Chapter 19

''Damn Fleur!" Harry grinned as he hugged her. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh, do you not want me here?" She said with a fake pout once they let go.

"Of all the people in the world that I do not want to see, you are not one of them." Harry replied. "But seriously, what are you doing here?"

"I was given a job in Gringotts," Fleur said proudly. "I had just come out of a meeting to confirm if I had got the job, and I did!"

"Congratulations!" Harry said, happy for her.

"Thank you," Fleur smiled brightly. "I was going to send you a letter to see if you wanted to come and meet only for me to see you now."

"Yeah, life is funny like that," Harry chuckled. "where are you staying?"

"I have brought an apartment to stay in, why? Thinking of coming over?" She smirked.

"I don't know, is that an offer?" Harry smiled.

"Perhaps, but not now as my apartment is not yet ready for visitors. Where are you staying? Perhaps I can come over."

"I would love that, but you probably will not be able to come today."

"Oh, why not?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I am staying at my godfather's house, are you familiar with the Fidelius charm?" Harry asked. Fleur frowned slightly before her eyes lit up.

"You are staying under a Fidelius charm?" She asked.

"Yep," Harry nodded, he was slightly surprised that she knew before he remembered that she was a charms genius. "my godfather is the secret keeper. I can talk to him and ask him if he can tell you the location, he probably will though, he has missed a lot of my life and I think he is trying to make up for it by keeping me happy as much as possible."

"Ah yes, Sirius Black right?" She asked, earning a nod from Harry. "I have read that he had been framed and placed in Azkaban for years."

"Until I got Pettigrew caught," Harry replied. "now he is free. Of course we do care for each other so I am trying my best to not take advantage of him. Anyway, after the third task the ministry realised that Sirius was clearly innocent if the man he was accused of murdering was still alive. So now I am living with him, if I ask then he will probably be fine with me bringing you to the house. If you don't want me to come to your apartment yet then how about tomorrow we meet up at the Leaky Cauldron so I can tell you if Sirius is okay with it or not? No point in a Fidelius if you send the answer via letter."

"Very well, how about tomorrow at lunch?" Fleur asked.

"That is more than fine with me." Harry nodded.

"I have to go now," Fleur said before he kissed Harry on the cheek. "I will see you later Arry?" She said before walking away.

"Try and stop me." Harry snorted, she smiled and waved at him, he waved back until she was gone. "Merlin, that woman has some brilliant legs." Harry said under his breath.

"What is up guys?" Harry said when he got back.

"Harry James Potter!" A particularly loud voice shouted.

"Ow! Alright jeez lady! Damn!" Harry said as he rubbed his ears. "I think that is my ear drums gone." Harry said as he slapped the side of his head in an attempt to get the hearing back.

"Where have you been?!" Mrs Weasley demanded.

"Diagon Alley, I told you that before I left." Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"Do not roll your eyes at me young man!" Mrs Weasley said, she could not believe this attitude, she especially could not believe it was coming from Harry. What had happened to the polite young boy who had come to visit the burrow? If Mrs Weasley had to guess then she would probably blame that French girl that Ronald had told her that Harry had spent time with, she had probably spent the year poisoning the boy's mind, if not her then probably his godfather, he was a very irresponsible man after all. "And you were told to stay here!"

"And I told you to stay here." Harry responded.

"No you didn't!"

"Huh? Oh you're right, I didn't," Harry said as he paused to shake his head. "I am sorry, I was still recovering from the assault on my ears. Anyway, I told you that I am legally an adult and can do what I want. The only one in this whole damn house who has any right to tell anyone who can or cannot come in or out of this house is Sirius and even he has no power over me other than being owner of the house. If this was the burrow then I would be more than willing to listen to you, but it's not." Harry shrugged. "Now if you will excuse me, I am going upstairs to my room." Harry said as he walked away.

"Where are you going?!" Mrs Weasley demanded as she followed after him. "Young man you will stop right now!"

"Mrs Black," Harry opened the curtains to her portrait. "the red haired one is being mean to me." Harry said before walking off. He calmly walked up the stairs while Mrs Weasley was waylaid by Mrs Black verbally assaulting her, Harry thought it was fair, her ears in exchange for his own.

Harry had spent the rest of the day in his room, reading and hanging out with Selena until dinner time when he came down stairs into the kitchen. He saw many order members leaving, a few of them sent him a few dirty looks, likely cause they or their friends were hurt by Harry. When Harry entered the kitchen he saw Sirius, the Weasley's and a select few order members left. Those order members were Mad-Eye Moody, Shacklebolt, Tonks and Remus Lupin.

"Moony? When did you get here?" Harry asked.

"Just recently." Remus said as he gave Harry a quick hug before they both took their seats at the table. "I am glad to see you Harry, you are looking much better than before."

"Healthy eating." Harry shrugged before looking around. Ginny was sat in-between Shacklebolt and Tonks who was showing off her powers by transforming so she had a pig mouth then changing it into a duck beak, Ginny found it hilarious and Harry thought it was quite funny as well. All of the Weasley's were sat at the table with Hermione while Remus sat opposite Harry with Sirius sitting at the head of the table. with Moody standing in the corner. "Is everything alright?" Harry asked Sirius.

"Yeah," Sirius rolled his eyes. "we were just discussing Dumbledore's standing with the ministry."

"Oh? Do tell." Harry said in a curious voice.

"It's not really good for Dumbledore." Arthur said as Shacklebolt handed Harry a newspaper, Harry took the newspaper and from a few seconds of looking was able to learn that the ministry was basically accusing Dumbledore of going crazy and senile while Fudge was saying all was fine.

"Fudge is using all of his power and influence at the ministry to target Dumbledore and smear anyone who says that Voldemort is back." Sirius said. "We think that Fudge thinks that Dumbledore is after his job."

"Please," Harry snorted. "Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump. I think Minister of magic is practically a step down at this point."

"True." Sirius grinned. "But old Fudge does not see it that way. Anyway, the fact that nobody is making any claims about him being back other than Dumbledore is not helping Dumbledore's case. We think that Voldemort is just lying low, biding his time, building up his army again. Years ago he had a huge amount of people at his command, but gathering followers isn't the only thing he seems interested in. We believe that Voldemort is after something."

"Alright, enough of that." Mrs Weasley said. "It's time to eat." She added before she began handing out plates and food, Harry knew that she was attempting to stop him from learning but he was hungry so he decided to just wait until after he ate and began eating.

"Nearly time for bed I think." Mrs Weasley yawned once everyone had finished eating.

"Yeah, yeah, but first, questions." Harry said as he turned to Sirius. "What have the order actually been doing?" Harry asked, everyone paused and looked at him. "Like going out on missions? Have you lot just been planning something? What's going on?"

"Ah, well..." Sirius started only to be interrupted.

"Now hold on, Harry, you are too young to know." Mrs Weasley said, no longer looking tired at all.

"Since when was it possible for someone to be too young to ask questions?" Sirius countered.

"Hang on! How come Harry gets his questions answered and we don't?!" Fred demanded.

"Yeah, we've been asking and all we get is being told to stay quiet and stop asking." George added.

"'You're too young'," Fred said, mimicking his mother's voice. "Harry's not even of age, how come he gets to know?"

"Hey, it's not my fault if you don't know." Sirius shrugged. "That's your mum and dad's call, not mine. Harry on the other hand..."

"It is not down to you to decide what is best for Harry!" Mrs Weasley said, an angry expression on her face. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said I suppose?"

"Which part?" Sirius asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know." She said, glaring at Sirius.

"I do not intend to tell him more than he needs to know," Sirius growled at her. "but I think he deserves the right to know at least some things. After all he was the one who defeated Voldemort in the first place and if his stories are true then he not only stopped Voldemort twice since then and freed not only me while also capturing Pettigrew. Dumbledore himself would say that Harry is crucial to the way!"

"He is not a member of the order!" Mrs Weasley pointed out. "He is only fifteen..."

"And has gone through things that most adults could not handle." Sirius interrupted.

"Nobody is denying what he has done but he is still..."

"He is not a child!" Sirius cut her off.

"He is not an adult either!" She said, red faced, not used to someone talking back to her like this. "He is not James, Sirius!"

"I am perfectly clear on who he is!" Sirius snapped.

"I am not sure you are," Mrs Weasley said disbelievingly. "the way you talk it sometimes feels like you think you have your best friend back!"

"And what the hell is wrong with that?!" Harry demanded, bringing the attention of the room back to him. "I would be honoured to be compared to my father but I also know that Sirius is well aware that I am not my father, if you want to explain the fact that I am not James Potter to someone then please go find Snape as soon as you have a free day."

"What is wrong Harry is that you are not an adult, you still go to school and the adults responsible for you should not forget it." Mrs Weasley said, glancing back at Sirius.

"Are you trying to say that I am not a responsible godfather?!" Sirius demanded.

"I am..."

"I am an adult," Harry cut her off. "how am I not at this point? I am legally emancipated, I have tattoos, I have fought dark wizards and creatures plus I am no longer a virgin, what else do I have to do to be considered an adult?" Harry asked.

"You lost your virginity?" Tonks asked.

"That just proves that you are irresponsible!" Mrs Weasley said before Harry could respond. "Arthur, back me up!" Arthur did not speak immediately, something which surprised Mrs Weasley.

"Dumbledore knows that Harry is living here Molly, Harry will have to be filled into a certain extent since he is staying at headquarters."

"Yes, but there is a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!"

"Personally," Remus said in a quiet voice as he looked at Molly. "I think it's better that Harry gets the facts, not all the facts," Remus added when he saw that Mrs Weasley was about to interrupt. "but the general picture of us rather than a garbled version from others." Remus said, alluding to the fact that he knew of the extended ears that the twins were using to try and listen in on the meeting.

"Well," Mrs Weasley, red faced, looked around for support but did not find any. "well...I can see that I am going to be overruled. I will just say this, Dumbledore must have had a reason for not wanting Harry to know to much and speaking as someone with his best interests in heart, I..."

"He is not your son." Sirius said quietly, though not quiet enough as Mrs Weasley managed to hear him.

"He is as good as!" She snapped, glaring at Sirius. "Who else does he have?!"

"He has me!"

"Yes," Mrs Weasley rolled her eyes. "the thing is, it has been rather difficult for you to look after him when you have spent most of his life locked up in Azkaban." Sirius got to his feet and was about to say something, something that probably should not be heard by children when Harry beat him to the punch and stood up as well and turned to Mrs Weasley.

"Woman, pump the breaks." Harry said, glaring at her.

"Harry, I..."

"You pump those breaks!" Harry cut her off. "First of all, how dare you talk to him like that?! In his own house no less!"

"Do not speak to..."

"I will speak to you however I damn well please!" Harry cut her off.

"Hey!" Ron stood up. "Don't talk to..."

"Ron sit down!" Harry snapped, "you lower the IQ of the whole street, we're not talking about food so you're useless to this conversation." Harry said before turning back to Mrs Weasley. "Sirius spent years locked up in a prison cell with dementors all because he trusted the wrong person and made a rash mistake during a moment of grief! Don't treat him as if he just couldn't be bothered to care for me! Especially when he makes more of an effort than half of the adults in my life. Second of all, do not talk about me and my future if I am not the one you are talking to about it! Third of all, 'he is as good as'? I am appreciative but I am also sorry as I cannot honestly say I do see you like a mother."

"What?" Mrs Weasley stepped back as if slapped. "But Harry..."

"Mrs Weasley I spent about two weeks of summer at your house in second year, a couple more in the summer of my fourth year. That's it. I am not going see you like a mother because of four weeks in your house."

"But...but..."

"I have one mother," Harry tapped the flower on his left hand's tattoo, "the woman who took a killing curse from the worst dark lord of all time just for me, nobody is replacing her."

"You ungrateful prat!" Ron shouted as his mother seemed unable to speak. "You owe us for letting you stay in our house!"

"No, because first of all you were the one who came at night and picked me up without me asking, plus if anything you owe me." Harry responded.

"Oh yeah, how is that?!"

"Simple, because I paid for those four weeks I spent in your house."

"What?!" Mrs Weasley blurted out before she turned to Ron. "You took money for him to stay?!"

"No, I didn't!" Ron quickly shook his head.

"I did." Arthur said in a quiet voice.

"Arthur?" Mrs Weasley gasped with disbelief.

"When Harry first came he asked if he could talk to me in private and insisted on paying for his stay," Arthur explained. "I tried to refuse but he was more stubborn than me and he paid me a fair amount of money, more than I even wanted to accept."

"I have always found it smart to try and stay out of owing people." Harry smirked as he looked at Ron. "So I don't technically owe you anything for staying there, however if any of you do still feel like I owe you something then I would just like to point out that I think I probably paid it back tenfold when I not only saved the school twice but also saved your sister." Harry responded, all of the Weasley's glanced between Harry and Ginny. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Harry said before he turned to Sirius. "Sirius, I need to ask you for something."

"Yeah Harry?" Sirius asked in a soft voice.

"I have someone who wants to come over, I was wondering if you could come and give her the secret."

"Now Harry," Remus spoke. "I am not sure that it is a good idea, you should probably talk to Dumbledore about it and..."

"Why?" Harry interrupted. "Last I checked this was Sirius's house, besides I trust this person and it's not like everyone will know the secret if I am wrong."

"I will have to meet with this person first Harry," Sirius said, Harry nodded since he thought that that was reasonable. "when are you meeting up with him or her?"

"Tomorrow in the cauldron at lunch." Harry replied.

"Hmm, I have a Gringotts meeting tomorrow." Sirius said with a thoughtful face. "If you and the person are willing to wait an hour?"

"I can ask tomorrow, if she's not then we'll just set up another time."

"It's a 'she' huh?" Sirius grinned. "Has my lovable godson got a girlfriend?"

"No," Harry rolled his eyes. "I do not. The person is Fleur, remember I told you about her?"

"Oh yes." Sirius nodded. "

"But...but you can't!" Mrs Weasley protested. "It is not safe, we can't trust this girl."

"I trust Harry, Harry trusts the girl." Sirius replied. "If it makes you feel better then we will have another order member go with us." Sirius added when Mrs Weasley was about to speak.

"I'll go." Tonks volunteered. "I haven't spent much time outside of work or home this week." She added as a form of explanation.

"Excellent." Sirius nodded.

"Thanks Tonks." Harry smiled at her before turning back to Sirius. "I am going back upstairs for now, call me if you need me."

"Right, see ya Harry." Sirius smiled at Harry and was pleased when Harry smiled back before leaving. Sirius's biggest regret was leaving Harry to suffer all those years and he would do his best to make up for it. "by the way Molly," Sirius said as he turned back to Mrs Weasley. "I can tolerate a lot of things, insulting me is fine but you will not bother Harry."

"Sirius," Remus spoke.

"No," Sirius shook his head, "as Mrs Weasley so kindly pointed out, I have lost a lot of years of Harry's life and I intend to make up for it. If that means kicking the whole order out of this house to stop them from bothering Harry then I will do that." Sirius said, earning gasps and looks of disbelief from everyone else.

"I don't like the redheaded woman daddy," Selena confessed. "she is too loud."

"That she is." Harry nodded as he sat on his bed, the Potter family grimoire in his left hand as Selena was wrapped around his arm with her head resting on his hand.

"I don't like how she talks to you, you should punish her." Selena suggested.

"Don't worry about me girl," Harry stopped reading and smiled at her, he put his book down and began stroking her. "daddy has everything under control. It doesn't matter if the redheaded woman stops them from telling me anything."

"Why?"

"Because I already know," Harry smirked. "listening charm on Sirius's clothes plus the listening charm under the table plus Dobby and Kreatcher have good hearing, they just pretend to clean outside of the room and listen in. You would know if you paid attention when I told them."

"Sorry daddy."

"It's alright, I understand how you were too busy eating but you should try and be aware of your surroundings." Harry said right before a knock was heard on the door, Selena quickly changed back into her tattoo form. "I am coming." Harry said in English as he got up and walked to the door. Harry slowly opened it to find the Weasley twins standing outside of his door.

"Hey Harry." Fred said in a soft voice.

"Can we talk?" George added.

"Fine." Harry said after a short pause, the twins were about to walk in when Harry stepped out of the room and closed the door.

"What? You're not inviting us in?" Fred asked.

"Nope, don't really trust you two to not use the opportunity to prank me." Harry shrugged. "Now what do you want?"

"First of all, don't you think you were a bit harsh on mum?" Fred asked.

"No, I was being honest, I might have worded it better if she hadn't pissed me off by being mean to Sirius. Now what else?"

"Look, we were wondering if Sirius perhaps told you something he shouldn't have." George said. "You know, about the order."

"Let me guess, you two want to know more about the order and you want in." Harry guessed.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"What do you mean why?" Fred frowned.

"Why do you want in? Why should I tell you anything about the order? Why should the order accept you two?"

"Well first of all the order is where the action is." Fred said.

"Second of all perhaps you should tell us because we're friends." George added. "And what do you mean why should they accept us? We're legally adults."

"First of all, friends? No, my only friends in Gryffindor at the moment are the chasers and Ginny."

"We...we thought you would have gotten over the tournament." Fred said. "The chasers too but they're still not talking to us."

"Yeah," George added. "I mean you hall ad to know we were joking."

"That is the problem, that is all you do." Harry said. "I was in a tournament for wizards and witches older and more trained than me, one where I could have died, one that got the whole school to turn on me and all you two did was joke about it. Do you realise how many people thought I actually was in the tournament because of you two? They figured that if you were joking about it then I was obviously being a smug prick who was laughing with all of Gryffindor about how I managed to cheat Dumbledore and the goblet."

"We're sorry Harry," George said. "but we..."

"I am not done." Harry cut him off. "Your pranks, your jokes, they were funny at first but trust me when I say they have gotten really stale. Pranks are great and all, but when you do it non-stop and when your victims do not like or appreciate pranks then it turns into bullying."

"We're not bullies!" Fred said, offended by Harry's words.

"Oh no?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "I remember in my third year when you two pranked a bunch of Slytherin first years and I saw one girl crying, I am sure she had a great time enjoying your pranks. Pranking can be bullying you know, especially if your target is far weaker than you and does not like pranks."

"Come on Harry," George said, shifting on his feet. "the marauders were pranksters too you know. That means your dad and Sirius."

"I look at the Marauders a little differently." Harry responded. "Pranks were probably the only way they could get back at the DE's to be during Voldemort's rise to power, and let's say it wasn't and they really were just like you and loved pranking people. Well my father is dead, Sirius lost years of his life in Azkaban, Remus can't get a job because he's hated by nearly everyone and Peter is currently in an Azkaban cell. Yeah, life really worked out for them, didn't it?

Plus you two have spent pretty much all of your lives being pranksters but now you want your parents to suddenly start treating you seriously and induct you into an organisation for fighting the worst dark lord of all time? Tell me, what important things have you done outside of quidditch and pranks?" Harry asked, he paused and waited for several moments but the twins did not answer. "That's what I thought, I'll be honest when I say that Sirius hasn't told me anything important about the order. Now if you'll excuse me, some of us have bigger stuff to worry about than what the next prank will be." Harry said before he turned around and went back into his room before closing the door.

Harry sighed before he walked back in and sat on his bed.

"You okay?" Harry asked Selena who had changed out of her tattoo form.

"I am fine, are you okay daddy?"

"Yeah, I am fine." Harry said in a soft voice, part of him thought he was over reacting and suggested that he forgive the twin but Harry chose to ignore that part.

He had too many important things to do, he couldn't have the twins bother him or waste time on two as immature as them. Plus Harry was not lying when he said they were acting like bullies, he had thought it several times in the past but had chosen not to say anything partly because he feared them turning on him but also out of a sense of feeling like he owed them for bringing him to the burrow plus the fact that the twins hadn't really hurt anyone too much, Harry had had worse at the Dursley's.

Old Harry was willing to pretend it was okay, new Harry was not. Harry knew bullies, plus as far as Harry was concerned any debts he owed the Weasley's were gone when he saved Ginny in the chamber.

Harry had just finished practising a spell when he was interrupted.

"Harry." A soft voice said followed by some light knocking. Harry grinned before he went to the door and opened it to reveal a nervous Ginny Weasley.

"Hi Ginny." Harry grinned before he pulled her in and closed the door. "Nobody saw you right?"

"I don't think so." Ginny said just as Harry closed the door.

"Good." Harry said as he placed her body between his own and the door, he leaned down to kiss her.

"Wait." Ginny, said causing Harry to stop. "I...I..."

"What's wrong Ginny?" Harry asked.

"It's just that whenever we snogged before it was never in a bedroom." Ginny explained.

"Oh." Harry said, realising what she meant. "It's alright Ginny, I am not going to pressure you to sleep with me or anything. Like I said, this is just two friends having fun."

"Oh...okay, thanks Harry." She said with a relived smile. "I know that we're snogging and all but I was kind of hoping to save...you know...for someone special."

"Alright first of all I am special," Harry grinned. "but I get it. So, snogging?"

"Snogging." Ginny grinned and the got to work.