Set immediately after the Half Blood Prince following canon up until that time. My first Harry Potter fan fiction written before the Deathly Hallows was published.

Chapter 1- Upon Awakening

The sun came over the Scottish highlands in a burst of golden light. Dawn came forth over the towering hills of heather, dancing upon the waves of sparkling lochs. In the light of the sun a small figure could be seen growing larger as it traveled faster soaring into view. Its bright white form could be seen flying over the tree tops and once even through a cloud of morning fog still lingering in a shallow valley; but it did not stop or waver from its path. It was on a mission.

The figure soared towards Hogwarts whose tall towers could be seen in the distance rising above the large black lake. Another white object on the far shore of the lake was also growing brighter in the rise of the glistening morning light. The small figure altered its path slightly, dipping down towards the white marble monument, and flew low enough to spread its reach and brush the smooth stone surface. The inscription on the headstone read "Albus Dumbledore"; Headmaster, Brilliant Wizard and Good Friend."

The figure then flew towards the northernmost tower, where the sun was just reaching the uppermost windows. It was here on a window sill of the tall tower that Hedwig the Owl finally landed and pecked at the window, waiting to deliver her letter.

Harry Potter awoke with a start. He was disoriented for a minute while he tried to untangle his thoughts from the dream he'd been having. He'd been at the Dursley's and they were throwing a party to see him off and Uncle Vernon had been counting down like it was New Years Eve, but then something had awoken him. He sat up and fumbled blindly for a second for his glasses on the bedside table, and finding them, put them on and looked about the room. He was sitting up in his four poster bed at Hogwarts, and there was Ron, sound asleep and snoring loudly in the bed next to his. For a moment it seemed perfectly normal to have awoken in bed at Hogwarts, and then he remembered. Yesterday they had buried the Headmaster, Dumbledore. The greatest Wizard he would ever know as far as Harry was concerned, and he was gone. It was as though he had lost Sirius again. He'd been surprised to find that he had fallen asleep at all. After the service he had come up to his room to be alone. He must have fallen asleep because he didn't remember hearing Ron come in last night. Yesterday at the service Ron and Hermione had volunteered to leave Hogwarts with him and travel to the Dursley's. They had even promised to go with him where ever he went. He had spent a lot of time last night thinking about that. Where would he go? How was he supposed to find all of these other objects without help, without Dumbledore? He didn't even know where to start. Never had he felt so lost.

To his right there was a soft tapping noise. There at the window was Hedwig standing on the sill, with a letter tied to her leg. Harry got up and went to the window, opening it for Hedwig to hop in. She stuck out her leg and hooted at him softly. If Harry didn't know any better he would have said she sounded sad. He untied to letter from her leg, and watched as she hopped back towards the window and then flew out again.

Harry looked at the letter in his hand. It was addressed to Mr. H. Potter and Mr. R. Weasley. Harry turned it over. The return address was from a Barrister's office in London; Crane, Poole and Schmidt. Harry opened the envelope to find two more sealed envelopes inside, one for Harry and one for Ron. Harry looked over at the snoring red head and decided not to wake him just yet. He sat down on his bed, took out his wand and muttered a spell and watched as the letter unfurled itself. It was written in a very long and flowing script that was not unlike the letters he had gotten from the ministry. It read:

To Mr. Harry James Potter:

Gryffindor Tower

Dear Sir, Your presence is requested for a special reading of the last will and testament of Headmaster Albus Brian Wulfric Percival Dumbledore. Items that have been bequeathed to you must be signed for in the presence of the executor of the will. Letters of personal matter must also be delivered to your person. The reading will take place in the great hall of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry at 11 am on Friday June 16th. If you are unable to attend due to medical, physical, or magical means please send by owl the name of your proxy who will be able to attend to matters in your name.

Sincerely,

D.M. Crane, Esq.

Harry looked at the letter and read it through a second time. 'Items that have been bequeathed?' Had Dumbledore left him something? Harry thought back and was confused. He had been left all of Sirius's possessions, but he hadn't needed to be there for it. He wondered why he would need to be present. It was only then that Harry remembered that Ron had gotten a letter too.

"Ron," said Harry as he got to his feet and went over to Ron's bed. "Ron, wake up," he said more loudly, "you have a letter".

Ron sat up with a start, "Wuz going on 'moine?"

Harry ignored him, "Ron, you got a letter from a barrister in London, quick open it!"

Ron stretched his arms yawning widely, "What time is it?" he asked while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Then he seemed to connect with what Harry was saying. "A barrister? What for?"

"I'm not sure," Harry said, "just open it."

Ron took his wand off of the bedside table and gave the letter a tap. He read the letter in silence as Harry watched him.

"Well?" said Harry impatiently. "Blimey," said Ron quietly, "I've been asked to attend Dumbledore's will reading." He took note of the similar letter in Harry's hand. "You got one too?" he asked.

Harry nodded. But before he could open his mouth to ask about the contents, their bedroom door swung open. A girl with brown bushy hair ran into the room directly at them.

Breathlessly she waved the letter she held in her hands. "Did…you …get?" she panted. They both nodded at her.

A voice from the doorway said, "I told you they would still be in bed Hermione, you could have waited and changed out of your Pajama's at least."

Ron and Hermione both blushed at the girl's words, but Harry froze. Slowly he turned around and looked into the face of Ginny Weasley. She was already dressed in her maroon sweater and jumper. She looked as though she hadn't slept well and she wasn't smiling. She wasn't looking at Harry; in fact she was doing her best to look anywhere but at him. Harry didn't know what to do or what to say around her. He needed to separate himself from her, and kept reminding himself that it was to protect her, but all he really wanted to do was go stand by her in the doorway and take her hand. He was so lost in his thoughts that it took a few moments to realize that Ginny also had a letter in her hand.

"Hang on," Harry said slowly, "Ginny, you got a letter too?"

Ginny seemed to take a moment before she looked at him and gave a quick nod that she had.

"Ours was waiting for us when we woke up this morning," said Hermione who was looking back and forth between Harry and Ginny. She looked back at Ron who was also looking at Harry, who was looking at Ginny, and Ginny who was looking anywhere but at Harry. With a puzzled look on his face he gave Hermione a small shrug that read, 'no idea'.

"Erm," asked Hermione hesitantly, "did either of yours say that Dumbledore had left something for you?"

Harry took his eyes off of Ginny at her words and came back to Hermione. "Yeah." he said, holding out his letter for Hermione to read. Both Ron and Ginny nodded that they had as well.

"Blimey", said Ron again. "What could Dumbledore have left me?" He asked looking at his letter for a clue.

"It seems odd," Hermione mused and she moved away from the door and stood next to Ron on the bed. Ginny moved to one of the other unoccupied beds and sat down tucking her feet beneath her.

"What does?" Ron asked, still rereading his letter.

"Well," she hesitated, "it's just that Dumbledore died suddenly."

"Yeah," Harry said bitterly, "being murdered kind of does come at you unexpectedly."

"But that's just it," said Hermione, "it's not like he knew what was going to happen."

"Ron, do you remember when our Cousin Mulfilda died?" asked Ginny.

Ron screwed up his face and nodded. "Yeah, he said, "she had a heart attack when she was out denoming her garden. That was the summer before I came to Hogwarts," finished Ron.

"Do you remember when mom and dad were visited by her next door neighbor?" Ron nodded and Hermione gingerly sat down on Ron's bed. "Well," Ginny continued, "because she died so suddenly no one knew what to do with her things. She didn't have a will and there were no letters about what she wanted done, Dad was tied up for weeks trying to sort the whole mess out."

Hermione nodded that she was beginning to understand Ginny's line of thought.

"So, Dumbledore died two days ago," started Ginny, "and-"

"-and we get letters today from his barrister." said Hermione.

"I've been up all night thinking about him," said Ginny.

"That's what kept you up last night?" asked Hermione pointedly.

Harry could feel the back of his neck turn red. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ginny turning red too, but she just gave Hermione a look and continued on. "Dumbledore knew to set things aside, and why did he set something aside for us?"

Hermione didn't have an answer, but Ron piped up. "Well ever since our fourth year we've all been in danger haven't we? Especially the members of the Order. I mean mom and dad have had one set up for ages. It just says what will happen to us if they both die or something." he trailed off looking at Harry. Harry had gotten up from the bed and gone to look down at the lake. From their window you could just see the sun glinting off the white marble of the tomb.

"That still doesn't explain why we were sent letters", said Hermione. "Harry and the other members of the order I can understand, but…."

"Dumbledore knew I told you everything," Harry said still looking out the window. "He often encouraged me to tell you guys' things." "He always knew," mused Harry.

"That still doesn't explain my letter though," said Ginny quietly. Harry turned around to look at her but said nothing.

Hermione, picking up on the tension in the room grabbed Ron's arm and started tugging him out of bed. "Come on Ron, let's go down to breakfast, I'm starving."

"But it's so early," said Ron. He caught Hermione nod in Harry's direction and gave Ron a look. Ron looked back and forth between his best friend and Ginny before finally grabbing his robe and following Hermione out the door. He could be heard muttering as he went by, something about 'stubborn gits,' and a 'teaspoon', but finally left, closing the door behind him.

Harry was still looking at Ginny who was sitting on the bed. Her legs were tucked beneath her and she was studying the bedspread. "Did you ever tell Dumbledore about me?" she asked still staring at the blanket.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "We never really talked about personal things," but seeing Ginny's shoulders slump a little, said quickly, "but I think he knew."

Ginny raised her head to look up at him.

"He seemed to know everything," but then Harry trailed off and turned to look back out the window. "There's so much I didn't get the chance to ask." 'And it seems I'll never get to,' he thought quietly to himself. Fresh grief seemed to well up at this thought.

"Harry," Ginny said softly, "If that's the case there's something you should consider." When he didn't answer she climbed off the bed and walked over to Ron's bed and sat down facing him. "You say Dumbledore probably knew we were dating, in fact most of the school knew don't you think?" Harry nodded still looking out the window, unable or unwilling to look at her. "Well," Ginny said quickly, "that means Snape knew about us too."

At Ginny's words Harry's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't thought of that. With Snape now free to go back to Voldemort he would know all sorts of things that the order had been involved in.

Seeing Harry's face Ginny continued, "I was thinking, that if Voldemort already knows then I'm already in danger and us being together isn't going to matter, and us being apart isn't going to make any-"

But Harry cut her off. "No, Gin I can't. First my parents, then Sirius, and now Dumbledore. I can't lose anyone else. I can't take that chance."

"At his words Ginny started to frown and put her hands on her hips. Hermione told me last night that she and Ron are going with you; back to the Dursley's and then even away from Hogwarts. They are going wherever you go. You seem more than willing to risk them; it's just me you won't risk. Why not?!"

"That's different," Harry started to say but Ginny kept talking right over him.

"What's wrong? Don't think I'm good enough? I'm just as good as Ron and Hermione are!" Her eyes shrank to small slits and she glared at him. "Or maybe you just don't like me as much as I think you did and-"

But Harry had had enough. "No", he bellowed. "I can't chance losing you."

"You are taking a chance," Ginny said quietly now. She looked close to tears again. "You are chancing it because you are doing it. You are losing me right now, and you are the one that doing it, not Snape, not Voldemort."

Harry couldn't stand it anymore; he had to get out, to get away from her fast before he did something he'd regret like kissing her. Clenching his hands into fists so they wouldn't do something of their own accord like try to touch her, he announced "Look, I can't talk about this anymore. I'm going down to breakfast, I'll see you later." and turning on his heels he walked out of the room and down the hall, and out the portrait.

Harry's steps took him automatically to the great hall, but he wasn't hungry. Even more he'd have to face Ron and Hermione and he just wasn't sure he could deal with their questions just then. He had to get out. His grief just kept building inside him. How much more could he possibly take? When was it all going to be enough? How much more could he possibly do on his own?

And what was he going to do about Ginny he thought. How was he supposed to be around her and not be with her? How was he supposed to act, what could he say? Every time he saw her he was going to want to walk over to take her hand. It just seemed so normal now. Funny how quickly he had gotten used to it. He couldn't stand to see her sad, and now she was and it was all because of Voldemort.

"No," said a small voice inside him, "she's right, you did that."

"I'm trying to protect her," he argued with himself. "She's in danger around me."

"No more than Ron or Hermione will be, and you didn't try to talk them out of it. What if being apart from you puts her in just as much danger, what then?" Harry's shoulders slumped. If ever there was a time he needed advice, this was it.

Harry's feet carried him toward Dumbledore's grave before he knew where he was going, but he wasn't the first one there. A lone man with slightly shabby robes stood there with his hands in his pockets. Harry cleared his throat uncertainly. Professor Lupin turned around to look at him and smiled. "You're up rather early."

"I was just..." Harry trailed off, trying to think of the right words.

"Thinking?" suggested Lupin.

"Yeah," nodded Harry. "I have a lot on my mind."

"I'm not surprised." replied Lupin. "Thinking of Voldemort?"

"Well…. sort of…… well, no." Harry shoved his hands in his pockets and looked out over the lake. "I was just," and then he stopped. Here was someone who he could confide in, someone that would understand just what he was talking about. "It's about Ginny." he blurted.

Lupin smiled down at Harry and gestured that they walk around the lake. "Girls," Lupin chuckled, "sometimes they make fighting dementors seem easy don't they." "What's wrong did you two have a row?"

"Did you hear we were dating?" asked Harry trying to be casual about asking.

"Tonks told me." Lupin answered. "Something about a Post Quidditch Cup Victory celebration."

"I think everyone probably knows by now," said Harry glumly.

"Well it wasn't in any of Rita Skeeters columns, but I suspect it's been making the rounds. Worried about gossip?" he smiled. "I would think you had gotten used to all that by now."

"No, it's just"…and he took a deep breath and started to tell Lupin the whole tale. He told Lupin about liking Ginny when she had a boyfriend, and about how he was afraid how Ron would react. About how they broke up yesterday and why he thought he had to protect her. He rambled a bit about how he was afraid that he was going to lose her, about how Voldemort had used her before, about how miserable they both were.

"And now she says that Voldemort may already know about her because of Snape, and that she's already in danger. But I just can't take that chance." Looking up at Lupin he implored, "you agree with me right? You think what I did was right, don't you?"

Lupin didn't answer Harry right away. Instead he looked back out over the lake back towards Hogwarts. "You remind me so much of your father sometimes. James was just as stubborn; 'mule headed' I think Lily used to call him. I had a similar conversation with your dad once. You were just a few weeks old, and your dad was starting to panic. Word had reached us that Voldemort was targeting some particular families and your dad's name was on the list. Your dad wanted to hide you and your mom until it was safe and he and your mom had such a row about it. Your dad had all but made the preparations when your mom found out and she about blew her top. It was brilliant to behold," he said, "your mom in a temper." They argued so much that your mom hexed him, something she hadn't done since they had been dating. After that your dad had calmed down enough to realize what it was your mom was trying to tell him. Staying safe wasn't the answer, staying together was.

"Yeah but they died anyways, Voldemort got to them and-"

"Harry listen, if Pettigrew had never turned your parents would never have been found. The Fidealus Charm was-"

"Supposed to protect them, I know. But I can't go off and hide" said Harry, "and I can't let anything happen to Ginny."

"Harry, understand one thing about your parents. If James had been away when Lily had died protecting you he would never have forgiven himself. I hate the thought that they are dead, but I would have hated the thought of them being apart more." Lupin put his arm around Harry. "Come on, it's time we got back. It's almost time for the-"

"Will reading," said Harry. "Yeah, I know." "You got a letter too? Did Tonks?"

Lupin nodded. "All the members of the Order did". Lupin frowned. "It's strange though", he mused.

"Why", asked Harry, "Sirius had a will."

"Sirius had a will, but it was very straight forward, leaving everything to you. In fact it had been written shortly after you were born. Most wizards only leave a detailed will after they have been sick for a very long time. Dumbledore died suddenly," Lupin finished, "and that's why it's strange."

"Ginny said the same thing…" Harry started and then trailed off as he realized he had spoken her name. They walked silently, each in their own thoughts until they completed their walk around the lake and returned to the site of the monument. They stood at the foot of the tomb, each contemplating fonder memories with the Headmaster. As he cast his head down to hide the tears in his eyes Harry noticed for the first time that there were words of some sort at the base. He started to lean closer to try to make them out but Lupin clasped him on the shoulder.

"Come on." he urged, and turning they made their way slowly back up to the castle.