chapter i

On the 29th of July, Ginny Weasley woke with a start. The rain was beating against the window, and the occasional roll of thunder echoed across the room. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a strange, pink-ish glow across Little Whinging.

A loud hoot stopped Ginny from reaching out to her glass of water, and she dropped it with a clatter onto the bedroom floor.

'Hedwig,' she muttered, annoyed. She looked over to the window, and opened it – only to see a complete stranger of an owl. Its tawny feathers were ruffled and dripping, but it seemed to have kept the letter it carried quite dry. Ginny let it into the room after detaching the envelope, and shut the window with a quiet clunk.

The writing on the envelope was unfamiliar, and Ginny opened it with curiosity. 'Dear Harry Potter,' she whispered aloud to herself.

Dear Harry Potter,

I am afraid we never had the pleasure of meeting, but from my dear brother I have heard much about you. I am terribly sorry for the rudeness of this late arrival, but my owl was out hunting and didn't come back at a time that would have got this letter to you during daylight.

You impressed Albus very much, although I understand he hid it from you quite well. I would like to introduce myself as Aberforth Dumbledore, and my owl there, is Amelia.

I am sorry that I didn't write sooner, but I did not get a chance to speak to you at Albus's funeral, and wanted to let you grieve in peace for a month or so before contacting you.

Now, I feel it is time to 'cut to the chase', as your generation call it – I would like to meet with you, perhaps on the eve of your birthday – I believe Albus did the same thing before taking you to The Burrow. I'm afraid The Burrow is quite empty at this present moment in time; the Weasleys, whom I believe were great friends to both you and Albus, have been given a safe house by the Ministry of Magic. I will pick you up at 8 o' clock precisely on July 30th. Good day.

Yours Sincerely,

Aberforth Dumbledore

'Dumbledore's… brother?' Ginny spluttered, when she had finished reading the letter. She quickly tucked the letter away, opened a new pad of parchment and wrote to both Harry and Hermione, telling them exactly what the letter had said and who it had come from.

But why did she get it if it was addressed to Harry?

It was only after she flopped down on the bed did she realise that although Hedwig was away delivering her letters, Aberforth Dumbledore's owl was still perched silently on his desk. She smiled, and opened Hedwig's cage.

'She won't be back for a while, so she won't notice if you dry off in here,' she said soothingly. The owl hopped into the birdcage obligingly.

Ginny found it hard to sleep, but managed, because when she awoke it was nearly half past two. She cursed, not wanting to have slept in this long, but was secretly pleased that her mum and dad had stopped trying to use her as a gnome-catcher – she was almost an adult Witch. They thought it was best to not ask her to help with chores at all.

'Enjoying yourself, Ron?' Ginny said at the bottom of the stairs, raising an eyebrow. Ron jumped awake, looking around for his family. Ginny had found him lying on the sofa, asleep, but clutching two jumbo-bags of crisps and a plate of Swiss roll. Several other plates, which appeared to have been licked clean, were lying at his feet.

'What – I – Don't you dare tell Mum and Dad!' Ron shouted, swelling.

'Or you'll what?' Ginny laughed. 'Turn me into a frog?' She drew out her wand mockingly, and pointed it at Ron. Then, remembering how much trouble that had got her into two years ago, she put it back in her front pocket, smiling. She remembered what Alastor Moody had once told Harry; Greater wizards than you have lost buttocks, boy!

'It's nothing, Gin…' Ron muttered sadly. 'Hermione hasn't written to me for a whole month.'

'Oh,' Ginny said, surprised. She thought Ron was just hungry. 'I sent her a letter last night, actually. You'll never guess…'

She joined Ron on the sofa and told him everything that had happened the night before, making him jump up and sweep crumbs from his pyjamas.

'Why did you get Harry's letter?' Ron asked, concerned. Ginny shrugged.

'I don't know,' she replied. 'Do you think we should meet Aberforth Dumbledore today, just in case Harry doesn't?'

'Harry doesn't… Gin, you don't think that owl would come to you only if it couldn't get to Harry? And didn't you say that Hedwig came, too? You're Harry's girlfriend, they probably knew where to deliver his letters if he was…'

'Incapacitated,' Ginny whispered, reality dawning.