Promises

"What was that?" Harry asked Dumbledore, taking a few steps towards him.

"Rodolphus Lestrange, the man who risked his life for Voldemort during your final battle. It was him, wasn't it?" Dumbledore answered. Harry nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's as I had thought. Voldemort's highest ranking followers have joined together once more and founded an elite group of wizards to finish Voldemort's job. I'm afraid they're going to be coming after you a few more times, Harry. You're just going to have to do your best to survive."

"What do you mean? Are you saying that you, or anyone else for that matter, is going to help me stop these guys? They're going to try to destroy the world!" Harry slammed his fists hard on Dumbledore's desk. He was more than just angry at Dumbledore. Why wouldn't he want to help?

"Well, Harry, I would love to help, but the thing is, I can't. And neither can anyone else. These men aren't out for the whole community of non-purebloods. They're out for one person, you. And I'm sorry, but there really isn't much we can do to protect you. The Order has broken up. There aren't too many ex-members left, and those who are, don't have the energy or strength to protect you everyday. You just need to keep an eye out. You need to be wary."

"But--"

"No 'buts', Harry. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lunch to attend in the Great Hall. You're welcome to join us if you wish."

"We'd better be--"

"We'd love to," Ginny interrupted Harry, nudging him in the side. They followed Dumbledore out his office door and down the staircase that led to the corridor right outside the Great Hall. Students were staring at them as they walked through the doors and to the staff table. Harry even thought he saw a few kids he had once known when he was at Hogwarts as well as the one person he didn't really feel like talking to at that moment. Severus Snape.

They both sat down at the other end of the table, farthest away from Snape, the one teacher they had hated all throughout their days at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall was sitting on the other side of Dumbledore, who was sitting in the center of the staff table as usual. They chose to sit next to Hagrid, who was already beginning to stuff his face with tiny sandwiches piled on a plate in front of each seat. Hagrid was just as big as Harry remembered him. Though Hagrid did show up for their wedding, Harry didn't really have a chance to talk to him at all, for he was unconcious only a quarter of the way through the reception.

"Hey Hagrid!" Ginny squealed with delight as she sat down next to her favorite professor from Hogwarts. He was still the Care of Magical Creatures professor there; he had been since Harry's third year.

"'Ello there, Ginny! 'Ello 'Arry!" Hagrid roared in his same booming voice.

"How are ya doing these days, Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"I'm doin' mighty fine there, 'Arry," the large half-man, half-giant answered. He was just as excited as ever to see Harry again. They had been very close ever since Harry's first trip to Diagon Alley. He had seen Hagrid at least twice a year, once at Christmas time and once around his birthday.

"Well that's good to hear. I'm doin' pretty good myself, except for the fact that there are some very strange people out to kill me. I'm sure Dumbledore will fill you in a little later," Harry replied. Just then, Dumbledore stood up from his spot as Professor McGonagall tapped her glass with her fork.

"Attention, students! We have a few guests here with us for lunch, Mr. Harry Potter, and Mrs. Virginia Potter. Why don't you all give them a big old Hogwarts welcome!" Dumbledore said to the on-looking crowd. He looked over at Harry and Ginny and just smiled at them.

Roars of applauds were heard from the students, and many sparks flew throughout the air as the students made them appear from their wands. Colors of green erupted from the Slytherin table, red sparks flew up from Gryffindor, yellow from Hufflepuff, and blue from the Ravenclaw table. Harry laughed at the students; Hogwarts students hadn't changed a bit since he was there.

As lunch came to a conclusion, Dumbledore walked them out to the gates of the school grounds. The sun was beaming down upon them, and the sky was clear from all clouds.

“Remember what I said, Harry. Keep your eyes open for anything suspicious. Don’t be overly cautious though, that will only do harm to your personal engagements,” Dumbledore reminded him. Harry nodded in understanding, and led Ginny out of the castle gates into the town of Hogsmeade.

They walked down the roads of Hogsmeade, though puddles were formed from the previous night’s rainfall, and were visible all along the streets. The bottoms of their robes had become rather wet from the puddles, and from the way the water splashed when their feet came in contact with a patch of mucky water.

Zonko’s was no longer present in Hogsmeade, nor any other place in the world. Instead, in its place, was another Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. Fred and George had opened the new shop in Harry’s seventh year after seeing how much business they were getting in Diagon Alley. The couple walked inside the shop, and saw Fred behind the counter, flipping through a catalog for potion ingredients.

“Hey Fred,” Harry greeted his brother-in-law. Fred looked up from the catalog and grinned when he saw who is customers were.

“Hey Harry! Hey Ginny!” Fred walked out from behind the counter. The store was empty except for one customer who was busy flicking around a fake wand. The kid was very young, and Harry knew that he hadn’t even begun going to Hogwarts yet.

“Fred, I just wanted to let you know that I might be in a bit of trouble. You see, the reason they let me out of St. Mungo’s so early was because I was attacked. Some of the former Death Eaters broke into the hospital and they tried to kill me, or just severely injure me to the point of insanity. I’m not sure which… But that’s not the point. I just wanted to let you know that if you don’t hear from me for a while, you should probably alert Dumbledore. He’ll know what to do,” Harry said. The window behind him crashed, and Harry saw two men jump through the frame of the broken window with their wands pointed at Ginny.

"So, we meet again, Mr. Potter," a voice crept up from behind him. Harry whipped around and saw Lucius Malfoy staring him down. Harry seethed with hatred as a grin spread across Lucius' face. Harry was reaching for his wand when Lucius told him, "If you even try to do anything, my men with instantaneously make Mrs. Weasley, here, suffer."

"Her name's Mrs. Potter," Harry corrected him, not moving an inch.

"Ha, you think you're so smart. I see you grabbing your wand. Remember what I told you before. If you try to harm me, Mrs. Potter will suffer."

Harry looked around the shop, and saw the two original men still pointing their wands at Fred and Ginny.

"Do you, Mr. Harry Potter, promise to take care of Miss Weasley through all of eternity?" A voice rang through his ears, and he could not help but hang his head down. He would not break his promise. He had said he would take care of her, and he was not one to go back on his word.

"You will not hurt her," Harry said with pride, staring back into the eyes of Lucius Malfoy, the man he had battle many times before.

"Through good times and bad?" This certainly was not a good time, and he would protect her in these times of evil. He would not let her be harmed.

"You will not lay a finger on her!" Harry yelled at the top of his lungs, inhaling and exhaling deeply. His temper was flaring, just as it had many times before. These men were getting on his last nerve, and he would not stand for something as evil as this.

"Through illness and mourning?"

"There will be no mourning," he thought to himself, still concentrating on Malfoy's eyes and hands. He could tell Malfoy was clutching his wand in the inside pocket of his cloak. He, himself, grabbed his wand from his pocket, and whipped it out, pointing it right at his attacker's head. "Will you really hurt her? I don't think you will!" Harry shouted. With a sharp flick and jab of his wand, there was an explosion. When the smoke cleared, only Harry, Ginny, and Fred were left standing in the center of the store.

"C'mon Ginny, let's get out of here," Harry said very calmly, leading the way out of the shop. People were staring through the window of the store, looking at the men who were lying there on the floor. Harry pushed his way through the crowds and Ginny followed him.

Harry led her to The Three Broomsticks where they sat down at a table and waited for Madame Rosmerta to come and serve them.

"Do you remember this place, Harry? This was where we shared our first kiss! But it was so much different back then..." Ginny let out a sigh, and Harry could tell she was busy reliving their first kiss. He too remembered it, and he remembered how nervous he was that day. He remembered how he had dreamt about kissing her the night before their first kiss, and he remembered how his dream had come true, just as he had thought.

Madame Rosmerta walked over promptly, and took their order.They each ordered a butterbeer, and it wasn't long before Madame Rosemerta was walked back over to their table with two butterbeers in hand.

After they were finished, they left apparated home, where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were waiting for them.

"Ginny! Harry! Oh, I'm so glad you're alright!" Mrs. Weasley said, grabbing the two and pulling them into a giant Mrs. Weasley Oh-I'm-so-glad-you're-alright hug. "Fred's just told us what happened. We were so worried!"

"We're alright, Mom. Just let go of us now," Ginny told her mother, pulling her mother's arms off of her. "Listen, we're fine. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to get some sleep. It's been a long day."

"Oh fine. Go get some rest, you look like you need it," Mrs. Weasley said. The two love-birds went up the stairs and into their bedroom, shutting their door, and listening for the faint crack of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley apparating away.