The next morning was quite an event.  The kitchen was bustling with activity as Harry and Ron walked in.  Aurora and Mrs. Weasley were busy ordering objects around the kitchen.  There were two new occupants to the house that hadn’t been there last night: Petunia Dursley (or Evans, should the need to be technical arise) and Hermoine Granger.  They boys ran over to Hermoine and started asking her about Viktor Krum. 

Aurora shooed them away, telling them to ask her when they sat down to eat.  Hermoine was sitting at the table, reading out recipes to the other three.  Petunia was on the other side of the table, making something by hand.  After being shooed away, Harry and Ron went into the living room where they found Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie. 

“Morning, Dad . . .Bill . . .Charlie,” Ron said, plopping down by Charlie.  Harry took a seat by Bill.  Mr. Weasley looked up and smiled from the stack of papers he was reading from.  “What’s that dad?”

“Well, Ron,” Mr. Wesley replied, “it’s some writing Aurora’s done.  She wanted me to have a look at it.”  Ron just nodded. 

“What is Aurora writing about,” Harry asked.  He couldn’t stop himself.  Mr. Weasley just smiled again and continued to read.  Bill rolled his eyes and sat back, taking a sip of apple juice.  “Bill, could I, uh, talk to you?  Out in the garden?”

Bill nodded.  They both got up and went through the kitchen.  Bill grabbed a glass of juice for Harry and a stack of toast off the table.  They made their way to the picnic tables, Harry remembering that time when Bill and Charlie made both of these poor tables fight in air. 

Laughing, Harry sat down.  Bill just smiled, most likely remembering the same moment.  “So, Harry, what did you want to talk about?” 

“Aurora seems. . .different,” Harry said, uncertain of what or why he was saying anything at all.  Bill raised his eyebrows.  “It’s not that she isn’t great,” Harry continued, afraid he had upset Bill, “she’s fantastic.  It’s just that I feel as if I should already know her better.  It feels as if she should know me.”

“Well, even Albus Dumbledore didn’t think you were going to pick up that connection,” Bill said after sitting silently for several minutes.  “I’ll tell you what,” he said, draining his apple juice, “let’s go in and have a real breakfast and we’ll see when we can get Aurora to sit down and talk.  I know she and I have a few surprises for all of you.”

They went back in the kitchen, carrying two empty glasses and an empty plate.  Everyone was already sitting down and eating, talking loudly and with their mouths full. 

Petunia Dursley was quite a sight.  She talked rapidly with both Arthur and Molly Weasley.  “Vernon just seemed so scared of everything that I could do,” she said, playing with a bit of toast.  “I finally told him I would give it all up if he promised that we would always have some kind of future.  I quit talking to Lily a little while after that.  Then Harry came to live with us and well, I was never quite able to come to terms with Lily and James and that night.  Albus told me, of course, in the letter that he left.  I just couldn’t ever get it out of my head.  Of course, Vernon decided to be nasty to Harry.  I had to do the same.  There was not a time that it happened that I wished I could make all of it stop.”

Everyone was silent.  Harry, for one, had never heard Aunt Petunia open up like that.  Aurora reached over Bill and took Petunia’s hand, smiling sympathetically at her.  “Harry?” Petunia asked quietly.  Harry looked at her.  “Could you ever forgive me,” she asked, almost pleading, with her eyes.

Harry’s response was a well-timed hug and a question of anything like that happening again.  “Absolutely not,” Petunia said, returning the hug. 

“Where’s Dudley?”

“With Vernon and Marge,” Petunia replied, dryly.  Harry asked no more and sat back down, engaging both Ron and Hermoine in conversation.  

“Love,” Bill spoke up, “Harry and I would like a word with you if you have some time this afternoon.”  Bill quickly glanced at Harry, giving him a wink, before returning his gaze back to Aurora.   Her eyes were wide open in surprise.  “Love?”

“This afternoon,” she said, almost monotone.  “I have to go to Diagon Alley if the two of you would like to tag along.  Hermoine is coming with me.”

”Fantastic,” Bill said, “Ron can come along, too.  Maybe we can meet up with our employer for a quick lunch.”

“Your employer?” Hermoine asked.

“Oh, we’ll talk about that later,” Aurora said, quickly drinking down the end of her milk.  “Hermoine, I have to make some calls for the council.  Care to come along?”  Hermoine and Aurora went upstairs and collected a few things before coming back down to the fireplace.  “We’ll go during the first term and you can take your apparition test.  I’m sure you’ll have no problems.”  She gave Bill a few instructions.  “You, Ron, and Harry better by waiting for us at the Leaky Cauldron, not later than one.  We’ll be bringing ‘our employer.’” 

Bill nodded, seeming quite ecstatic about the whole idea.   

Shaking her head and giving both Petunia and Molly a hug, Aurora took Hermoine through the Floo Network to Merlin knows where.

*~*Aurora and Hermoine*~*

Coughing slightly, Hermoine and Aurora clambered out of the fireplace at the office of Albus Dumbledore.  Brushing herself off, Aurora looked up, smiling at all the portraits of former Headmasters and Mistresses.  Most of them waved and quite a few called out.  She asked where Dumbledore was; she needed to talk to him.  Hermoine stood back, unsure of what her Mentor was up to.  “Albus,” Aurora called.  “Crazy old man,” she said, more quietly.  “Albus, come to your office now,” she called again. 

The door opened, revealing Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall.  Both were smiling and neither were wearing their usual garments.  Albus donned a pair of black pants and a white button-up shirt.  Minerva wore a black skirt and a sleeveless white shirt.  Greetings went all around. 

“I was wondering when you would come to see me,” Albus said, after a while.  “I wasn’t sure what you’re reaction had been to Fawkes.” Albus smiled, knowing full well what had happened. 

Aurora did not smile.  “You know full well what happen, Albus Dumbledore!  You know that Bill was upset.  You couldn’t wait?  What was so important that you had to talk to me last night?”

“I wanted, very simply, to talk about Harry,” he said, his eyes twinkling.  Hermoine sat down, already not liking anything her Headmaster was saying.  “Also, I wanted to discuss our arrangement for the coming year.”  Hermoine stopped shaking her hand and continued to listen to Albus.

“I wanted you to know that you and Bill will be housed near the entrance to Gryffindor tower.  This is for three obvious reasons.  One: it is close to Bill’s classrooms.  Two: it is rather close to your own classrooms.  Three: it is close to Harry, Ron, and Hermoine.  I want Harry to finally have the kind of family he’s always wanted.  I think being able to visit the two of you would help immensely.  Hermoine for the obvious reasons; Ron because I feel he will need the two of you more than ever.”

Aurora said nothing.  She stood there, eyes flaming.  “I told Bill that I would bring you to lunch at one at the Leaky Cauldron,” she said, after about seven minutes of silence.  “Minerva, I would be honored if you would come along.  However, I must see Alia Roman.  There are things she, Hermoine, and I need to discuss.”

Conversation after that was forced and tiring.  Hermoine and Aurora left.  Minerva turned to Albus, a grim look on her face.  “Why must you continue to torment the girl, Albus?  She has been through enough.  Her brother will find out about her shortly, she is getting married, she’s stepping down from her position in the council, she’ll be a teacher. . .can’t you just let the poor thing rest?”

“No, Minerva,” Albus said, sadly, “there will be much more for her before she can just be happy.”

~*~Arthur Weasley~*~

Arthur gathered himself together and got ready for work.  The only thing he had to do today was attend a meeting with Amelia Bones.  He liked the woman – fair and understanding – but couldn’t understand what she wanted with someone from the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department. 

Giving Molly a quick kiss, he apparated to work.  He went to his office, checking up on papers and talking to Perkins, before he went to his meeting.  “Have fun there, Arthur, eh?”  Arthur just nodded, completely at a loss for what his colleague was talking about. 

He made his way to Amelia Bones’ office.  She was reading the Daily Prophet and drinking a strong cup of tea.  She smiled at Arthur as he entered her office, escorted by Jane Achieve, her assistant.  “Arthur, please, have a seat,” she said, pleasantly.  Arthur did as he was told and waited patiently for Amelia to finish the article she was reading.  “Funny little article in here about your son,” Amelia commented.

“Which one,” Arthur asked, quietly.  He wanted to know why he was there. 

“Bill,” Amelia said, “Bill and Aurora Dandelion Potter.”  She lowered her paper and looked at Arthur.  “What can you tell me about this, Arthur?”

“My son and Aurora are getting married, Amelia,” Arthur said, sounding tired and exhausted.  “Does this have anything to do with this meeting?”

“Quite,” Amelia said.  “You future Daughter-In-Law would be an Enchantress, wouldn’t she?”  Arthur nodded, not sure where this was headed.  “My niece, Susan, has always been interested in something like that,” she said, in a very strained off hand way.  She went in for the kill, “Do you think you could put in a good word for her?  I don’t want her to end up in the ministry if Fudge is staying around.  I want her to be happy in life.”

Arthur felt sorry for Amelia.  He was sure Susan would make a great Enchantress someday, but they were chosen – not referenced in.  Arthur made his way through the rest of the meeting by saying he would talk to Aurora tonight and that he made no promises.  She thanked him and told him to go home and rest.

Geesh, Arthur thought, some people.  He apparated back to The Burrow.

~*~Bill, Harry, and Ron~*~

Harry and Ron spent the morning de-gnoming the garden.  They laughed about a lot of the stupid things that had happened, carefully not mention the end of last term.  “Remember when you wore your invisibility cloak into Hogsmeade and nearly scared Malfoy to death?”

“How about the time Sirius dragged you under the Womping Willow?” 

Harry stopped.  Sirius.  Harry had kept himself busy with Aunt Petunia’s news that he hadn’t thought about the events of last term fully until now.  He was sure that many of the Death Eaters were in Azkaban, the wizard prison.  He wasn’t sure, however, if any of that cleared Sirius of the crimes he had not commit.

Doesn’t matter, Harry thought, he’s gone, now.

Another voice sounded in Harry’s head (which sounded quite like Hermoine), It does matter.  His name being cleared is what you’ve been hoping for.  Just because he’s not here doesn’t mean that his name shouldn’t be cleared.  It’s his memory at stake here.

The voice was quite right.  Harry tried to turn his attention back to Ron, but he was finding it difficult. 

“Let’s just get ready to go, Harry,” Ron said.  “You need to rest before we leave. . .maybe.”  Harry and Ron did just that.  They washed up and changed before Bill came to collect them at a quarter till one.

“We’ll have some time to spend in Diagon Alley afterwards.  Just remember,” Bill said, “pay attention to what is being said.  It affects all of you.”  Bill rearranged his robes and grabbed a bag before using the Floo Network to go to the Leaky Cauldron, Harry and Ron in tow. 

Tom, the bartender, shooed Bill, Ron, and Harry into a private Parlor to wait for the rest of the their party.  Sipping on Butterbeers (on the house), they talked about the upcoming Quidditch season.  “I think that the Cannons will wipe the lot of them out,” Ron said, confidently. 

Harry, remembering something he had read over the summer, spoke up.  “Puddlemore United has a chance this year,” he said, matter-of-factly, “with Wood as the main Keeper, the other teams will have to put up a heck of a fight.”

“I kind of favor the Ballycastle Bats this season,” Bill said, smiling.  “Quite a good team this year.”  Ron rolled his eyes in disgust, making Bill laugh.  Aurora, Hermoine, Albus, and Minerva came in.  “Have good meetings this morning,” Bill asked, getting up and kissing Aurora on the cheek.  She smiled, sort of, and sat down, taking a long swig of Butterbeer. 

Minerva ordered a drink, a large gillyweed, before talking to Ron and Harry.  “I want you boys to understand that the Quidditch cup is very imperative to my study this coming year.  I would hate to have to give it up to Professor Snape.  So, boys, please do well in Quidditch and your studies.  I know there is enough to be going on with, but there is no reason to not lead a normal life anyway.”

“There is something I want to announce to the two of you,” Albus said to Harry and Ron, “before the start of term.  Ms. Granger already knows, as she was present during this morning’s discussion.  Mr. Bill Weasley will be taking up the post of the History of Magic.  Our present Enchantress, Aurora, will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts.”  Albus waited for a response.  Ron’s mouth hung open.  Harry just stared at Aurora.

“Harry, is there something you would like to ask?”  This came from Bill.  He was trying to get him to talk about the conversation the two of them had this morning.