"Ginny? Are we going or not?" Hermione asked from the gate. "It's wet out here!"

"Okay... here." He pulled a small bag out of his pocket. "This is just my walking around money, so you're not putting me out or anything. Go have fun."

Ginny looked unsure. "I..."

Harry sighed. "... Share the standard Weasley opposition to anyone giving you a handout. It's not a handout, love... it's just part of the package. Accept it."

Ginny nodded, kissed him on the cheek, and then ran for the gate.

"Collectively... and I mean as a family... we all really need to get used to the fact that some of us are doing better than others, don't we? You, George, Dad..." Ron said as they watched the women Apparate away. "We've become so hyper-aware about our being poor that when someone tries to do us a good turn, we get angry about it."

"I'm used to it, Ron," Harry smiled. "It's been going on for a long time. Since..."

"... Fourth year, yeah? I know. You and the dress robes and the joke shop." Ron shrugged again.

The young men watched the rain for several minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. "I've always loved the rain," Ron said out of nowhere. "I mean, I hate getting caught out in it, but I love watching it. There are days when it really gets me down, but other days it really makes me happy. You know what I mean, Harry?"

Harry started laughing. "Yeah, Ron... I was thinking the same thing. I know what you mean."

"We're really doing this, aren't we?" Ron asked.

"Doing what?" Harry looked nonplussed by the sudden question.

"Getting engaged. Marriage, a job. Kids, someday. Maybe I'd be a good dad. But, you know, the whole thing. Everything that we never let ourselves think about while we were searching for the Horcruxes," Ron said. "You know... living. We're really doing it."

"It certainly looks like it," Harry said. Suddenly, he chuckled. "I thought Hermione was going to hit you. 'What do you think?' Come on, man... even I knew that was the wrong way to go about it."

"Yeah, I stepped on it. Yours was much better, spur of the moment or not." Ron tucked Harry on the shoulder. "You've always been better at romantic gestures that I have, though."

"That's because you're a clod about some things, Ron." Harry smiled at Ron's grin. They both knew it was true. "Brilliant chess player, the only man I'd ever want at my side when going up against a Dark Lord, but a total loss when it comes to women. I'm surprised Hermione hasn't torn her hair out by now."

"Two words, Potter: Cho. Chang."

Harry blanched. "Now, that wasn't all my fault. Part of it was that she was certifiable at the time."

"Coming from you that might be a compliment," Ron replied, and they both laughed.

Harry waved it away. "You were saying you weren't going back to Hogwarts..." He prompted.

There was an uncomfortable pause. "So what's this big errand of yours, Harry?" Ron asked, changing the subject.

Harry eyed his best-mate, noting how uncomfortable Ron had become. "Ah... Er... Well, it's something I've been thinking about since I got back from the solicitors. I told you I've inherited a couple of houses, yeah?" At Ron's nod, Harry continued. "Apparently, they hid the Muggles in one of them, and no one's ever gone to tell them they could go back to their own house."

"You mean Moldy-Wart's been dead for three months and no one's told the Muggles they could go back to their own house?" Ron laughed out loud. "Harry, that's brilliant. No... not merely brilliant... that's epic! So... want me to come along? "

"Yeah... I want to stop off at their house. You know, make sure things are okay there, then go and give them the news," Harry said. "I figure it won't take more than a couple of hours. I'll even buy you lunch afterward."

"Lunch sounds good," Ron confirmed.

XxxxxxX

A pair of loud cracks heralded their sudden appearance in the back garden of Number 4 Privet Drive. What they saw came as a shock. Harry studied the remains of the house for a moment, then the houses on either side.

"Looks like someone was really, really pissed off, Harry," Ron said. The entire top floor of the house was gone, and the rest had been left open to the air. The houses on the right and left were likewise damaged to the point that no one would be living there for a good while.

"It had to have been the Death Eaters," Harry muttered. "But why blow up the house? They were waiting for us in the air when we made our escape..."

"I remember," Ron said sourly. "Let's look around front." The two men walked around one side of the house, stepping over the remains of the wooden fence that had once separated its garden from the house next door. "I reckon they blew up the house just for laughs. They were Death Eaters, after all. Mad bunch, every one of them."

Harry nodded. It was as good an explanation as any. They'd reached the front of the house, and the damage didn't look any better. The entire house was surrounded by yellow tape bearing the words "Dangerous Area", as were the two beside it. "I certainly hope no one was hurt. I didn't know the Sixes or Twos at all, but..."

"Sixes and Twos?" Ron asked.

"Yeah." Harry pointed to the house on the right. "Number Two Privet Drive." He pointed again, to the house on the left. "Number Six Privet Drive. I never did learn the names of either family, so I always called them Mister and Missus Six and Two."

"Really? Huh." Ron took a look around the neighborhood. "It looks like no one wants to live here anymore. All those signs offering houses for sale." He was thoughtful for a moment. "You know... Hermione and I will need a place..."

"Trust me, Ron... there are better places to live than Little Whinging," Harry frowned. "This place always felt too... artificial... to me. Like everything was made of plastic and you couldn't just live here... like you were always on display."

"What's plastic?" Ron asked.

"Never mind."

"All right," Ron shrugged. "I suppose we could always get a place near Mum and Dad. Devon's not a bad place to live."

As the two returned to the back garden, Ron suddenly asked, "Got any idea about you and Ginny yet?"

Harry started. "Ron... we've only been engaged for a couple of hours. We're not getting married any time soon, so we have time to think on it, don't you agree?" He put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "Ready?"

Ron nodded. "At least..."

And they were gone...

XxxxxxX

"...you've got lots of choices," Ron said. They were suddenly at the top of a long green hill. Far below them, they could see a pair of rivers running into a bay, with a large sprawling village nearby. "If you want to live in London, you can get Grimmauld Place fixed up. It might be a good place to start a family. Or there's Hogsmeade... you've got a house there, right?"

Harry looked askance at Ron for a moment. "Ron... I've got the Shrieking Shack. It was my grand-parent's house. Dad let it get run down to hide Remus's 'monthlies'... It needs more than just a coat of paint."

Ron shrugged. "Yeah, but it's better than living in your parents' attic. So... where do you figure?"

Harry took a slip of parchment out of his pocket. "If that's Douglas, then we shouldn't be that far. We're after Number 12 Amslyon Way, Douglas Head. I suppose the easiest way is to go into town and ask directions."

Unfortunately for the two of them, getting directions was only half the problem. It turned out that the house they were looking for was not only on the outskirts of Douglas, it was on the opposite end of the town from the spot they had Apparated into. Eventually, Harry was able to talk Ron into taking the trolley, rather than Apparating at random and asking someone if they were close. And even then, the trolley deposited them nearly a kilometer from their destination.

Ron grumbled at the walking, but Harry found it refreshing. "Come on, Ron... it's a beautiful day! A walk won't kill you!"

"What's the good of being a wizard if you have to walk over half the countryside?" Ron muttered. "I mean, seriously..."

"I think that's it up there." They'd approached a multi-storied cottage in the middle of a large, green field. There was no immediate sign of life from the outside. They walked through the gate and up to the door, which had been painted a pleasant shade of green.

"You ready for this?" Ron asked. Harry had that hard-bitten look he always carried when he was walking knowingly into an unpleasant situation.

Harry shook his head after a moment. "No, but its best to get it over with." With that, he knocked on the door.

After a quick moment, the door opened. Petunia Dursley's eyes widened at the sight of Harry, and her face softened. "Harry...?" She brought one hand up, as if to touch him, but then caught herself. "Well... come in then. Come in." She actually managed to smile at him, briefly.

"Er... Aunt Petunia, this is my friend Ron. Ron Weasley," Harry began.

She took them into the parlor and gestured for them to sit. "So... is it over? Can we go home?"

Harry looked uncomfortable. "Well... um... how to say this... Yes and no. The war's over. We won."

Petunia sagged in her seat, clearly relieved. "And you're safe?" She nodded toward Ron, including him and his family in her question. Once again, Harry got the feeling that she was much more concerned than she would ever willingly show.

Ron was quiet. "Most of us, yes, ma'am."

Petunia clearly understood the implication. "You have my condolences, young man. So... what is the rest of it? You said yes and no."

"You can't exactly go home... they destroyed your house. It looks like they blew it up, in fact. Not only yours, but the houses to the left and right." Harry looked slightly guilty. "We just came from there... it's all gone. You'd have to have it torn down and rebuilt..."

Petunia looked shocked. "So... what's to become of us? We can't keep staying in this house... sooner or later the owner will want it back. And we had lives in Surrey..." She trailed off.

"I own the house, actually," Harry blurted out. "I... um... inherited it. It used to belong to my grandparents. You know, my dad's parents. The Potters." For a moment, Harry was on the verge of offering the house to the Dursleys. But just for a moment. The long memory of how he had been treated somehow ended any feelings of charity he felt to Petunia Dursley. "You can stay as long as you need."

"Vernon would hate knowing this is your house, you know. He'd absolutely hate it." Petunia was quiet for a long time. "I suppose it does explain why we had to have electricity run in, though."

Harry laughed. It sounded out of place. "Yes, I'm sure. Anyway, I thought it best to stop in and tell you what was going on. I can come back later in the week, after you and Vernon decide on what you want to do."

"That might be for the best." She stood, and the visit was abruptly over. "Well... I suppose you need to be going." Ron and Harry both followed her to the door. As they were leaving, she abruptly called to him. "Harry... I've... I miss Lily, you know. I always have."

Harry just nodded. Ron and Harry watched her close the door, then turned toward the gate. Standing there was a young man with short blonde hair, and a young woman with hair as dark as Harry's.

"Harry?" Dudley Dursley had finally lost the remnants of his baby fat, and indeed looked trim and fit. His arm was around the young lady's waist. "So... have you come back, Harry?"

"No, Dudley... I just came by for a visit." Harry's eyes searched Dudley's, but all he saw there was the same vague friendliness he'd seen the last time the pair were together. "This is my friend, Ron Weasley. We... Er..." Harry was at a loss. Dudley might know of the Wizarding world, but the young lady...

"I'm his best mate. We served together." Ron extended a hand. "You'd be Dudley. Harry's told me some about you." Ron didn't appear to be completely pleased to meet Dudley, but was trying his hardest to be polite.

"Nice to meet you, Ron. Harry, this is Darraty. Darraty Leece... we've been seeing each other." Dudley looked to Harry. "So it's safe? You're safe? Did you... You know... Did you do it?"

"Yeah. I did it. Everyone's safe. It's over."