Harry Potter: Marauder at Howgarts

Bill got up and motioned for Sirius to follow him up the stairs. Harry deduced they were going to use a bedroom.

"Well, I'll start dinner." Molly said brightly, getting up. "You will all stay, Remus?"

"I'm afraid not, Molly." Remus said politely. "Thank you very much for the invitation, but we're expected home for dinner and Dobby will be anxious if we don't show. Another time, perhaps."

Molly frowned heavily but nodded. She headed over to the stove and began banging pots and pans as she assembled them.

Arthur cleared his throat, ostensibly ignoring his wife. "Harry, has Ron mentioned the Quidditch World Cup?"

Harry gave a smile and a nod. "He said you hoped to get tickets."

"There's still some finagling to do but we're almost set on that score. You're more than welcome to come with us." Arthur said warmly. "We're going to camp there the night before and after so it'll be a real trip."

"Sirius said he'd talk to you about it." Harry promised. "It sounds like fun."

"So far it's just been a lot of work." Arthur said with a smile. "I've had my colleagues at the Department of Magical Games and Sports complaining at me every lunch hour."

"Is your Department involved in the preparation?" Remus asked, jumping into the conversation when Harry floundered unsure what to say.

"Yes, the pitch site is very close to muggles so we're having to double check everything." Arthur admitted. "Why Bagman decided that place was a good idea…well, I shouldn't criticise really. His assistant Bertha Jorkins was supposed to be back from her holiday and helping by now but she's still away."

"Bertha?" Remus repeated. "I haven't heard that name in years."

Harry sent him an inquiringly look.

"She was a few years ahead of us at school." Remus explained. "Nice girl but a bit of a gossip and rather flaky."

It sounded like Lavender Brown, Harry mused idly.

"That's Bertha." Arthur said. "Ludo's convinced she's just forgotten her return date but I'm not sure she's that dippy."

Molly snorted from her position at the stove. "Bertha is that dippy, Arthur. She'd forget her own head if it wasn't screwed on."

Harry laughed at the comment and Arthur winked and whispered that Molly could be right.

Footsteps on the stairs had them all turning back. Bill looked thunderous while Sirius looked calm. They retook their seats. Molly hurried back, evidently determined not to be left out of the discussion.

"Bill?" inquired Arthur tentatively.

Harry had a feeling he knew why Bill was so angry; the fact that there were objects like the one that had hurt Ginny lying about…it was horrible and terrifying.

"I'll gladly perform the service requested for the House of Potter. We have agreed that I will join the project they have in mind in exchange for a salary matching my Gringotts pay and accommodation in London where I'll be based." Bill said tersely. "We're also agreed that the House of Potter will do its best to ensure my career doesn't suffer. We'll try and organise a leave of absence but if Gringotts won't allow that, I'll leave. Sirius has agreed with me that we'll split the penalties fifty-fifty." He held up a hand before anyone could argue. "For the record, the importance of the project is such that I'd do it if there was no life debt involved hence the penalty agreement, but as the House of Potter is insistent…"

"And we are." Sirius added firmly.

"There we go." Bill said. He looked at his father who nodded in return.

"I trust you, William." Arthur said proudly.

"Then I agree as the Heir of the House of Weasley that the House of Potter shall have my service until the task we have discussed is complete to honour the life debt between Ginevra Molly Weasley and Lord Harry James Potter."

Sirius nudged Harry. "You need to accept."

"I accept on behalf of the House of Potter," Harry said quickly, knowing he was probably breaking a number of protocol rules.

Molly gave a small clap and beamed at her eldest son. "Oh, it'll be so good to have you back! And really, Harry, you don't need to include accommodation, Bill will stay here."

Harry wondered if Bill was really as horrified as he looked.

Sirius cleared his throat. "As the Potter Regent, I'm going to have to insist as a point of honour, Molly. Service for the House has always included accommodation and board, and frankly, we have a lot of properties standing vacant. It would be doing us a favour to have one of them occupied and looked after."

Molly opened her mouth to argue and Arthur jumped in before she could.

"Thank you, Sirius, Harry," Arthur said quickly, "a young man of Bill's age needs his own space." He patted his son's shoulder.

Bill gave a relieved smile and glanced over at Sirius. "I'll arrange a meeting with my bosses at Gringotts for next week." He turned to his father who wore a faintly guilty air. "Don't think for a moment I took this under duress, Dad. I'm more than happy to help with the project Sirius has told me about. If there was no debt and I'd found out about it, I would have quit my job and volunteered."

His parents were stunned by the admission.

"Well," Sirius said brightly, "one further bit of business is this." He plucked a sheet of parchment from his robes and gave it to Arthur. "Your family's invitation to join us for a blessing ritual tomorrow. I know it's short notice but we hope you can make it." He turned to Harry. "Why don't you head outside and spend some time with Ron while Remus and I discuss arrangements with Arthur and Molly? We're done with the official business."

Harry nodded, smiled at the Weasleys and made his escape. Ron was hovering just outside the back door – evidently waiting for him – and he quickly dragged him away from the house to the bottom of the garden. They sat down and Harry frowned at the dampness under his palms.

"Did I hear right?" Ron asked excitedly. "Is Bill going to work for you?"

"Well, for Sirius, really," Harry pointed out. "But, yeah."

Ron grinned at him. "That's great! Bill's really cool! Not like Percy at all!"

Harry smiled at Ron and wished he had a brother or a sister. He pushed away the note of jealousy and focused on his friend.

"I heard you talking about the Quidditch Cup," Ron said, "you are going to come aren't you? It's going to be brilliant."

"Maybe," Harry prevaricated, "I think Sirius will say yes but he has a lot of lessons planned for me this Summer so…" he gave a shrug. He wanted to attend but he had to admit there was a large part of him that didn't want to spend time away from his godfather.

"Lessons?" Ron said outraged. "What lessons?"

"Stuff to do with my being Head of House; etiquette and culture and stuff." Harry said, leaning back and staring up at the sky.

"Blimey," Ron winced, "rather you than me."

Harry took a deep breath. "I'm, uh, also taking Runes. Professor McGonagall agreed that I could drop Divination and take an entry test."

Ron stared at Harry as though he'd grown two heads. "But…but that means I'll be on my own! You're abandoning me!"

"I'm sorry but I can't take another year with Trelawney predicting my death every week!" Harry retorted. "Besides, you're not on your own, the other guys will still be there, Ron," he pointed out, "and if you want, you could do the same and come with me to Runes? Sirius won't mind you joining the lessons."

"Nah," Ron shook his head, "I'm good." He shook his head. "I can't believe you're learning all this other stuff though."

"I need to know it," Harry said, with a touch of annoyance, "I didn't realise there was all these traditions and forms of protocol and everything. I have to learn it as the Head of the House."

"Well, as long as you don't turn into Malfoy." Ron said with a strange glint in his eye that told Harry that on one level Ron was deadly serious.

Harry gave a bit of a forced laugh and reassured him that was highly unlikely. He wasn't surprised when Ron turned the conversation to Quidditch. He gave a quiet sigh of relief as he listened, pleased with Ron's relatively easy acceptance of his new position and his decision about Runes. Sure, there had been a tense moment but they had gotten past it.

Harry ignored a lingering flicker of worry that Ron would have issues with Harry gaining a little independence and focused on Ron's rant about the Cannon's new signings.

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