Chapter One; Happy Birthday Harry

Harry James Snape was fast asleep inside his bed. He was having another nightmare. This time it was about his father killing the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The only problem was that it wasn't just a nightmare. It had really happened. Every time Harry closed his eyes he could still see Dumbledore falling through the air to his death. He opened his eyes. It was morning. The morning of July 31st 1997 to be exact. It was his birthday and he was seventeen years old.

Harry was officially an adult which not only meant that he could perform magic outside of school since the trace had broken and could apparate and disapparate, but he could also learn how to drive. That fall he would be starting his final year at Hogwarts and then he would be graduating with Ron and Hermione and start his career working with dragons. This year he would also get to show the ropes to his younger brother Tobey who would be starting his first year on his magical education.

Yes what should have been a very happy and exciting time for Harry was really the worst time of his life. The last time he had seen his father he had shouted at him that he had never wanted to see him again, and he had to say goodbye to his girlfriend Ginny Weasley due to the fact that he had been trying to protect her from Lord Voldemort. Later that morning after he ate breakfast he told his mother that he was going to visit Cobalt and the other dragons and once he went outside he disapparated.

As soon as he made it to Cobalt's enclose the dragon was very happy to see him. Harry sat down on top of the railing and started stroking his nose before patting his back. "Hullo boy." Harry began forcing himself to smile as the dragon started his purring noise. "I'm sorry that I haven't been here for a while, but a lot of things have been happening to me. I'm still trying to learn how to communicate with you though so you'll be able to understand me.

And my guess is that I better learn how to do it fast since I'll be leaving Hogwarts soon and starting my job working with you guys." He told him as Cobalt nuzzled up against his cheek and then gave it a lick. Harry laughed as he patted the top of his head and then started to stroke it. "Thanks boy, I needed that." He said when suddenly an idea had occurred to him. "Say, do you want to stretch your wings for a little bit and go for a ride?" he asked him.

Cobalt perked up his ears and arched his back while excitedly swished his tail around as Harry laughed again. "Alright, I'll take that as a yes." He said as he climbed onto his back. "Just as long as we get you back here before anyone else finds out and before I'm late for my birthday party." He told him as the dragon let out a great screech before he stretched his wings out wide and started to flap them before he hovered into the air.

It was just the thing that Harry needed. That's when he realized that this was the first time that he had ridden on Cobalt's back, and his last dragon ride had been years ago. "Woohoo!" he called out excitedly glancing back down over his shoulder at how high they were up in the air. He could see a red Great Horned Spiked Tail dragon that appeared to be female since she was breathing fire on a nest of eggs. "Is that your girlfriend?"

Harry asked his dragon as they rose higher and higher into the sky although he knew that he couldn't answer him, or at least not yet. Harry turned his head back around and thought of his own girlfriend (or at least she had used to be) and the love of his life. "Ginny." He whispered softly.

…

"Alright Princess you be a good girl and stay right here, call us if anything happens." Ginny said while she bent down and leaned inside the box that she had just fixed up with soft blankets and pillows and scratched her pregnant cat behind the ears as she started to close her eyes and purr.

"And just how exactly do you reckon that she's going to be able to do that?" Ron asked her as the cat suddenly opened her eyes and let out a meow.

"I have no idea, I guess that I'm just a little nervous. Do you think that she'll be alright here on her own?" Ginny asked him.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, after all she's a cat. She has instincts. The bigger question is will you be alright? I mean you don't have to come if you don't want to." He told her as she reached over to her nightstand and placed the locket that Harry had given to her around her neck.

"Don't be ridiculous!" she exclaimed with a wave of her hand. "Just because Harry and I aren't dating anymore doesn't mean that I'm going to miss his special birthday party. Besides, I think it'll be fun! I've never been ice skating before!" she cried forcing herself to smile as Hermione took Ron by the arm.

"Alright then, c'mon Ron, let's get ready." She told him as Ginny watched them leave the room before she dug into her pocket and took out Harry's note and glanced down at it breathing a heavy sigh as she read the words silently to herself.

I Love You

…..

"Mummy I'm scared, what if I fall down?" Teddy questioned while he sat down on the bench next to her as she helped Heather put her skates on.

"Then just get right back up again. Ask your sister Eve." She said glancing up in the ten year old's direction while she came out of the bathroom.

"Ask me what?" she wondered.

"Eve honey, tell your brother how many times you fell off your pony at riding lessons." Her mother told her.

"A lot." Eve told him before she sat down next to him. "But my teacher always told me that if I never get back on again, I'll never learn or get better at it." She explained.

"But didn't it hurt?" he asked her.

"A little bit, but it hurts even worse not to try at all." She told him as Lily finished getting on Heather's skates and pulled her up to her feet while Teddy grinned at his big sister.

"Alright Eve, you win. I'll try." He told her as she embraced him tightly and kissed the top of his head.

"That's my brave little brother." She told him when suddenly Tobey rushed inside breathing frantically.

"What is it Tobey? What's wrong sweetheart?" his mother asked him.

"It's Harry! He isn't here yet! He's missing!" he exclaimed.