Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related names and places are the legal property of J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, and AOL Time Warner, and have been used without permission.  No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Okay I'd warned everyone that I might do this!  I decided to take this down...rearrange some stuff...and put it back up.  The chapters will remain the same.  This is going to be difficult, but I didn't like the idea of having Ginny and Hermione's perspective of the summer attached to the beginning of Harry's story.  So, I decided to take it off and make it its own little thing.  Anyone reading this for the first time should know that these next few chapters are simply the prologue to HP & the Lost Phoenix. For the new readers, hope you enjoy. For the old...thanks so much for sticking with me!

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The small coffee house sat on the corner of one of the busiest streets in New York. Seated at the table closest to the curb, the brunette girl sipped her coffee and the red-head watched the people walk by. 

"You know it's really amazing."

"What's amazing?"  Hermione looked at her friend.

"Well look at these people just walking around doing their daily activities as if nothing is wrong.  I mean they have no idea that at this moment thousands of miles away there is a whole secret world fighting for their very freedom."  Ginny didn't look in Hermione's direction. She continued to stare at the passing crowd.

"Ginny, for heaven's sake!  Don't talk about things like that.  Remember we came here to forget about all of this for awhile.  And besides if everything works out the way I know it will; none of them will ever have to know." Hermione raised her cup to the nearest passing waiter, gesturing for a refill.  

"By the way thanks again for asking me along on this trip.  It was really nice of your parents."  Ginny seemed at last to snap out of her reverie.

"For the thousandth time this week, you are welcome.  I'm really surprised your mum let you come.  I figured with everything that happened last year, she would have wanted to keep you close to home."

It was true that Mrs. Weasley had definitely had qualms about her only daughter going off to a different country for holiday.  Mr. and Mrs. Granger assured her that she would be perfectly safe in their care.  Ginny pleaded her case to her mother for days.

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"Oh come on, Mum!  Do you really think that You-Know-Who is going to burst right in the middle of New York City to try and kill two teenage girls?  I'm pretty sure he has more pressing matters at the moment.  I think he's a bit more worried about getting all those Death-Eaters back out of Azkaban, don't you?"

After thinking about Molly had to agree she was probably right.  It certainly seemed safer to Molly to have her children as far away from the action as possible.  Nevertheless, after last years events, Molly discovered that Ginny seemed to have the knack of finding trouble much like her brothers.

"Alright, but promise me you will stay close to The Grangers.  Don't go wandering off on your own, got it?"

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Indeed Ginny had so far kept her promise; somewhat.  She felt a stab of guilt as she and Hermione sat alone at the coffee shop.  When she had let Hermione in on this guilt trip, Hermione found it funny.

"Oh Gin, Mum and Dad are right across the street shopping.  And like you said, it's not likely that Voldemort is going to pop up right in the middle of the city. Come on Ginny, cheer up! This vacation was supposed to make us forget about what happened."  Hermione's face went very slack, as if the events of the past year seemed to have hit her full force.  She forced a smile and went on.  "Even Harry is off on holiday.  Well, I guess that can't be too fun being stuck with those horrid people. At least he has Ron with him though.  Remind me again how that happened."

Ginny giggled.  "Well, when Harry wrote to Ron saying that the Dursleys were going on holiday to the beach, Mum caught sight of it.  He said they were going to leave him at home; of course with the usual threats of disembowelment if he so much as sneezed in the house. Mum got in a right state and told the others.  Mad-Eye went nuts; he stormed right up to the house and told Harry's aunt that if they didn't allow Harry to go he would transfigure every one of them into toads.  So, of course after a bit of conspiring by Harry and my brother, Harry convinced the Dursley's to take Ron along too."

"And they agreed just like that, no arguments?"  Hermione was suppressing her own giggles.

"Would you say no to Mad-Eye?"  Ginny laughed even louder as Hermione shook her head violently.  "So now Harry and Ron are tormenting that horrible cousin of his on a nice beach somewhere.  Poor thing, if he wasn't so vile I'd pity him."

"Well, Harry needs a bit of time away from everything.  I'm surprised Dumbledore allowed it. I figured he would have wanted Harry to stay close by the Order."

"You missed that part too.  Mum and Dumbledore had a big row over that." Ginny's face turned grim again.

Hermione spluttered and stared a Ginny.  "Your mum and Dumbledore fought? I never thought I would live to see the day your mum would go against Dumbledore."

"I know, it was really scary seeing them bellowing at one another.  'Course Mum doesn't know that I heard.  When she told Dumbledore about the letter, he just said 'Well its better that he stays close so we can keep an eye on him.'  Mum went all red but didn't say anything right away.  But just when he was about to leave, she called him back.  She was really trying to hold her temper in.  But you know how Mum gets when it comes to Harry.  He's like a seventh son or something."   Ginny shuddered as she remembered watching her mother and her headmaster having rounds.

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 "Albus, you can't lock that boy away again!  He went mad last time.  You didn't have to see him after he finally got away.  It was horrible!  He lashed out at everyone, even Ron and Hermione.  And you ought to know perfectly well what happens when you force people to stay secluded!  Or do I need to remind you of Sirius' fate?!"

Dumbledore went pale at Molly's last sentence.  He spoke in his usual calm demeanor, but there was iciness about his tone.  "No, Molly I remember Sirius perfectly well.  But the two situations are not the same.  Harry is protected at the Dursleys' home.  I do not think it wise for him to go traipsing about the country."

Molly's temper was rising.  Her face glowed a bright red and her body began to shake.  "He isn't going to be 'traipsing about the country'.  He will be with his family.  And you said yourself that as long as he is with them You-Know-Who can't touch him!  Now listen to me Albus, I have never questioned any of your judgments when it comes to Harry.  In this case, however, I cannot find any reasoning for you not wanting him to go. That boy has been through pure hell in the past year.  No, the past five years! Are you going to stand there and tell me that this child should not have the chance to be exactly that; a child?"  Molly was now scarlet and had curled her trembling hands into trembling fists.

Dumbledore surveyed Molly for a moment and then took a deep breath.  It seemed as if he were trying to choke back something he wanted to say.  "Molly, I want Harry to be a normal 16 year old boy as much as you do.  But that is precisely it; he is not a normal boy! He never has been and never will be; you know this as well as I do.  No, I believe that Harry should remain at Number 4, with the usual guard keeping watch."  Dumbledore turned on his heel and had almost reached the doorknob when Molly called him back.

"And I suppose that you are going to be the one to tell that boy he has to remain locked away again this summer?  Let's see how you feel when he lashes out at you for a change.  I'm sure Ron and Hermione would love the break."  There was cold vindictiveness in Molly's voice.

Dumbledore turned but did not meet Molly's gaze.  "I have already been on the receiving end of that temper, Molly."  He looked at Molly with a slight bit of amusement.

Molly finally snapped.  Those sparkling blue eyes were simply too much to take.  It was like Dumbledore wanted Harry to be miserable, like he thought keeping Harry as downtrodden as possible would keep him safe.

"Listen to me you old fool!  Harry had every right to be furious with you!  You kept it from him for five years!  You laid that prophecy on him after what happened! He had to fight off a group of Death-eaters; he had just seen his godfather die; he had just come face to face with You-Know-Who for the fifth time in his life!  Then after all of that you have the nerve to tell him something he should have known from the beginning! If you had told him after his first encounter with You-Know-Who, things would have been a lot different!  You were just too worried..." 

Molly stopped as Dumbledore held up a hand.  He looked livid; he was breathing hard and fast.  When he spoke, it was in a much louder tone than Molly had ever heard him use.  He wasn't yelling, but to Molly it sounded as if he were.  "Molly, do you not think that I regret not telling Harry?  I do; I wish numerous times that I had told him.  Yes, things would have been a lot different.  That was my mistake.  But, just as you, I have only Harry's best interests at heart."

"Then Dumbledore, I'm begging you.  Let Harry be a normal boy for once in his life."  Molly had interrupted, but her voice was soft and pleading.  Tears had sprung to her eyes.  "Who knows how many more chances he will get?" 

The last sentence was barely audible, but it seemed to stir something in Dumbledore.  He stood silent for a moment and then put a hand on Molly's shoulder.  "You're right Molly.  I did not stop to think about that.  Of course, he will go.  However I insist that we send a guard along just in case.  Of course Harry will not know; he does deserve a bit of freedom.  Send word to the Dursleys that Harry will be accompanying them on holiday."  He turned and for the third time tried to leave the house. Before he pulled the door open, he turned once again to Molly.  "Thank you Molly.  Sometimes I need a bit of reminding."  And without another glance he left the house.

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Hermione sat wide-eyed as Ginny finished telling the story.  "So then Harry knows what the prophecy was about?"

"I suppose so.  Dumbledore must have told him that night after we left the Ministry. It would explain why he was so weird that next day.  I just thought it was because of Sirius.  I wonder why Dumbledore didn't tell him years ago though, if it was all that important?"  Ginny stirred sugar into her fresh cup and gazed thoughtfully into it.

"I'm sure he had his reasons.  Though now it sounds like his reasons don't hold up that well.  And your mum knows about it, too.  I wonder who else knows."

"Probably the rest of the Order.  I mean after all, they did spend the last year guarding it. Come on, let's talk about something else, this is too depressing.  What's on our agenda for tonight?"  Ginny snapped up and smiled at Hermione, who had taken to staring in her cup as well. 

"Oh, well, Mum and Dad are taking us to see a Broadway play. It's called Les Miserables.  It's supposed to be really good.  Oh don't give me that look Ginny; it will be fun I promise.  Let's pay and go over and find Mum and Dad.  I'll bet Mum has nearly bought out the store by now." 

The girls paid for their coffees and fought their way over to the crowded department store.  It didn't take long to find Hermione's parents.  Just as she had predicted, Hermione's father was standing outside of the women's dressing room holding what looked to be half the dresses in the store. 

"Your mother is still in there trying things on."  Mr. Granger dropped his voice. "It's not as if she couldn't get any of this in London."

 "I heard that!" Mrs. Granger called from her dressing room.  Hermione and Ginny giggled as Mr. Granger's face turned scarlet.  "Girls, I thought you were going to wait for us at the coffee shop?"

"Well, we've been there for over an hour now!  You said you were only going to be about twenty minutes or so!"  Hermione raised her eyes to the ceiling.

"Well, I think I may be here a bit longer.  Why don't' you girls go and find something nice to wear tonight?  And don't you dare give me that look Hermione Granger!" 

Hermione jumped.  She had just raised her eyes to the ceiling again. 

Ginny leaned close.  "She's good, so much like my mum it's scary!"  Hermione giggled.

Another hour later, the four left the store laden down with packages.  Ginny was stammering "thank you" after "thank you" to the Grangers.  They had bought her new clothes to wear to the play that night.  "Nonsense Ginny, Hermione told me that we had missed your birthday a few weeks ago.  So think of it as a belated birthday gift."  Mrs. Granger smiled down at her as Mr. Granger hailed two taxis to take them back to their hotel.

Two hours later, Hermione and Ginny stood surveying themselves in the mirror.   "Well, I'm rubbish." Hermione gave her reflection a disgusted look and turned to sit on the bed.   "You look really nice though, Gin." 

"Hermione, I've never heard you talk like that before.  Usually you're so confident."

"Yeah well, I just fake it.  When you've got two best friends like mine, you can't exactly go about hanging your head and hiding your face."  Hermione looked up at Ginny's puzzled expression and laughed.  "You know what I mean.   Harry and Ron don't exactly blend in the crowd.  Naturally, as the third member of the Dream Team, I stick out too.  It's not exactly easy to be self-conscious when you've got a reputation like that. So I put on my game face and go about my business."  The two laughed and headed downstairs to meet the adults.

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The theatre was crowded and Ginny felt a bit uncomfortable.  They had arrived at the theatre early to find their seats, so they still had over a half an hour before the show actually began.  Ginny looked around, taking mental notes on the theatre.  She knew her father would be fascinated with this sort of muggle entertainment. However she quickly became bored of her memorizing and she and Hermione fell into a discussion about Harry and Ron again.

Despite what she had thought, Ginny quickly became entranced by the play.  She had only been watching five minutes, but she was sure this was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen.  But something happened that took her attention away from the play.  The woman now singing on stage looked oddly familiar. She nudged Hermione.  "Who is that woman?"

Hermione looked irritated. She whispered frantically. "Oh, Ginny pay attention!  That's Fantine, the factory worker."

Ginny rolled her eyes and pinched Hermione's arm.  "Ow, what was that for?"

"For being a smart-ass!  I meant her real name, look in the program!" 

"Oh, sorry!  Let's see..."  Hermione turned her program to the page that introduced the actors.  "Okay, her name is...Nicole Bombeck.  Why do you want to know?"

"No reason, I just wondered."  Ginny didn't know why she didn't explain the feeling to Hermione.

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After saying goodnight to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, the girls shut their door and started to change into their pajamas.   Ginny was still plagued by the feeling she had gotten when she had seen the woman.

Hermione emerged from the bathroom still brushing her teeth.  Ginny snorted.  "Hermione, you look like a mad dog!"

Hermione wrinkled her nose and sputtered, "Ginny, why did you want to know that actress's name?  You looked you had seen a ghost after you saw her."

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know.  When I saw her it was like I knew her from somewhere.  Not like I knew her really well, but just like I had seen her before.  I don't know, maybe I passed her on the street somewhere before."  Ginny had been rummaging in her bag for her toothbrush, when she came across her photo album.

"Ugh, Mum made me pack this thing.  She figured it would help if I got homesick.  It's not like I haven't spent the better part of the last four years away from home." Hermione sniggered from the bathroom. 

Despite what she had said, Ginny was beginning to miss her parents and her brothers.  Quickly she decided to sneak a glance at the pictures.  Molly had put the album together for her.  It contained pictures of all of her friends and family.  Flipping the pages, she came across a picture of the members of the original Order.  

Ginny had wanted the picture included because it was the only picture of Sirius that she had liked.  She missed him terribly; she had grown to like him very much during her stay at Grimmauld Place.  As she looked at the picture, her eyes fell on a face.  She felt the blood drain from her face.

"Hermione get in here now!"

Hermione hurtled into the room.  Ginny's hands shook as she shoved the picture under Hermione's nose. She pointed at a pretty woman standing behind Remus.  "It's her!  It's the woman from the theatre!"  Ginny watched as her friend's face blanched.

"Oh my god, it is her."  Hermione gazed open mouthed at Ginny.