The Troubled Wizard (A Harry Potter Fan Fiction)

Chapter 21

After dinner, the Weasley kids, plus Harry, all helped clean up the dishes. Mrs. Weasley had helped Harry take off his bandages earlier, so he was feeling a lot better. He was still sore in a few places, but Madam Pompfrey's treatments had done wonders. The ones on his back and shoulder hadn't been as bad, but he was just happy to get the bandages off of his face. They had been rough against his skin and had been itching for the last couple days.

Once all of the dishes were finished, they all went into the sitting room. Ginny and the twins disappeared into another room before coming back in carrying several long rectangular boxes.

"What are those?" Harry asked with curiosity.

"Tonight is board game night," Ginny replied.

When that didn't clear things up, George explained further. "Every day of the week, we do a certain activity together as a family. There's game night, of course, then one night every week we alternate between picking a restaurant to go out to eat, there's also karaoke night, that's my personal favorite."

"I rather enjoy movie night." Fred continued. "Dad nicked an old muggle television from the ministry, so we watch old movies on it from time to time."

"I like bonfire night." Ginny added, "Although we can't do those in the winter cause it's just too cold. But when it's warm enough, dad starts a fire outside, and we all-star gaze and just chat. It's very relaxing."

"I like it when we play charades." Ron continued. "Even though Fred and George bloody cheat!"

"We do not!" Fred protested.

"We can't help it if we have a way of knowing what the other one is thinking!" George continued.

Ron just rolled his eyes, "Funny though, it always seems like you end up on the same team!"

Fred rolled his eyes "We decide teams based on age, of course, we're always on the same teams!"

"Mum and dad are on a team, Bill, Charlie, and Percy are on a team, we're on a team, then you and Gin are on a team." George listed, "It's just basic math."

"Wait a second..." Ginny grinned, "Bill, Charlie, and Percy have three on their team since we have an odd number. But now that Harry's here..."

Ron's eyes went big, "My birthdays in March, so Harry's a few months younger than me, that means he and Ginny would be on a team! George is younger than Fred so that would put him and I on a team. That would leave Fred with Percy, Bill, and Charlie, then mum and dad! This is bloody brilliant!"

"No!" Fred and George fake cried and held each other. "But our perfect winning streak..."

Suddenly their mood changed, and George glared at Fred. "Next charade night Ronnie and I are going to kick your arses!"

"Oh yeah?!" Fred glared at him, "Well Percy and I are going to kick your arses even harder!"

Molly just rolled her eyes, "You two can be so weird sometimes."

Harry was still in shock as Ron continued to rub it in the twin's faces that they wouldn't be on the same team anymore. He couldn't help but laugh, this was such an ordinary interaction between a family, and it brought a smile to his face. The Dursleys never acted like this. "So that's six, what's the last night?"

"Quidditch night of course!" Arthur smiled brightly, but all the kids groaned.

Harry looked at them in confusion, "I thought you all liked Quidditch?"

"We do," Fred glared at his dad, "But don't let him fool you, that man is way too good at Quidditch for his age." Harry chuckled just at the thought of Mr. Weasley on a broom.

"Don't laugh," George continued. "The man is insane. He and mum are the only ones on the team, and we've still never won!"

Harry almost choked from laughing so hard, "You've never won?!"

"We've been playing ever since I was a kid, the others have been playing even longer" Ginny grumbled, "Not once, have we won a game."

Ron glared over at his dad who was laughing, "I think he's hexed the Quidditch set. There is no way someone his age should be able to play so well."

He just shrugged, "What can I say, you kids still have a ways to go." They all rolled their eyes.

Mrs. Weasley laughed at their antics, "Harry dear, sense this is your first game night, why don't you pick out the first game."

"Ok!" he smiled and went over to the stacks of boxes. He had never heard of any of them since they were all wizard board games, but he picked the one that looked the most interesting and they started playing. This had been one of the best nights of his life...

*****

Later that evening everyone went to bed after a fun night of board games. The Weasleys had pretty much given Harry Charlie's old bedroom to decorate as he wished. Since he was the Weasley child away from home the most with him being in Romania, it made the most sense. Harry hadn't done much to change the room up yet, but it was nice just being able to have a bedroom he could call his own. In the next few days, Mrs. Weasley was planning on making a trip to Diagon Alley. She told Harry that while they were there, he could pick out some paint and they could change the color of the walls. He was very excited.

Harry had just drifted off to sleep when his mind decided to play tricks on him. He dreamt that he was back in his cupboard, and he could hear his uncle thundering down the stairs. Harry cowered in fear as his uncle pounded loudly on the door. Eventually, it gave way, and a big meaty fist came crashing toward him. harry cried out in fear as he was dragged out of the cupboard and into his study. Right as Uncle Vernon started to undo his belt, he felt something shaking him violently.

All at once, Harry's eyes shot open in fear and he quickly backed himself against the headboard. "Shh... it's ok..."

Tears poured from Harry's eyes as he tried to place the voice. That didn't sound like his uncle...

"Here..." a cool glass of water was slipped into his shaking hands. He took a greedy drink from the glass, thankful for the liquid to soothe his dry throat.

"Here, these might help." He felt something else pressed into his hand, and he recognized them as his glasses. Slipping them onto his nose, the world came back into focus. He looked up and saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley smiling down at him. Glancing past them he could see Ron, Ginny, and the Twins peaking their heads in through the doorway.

Mr. Weasley looked over his shoulder sadly at the kids, "Why don't you guys go make everyone some hot chocolate." They seemed to get the hint and quickly ran down the stairs.

Mrs. Weasley took a seat on the bed next to Harry and started running her fingers through his hair. "How are you doing Luv?"

"Ok..." he mumbled. "Just a nightmare..."

"About your uncle?" Arthur asked and he nodded. "I know it'll take time, but you don't have to worry about him anymore. We'll protect you."

"We love you, Harry." Mrs. Weasley leaned down and gently placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Thanks..." he smiled up at them. A moment later, the others came back with a tray filled with hot chocolate. For the next few hours, they all kept each other company telling scary stories as the fireplace crackled. Eventually, all of the kids fell asleep, and the two elder Weasleys tucked blankets around their shoulders. They wouldn't trade this family for the world... 

(A/N - hey guys. thanks for reading. :) I hope you all are having a good new year so far.)