Harry peered out his window, hoping beyond hope to see a flying car awaiting his presence. Nope. Nothing stirred the peaceful silence other than the occasional squawk of a bird or the bark of the dog next door. Harry finally closed the shades and collapsed onto his bed. He had not heard from Ron or Hermione for over two weeks. He knew there was most likely an explanation. In his first summer after Hogwarts, a house elf named Dobby had stolen his mail, trying to discourage him from going back so he wouldn't be harmed by the basilisk that had been unleashed from Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets.

"There's no basilisk anymore," Harry reminded himself. Though he never admitted it to anyone for fear of being thought conceited, he was extremely proud of himself for defeating the monstrous creature. He had been terrified, but had pushed the fear aside to find the courage to save both his and Ginny's lives.

Harry looked longingly at his Firebolt, desperate to fly again. He had been cooped up in the Dursley home for over six weeks now and was on the verge of not being sane anymore. "I'll bet Ron and Hermione are off together snogging," thought Harry bitterly. "Nice of them to leave me here all summer." Harry actually was grateful to be allowed in the house for even a day, for it bestowed a powerful protection upon him that his mother had given him when she died. It was a safe haven. But Harry would rather walk on the dangerous streets and be susceptible to Voldemort's powers than be kept inside. His godfather, Sirius, had been under the same torture and as a result had died because he had been desperate to get out. "If he hadn't been so anxious to get out, he wouldn't have come to the Department of Mysteries," Harry noted, once again furious with Dumbledore for bestowing the terrible fate upon his loving godfather, but then relenting when remembering the old man was no longer there to be angry with. Harry remembered the terrible night last year. He cursed Professor Snape silently, vowing to find both him and Voldemort and kill them.

"Boy! Get down here this instant!" Harry reluctantly walked into the kitchen and looked up at the fat, scowling face of Uncle Vernon.

"You rang?" he said in a bored, sarcastic tone. Uncle Vernon's face turned purple.

"I thought we told you no more ruddy owls!" he shouted. "I won't have it anymore! That stupid tawny bunch of fluff swarmed right in here and knocked over my coffee. That's ten pounds an gram, thank you very much! Best coffee in London! I won't have it wasted because of a stupid animal!" Harry tried his best not to laugh.

"Did it bring a letter for me?" asked Harry, trying not to sound too eager. Uncle Vernon mumbled curse words under his breath and handed him a tiny, yellowed envelope. Harry tore it open eagerly and read its contents.

Dear Harry,

I hope this letter finds you well. The Weasleys have graciously

invited you to spend the remaining summer at the Burrow. I thought it kind to inform you that Miss Granger is already there. A member of the Order will be retrieving

you tonight at promptly 5:30 pm. Please have your school supplies ready.

Minervra McGonogal

Harry breathed in relief, a smile spreading widely across his face, stretching his cheeks so far he thought they would burst. So they had not forgotten him. He checked his watch. 5:20! He ran up to his room, picking up his things and tossing them in his trunk. Because his clothes were not folded and would not fit, he leapt into the air and sat down with a thunk on the top. It groaned. Harry dragged his trunk and broomstick downstairs, his wand protruding from his back jeans pocket. Just as he sank into the sofa and panted tiredly, the doorbell rang. Harry answered in eagerly, and stared at the girl looking at him. She was very pretty, with soft brown curls. Her eyes were a bright sparkling blue. They looked quite familiar, but Harry couldn't place it.

"Hi," he said. The girl glared at him.

"Hello," she said curtly. Harry was taken aback.

"Who are you?" he asked. The girl rolled her eyes.

"Did you not get the note?" she replied in disgust. "It said a member of the Order would pick you up. Here I am." Harry stared. She couldn't be more than fifteen.

"You're a member of the order?" he said. She nodded briskly (much like Professor McGonagall, Harry noticed.) She raised a wand, and Harry's things zoomed up. Harry jumped out of the way just in time as the hovered in midair, and with a pop, they disappeared.

"Come on," she said impatiently. "I'm not waiting all day!" Harry was baffled.

"What about Death Eaters?" he said blankly. The girl smirked.

"What, are you scared of them Potter?" she mocked in a baby voice. Harry narrowed his eyes.

"No," he said angrily, "I just wanted to point out that you didn't even check to see that I was indeed Harry. For all you know, I could be a Death Eater. And so could you! How do I know who you really are?" The girl stared in disbelief and annoyance.

"Fine," she huffed. "First of all, I'm a much more powerful witch than you are, and could instantly detect any sort of magic or disguise upon you. Even Polyjuice potion. And second of all, I don't have to prove anything to you. I'm a highly ranked Order member, and you're not. So let's go." She pulled out a teapot and forced in into Harry's hand, clasping it tightly with her own.

Before he could pull away and demand a further explanation, Harry felt a familiar rush of exhilaration. He was being pulled further and further, and his head swarm as he felt a dizzy sensation. Suddenly, it stopped. Harry toppled forward onto a rough street, and crashed brutally into the concrete. His glasses were knocked askew. The girl pulled him up and gave him back his glasses.

"Nicely done," she retorted coolly, scoffing. She swept off with her purple robes billowing behind her, tiny yellow stars sparkling in every fold, and Harry could think of nothing else but to follow her helplessly. If she were a Death Eater, she wouldn't just be letting him walk freely, would she? Voldemort wasn't that trusting. But then again, it might be a decoy. A trap meant to confuse Harry. He halted uncertainly, and the girl noticed what he was doing.

"What is it this time?" she exclaimed. "Come on. The Burrow is just around the corner!" Feeling a rush of relief, Harry trailed after her, and came to a battered mailbox. Voldemort would not know about the Burrow. The girl stared at it fiercely. "Harry Potter and Melinda Dumbledore." The mailbox suddenly had a mouth.

"Go right ahead," it said in a pleasant voice. Harry gaped at the girl.

"Dumbledore?" he gasped? Dumbledore was dead! He didn't have any relatives! Did he? No! Of course not! Martina brushed past him, and headed down a very long winding road made of dirt. Harry hurried after her, and quickly caught up.

"Did you say your last name was Dumbledore," he breathed. Martina gave him a glare, and continued not to look at him. "How did you know Al-Albus? Did you?" Martina nodded yet again, and Harry thought he could see a tear trickle down her cheek, but he couldn't be sure. "How were you related to him?" he asked. Martina snapped.

"He was my grandfather!" she exploded. "And I'd rather not talk about him, all right?" Harry sighed in frustration. If she was indeed Dumbledore's granddaughter, then perhaps she knew about the Horcruxes? She could help him! After all, at least some of Dumbledore's powerful magic must have been passed down to her.

Not far away, Harry could see a familiar house coming into view. A girl with flaming red hair was standing in the front, grinning broadly and waving. Harry broke into a run, and leapt forward to hug Ginny. She seemed shocked.

"Harry what are you doing?" she hissed, pulling away. Harry stared at her. Not her too! He already had one moody teenage girl.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. Ginny smiled.

"Oh, nothing's wrong," she replied. "I just thought we weren't supposed to be together. So said it's for my 'own protection'. Of course, bloody my protection. But you insisted so strongly before. I'm just surprised. You usually don't change your mind.'

With a pang, Harry remembered his conversation with Ginny at Dumbledore's funeral. He knew he had been absolutely right, of course. But they could still be friends, couldn't they?"

"You're absolutely right," Harry said, "I mean, I was right…I mean…" Ginny giggled, and Melinda looked upon them with obvious disgust, and perhaps even a little bit of Albus's recognizable bemusement?

"We can still be friends, though," Harry pleaded hastily. "I mean, he already knows that we know each other. Maybe…" He felt dejected and hopeless. Ginny gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and said sweetly," Of course, Harry. Best friends." Harry grinned down at her, grabbed her hand, and they followed a sweeping angry teenage into the front door of the Burrow.

"Harry!" a screaming plump, redheaded woman embraced Harry tightly. "How are you dear?" Harry smiled up at an anxious Mrs. Weasley.

"I'm fine, thanks," he assured her. Mrs. Weasley glared suspiciously.

"You sure your family was kind to you? I mean, I would really hate to find out that you were keeping it inside to be brave, because you know I'm always here for you, right?" Harry gave her a hug.

"I know," he said, walking inside with Ginny.

"Oh Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley called. "Forgot to tell you. You're going to be a groomsman in Bill's wedding next week along with Ron, Fred and George, and Percy. Yes, Percy dear," she added, catching the look on Harry's face. "Charlie will be his best man. You're going to be paired with Ginny dear," she winked at him encouragingly. Harry felt a warm rush of happiness spread throughout his body, and grinned at Ginny. "And Ron and Hermione are upstairs, Harry. You can go on up. Ginny, could you help me for a second with something?" Ginny scowled, and followed her mother into the kitchen. Suddenly, Harry heard a shriek.

"Oh, mom! Thank you! I can't believe it!" Ginny emerged, clutching a wrapped gift that looked like a goblet. She looked ecstatic, and wouldn't reveal what was in the bundle. Harry dashed with her up the stairs, and headed down the hall to Ron's room.

"Oh Ron! Really! Scourgify! You're so irresponsible! And you being Head Boy and what not!" Harry pressed his ear against the crude wooden door and grinned at the typical argument of his best friends. He threw on his invisibility cloak for extra humor and silently entered the room, Ginny leaving him to head down to her room. Hermione was standing in the middle of the room with her arms crosses and her eyes fiercely glaring at Ron. Ron looked sheepish and flushed.

"It was just a little experiment!" he explained hastily. "You know, if we're ever in an -er- situation where we need to escape. You remember the Ministry's warning? Now that they're finally admitting Voldemort's return, they're giving us all types of helpful tips! Even my mum and dad admit it!" Hermione looked skeptical and thunderous.

"Since when does your family listen to the Ministry? May I remind you, it was them who made Harry's last two years miserable! It was them who sent Dolores Umbridge – curse her name – to Hogwarts, and it was them who put Sirius in Azkaban for twelve bloody years! And now, when Voldemort's back, it's time for you to start acting seriously and responsibly!"

"Those two don't go together, Hermione," Harry said a laughing voice. "Sirius was never responsible." Hermione and Ron looked around wildly.

"Who's there?" Hermione shrieked, drawing her wand. "We're armed!" Ron looked flummoxed and quite baffled. Through his laughter, Harry managed to draw off his shimmering cloak and let it sag to the ground.

"Please don't shoot," he grinned happily. Hermione threw her arms around him.

"Oh Harry!" Harry pulled her off.

"I've only been gone three days," he laughed. Ron looked embarrassed at her outburst.

"Hey mate," he said. Harry looked at him.

"Hi Ron," Harry smiled. "Aren't you going to hug me too?" Ron backed up.

"Not with Hermione here," he joked. Hermione pretended to look offended, but ended up laughing with them. Harry pulled his friends into a tight hug.

"You know," he said softly, "If Voldemort does get the better of me, you know I love you guys and will miss you." Both of his friends immediately grew somber and serious.

"We're with you all the way, Harry," Hermione whispered. Ron nodded fervently in agreement.

"All the way, mate."

"Boys! Get down here! The wedding is in six hours!" Ron and Harry jerked awake.

"The wedding's in six bloody hours," Ron grumbled. "Six hours! We're not girls, we only have to shower and get dressed." Mrs. Weasley suddenly apparated in the middle of the room and with a flick of her wand, Harry and Ron's covers flew away, folding neatly in a corner of the room.

"Time to get up," she snapped, disappearing. Ron stared where she had been a moment before.

"Women," he mumbled. Harry walked to the bathroom that he, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all sharing to shower. Ginny and Hermione were dashing from the door, their hair wrapped in towels, both girls carrying brushes and lots of unidentifiable things. Harry chuckled after them.

He crawled out of the shower, now wide awake. His hair was actually flat for once, lying neatly on his head.

'I wonder what's in magic shampoo,' he wondered. Harry drew on the robes that all the groomsmen were wearing, a silvery purple. Approving Bill's choice, Harry combed his hair down, and looked at himself in a mirror. To his surprise, he was very pleased with his appearance. Ron appeared wearing the same robes and desperately trying to get a comb out of his hair.

"Harry, it's stuck!" he wailed, and Harry yanked the brush out (along with a few of Ron's bright red hairs). They walked downstairs expecting a big crowd, but only Fred and George were there, with Charlie sitting in a huge armchair reading Dragon Training for Experts. He smiled warmly at Harry.

"All right there, Harry?" Harry grinned back, giving him a thumbs up. Fred and George were standing silently behind Charlie, spraying what looked like a thick pink mist over his head. Harry exploded with laughter as Charlie's hair turned shocking pink. Ron gasped for breath and clutched his sides. The twins seemed to have put a silencing shield on their brother, and he was oblivious to everyone around him laughing. Suddenly, a flustered Mr. Weasley apparated with a CRACK!

"Are you all here?" he asked frantically. "Good."

"Where are all the girls?" Harry asked him, confused. Everyone else laughed.

"They're girls, Harry," Fred explained. "It's in their nature. They got up four hours before us, and will get here a second before we leave." Ron and Charlie then started a game of chess, and everyone crowed around to watch. Harry thought that Charlie was probably the only person in the world who could last that long against Ron. They made furious motions, and both sets of chess pieces were worn in and very excellent at being silent and listening to their controller without putting up a fight. Ron finally won, after brandishing his queen and capturing Charlie's king in a corner. The king took off his crown and threw it at the queen's feet. Ron grinned triumphantly. Charlie glared at his younger brother, pushed back his chair and stood up. Harry looked at his watch.

"The girls will be down here any second," he announced, as all the men sighed in relief, Mr. Weasley included.

"Finally," George muttered. They all waited a moment, and then Mrs. Weasley appeared. Harry gasped. Her hair was extra curled and something had made it shining and beautiful and redder than Harry thought hair could ever be. She wore maroon robes that swept the ground, and her skin was shimmering. Harry had never seen her look this pretty. Apparently, neither had Mr. Weasley. He gaped at his wife, and finally regaining his wits, he went forward and kissed her hand.

"You looked wonderful," he murmured in amazement. Mrs. Weasley blushed. Harry looked expectantly at the stairs, waiting for Ginny to arrive.

And she did. Harry could only stare. She was wearing different robes than her mother, a light silver that reflected upon her brilliant hair, which reached the middle of her back, curling slightly at the end. She grinned and Harry, who did not move. She walked forward towards him, and Harry kissed her hair.

"You look beautiful," he said honestly. Ginny grinned, not at all self-conscious like her mother.

"You look great, too Harry," she replied enthusiastically, unaware of her gorgeousness. Harry barely even noticed as Hermione arrived in the same robes as Ginny and smiled mischeiviously at Ron.

"Ronald," she said quietly. Ron said something so soft that only she could hear it, and suddenly he leaned forward and kissed her. When he drew back, a look of relief and utter amazement shone upon his face. Hermione was startled, and then a smile slowly spread across her face. She grabbed Ron around his neck, and kissed him again. Everyone in the room simultaneously thought, 'It's about time," and Harry laughed out loud. Ginny looked at Harry.

"So it's a no?" she asked softly. Harry looked at her, troubled, and said, "You couldn't die, I would kill myself." Ginny nodded slightly in understanding, but looked dejected just the same. Harry instead clutched her left hand and wrapped his right arm around her.

"I love you, you know," he whispered into her hair. He reveled in it. How could hair possibly be so soft and shiny? Ginny hugged him back. No one noticed Melinda arrive, looking the most beautiful and depressed of all.

Harry and Ginny waited anxiously outside a pair of huge oak doors. Ron and Hermione were kissing fiercely, and Fred was standing with Angelina, while George was holding the hands of some brunette that Harry did not know. Charlie was chatting with a girl that looked like she probably trained dragons too, from the look of her bulging muscles and calloused hands. Gabrielle Delocour stood alone, looking at Harry hopefully and making faces at Ginny.

Music rang, and Charlie and his date pushed open the door and walked down the isle, smiling happily, while Gabrielle followed angrily, mad at being behind them. It was Harry and Ginny's turn. They clasped hands tightly, and began the long walk through the hall. They reached the front, and Harry saw Bill for the first time, looking actually quite good considering the circumstances. His nose seemed longer and more snout like and his eyes were narrower. His cheekbones were higher, though in this case they worked for him. Harry caught sight of pointed ears under his hair. Bill was looking expectantly down the isle, wearing robes of a deep green to match his eyes.

Suddenly a chord struck, and it was silent. The huge oak doors once more, and there stood Fleur. There were loud intakes of breath, and the slapping noises of women hitting their husbands.

Fleur was wearing white robes than seemed to be a solid color, and yet twinkled silver in every fold. Her blonde hair seemed to belong to an angel, and her skin seemed milky and smooth. Harry vaguely knew that Ginny was beside him, but he could not help but stare at the beautiful woman. He felt a tug on his hand, and instantly snapped out of it. Harry looked once again at an impatient but grinning Ginny, and suddenly had the fleeting thought that Ginny was perhaps more beautiful. He gently kissed her hand.

"Maybe I was wrong about us," he whispered. Harry forgot Voldemort for the moment; not at all caring about the side effects of his being with the one girl he loved. Ginny's eyes widened, and then hardened in the blazing way that Harry knew only too well.

"Finally," she whispered back. "I missed you." They not did see Melinda sitting in the first row, her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at them.