A moment of silence followed by a slurp from a cup followed by a clatter as the cup was placed back in its saucer before Arthur answered. "I'm not so sure. They both knew they were at least boyfriend and girlfriend and still they tried to come between them. No, I think it's best for us to leave and go back to the Burrow for the rest of the summer. As long as they are all in this house day after day, the animosity will never go away."
"But..."
"Sirius, Remus, Tonks, even Bill and Fleur are all on Harry and Hermione's side in this," Arthur continued. He took another sip of tea before continuing. "No, we need to get them out of this house. Besides, at the Burrow you have a wider range of chores to have Ron and Ginny to do in punishment. It's just too dangerous to do the same thing in this house."
Harry heard Molly give a sigh, "But what about protecting Harry? We're needed here."
"I'm sure after last night, it won't be difficult to get Tonks to move in here on a more permanent basis," Arthur replied. "With Bill and Fleur.." Molly sniffed but said nothing as Arthur continued, "here, that gives five wands when Remus is around and we saw that Harry will protect himself and Hermione."
"They are only kids Arthur," Molly argued.
"Molly look at what Harry has done and tell me you really think he is too young? He took on You-Know-Who.."
"But..." Molly didn't have an argument and silence fell on the two adult Weasleys. Finally Molly found another line of argument. "Who'll cook for them and make sure they keep this place clean?"
"Kreacher has been doing much better," Arthur said. "He's been cleaning a lot more and I think he can cook for them as well," Arthur said.
"I don't trust him," Molly protested.
"Well Fleur can cook," Mr. Weasley said.
"French cooking you mean. Harry is a growing boy and needs real food."
"Harry seemed to like her cooking this morning," Arthur said and continued before his wife could retort. "Tell you what, we'll go back for a couple of weeks and check back in here every couple of days and see how it's going. If you're needed here, I'll stay with Ron and Ginny at the Burrow and you move back."
"Well..." Molly replied hesitantly but finally, "I guess, but shouldn't we ask Dumbledore?"
"We will tell him of course, but if he is truly concerned then we can see if Fred and George will stay here as well," Arthur said. "Molly we have to get Ginny and Ron out of this house at least for a while."
"He should be sending Ginny to St. Mungos," Harry said. "And Ron out into the wilderness in a tent with only mushrooms to eat."
"And do you think any of them will prevent Harry from just walking out the door?" Molly asked.
"Harry hasn't given us any trouble since he got here," Arthur argued. "He's acted rebellious but that's to be expected from a teenager. I think he understands the gravity of the danger. Especially after we got attacked," Arthur sighed. "I still can't believe Yaxley was a Death Eater."
"Let's go," Harry said. "I don't want Molly to see me and think of any reasons to stay."
When they were back in Harry's room, Hermione dove into the cabinet and within five minutes had returned with a plateful of sandwiches and chips prepared by the house-elves.
....
It was early afternoon when Minerva McGonagall sat down wearily at her desk. She had just returned from a prearranged escort of a first year muggleborn student to Diagon Alley. It seemed every year the children she escorted had more and more energy while she had less and less. The shopping district had transformed in the last few weeks since the Ministry had recognized the return of Voldemort. Aurors were everywhere while several stores had closed their doors as their owners, having lived through the last war, fled for safer places. Wands had become a most troublesome commodity to obtain for the students. Without Ollivander, the new students were forced to shop at lesser wandmakers whose products could be less than satisfactory.
It was only after McGonagall had pulled out a quill to mark the student's name off of her list that she noticed an envelope sitting on her desk. She instantly recognized the clear handwriting that appeared on the front. McGonagall immediately opened the envelope and pulled out the parchment.
Professor McGonagall,
I apologize for interrupting you during the summer, but I felt it was imperative that I inform you of my intentions if Professor Dumbledore continues in the misguided efforts to keep Ronald Weasley as prefect in defiance to what you had stated your desires to be. Due to the animus which exists between Ron, Harry and myself, I would find it impossible to continue in the position of authority that you have entrusted in me. Not only would I be unable to work with Ronald, but would in fact consider it an insult to be considered his equal.
I should pause for a moment to disclose all that has happened today which brought about this revelation for I am sure you will be presented with a differing or less detailed version from Professor Dumbledore. This morning, that is thirty June, with the expressed permission of my mother and Sirius, I was sleeping in my husband's bed. Ginevre Weasley entered the room without our permission under the guise of bringing Harry breakfast in bed, but in truth she was attempting to provide high level attitude modification potions to Harry. We know that she had four potions in her possession, including love, jealousy and even lust inducing ones (see attached list for the names of the potions). She had laced the cup of pumpkin juice with some combinations of those potions.
"No," Minerva gasped but then continued to read.
....
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