Moments later the rest of the Order, including Lupin and Tonks, came in; dragging with them three struggling death eaters, one of them being McNair.
“These buggers tried to ambush us when we hit one of their detector spells. Got Emmeline mostly, but one of the hexes clipped Remus. We put a befuddlement charm on them so they can’t remember where they are or how they got here. Where’s Moody?” Tonks asked, keeping her wand aimed directly at McNair’s neck.
“He went into the living room with Wormtail. Said he was going to teach him a lesson about traitors,” Ginny said, grimacing as she imagined what it would be like to be one of Moody’s enemies.
The Aurors dragged the other three death eaters into the room and closed the door, leaving the rest of to ponder what was going on inside that room.
“Well, it’s already late, why don’t we have dinner. Joy and I have just finished up, there’s no point in waiting on an empty stomach.” Molly offered helpfully, ushering the hunger group once again into the kitchen, only this time there wasn’t the anxiety there had been when they had first arrived.
The rest of the evening passed quickly, everyone chatting or laughing over numerous stories of the twin’s exploits at Hogwarts. Joy and Emma were having a great time among their new friends; Joy had never met such kindhearted, happy people in her life. Although there was a war going on, which she’d gotten a taste of just hours before, this large family had a levity which was infectious. She couldn’t help but laugh at the two red headed twin’s antics.
Emma was immediately taken by her new friends, she was amazed that they were all witches and wizards and was excited that she’d be going to school with them in barely a week. She was also excited to go shopping at Diagon Alley, Harry said it was like no place she’d ever seen and promised to buy her an owl so that she could write her mom anytime she wanted to.
Well after 11 o’clock that night Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley came out of the living room with tired expressions on their faces.
“Well, we questioned them all, asked them all sorts of questions. Didn’t get much just some hints on what could be some plots to attack the Hogwarts Express. So we tied ‘em all together and portkeyed them to the ministry holding cells. They’ll be held there ‘til the Wizengamot can try them. Could’ve just accidentally let my wand slip and that would have saved the court a couple of weeks and a lot of gold.” Moody said shrugging. His comment would usually seem offensive or cruel, but not a single person in the room spoke up this time.
“What about where Voldemort is, did they tell you that?” Hermione asked hopefully.
Tonks shook her head as she helped herself to some of the leftover dinner, “Nope, not a bloody sentence. Didn’t really expect to though, Voldemort is smarter than that. He has to have it under the fidelius charm; it wouldn’t make sense for him not to.”
“At least we caught them, that means there’s four less minions of his running around killing people,” Harry said, looking over worriedly at Lupin who hadn’t said a thing since coming back in. Harry feared that his run in with Peter Pettigrew might have upset him. “Hey Moony could I ask you something? Over here I think I might have found some more of Sirius’ things.” Harry beckoned him outside the kitchen into the hallway.
“What did you find?” Lupin asked, trying to sound like normal but failing miserably.
“Moony, are you okay? You’ve looked upset ever since you came back from interrogating Wormtail,” Harry asked.
“I’m okay really. It’s just he said some things about your parents, and Sirius that made me upset. He said he couldn’t have cared less for Lily, James, and Sirius,” Lupin’s voice faltered, he was trying to hold back his grief, “he said he would have killed them I he had been given the chance.” Lupin looked up sadly at Harry, who also wore an expression of sorrow. “Why did we let him be the secret keeper? Even if Sirius couldn’t. I could have done it, what about Dumbledore? He could’ve…I gave your parents to Voldemort myself by letting the rat be their secret keeper.”
“Moony, come on…Remus!” Harry said, finally getting his new godfather’s attention, “you’re doing the same thing I’ve been doing. You couldn’t have done anything different. No one knew that Peter was going to betray them. It’s not your fault so stop blaming yourself.” Harry said with care in his voice, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Lupin looked up at the boy and smiled, “Looks like you’re the adult now. Wasn’t I telling you just that a little while ago?”
“I learned from the best, you showed me that it wasn’t really my fault. I just told you the same thing.” He said chuckling at the change in roles.
“I know you’ve heard this a million times, but you really are like your parents. You have the comradery of James, and the boundless heart of Lily. I’m sure they’d be very proud of you.” Lupin said, wiping his eyes off and smiling sadly at Harry. “Now come on, I need to get something to eat. I’m starving!”
A little later Molly decided that it was time for everyone to go off to bed, and started to shoo them out of the kitchen.
Harry and Ginny lagged behind, chatting quietly under their breath.
“What are we going to do? This Heartbond is too strong to sleep in separate beds, and we haven’t told your mum yet either? She’d skin me alive if she saw you sharing a bed with me. I can’t even imagine what Ron would do!” Harry said worriedly.
“Or the twins,” Ginny asked teasingly.
Harry’s face went into shock about forgetting the twins, “Gin’ you’re not helping.” He said rubbing his eyes.
“Harry I’m teasing you,” she said, “just go sleep in your room with Ron. I’ll go to my room with Hermione and Emma. When you do transport me there make a big commotion and say that it’s never happened before, that the Bond must be getting stronger. Then my mum will have to be cool with it. Now come on, it’s late and I’d like to spend at least some of this night asleep.” Ginny said grabbing Harry’s hand and leading him upstairs.
It was the same as the nights before his birthday, the dream of him and Ginny on a green hill having a picnic. Then as he leaned forward to kiss her he woke up to find Ginny once again laying on top of him smiling. Harry pretend yelped in surprise causing Ron, who was precariously balanced on the edge of his bed to fall off of it.
“Whatdahappenen?” Ron said thickly rubbing his head, then looking up at Harry’s bed he noticed Ginny. “Ginny! What are you doing here? What are you doing with my sister?” Ron said much more menacingly than normal for him, his fists were actually balled up.
“Ronald, calm down, he hasn’t done anything. One second I was asleep in my bed, dreaming, the next I was on top of Harry. Dumbledore did say the bond would get stronger and stronger as time passed, maybe its so strong now that it makes us have to be close.” Ginny offered placatingly to the still fuming Ron.
At that moment the twins and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ran into the room, looking for the cause of the trouble. When their eyes landed on Ginny laying on top of Harry in his bed their faces turned grave.
“Harry, how could you…I thought you would…” Molly started up but Ron stopped her.
“No mum, he didn’t do anything. It was this Heartbond thing, somehow it managed to transport Ginny from her bed to Harry’s. Ginny said that Dumbledore told them the bond would get stronger, maybe this is just that. I mean look at them, she’s on top of his covers right now.” Ron managed to get out before his mom could say anything more.
Molly took a moment to take in the situation then sighed, “I’m sorry dear. It’s just at first glance it looked a little…compromising. If Dumbledore said that this was going to happen then I guess we must take it for the truth. I just don’t know if I want my daughter sleeping in bed with you. No offense but she is my child.” She said.
This time Mr. Weasley spoke up, “Molly, they are bonded, that means they are fated for each other. No matter what they will end up sleeping in the same bed at sometime. Plus, I trust Harry with my life, seeing as he has already saved it once. I know he wouldn’t do anything to hurt Ginny. Why not let them share a bed, Ron will be in here too.” He said trying to sort this out so that both sides would be happy.
Molly was once again taken aback by her husband’s intelligence, not that she didn’t know he had it, but every once in a while he would say something that seemed fit to come out of Dumbledore’s mouth. She thought it over for several moments then nodded her head, “Fine, you can share a bed, but remember both of you this is just so you two can get a decent night’s sleep. We’ll talk about this more over breakfast when were not all tired.” Mrs. Weasley said as she headed out the door yawning.
The twins lagged behind grinning, “Harry just because you survived Voldemort doesn’t mean that you can escape us. You’ve been warned.” They then walked out the door murmuring in hushed tones about what Harry was sure to be some sort of elaborate plan to prank him.
