Disclaimer: Don't own them, all that is J.K Rowling! Just taking them for a joyride.

A/n: sorry the first chapter was kinda crappy. I'm hoping that this will make up for it. Unbeta'd so if you see mistakes let me know lol

- Sly

Today was his birthday, but he could not find anything special about it. They last living member of his family was gone, he didn't consider the Dursley's his family. That was because they never wanted him there in the first place. He figured Dumbledore was sending them over the years to keep him there safe under their roof, but he wasn't safe under it like Dumbledore thought or just turned a blind eye too it.

When Remus and him was half way down the stairs that lead into the living room. Harry saw Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Ron and Hermione all standing around her at the bottom of the stairs singing Happy Birthday. He blushed embarrassed, and Remus patted him on his shoulder because he had stopped at the bottom of the stairs looking at his friends and to the woman who'd adopted him as her own.

He blow out the candles wishing for his friends to accept him for who he may become. Harry didn't understand his own feelings about becoming a woman between wanting it and needing it. As much as he wanted to escape the reality of being the Boy-Who-Lived, it wasn't that he'd handled it this long and still could. What scared him was the needing it. He never understood the desire he felt towards the pull of being a woman. In that what was scaring him, he had more time to dwell on the things.

Thinking back on things he remembered when he was young at least five, he got into his aunts stuff such as her make up and things. Harry had made himself purdy, as he had called himself to his aunt to show her. But the shock of horror on her face was what stuck him. He'd been thrown into his cupboard for this for a week and without food, after that punishment he was beaten by Uncle Vernon within an inch of his life.

Gasping out of the memory he had someone shaking him asking if he was alright. Harry had nodded to them and got a pat on the back. "Thank you Mrs. Weasley, but you didn't have to go to all this trouble." He said thankfully to her with a light smile. Thinking on that memory he must of repressed after it happened, along with all the thoughts of having thought he was a girl with the long hair he'd sported for such a long time as a child. He always remembered that every time his Aunt went to cut his hair it was grown back by the next morning.

Harry looked up and said thank you for the cake and such. As he sat there eating it, he was just thinking about memories. Harry now wondered if Voldemort had released the repressed memories when he Imperius him in the Ministry last June. It was after that Harry defeated him, or at least that's what everyone thought. No one knew there were plans being made to bring him back one more.

It wasn't that long after eating cake did come opening presents. Hermoine had gotten the newest defense book, Ron and Ginny both got him a broom servicing kit, Mrs. Weaelsy made him his favorite treats, and Remus had given him a photo of Sirius, his dad, and himself when they'd been in school together.

It wasn't long after that did Professor Dumbledore pulled him off to the side to talk to him. "What did you want to speak to me able sir?" He asked curiously, it was before he saw Professor Snape sitting behind Dumbledore as he was led to have a seat. Harry watched Snape who was furrowing brow looking most unhappy about something.

"Professor Snape and I have discussed that even with the threat not looming over us any longer, We-" Was interrupted by a growl and a snarl from Snape one that sounded as much looked with much disapproval. "I believe that your study of Occlumency as well as Legilimency should continue." Harry was shocked that he'd ask such a thing since of how horribly it had gone the last time.

Harry looked at Dumbledore, "Like it keep the fake vision out of my head?" He glared angry that he would have to endure these lessons again. He felt the eyes of Snape on him. Harry could feel the glare piercing into him. "If you have listened boy! You would've learned it. If you wasn't a hopeless case." Snape glared between the two of them. At the headmaster because he was forcing him to endure Potter's presence more than he wanted, and at Potter for being a clueless dunderhead when it came to learning Occlumency. "And as it does not matter what happened between us Potter, even with the failed attempts to learn this. Our dear Headmaster wants us to continue it. Neither of us want too, best get over it." Snape said glaring at the both of them. Angry, was not the word for it. "Lessons will begin, next week." Severus said blandly as he stood looking towards the headmaster, "Good day." He said walking up the stairs to retire to the library in hopes to find some way of teaching Potter Occlumency. Which was a hopeless case.

Harry stood from his chair, "Sir? May I be excused? I need to talk to Ron and Hermione about something before they return to the burrow." Dumbledore nodded, "And I must be returning to Hogwarts, stuff to be done. Happy Birthday Mister Potter." Harry smiled lightly, "Thank you, sir." Nodding watching the man leave.

"Hey! Mate! Over here" Harry heard Ron calling for him with cake stuffed in his mouth. He heard a slap, which meant Hermione had hit him for talking with his mouth full again. As he walked closer, "What was that for!" Ron complained rubbing his sore head. "For talking with your mouth full AGAIN!" Hermione said taking a napkin to her face wiping the silva and bits of food on her off. "Sorry," Ron said swallowing and looking sheepishly at her. His cheeks were flushed a deep crimson.

Once Harry made it to where they were, he felt nervous. After everything Harry had been through. He was nervous, and with his friends no less. They people who stuck through everything with him. He'd not even felt this nervous last year when Cho and he kissed. It had been an experiment to see if he was gay, mostly. When he didn't get a bit turned on by it even with the tears she had been crying during it. Then the kiss he'd shared with Ginny the day before yesterday. Well it was easy enough to say that he was gay. But had no interest in a guy in boy form? He remembered thinking how beautiful the girls where from the Triwizard Tournament- Beauxbatons he remembered the girls looking like young goddess and wanting to look like that.

Harry thought that he'd repressed a lot of these feelings, of wanting to be a woman. Even though that dark magic book had flipped open to that spell just a few hours ago. Harry had not gone looking for it. Although he was lost in his thoughts he could hear Hermione calling at him, "Earth to Harry?" That was because he'd been standing behind the couch for the last five minutes.

Shaking his head, "Yeah, what?" Looking down at Hermione. "You've been standing there for the last five minutes not saying anything at all." She looked at him worried that something was wrong with her friend.

"Can we talk somewhere?" Harry asked casting eyes to the side. He didn't know really how to tell them. How do you tell your friends that you want to be more a woman than a man. The reason he wasn't saying anything now, was because Harry was most fearful of Ron's reaction. "Sure." They both said nodding as they stood still looking worried.

They followed Harry into the library none of them noticing Professor Snape in the room. Hermione and Ron watched Harry pull a book from under a pillow that was on one of the couches. Harry turned around looking sheepishly at his friends- his best friends.

"Please sit down." Harry knew that they were worry for him. He himself even felt a bit worried for him. Unsure of how this would go down, he looked down and away scared of their reaction. He had every right to be, muggles didn't think it was right for a man to change into a woman and the same for a woman wanting to be a man. Harry didn't know how it was here in the wizarding world.

He kind of expected a reaction from Hermione, where she was a muggleborn witch. Harry just didn't know how Ron would react he hoped that the boy had matured enough to not act poorly. Here it goes, "I'd like to be a woman." He was still very confused by his own mind that he wasn't sure that he wanted this. If he didn't do this he knew he'd likely regret it later on.

Harry felt his blood run cold when both his friends screamed "WHAT!?" He felt his heart stop and jump into his throat he was unable to say anything but stare at the onslaught of things being said. "That's that's just twisted, and just plain wrong." He heard Ron say. Hermione was next, "You are a boy! It's just wrong." Before he knew it he was reaching for his wand to wipe their memories. Harry was already crying, he didn't know how to feel. He felt so more confused by this.

Although before Harry could even raise his wand, Ron and Hermione looked at him and said "What was it you going to tell us?" Hermione asked curiously. It was then that Harry heard the silky voice of Severus Snape behind him. "Mister Potter here was more than likely going to tell you that his lessons of Occlumency was going to resume in a week." Harry nodded weakly wiping his eyes.

"Oh Harry. It's not his fault Sirus died." Harry rose an eyebrow at Hermione. "Whatever, Hermione." He shrugged. "What's wrong mate." Harry shook his head as if nothing was bothering him. "Could you guys go get Remus please." He barely spoke above a whisper. "Sure Harry." Hermione said looking suspicious of Harry. She knew that there was something missing but she wasn't able to gather what."Come on 'Minoe. I want some more cake." She nodded towards Ron walking from the room.

Harry turned around to face Snape, his face softening and looking much like his mother in Snape's eyes. "Thank you sir, but why?" Harry asked him curiously.

"Because Potter, no one should lose their best friends." He said walking back to where he'd been working. Harry could see a type of sadness inside of Snape's eyes when Snape said that it made Harry feel that Snape was almost human.

It was then that Harry turned to the sound of the door opened. It was Remus, the only person who was okay with what he now only thought about doing. "Harry, what's wrong?" Remus asked Harry pulling into a hug.

"Both Ron and Hermione both reacted horribly." He said burrowing his head into Remus' chest. He didn't want to talk about this now, not with it still so raw. "Then why did they seem so unaffected?" He heard Remus ask. "Snape he obliviatetheir memories before I could. I didn't even know he was in here." He said letting go of Remus and sitting down but not before grabbing the book he'd sat down.

Once it was opened it turned right to the page with the spell. "I want to do this. But I can't I have no plan for what happens to Harry." He sighed rubbing his hand over his face. "Yes you do Harry, you can be my niece as you already are my nephew." He looked at Remus. "What do we say about Harry then?" He asked, "Say he's studying aboard in America, where most of my family fled after the being of the war." Harry listened to Remus speak, trying wrap his head around him behind his niece from America.

It was then that was when Severus stepped back into the picture. "Potter if you're going to do this. You should do it after next week, so we have time to strengthen your shields, then after we meet in private after your sorting again." Severus said, it was then that Harry spook up. "Why are you helping me?" Harry had asked.

Severus had no reason to help Potter, so why was he doing it? He had no idea, "If this is something you wish Potter, you will need to hide it. From everyone, besides those who know." Severus said with a scowl on his face. Severus had seen much more of Lily in the recent years in Potter. While he looked like James Potter, he had Lily's compassion, and many other things of hers. He just refused to see it, to admit that his enemies son was also the son of his best friend. Severus never quit thinking of her as his best friend, even after what he'd called her. "You'll need a confident in your life at Hogwarts, boy. Lupin won't be there. You'll need someone to speak to that knows the secret." Harry listened to Snape speak a multitude of good reason.

"Anyways as I was saying before you interrupted me." Severus said, "Remus you need to sell this idea to Dumbledore about having your niece come from America as an exchange student. Say it'll be something of a life time, and say Harry will be safer over in America while they are trying to round up the death eaters that was caught at the Ministry." Remus nodded knowing that Severus wasn't a great spy for nothing.

Next chapter: Harry avoids Ron and Hermione for the next week. Remus goes to Hogwarts to speak with Dumbledore. Harry and Severus have their first lesson.