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Chapter 237 - CH 237

"Sirius! Language!" scolded Hermione.

"I am not a... well, you know!" retorted Harry, as Hermione gave him a hard look. "I didn't even know he was at work."

Sirius laughed a little and said, "Don't worry about it, Pup. Moony loves his job and is hard at work with the staff and board determining who is to be offered the first scholarships. Other than at your parents' wedding, I've never seen him happier.

"They needed Filius present and he could only add his expertise during the Easter break. He'll be here in a little while. And he's looking forward to seeing you, again."

After their afternoon tea, the adult Grangers exchanged hugs with the teens and bid the three bondmates a good stay at the Black House before they followed Sirius back out to their cars. So was the nature of the Notice-me-not charms on the cars that even they couldn't see them.

However, as soon as Sirius dispelled the charms, the Grangers hopped in, pulled them back onto the road and drove away.

When Sirius came back inside he was madly grinning and rubbing his hands together.

"Alright, Potters!" he said. "Any plans for during your time here I need to be aware of?"

"Now that we're out from under the roofs of my in-laws..." said Harry, with a leer at his wives.

"Harry!" both girls exclaimed, scandalised, before both also blushed.

Sirius just barked with laughter.

By the time Sirius, accompanied by the Greengrasses and with Astoria, escorted the three back to Kings Cross, Harry was happy he'd been able to spend so much time with him. This timeline, at least, whenever they started to talk it wasn't soon thereafter interrupted by one of the Weasleys; who were pretty much hell-bent on keeping them apart.

The four spent evening hours sitting in the revived parlour of the Black House talking about the Marauders and, specifically, Harry's parents.

After one of their talks focussing on Lily, Hermione asked, "I really am a lot like her, aren't I?"

"Yes, dear; you are," smiled Sirius.

Before they left Black House Sirius gave them a small book to read called, 'Your Inner Animal'.

"It's a book about animaguses, together with the known risks and benefits," he said. "I know it's not something you've decided you'd like to try; however, I'd like you to read that before you reach a decision one way or the other."

"Thank you," said Harry.

"Just remember; if you have any questions, I can probably provide the answers," he said. "Just don't approach Minnie about this. She's still very much annoyed with your father and me about doing it while we were still students. She'd demand you not try it while at school."

"We won't," said Hermione; which showed how little faith she still held in Professor McGonagall.

While they were waiting on the platform and talking to the adults, the three were approached by Arthur Weasley. They could see the four Weasley school-aged children all standing back and watching. Fred and George were grinning, Ron was angry and Ginny was staring at Harry with longing.

"May I have a word with you and your wives, Mister Potter?" he asked.

After a visual check with his wives, Harry replied, "Certainly, Mister Weasley."

The three pulled apart from Sirius and the other Greengrasses just enough that their discussion would not be overheard.

The three waited for Mister Weasley to then gather his thoughts and say his piece.

Eventually, he said, "Mister Potter... Harry... I hope you understand I had no idea what Molly was up to or planning. Since I have become... freed... of the effects of the potion she was slipping me, I've come to realise I do not love her. If anything, I now find myself despising her. I have filed for an in absentia divorce based on the use of those love potions."

"I thought she'd be released by now," said Hermione. "After all, the six months should have expired, by now."

"It has," he replied. "However, I will not have her back at The Burrow. I think she's staying with her Aunt Muriel."

He gave himself a bit of a shake and said, "But, that's not your concern. I just wanted to assure you that the Weasleys, as a family, despise what Molly attempted to do. And, now that I'm free of potions myself, I find myself utterly appalled at what she was planning on accomplishing."

"Mister Weasley," said Harry. "While I know it was fundamentally Molly's plan to potion me and have me marry Ginevra, it was not difficult for me to come to the logical conclusion that Ronald and Ginevra were willing... I daresay eager... co-conspirators. And, from the expressions on both their faces as you were asking us for a word, it was not difficult to tell they'd go right back to being co-conspirators if they thought they could get away with it." When Arthur seemed about to object, Harry continued, "I know that the only reason both were not more harshly punished as a result of that trial is because of backroom shenanigans by Dumbledore, calling in favours or promising others. It was not difficult to hear Molly's whole testimony and determine it was carefully prepared to ensure your two youngest were able to slip out of receiving suitable and well-deserved punishment.

"Hells bells, neither of them, even now, believe they've done anything wrong! Ronald is still operating under an overblown sense of personal entitlement about being born a pureblood and believes only he can be the friend of Harry Potter, and that he's been wronged by being caught; hence the expression of hate on his face even now. And, Ginevra was brain-washed by Molly into believing it was her destiny to marry the mythical Boy-Who-Lived; hence her expression of pained longing for me."

Arthur seemed to think about that for a moment before he quickly spun around, and saw those exact expressions. He glared at them both, for a moment forcing both to look away, before he turned back to Harry with a look of sadness. "I'm sorry," he quietly said.

"Look, Mister Weasley," said Harry, a little softer. "I'm very grateful to you, the twins... even Percy... for being there for me in my first, second and third year summers. You even invited Hermione and me to join your family to attend the Quidditch World Cup. And I know you did that for no more reason than you're really good people. But, what those three did? That's unforgivable. They used me, manipulated me and... as I see it... poisoned me and Hermione. And they planned on continuing to do that until they got what they wanted."

"I know, Harry," sighed Arthur. "However, that did not absolve me of apologising to you as Head of House Weasley."

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