A/N Finally here's chapter 10!.….Graduation is finally over, so hopefully I will have more time to write….This chapter is my longest to date…I almost split it up into two shorter ones but I decided to give it as one long one……and if you guys havent checked it out since, i added a little bit more to the end of chapter 9...its not that important but you might want to take a quick glance at it

Thanks again to all my lovely reviewers

Perkey Terkey--- I know it seems like they are taking forever to get together and it is and im sorry but it will be a while longer...but i promise that when they do it will be worth it

animulluver8---she hasnt left Dean yet but things arent as hunkey dorey as they used to be between them, so have hope...hehehe

And thanks to my fabulous new beta Augurey Song who is amazing!

Harry was sitting in the Room of Requirement working on levitating and manipulating five objects at once when someone slammed through the door. He looked up and saw a very angry redhead.

"Hey Ginny. What's wrong?" he asked as he lowered the objects onto the table.

"Nothing," she grumbled as she marched to a cabinet, ripped it open, grabbed her staff and threw Harry his.

"Sure it's 'nothing.' That's why you came in here looking for a fight. Come on, you never let me get away with 'nothing.' Now tell me what's really bothering you," he said as they moved over to the empty portion of the room and started circling each other.

Ginny sighed, "I just got in a fight with Dean is all."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he told her trying to sound sincere. Frankly, his relationship with Dean, his dorm mate for the past five and a half years had slowly been deteriorating over the past few months, though he didn't really know why. "What about?"

Ginny sighed again and Harry could tell that she was contemplating whether to tell him the truth or not. "Honestly…?" He nodded and she struck low. "You."

"Me? Why me?" he asked confusedly, while blocking her strike.

"Well, we have fought about you before, because he thinks that I spend more time with you than I do with him. So when I told him that I wasn't going to be able to spent Saturday with him he was upset and he got really angry when he heard it was because I was going to be with you. But I told him he was being ridiculous because I don't spend more time you than I do with him…do I?"

Harry just shrugged in reply.

He thought about what she said and realized that perhaps Dean was right. Ever since they had reconnected back in October, Ginny had been slowly spending more and more time with him, which meant that she was spending less and less time with Dean…resulting in the fact that recently, she was spending more time with him than she was with her boyfriend.

Harry felt bad for causing Ginny problems, but he couldn't say that he was sorry she was spending so much time with him. She had really become invaluable to him, not only as a friend, but as a training partner.

It had turned out that Ginny had a rather large aptitude for hand to hand combat and she really enjoyed it. So, much to the relief to Ron and Hermione, she had become his main sparring and training partner. She also found out that she had some talent for wandless magic, not nearly to the scale that he had, but she was able levitate small objects and with enough practice she would eventually be able to banish or summon them. Although she would never be able to create fire or make objects freeze or explode like he could, she was able to do more than the average witch and that made her happy. Harry loved that Ginny was so enthusiastic about helping him train because she stopped it from becoming a chore. She kept it fresh and fun, like now when she just marched in and decided that it was time to have a go at each other with oversized sticks.

"Wait," Harry said, breaking from his reverie to block three quick strikes to his shins. "What's happening on Saturday that he is so upset about you missing?"

Ginny looked at him disbelievingly as she blocked his strike to her stomach, "Wow Harry, Dumbledore is right. You really do need to join the rest of the world once in a while. Honestly, have you looked around the common room lately?"

Harry went over a mental picture of the common room from this morning. Finally the numerous red, pink and white hearts adorning the walls and the naked babies hanging from the ceiling registered. He had been so preoccupied that he hadn't even realized that it was Valentine's Day that weekend.

"Oh Gin, you don't have to be there this Saturday. I didn't realize it was Valentine's Day when I asked, if I had, I wouldn't have. I don't even know how long it's going to take, you don't really even need to be there and you should really spend Valentine's with your boyfriend," he said, as they both quickened the pace.

"I knew that you didn't know," she said with a smile as she started to break a sweat. "But I did, and I said I would be there anyway. I don't care about Valentine's Day. It's a commercial holiday made up by greeting card and candy companies to make money. Besides, I want to be there when you wake up because I'm bloody curious to know what you will find out, so Dean can just learn to deal. I have already told him that he's not going to make me choose between him and my friends."

"But what if he did?" he asked while doing a fancy spin move so she wouldn't see how anxious he was to get an answer.

"Isn't it obvious? You know that my friends always come first. And frankly, I'm getting kind of tired of how needy he is."

Harry lunged at her, which she easily sidestepped and blocked. She struck high with a quick left, right, left, which he matched each time with a satisfying clack.

"If you think he is needy then what do you think about me?" Harry asked, jumping over her attempt to sweep him. "You're constantly helping me train or listening to my issues and stuff."

"I don't know, it's different with you," she said casually ducking another strike. "I like it when you need me. Maybe it's because your issues are all too warranted and real and I feel like I'm truly helping not just you but everyone when I help you. Comparatively, Dean's problems are just trivial and kind of annoy me. Ouch!" She exclaimed as he accidentally caught one of her fingers.

"Sorry….OW!" he too exclaimed as she got him back, hard. "Hey, it was an accident."

"I know, but it doesn't make it hurt any less," she said laughing at the pained expression on his face.

A quick arm jerk from Harry, and Ginny found herself flat on her back, having just had her feet swept out from under her. Now he was laughing at the confused expression on her face as she realized she was on the ground.

She propped herself up on her elbows and watched Harry practice some fancy twirling while she waited for her pulse to slow back down to normal. He started with twirling it in front of himself, the staff moving so fast that it looked like a blur. Then, quickly once behind the back and back to the front, then continuously behind the back and back to front, then high-lows behind the back and back to front. Next, he moved on to forward figure eights and with a quick step forward and turn, he transitioned into reverse figure eights.

"I can do the forward figure eights, but I cant seem to get the transition into the reverse," she mentioned as she watched.

"It's all about the wrist flick," he explained as he demonstrated again. He stopped spinning and held out the end of his staff towards her. She grabbed it with both hands and he hoisted her onto her feet. "Here, you try."

She grabbed her own staff and tried to follow his example, but only succeeded in smacking herself in the elbow.

"You need to throw it behind you, not to the side," he said putting down his own staff and moving behind her to take her hand in his own. "Throw it behind you, then flick your wrist," he said as he guided her through the motions again and again. "See, it's not that hard," he whispered in her ear. "You just have to let it flow."

Ginny felt her stomach dissolve into a million butterflies as Harry pressed his body up against hers. She didn't know why, since they were always in close proximity when they were training, but she had never felt like this. I'm probably just reacting to the fight I had with Dean. This doesn't mean anything. She could feel his chest rise and fall with every breath he took and she could feel the color rise in her cheeks as his warm breath tickled her ear. Alarm bells were going off in her mind. What am I doing? Why do I feel this way and why does it feel so right? It was just a little fight, not a big deal and I care for my boyfriend very much, I care for my boyfriend very much, I care for my boyfriend very much…but my boyfriend doesn't make me feel all light headed like this. I should really move, but I don't want to…Come on Ginny, snap out of this. Harry doesn't like you like that. Just yesterday he was telling you how much he valued you as a friend. As a friend Ginny, that's it.

She forced herself to stop her arm and to break away from Harry. "Thanks, I think I have it now."

Harry blinked as if he was snapping out of a daze, "No problem. Anytime."

Ginny moved to the cupboard to put both of their staffs away and then moved to the table and pretended to be interested in something as she waited for the blush to drain out of her cheeks.

"So," she said, desperately searching her mind for a safe topic, "are you excited about Saturday?"

"Excited and a little nervous. I'm not really sure what to expect. Its not like I have ever been on a sprit journey before."

A spirit journey was Dumbledore's latest idea, hoping that Harry could learn something of importance in his fight against Voldemort. However, to go on a spirit journey was to contact a higher power, so only a very skilled and deserving wizard could complete one successfully. Dumbledore now felt that Harry was ready.

"You'll be fine, and Dumbledore and I will be there for you when you come out of it."

"Thanks, you know how much I appreciate it." Ginny smiled and nodded. "Now come on. I can tell that you are still stressing about that fight, so come meditate with me."

"Nooooo!" Ginny cried dramatically throwing her arms out in front of her as if to protect herself. She had tried to learn to meditate when Lupin had originally introduced it to Harry, but she had been kicked out of the room when she couldn't stop giggling. She couldn't help it, she just felt so silly sitting there on a pillow with her eyes closed trying to concentrate on nothing. Harry kept trying to get her to give it another shot, but so far she had resisted.

"Yessss!" he cried mimicking her. "Come on Gin, you might like it if you try it. I thought it felt weird at first to, but it really does help," he said, grabbing Ginny's wrist as she tried to escape. He laughed and closed his eyes and covered Ginny's with his hand so the room would have a chance to change.

Before Harry clamped his hand over her eyes, she had every intention of fleeing the room, but she couldn't help but to stop struggling and to settle into his arms for the second time that day. A soft breeze flowed around her and she knew the room was shifting.

When Harry finally released her, she looked around the room and observed its changes. The walls were now a clean, crisp white, the floor a bleached beech, and there were white panels of gauzy fabric hanging from the ceiling. She looked skeptically at Harry.

"Come on Gin, just give it a shot."

She just rolled her eyes and plopped down on one of the two oversized pillows which were the only furnishings in the room.

"Good," Harry said pleased as he sat down next to her.

After about ten minutes, Ginny surprised herself when she realized she was enjoying herself, she didn't feel so self conscience with Lupin not in the room watching. She opened one eye and looked at Harry and was happy to see that he looked more relaxed than she had seen him for weeks, and that his bangs fell over one eye in the most adorable way. I think I could get used to this meditating thing, she thought as she closed her eyes once more.

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"Are you ready Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded. "Okay then repeat this incantation three times then take this potion," he said, handing the boy a bottle and a spell.

Harry did as he was told. He didn't think it was working and was going to say so when he heard Ginny give a startled cry and he realized he had fallen to the floor. Wow I'm tired. Maybe I'll just lie here for a moment before….

Harry yawned and stretched, a little disoriented as he woke up, until he realized that he was still on the floor of Dumbledore's office. Well that was weird, I don't think anything happened. I hope Dumbledore isn't disappointed in me…hey where is Dumbledore?

He looked around again and realized that the headmaster, Ginny and even Fawkes were gone. He noticed something else amiss, everything was completely silent. The clock, while still running, had stopped ticking and the contraptions on the table were still twirling but no longer whirring. He took a step and realized that no matter how hard he stamped his feet, he couldn't hear his footsteps. I don't like this…I don't like this at all, he thought as he left the office in search of answers.

He walked through the deserted castle onto the equally deserted grounds. He squinted as he walked outside as the sun was abnormally bright. So bright in fact, that it caused everything to look far too light, like film that was slightly overexposed.

He made his was down to the lake and sat beneath his favorite tree. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his shins. He was feeling very uncomfortable; there was just something very eerie about being able to feel the wind against his face and see it shake the branches, but not being able to hear the leaves rustle. He also couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

"Hullo Harry!" a voice boomed from behind him.

Harry jumped up, spun around, and pulled his wand faster than you could say 'flobberworm.'

"Whoa there Harry, sorry, didn't mean to startle you. I forgot that you couldn't hear me approaching here. I should know better than to sneak up on you, especially after all that extra training that you have been doing lately."

Harry just stood there gaping, unable to move.

"And what do you think you are going to do with that?" the man asked referring to the wand Harry was still pointing at him. "It's not going to do anything, I'm already dead."

"Sirius?" Harry choked out dropping his arm. Sure enough it was, but he looked younger than Harry remembered him and his eyes had lost the haunted look, given to him from those twelve years of hell in Azkaban.

"In the flesh…well, so to speak. Sorry it took me so long to get here, I had to fill out some last minute paper work. You see, spirit journeys aren't usually my thing. They actually have spirit guides that specialize in this, but your parents and I made such a fuss about one of us coming that they finally relented and let me come."

"Oh…" Harry said still confused. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault, if I hadn't--"

"Harry, stop thinking that right now. My death was not, in any shape, way or form, your fault. We all have a time to die and that was my time. Trust me, if you hadn't run off to the Ministry then I probably would have slipped in the shower and broken my neck, which isn't nearly as cool. You gave me a chance to go out fighting, I had a bloody brilliant death, which believe, me makes a difference with some of the ladies over here. For example, last night I was at a party and Queen Elizabeth was there and let me tell you that that girl knows how to party…" he trailed of with a childish grin.

Harry just stood there completely gob smacked, unable to believe what he was hearing. Apparently the other side was party central and his dead godfather was hooking up the dead Queen of England. So he could only say the first, if not inappropriate, thing that popped into his head, "But wasn't she really old when she died?"

"Yeah," Sirius answered unfazed by the randomness of the question, "but everyone is 25 over there and boy is she limber. But that is a story that I will save for when you're dead," he said when he remembered who he was talking to.

"And when will that be?" Harry asked suddenly concerned.

"That, I don't know. I don't have clearance and they wouldn't tell me."

Harry stood there, trying to absorb everything that was happening when Sirius put an arm around his shoulder.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but the reason I wanted to come so badly instead of some random sprit guide, was so that I could let you know just how proud your parents and I are of you. You have grown so much in the past eight months and the dedication you have shown is truly amazing and proof that you have what it takes to face all the obstacles in your life."

"My parents are proud of me?" he asked a little more choked up than he would have liked to admit.

"Of course they are! How could they not be? They have been watching over you every moment of your life and have seen you come out on top every time and face every adversity that you encounter and become the amazing person that you are. They only wish that they could be there to help you through it. But they love you more than anything."

Harry didn't say anything, but went to sit on the waters edge letting the knowledge that his parents were proud of him wash over him. After a moment he glanced over at Sirius, who had sat down next to him, and noticed that he looked like he was listening to something.

"They want me to tell you what you came here to find out," he said after a moment.

"You keep referring to 'they,' or 'them.' Who are 'they'?"

"Ya know, I don't know exactly," Sirius said after considering the question for a moment. "They, them, the powers that be, the all knowing ones, those who we can thank for our blessings and blame for our problems. But regardless, they have conferred amongst themselves and deemed you worthy of their help. And that is saying something, because the last person they helped was Joan of Arc."

Harry frowned, "But that didn't exactly turn out too great for her in the end. Are 'they' at least going to make sure I win?"

"That Harry, I am afraid I can't tell you. They told me again and again that they would kill me, metaphorically of course, if I tell you anything except what they want me to tell you. Frankly, I don't even know if they know. I think that's why they finally decided to help."

"So since I have been deemed worthy of 'their' help, what exactly are 'they' going to do?" Harry asked sarcastically, already not a big fan of 'them.' Aren't these the same 'they' that predetermined my fate with this stupid prophecy, so they should be the ones to help. All powerful or not, if they decided not to help, I would've had to have a few choice words with 'them.'

"Don't mock them Harry, be glad they decided to help you. They can give you more power than you could ever imagine and you're going to need it if you are going to carry out their plan."

"Well if 'they' have the power and the plan, then why don't 'they' do something about it and leave me be!"

"Because you are the key, you are the plan. You already posses a power that they can't give you that will make this plan possible."

Harry considered this for a moment, "So what is this plan exactly?"

"Come Harry, lets take a walk."

They stood and walked slowly back towards the empty castle while Sirius informed Harry of the plan. Once he had finished, Harry wasn't sure what to think.

"So," Harry finally spoke. "Let me get this straight. When the time comes, I'm supposed to say that incantation and they will infuse me with more ancient power than one person has ever possessed."

Sirius nodded.

"Then I have to call on my power and use it to…"

He nodded again.

"Will it hurt them?" Harry asked concerned.

"No. It might surprise them and perhaps drain them a little bit, because you are drawing even more power from them. But unfortunately, the only person that this might harm, besides Voldemort of course, is you, because all that magical power in one person has a very real chance of overloading your system."

Harry though this over, "Then that is just a chance I am going to have to take."

"Good man Harry, your parents will be so proud to hear that," Sirius said clapping Harry on the shoulder and pulling him into a kind of sideways hug. By this time they had made it back to the gargoyle in front of the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "This is where I leave you. It's about time for you to wake up anyways. Dumbledore and Ginny are waiting for you."

"Yeah, I don't want them to worry, especially since Ginny was nice enough to give up her Valentine's Day for this."

"Yes," Sirius said with an appraising glance, "you certainly have been spending quite a bit of time with young Ms. Weasley recently. You seem quite attached to her."

"Well she is my best friend and she had been great helping me train and stuff. She's a great girl, a great person really."

"She most certainly is," Sirius said with a smirk.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, I was just agreeing with you," he said innocently. "Just remember what your power is…"

"It's not like that, it's--"

"Sure it's not," he said, cutting Harry off. "Now get up there and tell them they were right."

"Bye Sirius," Harry said giving his godfather a hug.

"Bye Harry."

Harry made his way back into Dumbledore's empty office and he suddenly felt very tired once more. Maybe I'll just sit down for a second while I figure out how to get back. But before he could he had already fallen to the floor. When he opened his eyes he noticed he was lying on the couch. Oh my head, I must have hit it on the ground when I fell, he thought with a groan.

Both Dumbledore and Ginny dropped their cards and rushed to Harry side when they heard him groan. (Dumbledore had taught Ginny how to play Gin Rummy to occupy the time while they waited for Harry to wake).

"How did it go Harry?" the elderly wizard asked.

Harry groaned again, "Sirius wanted me to tell you that both of you were right."

"What?" Ginny asked looking up at the headmaster, who she saw was just as perplexed by this response as she was.

"You both were right. You both told me at different times and both of you were right. My power…is love."

A/N So what did you guys think of this chapter? We are going to have one more time jump to the next chapter, then we are going to slow back down as we approach the final battle…..

I hope all the Staff work made sense, it's hard for me to tell since I have my black belt and can use a staff. I know what I'm talking about but I'm not sure if everyone else could….and let me assure you they weren't exaggerating when they hit each other on the knuckles because it hurts like a mother…….

And I don't know why but I really enjoyed the irony of Ginny learning how to play Gin Rummy….don't ask me I know I'm weird….

I'm about half way done with chapter 11 so hopefully it will be done soon….So until next time I hope you enjoyed this one!

B/N: Another excellent chapter, no? Tell colorofangels how much you love her story by reviewing!