Harry Potter and the Veiled Secret

by EldaSerme

A fan's version of Harry Potter book 6. Guranteed not to be nearly as good as JK Rowling's upcoming one, but hey! I do what I can. Hope you enjoy.

Aunt Petunia's Secret

Harry sat alone in the small bedroom at number 4 Privet Drive. The house was silent, as was the norm at precisely 11:00 at night when, minutes before, a purple-faced Mr. Dursley had finally forced his grotesquely fat son to bed. Closing his copy of 'The Standard Book of Spells', Harry placed both the book and his half-completed essay on the most efficient ways to win a wizard duel under the loose floorboard by his bed. Although he was no longer forbidden access to his school supplies, Harry had found it necessary to protect his things against the unpredictable moods of his cousin.

Retrieving his Firebolt from the closet, Harry opened his bedroom window and, after looking around to be sure no Muggles were around, soared into the sky and was soon lost above the clouds. He had been leaving the house to fly every evening since his return from

Hogwarts and was quickly becoming an expert at doing the Wronski Feint, a move he had first seen Viktor Krum perform at the Quidditch World Cup two years earlier.

An hour later, thoroughly numbed, Harry soared down to the house and slipped back into his bedroom. He had already taken off his soaking wet faded jeans and long shirt and was wearing a hideous pyjama shirt of his uncle's when Harry noticed a snowy white owl sitting beside a large brown one on top of the brass cage in the corner.

The white owl was, of course, Hedwig, and was carrying a letter Harry presumed was from Hermione. The other owl was from Hogwarts. Realizing it was too early for the annual supply lists to be arriving, Harry concluded with glee that the owl was carrying the results of his OWLs. Grabbing the sealed scroll, he hurriedly sat down at the desk to read the letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are happy to inform you that you have achieved 8 OWLS (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) according to the examinations done this past June. Your results are as follows:

Theory of Charms – O
Transfiguration - E
Herbology - A
Defence against the Dark Arts - O
Potions - A
Care of Magical Creatures - E
Astronomy - A
Divination – D History of Magic – A

Let me congratulate you on your hard works and its impressive results.

On behalf the Wizarding Examination Authority, Professor A. Dumbledore

Harry's eyes widened with shock as he read the name signed neatly at the bottom of the scroll. For Dumbledore to be working with the Ministry of Magic, he knew, life in the wizarding world must be becoming increasingly chaotic. Harry reluctantly passed the matter by. Although his friends were not being secretive in their letters to him as they were the previous year, Harry had noticed their letters had failed to mention anything about Voldemort or the Death Eaters. For the moment, he could only assume the reason was because of the Order's lack of knowledge in the matter of the location of Voldemort.

As he thought about this, Harry realized that Ron and Hermione would have, no doubt, received their OWLs as well and would be wanting to hear from him. Pulling two scraps of parchment across the desk, Harry hastily wrote to identical letters and brought them to Hedwig, only to realize he had forgotten all about his other letter. It was not, as he had originally thought, from Hermione. Rather, it was a lengthy letter written by Lupin on behalf of the Order of the Phoenix.

Dear Harry, [it began]

Greetings from all of the Order! Over the past two weeks we have been concentrating our efforts on discovering the whereabouts of Voldemort and his followers. We have a great deal of information (though there is still more that needs to be known) and we now feel that we can properly explain to you our current concerns.

As you well know, Voldemort Disapparated immediately after the attack at the Department of Ministries, taking with him, we presumed, Bellatrix Lestrange. We have now found that this is most likely true, as we discovered her body in Egypt, an apparent victim of the Avada Kedavra curse. We can only assume it was her master's punishment for failing to retrieve the prophesy safely. As soon the Lestrange's body was found, the Order agreed to send Alastor Moody and Tonks to Africa in attempt to learn more of Voldemort's whereabouts. Henceforth this has been to no avail. We are fairly confident, however, that he is not in London, as Albus Dumbledore has succeeded in setting up an extremely powerful charm around the whole of London that warns him of the entry of any witch or wizard.

Another development is that Arthur Weasley, with the ever available help of Albus Dumbledore, has graciously undertaken the job of Minister of Magic after it was found that Cornelius Fudge was, in fact, acting on his own in alliance with Voldemort. He is now in Azkaban along with the Death Eaters we caught last month. They are currently being guarded by an army of Dementors who agreed to remain as guards of Azkaban until their substitutes could be properly trained.

Also of great importance are the changes in laws that have been made. The age at which wizards are permitted to use magic outside of school is now fifteen. Also, all those directly involved with the Order of the Phoenix will be taught how to Apparate, no matter what their age level.

Finally, I have been requested to inform you that, on July 24 - that is, a week from today - a select group from the Order will be arriving by Floo Powder to bring you to the Headquarters. Please ensure that you are ready to depart at this time.

Until then, keep safe.

John Lupin

Harry stared at the words in amazement. In such a short time, the ways of the wizarding world had made a turn in the opposite direction. And now, Harry realized, he could use magic outside of school without worrying about getting in trouble. He grinned. Although his aunt and uncle no longer forced him to do anything since Mad-Eye's threat at the train station, they also didn't give him half of what he needed, locking Harry in his room for the majority of the day.

Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket and faced the locked door. With the simple Alohomora spell, he was free. He entered the kitchen much to the disgust of the Dursleys, who were just beginning dinner. Uncle Vernon was on his feet within seconds.

"What the ruddy hell are you doing out of your room, boy?" His beady eyes narrowed as he stared at Harry, demanding an explanation.

"Well, that was simple enough. See there's this spell - it's called Alohomora - and it opens locked doors. Really quite easy ... I show you how if you want."

"You're not allowed to use magic ... I know you're not." he said nervously, hopefully waiting, for the first time, for an owl to arrive.

"Not anymore. The Ministry of Magic is under a new Minister now. New minister equals new rules. Therefore I can, since I last checked, use magic."

"Prove it, you little liar. I'll bet you just figured out how to pick the lock or something."

Harry shrugged his shoulders helplessly. Pointing his wand at Dudley he cried 'Petrificus Totalus'. Dudley, who had just gotten up to get more food, stopped in mid-stride and fell frozen to the floor.

"You don't mind if I eat this, do you?" Harry asked, taking Dudley's plate, "After all, he won't be needing it for a while." The look on his uncle's face would have horrified most people but, to Harry, it was the best face he could have seen. It was a face of anger mixed with a face of helplessness that one always get when one has lost.

The week passed by considerably quicker for Harry. A frozen Dudley, of course, was not much fun. After a few hours had gone by, Harry unfroze his cousin. From then on, the entire family avoided Harry like the plague. Harry's favourite pastime became arriving at the dining table with some sort of odd creature, setting it on the table, and changing it into a water goblet. He would then proceed to eat his meal, and would drink his water in the goblet. After finishing his meal, he always transfigured the goblet back into an animal.

Soon, July 24 arrived. Harry, having been packed the night before, hung around excitedly in the living room. Not knowing what time the group would be arriving; Harry opened his copy of Quidditch through the Ages and started reading it for the fifth time.

Hours later, at precisely 1:38 pm, there was a green flash and Harry looked up to see a dusty Lupin picking himself up from the floor. Seconds later Mrs. Weasley arrived, followed by Ron, Fred, and George.

"All ready, Harry?" Lupin asked.

Harry nodded, and moved to float his trunk into the fireplace, but stopped when he noticed Uncle Vernon stomp into the room. He was, naturally, infuriated at the sight of his living room covered with ashes. Lupin, however, ignored the anger.

"Mr. Dursley, how nice it is too se you. We were just about to take Harry away with us, as he has probably not told you, but I was wondering if we might have a little ... er ... discussion. You and your wife?"

Mr. Dursley was not quick to agree but, after glancing nervously at the wand in Lupin's hand, he sullenly followed Mrs. Weasley and Lupin into the kitchen. As the four adults disappeared, Harry took Ron, Fred, and George to his room.

"Wonder what they're talking about." Harry said aloud. "Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Fred said, looking sideways at his twin brother. Pulling a few Extendable Ears from his pocket, he tossed one to Harry and another to Ron. Then Fred ran downstairs quietly and placed one end of the ears by the closed door.

"... now you must realize Harry is not just an ordinary wizard." Mrs. Weasley was saying.

"Ordinary? You call your sort ordinary?" came the unmistakable sound of Mr. Dursley's voice.

"No matter what you think, Dursley, Harry's no ordinary case and we'll be needing your cooperation to keep him safe!" Lupin growled.

Harry glanced nervously at Ron, who shrugged in confusion. If the Order was going after his aunt and uncle for help, they must be really desperate.

"Forget it. Ain't now way we would even consider helping your lot. Let the little bugger die, he's been nothing but trouble since he arrived anyways."

"Don't you get it? Harry's the only thing that's kept you and Petunia alive all these years."

"That little worthless blight? Never! I told you, we'd be better off without him.

"That's where you're wrong, Mr. Dursley." Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "Without Harry here, you would have had no protection after Voldemort came back. Whether or not you like it, you've got countless charms shielding you against evil, all because of him."

"That's absolutely absurd. There's nothing preventing anyone from finding this house. It's on the bloody map!" Mr. Dursley's voice was so loud with building anger; the boys could easily hear him, even without the Extendable Ears.

"For once you're somewhat right, Mr. Dursley. There is nothing preventing a person to find this, wizard or not. But if Voldemort himself, or even one of his followers, were peering through that window, all they would see if an empty room. The same charm - Fidelius - was put on Lily and James' house."

"Then why are they dead? Obviously your foolish fiddylus charm failed."

"Only because they were betrayed by the only person who could tell Voldemort where they were and so enable Voldemort to see them."

"That's crazy, wizard. Any person who knows me can tell this Voldymore guy where I am."

"Yes, but only one would be able to tell him so he could see."

"Their Secret-Keeper." Aunt Petunia said softly.

Mr. Dursley's voice shook as he turned his attention to his wife, demanding an explanation.

It was silent for a minute. Harry waited and, by listening closely, could hear the sound of a dial on a safe being spun. Seconds later, he heard the sound of hundreds of pieces of paper falling everywhere, similar to the sound on the days preceding his eleventh birthday when hundreds of owls delivered Hogwarts letters to him.

Aunt Petunia's voice grew confident as she took a stand for herself for the first time. "My sister was not a freak. She was my hero. I wrote to her every week until her death. She did the same, right up to the moment of her death. Marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life - I couldn't bare to hear you bad-mouth her every day of our marriage. It was all I could do to stay here, and then only for Harry's sake. I had to follow your lead in mistreating him, what else could I do? But no more, Vernon. I've had enough."

Harry stopped listening. His face revealed the amazement he felt. All the years his aunt had been so horrible to him was, in some weird and twisted way, for his own protection. How she was standing up to her enemy, showing her true feelings. Harry felt an unexplainable job as he sensed that, with his aunt's support for him now in full view, his life would be somewhat more enjoyable, especially the following summer.

Harry pulled the Extendable Ear up the stairs again, no longer feeling the need to listen. The others quickly follow suit. The three Weasley brothers looked at each other, then at Harry, realizing the significance of the new discovery and unsure of what to say about it.

"Well," Harry said, pulling out his wand. "We can't do anything until they're done. In the meantime, who's up for a little duelling?" The room was soon filled with loud cracks and bangs as the four indulged in a friendly wizard's duel.

Hours later, the adults emerged from the kitchen. Uncle Vernon looked pale and confused, while Aunt Petunia, though tired, appeared victoriously content. Lupin called the boys, still talking about the spectacular patronus of a bear Ron had been able to create for the first time, into the living room. Passing the kitchen, Harry caught sight of a huge pile of letters on the floor. Lupin, noticing Harry's expression to be pleased rather than surprised, whispered, "Spying, Harry?"

"A little." Harry admitted, not in the least ashamed.

"Well, boys." Lupin announced, "It's time for us to be going. We'll just give Petunia a few minutes to get packed and we'll be off."

The four exchanged surprised glances. They never thought the Order would allow a Muggle to come into their midst. Things must have been far more dangerous than they ever thought possible.

Minutes later, Harry stepping into the fireplace, took a handful of Floo Powder and was off to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. He fell out of the fireplace, landing on the floor of the Black House.

"Harry!" he heard an excited voice exclaim. Looking up, he saw it was Hermione standing in front of him. "What's happened to your glasses?" she asked, but without waiting for a response pulled out her wand and repaired them.

Harry suddenly fell down after being hit in the back by something hard. Sitting up, he saw his trunk sitting on its side, with Ron standing beside it.

"Couldn't find a better place to land it, could you?" grunted, rubbing his sore shoulder.

The Past Renewed

Harry sat at the table in the now sparkling kitchen. Work had been done since he was last there, but Harry barely took the time to notice. He was still in shock about the Order's decision to take Aunt Petunia to the Headquarters. He glanced up at Lupin and Mrs. Weasley entered the room, followed by Ron, Hermione, and Albus Dumbledore.

"I think," Dumbledore said, looking at Harry's bemused expression, "It is time for an explanation or two."

Harry was eager for answers, so he nodded quickly.

"Now, I know you've figured out that your Aunt Petunia is not who she seems to be. Fact of the matter is that we didn't even know she had been in contact with Lily until today. Had we known, no doubt we would have brought both her and you here last summer. Ever since Voldemort came back two years ago, you've been in terrible danger, more than even I knew."

"But why would aunt Petunia's letters to my mom have anything to do with Voldemort?"

"Harry, you must understand that if Voldemort knew Lily was writing to Petunia, he would quickly capture her in order to find out what she knows about you."

"Like what?" Harry questioned.

"Like what the prophesy says, for instance. Or how you were saved from death as a baby. All of us here at the Order know these things, but it would be far easier to get to the information from a Muggle. It's simply common sense. For now, your aunt is going to stay here. She has been told a thing or two about the Order of the Phoenix, but not everything. For now, she'll be staying in the room next to Buckbeak's. She seems most interested with the creature, hopefully that will keep her occupied for a time."

Harry couldn't hold back a smile as he pictured his frail aunt trying to make friends with the Hippogriff.

"Meanwhile, Harry," Dumbledore continued, "I want you, Ron, and Hermione to busy yourselves with learning to Apparate. Ginny's already been taught, but your friends insisted on waiting until you were here."

"Who's teaching us?" Harry asked. With a loud crack, Fred and George Apparated beside Harry. "We are." They said in unison. Minutes later Harry stood in the room he was sharing with Ron. Fred stood beside him, giving him some brief instruction on accomplishing the Apparation process.

"It's like most wizarding ways of transportation - Floo Powder for instance. You concentrate on the place you want to go, say its name and poof! off you go."

Harry nodded nervously. He had heard horror stories of people who, when attempting to Apparate, had gotten half their bodies stuck in the place they had left. Taking a deep breath, he tried to clear his mind as he would for Occlumency. He pictured the downstairs kitchen in his mind and focussed on it completely. Whispering the word kitchen, he heard a loud crack. The room started swirling, and Harry felt himself lifted into the air, only to land several seconds later. He opened his eyes and looked around. Though he was indeed in a kitchen, it was the kitchen of the Weasley house. Seconds later, Fred appeared beside him.

"You've got to be a little more precise than that, Harry. You're lucky I was standing beside you so you'd be sent to this kitchen instead of some unknown wizard's kitchen." he informed Harry with a chuckle.

Harry grinned, and then worked to clear his mind again. Picturing his bedroom, he said 'My bedroom, number 12 Grimmlaud Place.' Seconds later he felt himself landing on a soft floor. The first thing he saw was Ron's Chudley Cannons poster. He breathed a sigh of relief. He had done it.

At dinner that night Ron, Hermione, and Harry talked excitedly about their successes in Apparating. Hermione, naturally, had succeeded on her first attempt. Ron took more time, finally succeeding on his tenth try. By the time Ron had reached his destination of the kitchen he had travelled to Diagon Alley, the Barrow, the living room, the London Underground, and good number of other odd locations. Harry, however, did not think it was entirely Ron's fault. Ron did, after all, have his mischievous brother as his teacher.

Immediately after dinner Harry headed up to bed, exhausted from the long day. He fell into bed without bothering to change clothes, but his sleep was not a peaceful one.

He was dreaming and, once his again, his dream focussed on Voldemort. First, it was a memory of when Cedric had been killed two years ago. Then Harry saw something he knew was not a memory. Voldemort was pacing back and forth, listening to a voice that sounded like that of a house-elf. The house-elf told Voldemort about the Order of the Phoenix, its members, and most importantly its Headquarters. Harry's line of vision shifted from watching to Voldemort in order to see who was talking. It was Kreacher, the house-elf that had once lived in the Black house.

Harry's scar began to burn; the pain steadily getting stronger until he felt his head would burst. Screaming, Harry sat up in bed and found himself looking at a dark room. Harry climbed out of bed, his scar searing with every movement. Clutching at it, Harry stumbled down the stairs and found himself in the kitchen. Entering, he noticed a figure at the far side of table. Harry stood still, unsure of who it was.

"Problems, Harry?" Dumbledore's voice floated to him out of the darkness. Harry shuffled over to the chair, his hand still clutching at his scar. The pain had dulled now, but remained fairly intense. Quietly Harry told Dumbledore about the dream. For a long time, Dumbledore sat silent, staring out the window at things unseen.

At last he spoke, "I do not think your dream was nothing but a dream. I suspect that what you saw did happen, maybe was even happening at the time you saw it. There is no evidence to prove it, of course, but there is nothing to say that this did not happen. Kreacher, after all, is no longer here. But remember, Harry, if Voldemort entered London, we would know."

"But what if he's already in London? Or is an animagus? You couldn't detect him if he was an animagus, could you?" Harry suddenly felt, for the first time, unsure of Dumbledore's charm. He had always that Dumbledore would be able to get him out of trouble, that Dumbledore would never make a mistake. Yet something told Harry that perhaps this was not true.

"We can never guarantee yours, or anybody's, complete protection, Harry. Not even I am capable of this, though I daresay I am your best bet at protecting you right now. The best we can do is give you the best chance you have to fight him, and the only way we see fit to do this is to get you through your years at Hogwarts. You remember what the prophesy said?"

"That either Voldemort or I had to kill the other in the end?"

"Exactly. We cannot guard you forever, Harry. One day it will be you versus Voldemort. No one else will be there; no one else will be able to be there."

Harry rubbed his scar, which now only throbbed dully. "But why ..."

"Did your scar hurt tonight more than it ever has before?" Dumbledore interrupted, "My guess is that at the moment, Voldemort is feeling the happiest he has in a long time. He will try to come soon, if I know his intentions at all. But don't worry, Harry. We'll be as ready as ever."

The next morning Harry sat on his bed, recounting his conversation with Dumbledore to Ron and Hermione. "Well, that's settled then." Hermione said firmly.

"What's settled?"

"Ron and I have been debating about whether or not we need to continue with the DA, since hopefully Dumbledore will hire an adequate teacher this year. But with the constant change in teachers, I think it's best we keep teaching ourselves, don't you? Especially now that Dumbledore thinks Voldemort will be coming back soon."

Harry and Ron readily consented, as the DA lessons were often a high point of their week. "It's weird, isn't it?" Ron remarked, "All this work being done to keep Voldemort away and eventually you will have to face him one on one. Makes it seem almost useless."

"Harry," Hermione said suddenly, seemingly wishing to avoid the subject, "What'd you get on your OWLs?"

"Oh! I forgot about those. I got 8 OWLs, and almost all of my grades are high enough for me to take the classes I need to become an Auror. Just potions - I only got an 'A'. I'll probably have to take Remedial Potions or something, which would suck ... what about you two?"

"I did pretty good, but I only got an 'E' in Ancient Runes. I just knew mixing up 'ehwaz' and 'eihwaz' would cost me!" Hermione told them, looking mad at herself.

Harry and Ron exchanged amused looks. "ONLY an 'E'? That's about the best I got." Ron commented, "I got 6 OWLs, I figure instead of being an Auror I'd like to play Quidditch professionally."

"Yeah, that'd be great." Harry replied readily, "But I guess I can't really plan my life until I find out if I'm going to live past twenty."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a persistent thumping at the window. Outside, a large tawny owl hovered, carrying a copy of the Witch Weekly. Yanking the glass aside, Harry grabbed the paper and stuck five knuts in the owl's bag. Looking at the front page, Harry gasped.

"What is it?" Hermione asked anxiously.

Harry showed them the front page. On it was a large picture of Azkaban, with gigantic spiders pacing in front of the cells. "It says here," Harry said, jabbing his finger under the title New Guards for Azkaban, that the spiders were raised in the Old Forest near Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where a young third year student set a giant spider loose after being accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago. Hagrid, the part-giant working as groundskeeper and teacher for the Care of Magical Creatures class, has been working with dangerous animals for as long as he can remember and managed to persuade his eight-legged friends to guard Azkaban after the Dementors left' And look, later on it says that Hagrid, being found innocent of charges relating to the secret and in an act of thanks by the Ministry of Magic, will be permitted use of magic once again."

"That's great!" Hermione cried, "He always been so angry about not being allowed to use magic."

Just then Lupin burst into the room. He motioned for the three to follow him, then hastened into the living room, where Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Fred, George, Mad-Eye Moody, and Tonks had already assembled. "Everyone, Apparate to St. Mungos." Lupin demanded.

"But ... why?" Hermione started to ask.

"Just do it! Now!" Lupin responded, glaring angrily at her.

Harry landed safely at the entrance of St. Mungo's Hospital. Looking around, he saw that the others had successfully arrived too. Lupin confirmed they had all arrived, then lead the way to the fourth floor and into the farthest room. It was empty except for an old man laying in the bed. Drawing closer, Harry saw that it was Dumbledore.

"What happened?" he asked in utter disbelief.

Lupin's voice shook as he told the group about how Dumbledore had been lying just outside the door of Arthur Weasley's new office. "Though no one is completely sure," he told them, "We are almost positive he was hit with Stunning spells from behind, probably about three times."

Harry shuddered, remembering all to well Sirius' body sinking slowly through the veil and to unknown places beyond by the force of a Stunning Spell. "Is he ... dead?" Harry whispered. Lupin shook his head slightly, but told them the chances Dumbledore would ever fully recover were slim. "One does not simply walk away from being hit with such spells with nothing but bad memories."

At that moment Fred and George, who had been staring soberly at Dumbledore's motionless body, announced that they had to go. Before anyone could anything, they disappeared and were not seen by any for a month.

"This is bad, very bad." Tonks wept, wringing her hands anxiously, "With Dumbledore gone, You-Know-Who could do, well, anything."

"But that's not true. That can't be true." Harry answered, glancing from face to face in search of a different answer.

"I'm afraid she's right, Harry." Moody responded at last, "You see, he was the only one who could detect the wizards coming into London. It was his spell, no one else knows what is was. And with

Dumbledore out of the way, there's no telling what Voldemort will do next."

"Are you all right, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking at his pale face.

"I'm fine. I just want to go home and think."

"I think that's probably a good idea, for all of us." Mrs. Weasley told the group. Lupin nodded, so Harry concentrated his energy and whispered the words needed to take him home. But instead of landing in his room, Harry landed in a large pile of broken wood. The others landed beside him.

"What happened?" Ron gasped, looking at the remains of the Black house.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it can't be good." Moody answered, looking all around with his magical eye. "There's no one here, not even under the wreckage. Petunia's gone."

Lupin glanced around the wreckage. There was no question in his mind as to who was behind the matter. "It is no coincidence that Dumbledore was attacked, and Petunia gone within the same hour. We can only assume that Voldemort has found more followers or has come here himself to do this. Either way, Harry, you are no longer safe here."

"What can I do? I can't run forever! I just wish I could fight him now and be done with it." Harry answered, thoroughly frustrated.

"The time at which you will face Voldemort is already decided, Harry. Do not wish for things both foolish and impossible. I think the best thing we can do is to go to Godric's Hollow to rebuild your parents' house, and then perform a Fidelius charm on it. It is the only thing we can do right now that will keep you safe."

"But why Godric's Hollow? Why rebuild my parent's house? Wouldn't it be easier to find a different house?"

"Of course it would be easier. And also, it may seem safer, as it is becoming apparent that Voldemort is in the area. But remember, Harry, the closer we are to danger, the farther we are from harm. It will be the thing he least expects us to do - to remain in London. And as for my choice to go to Godric's Hollow and rebuild the house, that is because it is the place of Voldemort's first defeat. I would guess that, off all the place in the world, that would be the one Voldemort would least think of or want to go to. Also the house, though wrecked, still bears the spirit of the owners in it. This will, no doubt, prove to be more of a protection to you in the last resort than all the Aurors in the world."

Harry gulped. Lupin's reasoning made sense, but returning to the place where his parents were killed made him fearful. Still, it was what he had to do. He would not let Voldemort win. "Ok. Let's do it." Harry finally answered.

"Do you know who you want to be your Secret-Keeper? Tonks asked gently.

"No, not yet. I'll tell you when we get to Godric's Hollow and rebuild the house." Harry said absently, deep in thought.

An hour later the members of the Order stood in front of the Potter house, which had been successfully been raised from the ashes. After they completed a Mass Memory Charm so the residents of Godric's Hollow would not remember that the house had been destroyed at all, Lupin took Harry aside to learn his decision.

"Can it be two people instead of one?" Harry inquired, "That way two will have to betray me before Voldemort will be able to find me."

"I suppose so ... yes, that's probably a good idea. Good thinking, Harry."

Harry let the compliment roll off his shoulders. It was a pivotal moment between him and those he had chosen to be his Secret-Keepers: Ron and Hermione.

"Are you sure that's a wise idea?" Lupin questioned, "Wouldn't you rather somebody older and wiser?"

"No!" Harry replied with surprising vehemence, "There is no one I trust more. Other that I have once trusted - Professor Quirrell, Tom Riddle, even Mad-Eye Moody, have been found to be against me. Ron and Hermione have been my friends for five year, and have helped me through almost every encounter with Voldemort I have ever had. If not them, then I refuse to choose anyone."

"An admirable speech, Harry. And I trust your decision - Ron and Hermione will be the best for the job." Lupin agreed.

Minutes later Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in the living room, surrounded by the members of the Order. Ron and Hermione had agreed to be Harry's Secret-Keepers, but Lupin checked one more time.

The three friends took deep breaths, and then replied. "Let's do it."

The Warning

The remainder of Harry's summer was easily the worst he had experienced in a long time. At no time was he permitted to go outside, not even under the sharp watch of Lupin. His time was instead spent indoors. The majority of the time he was alone, as Ron and Hermione were usually busy running around doing small errands for the Order. The good thing about the time, as far as Harry could see, was that he wouldn't get in trouble for not doing his homework over the summer.

Nothing changed in Harry's situation during the entirety of the rest of the summer. Voldemort was still at locations unknown, as was his aunt Petunia. Dumbledore, though he had regained some movement in his upper body, had no ideas who he was. This led Lupin to believe he had also been the victim of a powerful memory charm. As of yet, no word had been heard from Fred and George, who had hired Lee Jordan to run their joke shop while submitting themselves to complete solitude. Owls were sent to them twice weekly, informing them of the current news of the Order.

Things all changed when, a week before Hogwarts was to open, Fred and George finally emerged from hiding to reveal what they had been working on - a potion they claimed was an antidote for Stunning Spells and memory charms, the two most common causes of wizard instability in Europe, as well as various other spells and curses that had caused insanity. The Order, however, was doubtful. Lupin was convinced that no one, and especially no one who had not completed their schooling, was physically capable of creating such an amazing antidote.

Frustrated at the Order's lack of faith, Fred and George assembled everyone at the Potter house. Pulling out his wand, Fred pointed it at his brother and shouted 'Obliviate!' George was hurled against the wall by the force of the spell, then fell to the floor.

"Go ahead," Fred challenged. "See if I did that right."

A brief examination revealed that George's memory had indeed been completely wiped out.

"Now," Fred announced, "George will drink this potion. In five minutes I guarantee he will be back to normal."

Harry waited anxiously as George, who was quite confused about why so many people were watching him, drank the contents of the cup. Minutes later, just as Fred had promised, George's memory was completely restored. Lupin was shocked, and apologized ten times over to the twins.

"Doesn't matter who did it, or how." Fred told them, "All that matters is that we can heal Dumbledore, and the Longbottoms, and anyone else who needs it."

"I'm so proud of you two." Mrs. Weasley told her sons as tears streamed down her face, "I always thought you two were wasting your lives, but now ..."

"Aah, don't start that, mum." George tried to calm his mother down, but it was hopeless.

"Well, enough standing around! We've got people to heal!" Moody cried. Harry turned to leave the room as people started to Apparate. "Well, aren't you coming, Harry?" Lupin asked.

"You mean I can?" Harry turned around hopefully.

"I think this is one of those times when you can leave. Dumbledore will be wanting to see you, and you have to meet the Longbottoms. They're Aurors, you know. I reckon they'll play a good part in the Order."

Harry nodded, then prepared to Apparate. Seconds later he felt the familiar swirling sensation as his feet left the house for the first time since July. Arriving at St. Mungo's, Harry followed Lupin to Dumbledore's room. Lupin took a cup filled with the antidote from Fred and George, who had followed them. Anxiously they watched as Dumbledore downed the drink. The healing process was almost immediate.

"I knew you could do it." he told Fred and George, his blue eyes looking at the brewed potion in George's hand.

"There's at least one person who actually believed in us!" Fred exclaimed.

"Well, two. Harry's supported us all along too." George argued.

"And there's Lee Jordan, of course, and ..." Harry began.

"Enough chatting!" Dumbledore interrupted, all business again, "Now, where are my socks?"

An hour later, the beds on the fourth floor were almost completely empty. As Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom stood in the front hall talking with Dumbledore, the front door to the building slid open and in ran Neville Longbottom, followed by his considerably slower grandmother. Mrs. Longbottom turned and stared at the son she had only known as a baby. Tears spilled down her face as she bent to receive his hug. Mr. Longbottom joined the hug as the members of the Order looked on happily.

"Harry," Dumbledore said at last, "I think it's time for you and me to return the house."

Harry nodded reluctantly, not eager to be put back in his cage. However, he complied and Disapparated.

"Do you know what happened to me at the Department of Ministries, Harry?" Dumbledore asked once they had sat down.

"Professor Lupin said he was pretty sure you had been hit with several Stunning spells and a memory charm."

"Indeed. Voldemort, it seems, found it important to get me out of the way, but wanted me to be a distraction for you and the rest of the Order as he destroyed our Headquarters and kidnapped your aunt. He first crept up behind me as I was leaving Mr. Weasley's office and performed the memory charm on me before I could block him. Before my memory was completely erased, after which you tend to go unconscious for a few minutes, I remember him raising his wand again. I suppose that was him about to do the Stunning Spell."

Harry, however, was still confused. "How did Voldemort get into London, though? I mean, didn't you have a detecting charm of sorts guarding London?"

"Yes, I did. My guess is that he was already in London before I performed the charm. It's the only possible way - the charm would have detected Animagi."

"You're saying that Voldemort could still be in London?"

"He could very well be. Nothing's or certain. But as long as you're in this house, you're safe. Lupin told me who you selected to be your Secret- Keepers, and I couldn't have been happier. You made a wise choice, Harry. But I am afraid I have some bad news for you. Much as I know you want to return to Hogwarts this year, I don't think it is a wise idea."

"But I can't stay here! I have to go to Hogwarts - it's my home. This isn't my home, no matter what anybody says. It's a cage. You know there's no way you can keep me here forever. It's inhumane and it won't happen. I'd rather die - after all you said death is a great adventure. Anything would be more fun than staying here."

Dumbledore stared at Harry, admiration taking the place of worry in his eyes. "You're more like your father than you know, Harry. He wouldn't stay caged either."

The day before the Hogwarts Express was scheduled to leave, Harry was finally permitted to leave the safety to go outside, to Diagon Alley. Grateful though he was to Mrs. Weasley, who had pointed out that with the entire Order present Voldemort was most unlikely to attack, Harry was still miserable, for he was unsure of whether or not he would be permitted to go to Hogwarts the following day. However, it was a giant step to be permitted to go to Diagon Alley, so Harry for the moment had to be satisfied.

They arrived in the wizard shopping area early, ready for an eventful day. After stopping at Gringotts to fill their moneybags, Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed to Madam Malkin's to buy themselves new robes, having outgrown last year's set. Ron, excited about being able to buy new robes for the first time, vowed to burn the frilly maroon dress robes he had been obligated to wear to the Yule Ball two years earlier. After that, they went to Flourish and Botts to purchase new books.

"Let's see." Hermione said, looking at her booklist, " We need four new books with year: Asiastic Anti-Venoms, Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions, the Guide to Advanced Transfiguration, and The Dark Arts Outsmarted. The last one sounds really good, I can't wait to read it!"

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes. Predictable as she was, it never ceased to amaze them how Hermione actually enjoyed reading schoolbooks. They walked into the small store, where they spied Neville at the counter with his parents, paying for his books.

"Hi, guys!" Neville called happily. Before they had a chance to reply, the door swung open and Draco Malfoy strolled in.

"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter and his faithful followers." he said spitefully, "and Longbottom's crazy parents. What you doing with them, Longbottom? Taking them for a walk?"

"I wouldn't say that if I were you, Malfoy." Ron warned.

"Why? Is the almighty Harry going to hurt me?" Malfoy snickered.

"Not me," Harry responded, "But they might."

Draco stared at Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom, realizing for the first time that the former Aurors had, somehow, been restored to their original power. His eyes grew huge with fear as he turned and fled from the shop, leaving the other six standing there laughing in his wake.

Ron smiled victoriously. "I never though I'd see Malfoy run away! I'm going to have to bring that one up again. And again. And again."

Hours later, thoroughly exhausted, the three met up with the rest of the Order, who had been invisibly keeping an eye on Harry all day. Ron narrowed his eyes when he saw Ginny sitting at a small table in the Leaky Cauldron with Dean Thomas.

"Come on, Ron." Harry said, laughing silently at his friend's anger, "I'll buy you a Butterbeer."

After everyone had a round of drinks, the group Apparated back to Godric's Hollow. Harry landed, wincing as he dropped his packages on his feet. He heard more thumps as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny did the same. Minutes later, Mrs. Weasley hustled them off to bed.

Harry lay in bed, unable to sleep. Though he had questioned both Lupin and Moody a number of times that day, he had never gotten the answer to his question. Harry got up and stared out the window. All was calm and quiet outside, but Harry did not feel peaceful in the least. The constant thought of possibly not being permitted attendance to Hogwarts nagged constantly at his mind. Finally, he flung open the door and marched down the stairs to the kitchen, where he could hear Lupin and Moody conferring quietly with each other.

Stopping at the door, Harry noticed that Professor McGonagall was also present. She looked up and, spying Harry, motioned for him to sit down. Harry did so tentatively, curious to know why she that there.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here." she voiced his thoughts aloud.

"I've got a pretty good guess - it's about my going to Hogwarts tomorrow, isn't it?"

"That's correct. As you well know, we are reluctant to let you go to Hogwarts this year, as it could prove very dangerous. But after much deliberation, we have decided to let you go."

"But," she said, silencing the cheer on his lips, "You must first learn to do something very important."

"Yes ma'am." Harry responded eagerly, "I'll do anything to return to Hogwarts tomorrow. What do I have to learn?"

"It's not easy, Harry, but you MUST learn to do it before you leave this house, even if it means arriving at school late."

"Fine, fine! Just tell me what to do!" Harry almost yelled out of impatience.

"You must learn to become an Animagi."

Harry blinked. He hadn't expected her to request that. Quickly, though, his confidence returned. "All right. Tell me what to do."

It was Professor McGonagall's turn to look surprised. "You want to learn tonight?"

"Yes."

She complied. "Explaining the process is easy enough. First, though, we must know what your animagus is." Taking out her wand, Professor McGonagall pointed it at Harry and said 'Animago Revelo'. Harry felt himself being squished into a smaller form. An odd sensation came over him as he began to rapidly grow feathers all over his body. Seconds later, Harry sat on the chair, completely transformed into a gorgeous eagle.

"Now, I want you to concentrate on what you looked like before." she told the eagle sitting on the chair.

Harry did as she instructed. Minutes later he found himself sitting on the chair, looking normal again.

"Impressive, most impressive!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "I've never seen a person transform so well on their first try. But there are some problems, Harry."

"Like what?" Harry asked, "I look fine."

"Only if you like talons as feet." she replied. Harry looked down in surprise at the eagle feet attached to his ankles. "Still, that was a well- done transfiguration for a beginner. Usually the best I see on first attempts is a person who only normal feature that appears is a hand or an ear."

Over the next few hours Harry continued to transform himself from one form to another. By the time he had mastered the transfiguration, the sun was rising. Professor McGonagall hurriedly left as Harry staggered off to bed for a few hours of much needed sleep.

He woke up six hours later. Sitting up in bed, Harry noticed the sun was now high in the sky. With a jolt, he realized it was already 10:30. Leaping out of bed, he rushed to get his things out of his closet, only to find it absent of all his school supplies. Harry looked towards the door and saw his trunk standing there, neatly packed and ready to be locked.

Throwing on his clothes, Harry shoved his pyjamas into the trunk, locked it, and headed downstairs where Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were waiting. Pulling his wand from his back pocket, Harry summoned his trunk down the stairs and landed it next to the other three trunks. After summoning Hedwig's cage, empty as she was probably out hunting, he was ready to go.

"Quickly, quickly now." Mrs. Weasley told them, glancing at the clock, "The train leaves in fifteen minutes. I'll send the trunks along after you." The four disappeared with a loud crack.

"Harry, watch out!" Hermione called seconds after they had landed. Harry spun around to see Ron's trunk flying towards him. He leapt sideway as the trunk dropped heavily on the ground where he had just been standing. After making sure the other three trunks landed without incident and got into the cargo hold, they made their way to the train. Ron and Hermione headed over to a compartment filled with members of the DA, but Harry pulled them to another compartment, needing to tell them about Professor McGonagall's visit.

As the train pulled out of the station, Harry told them about his tiring night. "So, are you registered?" Hermione asked, bringing up a question Harry had not thought of.

"I forgot to ask." Harry responded.

Just then there was a thump against the window of the speeding train. Looking up, Harry saw Hedwig flying alongside the train, struggling to keep up. Hastily, he opened to wind and let the tired bird in. He took the letter from her leg and opened it. As he read the words on the parchment, he gasped in horror.

"What is it?" Hermione asked. Harry handed the note to them.

Don't run, it will not help
Enemies are all around you
All who hate you are ready
There is no place to hide
Help will no find you

Every friend shall abandon you
All your knowledge will not help you
The evil shall again rise
Escape will not be possible
Remember your fate
So told by a Seer long ago

"Harry, this is horrible!" Hermione said anxiously.

"You don't say! It's not a love letter, that's for sure." Harry responded grimly.

"Who do you suppose it's from?" Ron wondered.

"Isn't it obvious? My enemies."

"I know that. But you've got lots of enemies. Which one do you think this is from?

"Honestly, don't you two ever think?" Hermione interjected, "Didn't you notice what the first letter of each line spells?"

Harry studied the parchment. "Death Eaters?"

"Exactly." Hermione replied.

"But ... but it can't be." Ron stuttered, "The Death Eaters are in Azkaban."

"Not any more." Hermione told them, picking up the newspaper that, up to that moment, had lain forgotten on the seat. "Look at this picture."

Harry and Ron looked where she pointed. Large spiders paced around the empty cells that had once held the Death Eaters. In a corner, Mr. Weasley could be seen discussing the escape with Aragog.

Harry sat down and stared out the window in silence. Hermione and Ron exchanged glances, then sat down across from him. For a long time all was silent as each sat lost in their own thoughts.

Finally Harry spoke. "Let's forget it. We've been threatened before, and now we've got tons of protection."

"You're right. Let's have some fun now." Ron said.

"I was actually thinking I could teach you two to become Animagi." Harry replied.

"Do you think you could?" Hermione asked.

"It's more fun to be an animagus when you have your friends there. Besides, it's really simple to explain. But first we need to figure out what animal you will take the shape of. Oh, if only I could remember the right incantation ..."

"It's 'animago revelo'." Hermione informed him.

"How'd you know that?" Ron asked Hermione in wonder.

"Standard Book of Spells, chapter nine. Honestly, don't you two read?"

Harry grinned at Hermione's typical response. "Well, Hermione, you should have no trouble at all in transforming Ron then?"

"Of course not." Hermione told them, advancing with her wand pointed at Ron. Seconds later, a hawk sat on the seat in place of Ron. Harry explained how to transfigure himself back. Ron did so, but kept the wings.

"Keep working on that while I transfigure Hermione." Harry told him. Minutes later a falcon also inhabited the compartment. For the next three hours Harry watching in amusement as Ron and Hermione worked to perfect the transfiguration.

Finally they both succeeded. Harry then changed into an eagle and took flight, soaring near the roof with Ron and Hermione. As they flew, Malfoy walked into the room with Crabbe and Goyle.

Simultaneously the three swooped down to attack the three Slytherins. Completely bewildered and in pain, they fled from the compartment in a hurry.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione resumed their proper for and, noticing they had almost arrived at Hogwarts, changed into their robes. Harry looked up as the train slowed down. He was finally home again, and he couldn't have been happier.

The Griffin's Gift

Harry climbed off the train and joined the throng of students running towards the carriages through a downpour of heavy rain. Lightning flashed continually across the sky, lighting up the high roof of Hogwarts in flashes of eerie green.

Minutes later Harry jumped into a waiting carriage, shaking water off of himself as he went to sit down. Look out the window through the streaming water droplets; he felt a strangely ominous feeling wash over him, dark as the clouds above. A thought pushed its way into his mind and lodged itself there. Harry tried to ignore it, but it remained prominent. 'No,' he whispered to himself, 'Nothing's going to happen to me tonight.' Yet he didn't know if he could even trust himself. Harry could feel Ron and Hermione looking at him, concerned about his silence. He ignored them, choosing rather to occupy himself with staring at his feet.

Finally the carriage pulled up to the front entrance of Hogwarts. Harry absent-mindedly followed his friends through the entrance, up the stairs, down the hallway, and into the Great Hall. Taking his seat at the Gryffindor table, Harry stared at the stone floor underneath him.

"Look." Ron nudged Harry sharply in the side, "Professor Dumbledore's not here."

"He's not?" Harry asked, looking up for the first time, "I wonder why."

"I guess he's helping out ay Azkaban trying to figure out how the Death Eaters escaped." Hermione said," After all, they're sure to be caught again, and the Ministry certainly doesn't want them getting free again, don't you think?"

Before Harry could respond, the doors to the Great Hall swung open and a crowd of dripping wet first-years entered behind Professor McGonagall. Nothing the absence of Dumbledore, she took his place was barely listening. He was too preoccupied by a shadow he had seen in the far corner of the Great Hall, by the Slytherin table. He rubbed his eyes, but the shadow was gone..

"Harry!" Ron whispered, "Pay attention! The Sorting Hat is about to sing!" Harry joined the rest in staring at the weathered hat sitting on a stool in the middle of the hall. Promptly the large crease in the brim grew larger as the hat began to sing.

We welcome all to lovely Hogwarts
Be not afraid, we'll soon start the Sorts
But first, to learn the history
Of this school of wizardry.
The four great wizards of their time
Joined to help young wizards climb
To the best of their abilities,
To be the best that they could be.
To each his own, the founders chose
The people of whom their preference shows
For Gryffindor, the brave and strong
For Ravenclaw, the ones rarely wrong
For Slytherin, the cunning ones
For Hufflepuff, the loyal ones.
Yet problems arose among the floor
For Slytherin desired purebloods more
So Slytherin left this school fair
Though the others did not really care.
Yet though there was strife in ages past
We must continue to hold our morals fast.
The world is changing, evil is growing
Yet here at Hogwarts we'll continue sowing
Seeds of knowledge in the young mind
So sit up here, we'll see what I find
Be sorted quick, you little beast
So we can begin this wonderful feast.

There was a general murmur among the older students. Never before had the Sorting Hat extended its boundaries beyond that of the school. Still, the applause was as loud as ever. Harry thought about the message as the Sorting progressed, occasionally applauding as a new first-year came to join the Gryffindor table.

Harry ate very little at the feast. His mind kept reminding him of the shadow he had seen in the Great Hall and, as much as he tried, he could not ignore it. Abruptly he stood up and left the Great Hall, leaving Ron and Hermione watching him in utter confusion from the table.

Harry walked through the halls aimlessly, not sure of where he was going. Although he half-expected Ron and Hermione to catch up with him, he hope they wouldn't, as he wanted to be alone. He turned down unfamiliar corridors in an effort to avoid running into people or ghosts. Eventually Harry found himself on the sixth floor and stuck at a dead-end. He turned around, intending to return to the Gryffindor common room, when he found the way blocked by a figure robed in black. Pulling his wand from the folds of his robes, Harry prepared to do the Patronus Charm. But before he could sat a word, the figure pulled out a wand. Surprised that the creature wasn't a Dementor, he racked his head for another spell. He cried to first one that came to his mind: Wingardium Leviosa.

The figure laughed cynically as his spell failed to have any effect. "Is that the best you could do, Potter?" it snarled, pulling back its hood. Harry backed up a few steps as he recognized the person to be Lucius Malfoy, one of the Death Eaters.

"Did you get my little note, Harry?" I must say, it was rather entertain to write, more so because it is all true,"

"You know nothing. I know who my friends are, and they will never betray me, never!"

"Think what you will, Harry. The note was referring to today. You see, your foolishness, as usual, plays right into the hands of your enemies. Harry Potter, the young hero who will do anything to protect his friend. Perhaps that wasn't such a good idea, Potter? Now none of your friends are here to help you. But all your enemies are ready."

Harry looked up and saw that, from the shadows of the dark hall, more robed figures appeared. He touched his scar, which had begun to burn terribly again.

"There is no escape now." Lucius Malfoy whispered as the black figures raised their wands high. "The Dark Lord and his faithful servants are here. Prepare to meet your doom."

Harry felt himself slam against the wall, unable to move. He struggled to get down, but was held fast. You did not possibly think that we would just kill you, did you? After all you've done, Harry ... first you must suffer."

Harry heard a high-pitched voice cry Crucio and suddenly felt a driving pain through his whole body. He screamed, but only felt the pain grow stronger as the same curse hit him from another angle. Tears streamed down Harry's face as his body was wracked with pain stronger than he had ever felt before. Maniacal laughter filled the hall as the Death Eaters watched in delight as Harry suffered.

The hall swam before Harry's eyes as he began to sink into unconsciousness. As he faded, he became aware of a voice telling the Death Eaters to put an end to the curse.

Harry swallowed air, unaware that he had stopped breathing until the curse was lifted. His body shook violently as it tried to recover from the pain. Harry clung to consciousness as a man emerged from the sea of black.

Voldemort stared straight at Harry, a red-hot hatred filling his eyes. Harry vaguely recalled Bellatrix's cold laughter as she told him for Unforgivable Curses, you had to hate the person with an unrelenting passion. Harry could see Voldemort summoning all his hatred to this moment, the moment when he would finally kill the enemy who had defeated him years before.

"There's no one here now, Harry." Voldemort proclaimed triumphantly, "No mother's love, no powerful wizard. It's just you - a pathetically lucky wizard - and me." He raised his wand high in the air as free his hand and use the wand that was miraculously still clutched in it.

As Voldemort brought his wand down, Harry felt something round at his fingertips. He grasped it tightly, as though for comfort, and shut his eyes, preparing to be hit with the life-ending curse. But before Voldemort could utter the curse, Harry felt the wall disappear behind him. His head knocked against a cold, hard surface and all went dark.

Harry woke to find himself chilled to the bone. His head throbbed horribly from its hard landing on a floor that appeared to be made from marble. He staggered to his feet, still feeling extremely weak from the attack. He searched for his wand, which he felt lying a few feet away. With the light of the Lumos charm provided, Harry could see he was in a long tunnel paved all the way around with a clean white marble that was unusually cold to the touch. Looking back at the wall through which he had entered, Harry saw that it had solidified, leaving no visible exit by that way.

Turning around again, Harry forced his tired body down the tunnel. A quarter of a mile later he came to a round, jewel-encrusted door. Pushing it open, he found himself looking into Dumbledore's office. Harry stepped out of the tunnel and immediately collapsed.

Dimly, he was aware of someone bending to pick him up, and lay him back down some time later on what felt like a fluffy white cloud. He slipped in and out of consciousness, unaware of time passing, until one day he woke fully alert to find himself in the hospital wing. At the foot of the bed there was candy piled high. Looking beyond that, Harry noticed Dumbledore standing, looking at him.

"All right, Harry?"

"I ... I think so." Harry replied as he slowly stretched his aching legs, "What happened?"

"I found you lying in my office two days after you disappeared. No one knows where you came from."

Harry remembered the door shining with jewels of all colours, and the marble tunnel. "I was stuck at a dead-end on the sixth floor." Harry began, proceeding to tell Dumbledore the whole story. Just as he finished, Ron and Hermione burst into the room.

"Oh Harry, we were so worried! You were acting so weird, and then you disappeared and turned up again almost dead ..." Hermione's voice trailed off as she burst into tears.

Ron rolled his eyes as he tried to calm down the weeping girl. "She's been doing that all week, you know. But I knew you'd be okay."

"Week? How long have I been here?"

"It's the second weekend since Hogwarts has opened." Dumbledore informed him.

The word 'opened' reminded Harry of something. "Where were you during the Sorting Ceremony?"

"I got summoned to help with the breakout at Azkaban. Clearly it was most unwise for me to leave. But no matter. You're almost completely better, and I daresay you have a lot of work to catch up. I spoke to your teachers, and they've agreed to cut down the amount of homework you will have to do."

"But what about ..." Harry started to say.

"Not now, Harry." Dumbledore interrupted, "that is a matter for another time."

Harry, with the help of his friends, gathered up all the candy he had acquired. "Looks like I've got a long weekend of work ahead of me." he sighed."

Harry worked hard with Ron and Hermione in order to catch up on his schoolwork. Fortunately, he understood all the concepts he had missed and, as the sun was setting, he was able to lay his quill down, having completely caught up.

The next morning Harry woke up feeling totally refreshed. After a quick breakfast, Harry begged Ron and Hermione to come with him to the sixth floor to find the dead-end hallway.

"But Harry, why?" Hermione questioned.

"I find it hard to believe that the tunnel would be so well hidden and yet have no purpose. It just doesn't make any sense."

Ron and Hermione, seeing the logic in this statement, agreed. For about an hour they wandered the sixth floor corridors, searching for the dead-end. At last they found it. Harry entered the area somewhat apprehensively, half- expecting to see Lucius Malfoy step out of the shadows.

Harry approached the wall to which he had been stuck. "I wasn't too high off the ground." he remarked.

"Well, with the binding spell they probably used, how high up on the wall you go is dependant on how far you are from the target to begin with. Exactly where were you standing, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry moved forward a few steps. "About here."

"I think," she commented, "the easiest way to do this is to re-enact it. You don't mind, do you?" Harry shook his head, so she pulled out her wand and performed the wall binding spell. Harry felt himself thrown backwards against the wall."

"Now, if you could release my head and right arm, I'll see if I can find that knob." Hermione did so, and Harry searched for the little ball he had touched the previous week. Soon his fingers touched something cold.

"I found it!" he called to the others, careful not to apply pressure to it. "My finger's on it, but I don't want to pull it. See it?"

Ron soon located the spot. Harry performed the countercharm and soon the three stood on the ground, looking at the little golden knob barely visible inside the picture of Goodrich Gryffindor.

Harry reached up and pulled the knob. Before their eyes, the wall dissolved, leaving a large empty spot. Harry, Ron, and Hermione jumped through the gap. As they landed, they heard a squelching sound as the wall solidified again.

"That's bloody brilliant!" Ron remarked, touched the solid wall.

"Why's it so cold in here?" Hermione asked, pulling her cloak closer around her.

"I'm not sure," Harry responded, "I noticed it last time I was here, too."

The three took their wands out to light up the tunnel. Walking the length of the space, they searched for anything unusual. Within sight of the door Ron stopped. Harry, walking right behind him, collided with him.

"Why'd you stop?" Harry asked, picking himself up off of the ground.

"Look!" Ron pointed at the ground under his feet."

"It's a trapdoor of some sort." Hermione remarked, kneeling down to investigate.

Harry picked up his wand, which he had dropped when he had crashed into his Ron, and with a simple Levitation spell, lifted the trapdoor away. Hermione examined the underside closer.

"It has some runes on it!" she exclaimed, "It looks like they say A Present from Godric Gryffindor for his true heir. Do you suppose ...?"

"That I'm the heir of Gryffindor? I guess it's possible."

"It makes sense, though. I was reading in Hogwarts, a History that Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin hated each other greatly. It would make sense that their true heirs would be mortal enemies, too."

"Of course!" Ron added, "This is Godric's Gryffindor's secret hideout. It all makes sense – the knob is found in his picture, and I'll bet my life Dumbledore's office is where he once lived. Remember the knocker on Dumbledore's door?"

Harry nodded slowly, realizing they were probably right. "So I'm Gryffindor's heir. Big deal. That changes nothing."

"Uh, I think it does." Ron objected, pointing at an oval object covered with red and gold swirls. "If I'm not mistaken, that's a griffin egg."

"That's it! That's why it's so cold in here!" Hermione exclaimed. "I read somewhere that the eggs of griffins will not hatch until they're warm. Godric Gryffindor must have made it stay cold in here until his air arrived."

"So what am I supposed to do with it?"

"Well, for starters, let's get it hatched." Hermione decided. "Then we can decide what to do with it."

"And where do you plan to hatch a thing like that? Griffins aren't exactly small, you know!" Ron warned them. The three stared at the egg for a minute. They all knew what to do at the same moment. Picking up the heavy egg, Harry wrapped it in his cloak.

"Which way do we go?" Ron asked, "We can't go through Dumbledore's office, he'll catch us. And we can't go back the other way because it's sealed."

"We're going to have to go back." Hermione replied, "There's got to be some way out."

Harry and Ron followed Hermione back down the tunnel. She shone the light of her wand over the wall until she came across a single gem glinting in the exact center of the wall of black stone. Eagerly, she pushed it. When nothing happened, Harry felt a wave of disappointment as he realized they would have to tell Dumbledore about their discovery. Hermione, however, was not as quick to give up."

"You push it, Harry!" she urged. Harry, convinced it was senseless, nonetheless contented. The moment he touched the gem, however, he was surprised to see the wall instantly disappear.

"Let's go." He told them, walking briskly down the hall. Fortunately, they met no one on the way. Arriving at Hagrid's hut, Ron knocked loudly on the wooden door. The part-giant opened the door, looking pleasantly surprised.

"We need to show you something." Harry told him, looking around cautiously.

"Well, all right Harry." Hagrid answered curiously, "Come on in."

Stepping inside, Harry uncovered the egg he was carrying after making sure Hermione shut the door firmly behind her.

"Blimey, Harry! Is that a griffin egg?" Hagrid asked, "Haven't seen one of those for years! Where'd you get it?"

Harry explained the long story to Hagrid, starting from the time he had arrived at Hogwarts. Hagrid listened, stroking his long curly beard as he did so. "Well, I'll be! Death Eaters!" he exclaimed when Harry had finished. "But we can't be giving that thought right now – that griffin egg will be hatching in two hours times, I'd say."

"Two hours?" the three chorused.

"Well, of course. The thing's fully developed, you know. It's just waiting for the right temperature to hatch."

"Harry," Ron said suddenly, "We've got to go! I just remembered Professor McGonagall called a short meeting about Quidditch. It's starting in five minutes!"

"We'd better go then! Come find me if it started hatching before I get back!" he called over his shoulder to Hermione asked he ran out the door with Ron at his heels.

Breathless, Harry and Ron arrived in Professor McGonagall's room right on time. They gasped for breath as they took seats beside Ginny. After Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet entered the room, they were ready to begin.

"As you can see," Professor McGonagall began, "We are need of two more players this year. I have already spoken to Ginny, who has requested to be Chaser rather than Seeker. Therefore, the line-up this year will be as follows: Alicia and Katie, you two will be Chasers along with Ginny. Ron will remain Keeper, and Harry will take up his position as Seeker. I have chosen Harry to be captain this year."

Harry looked at Professor McGonagall in shock. After his outrageous behaviour in the last five years, he was surprised she had chosen him.

Professor McGonagall smiled thinly. "I know what you're all probably thinking – why on earth would I choose Harry for the job? The fact is, there is no reason. I put all your names into my hat, and drew one out. You are all fine, capable players, so please don't be offended that I didn't choose you."

Harry nodded, as did the rest of the team. Realizing it was now his responsibility to make the decisions for the team; he turned to the others and informed him that try-outs for the team would most likely be held on Friday. After a little bit of discussion, the group broke up.

A Mark in the Sky

Harry and Ron raced back to Hagrid's hut, meeting Hermione halfway. "Quick!" she gasped, "It's hatching!" They doubled their speed and, arriving at their destination a minute later, fell through the door.

They looked up to see Hagrid staring intently at the egg, which was now covered with cracks. Standing up, Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined him at the table. Within a couple of minutes, Harry heard high-pitched squeaks as the creature burst out of its shell.

The animal standing before him was no more than a foot tall, with tiny wings and a comparably large body. Its fur was a dingy yellow colour, with dull orange legs that didn't look capable of holding up its body.

"That's a griffin?" Harry asked, gazing at the creature in amazement.

"Well, what do you expect? The thing's been living in that egg for at least a thousand years, it seems." Hagrid replied with a chuckle. "Once it sheds it down and grows some feather, he'll be the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. Should take about a month."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed at Hagrid's observing the griffin until they were obligated to return to the Gryffindor tower. After telling the Fat Lady the password Bibliophile, they sat down by the fireplace.

"What was the meeting for?" Hermione asked. Harry and Ron, amid the excitement of the hatching egg, had completely forgotten about the Quidditch meeting. They soon filled her in on everything that had happened.

When she heard about try-outs coming on Friday, Hermione suddenly stood up and ran to her room. Harry and Ron, unsure of what to do, sat on the couch waiting to see if she would come back. Within minutes, she did, carrying a copy of Which Broomstick and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

"What's the broomstick book for?" Ron asked.

"Well," she answered nervously, "I was thinking about trying out for Beater."

Harry and Ron exchanged impressed glances as Hermione waited anxiously for a response. "I think it's great!" Harry exclaimed. "Are you planning on buying a broomstick? It's probably a good idea, the ones the school owns are really crappy."

"My parents gave me money for one before we left London. I just need to order one." Hermione opened her moneybag, showing them the Galleons inside.

Harry looked at it, and then back at the catalogue. "Looks like you've got enough for a Nimbus 2002!" he exclaimed.

"A Nimbus 2002?" Hermione asked incredulously, "Are you sure?"

"He's not lying, Hermione." Ron confirmed, looked over Harry's shoulder.

Hermione pulled a quill and some ink from and pocket in her robes and completed the order form. Then, opening the other book she had gotten, she turned to the entry on griffins. "Not much is known about griffins." she commented, "This says that The Griffin originated in Greece and has the front legs and head of a giant eagle, but the body and hind legs of a lion. Like sphinxes, they are often employed by wizards to guard treasure. Though griffins are fierce, a handful of skilled wizards have been known to befriend one. Griffins feed on raw meat. Its M.O.M. classification is XXXX."

"I never knew they were so dangerous." Harry remarked.

"Oh, they are!! I'd say they're the fiercest birds on the planet." Ron answered, "I guess we'll be joined that handful of skilled wizards that have been able to befriend one."

"That or get killed in the process." Harry said dryly. Just then, Hermione yawned widely. Looking at the clock, Harry saw that it was already 1:30. "We'd better be going to bed." he told them, "After all, we've got class tomorrow."

The next morning at breakfast Harry studied his timetable. "I've got a good schedule for today!" he noted happily. "Defence Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, and Charms. What do you two have?" Both Hermione had Defence Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, and Transfiguration with him. Ron had charms, too, but Hermione had arithmancy instead.

"Who's teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts this year?" Harry questioned Ron as they walked to their first class.

"You'll see." Ron said, grinning faintly.

Harry walked into the classroom and looked around in shock. All marks of its previous teacher, Umbridge, were gone. Instead, the walls were filled with pictures of every beast imaginable. There were dragons breathing fire, acromantulas spinning their giant webs, billywigs speeding around open fields, chimaeras hunting for prey, and kappas swimming around in their ponds. As Harry took his seat near the back of the room, he couldn't help but ask Ron again who their teacher was. As before, Ron refused to say anything.

He didn't have to wait long to learn, though. Minutes later the office door opened and out stepped Charlie Weasley, outfit in dragon-skin boots and wearing a moke-skin cloak over his typical clothes. Harry glanced over at Ron, who grinned wickedly.

"Charlie teaches this class?" he whispered.

"Yeah, and it's the best class I've ever had!" Ron replied enthusiastically. "Last week he taught us how to do common curses to stop your enemy from advancing. And he let us practice on each other! I never thought he'd be such a good teacher."

Harry looked to the front of the classroom, where Charlie stood ready to begin the lesson. Seconds later, the classroom was silent as the students sat ready for the day's class. Charlie looked around the classroom, then announced that he had a special treat waiting for them all outside the building. The Gryffindors followed him out of the room and to the edge of the forest. Here, he asked them to wait for a minute.

Harry waited, somewhat impatiently, for Charlie to emerge again from the Dark Forest. A minute later, he did. Behind him was led by a giant 20 feet tall, was a Hungarian Horntail. "Today," Charlie informed the class, "We're going to learn how to soothe a dragon in order to successfully get past him and to the treasure that is waiting on the other side."

Neville Longbottom's hand shot up. His question was not about the dragon, but about the giant controlling the dragon. Harry, Ron, and Hermione laughed softly as Charlie evasively told Neville the giant was brought to Hogwarts 'for safety purposes'. The giant was, of course, Hagrid's half- brother Grawp.

"Any other questions?" Charlie asked, looking around.

"Yeah!" someone called out from the back of the crowd, "Is there really treasure waiting on the other side?"

"Actually, there is." Charlie informed them, "And anyone who participates in today's lesson will get a share of it." A cheer rose up among the class as they heard this. "Now, the Hungarian Horntail is the most dangerous dragon currently existing. You must be careful not to intentionally anger it, as it could lead to some serious injuries."

Charlie approached the dragon on its right side, his wand held high. "When I give the word, I want every one of you to step up beside me and aim a Stunning Spell at its head. Ready and ... go!"

One by one, the students stepped up beside Charlie, aimed the required spell at the dragon's head, and hastily stepped back. When the last student had gone, Charlie told them to try to run around the dragon into the Old Forest. But when they started to move in the direction instructed, the dragon reared up and aimed fire at the crowd. They jumped out of the way, and Neville narrowly avoided being singed by the hot fire.

"What do you think went wrong there?" Charlie asked, looking around. Hermione's hand was the only one in the air.

"We all needed to hit it with the Stunning Spell at the same time. Otherwise the force isn't enough to stop the dragon from attacking us."

"Correct! Ten points to Gryffindor. Now, if you were listening carefully, you would have heard me say that I wanted everyone to step up to its head and aim the spell."

The entire class stepped up to perform the Stunning Spell on Charlie's word. The Horntail roared in pain, then fell to the ground, beaten for the moment. The sixth-years cheered and ran past the motionless giant to the waiting treasure. A pile of candy taller than Hermione lay there. Harry could see chocolate frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees, Every-Flavoured Jellybeans and other tasty treats. He joined Ron and Hermione in grabbing some of the candy, primarily Chocolate Frogs, his all-time favourite.

Twenty minutes later Harry opened his last chocolate frog and set the card in front of him. He now had numerous cards, numbering to be as much as Ron's. "I'd say you're almost there, Harry." Ron said, looking at the additions. "Look, you've got Merlin the wizard, he's really rare! We just need Zacharias Mumps and we've got two complete sets!"

"Are you sure? Already?" Harry asked, scanning his cards.

"Well, pretty sure. We'll need to buy those special card holders to be sure."

"Next time we go to Hogsmeade." Harry promised.

The remaining half hour of the class passed quickly as Charlie explained the many oddities of the dragon. After an unusually good class with Hagrid about the care of magical creatures, most likely because Hagrid was allowed to do magic again, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to visit the griffin in Hagrid's house.

Harry stared at the griffin who had been only a foot tall the previous day. It was not almost 5 feet tall. Hagrid's house was covered in a think layer of down that the griffin had shed. If it had been ugly before, it was more so now, with its body completely bare and coloured a muddy brown.

"How much longer are we going to be able to keep him in here, Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"I'd say we'll have to move him out when it dark."

"Where are we going to put him?" Hermione wanted to know.

"In the Old Forest, of course!" Hagrid replied.

"How exactly are we going to tame him if he lives where we're not allowed to go? We could get expelled!"

"I've taken care of that. Dumbledore has given you three special permission to go into the Old Forest to keep Grawp company. As long as you go visit Grawp occasionally, he won't suspect a thing."

"We'll come back after dinner." Harry promised, following Ron and Hermione out the door. The next two classes, Transfiguration and Charms, passed considerably quick as the work for the classes consisted of practical magic. In Transfiguration they practiced transforming horses into desks with the words Mensa Caballinus. Charms consisted of doing banishing charms on large objects.

After a delicious dinner, Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed over to Hagrid's to move the griffin out of the house. The griffin had grown another foot during the remainder of the day, and was quickly approaching Hagrid's height.

"He'll be finished growing after another day, but he won't grow nearly as quickly as he did today." Hagrid said, gazing at the creature happily. "He's as tame as a hippogriff."

Harry and Ron rolled their eyes. Only Hagrid would be one to call a hippogriff tame, trained or not. But then again, a hippogriff was rather gentle in comparison to the other animals Hagrid had been involved with – dragons and giants.

"What's he been eating?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Don't worry, Hermione. I've been feeding him properly. Raw meat, just like the book says."

"How are you getting it? Somebody's bound to figure out something's up if they see you killing for fresh meat every day." Harry warned.

"Now don't you worry about that. Grawp's been catching enough meat for the both of them."

The whole time they had been talking, the group had been venturing deeper into the forest. They had reach a clearing now which, judging by the manner in which the trees had been ripped down, had been made by Grawp. Hagrid, in slightly neater fashion, had arranged the trunks in a circular formation.

"Is that a nest?" Ron asked, taking a closer look.

"Well, of course!" Harry said, "He's got to have a home, doesn't he? Besides, birds with nests won't leave until they've grown up a bit. I figure that will give us a good chance to train him."

Harry headed to bed an hour later, confident he would be able to raise the griffin without other knowing. His content mood followed him into his dream, where he imagined himself sitting on the back of the flying griffin as it attacked Malfoy.

The rest of the people, as even Professor Snape, though he wasn't overly nice, ignored Harry. However, Harry was content to leave it at that, knowing it was the best attitude he would get from Snape.

Friday Quidditch try-outs brought a turn-out for greater than Harry would have guessed. In addition to Hermione, who had received her new broom the previous day, ten Gryffindors had shown up, among them appearing Colin and Dennis Creevey.

Harry stood with Angelina, Katie, Ginny, and Ron and observed the others as they flew at the released Bludgers and hit them towards the Slytherin targets. Of the ten people that had shown up, only two hit the targets hard, as well as consistently accurately. The team huddled together to vote on whether or not to give the two the available positions. The vote was unanimous, so Harry turned and announced their choices - a second-year called Thomas Avery and Hermione Granger.

Later, as the three friends walked away from the Quidditch pitch, Harry couldn't help but ask how she had gotten so good.

"Ginny and I practiced a bit over the summer. But I'm not very good." Hermione answered modestly.

"Sure you are!" Harry reassured her. "With a little bit more practice, you'll be able to beat any Bludger."

With Quidditch try-outs and its accompanying anxiety out of the way, Harry was ready to focus his efforts on getting the DA up and running again. The next day, Saturday, Harry, Ron, and Hermione gathered all those who were interested in the Room of Requirement. The turn-out consisted of mostly people who had shown up the previous year.

Though secrecy was no longer essential for the existence of the group, Harry still felt a strong urge to keep their existence of the group as quiet as possible. So Hermione once again gave out her number-changing galleons and had each person sign an enchanted piece of parchment.

The group split up and Harry, Ron, and Hermione hastened towards the Old Forest. Arriving at the nest, they noticed that the griffin had grown glorious red and gold feathers.

"Now that he looks like a griffin, he needs a name." Ron insisted. Harry gazed at the bird, which now stood eight feet tall and decided to call it Godric. That way, he figured, if anybody overhears us talking about 'Godric' they won't know we're talking about anybody but the founder of the school.

Hermione grew excited all of a sudden. "I just remember something I read about griffins yesterday. It said that the griffin, although far larger than the average bird, has been known to befriend other, smaller birds. In fact, in some instances it has been noted that an older bird, usually of a carnivorous type, has acted as a mother to these spectacular beasts.

"What's that got to do with us?" Ron wanted to know.

"Don't you get it? Carnivorous birds – like eagles, hawks, and falcons."

"That's right!" Harry said as what she was trying to tell them was made clear, "Our Animagi are carnivorous birds, so the best way to befriend him is to introduce ourselves as birds. We may even be able to talk to him!"

Minutes later, a hawk, an eagle, and a falcon were perched in the branches of the trees near Godric's head. To his delight, Harry found that he could indeed converse with the griffin. He began a casual conversation and, with Ron and Hermione's supporting comments, proceeded to introduce the griffin to the world it was now living in. Finally it came time for them to go.

As they walked back to Hogwarts, Harry felt a sudden chill, not from the wind. He froze and looked around wildly. "Did you feel it too?" he whispered. Ron and Hermione nodded tensely. Then Hermione looked up and gasped loudly.

"What is it?" Ron asked, looking where her shaking finger pointed. He moved a bit closer to her as he stared at the Dark Mark that glowed an eerie green colour in the sky.

Harry broke into a run, with Ron and Hermione hot at his feels. Screeching to a halt in front of the statue leading to Professor Dumbledore's office, he gasped out names of various desserts and candies until he hit upon the right one – Pumpkin Pastries. He bolted up the stairs and stumbled up to Dumbledore's desk. Still out of breath, he gasped out the story.

Dumbledore's eyes grew wide with anxiety as he listened. Standing up, he told one of the pictures on the wall to tell Professor McGonagall to ensure all the students were safely within the castle. He then swept out of the room, discussing his plans with the three as they headed towards the Gryffindor tower.

Harry, he told them, was to go to his bed, as was Ron. They were to tend to sleep while Dumbledore and Hermione waited outside. At the slightest sound from outside, Dumbledore would attack the trespasser who would mostly likely come through the window to try and kill Harry.

"How do we know they'll come?" Ron asked.

"They'll come. Voldemort will not pass up an opportunity to kill Harry, not when he has gotten this far into Hogwarts." Dumbledore stated.

Harry lay in bed and tried to calm his breathing. With Dumbledore waiting just outside the door, he was not as fearful but still, nothing was certain. As he lay still in his bed, he heard a soft hissing sound under his bed. Nobody else reacted, though, to Harry convinced himself that it was merely his imagination. Hours drifted by as Harry struggled to remain awake. He felt himself drifting into sleep when something cold enveloped his body.

Harry's eyes jerked open. He thrashed wildly, trying to get the black, flat creature off of himself as it slithered up towards his face. Harry let out a cry of terror before he found himself cut off from his oxygen supply. His eyes clouded over as he struggled to suck in air from an impossibly tight seal over his mouth and nose.

Just then, a silvery phoenix charged in from the doorway and lifted the slight, but deadly weight from his body. Harry breathed in the fresh air, never before realizing how extremely grateful he was for the gift of oxygen. Sitting up, he saw Dumbledore standing in the door with Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Dean surrounding him.

Dumbledore sat down on the edge of Harry's bed and watched the monster slither out of sight through the window.

"What was that?" Harry asked finally.

"A lethifold." Dumbledore told him matter-of-factly. "It suffocates its victims when it thinks they're asleep. The odd thing is that it is strictly a tropical beast. The Death Eaters must have retreated south after your first escape."

"But ... how did they get in here?" Harry asked wearily.

"Voldemort's power is growing stronger day by day. It may not be fully restored, but I suspect he feels confident that he will be able to defeat any body, even me. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to keep you sage. That has been revealed tonight."

"You can do some things." Harry said, determination wiping away all weariness from his face, "But I can do more. He will not defeat me. Not as long as I hold a wand."
Behind the Veil

It was a week before Halloween when Harry finally began to relax again. After two attacks on his life during his first month at Hogwarts, he was careful to avoid going out at night or alone, and always slept with his wand held tight in his right hand. As time went on, he got used to exercise precautions and was able to let his life get back to normal.

The first Quidditch match of the season was fast approaching – it was scheduled to take place the week after Halloween. Determined not to become like Oliver Wood, Harry avoided planning long and complicated strategies. Instead, he had the Gryffindor team out on the pitch three times a week, practicing the best Quidditch moves made – the Bludger Backbeat, the Dopplebeater Defence, the Double Eight Loop, the Hawkshead Attacking Formation, the Parkin's Pincer, the Plumpton Pass, the Porskoff Play, the Reverse Pass, the Sloth Grip Roll, the Starfish and Stick, the Transylvanian Tackle, the Woolongong Shimmy, and the Wronski Feint.

In addition, each section of the team also worked to form their own signature move. The Chasers made an elaborate play in which they would loop continually around the Chaser carrying the Quaffle, dive-bombing the player falsely until an opportunity came to grab the Quaffle away. The Beaters also had a part in this play, which had come to be known as the Tornado. Their job was to continuously hit the Bludgers to the other two Chasers, thereby preventing a successful pass.

Hermione and Thomas had also put their brilliant minds together to devise a move they had dubbed the Backbeat Toss, an extremely hard play that had been shockingly mastered by the novice Beaters. The idea of the Backbeat Toss was to gain control of both Bludgers and hit them back and forth between the two for a time, after which they would simultaneously send the Bludgers whizzing off towards opposing players by hitting them over their shoulders.

Despite the amazing ingenuity of the Tornado and Backbeat Toss, Harry had to give Ron the credit for coming up with the most creative move. The move involved Harry performing a Wronski Feint, thus leading the other Seeker into the ground. While the Chaser with the Quaffle was distracted by the crash, Ron would fly behind the him or her, who would then throw the Quaffle at the seemingly empty goal hoop. The minute the Quaffle leaves the Chaser's hand, the Gryffindor Chasers, waiting to the left, right, and above the opposition, would swoop towards the Quaffle while Ron flew at top speed to block it in the event that all three Chasers failed to catch it. The play had been appropriately named the Team Teaser, as even the Beaters had a job to do: knock down the other two Chasers and the Keeper.

For Harry, the most important thing for him to do besides catching the Snitch was to keep the other Seeker distracted. His signature move, though very simple, was sure to prove effective. His plan was to, in a fake charge, lead the opposition between Hermione and Thomas who would be conveniently be doing their Backbeat Toss. In this way, Harry hoped the stop the Seeker from playing or at least to stop them long enough to get an upper-hand. Harry named his move the Collision. What the rest didn't know was that he was also working on another move in private, which he hoped to do at the coming game.

The Gryffindor team was ready to go, and determined to win. They were, after all, playing against the Slytherins.

Halloween night came quickly in the midst of the tiring Quidditch practices. As Harry sat down to the enormous feast, he heard someone come up behind him. Turning around, he saw Dumbledore standing there.

"Be extra careful tonight, Harry." he murmured, his long white beard brushing Harry's shoulder. Harry nodded, already doing a scan of the room. Of any night of the year, it was best for an attack as behaviour that would normally seem suspicious was considered part of the holiday spirit.

After a thoroughly enjoyable meal, Harry begged Ron and Hermione to go outside with him.

"But you heard what Dumbledore said!" Hermione protested. "You're supposed to be careful tonight."

"Please?" I just want to visit Godric and feed him some scraps." Harry pleaded. "Besides, I am being careful. Otherwise I would have gone with or without you."

Ron and Hermione, seeing the point of his statement, reluctantly agreed. They walked outside, feeling the bite of the crisp air as it neared winter. As they walked across the lawn, they heard a whooshing sound from above. Hermione grabbed Ron's hand fearfully as they looked up to see a large bird flying overhead, mounted by an unrecognizable person. Hastily, Harry yanked out his wand, preparing to attack the approaching group.

A voice called out to him, begging him to stop. Harry, recognizing the voice, lowered his wand. A minute later a hippogriff landed and off of its back slid a woman wearing ragged Muggle clothing.

"Aunt Petunia!" he cried as he, for the first time in his life, hugged her.

"Mrs. Dursley? But didn't Voldemort kidnap you?" Hermione asked, completely confused.

"He tried to." she answered, shivering from both the cold and the memories. "I was with Buckbeak when the house collapsed around me. I saw a man – he tried to him me with some spell,. But I managed to scramble onto Buckbeak's back. He took off, narrowly avoiding the spell, and we've been flying around ever since searching for Hogwarts. Thank goodness he was raised here, otherwise we would have flow right over."

"Thank goodness you're okay! Lupin's been tearing up himself for months worrying about what had become of you." Harry told. "Come inside, we've got to find Dumbledore."

Entering the castle, Hermione ran off to find Dumbledore. Harry and Ron headed for the Room of Requirement, pulling an amazed Petunia behind. Harry was confused as to why she was so shocked. Finally, it dawned on him – she had never seen moving staircases, talking pictures, or real ghosts before.

They arrived at the room, which had furnished itself with comfortable chairs, a glowing fire, blankets, hot cocoa, and some sandwiches. Harry's aunt quickly polished off two sandwiches before taking a seat directly in front of the fire with a steaming cup of cocoa.

In no time at all, the door opened and Dumbledore entered the room, followed by Hermione. "Petunia!" he said, grasping her hand tightly. "I can't tell you how pleased I am to see you – we've been terribly worried."

"Harry told me so." she responded. "But there is no time for celebration, not right now. I was down south just yesterday, and I saw one of Voldemort's followers appear beside an old abandoned building. I tried to hide, but I'm afraid he saw me. He ... he told me to find Harry at once, or I would never see him again!"

"Now, now, don't worry." Dumbledore tried to console her as the tears started flowing. "I don't mean to alarm you more, but Harry has already had two attacks from Voldemort. His enemies are not winning – Harry will be fine."

"Yeah, and Harry's faced Voldemort tons of times over the years and has always won." Ron added.

Petunia wiped tears from her eyes with a handkerchief that had appeared in her hand. "I guess you're right." she sniffed. "Harry will be fine."

Soon afterwards, Harry headed to bed. Though he was exhausted, he was unable to sleep. He was used to death threats now, but he was still fearful. He had no doubt that the Death Eater who had spoken to his aunt was Lucius Malfoy, as he was the most bold and, as far as Harry was concerned, the most confident about Voldemort's strength. The information, Harry knew, would keep him safe, for a while. Dumbledore would be on guard now. With that in mind, Harry fell asleep, though it was only seven thirty.

His dream that night went not to one of his many encounters with Voldemort, but to a scene he had never seen before, either awake or asleep.

He saw his parents sitting and discussing the prophesy with Dumbledore. His mother looked unusually large, and Harry realized with a start that she was pregnant. Looking at a calendar hanging behind her, he was it was June 16.

"I'm afraid." Dumbledore was saying, "That it is very possible your baby will be the one. The only other person it could be is the Longbottom's baby."

Harry looked at his parents, who had realized the highly possible doom that face their family. "We can save him. There is a way." Lily said.

"The magic may not be strong enough ..." Dumbledore began.

"It will be." Lily interrupted.

"Are you two sure you are ready to make such a sacrifice?"

"We must. It is our destiny ... you know that." James answered.

"I know. I just hoped there would be some other way. A Fidelius charm, perhaps."

"You can try." James answered doubtfully. "It may give us a little time to ... to give him some memories."

"All I ask is this, Albus." Lily said. "If he survives, you must take him to the veil when he is sixteen, on the day of our deaths."

"I will." Dumbledore vowed. "I will, if it is the last thing I do."

Harry woke up with a jolt. It was October 31 – the day his parents had been killed. He looked up to see Dumbledore standing beside his bed. "It is time. Harry."

"You mean you gave me that dream?"

"I did. I thought it would be clearer to you if you saw it, rather than heard it from me."

Harry nodded, then hastily changed into his robes before joining Dumbledore in the hall.

"Grab hold, Harry." Dumbledore said, holding out a trophy from a nearby case. Harry grabbed the trophy and felt himself swirling around and around until he hit the ground again. He was standing in front of the veil through which Sirius had fallen last June.

"Why are we here?" he whispered.

"This is the pathway to death from the land of the living. Through that veil lies to the secrets to the world and, with those secrets, all those who have left the world."

"Do you mean that my mum and dad and Sirius are on the other side?" Harry asked, not caring in the least about the secrets of the world for that moment.

"Yes, Harry. It was your mother's only request for you to come here fifteen years after you became an orphan."

Harry gazed steadily at the veil, almost wishing his parents could simply walk through the veil and start their lives again.

"But we can't do that," a voice floated towards him.

"But I need you, mum. I can't do this alone."

"You can't, it's true." Another voice, the one of his dad, said.

"But that's why you have friends – Ron and Hermione, and the Order." came Sirius' words.

"It's not the same, though. Why'd you have to die?"

"It was our time, Harry. Our part in fighting evil is over – it's your turn now." James explained.

Harry was silent for a long time. "You're wondering why you had to wait until you were sixteen to talk to us?"

"Yeah." Harry replied.

"We had agreed with Dumbledore that we should wait until after you knew about the prophesy. Otherwise you wouldn't understand how we knew that we were going to die and you were going to live." James responded.

"But if you had known, couldn't you have escaped?"

"Perhaps we could have, for a time. But sooner or later he would have killed your mom and me. I ... I couldn't bear to stay in hiding, I guess. If Voldemort was going to kill me, I didn't want to run. I'm sorry if that hurt you – I simply cannot stay caged."

"Dumbledore said that, too. After I insisted on going to Hogwarts. I don't blame you, I don't think I could either."

"There is a reason we brought you here, Harry." Lily told him. "You see, we can become ghosts if we want. We haven't decided yet whether or not we want to. But once we choose to do one thing or another, we can't turn back."

"You want me to decide what you will do?"

"We've already decided we'll be happy either way. It's up to you. It will change your life, if we become ghosts."

"I know it will. I can't decide right now." Harry responded, gazing longingly at the shadows of his parents' faces.

"You have until Christmas to decide, Harry." Lily said. "Otherwise we will not be able to become ghosts, whether or not we want to."

Somebody tapped Harry on the shoulder. Spinning around, he realized he had forgotten about Dumbledore's presence in the room. "We have to go now Harry."

Turning back to the veil, he tried to reach out and touch them, but couldn't. "Good-bye mum, dad, Sirius." he choked.

"Come back on December 23, son. I love you." Lily said, sinking back into the darkness followed by Sirius and James.

"I love you." Harry whispered.

The next morning Harry recounted his story to Ron and Hermione. "So what are you going to do?" Hermione wanted to know.

"I don't know. I'll decide later." he said as the rest of the Gryffindor team took seats around him. As he shovelled some food into his moth, they discussed some last minute strategies.

Soon after, he stood in the dressing room. He looked at each person – Angelina, Katie, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Thomas – before talking. "Let's wipe them out. Let's give them nothing: no goals and no victory. Let's crush them!"

A cheer rose up as they grabbed their brooms and headed to the pitch. They walked to the middle ring and formed a half circle around Madam Hooch. The Slytherin team did likewise.

Minutes later the Slytherin team had scored their first goal using the Hawkshead Arrow Formation. Ron and Harry exchanged satisfied glances at the fearful faces of the Slytherins.

"Happy with that, aren't you, Potter?" Draco Malfoy jeered, soaring past. "Guess you'll need a goal or two to keep your spirits up a bit. At least you'll have some points at the end, since everyone knows you can't catch the Snitch for the life of you."

"You wish, Malfoy!" Harry called back. "Fact is, I can't recall you ever catching the Snitch while I was here!"

Harry peeled off in the opposite direction, searching for the Snitch. He heard a loud whistle and sped over to the Gryffindor hoops. He went into a dive, with Malfoy at his tail. Pulling up a meter before hitting the ground, Harry heard a satisfying thump as Malfoy was unable to pull back up. Ron was hovering just behind the head of the momentarily distracted Chaser, who, unaware of his location, threw the Quaffle at the middle hoop. Immediately Angelina, Katie, and Ginny shot out from their respective positions. Ginny grabbed the Quaffle and soared to the other end, clear of any players for the moment thanks to Hermione and Thomas' incredible aim. They had pulled off their first official Team Teaser.

Minutes later, the Chasers were performing the Tornado. Harry could see the crowds getting dizzy as the three girls blurred into a whirlwind of red. Angelina finally emerged holding the Quaffle. A cheer went up from the crowd on the Gryffindor side as the third goal was scored.

An hour later the game was still going. The score was 160 – 30 for Gryffindor, thanks to the impressive manoeuvres of the entire team. Only Harry was bored, having failed to make Malfoy crash in the past half hour. Finally, though, he saw the golden Snitch hovering by the Gryffindor hoops. Instantly he went into a dive. Malfoy followed cautiously, not wanting to be tricked again. He soon saw the Snitch, however, and struggled to catch up. Harry increased his speed and levelled with the ground. Carefully balancing, he reached out one hand to grab the Snitch while controlling his broomstick with the other.

Suddenly, to everyone's shock, Harry began to head up, seemingly chasing the Snitch. Malfoy, at that moment unable to see the Snitch, followed. Harry slowed his speed drastically, allowing Malfoy to shoot past him. Then, with skill that only comes with practice, he swiftly turned and grabbed the Snitch where it actually was – flying around the goalposts.

Harry landed with the Snitch clutched firmly in his hand. The others landed beside him, yelling triumphantly, for they had beaten the Slytherins an astonishing 210 to 30. Harry glanced over at the Slytherin team. They looked disappointed, and none more than Malfoy, who was angry because Hermione, a 'mudblood', had hit him with several Bludgers.

Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room later to see his aunt waiting. "That was the most fascinating game I've ever seen!" she exclaimed. "And you were so much faster than everyone else!"

"That's because I was riding a Firebolt. It's the second-best model there is. Then there's the Nimbus 2002, they're pretty good too. But the best one by far is the Lightning Bolt. It's got 175 mph acceleration and it can turn on a dime. It combines the accuracy of the Cleansweeps and the speed of the Firebolt to make the best broom in the world. Plus, its handle is made of dark mahogany wood and polished so its glitters like gold. Amazing control, too. Practically impossible to get, though."

As Harry raved on about the broomstick, his aunt got an odd look on her face. "What's the matter?" Harry asked.

"Nothing in particular." she answered evasively. Harry looked at her doubtfully. She had kept a lot of secrets before, but he decided not to press the issue. He had learnt very quickly that she was a far better actor than anyone had ever guessed.

A New Power

Harry sat on his bed across from Ron. In front of them lay the entirety of their collection of Chocolate Frog cards. Harry tossed Ron one of the card holders he had bought during his last visit to Hogsmeade, and started putting his cards into the other one. The room was silent for a while as each searched for the correct card to put in each slot. Finally, they were done.

"I only need two more, it looks. Paracelsus and Wilfred Elphick." Ron announced, paging through the sheets. "How about you?"

Harry glanced through his holder. "I need Zacharias Mumps and Leopoldina Smethwyck ." he replied. "Guess we need to eat more Chocolate Frogs." Reaching under his bed, he pulled up a large bag of the chocolates.

"When'd you get that?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Harry grinned. After calling Hermione up to join them in a candy feast, they gorged themselves on the frogs that didn't get away. "You've got a collection of cards, don't you?" Harry asked Hermione.

"A small one, yes." she replied. "But I have a long way to go."

"There's no time like the present to start collecting more." Ron said. "Here, have my extras, if you don't have them."

"I really don't know which ones I have." Hermione replied.

"Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?" Harry said, pulling out his wand. "Accio cards!" Seconds later, a swarm of cards came swooping into the room and landed on the bed. Harry tossed a red card holder to Hermione, who proceeded to sort her cards.

Later, as they sat contently on the bed, nibbling the last of the frogs, Harry noticed an owl that came swooping towards the window. Getting up, he brought it inside and removed the scroll attached to the leg. It was addressed to Ron.

"That's Hermes!" Ron cried, sitting up from his relaxed position against the bedpost. He took the letter Harry handed to him and proceeded to read it aloud.

Dear Ron,

Though I do not currently have a lot of time at the moment, I would like to take the time to briefly inform you that the ties that had been severed between myself and mum and dad have been renewed. After learning where Mr. Fudge's loyalty truly lies, I began at once to undo the work he had been doing at the Ministry. Although father was a bit wary of trusting me again, after what happened last year, he permitted me to keep my job. Over the past few months, we have been working to correct the disarray that Mr. Fudge so unfortunately caused this Department. I am pleased to say that I finally won back our father's trust and, after a bit of work, succeeded to gain mother's as well.

I hope you will forgive me for all the grievances I have caused this family. It was truly not my intention to hurt anyone in any way. I suppose my eagerness to do good work for my boss got in the way of my morals, and I am terribly regretful of this. I ask you to forgive me, as well as to ignore the letter I sent you last year. It was not wise of me to advise you against your friendship with Harry Potter. I see now that he is a loyal friend and not at all the bad influence I reckoned him to be.

Your regretful brother,

Percy

Ron looked up happily as he finished reading the letter. "Well, thank goodness he finally came around. We were starting to worry that he had been so badly affected by Fudge that he had become a follower of Voldemort himself."

"It's good to hear, Ron." Hermione said joyfully. "The Weasleys don't function nearly as well when they're missing a member."

Later that evening Harry left the company of his friends and went to sit by himself just outside the entrance of Hogwarts. Percy's letter had reminded of the ever-growing power of Voldemort, which he had almost forgotten in the two weeks since his aunt had been found. He recalled the prophesy over and over in his mind, now unable to forget that his quest in life was to kill Voldemort. He knew now that, until Voldemort was gone, life would never be truly peaceful. There was always something getting in the way.

Suddenly another thought came to Harry's mind. He could not kill Voldemort using his magical powers. Voldemort's and his wand were brothers – there was no way he could successfully duel with his enemy. "But I have to be able to kill him somehow ... the prophesy can't be lying." he said aloud. Greatly confused now, he stood up and went to locate Dumbledore.

"It's just that it doesn't make sense." Harry told the Headmaster a little later. "I mean, the wand chose me, so there must be another way to kill Voldemort."

Dumbledore gazed long and hard at Harry before answering. "Did it ever seem odd to you that you and your friends mastered the transformation to Animagi so quickly?"

Normally Harry would have been surprised to learn that Dumbledore knew about Ron and Hermione's Animagi, but at the moment he was too pre occupied. "I ... I just thought we had some gift to do it or something. I never really though about it." Harry stammered.

"Harry, the only three students who have ever been known to master such a thing while still at school are Sirius, Peter, and your dad. All three of them were incredibly powerful wizards. Therefore, I think I can truthfully say that you and your two friends are also extremely powerful wizards."

"But what does that have to do with my fighting Voldemort?" Harry questioned.

"You know that a wizard, at random times, can cause magical things to happen around him. But it takes a wizard of extraordinary strength to channel the magic within to control the outcome. I think, Harry, that in order for you to fulfill the prophesy to your own good, you must learn to do magic without a wand."

"Magic without a wand?" Harry repeated. "Is it possible?"

"It is for a select few. I myself am able to do it. Though it drains your strength far quicker than performing the same spell with a wand. It seems to me the only way for you to defeat Voldemort." Dumbledore decided. "It is best for you to learn this as soon as possible. I will begin teaching you next week."

"Excellent! I'll be able to kill Voldemort easily once I learn."

"Do not be so confident." Dumbledore cautioned. "Such a spell could drain your energy enough to kill you. Only with training, and lots of it, will you be able to do it."

Harry left the office minutes later feeling more cheerful than he had all year. Voldemort, he knew, was unable to cast spells without a wand. This gave Harry confidence he never had before. Hermione, however, was rather concerning. "What if you cast a spell that takes too much energy?" she whimpered.

Harry looked at her as her blue eyes brimmed with tears. Ron, seeing this, gave her a hug. "Hey, stop crying." he urged. "Dumbledore will team him what his limits are. Don't you worry."

Monday night came quickly, and Harry left Quidditch practice early to meet with Dumbledore. Harry found the work extremely exhausting. Harnessing the magic he found to be fairly simple, yet the effort to cast even a simple Disarming Spell was huge. After performing the spell three times, he was obligated to abandon the effort for the time-being. Reaching the Gryffindor common room, he stumbled up the stairs, fell into bed, and was instantly asleep.

The next morning Harry headed to his Potions class with Ron and Hermione. Entering the room, he noticed Draco Malfoy standing at his cauldron. "Get away from there, Malfoy." Harry growled, stepping up with his wand held high.

"Chill out, Potter." Malfoy smirked. "Just checking your cauldron for leaks."

"Or adding them?" Ron asked, stepping up beside Harry. Just then the door flew open and Professor Snape stomped into the room. Malfoy retreated to the other end of the room, leaving Harry and Ron glancing at him suspiciously.

"Forget it, Harry." Ron said, turning back to his own cauldron. "He's just trying to scare you." And so it seemed as the rest of the class proceeded with no abnormalities. But as Harry bottled the truth potion he had been working on, the glass shattered in his hand. Hermione peered into Harry's cauldron. "Did you add ?" she asked.

"Of course not! That's not one of the ingredients." Harry replied.

"Well, there's a trace of it here, and when mixed with the ingredients we used today, it makes a potion that causes any glass it touches to shatter.

"Malfoy." Ron and Harry realized as Malfoy ambled past with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Figures." Harry said, turning back to his cauldron. Hermione glanced around to be sure Snape was occupied, then slipped Harry a vial of her own potion. Harry grinned at her, then placed it among the others with his name on it.

"Honestly, you'd think you wouldn't be so cocky!" Ron complained later. "With his father a wanted man, you'd think we would be a little nervous.

"Malfoy would be a jerk no matter what is father was." Harry responded angrily.

Later that day, after their Charms class, Harry brought Ron and Hermione to the library to discuss something. "I think," he began, "It is time for us to start learning the dark arts in the DA."

Neither protested, as he had expected. Rather, Ron and Hermione nodded their agreement. "I've actually been thinking about possibly starting that, but I wasn't sure if you would want to do it." Hermione commented.

"Well, I wasn't exactly sure if I wanted to. But I decided that with Voldemort and his Death Eaters loose, everyone – not only me – should know how to fight. I guess it will be sort of like Lockhart's duelling club. But this one will actually work." He finished, grimacing at the memory of the disastrous club of four years ago.

So, that very night, the DA gathered together and Harry made his announcement. His words were met with satisfied cheers. The lesson soon got underway, and Harry proceeded to teach the group how to perform Stunning Spells. It was far too dangerous to practice on each other, but the room conveniently provided chambers made out of special glass with targets for each person to practice in. Though some saw the chambers as unnecessary, Harry was soon grateful for them, as many of the spells shot backwards and were absorbed by the glass.

Regretfully, the meeting had to end. After checking the Marauder's Map to make sure the hallway was clear, the door was opened and people streamed off to their towers. Ron, Hermione, and Harry hung back for a minute so they could walk back without being surrounded by a large crowd.

"Have you decided what you're going to do about your parents?" Hermione asked as they walked through the silent halls.

"I can't decide, Hermione." Harry sighed heavily. "I mean, I would really like to be able to talk to my parents anytime I want, but I don't know if I can bear having parents that I can't touch. It would be sort of weird. And I don't know if I could put them through the misery of living a feeble imitation of like, like Nick told me. I just don't know."

"I think," Hermione spoke at last, "You need to find out how they really feel. I know they told you they'd be happy either way, but they must have an opinion of some sort. Or..."

"Or there's an alternate choice." Harry interrupted abruptly.

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked.

"What if there's some way that I can communicate with my parents and Sirius without them becoming ghosts?" Harry thought aloud.

"Communicate them without their having physical form?" Hermione pondered. "It can't be done ... can it?"

Canvassed Spies

Harry and Ron sat at a table in the common room, struggling to complete their essays on the twelve uses of dragon blood and how each use changed the wizarding world. The majority of their books lay scattered over the table, along with a large quantity of Hermione's notes.

"You'd think with Christmas holidays they'd ease up on homework a bit." Ron complained. "I don't even know where to start."

"You could start with the fact that it is used as an oven cleaner." Hermione told him, looking up from the book she was reading.

"Maybe I'll quit for tonight instead."

"You can't do that, Ron! We get to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow."

"Oh, about that." Harry said, looking up from writing down the seventh use, "I ... er ... promised Cho I'd meet her at noon. We're going to have lunch and do some shopping together."

"That's great, Harry! But wasn't she going out with Michael Corner?" Ron asked.

"She dumped him over the summer, and seems to have forgiven me for what happened with Marietta." Harry answered hopefully. "Maybe this time it'll go better ..."

Both Harry and Ron were up early the next morning, eager to start their day at Hogsmeade. As Harry was about to leave the dormitory, Ron pulled him aside for a moment.

"Harry, I think we should get Hermione something other than candy this year, don't you think? I mean, we've known her for five year –surely we can be a little more thoughtful."

"That's probably a good idea, but what should we get her?"

"Well, she takes so many notes and stuff, I think part of it should be a Quick-Quotes Quill."

"Excellent! And what about one of those binders that fit in your pocket, no matter how much parchment is in it?"

"The Pocket Pal?" Good idea. But would you mind getting them? I'll pay you back, of course, it's just that I'll probably be with Hermione all day."

"I could." Harry paused. "But what about Cho?" She might get jealous if I go buy something for Hermione on our date."

"You've got to learn to lie a little, mate! Just tell her that it's my present to Hermione, I just couldn't get it with Hermione around."

"You know, it's not good that you can come up with a lie that fast, Ron."

"Oh, shut up." Ron pushed Harry onto the bed playfully. "Come on, she's probably waiting for us." Harry and Ron headed down to the common room, where Hermione was indeed waiting for them.

"What took you so long?"

"Lost my moneybag." Ron muttered, trying to look sheepish.

"You are so predictable." she answered, a smile on her face.

"Beg your pardon? I'm predictable?" Ron retaliated. "I'd say you are."

As they walked to Hogsmeade, Ron and Hermione continued to bicker. "Honestly, you'd think you two were married." Harry quipped. "You fight like you are."

"Married to her? Never!" Ron denied, looking disgusted.

"What story do you want to go to first?" Hermione asked. Harry looked up and noticed, for the first time, that they had reached Hogsmeade. "Why, Honeydukes, of course!" Ron said cheerfully, fights forgotten.

An hour later they emerged from Honeydukes, each carrying a huge bag of candy. "These Chocolate Frogs are bound to have the cards we need." Harry commented as they headed to Gladrags Wizardwear. Exiting the shop a while later, Harry looked at his watch and realized it was time for him to meet Cho. Saying good-bye to Ron and Hermione, he headed over to the Three Broomsticks, ready to begin his date.

Harry entered the comfortable pub and looked around, spying Cho at a table near the back. He walked over, trying to look casual. "Hey Harry," she said, giving him a heart-melting smile. Harry returned the greeting then pulled her up. They strolled outside looking in the various stores until they came to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop.

"Can we stop here a sec?" Harry asked "I promised Ron I'd pick up his Christmas present for Hermione since he won't be able to." To his relief, Cho willingly consented. Entering the shop he quickly located a lovely Quick Quotes Quill made from a Phoenix feather, and a Pocket Pal of a shimmering silver material.

Glancing behind him he noticed Cho admiring a gorgeous quill and ink set sitting on a tray of gold. The quill was a brilliant white feather and the ink blotter reflected all light in its pearly white surface. Leaning over the counter, he asked the shopkeeper, Tony Schland, to gift-wrap the set and deliver it to his dormitory.

Tony looked over at the set indicated and nodded. "You want me to add it to your bill?" Harry agreed and minutes later the transaction was complete. They exited the shop and noticing it was almost 3:00, turned and headed to the Three Broomsticks where they had made plans to meet their friends.

Arriving minutes later they discovered the pub empty of any Hogwarts student. Cho sat down as Harry went to buy Butterbeers. "Did you have fun today?" Harry asked her tensely, handing her the drink. She flashed him a smile.

"I did" she reassured him. "Look, I'm sorry for what went last year. I was feeling really bad about liking you and still loving Cedric."

"It's okay." Harry wrapped an arm around her. "That's what Hermione told me was probably going on. I don't blame you."

Cho looked up at him, then swiftly kissed him. Harry, looking startled, did not protest. As they pulled away, Cho's friends walked in. Blushing Harry watched as she went off to join her friends. Minutes later, Ron and Hermione walked in and joined Harry at the table.

"Did it go better this time?" Ron asked as soon as he sat down.

"Er, yeah." Harry said quickly, not wanting to go into details.

December 23 came swiftly as classes ended and Ron, Hermione and Harry prepared for another Christmas at Hogwarts. But before he could begin enjoying the holiday, Harry had to make his decision.

Standing before the black tattered veil late in the evening, Harry still had not decided. He did as Hermione suggested - asking his parents how they really felt. Their answer remained the same.

"I just don't feel it's right to subject you to the tortures of a feeble imitation of life. Especially for my sake" Harry told the three shadows drifting behind the veil.

Lily tried to help her son in his decision. "What do you consider the best thing that would come of having us around? We can't be your guardians you know – the Ministry would never accept that."

Harry thought for a moment. 'I guess I want to be able to talk to you anytime about anything."

Harry sat on the dais, ignoring the coldness of the stone floor. He was torn in two about the decision facing him and his parents had no answer to his conflict, no suggestions as to what he could possibly do. Finally, after an hour of deliberation and discussion with his parents and Sirius, an idea crept into Harry's mind. "What if," he suggested, "We made a painting of you three that I could have in my room?"

"What do you mean, dear?" Lily asked, not comprehending her son's idea.

"Dumbledore has paintings of the old headmasters around his office and they can talk to him. What if we could do the same with you?" Harry could just make out the shadow of his father as he began to understand the concept of his idea. "Will it work?" Harry continued anxiously, aiming his question mostly at the Headmaster standing behind him.

Dumbledore gave a slight smile, then nodded. "We'll need to get special permission from the Ministry, of course, but once you get that cleared it's no problem."

"Can we do that?" Harry turned back to the veil. His parents and Sirius agreed, so Dumbledore summoned the minister of magic, along with another witch Harry did not know. After informing Mr. Weasley of his wishes, and gaining the needed permission, Harry was eager to get the picture painted.

Luckily the witch Dumbledore summoned was, in fact, an artist. After receiving a promise that the painting would be complete the next day, Harry grabbed the Portkey Dumbledore held out. Seconds later, he was jerked into the air.

The next day Harry rushed to Dumbledore's office, eager to see if the painting had arrived. To his disappointment, there was nothing waiting. To kill time, Dumbledore suggested they continuing practicing magic without a wand.

An hour later, thoroughly frustrated, Harry sunk to the floor. Despite weeks of practice, he was still unable to perform a simple Disarming spell. He looked up as Dumbledore eased himself onto the floor next to him. "You cannot be so easily discouraged, Harry." he consoled the angry teen. "It took myself a year to be able to do the living death curse. Expelliarmus is the first step – once you get it, the rest will quickly follow."

Harry sighed heavily, not convinced. But before he could respond, the door creaked open and Arthur Weasley entered carrying a large square package. Energy renewed, Harry leaped up to take the package. Calling good-bye to the two wizards, he ran out of the room and to his dormitory. Tearing the paper aside, he saw his parents standing side by side. Smiling behind them was Sirius, no longer gruff and dirty-looking, but handsome once again. Harry pulled out his wand and with a Binding spell hung the painting on the wall.

Just then Ron burst into the room, laughing at a joke Hermione, who was with him, had told him. "Harry!" he gasped, short of breath. "Where have you been? We ... oh, is that the painting you told us about?"

"It sure is." Lily told him. "Now Harry, you should know that there were more paintings of us done. One is hanging in Dumbledore's office, the other is in the Ministry of Magic building. Dumbledore has decided that we will do best as spies for the Order."