The Pain And Enlightening of Truth (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter Three- Weasleys

When Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place, he thought he'd be left in peace, but that wasn't the case.

He had just sat down on the bed in the bedroom that he chose when he heard a knock at the door downstairs. Huh. My hearing has been sharpened as well. That'll be useful.

He went downstairs and opened the door, only to see the Weasleys and Hermione. Well, so much for a peaceful afternoon....

"Hey, guys...." he said in an uncomfortable voice.

"Harry, dear, how are you? I heard from Dumbledore that you went through a creature inheritance last night and we thought you'd be off to this old place for a bit of privacy. I thought we'd come and see how you were doing," Molly said, smiling softly at the boy. Harry merely nodded.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. Though it's not every day you find out you're a Dark Elf. Not something you can find in the books we studied last year either...." he said, trailing off. "Come in, there's actually something I wanted to talk to you about, actually. It's something I noticed when I did the blood-on-the-parchment thing and took a look at my inheritance."

Molly and Ginny paled while Ron looked at them accusingly. Hermione just looked confused.

Harry led them to the parlor and sat them down.

"W-what did you want to talk to us about, dear?" Molly asked nervously?

The boy was glad that they had let him keep the parchment so he could muse over the irony of the whole thing and for the situation he was in right now.

He pulled it out and slid it over to Molly. And then pointed to the Contracts section. "For one, I didn't agree to this." He then pointed at the withdrawals. "I also didn't give anybody permission to make withdrawals from my vault. Please explain to me why you did this. Please tell me you have a valid reason...."

Molly and Ginny remained silent. Molly paled at the sight of the paper while Ginny went red in the face trying not to throw a tantrum at what she knew what he was going to do about the marriage contract.

Hermione just happened to look over at the piece of parchment in question and her eyes widened in surprise at what she saw. Ron just sat there, flowering at his mother and sister.

"I'm sorry, mate," the red-haired boy said. "I tried to get them to stop, as I knew it wasn't right... And I see that they're not going to apologize so I'll do it for them. I'm so sorry for their actions...."

"Its not your fault, Ron. It's their own fault for ever thinking this was the right thing to do," Harry said to his friend gently. He turned back to the two female Weasleys in the room, eyes turning cold. "Leave. I don't ever want to talk to either of you again. And I will cancel the marriage contract, as wizarding law states that I can reject it at any given time. I shall go next week and give my formal rejection."

Ginny was about to raise her denial but Molly stopped her. "You know we shouldn't argue. Let's go, sweetheart. Ron, are you coming?"

"Bloody hell no. Not after what you did to my best friend. I'll stay here with him, just in case he needs me," Ron said coldly.

His mother looked saddened, as if she truly regretted what she did, but nodded as she ushered a fuming Ginny out the door.

Harry smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Ron."

"No problem, mate."

Hermione coughed nervously. "Um, Harry... About the money Professor Dumbledore withdrew from your vault.... I think he gave some of it to my family for school things.... But we... At least I didn't.... know that money was wrongfully taken....."

Harry hugged her. "Say no more. I figured you didn't. You would've been completely against it had you known," he said, smiling.

At least he hadn't lost his two best friends over this whole deal.