FicWad

They made it back before the twins did, but only barely. "Found them both then, did you Ron?" Fred asked cheerfully, but George frowned thoughtfully and elbowed his twin in the side when he noticed Ginny's white knuckled grip on Harry's hand. They had no time for an interrogation, however, because their worried mother emerged in that moment to distribute generalised worried scoldings and warnings about going too far from the house and not staying where someone could find them, after all, what if there was an accident and they needed help, and oh dear, I just knew something horrible had happened, so please don't do that again... and whatever is wrong? And what did you do to your robe, dear?

"And Ronald! What happened to your hair! Is that blood?"

"It's mud, Mum," Ginny said hurriedly. "He fainted."

Molly looked even more confused and worried, but Fred and George looked at each other for a moment, then turned suspicious eyes on Harry, obviously considering the sorts of sights that could make their little brother swoon.

"I think he should sit down, Mum."

"I think we all should," George added.

"I think they're right," Harry said.

"Of course he should," Molly agreed anxiously, herding them into the parlor. Two feet inside the door, she stopped, frowning. "Yes. And then you are all going to explain what you all seem to know that I don't," she said, firmly. "Now sit!"

She waited while they all, with varying degrees of anxiety, arranged themselves on the furniture. Harry sat at one end of the sofa, and Ginny sat plastered against him, not quite in his lap but as close as she could get without actually being so. Ron perched nervously and unhappily beside them on the sofa, and the twins took up positions in the armchairs flanking them, adopting a very inquisitorial attitude. Molly sat on the edge of a battered old ottoman and looked at each one of them searchingly, her lips pursed with tension. Finally, she said. "Well? Out with it."

Harry took a deep breath. "We're not quite sure what happened."

"I think you better call Dad--" George said.

"She's got blood on her robes." Both twins were looking at Harry with a decidedly unfriendly expression. Fred held up a small red stone. "We made this--"

"It tells what any given stain is," George finished. "Ink, perfume, oil--"

"Or blood. So we could tell what's a joke and what isn't."

"This isn't."

"It's a long story," Harry said. "And George is right. Mr. Weasley needs to be here for it."

"But it was still an accident," Ginny added, glaring at her brothers. "And I'm not hurt. At all. So the two of you shut it. You've got no business acting like that, and if you don't stop it right now I'm going to start listing reasons why."

"She's still prickly," Fred said.

"True," his brother agreed. "So she can't be terribly hurt."

"Of course, that only excuses the blood."

"Quite right. But the gel does know how to make life difficult, old boy, you must admit."

"Also true. However, there comes a time when good men have to simply take one for the team. When need be."

"When need be. But we still need Dad. After all, it's properly his job."

"Agreed." They both looked at their mother expectantly.

Molly rubbed at her temples. "Fred. George. Out. Go on. Floo your father and see if he can get away. It's not very early anyway. Don't say anything stupid. No jokes boys. Now shoo."

"But Mum!"

"We just--"

"Out." Her tone had reached that absolutely-pointless-to-argue-against state, and they both recognised it. So, with reluctant grumbles and pointed looks, they departed.

"Now, you were saying, Harry?" Molly asked.

Harry glanced at Ginny uncertainly. "Mr. Weasley really does need to be here."

"Perhaps," she said. "But wouldn't you really rather tell me first, just for a bit of practice, dear?"

"Gin?" Harry asked.

_"Whatever you want, love. Mum makes the decisions (bossy, love her but bossy), really, anyway. Dad (poor sweet Dad more accepting than I could be) just backs her up, unless he really feels strongly on something." She curled her fingers around his arm, just above his elbow, and the skin-to-skin contact eased a part of his tension he hadn't realised was there until that instant. "It's up to you. If you'd be more comfortable, either way."_

"Well, like I said, we're not sure what exactly happened," Harry said.

"Then tell me what you do know, dear," Molly suggested gently.

"Well, we were, um, kissing, and I put my hand on her, um, stomach, and... there was something sharp, and it cut us, and...." He trailed off, not sure how to say it.

"Alright? That doesn't sound too bad..."

"There was... I'm not sure what happened. But now I can feel her," Harry said.

Molly's eyebrows rose. "I think you should explain what you mean by that," she said cautiously.

"It's my fault," Ginny said softly. "I wouldn't believe what he was telling me, and I wouldn't believe that he understood what I was trying to tell him. And he really just wanted to convince me."

"And?" Molly prompted.

Ginny sighed. "I had a piece of obsidian in my pocket. I was going to transfigure it into a knife for potions class... some things take an obsidian blade, and I wanted my own. But I should have wrapped it better, because it came undone, and cut us both, and well, it was probably mostly the blood, and the surprise, and he was still thinking of our idiotic, unnecessary argument."

She sighed again. "So. Like I said, it's my fault. But I don't think it can be undone. Not if you want us alive and sane, anyway. I can feel him. He can feel me. If we concentrate, we can 'hear' each other without talking." That was a tiny bit of a lie... in actuality, finding the level where they wouldn't hear each other's thoughts had been the part that required concentration. "And... and I love him," she said softly. "And I can't stand to feel him hurting or scared. So I'm really sorry, but I won't accept anything that would separate us. I think it would drive me quite mad."

"Oh Merlin," Molly whispered, her face deathly pale. "What have you children done?"

Arthur Weasley stepped out of the fireplace in time to hear the last of that, and dashed over to her. He wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, reaching into his pocket to check his wand with the other. "What's wrong, Molly?" He scanned the dour faces quickly, then both arms went around her. "Now, it can't be that bad, can it really? Kids do get in trouble, Molly, you know that by now. As long as it's not fatal, everything will be fine."

"She's just fourteen! Oh Arthur!"

His eyebrows went up as he patted her on the back, and he glanced from Harry to Ginny. "Oh. I see. Still, love. It's not the end of the world. They do grow up, you know. Fast in these times."

She swatted at him, pushing away. "I don't mean that! I wouldn't be upset over that. Well, not very upset. I do remember being a teenager, and in love, after all." Then her chin quivered, and she grabbed him again. "But it's ever so much worse!"

Arthur closed his eyes, a muscle ticking beside his right eye, then took a deep breath. Then, in a long-suffering-but-determined-to-be-rational voice, asked, "Alright, then. When's it due?"

Ginny slipped her arm around Harry's waist as he sat there, pale and shivering. "It's going to be fine, love." she sent. "Dad, I'm not pregnant," she said, calmly. "Mum's upset because Harry and I ended up being... well, emotionally bound together by a bit of accidental magic. I don't object. He doesn't object. It was really my fault, anyway. But Ron flipped out, and he was scared when we came in, and that set the twins off, and, well... it's been very tense. But honestly, it's not really a problem."

Arthur groped behind him for a chair, but since there wasn't one, he ended up precariously perched on the edge of the footstool with Molly. "I see," he said, faintly. "Ginevra, there aren't any legal spells to do that. What did you do, honey?"

"I'm not worried about it being legal, Arthur!" Molly exclaimed, with fresh tears. "I'm worried about what's going to happen to her! To both of them! Oh, my poor little lambs..."

"So am I, Molly, and part of that is not wanting either of them going to gaol. Now, what spell did you use, Ginny?"

She shook her head. "It wasn't a spell. Neither of us even touched a wand, Dad. We were both cut by a bit of sharp stone in my pocket, and the magic just... flared up. And then we were in each other's heads." Her expression grew dreamy for a moment. "It was wonderful, too..."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "They may end up demanding to check the wands, but if that's what happened, then it was obviously accidental," he said, mostly to himself. "And if both of them are happy about it, then they'll see there's no harm done. Besides, who knows if it will even last long enough to get discovered? Could just be a temporary thing, nothing to worry about. There, Molly, it's not the end of the world, see?"

"It's not temporary," Ginny said, softly but firmly. "And it's not going away. So you'd best get used to it. Harry, show him your hand. My scar's harder to get to."

Harry held out his hand, and the ring on his little finger caught his attention. "Oh! You never took your ring....!"

"Ring?! I say, hold on a moment!" Arthur looked slightly panicked. "Don't be hasty. It might have scarred because you cast the healing charm improperly. That's not your best spell, Ginny."

Ginny took Harry's hand in both of hers and lifted it to kiss the scar on his palm. "Nobody cast a healing charm. And the blood disappeared, any of it that was on our skin. I know what that means, do you want me to get my textbook and show you?"

Arthur shook his head, suddenly looking tired. "No, dear. I know as well as you do."

Ron, lagging a bit behind, sat bolt upright. "Ring? You didn't say anything about... Harry, you can't just do that! You have to ask her father first! And then you've got to be officially introduced to the family, and they all get a chance to speak up if they think you're unsuitable. And then the girl's dad makes the decision, and if he says yes, then you can ask her. That's the way it works!"

"Ron, weren't you listening?" Harry asked.

"It's still the way it's done!" Ron insisted indignantly. "It's tradition! It shows respect. It makes the girl feel valued by both her suitor and her family. It's the respectable way to do things!"

"Ron, you're an idiot," Ginny said, mildly, then turned to her mother. "He's an idiot, Mum," she repeated. "He doesn't think very much."

"Yes, I know dear," Molly said, with a tight smile on her face. "But I love him anyway."

Arthur cleared his throat. "Some traditions are... ah... 'outdated relics of a strongly patriarchal society which treated women like chattel' and, um, 'we have far too many reminders of that today as it is'." he said, carefully. "You should remember that, Ron. Especially around Christmas time, when you'll notice that all of the cards we receive are addressed from people named 'Weasley' rather than 'Prewett'. Except for Bilius, of course." His face grew stern as he looked at Harry. "Not that there aren't good reasons for some traditions, however," he added.

Harry swallowed.

"I don't care if he marries me or not. There's not an oath that could be more binding than what we already feel. And official documentation is just for the sake of, well, pedigree. Which is stupid," Ginny said, then gave her father a sweet smile. "However, you might be far more comfortable if you let him do so, because I don't intend to waste the time we have pretending to be anything else but life-mates. I imagine the gossip would be quite dreadful."

Twitch, twitch, twitch, went the poor little muscle. "Ginevra," he began, then took another deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Finally, he opened them again and looked at Harry. "Alright, then. She's talked a lot. You haven't said anything. So talk. I want to hear your opinion on all of this from you. Not her. Because while it's true that not all witches need parental permission to marry, those who are under the legal age do, so if you want it, convince me it's a good idea."

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Mr. Weasley," he said, opening his eyes, "I love her. I wish I'd realised who she truly was a long time ago, but I was an idiot, and just thought of her as 'Ron's little sister'. And now Voldemort's back, and we don't know how long we'll have. Both Ginny and I have defeated him, and he takes that as a personal affront. And she's right. We're married already, in every way that matters. It wasn't intentional, but I wouldn't change it if I could."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "And what do you intend to do if I say yes?"

"I plan to love her for the rest of my life, and protect her as much as she'll let me," Harry said.

That prompted a tiny smile, just the barest twitch of the corner of Arthur's mouth. "Yes. Well. Good luck with that," he murmured quietly, then straightened again. "Good to hear, but I rather meant in more practical terms, young man. Have you thought about what comes afterward?"

"In what sense?" he asked. "Supporting her, or something else?"

"In every sense. It won't be easy," Arthur said. "You have the finances, yes, but there will be other difficulties. Living arrangements during the school year, for example. Or, if you intended either of you to leave school, had you considered the consequences of that? How do you intend to protect her from the enemies she will acquire along with your name?"

Harry shook his head. "We're going to school," he said. "We need to learn everything we can. As for enemies, really, we have more or less the same set anyway."

Mr. Weasley took off his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I suppose, given her intentions, making things 'official' wouldn't really change that, anyway. But you realise that, as you are underage as well, you'll have to either have your legal guardian's approval or a court order to marry her?"

Harry frowned. "Who's my legal guardian now?"

"Ah... that's a very good question, actually," Arthur said. "Possibly still your uncle. If not, then... either the Ministry, so by extension, Minister Fudge, or possibly Dumbledore."

"Like bloody hell!" Harry snapped. "I will not have him be my guardian!"

"Easy," Ginny warned in his head. "Don't give yourself away. We'll get your uncle's permission. Trust me."

"He stuck me with the Dursley's for fifteen years!" Harry said, as if he hadn't heard her. "Absolutely not."

"Now, Harry, I'm not that fond of Fudge, ei-- Oh. I see. Well, that is understandable," Arthur said, nodding grimly. "However, if I were to file guardianship papers for you for Molly and I, then I'm not sure you could legally marry Ginny. Not until both of you were 18, in any event. Dumbledore would, at least, understand the reality of the situation and agree if he understood that you had our permission, I believe."

Harry frowned. "I don't know. He left me there!"

Ginny rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, twining her fingers with his. "He could repudiate them," she suggested softly. "The Dursleys. If he does it before they've selected another guardian, they'd have to prove he was incompetent if they wanted to assign another. And he could request an Ordeal, rather than a hearing."

"What?" Harry asked.

Arthur stared, and Molly seemed shocked. "Ginevra! Where did you even hear of such a thing? Those old rituals are dangerous!"

"Not all of them, Mum," she said, shrugging. "And not all of them are illegal now, either. Repudiation isn't even that uncommon. It's just the Ordeal that most people think is illegal now, but really it isn't."

"Gin?" Harry asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Repudiation is only used in the most dire of circumstances, Harry. If a young wizard just can't live with things his family has done, he can declare himself... well, not their ward. An adult," Arthur said. "Usually the family disinherits him, of course. And to do so requires a hearing before the Ministry, and their agreement." His face was grim. "Or, as she said, an Ordeal. But as many young wizards died in their Ordeal as won it. That's why it's not used anymore."

"Mr. Weasley, I can't live with the things they did," Harry said.

"Well, no, Harry, but... Most of it isn't actually illegal, really," Arthur said, miserably. "The only reason we could get you removed is that they're Muggles, to be honest, and even if familial law is strict, there's an off-the-books policy about not leaving wizards to be raised by Muggle families if they just don't understand them or they're afraid of them. And the fact that no one's sure exactly why they agreed to take you, as well, since Lily and James certainly didn't leave you to them officially helps... But the fact is that Repudiation is usually something like... well, suppose that boy of Malfoy's was more like you or Ron. He could Repudiate his father and if he provided enough evidence that Malfoy was convicted, then the Board might even reinstate him as the Malfoy heir afterward. Just being treated badly isn't something they'll consider good enough, I'm afraid."

"Gin?" Harry asked.

"It's up to you. But the Ordeal is supposed to measure your convictions, test whether or not what you believe in is really more important to you than your ties to your family. You have no ties to those people."

"So it should be easy, then?" he asked. "What reason would be good enough?"

"You don't need a reason for trial by Ordeal," she told him. _"Anyone can demand it. It's a basic right. That's the only reason I suggested it. (but what if I'm wrong!) But... it may be easier to just scare them into giving you permission, (the books were genuine, I know they were...) and we can't be sure about the nature of the Ordeal. It hasn't been used in hundreds of years. (and what if the books were just plain wrong! Why did I mention it?) Let's do that, love. You never have to go back to them. There's no reason to be nice to them."_

"I want to repudiate them," Harry said quietly. "I want to ensure I can never be forced to go back to them."

He felt her surge of fear tinged with guilt, but she just nodded. "If that's what you want. You know I'll support you."

"I do."

Arthur sighed. "You know that a hearing likely won't go your way, don't you?" he asked. "Oh, they'll take custody away from the Dursleys, but they won't let you stand on your own, if they do. They'll just remove their custody, not allow Repudiation, which leaves you exactly where you'd be anyway in just a few days."

"I don't want a hearing. I want an Ordeal."

Ginny leaned against him, trembling just slightly, while her parents stared at him in shock, and Ron made a strangled protest. "That... that is still any person's right," Arthur said, reluctantly. "By law, no one can stop you. But I didn't exaggerate the odds. Is it really worth it?"

Harry looked at Ginny. "I won't, if you don't want me to."

"It has to be your decision," she said. "I... I'm almost certain it shouldn't be dangerous for you, but I can't be certain. But... if I started trying to protect you from every risk you feel is needed, you'd hate me." She smiled weakly. "You might still love me, too, but you'd hate me. And you wouldn't be you if you didn't do what you felt you had to."

Harry took a deep breath. "I want an Ordeal."

She swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll stand by you when you declare yourself. And I'll be waiting by the door until you come out. And if you don't come out... wait for me. I'll be there soon."

"I love you," he whispered.

"Do you want a priest, a wizard lord, or a Ministry official waiting with me?" she asked, her eyes glassy with tears. "Because I will be damned if I will give anyone any time to come up with more objections!"

"Your father will be with us."

"True, if he's going to cooperate," she agreed, and looked over at her father challengingly.

"Ginny..." Arthur stopped, and took off his glasses again, and looked at her with soft brown eyes just a shade or two darker than her own. "I won't say that I wouldn't prefer things were different. That all of this could have waited. You're too young. He's too young. Your mother and I are too young to lose you so soon." Molly sniffed, and he put an arm around her, pulling her against his side. "But what we want more than anything else, what we've always wanted, is for you to be happy." He swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment. "I'd say safe, too, but that's... not a possibility right now. No one's safe. Not a single person in the world. And because of that... I couldn't make you wait, honey. I couldn't live with myself if I did, and something happened, and then it was my fault you'd never had that chance. You love the boy, and he may even actually be good enough for you. You have my blessing, and you may accept his token." He smiled wryly. "Not that you wouldn't do whatever you wanted, anyway, and we all know it, but an old man likes to pretend."

Ginny turned to Harry, her eyes shining with happiness even through their glistening coat of tears. He felt the relief, the tension draining from her. He hadn't even realised how much she wanted her parents to approve... she hadn't let herself think about it, hadn't let herself have either hope or fear.

He slipped the ring off his finger, and held it out to her. "Marry me."

"I have always been yours. I always will be," she whispered, and offered him her hand.

His hands didn't shake as he slid the ring on her finger, despite the almost overwhelming feeling of disbelief that said this couldn't possibly be happening, not to him, surely it must be a cruel dream, and some horrible reality would intrude any moment. He didn't care... he'd take the dream as long as he could cling to it. Even the dream of this feeling, of the love he saw mirrored in full in her eyes, that he could feel with every bit of his soul, was worth any price. The ring slid into place, and he wrapped his hand around hers, his eyes never leaving her face.

A bell chimed, pure and sweet, the tone ringing in their ears, around them, green and gold light swirled, sparkling with bits of rainbow iridescence. Everything seemed to disappear for a moment, all sensations vanishing except for the warmth of their clasped hands, and then the sound ended, and they hung suspended in a black void, alone, but complete. Then, around them, there was the hint of movement, and Harry could hear whispers, faint but growing stronger. Happy, proud, loving whispers. Barely felt, ghostly fingers brushed his forehead lovingly, unseen lips softly grazed his cheek, and he could smell ever so faintly the Easter flowers his mother had been named for. Equally, faint, a proud squeeze of his shoulders, a cheek pressed against the top of his hair, and a whiff of unconsciously remembered shaving soap. "So proud... love you... be happy..." Then with a dizzying rush they were gone, and the world returned, and they sat on the couch once more, their clasped hands surrounded by a soft, green and gold nimbus, his palm tingling softly.

Harry stared into Ginny's eyes, afraid to ask if she'd heard it too, afraid to ask if it was real.

The glow faded, slowly, and Ginny blinked dazedly up at him. Then she smiled, her eyes sparkling with joy. "They think I'm good enough for you, too!"

"No more arguing?" he asked, his lips trembling.

"Not about that," she said, with a happy laugh. "And my uncles Gideon and Fabian are proud of us, too, and said to follow our hearts, not the rules."

Molly burst into tears and hid her face against Arthur's chest.

"They don't have to worry about that," Harry said.

"No," she agreed. "But maybe, now, neither do I." And he could feel the relief, the easing of the fear that her nature had made her somehow irredeemable, and the renewal of the confidence the past year of threatening madness had robbed her of.

"Cor, what was that?" Ron whispered reverently, his eyes still locked on their hands, where the last of the light was just now fading.

Molly sat up, wiping her eyes, smiling, but still seeming somehow fearful. "There are two possibilities, dear. Harry, Ginny... can I see your hands, please?" Her voice trembled slightly, and Arthur was tense as he watched silently.

Ginny squeezed his hand once more, and again he felt the strange, intense tingling. Pleasant, though, not the least bit painful. "It's okay, Mum," she said, softly. "It's nothing bad. It was... beautiful."

"I know, sweetheart," Molly said, and wrapped her hands around theirs, squeezing gently. "Either way, something wonderful." She sniffed, tears threatening to overflow, but she was still smiling. "But... we need to know. So?" She tugged gently at their hands, her eyes questioning.

Reluctantly, Ginny nodded, and let her separate their palms. In the center of each was a solid, silvery half-circle that glowed just a bit. Ginny's was slightly concave, Harry's slightly convex. With their palms pressed together they would fit together to form a perfect, unbroken, silver circle. The relief on Molly's face was unmistakable, as was the joy, and she pressed their hands back together and looked back at her husband. "It's a heart-bond, not a mage-bond! Oh Arthur! This is so wonderful... our little girl!"

"Um... what?" Harry asked.

For once, Ginny was just as lost as he was. Smiling, seeming giddy with joy -- and relief, too -- Arthur explained.

There were two types of very rare bondings that happened in the wizarding world. One, the heart-bond, was what they had. Very much what they had, in fact, as the side effects tended to be that of the accidental bonding they'd done to themselves earlier. It didn't happen more than once in every two or three generations, but when it did, it was considered by all to be the ultimate cruelty to keep the heart-bonded pair apart. Especially since they could die, if they were separated for long enough. The effects were great enough that if one of the two ever committed a crime, they were both tried, as one individual, and sentenced together as well, up to and including life imprisonment and death. This was done not out of cruelty, but because it would be more cruel not to do it that way.

Ginny looked at him, and he didn't have to read her mind to know that she was thinking how very advantageous this could be for them.

"And the other?" Ron asked. "That you were scared of?"

Arthur sighed. "The other... well. It's similar. But different. I didn't really think it could have happened, of course, because in every case I ever heard of, it was instant on first sight, but that could always have been exaggeration. The other is a mage-bond."

"A mage-bond couple don't have to love each other. They don't have to even like each other," Arthur said, shaking his hand. "But they still need each other, just as badly. Mage-bonds are rarer... they only crop up every few hundred years, and there are a lot of people who think they're just legend. But what makes them so dangerous is that the magic of the wizard and the witch... or wizard and wizard, or the other way around, mage-bonds don't care about gender... merges once the bond is, ah, consummated. And it gets a whole lot stronger, too. And for a while after it happens, it can be totally out of control, especially if the couple dislikes each other. With Harry and Ginny, that would be... bad."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because you're both strong to start with, of course," Arthur said. "And because it takes a pair of wizards who have to be even stronger to help you contain it. If there's not anyone... bad."

"Oh," Harry said. "So how do you know the difference?"

"You mean aside from occasional huge explosions?" Arthur asked, with a small smile. "Well, for the past thousand years or so, we've been able to tell for sure thanks to a great mage who went insane when his heart-bound mate was married to another man, when her parents didn't believe her. She killed herself, and he spent all of his energy creating one of the most long-lasting spells in history. The result is on your hands. He wanted to ensure than no one could ever accuse a heart-bound couple of lying about the bond, and what happened to his love wouldn't happen again. If it's a mage-bond, instead, the symbol is different."

"Oh." Ginny stared at her palm curiously, tracing the silvered crescent. "I see. Yes, it would have been... bad... the other way, I suppose." She glanced at Harry. "Interesting, though, wouldn't you think?" she asked teasingly, for his 'ears' only.

Harry snorted. "You could say that."

"So no one will try to separate us now?" Ginny asked.

Arthur frowned. "Not likely. Oh, if we wouldn't let you marry, they could try to force you to arbitrary rules. But even then, traditionally, in cases like these where the pair is at a school of some sort, special dispensation is given, and they're put in a private room. The only thing way you could be kept apart is on your family's specific instructions, and even then... they'd expel you before they'd murder you. Your guardians could still keep you apart, but then it'd be them who were in danger if you went insane."

"So... we're free and clear?" Harry asked.

Arthur frowned. "You should be. A Repudiation hearing would still be risky, but a court order allowing you to marry couldn't possibly be denied under the circumstances."

"I still want the Ordeal," Harry said. "I don't think you understand."

"No one will make you go back, Harry," Molly said gently. "I promised you that, and nothing has changed."

"You said its for when someone is completely, utterly opposed to the values of their family, right?" Harry asked.

"Yes. When dying is preferable to being forced to acts and traditions that are abhorrent to you."

"They hated magic. Loathed it, completely and utterly. They tried to beat the 'freakishness' out of me." Harry sighed. "I can't risk Dumbledore managing to find a way to force me to go back, especially now."

"It's your right," Arthur said, slowly. "But I don't feel it's necessary. Not anymore. Because they don't want even you alone, let alone the both of you, and we do. As it would be murder to separate you, it's logical for them to give custody to the family who does want you."

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I don't trust Dumbledore not to find some way to force me to go back, and that would mean Ginny would have to go with me, and we'd be on our way to Azkaban within a week, I'm sure of it."

"Harry, son, don't you think that's a bit on the paranoid side?" Molly asked. "I know you're angry, but I promise you he understands now just what a mistake he made."

"I don't think he does," Harry said. "And... I don't want to take the chance. You don't understand."

Molly frowned at him, but Arthur just sighed. "You'll do what you feel you have to. Everyone does," he said, gloomily, and his face tightened with pain as he looked at the two of them. "But you realise, nothing was exaggerated? If you die in the Ordeal, she won't outlive you by more than a week."

Ginny's hand tightened in his. "An hour," she promised. _"But I don't think you're going to die, love. What's wrong? Why do you hide from me (what did I do)?"_

Harry close his eyes. "You don't understand," he said. "You don't understand what they're like. They-- I'm just glad I'm not named Harriet."

Ginny dropped his hand to wrap both arms around his waist, holding him tightly. "You don't ever have to go back," she whispered. "Not ever. No matter what we have to do." She stroked his back soothingly. "And if they come near you again, I'll kill them, so that you don't have to. They won't hurt you. They won't touch me. But they don't deserve to be called your 'family' by anyone, so we will do this. Tomorrow. Even if we have to Apparate into the chamber to do it."

"I won't let them do that to you," he said. "I won't."

"Harry..." Molly cleared her throat, then tried again. "Self-defense is an acceptable reason to use magic anywhere. The problems you had... well, those stemmed more from people not knowing what was going on, than anything else. They couldn't believe you'd be in a situation that actually justified it. That's no longer the case. And defending your heart-bound mate is, traditionally, an even more sound defense. Better one person die from you defending her, than a hundred people die from you avenging her. But I promise you... you are not going back there. They won't hurt Ginny. They won't ever see Ginny. Nor will they see you again." She stiffened her spine, and though her voice was tight, her words were firm, "There are other countries we could go to, you know. The Americans would be delighted to welcome a young hero who'll fight for what he believes in, I'm sure. They're a rough bunch, but not rule bound, by any means."

"I won't die," he said. "But this is important to me."

Her lips trembled, and her eyes filled. "If you have to do it, you have to," she said. "And legally, no one can stop you. But... oh, do be careful! Where would we be if we lost you both?"

"It's alright, Mum," Ginny said suddenly. "I just realised. Uncle Fabian said he wouldn't see me again for a very long time. So I'm not going to die anytime soon, so Harry can't either. See? It makes sense."

Her father frowned at her suspiciously, but her mother looked immediately relieved. "Oh dear. Oh what a thoughtful thing for dear, sweet Fabi to do. He must have known how I'd worry about my little girl..."

Ginny smiled. "So we'll just go and take care of this tomorrow, and then Harry and I can get married, and... maybe have a day or two alone? We could stay in one of the hostels in Diagon Alley, and get our shopping done while we're there. And then we'll come back to have dinner with everyone and all go to the train together."

"You are a naughty girl," Harry sent.

"If you do that, Hermione'll kill you," Ron said. "She's coming tomorrow night, remember? Couldn't the wedding wait just a day, to give her time to come?"

"Hush. Worrying will only hurt her needlessly, and the not worrying won't hurt her more, if the worst should happen. But it's not going to. Besides, how do you know what my war hero uncle might have told me?"

Ginny bit her lip. "I don't... I guess... if no one can really stop us, after this," she said, holding up her hand. "I guess the next morning will be fine. If it is with you, love?"

"Can't we get her over here tonight?" Harry asked.

"If it really can't be blocked, my darling, waiting may have an ulterior motive," Ginny sent, her inner voice full of amusement. "More than one, really. First, it would drive the old bastard mad _to not be able to stop it. And two, the Ordeal is, by all accounts, physically exhausting. I'd like you to be conscious on our wedding night. (mmm, wedding night!)"_

Ron shook his head. "She's going to some family thing with her parents," he said. "She would have already been here if it hadn't been important to them. You know how hard she's trying to still... you know... fit in."

"Well... I guess so. If we're sure it can't be blocked?" Harry asked.

"Only your legal guardians can block it. If you survive the Ordeal, you are your own man, and no one has legal or moral right to say otherwise," Arthur said firmly. "And we're not going to do so, either." He smiled fondly down at his own wife. "Especially if it means Molly gets to put her in a pretty dress and strip the countryside of flowers, I'd wager."

Molly blushed. "I wasn't going to say anything," she said. "But she is our only daughter. The only Weasley for several generations, actually. The family would like to be here. And I don't have any other girls to pass my dress on to."

"Okay, love?" Ginny asked silently. _"And if I am wrong, then at least Mum will have all the family gathered here, to help her and Dad and the boys get through it. It does mean subjecting you to a Weasley family get together, though, for which I apologise, but I promise we can escape (wedding night!!!) early."_

"Okay," Harry said. "We can wait. But just the one day?"

"Just the one," Molly promised him. "And then I think a couple days holiday isn't even vaguely excessive. You have time for three, really." And Ginny smiled, slightly, having won again without the other team realising they were playing.

"I'll send an owl to Hermione," Ron said. "Let her know to get a move on and be prompt." He grinned at Harry. "You can tell Fred and George."

Harry swallowed. "Er."

Ron laughed, rather nastily, Harry thought, for a potential brother-in-law, and then bounced happily out of the room.

"Should've thrown him harder," Ginny thought, irritably.

"Great," Harry said, scowling.