Chapter 1: Back at the Dursley's
Harry woke with a start and looked around to see what had woken him at this early hour. He grabbed his glasses from his bedside table and he automatically tightened his grip on his wand. Since Voldemort had become public once more, he had taken to sleeping with it under his pillow. Slowly, his sight came into focus and he noted the two sodden owls tapping furiously on his bedroom window waiting to be let in.
He crept towards the window, taking care not to creak and wake the Dursleys. He flipped open the latch and the two birds flew in, flapping furiously to rid themselves of some of the water that had accumulated on their wings.
In contrast to last summer's drought, the rain had not relented since he had left Hogwarts. The smaller of the two owls, hooted feebly and perched thankfully next to Hedwig. After checking that the owl, Ron's owl, Pig, was ok, he turned to the other, which immediately stuck out its right leg and waited for Harry to untie the letter. Harry realised, with a sudden jolt in the pit of his stomach, that it was a Hogwarts owl, which could mean only one thing: his OWL results had finally arrived! Harry tore open the parchment envelope and went straight to the third sheet of paper. His heart was thumping wildly and at first he couldn't bring himself to read it, when he finally built up the courage to look he read the letter aloud to himself:
Dear Mr. Potter,
Your O.W.L. exam results are as follows:
Astronomy – P
Herbology – A
Divination – T
Transfiguration – O
Charms – E
Potions – O
Defence against the Dark Arts – O
Care of Magical Creatures – E
History of Magic – T
You are therefore, accepted into the following N.E.W.T classes:
Herbology
Transfiguration
Charms
Potions
Defence Against the Dark Arts
Care of Magical Creatures
You will no longer be expected to take:
Astronomy
Divination
History of Magic
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress
Harry sighed with relief and amazement as it sank in that he had received an 'O' in potions! He suspected that Dumbledore had had something to do with his grade considering he had never received higher that a 'D' before. When he had finally got over the shock that his dreams of being an Auror were not over, he leant over to take the letter off Pig.
Hi Harry,
Mum says to tell you that we're coming to get you on Saturday.
We'll be there at 11am sharp with some of the Order.
Have you got your OWL results yet? Anyway see you tomorrow and me and Hermione will fill you in. Oh, by the way, she arrived on Wednesday.
Ron
Harry smiled to himself and flopped back down onto his bed and fell immediately asleep.
A smile spread slowly over Harry's face the next morning as he remembered that he would be with Ron and Hermione by the end of the day. He rolled out of his bed and shoved a crumpled pair of jeans on with his red t-shirt from the previous day, he would change later, he thought to himself.
As he made his way downstairs, he heard a cacophony of Aunt Petunia's high descant voice and Uncle Vernon's attempt at a tenor. He strained his ears to hear what the pair was singing: "Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday Dinky Diddydums, happy birthday to you!"
"Oh God," he muttered to himself. He crept into the kitchen, hoping, in vain, to avoid being noticed. He had just made it to the fridge, when…
"Boy, I didn't hear you wish your cousin happy birthday! Don't they teach you basic manners at that school of yours?"
"Sorry, Uncle Vernon. Happy birthday Diddydums!" Harry suppressed a laugh at the look of contempt, which Dudley threw at him. He glanced at the table and saw, just like the year which Harry had started Hogwarts, that Dudley had accumulated every item he had demanded in the weeks preceding his birthday plus dozens more. He stood, mesmerised as Dudley opened a digital watch, a mobile phone, a digital camera and about twenty computer games. Seeing the watch, he glanced at the clock on the wall and saw, with a shock, that it was already 10 o'clock. He thought this was as good a time as any to tell his aunt and uncle his plans for the summer.
"Err… Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia… my friends, the Weasleys, are going to pick me up at 11, I'm ready and everything but just to let you know."
Uncle Vernon grunted in recognition and watched his nephew with a look of severe disdain as Harry helped himself to bacon and tomatoes then headed back upstairs to finish packing.
At 11 o'clock, Harry stood in the Dursley's living room staring at the, no longer boarded up, fire, waiting for the green flair that would signal the arrival of the Weasleys and the order members. At ten past eleven, Harry saw what he had been waiting for and called to the Dursleys, who were waiting in the kitchen,
"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, they're here!" The Dursley's crept cautiously into the room and watched as Mr. Weasley climbed out of their fireplace, closely followed by Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Tonks, Lupin and Moody. Mr. Dursley could be heard, in the corner, muttering something about the way, 'their sort' travelled.
"Harry! You all set to go?" Asked Arthur Weasley, enthusiastically.
"My trunk and stuff is upstairs, I'll just go get it." He replied
"Don't you dare, mate!" interrupted Fred, "I'll get it! Accio Trunk!"
Everyone in the room ducked as Harry's trunk whizzed over their heads and landed gracefully at Fred's feet.
"Accio Hedwig!" bellowed George and they all ducked again before laughing at the stunned faces of the Dursleys.
Harry grinned at Ron and Hermione before being handed a pinch of floo powder by Mr. Weasley. He waited for most of the others to go in ahead of him, then, after saying goodbye to his aunt and uncle, he stepped into the green flames and yelled, "The Burrow!" at the top of his lungs.
Chapter 2: The Burrow Again
Harry steadied himself as he clambered out of the Weasley's red brick fireplace. When he had got his bearings, he looked up to see the faces of Ron and Hermione grinning at him.
"So, mate, how've your hols been?" Asked Ron, jovially, but with a subtle hint of sarcasm (Ron and Hermione both knew what a hard time the Dursley's gave him). He gave Ron a one armed hug and then started as Hermione flung her arms round his neck.
Ron grabbed his arm and dragged Harry up the stairs to the familiar orange glare of Ron's, Chuddley Cannon poster covered bedroom, although there was also something not so familiar about the room he had spent so much time in since he had met Ron. Sitting on Ron's bed or hanging around his room, were a number of familiar faces: Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom and indeed, almost every member of the DA that Harry could think of!
"Ron? Hermione? What's going on?" He inquired suspiciously, although he could not quite suppress his delight at seeing so many of his friends in one place before term had even begun.
"Well," Hermione began excitedly, "We've all been initiated into the order, it becomes official tomorrow night and Mrs. Weasley thought that as it's your birthday tomorrow, we could all have a huge party!" She said all of this very quickly but the look on Harry's face was enough to tell her that he had fully comprehended what she had just said.
Harry's face went from shocked to amazed to ecstatic in a matter of seconds. He found it hard to believe that he was finally going to be a member of the order, that he was finally going to have a proper birthday party after all these years of watching Dudley going out to the zoo, hamburger bars and playing musical statues in the Dursley's back garden with all his friends (while Aunt Marge hit Harry on the knees with her walking stick to stop him beating Dudley).
Just as Harry was about to greet all of his friends, Mrs. Weasley came bustling into Ron's room and – on spying Harry – gave a shriek of welcome and suffocated him in her arms, Ron's ears went a deep shade of pink while Mrs. Weasley interrogated Harry about his journey.
At about 5 o'clock, the DA members left to go home and bid Harry, Ron, Hermione and the others farewell until 6, the next night. The others made their way inside just in time to be called for supper by Mrs. Weasley. After they had all been sufficiently fed and watered, they hurried off to bed and left the adults to an intensely boring conversation about the Ministry of Magic.
Harry and Ron made their way up to Ron's bedroom and flopped down on their respective beds.
"Harry?" asked Ron, "Honestly, how has your holiday been?" his voice was full of pity and concern and Harry knew that what he was really asking was, how had he been coping with the death of Sirius.
"Alright," he lied in reply, he didn't feel much like talking about it, even after the two weeks at the Dursley's, "Yours?"
"Yeah, they've been good, but they'll be better now you're here! Not so much of Hermione nagging me about studying for NEWTs, I mean, we've only just got our OWL results for crying out loud! Oh, God, I forgot! What did you get?" inquired Ron, falling for the lie, either that, or finally having learnt enough tact to know when to leave it.
"I got six, you?"
"Same! God, I hope they're the same! What did you get?"
"Err… Defence against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms and Potions" Harry answered, suppressing a grin at the last subject.
"No way! Potions? I mean, no offence, Mate, but, you and me aren't exactly the best at potions, not like it's easy, though, with Snape breathing down are necks the whole time!" Ron finished hurriedly.
"Yeah, I know, I think Dumbledore might have had some input there. Don't tell Hermione though, I can't wait to see the look of her face when I tell her I got potions! Any way, how about you?"
"Well," started Ron, "I didn't get potions, but I got Astronomy. Hermione got all twelve, needless to say." Ron told Harry, although Harry had assumed she had anyway.
As Ron drifted off to sleep, Harry lay on his bed, staring absently at The Chuddley Cannon's seeker, zoom around the room, searching for the non-existent snitch, while all the time trying to remember what it was that had been bugging him the entire holidays, he knew there was something that he had forgotten, if only he could remember what!
Chapter 3: Initiation and a Party
As 7 o'clock struck, everyone in the dimly lit room, gathered round the man in the centre of it. His deep and powerful voice, booming, even over the crackling of the fire and the excited murmurs of the man's young audience.
"Welcome, I am glad to see so many of you here." Albus Dumbledore spoke calmly as he surveyed the group over the top of his half moon glasses. "I hope that none of you will regret what you are about to do, but before you commit yourselves I must be certain that you all know of the extent to which this commitment involves. It is not something to be taken lightly, you may be forced to undergo torture, you may have to face the loss of loved ones and you may even have to give your lives for this cause. In an ideal world, none of this will happen, but then again, in an ideal world, there would be no need for this gathering tonight. You have been given an hour since your arrival here to dwell on your decision, soon, there will be no going back! I will call you all forwards to the room behind me, one at a time to make your pledges: Harry, you will lead by example, I hope and follow me first."
Harry stepped forwards, uncomfortably aware of his peers' eyes on his back. He followed Dumbledore, out of the Weasley's candlelit living room and through to their kitchen. Dumbledore put a swift silencing charm on the even darker room and sat down on one of the spindly kitchen chairs.
"Harry, I realise that there is no need to officially confirm your loyalty to this cause, but, procedures are procedures. A drink, perhaps?" He handed Harry a goblet of pumpkin juice and Harry's hands shook nervously as he took a sip. His mind had been flooded with thoughts, he knew that he could face most things that Voldemort threw at him, hadn't he faced him enough times to be sure? But there was something holding him back, he didn't know if he could endure the loss of more people he loved. If Ron, Hermione or any of the others died, he didn't know if he could carry on. His mind had been flooded with these morbid thoughts but the second the liquid touched his lips, he felt a calming sensation followed by a sudden jolt behind his navel – not dissimilar to when he had travelled by portkey – he felt a peculiar sensation, as though his mind had travelled, but he had not. His body felt rooted to the spot and yet, he knew that he was no longer in the Weasley's kitchen. He opened his eyes and started at the sight in front of him: he saw himself, himself in front of Dumbledore, who was smiling down at Harry.
Suddenly, he was jolted back to reality; he was once more in the kitchen, sitting with Dumbledore.
"What did you see Harry?" Dumbledore asked serenely.
"Myself, in front of you, Professor, you were smiling." Harry didn't know why he had added the last detail, but it seemed somehow, important.
"Good, you may leave. But I beg you not to say a word to anyone else!"
Harry walked out of the room in a daze; he had expected it to be much harder than that. It seemed a sort of, anticlimax, all he had had to do, was drink, what he assumed to be a potion to see if he would stay with Dumbledore to the end. He supposed that if he seen a happy Voldemort in front of him, or an unsmiling Dumbledore, then he wouldn't have been initiated.
As Dumbledore called Neville forwards, the others bombarded him with questions. He sat down heavily, onto the sofa and told them that he was not allowed to tell them, he closed his eyes and listened to Ron bombard him with questions and telling him that it was ok if he told, Dumbledore would never know. But, somehow, Harry thought that Dumbledore would know, and he refrained from telling his best friend of five years, what had happened.
It didn't take long to get through everyone in the room, and after about an hour, Mrs. Weasley rushed through the door and hugged all of her children before turning to Ron and Hermione.
"I wasn't so sure about you all becoming members at your ages, but, Dumbledore persuaded me, and it will be useful to not have to send you away whenever there's a meeting! Just promise me, you'll try and stay out of too much trouble!" She said, and Harry noticed that there was a slight shimmer behind her eyes, she turned away just as Dumbledore came back into the room.
"Now that the business side of the evening is over with, I think it high time to decorate this room and give a rousing rendition of 'Happy Birthday' to Harry, who turns sixteen in about…four hours" Dumbledore said cheerfully, checking his watch.
He flicked his wand, and soon the party was in full swing. Harry spent much of the time, opening presents that the DA, and now Order members had given him, eating Mrs. Weasley's delicious food and downing bottle of Butterbeer.. When it was all over with, at around 2 in the morning, Harry traipsed up to the bedroom that, for tonight, would also be shared with Dean, Seamus and Neville.
He crawled into bed, full of Mrs. Weasley's delicious food and what seemed like gallons of butterbeer, laden with his new presents. He put them all on the floor beside his bed, deciding that he would look at them properly in the morning. It had been a perfect day, but Harry couldn't stop himself from being a little sad, there was a lump in his throat which he was almost certain would not be there if only his Godfather had been there to see him turn sixteen.
Chapter 4: Diagon Alley
The sunlight was streaming through Ron's open window the next morning and Harry woke to find Ron gathering his clothes from the previous night.
"Have a good time last night?" Inquired Ron
"Yeah it was great! It was kind of strange to have my first birthday party now though! I mean, I've gone through my whole life watching Dudley have party after party and I always felt, sort of, left out." Harry replied pensively.
"Anyway, Mum says she'll take us all down to Diagon Alley in a minute so if you want breakfast, you need to hurry!"
Harry shoved on a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt and hurried downstairs, not wanting to miss out on Mrs. Weasley's superb cooking. The smell of bacon wafted up to Harry's nostrils and he felt his stomach growl. He jumped down the last few steps and walked into the kitchen.
"Hi Mrs. Weasley, where are the others?" He wondered out loud. Neville, Seamus and Dean had been there last night.
"Oh, they were collected earlier, don't worry." She replied jovially.
Harry piled his plate high, full of bacon, tomatoes, fried bread and eggs, sunny side up. He shovelled his food into his mouth as fast as he could and then ran back up stairs to brush his teeth.
Half an hour later, Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione were lined up by the fireplace and being handed a pinch of glittering floo powder each. They stepped into the fire one after the other and shouted: Diagon Alley, at the top of their lungs. Harry's lungs filled with soot as he did this, he would never get used to travelling by floo, he thought to himself.
He felt himself spinning round and round, getting gradually sicker by the second. When the spinning finally stopped, he gladly toppled out on to the fireplace of the building he recognised to be Gringotts, all the others were already there and standing, waiting for him by one of the counters. The impatient looking goblin behind the desk looked up at Mrs Weasley.
"Now that all of your party is here, would you care to withdraw any money?" he said crisply.
"Oh, yes, I think that would be a good idea. Harry, dear, hand over your key now please." She bustled. Harry handed the tiny piece of shining metal over and watched as the goblin inspected it closely.
"All seems to be in good order. Griphook!" He called to the goblin that Harry recognised as the one who had taken him down to get his money for his first year.
Griphook, beckoned to them all to follow him into the cavernous space behind one of the many doorways. Harry's eyes took a second to adjust to the darkness but when they did he spotted the others blinking furiously to help their own eyes adjust while clambering into a rickety wooden cart that was barely big enough to hold all of them.
The breeze whipped across Harry's cheeks as they raced down into the depths of the bank, where all the vaults were kept. He kept his eyes tight shut to protect them from the savage blast of cold air that was attacking his face.
When the cart finally slowed down at Hermione's vault, the goblin took her key from her and inserted it into the miniscule lock with its slender fingers. The door clicked open and Hermione scooped the galleons nearest to her into her moneybag. The cart gathered speed once more and stopped outside Harry's vault, Griphook repeated the process with Harry's key and Harry too gathered the nearest coins and watched as he poured the gold pieces into his bag, clinking together as the went in. Their last stop was the Weasley's vault, and Harry felt the familiar feeling of slight guilt as he saw the pitiful contents of the family's vault. Mrs. Weasley was quick as she gathered up the few gold and silver coins and dropped them into a pocket in her robes.
They left the vault as hurriedly as they had arrived and it wasn't long before they had surfaced again. Mrs. Weasley left them to do their shopping and went off do some of her own with Ginny.
The group went straight to 'Flourish and Blots' to buy their schoolbooks. They stepped out of the sunny street into the spacious shop lined with colourful books full of incantations and tips on how to jinx your enemies. Hermione snatched her book list out of her robes and scanned it briefly, Harry, noticing her, did the same:
All Sixth year students will require the following set books:
A Standard book of Spells (grade 6) by Miranda Goshhawk
Mr. Potter, you will also require the following:
An advanced guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
Magical Remedies and their effects by Arsenius Jigger
The Dark Forces: A guide to Self-Protection (advanced level) by Quentin Trimble
An Astrologers Night by Orion Sky
Harry located the books and paid up by the counter.
After they had all bought their books they traipsed back outside after having to spend twenty minutes trying to drag Ron away from the sections entitled, 'Spell yourself clever' and 'Jinxing your enemies: The dummies guide to retaliation'. They picked up an ice cream each from Florean Fortesque and then headed down to visit Fred and George's new joke shop, 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes'.
They stepped inside the small shop and stopped dead to stare at the bright colours that covered the walls. There were shelves and shelves of oddly shaped fireworks, rows of strange looking hats and boxes of 'Skiving Snack boxes'. The three of them were looking in awe around the shop, when the twins stepped out, dressed in their matching dragon skin jackets and coughed.
"Anything we can do for you little bro? Can we flog you a few tricks, something to get back at that old sod, Malfoy?"
"Err… I dunno, maybe. We'll just look for the moment I think, hey, any chance of a family discount?" inquired Ron.
"Sorry, Ronald, business is business."
They browsed for a bit longer and finally decided that they would buy something. They picked up a 'Skiving Snack box' each and headed to the till.
"Surely prefects like yourselves wouldn't skive a lesson?" exclaimed George.
"Oh, just being prepared in case we've got another teacher like Umbridge this year!" Hermione assured the twins.
Harry looked around, if they did have another teacher like Umbridge, he knew he would have to tell Hermione and Ron his secret, the prophesy haunted him everyday and he couldn't face another year like the last with the full weight of that hanging over only his head.
Chapter 5: Hogwarts Express
"Will you all hurry up and get down here this instant, we are going to miss the train!" Screamed Mrs. Weasley from the bottom of the stairs. Her order was greeted by a flurry of bodies scurrying about with bits of toast in their hands, toothbrushes hanging in their mouths, on sock on, the other off and Hermione, dragging her trunk neatly down the stairs, perfectly calm and completely ready to leave.
"Oh, Hermione, dear, at least one of you is ready to go, could you chivvy them along for me, please?" Pleaded Mrs. Weasley. Hermione put her trunk down and ran back up stairs to get the others.
A little while later, they were all standing in the Weasley's drive with Tonks, Lupin and Mrs. Weasley, while Tonks flagged down the Night Bus, they all jumped to one side while the bright purple, triple decker came crashing towards them, forcing a bird feeder to move hurriedly out of its way.
Tonks helped them all onto the bus, while Stan, the young conductor stood to one side, remembering, from past experience, that Tonks, who was once again masquerading as an old lady, was not to be crossed. They found seats at the back of the bus and chattered among themselves while Lupin bribed the driver to get them to Kings Cross quickly.
When they had all sat down, the bus gave an almighty jerk and sped off down the road. After several very bumpy minutes, Stan shouted above the noise of retching witches and wizards: "We are now approachin' Kin's Cross!"
They got slowly up and walked gratefully off the bus, while, Tonks paid Stan eleven silver sickles for each of them.
Harry, Ron and Hermione hung back as the others marched purposefully into the building. They stood silently for a moment, listening to the mass of feet pounding along the floor and the cacophony of voices talking to each other.
"What's up mate?" Asked Ron, examining Harry's face carefully.
"Ah, nothing," Harry started, "It's just, well, this is the first year since I found Sirius, that I won't have him to talk to at all." He sighed and continued, "But look, let's just go and get onto the train now, better to be at Hogwarts without Sirius than miss the train and not be there at all." He knew how false his voice sounded but was grateful for the fact that Ron and Hermione pretended not to hear the falseness and carried onto the station. The pushed through the bustling crowd and were just in time to see Ginny disappear through the barrier, and to see Mrs. Weasley looking frantically around for them.
"We're over here Mrs. Weasley!" Called Hermione
"Oh, thank goodness! Now hurry up and get onto the platform!"
She pushed them all gently through the barrier before stepping through her self. On the other side, they were greeted by a flurry of people running up to them to say hello. Hermione and Ron were soon pushed off towards the prefect's carriage so Harry, feeling more than a bit lonely, made his way to the train on his own.
Pushing through the gathering crowd, Harry noticed that people were staring at him even more than they had been the previous year. He shifted slightly but was too used to the attention to blush. He stared defiantly around, but instead of receiving the mixture of malicious, cynical and scornful looks he noticed that the on-lookers looked impressed, with looks of awe on their faces. He stood and stared at the faces for a few moments and enjoyed the looks, he felt he deserved a few moments of self-pride considering the serious increase in negative attention he had got last year. He turned around and received an unpleasant jolt in the pit of his stomach as he caught sight of the silver-blond hair and steely grey eyes that could only belong to Draco Malfoy. Harry moved swiftly on, but Malfoy had already spotted him.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Potty, I'm surprised to see your still alive, or at least that you dared to come back!" he spat, his eyes full of spite and malice.
"Get over yourself, Malfoy," Replied Harry, "Do you really think I'd let a little slime ball like you stop me coming back?"
Harry turned and made to walk off to the train, he was nearly there when he felt the someone slender fingers take a firm grip on his left shoulder and try to pull him around, he shrugged them off but span around anyway to see who it was, Malfoy was standing behind him again. He grabbed Harry roughly and leant towards him, his eyes glinting dangerously.
"I told you last year Potter, and this is the last time I'm going to tell you," he breathed, "Nobody, puts my father into Azkaban and gets away with it Potter! Nobody! I am going to make this year a living hell for you." He let go off Harry's shoulder and pushed him towards the train, Harry steadied himself and shouted back,
"Don't worry Malfoy, just because you fathers in prison because he supports Voldemort, doesn't mean I'll treat you any differently than you treat me!" he watched, satisfied, as he noticed the pink flush creep slowly up the back of Malfoy's neck.
Harry started as he heard the slamming of carriage doors all along the train and leapt into the nearest one, shutting the door behind him. He dragged his trunk with some difficulty, Hedwig squawking by his right ear, through carriage upon carriage of chattering people until he stumbled upon the one occupied by Ginny, Neville, Dean and Luna.
"Hi guys." He gasped, dropping his trunk onto the floor next to his seat, it landed with a bang as he collapsed onto the seat.
"Hi Harry," replied Neville, "Have you heard? Dumbledore's meant to be announcing something important tonight, do you think it's got anything to do with the Order?"
"Shhhh! Don't talk about it so loud!" Harry whispered
He glanced around the carriage, taking in the familiar scarlet velvet that covered the seats, the oak tables in-between each set of seats and the glinting gold frames around the sparkling windows. He looked to his left and was not surprised to find himself looking at Luna's big, silvery eyes moving rapidly across the pages of her father's magazine, The Quibbler. He soon moved his attention onto Ginny, who was talking animatedly to Neville, having stopped, only to greet Harry. Her hair shone in the sun and her emerald eyes, sparkled with mirth as she and Neville giggled over some ridiculous joke. He stared for a moment longer and eventually dragged his eyes off her and stared solidly down at the ground. Suddenly remembering Dean was there too, he looked up to see his friend and roommate sitting in the corner looking slightly grumpy.
"What's up, mate?" Harry inquired
"I don't get girls, I really don't understand them. You know that? I tell you, any bloke that can get his head around them is a genius!" Dean replied, studying his hands as he spoke.
"What are you on about? Girl trouble?" Harry looked at his friend, confusedly. He had shared a dormitory with Dean Thomas since he had started at Hogwarts and he had never had a serious argument with him, he was a member of the DA and had similar interests, but recently, he had started to feel a slight twinge when he thought about him. He didn't know what it was but it made him feel almost angry. He couldn't pinpoint it, but he just couldn't feel in the slightest sympathetic to whatever Dean's problem was.
"Oh, I dunno. It's just, Ginny. She sent me one letter! One measly letter the entire summer holidays, I only saw her once, when we were all at her house for the order thingy and she completely ignored me, and today, she said hi and then started jabbering to Neville and they haven't stopped. I mean, come on, she's my girlfriend for Christ's sake!"
After Dean had relieved all his problems with Ginny, Harry felt a strange sensation, it was almost as if the anger had lifted slightly, he was almost happy that Dean wasn't enjoying going out with Ginny. He felt awful, he was enjoying his friend's problems, God, he thought, what kind of sadist am I?
He dwelled on this for a moment and them had a sudden realisation… it was Ginny! He had fallen for her. That was why he was happy that she and Dean weren't happy together! He felt the blood rise up the back of his neck and turned away so that the others wouldn't notice him blushing.
"Err… dunno what you should do Mate, sorry!" Harry answered gruffly
Harry sat in silence for the rest of the journey, ignoring Ginny's inquiries into whether he felt all right or not, but please all the same that she was taking an interest. Ever since he had realised that he had a crush on her, he could only blush when she talked to him. He was angry with himself for being so stupid about it all, how could he have fallen for Ginny? Deans' girlfriend, his best friend's little sister and his own friend. He realised how difficult it was going to be if he could only blush around her. He was around her so often.
A little later, Ron and Hermione came barrelling through the closed door of the carriage and took in the slightly gloomy atmosphere. Dean, finally getting so annoyed with the Ginny ignoring him completely that he had left, Ginny and Neville finally having run out of things to giggle about, Luna engrossed in her magazine still and Harry staring dully at the carpeted floor. They swept across the carriage and flopped down onto the seats.
"Why the long faces everyone?" Ron inquired
"Oh, nothing Ron, we're all just tired." Answered Ginny.
Ron muttered something about being stuck in the prefect's carriage for half the journey and then coming into this for a welcome but the grumbling was only half-hearted. He flopped down onto the seat and started talking to Hermione, who was already sitting down, about the prefects meeting.
"Interesting choice of heads, don't you think?" Hermione questioned Ron
"Yeah, I s'pose. I didn't know Angelina was even a prefect but I'm not surprised that Hawes made it. He was always a good prefect, Ravenclaw would never have come so close to winning the house cup without him!" Ron enthused.
While everyone else sat chatting happily about the new prefects and head's of school, Harry sat in silence trying to get his head around his new feelings for Ginny. It was as he sat in silence, thinking, that he suddenly remembered what it was he had forgotten, what had been annoying him so much during the entire summer. If only Ron hadn't interrupted his thoughts, he would have remembered long enough to actually do something about it.
Chapter 6: Dumbledore Reveals
The great hall was already full by the time Harry, Ron, Hermione and the others entered but they managed to find seats together at the crowded Gryffindor table. They cast a swift glance around the room and were relieved to acknowledge that Hagrid was present, his enormous body looking even bigger than normal on one of the Hogwarts chairs. As they looked up at the staff table, they were surprised to see one of the chairs occupied by another member of the Order. Kingsley Shacklebolt looked over to the group as they settled themselves and grinned quickly before turning to talk to Professor Sprout.
"What do you think Kingsley's doing here?" Asked Ron
"Well it's obvious isn't it?" Answered Hermione, "He must be the new defence against the dark arts teacher."
"I hope so, I don't think I could cope with another useless teacher! Mind you, after Umbridge, anyone's going to look good!"
Harry nodded in agreement to Ron's statement.
Everybody was to busy chattering to notice the hall doors open and a group of about fifty terrified looking eleven-year-olds entered the hall followed by Professor McGonagall. Professor Flitwick hurried up to the raised platform next to the top table and placed a battered stool on the ground, on this he placed an even more battered looking hat. On first glance the hat was really quite unremarkable, on closer inspection, however, one would realise that it was really very remarkable indeed.
Gradually everyone seemed to notice that the sorting was bout to begin and the chatter stopped abruptly. The dirty hat opened its brim and began to sing its song:
Another year is now approaching,
Our brains could do with a little more coaching,
But before that can happen, I must decide,
In which of four houses you will reside.
It is my duty to divide by four,
The pupils new, so now I tell of Gryffindor:
The house that takes the bravest few,
The most loyal house may be for you.
If Gryffindor is not the one, try Hufflepuff instead,
They are honest, loyal and toiling pupils with not a bad thought in their head.
But if that, alas, again is not right, there's always Ravenclaw,
Their intellect, their wit and brains are defiantly not a flaw.
The last of four is Slytherin, if the rest are not for you,
They're cunning, sly and sneaky folk but to their hearts, they're always true.
So if your willing then let's proceed, just put me on your head,
I'll read your thoughts, your hearts desire and then send you off to bed!
Everyone laughed and cheered as the hat became still once more. Harry watched as the first new pupil was called forward remembering the sickening wait he had endured while waiting to be called forward on his first day, the terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach that it was all a mistake and he would have to be sent home. He sympathised with nervous looking girl who stepped forwards. The hat only rested for a moment on her head before Burton, Jennifer was sent of to Gryffindor. Harry applauded and cheered along with the rest of the table as she sat in between Parvati Patil and a third year whose name Harry didn't know. In the minutes following, Goddard, Philippa became another Gryffindor, Craig Hawes a Ravenclaw, Mark Dingle a Hufflepuff and finally Gregory Zabini followed his sister's footsteps and went into Slytherin.
Professor Flitwick hurried back up to remove the hat and stool and made them vanish into thin air, the astonished faces of some of the first years made Harry think that they were joined by many muggleborns.
The chatter resumed briefly but then the great hall suddenly fell silent again and Harry looked up at the top table to see Dumbledore on his feet, his forget-me-not blue eyes surveying the pupils below him through his half-moon glasses.
"Welcome," he began, "To another year at Hogwarts. I hope that this year will prove profitable for everyone. Before we enjoy another sumptuous feast, I have a few quick announcements." Dumbledore's voice filled the great hall with its resonance; he paused to wipe his glasses and continued, "As many of you have realised, the position of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher was once again made vacant after last years incidents. So may I please now introduce our sixth teacher in as many years: Mr. Kingsley Shacklebolt."
The pupils in the great hall all clapped politely the members of the Order were the only ones who put any energy into it, they clapped and whistled and cheered. Dumbledore smiled at their enthusiasm.
"Thank you. My second notice will take rather more time to explain so I think it would be a good idea if we all sink our teeth into our fantastic feast before I reveal all."
Harry looked back at the table and felt his mouth start to water at the sight of all the delicious food. He piled his plate high with succulent roast pork, creamy mashed potatoes and mountains of green peas glistening with a smooth coating of melted butter. He munched on mouthful after mouthful of piping hot food avoiding the humbugs, which somehow found their ways onto the tables every year.
When everyone had pretty much finished, Dumbledore clapped his hands indicating that he wanted silence.
"Now that we have all enjoyed the kitchen's magnificent cooking I must make my second announcement. As you all know, Voldemort has now returned to the public, there have been many rumours in 'The Daily Prophet', some true, some just rumours. I must beg of you though, that you do not fear him, he is human and there is a way to defeat him. That brings me to the most important part of my announcement: there is an organisation of adults and young adults working on protecting everyone all the time. Many are sitting around you now and I know I will surprise them all by saying this, but I want you to make yourselves known. I must ask all of the members, staff included, stand up and let the school know their protectors!"
Stunned, it took Harry a moment or so to realize what Dumbledore had just said, he had thought that the order would stay a secret forever, or at least until Voldemort was no longer a threat. However, he eventually came to his senses and watched as Dumbledore, who had remained standing, was joined by McGonagall, Hagrid, Kingsley and, to the surprise of all and to the anger and dismay of the Slytherins, Snape. Once all the teachers had made themselves know, they looked towards the Gryffindor table, towards Harry, he felt the eyes of everyone I the hall on him, waiting for him to stand, he waited until he could bare it no more, he braced himself, waiting for the accusing stares of the Slytherins, he was almost on his feet when he felt a swift movement beside him. Neville was on his feet, standing proudly, Neville was suddenly joined by Hermione, smiling proudly. Without quite realising he was doing it, Harry stood, while all around him Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were rising from their seats. Harry could see the Slytherins seething with rage and horror at the volume of the organisation that they had only ever imagined. Harry felt pride swell in his heart as he watched members of the DA stand, nearly on tiptoes to make sure that they were seen.
"You now see before you, the magnitude of the people willing to put their lives at risk for your protection, to make a difference to the world, make sure we no longer have to live in terror. I ask anyone who is not already standing to join our numbers! The stronger our unity, the harder Voldemort will find it to penetrate our forces."
The great hall was engulfed in a stunned silence once Dumbledore had finished his speech. It took a moment before anyone could talk again, but when everyone regained his or her ability of speech people where fighting to be heard above the noise.
Dumbledore let them all talk for a minute or so before interrupting.
"Now, as exciting as I'm sure this news has been, as much controversy as I'm sure it will cause, it is definitely time for us all to heed the Sorting Hat's advice and trundle off to bed!"
As soon as Hermione heard these words she was on her feet: "First years, over here please, first years, follow me!" She dragged Ron to his feet and he joined in with Hermione. Harry looked around to see who the new Gryffindor prefects were. He saw a girl with short blonde hair who he thought was called Olivia standing and looking nervously at Hermione to see what she was doing, he noticed the red and gold badge attached her chest. He couldn't see another boy but he could no longer be bothered to scout for new prefects, he could feel his eyes getting heavy and decided to make his way to his dorm. He had nearly reached the Fat lady's portrait when he smacked into someone. He hadn't really been paying attention to where he was going, he had been to the Gryffindor tower so often and he no longer needed to. He was half asleep but the tear stained face of Ginny Weasley was more than enough to wake him up.
Chapter 7: Hearts Desires
"Ginny, what is it? What's up Gin?" Harry shouted after her.
Ginny turned and faced him, "Oh, Harry, it's Dean, he dumped me!" She sniffed several times before turning away again.
"He what? Why? Oh, Ginny" Harry didn't really know what to say to her, he put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a quick hug. He felt slightly awkward, he had never hugged a girl before, in fact, his only romantic encounter had been with Cho and that hadn't really amounted to anything. Well, this couldn't really be counted as romantic, he supposed, he was only comforting her, but he felt so good to have her near him, she fitted perfectly in his arms.
"He…he said I don't, he said I don't spend enough time with him!" She sobbed, "He said, he wanted a girlfriend who talked to him and not to other people all the time…I wasn't like that Harry! I wasn't, was I?" Harry's robes were now thoroughly damp with Ginny's tears.
"Harry? Was I"
"No, Ginny, you're not, you just have lots of friends. Look, Gin, Dean's my mate but Ron and me never thought he was good enough for you! You can do so much better Ginny, trust me!" Ginny's tears ceased suddenly.
"You really think so?" She sniffed
"'Course we do! Come on, let me walk you back to the common room."
They walked the short distance to the Gryffindor common room, thankfully meeting nobody on the way. It was only when they reached the Fat Lady's portrait that they realised they didn't know the password.
"No entry without the password, you should know that by now." The Fat Lady's voice sounded throughout the corridor. They stood there for a moment, contemplating what to do. It was cold outside and they started to shiver, Harry took off his robes which had dried considerably now and handed them to Ginny, she took them gratefully and wrapped herself in them.
Just when they had run out of things to chat about and they realised that pleading with the Fat Lady was doing nothing more than wasting their energy, the portrait doors opened and Ron and Hermione stepped out.
"Oh, hi guys, we were just coming to look for you, what are doing out here?" Ron gabbled.
"Well, we got here and realised we didn't know the password, the Fat Lady wouldn't let us in" Harry grumbled light heartedly.
"Watch who you're calling fat, young man! I'll have you know it's a bone disorder, hereditary in my family, humph' She turned and flounced off, luckily, Ron was still holding the portrait open.
"Yeah, bone disorder!" Said Harry sarcastically.
They walked in together and sat down at the fire, letting the warmth of its flickering flames wash over them in a welcome wave. They talked for a while, still all amazed that Dumbledore had made the Order public, they were looking forwards to the looks on the Slytherins faces the next day. After a while Hermione announced that she was going to bed, she didn't want to be tired for their first day! Ron, stifling a yawn decided to follow suit. Harry and Ginny were left sitting alone on the comfy red sofa that they favoured. They sat in an awkward silence for a moment until Ginny suggested they play a game if Harry wasn't too tired. After assuring her that he wasn't, Ginny explained the rules. It was one that Harry knew, all the muggle girls at his and Dudley's primary school had played in the playground while giggling furiously over each other's answers 'Truth or Dare'. They started by making up silly questions and dares but were both eventually to tired to bother with the dares. Harry thought back to how exhausted he had been before running into Ginny, he realized how alive and awake, she made him feel.
"Harry? It's your turn, I asked you a question. Why are looking at me all funny?" Harry tore his eyes away from Ginny's face; he had been staring at her subconsciously. Even though he was no longer looking at her, he could still see her in his mind, her eyes, her hair, her smile all engulfed his thoughts.
"Sorry, Ginny. What did you ask?" He said, his voice strangled slightly, he did not really trust himself to speak and he could already feel the stammer he felt around girls he liked coming on.
"I said: who do you fancy? There must be someone, you've got that look about you, like had with Cho, you're infatuated!"
"You" Harry said out loud, horrified as soon as the words had come out.
"What?" Asked Ginny, suddenly bright red with an amazed but not altogether displeased look on her face, she was sure she had misheard.
"Nobody, there's nobody! I'm gonna go to bed now, sorry, see you tomorrow!" He gave a huge fake yawn.
"Yeah, see you!" Said Ginny, disappointed because the flaming colour that had taken over Harry's face, told her that there was someone, and she hope she knew who that someone was.
Chapter 8: Surprises
"Ouch!" exclaimed Harry as Ron landed heavily on his legs.
"You're gonna be late, mate, you need to get down to breakfast! Timetables!" Ron got up and whipped his duvet off, letting Harry feel the full blast of cruel wind that gushed through the open window.
"What happened to the weather? It was sunny yesterday!" Harry said to himself as he pulled his socks on. He dressed in about five minutes, cursing Ron for waking him up, he had been having such a nice dream, no nightmare for once, and he was definitely warmer in bed than with the freezing blast that was blowing noisily through the window next to him. He grabbed his wand and pointed it at the window:
"Colloportus!" He said, but to no avail, the spell obviously only worked on doors.
When he was ready, he ran out of the door, down the steps and through the corridors through to the great hall where most of the school were already sitting down to breakfast. He found a seat with Ron and Hermione who were talking animatedly about nothing in particular. He had just helped himself to some kippers, when the blonde haired, fifth year prefect he had seen the previous night, tapped them on the shoulders.
"Oh, err…sorry, timetables." She said nervously, waving the pieces of parchment.
"Cheers." Said Harry as she handed him his, he scanned it briefly and sighed half-heartedly when he saw what he had. The day was to begin with double transfiguration followed by potions and defence against the dark arts. He was very much looking forwards to Kingsley's teaching style. From having known the tall black skinned man for a little over a year now, Harry could tell that his style would be similar to that of Lupin's.
Harry headed off to his class, his bag almost giving way under the weight of his multitude of new books. He entered McGonagall's classroom with Ron and Hermione at his side, trying to anticipate what the N.E.W.T classes would hold in store for them. They sat down heavily at desks in the second row and watched in the silent awe that hey could never suppress for animagi transformation, as their teacher morphed from a stern looking tabby cat to an even sterner looking black haired woman in one swift, graceful leap.
She started off the lesson with a speech not dissimilar to that she had given them at the beginning of the last year.
"N.E.W.T.s" she began, "are the single most important exams you will take in your lives, the results will dictate your future, they will push you forwards in your adult lives, the will affect nearly everything." She paused for breath before continuing.
"Now, sitting here in the desks you now occupy, already indicates that you are, at least, semi-competent in your transfiguration studies, because, by being here, it means that you all achieved at least an E in your O.W.L.s. So, first of all, I would like to congratulate you all on your outstanding results, I find it hard to believe that we have had a much better year. But, enough with the niceties, this course will test you to the limits, if you do not believe that you can cope under the strain, it is up to you to decide if you will continue or not. At the end of the month, you will be asked to choose between four and six, depending on your chosen career path, out of the courses you are taking, to continue with. I sincerely hope that all of you make the right decisions."
After her speech, McGonagall asked Parvati, who was looking a little lost with out Lavender, who had not passed transfiguration, by her side, to demonstrate a vanishing charm on her chair. After three attempts, Parvati finally managed it. When they had all brushed up on their vanishing spells, she set them the task of the invariably more challenging, conjuring spell.
Most of their lessons continued like this and by the end of the week, Harry found he was exhausted. As he sat in the chintz armchair by the side, which he had just successfully conjured, he let the warmth of the flames lick over his young body. He was talking absently to Ron about their lessons when Ginny came hurrying over to him.
"Harry," she began breathlessly, "Dumbledore wants to see both of us now, don't ask me why." She finished, after seeing the confused look on Harry's face. Harry levered himself out of the chair and made his way to the portrait with Ginny by his side. The speculated as to what the headmaster could want with both of them as they walked towards the stone gargoyle that concealed the entrance to his study.
"Drooble's best blowing gum" Ginny told the gargoyle, Harry was about to ask her what she was talking about when he saw the gargoyles head start to spin and he realised that it must be the password.
"Dumbledore told me when he asked me to get you." Ginny answered Harry's questioning look. They stepped onto the spiralling stairs and let the golden steps take the door of his office.
They knocked nervously, and, on Dumbledore's command, entered the circular room. The headmaster told them to sit down on the chairs facing his desk and spoke.
"Harry, Ginny, thank you for coming. I have some good news for the pair of you." The twinkle in his startlingly blue eyes seemed to increase a hundred fold. "You will remember, Harry, my feeble excuse for not making you a prefect at the end of last year." He said, "Well, I am afraid to say, I thought the same about Miss Weasley after the incident in the Department of Mysteries." Harry flinched as the memories flooded his mind.
"Your teachers have been surveying you both over the past week and have decided that you are capable of the strains of prefect ship. Harry, you may not know that it is customary to instate one new prefect for each house in the sixth year. You have been chosen as Gryffindors. Ginny, although you are not a sixth year, you teachers all feel that we shall break tradition and instate you now, rather than next year." Dumbledore smiled at the ecstatic looks on the faces of the youths in front off him. Ginny had been so disappointed that she had not been made a prefect, and, although she had not made anything of it, she knew her mother was too. Harry was just pleased that he would now be able to relate to Ron and Hermione about their halfhearted complaints about their duties.
"As they have already been informed, you may like to know the prefects for the other houses too: Slytherin have Blaise Zabini, Ravenclaw have Padma Patil and the new Hufflepuff prefect is Justin Finch-Fletchley." He stopped to let them absorb the information.
"Now Harry, I am sure you will not mind Miss Weasley knowing this too, but it has also been decided that you will fill the place of Quidditch Captain as Miss Johnson has resigned due to the strains of her new head girl ship and her N.E.W.T. exams. I hope you will accept the positions both of you." Harry and Ginny gave enthusiastic nods, grinning from ear to ear.
"I am very pleased, now, please accept my sincere congratulations and you badges, now, I am sure you will want to write to your family and tell them the good news." Dumbledore finished, handing them both a scarlet and gold badge with a large 'P' on it just like the ones that adorned Ron and Hermione's robes. He also handed Harry a slightly smaller badge of the same colours but with a snitch and a letter 'C' on it. Harry and Ginny pinned their badges to their chests before issuing profound thanks and hurrying back to the common room, chattering excitedly all the way.
When they reached the portrait of the fat lady, the practically shouted the password in their frustration to be able to tell Ron and Hermione as soon as they could. After reprimanding them for their impatience, she swung open and they bounded across the room to where their friends sat talking quietly. Ron and Hermione had stopped talking suddenly when they had heard Harry and Ginny enter.
"What did Dumbledore…" Hermione began before noticing the new badges on their chest. "Oh! Well done!" she squealed excitedly, "but I thought they only added an extra prefect in sixth year, Ginny?"
Harry and Ginny sat down and began to explain what Dumbledore had told them. After they had finished and more congratulations had been issued, Hermione sat up.
"Well, after that, Ron and I actually have some news too." She said and Ron went purple in the face behind her. "We have, erm… decided that, well… I mean, we've known each other for ages now and, I know it doesn't always seem like it, but we've got really close recently and, well, we've decided we would like to go-out-with-each-other!" Hermione finished in a hurried breath, going nearly as purple as Ron in the process. Ginny screamed and whooped, Harry grinned at his friends, unsure as to what to think. He was happy for them, of course, but he couldn't help feeling a little like he had lost a part of his best friends. He knew that Ron had been secretly infatuated with Hermione for ages and he suspected that Hermione had felt the same. It had become obvious when Ron had gotten so jealous over Hermione's relationship with Viktor Krum.
"Congratulations, Mate!" Harry smiled again at Ron, "Look, I would like to stay and celebrate, but, as good as they've been, I think I've had enough surprises for one day. I'm going to head off to bed, okay?"
Chapter 9: Quidditch Trials
Harry walked sleepily into the great hall where Ron was already sitting down at the oak table chattering to Hermione animatedly. If anyone else had looked at the couple sitting there, they would have simply seen. Two teenagers chattering like friends, but Harry had known them both for over five years, and he could see, even from a distance, the slight pink that tinged Ron's ears and the alert stance of Hermione who was obviously hoping that nobody (and it seemed that Harry was, indeed, the only one to notice that his friends hands were entwined under the table).
He knew he shouldn't but Harry felt a slight twinge of disappointment in the pit of his stomach as his fears were confirmed. He knew that now Ron and Hermione had progressed onto the handholding stage, that they would officially become a couple known to the entire school. He also knew that this meant that it would no longer be Harry, Ron and Hermione but Ron and Hermione with Harry as a third wheel. He went over to them and sat down, he was about to help himself to some bacon and eggs when he noticed the white-blonde hair of Draco Malfoy approaching the Gryffindor table.
"Look, the Mudblood and Weasel have finally got together. No turning back now for the blood traitor. Thought you would have at least had the decency to choose a pure blood, but I suppose, with the pitiful money you father brings in, she's all you could afford, eh?" Malfoy sneered infuriatingly.
"Shut up, Malfoy! Slime like you could never get a girl as good as Hermione, the only girls that want you are cows like Pansy Parkinson!" retorted Harry.
The smirk on Malfoy's smug face twisted into a furious snarl, he rounded on Harry, Crabbe and Goyle standing behind him, their burley masses looking even more foreboding than usual.
"You watch yourself, Potter!" he spat, "don't think I've forgotten what I said about making your life hell this year!"
"And don't forget that compared to fighting Voldemort, you're nothing Malfoy!" Harry smiled sardonically at Malfoy. Malfoy's face contorted with anger, but he could think of nothing to say in reply so he whipped around and stalked off, back to the Slytherin table.
After breakfast, Harry trudged upstairs, accompanied by Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
They chattered absent-mindedly, but then Harry took a chance glance at the new watch he had been given by Dean for his birthday, and gasped in horror.
"Guys! It's already five to nine, we're going to be really late for Snape if we don't hurry!" This alarming news made everyone suddenly speed up and within three minutes Ron was at his Care of Magical Creatures lesson and Ron and Hermione were waiting outside the dungeon door that lead to the potions class room.
They waited for a few minutes, chatting about the upcoming Quidditch trials for the new Gryffindor players that Harry had recently arranged. The did not notice the steely eyes of Draco Malfoy casting sneaky glances at them occasionally while under the cover of apparently talking to Theodore Nott, another Slytherin sixth year. He appeared to be listening to Nott, but, in reality, his ears where straining to catch what Harry was saying to his bushy haired friend.
The great oak door opened magically and Severus Snape summoned his class. They stepped into the dingy dungeon room and waited as their eyes adjusted to the rather less than substantial light. Harry and Hermione sat down at a double oak desk and waited for instructions.
"This term we have been studying potions that will help you in emergencies, however, these potions, although they were difficult, they have not stretched all of you to your full potential. As the time has now come for you all to choose whether you will continue this subject t or not, I think it is time for a test. This is a double period today, so the first lesson will be taken up with a theory test and while I mark those, you will undertake a practical examination."
He walked round the room, handing out sheets of parchment to the pupils. He stopped as he received a disgusted glare from Malfoy, who had been less than civil to Snape since Dumbledore had announced the members of the order. Snape, however, ignored it and progressed back to his desk.
Harry stared down at his test paper and started to scribble down the answers.
Name the stone taken from the stomach of a goat?
What is the use of the above stone?
Harry was immensely pleased that these questions had come up as he was now certain that he would get at least two right on the paper.
Once the exam had ended, Snape came round again and took them all in. He flicked his wand and writing appeared on the board behind his desk.
"The instructions are on the board, everything that you will need for this examination is in my cupboard, this is a particularly complex potion and if brewed incorrectly can be seriously harmful. I do not expect all of you do get this right, but nonetheless, you may begin." He had shot a spiteful glance at Harry as he said this, which only made the young teenager even more determined than he had ever been to succeed in this potion.
He glanced over to Hermione who had hurried off to the cupboard and came back laden with all the ingredients. She laid a set down in front of Harry,
"It didn't look as if you were hurrying to get them!" she gasped.
"Cheers, 'Mione!" Harry thanked his friend and began by reading each line of the instructions at least three times. By the time he had finished, he was very pleased with his efforts. It looked exactly like Hermione's potion: A pale turquoise with a shimmering sliver cloud of smoke emitting from it. He ladled his potion into one of his glass vials and, after whispering to Hermione not to clear up; he walked swiftly to Snape's desk while holding tightly onto his potion. He had been doing relatively well in potions compared to last year, however, he wanted to be certain that Snape would let him stay in the class as he needed it to become an auror.
At about half-past six that night, Harry hurried down to the quidditch pitch accompanied by Ron and Ginny. When they arrived at stadium, it was already dotted with Gryffindors hoping to be on the team. They were all either practising throwing and catching the quaffle or milling around chatting to each other.
Harry stood nervously on the edge of the pitch and blew sharply into the whistle that Hermione had suggested he take with him.
"Err…hi, everyone, it's really good to see that so many of you have come to try out for the team!" All his nerves seemed to vanish as they all stopped to listen to him. He had, of course learnt to be more confidant with large groups of people because of the DA, but, after the long summer holidays and the fact that they hadn't yet had a meeting this term, he found himself severely out of practise.
"As you all know, there are only a couple of positions open this season so I'm sorry if a lot of you are disappointed. All the spots for chaser are open but I think that's it. So, err… lets get started I guess."
Harry arranged the hopefuls into groups of three:
Ginny, Olivia the prefect and Collin Creevy in one group, Seamus Finnigan, a burly fourth year who Harry found out was called Matthew Spicer and (to everyone's including Harry's great surprise) one of the first years who Harry had watched being sorted, a scared looking girl called Philippa Goddard.
He spoke to the current team members and told Bole and Sloper, the beaters that had replaced Fred and George during their ban, to still hit bludgers at the players, but be gentle with them and Ron to play as well as he could.
As they all flew into their positions, Harry sent the first group, Ginny's group up into the air and threw the quaffle as hard as he could. Ginny sped towards it and caught it easily with her hands, she help it under one arm as she gripped her broomstick and hurried towards the goal where Ron was on full alert, determined not to let his little sister slip one by him. Ginny was a bout to shoot when she went into a sudden but spectacular sloth-grip roll as a bludger came hurtling above her, passing the air space where her head had been a few seconds ago. Luckily, Harry had told the beaters to go gently so the force would not have hurt her badly, had her head still been there. As the other bludger came speeding towards her, she passed the scarlet quaffle to Colin, who promptly dropped it, luckily, the charms placed on the ball slowed it down enough for Ginny to dive and catch it, shoot and score within the space of a minute. Harry blew his whistle again and the first group was replaced by the second.
It was becoming chillier by the second and as he watched the second group, which was being entirely dominated, to his surprise, by the first year girl, he felt the gentle touch of Ginny Weasley's hand as it brushed against his, she stood there motionless for a second right next to Harry.
"Are you okay, Gin? You're hands are really cold, do you want some gloves?" Harry inquired in a soft whisper, he was trying to continue watching the second group as all the coldness drained out of his cheeks to be replaced by a hot red flush. Luckily night had just dawned and Ginny did not notice, or if she had, kept silent about it.
She shook her head and smiled but nonetheless, Harry could still feel the coldness of her fingers as they gentle touched his. They watched for a second and then Harry felt a jolt in the pit of his stomach as Ginny's fingers curled around his and when he made no move to stop her or withdraw his own hand, her grip became stronger and more defiant. They didn't think that anyone had noticed but what they didn't know was that someone had seen.
Hermione Granger smiled happily to herself, she had just finished her homework and had decided to see how the trials where going. What she hadn't expected was to see two of her three best friends holding hands.
Once the first year, Philippa Goddard, had finally managed to score, and Harry was pleased to notice that Ron's goal keeping abilities had improved significantly since the previous year, he blew his whistle once more and everyone returned to the ground.
He signalled to the team to come over and he spoke to them in a whisper.
"I think we all have to agree that Ginny is definitely going to be an asset to the team, so are we all agreed on her?" everyone nodded silently. "And, I know that, apart from me, first years hardly ever make the team, but I think that Goddard girl played incredibly." To Harry's surprise, there were no arguments about that, but now it became difficult, the two girls that had already been chosen had easily been the best players out there tonight.
"OK, so that's two, but who should play the third?" Bole asked
"So long as it's not Creevy!" added Sloper.
"I agree that Colin's out of the running and Olivia didn't actually do anything when she was flying so it can't be her."
"I reckon Seamus would be good, he flew really well tonight, not as well as the first year, but well!" interjected Ron, and so it was decided.
Harry turned and faced the group.
"The chasers for this year's team, and I'm sorry if anyone's disappointed but anyway, this year's chasers are: Ginny, Seamus and Philippa!"
The three chosen ones whooped in glee but there was no time to stay and celebrate because at that moment, the onlookers saw Harry go entirely rigid and collapse on the floor, sweating profusely. What Harry saw was entirely different.
He watched as Ginny Weasley cried in pain, screamed in agony as Lord Voldemort put her under the cruciatus curse.
"Not nice to see your girlfriend suffer, is it, Potter? Not nice at all. It never has to happen you know, not if you tell me what was in that prophecy, I know you know. Just tell me, Potty, because if you don't, the little blood traitor, the Weasley girl, is first on my list!"
Chapter ten: Final Words
When Harry awoke, he found himself lying under white covers in the hospital wing with Molly Weasley and Lupin by his side.
"Oh, Harry, dear, you're awake! Are you alright, what happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked him.
"Molly, may I have a word with Harry on my own for a minute, please?" asked Lupin calmly. Mrs. Weasley looked highly affronted but agreed nonetheless.
"Harry, it is very important that you tell me what happened to you last night." Remus started.
"I know, I will, I suppose it's better for me to tell you that Mrs. Weasley." Harry began. "We were at the quidditch trials, I had just announced the new chasers when I didn't feel very well and then, second later, this vision flashed up in my mind." Harry faltered as he remembered it.
"Yes, Harry, and what did this vision tell you?" Lupin prompted, however he was unable to completely hide the note of alarm in his voice.
"It was, I saw, Ginny. She was screaming and crying, it was Voldemort too." Harry stopped, "He was, he had put the cruciatus curse on her and then he spoke to me."
"Voldemort spoke to you through a vision?" Lupin was now completely unable to hide the panic in his voice, "What did he say?"
"He told me that he knew I knew what the prophecy said, he said that this didn't have to happen if I told him. He said that if I didn't, Ginny was the first on his list."
Harry felt sick as he said these words, but Remus spoke again.
"Harry, is there something going on between you and Ginny? Is there any reason why Voldemort would target her in particular? Harry, I don't know what the rest of the prophecy says but I think it may be time for you to tell us and your friends."
Harry was startled at the idea but he was relieved that Remus had suggested it. Since Sirius' death, Harry had started to turn to his godfather's best friend for advice. The prophecy had been driving Harry mad. He hadn't found the right time yet, to tell Ron and Hermione, secretly, he was really apprehensive about how they would take it.
"Harry, do you want to tell them yourself or do you want Dumbledore to do it?" Remus asked gently.
Harry was, once again, glad that the shabbily dressed man had suggested that. It was the one thing holding him back from telling his friends, their reactions.
"Yeah, that would be really good, could you ask him for me? Please Professor?"
Harry watched as Lupin nodded slowly, however, there was no need for him to go and ask Dumbledore, for, at that precise moment, the man himself walked in, the aura of the room changed. Dumbledore brought an almost godly sense to the room.
"Did I hear my name, Remus?" the old man inquired.
"Yes, Dumbledore, you did. Harry had decided it is time for his friends and the rest of the order to know the entirety of the prophecy. However, he would like you to be the one to tell them."
"Ah, if that is Harry's desire then I shall gladly oblige. However, I also have some news to pass onto you all, a portkey has been set up to take everyone back to the Headquarters. Mrs. Weasley, on my orders has taken her children there already. We will join them in a moment. However, before we go, there is a newspaper article which I think may be of great interest to you." Dumbledore handed Harry a clipping from 'The Daily Prophet". Harry felt a lump catch in his throat when he saw the headline, and so, his heart full of emotion, he read:
Black Cleared
By Rita Skeeter
Sirius Black, accused of the slaughter of twelve muggles and one wizard sixteen years ago, was today cleared of all charges.
It was yesterday discovered that Black had, in fact, been framed. The wizard who 'died', Peter Pettigrew, was worshipped as a hero after his 'death', however, when this writer interviewed the newly discovered Death Eaters, ex-ministry employees, Messer's Crabbe and Goyle, both forty-two with children in the sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she discovered that Pettigrew was indeed alive and well and working in the inner circle of You-Know-Who.
It is very sad indeed, that Black's innocence was only discovered yesterday, as he died while going to the aid of Harry Potter who was once again, heroically facing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in combat.
The article went on to tell of Sirius' background, but Harry could not bear to read on. He was pleased that Sirius had been cleared but angry at the same time, if it hadn't come so late, Sirius would not have needed to hide all this time and could have enjoyed his last few years on earth, if only the ministry had listened to him and Dumbledore in the first place he would've been a free man since Harry's third year. Harry reminisced sadly for a moment before Dumbledore interrupted him.
"Harry, are you ready for me to escort you to my office with Remus?" Harry nodded in reply and, ignoring the reproving looks that Madam Pomfrey shot at him, followed the headmaster on the familiar route to his office.
When they reached the stone gargoyle that acted as a barrier to anyone who didn't know the password, Dumbledore stopped and quite clearly stated the words: pepper imps. The gargoyle nodded in respect before moving to reveal the door to the spiralling, golden staircase, much like a muggle escalator that would take them to the door of Dumbledore's office. Harry thought happily of the last time he had been in there; when Dumbledore had told him and Ginny that they were prefects and he was quidditch captain.
"Harry? After you." The elderly wizard held open the wooden door and ushered Harry in. Harry surveyed the room, looking for the object that might be acting as the port key. Dumbledore, followed by Lupin, led Harry over to his desk and placed his hand onto a document that seemed to be a letter from Cornelius Fudge detailing the multiple reasons as to why he should resign and seeking Dumbledore's advice as to what he should do. When all three men were making contact with the parchment, Harry felt the familiar jerk behind his navel that he had come to associate with travelling by port key.
Ten minutes later, all of the Weasley's, Harry, Dumbledore, Lupin and Tonks were seated round the kitchen table at Number Twelve Grimauld Place. Harry had felt a severe twinge of grief when they had first arrived, expecting to see Sirius' face round ever corner, but in his heart, knowing he wouldn't.
Dumbledore looked grave as he began to speak.
"It is my duty to inform you all that Sirius' will has been recently discovered. I will now proceed to read it to you all:
The last Will and Testament of Sirius' Phineas Black.
To my dear friend, Remus John Lupin, I bequeath all of my clothes except my finest cloak and one fifth of my family money.
To the greatest family I have ever known, the Weasley's, I bequeath one fifth of my family money and any possessions that Fred and George Weasley may find useful to peruse in their experiments.
To my cousin and friend, Nymphadora Tonks, I bequeath one fifth of my family money and the tapestry of the family tree which, on my death, will be fully restored to contain the names of all those previously disowned.
And finally, to my beloved godson and friend, Harry James Potter, I bequeath all my worldly possessions except for those already bequeathed, the rest of my family money and my family home. I ask him to remember that possessions that may have already passed from me to him will still come in useful and that I am still watching over him wherever he may go.
N.B. I also ask that, on the occasion of my death, all family possessions that the above bequeathed do not take into their possession, are taken to the ministry of magic and checked for any dark properties they may hold.
Signed: Sirius Phineas Black – Sirius Phineas Black
Witnessed by: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore – Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
Harry sat as still as the others gathered around him, not able to say a word. He could not believe that he had just heard his godfather's last will and testament. Sirius really was never coming back.
Chapter 11: Revelations
'Well,' began Dumbledore 'Harry has asked me to gather you all here today so that I might divulge to you an important piece of information that I divulged to him after Sirius' death.'
The Weasleys, Remus and Hermione were all sitting on a row of comfortable armchairs that had been conjured by Dumbledore upon their arrival at his office back at Hogwarts before going to the Burrow for the holidays. Harry on the other hand was sitting slightly away from them all waiting for their reactions to come.
"A prophecy was made to me by Sybil Trelawney the year that James and Lily were killed. It was this prophecy, I am sad to say, that lead to their deaths.' Dumbledore paused as he noted the curious but slightly sad expressions on everyone's face.
"This prophecy stated that a son would be born to parents who had defied Voldemort three times at the end of July. It went on to say that neither the child or Voldemort could live while the other survived and that Voldemort would mark the child as his equal." Every face in the room, apart from Harry's, wore a shocked expression but the curiosity still lingered in their eyes.
"The first part of this prophecy was overheard by a death eater, but he was soon discovered and, fortunately did not manage to overhear the entire thing. He missed the part about the 'Dark Lord' marking him as his equal which lead to Voldemort's loss of power when he attacked Harry, lastly, it said that he would have powers 'that the Dark Lord knows not". Sybil does not know that she made this prophecy, and I think it best that it remains that way."
Dumbledore stopped and waited for the questions to bombard him, but no one seemed to want to speak.
Finally, Ron broke the silence:
"What does it mean?"
Before Dumbledore had a chance to answer him however, Ginny spoke.
"It means that Harry is the only one who can kill You-Know-Who, that one of them has to die." Her voice cracked as she said this. Harry took over.
"Basically, the prophecy could have meant either me or Neville at first but then Voldemort killed my mum and dad and gave me my scar or 'marked me as his equal'." At this, Mrs. Weasley let out a quickly muffled scream. "It means that I have to kill Voldemort before he kills me". Harry spoke without conviction, bracing himself for all that was to come but everyone just sat in a shocked silence.
Chapter 12: Christmas at the Burrow
It hit Harry with about the same force as the rogue bludger that Dobby had set on him during his second year. He sat bolt upright in bed and marvelled for a moment at the fact that he hadn't remembered sooner. How could he have forgotten the mirrors that Sirius had given him last year? He had flung them aside in despair when he had realised that he wasn't able to contact Sirius through his after he had died. But now, he thought, maybe now he wasn't so upset and had started to recover from the grief, perhaps he could give it another try.
Sirius had given Harry one of a set of two, two-way mirrors during the time that Snape was meant to be giving Harry occlumency lessons. They were supposed to be a way of Harry contacting him if he was being mistreated. However, Harry had vowed he would never use it, he wouldn't be the one who dragged Sirius out of his safe house, though, ironically, for all his attempts to save him, it had been him who had accidentally lured Sirius to the Department of Mysteries, and guilt ravished him like a famished beast for that very reason.
After emptying his trunk for the umpteenth time, Harry was forced to conclude that the mirror was not there. Harry flopped back onto his bed at the Burrow, where they were all staying for the holidays, and hit his pillow in frustration. He found it unbearably unfair that everything bad in the world seemed to happen to him.
"Harry?" Ron's head poked uncertainly through the door to their bedroom after seeing his friend lying face down into his pillow, curled up into a foetal ball. Harry lifted his head with tremendous effort and when he saw both Ron and Hermione standing cautiously over him, he averted his eyes, not wanting them to see the river of salty tears washing down his face leaving sticky trails behind them. He blinked and wiped his eyes,