Savior in the Shadows

by Diviniti

6th Year fic. Harry gets sick of Dumbledore running his life and decides to make his own decisions. What happens when he finds a book written by the HBP that teaches him the nature of the Dark Arts? What will Harry become? Independent, Powerful Harry

10. Chapter 10: A Momentary Lapse

Savior in the Shadows by Diviniti

Chapter 10: A Momentary Lapse of Movement

Author's Notes: Thank you to my beta, Termalaine.

As soon as he left, Hermione looked at Harry and shrieked, "What exactly do you think you were doing? Using a Memory Charm on Shacklebolt and being so disrespectful… You're going to make it all worse!"

"Not here!" hissed Harry, moving towards the Room of Requirement. OPEN, GODDAMNIT! I NEED A BLOODY ROOM OF ANY KIND he screamed mentally, but nothing happened. He blew out a long breath, closing his eyes and trying to let his frustration out. Hermione was right, he knew. However, if he had to go back and have the 'conversation' all over again, he would have done it the same way. "Okay, we need to get to a safe spot to talk. Nowhere in Hogwarts is private enough now that we can't get in to the Room of Requirement."

Ginny peered at him, mouthing, "Potter Manor?"

Harry gave a slight "no" and then thought about what the other options were. There was nowhere at all in Hogwarts where he felt safe enough to have a conversation about the things he had obliviated from Kingsley's mind. As soon as Dumbledore found out that Kingsley had been uncovered, he would likely take the task into his own hands, using his great knowledge of magic combined with his intimate knowledge of Hogwarts to keep an eye on Harry.

Harry had a few options, none of which seeming very attractive. He could either keep his friends in the dark and postpone their spell training, or he could take advantage of his traveling abilities. He could transport them to Grimmauld Place, but then the only way to return to Hogwarts would be by flame travel. He definitely didn't want to risk his phoenix form leaking out to anyone else, so that wouldn't work. He could try to make a Portkey, but Dumbledore would figure it out quickly and most likely put a stop to it. Dumbledore was most likely watching the Floo Network in and out of Hogwarts, so it wouldn't be an option to Floo directly in to Hogwarts… but how about Hogsmeade? Harry realized that wouldn't work because if they consistently used someone else's Floo, it would look very suspicious, especially because they were Hogwarts students. However, there was another option that followed a similar train of thought.

"I think I have an idea about what we can do," Harry said suddenly, causing everyone's attention to snap towards him. "I can take you to Grimmauld Place every day for our training. Lupin and Tonks both stay there, so they can help out if we need."

"How will we return, Harry?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Are you going to tell us about your secret way of moving?"

"Well, we are going to learn how to Apparate. Lupin will teach us how."

"For the billionth time! You CAN'T!"

"We know, Hermione… we can Apparate into Grimmauld Place from Hogsmeade and we'll get to Hogsmeade using the secret passage. Plus, Apparating is generally very useful for escaping, as long as the enemy hasn't blocked it. Anti-Apparition wards are fairly hard to construct, and Voldemort doesn't always use them. In ambushes and planned attacks, they are used, but in most situations, Apparition is a useful plan B. We should learn how to do it anyway."

"It'd be wicked to be able to Apparate, but I don't think I'll be able to…" Ron trailed off doubtfully.

"Nonsense, mate, I've been reading about it. It's not really hard magic, you just have to believe that you are capable of making your body vanish and reappear. The Ministry just doesn't want minors doing it, so they make it seem like this complicated spell," Harry said reassuringly.

"But the Ministry! They'll know and we'll be expelled!" Hermione said worriedly.

"Hmm… I hadn't thought of that… I won't be trackable, but you lot will be."

"Drats," Ginny said disappointedly. "Well, we can fly back to Hogwarts on brooms maybe…"

"Why won't you be trackable? Are you actually supposed to be a seventh year or something?" Neville asked.

"Well, let's just say that I have found a way around that." Harry thought a moment."No, it's too far. We can't spend that much time. Well, for now, I'll ward off my section of our dormitory and we can at least work on Occlumency and talk in secret. We can't practice spells and we will have to constantly be on the watch in case Dumbledore decides to dismantle them, but it's the best we can do for now. I'll keep thinking about it, okay? Tomorrow morning we need to start back up on our exercises. Have you guys been doing them while I was in the Hospital Wing?"

"Yeah, we did. We did the running and all that. We couldn't really do any more sparring, so Hermione conjured dummies and we practiced on them," Neville answered.

"Great job, Neville, way to keep our lazy friends in line," Harry said smiling. "I need to write Tonks and tell her that she can't Portkey into the Room of Requirement anymore though. I guess we can't get her to teach us after all. It's a shame because I'm really not that good at Martial Arts."

"Well, we should be getting to bed now," Hermione said, sounding very much like Gryffindor's head of house.

"Yeah, I'm knackered," muttered Harry, cutting through Ron's complaints that it was way too early to go to bed.

"I'm not very tired, Neville," Luna said out of nowhere.

Neville turned red but allowed Luna to drag him into a broom closet, ignoring the laughter of his friends.

"Ron, if you aren't tired, you need to finish up your Potions essay, Snape will give you a detention if it's not complete," Hermione said bossily as they walked to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Ron groaned and moaned, but Hermione had her way, leaving Harry and Ginny alone.

"Hey Ginny," Harry said as they sat down on the couch. He placed an arm around her, his hand absently rubbing her arm.

"Hey Harry," she said, her mind clearly on something else.

"What's wrong? You look worried," Harry asked gently.

"Nothing… I was thinking."

"About what?"

Ginny blew out a breath. "About Hogwarts… don't take this the wrong way, but being at Hogwarts used to be the highlight of my year. Except first year of course…"

"And now it's not?" Harry prodded gently.

"Now… it just seems like Hogwarts is some task or ordeal we have to get through. We have to be so cautious and secretive… we're always training and worrying about the war. I love spending time with you and the others, but I just wish that once in a while we could just break out of this routine that Hogwarts forces us into."

"I know exactly what you mean. Hogwarts doesn't feel like home anymore, does it? When you're at home, you can speak freely without worrying about prying eyes. You're with people who understand you and you can let your guard down. I started realizing that Hogwarts wasn't my true home last year. It felt like everyone was trying to needle me in some way and I would have given anything to have just spent a week with Sirius."

"I shouldn't be complaining, life here is so much easier for me than it is for you…" Ginny trailed off, thinking about all that her boyfriend had to suffer through here.

"Don't be silly, Ginny. You have every reason to be tired of Hogwarts. It's O.W.L. year for you and all the extra training and stuff hasn't helped. Also, you have had to constantly be alert and constantly worry about me, and I know that can be hard."

"Well I do like Hogwarts because it means getting to be with my friends, but I'm tired of constantly having to be suspicious of everything and everyone. The training isn't the problem, that's my favorite part of the day."

Harry thought about it for a minute. She had to be wary and suspicious all the time because she was his girlfriend. "Well, Ginny you wouldn't have to be so on-edge if-"

Ginny slammed her elbow into his ribs. "NO! That's not what I meant. Being with you is the highlight of my year; it's the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"Same here. Okay, I'm sorry for suggesting that. What we can do is drop your useless subjects like Divination, and Astronomy, and History of Magic. What job do you want to have?"

Ginny thought about it for minute and then replied, "Professional Quidditch and Curse-Breaking as a backup."

Harry nodded. "I would play Quidditch if it were possible too… Anyway, so you can drop those three courses; they're useless, and the teachers tend to assign too much homework. That will free up a lot of time, since you will only be taking one more class than me. We will have more time to just hang out like normal."

"That's a good idea; I think I'm going to talk to McGonagall about that. I just won't be able to get more than 9 O.W.L.s instead of 12. Not that I care in the least… but Mum may be a bit upset. She's always reckoned that I was going be just like Bill or Percy… Head Girl, Prefect, O.W.L.s… but…"

"You're too much like the wrong brothers, Miss Weasley?" Harry said smirking. "Anyways, you need to do what's best for you, not what your mum thinks is best. In my opinion, you should follow the path your parents set before you until you have a clear idea of what you want to do. Now that you have your own thoughts, you need to do what you think is best, not what you are told. Aside from that, I have another idea of what we can do. This weekend, do you want to go to Potter Manor and just play Quidditch and stuff? That's where I feel most at home. Hogwarts used to be haven for me, but now I can't relax in the castle anymore."

"That's brilliant, Harry, I can't wait!" Ginny said excitedly. "I missed you so much when you were unconscious…"

"Well I'm here now so we better put the time we have to good use!" Harry said pulling Ginny closer to him and pressing his lips against hers. His body was yearning for her so he deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing passionately. His hands roamed all over her shapely body. Hers were apparently doing the same because they were inside of his robes and caressing his upper body. Harry couldn't help himself; his senses were being overloaded. He made to lay her gently on the couch and move on top of her, but Ginny was pushing him back, sitting in his lap, her legs wrapped around him. His hand slid inside of her robes, feeling her soft skin. The hand wandered up as if it had a mind of his own until it touched a soft article of clothing. Merlin, what the hell is your hand doing their, Potter?! his mind screamed, causing him to disconnect their entwined tongues and pull back. He turned red as he sheepishly removed his hand from underneath Ginny's robes.

"Sorry, Ginny, I just got caught up in the moment I didn't mean to, err-" Harry stammered apologetically. If he hadn't broken it right there, he knew he probably would have started ripping her clothes off.

"You didn't do anything, Harry. In case you didn't notice, my hands were the first to go under your robes. That was amazing… but scary. It wasn't you; it was me. I couldn't help it; I just had to pounce on you… if you hadn't pulled back right then…"

"I don't think either of us is ready to go there yet." Harry shifted his legs, trying futilely to hide the evidence that his body did not agree with that particular statement. "What we have right now is perfect, right?"

"Yeah… thanks Harry," Ginny said, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for what?" Harry asked bewildered.

"For being such a wonderful guy," Ginny replied simply.

"Huh, were you not listening? I just completely lost control…"

"But you didn't and I know I can trust you not to," said Ginny sincerely.

Harry decided not to argue since he was at quite a loss for words. "Well, we should probably go to bed, I suppose."

"Don't think you're going anywhere without giving me a good night kiss," Ginny said threateningly.

"Yes, Lady Ginny," Harry said with a mock bow. He cupped her cheek and gently brushed his lips against hers. The kiss lacked the fiery, consuming passion they had before, but was tender and reassuring. "Good night, Ginny. Everything will work out, I promise."

"I believe you, Harry. Good night."

Harry had to take his morning exercises slowly because his body was still recovering. He grew frustrated when the attacks and moves that were once fluid and graceful were now slow and uneasy, but he reminded himself that he was lucky to be at this physical level after his near-death experience. It also hadn't helped that he had stayed in bed for five days, hardly moving his muscles. He had to consciously keep himself from getting frustrated, because frustration led to anger, which messed up his concentration.

He just told himself that he would soon get back into the routine and then train like hell. He had seen what was out there and it wasn't pretty or soft. The fact of the matter was that he had to be a different person if he wanted to carve out a victory in situations similar to the fight with Lucius Malfoy. Right now, if he stayed stagnant and didn't improve, he wouldn't survive another attack. He needed to methodically work with the same furor and intensity that he had over the summer and truly change himself.

His summer hadn't been easy, but in a way, it had been the best time of his life. There was nothing more encouraging than witnessing one's ability to elevate one's life with conscious endeavor. He had put in blood, sweat, and time; he had sacrificed short-term gratification, and over time, it had paid off. His one regret was that he hadn't forced himself to start preparing earlier.

If there was a limit to what he could achieve with constant hard work and determination, he knew that he had not reached it yet. He had to continue to exhaust himself and push himself. Sure, as Ginny had said, it wasn't fun. In fact, he had lost his stomach or fainted more than once over the summer. At Hogwarts, he hadn't been training half as hard, but he still could feel the work he was doing leech away at his energy. He ate well, but he hardly even spent time doing anything other than training in some form. As Ginny had said, it did make him want to get on a boat to the Bahamas and soak up some sun.

But… when he looked in the mirror in six months, wouldn't the sense of accomplishment he would feel be worth it? He wanted a lot of things, none of which could be bought with his considerable amount of Galleons. The price of improvement was constant effort and dedication.

He knew what he would do. He would relax for a day with Ginny, rejuvenate, and then pursue his goals with the same single-minded determination that had allowed him to save Lupin and Tonks's lives. He had a path to walk, and right now, his legs were a bit sore. As soon as they healed, he would have no other choice but to run like the wind.

Still, as much as he told himself that he had to get back on track, the idea of spending a day in Potter Manor with Ginny was one that he could not refuse. Not because he wanted the enjoyment. He could see that she needed it, and for some reason, that was very important to Harry.

After breakfast, Harry journeyed up and down the Gryffindor table, making sure that the new Quidditch players weren't too nervous to eat. A grin found its way on to his face, memories of Oliver Wood's fanatical pep talks coming to his mind.

"All right, it's time for you all to get into your Quidditch gear. Oi! That's enough Seamus. Don't worry Demelza, it's not tradition for the youngest player to fall off of her broom…"

After Harry had gathered his team together, he began to give his speech. "Okay, here's the plan. Chasers, I've seen you working together, you know what to do. I've been gone the last few days, but as long as you stick to the drills that you have been practicing as a team, we'll have it in the bag. Seamus, Dean, remember that the Ravenclaw's Beaters are on fast brooms, but they their bats don't pack as much of a punch. They tend to pass the Bludgers between one and the other and then sneakily aim for whoever looks like they don't expect it. If you can take one of them out early, Ravenclaw won't stand a chance. Ravenclaw's Keeper is only decent, so your next targets will be the Chasers. Their Chasers, Cormichael, Turpin, and Cornfoot, are what we have to keep our eyes on. Ron, I know you can shut them down; you have to know that you can shut the down too! Does anyone have any questions?"

After a series of "no's", Harry yelled, "Good! Ravenclaw doesn't stand a chance!"

Soon the Gryffindor's were flying out over the green Quidditch Pitch in the brisk October weather. The stands were filled with people, and Luna's serene, dreamy voice spoke into the microphone. "And the Gryffindor team has entered. First there's Bell, Robbins, and Weasley as Chasers! Oh, look, Thomas and Finniegan are Beaters… I never knew they played Quidditch, but then I don't know everything. In fact, yesterday a Curco Scaled Wombat asked me a riddle and I-"

"LOVEGOOD, IF YOU CANNOT MAKE COMMENTS RELATED TO THE MATCH, THEN DON'T COMMENT AT ALL," shouted McGonagall.

"Oh yes, very well. Well I suppose the Gryffindor team is already out so I won't get a chance to announce them. We all know who they are, so I'll skip to Ravenclaw. That's my house, you know. But some of the Ravenclaw's take my stuff and hide it, so I don't really want them to win…"

Harry was holding in laughter, wondering who in their right mind would make Luna commentator. After she had rapidly announced the names of the Ravenclaw team, speaking extremely fast so that she could catch up, the game had begun.

"Weasley grabs the Quaffle, dodging that blue-robed person, I think it's Turpin, but my view was blocked by the Wind Ruffles. She passes it to Bell, who avoids a Bludger and pelts it towards the right goal… Ten, Zero, Gryffindor!"

Harry snuck glances at the Chasers and Beaters, but he was mainly focused on finding the Snitch. He noticed that Cho wasn't trailing him yet, but she was watching where he was looking.

"And Turpin passes to Cornfoot, but he missed the catch because of a well aimed Bludger! Demelza makes the grab and flies towards the-"

"Demelza! Watch out!" Ron bellowed, causing Demelza to execute a Sloth-Grip Roll and avoid a Bludger.

Harry nodded at Ron, thankful that someone was keeping an eye on the situation. Harry couldn't afford to watch the game and shout out orders, but Ron was doing a great job of it. He knew the strategies better than Harry, and he seemed to be a Seer when it came to predicting what the opponent was going to do.

The score was 30-10, Gryffindor taking the lead. Ravenclaw had taken more shots, but Ron had blocked most of them.

Harry saw McDougal, a wiry Beater, sneaking behind Demelza. Ginny was currently flying after Turpin, who was heading to the goal, and Katie was covering Carmichael, stopping Turpin from making a passing the Quaffle. Seamus whacked the Quaffle towards Turpin, but she rolled and avoided the Quaffle. Ginny did the same and the angry mass streaked towards McDougal. A plan formed in Harry's mind as he streaked in between the Beater and Demelza, his Lightening Strike cutting through the air like a bullet. Cho predictably took off after him. She had gotten herself a fairly fast Nimbus 2001 so covered the distance a bit quicker than Harry had predicted. Nonetheless, Harry congratulated himself. Just before McDougal took a swipe at the Bludger, he realized that Cho was directly in between Robbins and himself. He altered the direction of his swing, causing the Bludger to fly into Dean's area. Unfortunately, Turpin had scored.

Ginny flew up the pitch with possession of the Quaffle as Dean held his bat with two hands and swung, causing the Bludger to fly towards Entwhistle, a short, stout Beater. Entwhistle was busy slamming a Bludger towards Ginny, so he did not see the angry iron ball rocketing towards the tail of his broom. He began to spiral downwards, but Ginny managed to hurl the Quaffle through the left ring before time-out was called. Luckily, he spiraled downwards slowly instead of free falling. He did, however, break an ankle, and could no longer play.

Harry clapped Dean and Seamus on the back, telling them that it was never fun to injure another player, but sometimes it had to be done. Harry noticed that Cho and McDougal were glaring at him, but he wasn't concerned. He wouldn't break any rules, but he couldn't help feeling merciless.

"And the game has resumed! Turpin is in possession, passes to Carmichael, who shoots and scores! I wonder if Ron was attacked by an Erkulisk. They're miniature, invisible basilisks that petrify someone for only a second. Oh dear, some people are being rather rude and telling me to comment on only the boring stuff… well, I suppose I must. The score is now 70 to 50 with Gryffindor in the lead… Oh! Wait! It looks like Robbins just scored! I wonder why Cornfoot didn't block her shot, although I suppose he was busy dodging a Bludger."

Harry kept an eye on Seamus and Dean, but they seemed to have the situation under control. They were keeping one of the Chasers occupied with Bludgers, allowing Gryffindor's Chasers to overwhelm Ravenclaw. They were nothing compared to Fred and George, of course, but they were doing their job well.

Harry decided to circle around for the Snitch and let his team do their work. He noticed that Cho was trailing him and hardly even scanning the field for the Snitch. Harry smirked at her; her strategy was a decent one when used against Seekers on a slower broom, but Harry knew it wouldn't work against him. As soon as she thought Harry had seen the Snitch, she would try to dart ahead of him and catch it.

Harry sharply snapped his head downward, focusing on an imaginary object below him. He jerked the handle of his broom downward and plummeted towards the ground. He didn't look back at Cho; he knew she would be following. When he could see the individual drops of moisture on the crisp grass, he angled his broom upward and looked behind him. Cho was nearly twenty feet away from the ground and had a haughty smirk on her face. Harry cursed his stupidity as he realized what he had done wrong. He had flown down way too fast, pulling out of his dive when Cho was still thirty feet off the ground and had plenty of time to level herself. He should have done it slower, moving slow enough so that Cho's Nimbus 2001 was only a few feet behind him. Oh well, at least Gryffindor now had a 50 point lead, he thought. He ignored Cho and started circling the pitch, deciding not to fool around and just catch the Snitch. For nearly ten minutes, the Snitch had still not made its appearance, and the score was 60 to 130. Then he saw a flicker of gold on the other side of the pitch, near the Hufflepuff section of the stands. Harry bolted after it, pushing his broom to its limits. The Snitch plummeted downwards after Harry got close and Harry quickly changed the angle of his broom, taking care not to throw himself off his broom in the process. He swooped after it, quickly bridging the distance. The Snitch got closer and closer to the ground, forcing Harry to put him broom inches from the ground. The Snitch tried to shoot upwards, but Harry had been expecting that move and his arm shot out, his hand enclosing around the winged ball.

"AND HARRY POTTER CATCHES THE SNITCH! The score is 290 — 60, GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Luna screamed enthusiastically.

Harry flew back to his team, clapping them all on the back. Ginny grabbed him and kissed him soundly, causing many people to break out into wolf-whistles. "Well done, Lions! You all did great. Ron, great Keeping! Ginny, Katie, Demelza, great job! I didn't get to tally how many goals each of you scored, but-"

"Katie had fifty, Ginny had seventy, and Demelza had twenty," Ron supplied.

"Thanks, good job you three. Demelza, that was an excellent first match for you. Notice that you didn't fall off your broom… Anyway, Ron, great job calling out orders. I know that should be the captain's job, but I can't always watch the game. Ron, if you want, you can be in charge of calling out orders on the field. You'll be in charge of strategy."

"Harry, are you sure?" Ron asked meekly, as if he were afraid that Harry would rethink his choice.

"Yeah, I know you won't let us down. Seamus, Dean, great first game. In addition to our practice, you two should try to build up some upper body muscle. I noticed that you two were getting a bit tired by the end of the game. You got the techniques down pretty well; you just need the muscle."

"All right, captain," they said in unison.

"Well, I know this is a morning game, but we're still going to have a late-night Gryffindor party! For now, you all are free to go off and enjoy your Saturday."

As soon as Harry and Ginny had a chance to be alone, the two of them journeyed to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, figuring that would be a safe place to transport to Potter Manor. Harry planned to make sure that she got her day of fun.

As soon as they were in Harry's mansion, Harry smiled at her and asked her what she wanted to do.

"I don't know, Harry, let's do whatever you want to do," she replied, smiling at him.

"Whatever I want to do?" Harry wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, you prat… Okay, I wanna work on my Animagus transformation. I got so close to finishing it, but now since we can't get into the Room of Requirement anymore…"

"All right then. Let's meditate for a bit then you can show me how far you've gotten."

Harry meditated with her to make her more comfortable, and then she started to change.

Her arms turned into sleek, muscular, golden limbs. Her legs also transformed, but she had trouble reshaping her midsection and head.

"Boy, this is awkward," she muttered as she looked at herself.

"Okay, concentrate! Now your midsection and shoulders, as beautiful as they are, needs to change into a lion's so it can properly connect your legs and arms. I'm going to transform and you need to look at the way my joints are connected. I know it's a little bit different for a male, but you need to reshape the bones in the same manner," Harry said encouragingly.

He turned into a lion and rolled around so that she could see the way his midsection was formed. She scrunched up her face in concentration, and soon she looked completely like a lion except for the head.

"Excellent! Now do the head. Picture exactly how it looked in the trance you had when you took the potion."

Ginny tried, but she wasn't successful. Whiskers formed on her face and reddish-golden fur formed around her head and neck, but the shape of her head did not change.

"I can't do it!" she screamed in frustration.

"Calm down! I'm going to transform you into your lioness form. It will be a lot different than truly being an Animagus, but you will have an idea of what it feels like," Harry said, adopting the voice he used during martial arts training. He flicked his wand, transforming her into a lioness. After a minute, he transformed her back into her human form. "Okay, now try to do the whole transformation. I know you can do it. Your Transfiguration skill isn't the problem… you just need to calmly and systematically apply what we have learned."

Ginny nodded and slowly her whole body started to reshape. It was a very slow transformation compared to Harry's, but it looked as though she had finally got it.

"Congrats, Ginny! Do you like being a lioness?" Harry asked enthusiastically, ruffling the fur on the top of her head. She really was a beautiful lioness with her golden fur that was tinged with red on the top of her head.

Ginny purred in response and bound around the room. Harry smiled, remembering how when he first transformed it had taken him a while to get used to the powerful legs of a lion that in one leap could cross the room.

"Let's go outside and run around!" Harry said eagerly, transforming into his lion and bolting outside.

While he was running across the Quidditch pitch, Ginny caught up with him. Harry smirked at her and put on a burst of speed, running beyond the Quidditch pitch. There was a large field of green that he had not explored yet. Ginny caught up with him again and started to edge ahead. Harry pushed himself to his maximum speed and regained the lead. They continued for a few minutes, the two feline's racing through Potter Manor's extensive grounds. By the time they were both out of breath, they had come to a medium sized lake filled with glimmering water. Harry jumped into the lake, flailing ungracefully for a few seconds before he managed to find a rhythm of movements that kept him afloat. Ginny was reluctant to join him, so Harry turned back into a human, so he could levitate her over the water. Harry smiled innocently at her before releasing her into the cold water.

A rather angry redhead replaced the lioness. "Harry! I'm going to get you for that. It's freezing!"

"But the water is refreshing! Here, you need to cool your face off," Harry said playfully, splashing her with the icy water. Ginny dove under the water and Harry realized that she was actually a much better swimmer than himself. Still, he managed to get to the shore before she pinned him down.

"Well you caught me…" Harry smiled and glanced at her lips. Ginny beamed at him and moved closer, but before their lips touched, Harry found himself writhing on the ground and giggling uncontrollably as Ginny's hands tickled his sides ruthlessly.

"That'll teach you to dunk me…" she said, ignoring Harry's pleas for mercy. "Now who's the most beautiful, most amazing, smartest witch in the whole world?"

"You… enough…" Harry said desperately. He had never been tickled before, but Ginny was apparently an expert. Finally she stopped, leaving Harry breathing heavily. "You don't need to tickle me if you want compliments…"

"Thanks for taking me here, Harry. I mean it; this is just what I needed."

Harry cast a Drying Charm on the two of them and then brushed the red strands of hair off of her face. "Yeah I know what you mean. Sometimes it's impossible to get some privacy around Hogwarts. You wanna go play Quidditch?"

"Hmm, I have something else I'd rather do since I have you right here," Ginny said slyly, straddling him.

"I think it's I who has you, Gin-Gin," Harry retorted, rolling over so that he was on top of her. Harry sighed in contentment, he loved their playful banter. Of course, there was something he loved even more than that…

After spending the morning and afternoon at Potter Manor, Harry decided to transform into a phoenix and flamed into the deserted bathroom. He did not want to risk appearing in his dorm incase his classmates were there.

"Wow that was pretty cool," Ginny replied after their rapid travel in the fiery vortex.

"Yeah, I know. So do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow or should we head back to Potter Manor?"

"Hmm… I need to do some shopping tomorrow. And I think people might get suspicious if we disappear for a whole day tomorrow."

"Okay," Harry replied as they walked back to the Gryffindor Dorm. Suddenly he changed direction. "Let's go to the kitchens and get a snack."

Ginny nodded and the two greeted an ecstatic Dobby. "Hello Dobby, nice to see you again."

"Harry Potter! I is so glad to see you in the kitchen. Have a seat, what would you like! I always enjoy serving Harry. I am sure I will enjoy serving his friend as well."

"Well, we're here for a quick snack, nothing too much. Just a sandwich would be great."

Harry internally groaned as Dobby disappeared and returned with a massive platter.

"Here you are, Harry and Wheezy. I is making the pecan pie myself."

"Thanks Dobby! You're the best elf ever!" Harry said, causing Dobby's eyes to water.

"The greatest wizard ever is complimenting Dobby! Dobby does not believe it; how can he be worthy of such praise…"

"Of course you are…" Harry gave up and decided to just eat the delicious food. Dobby had to be the most stubborn thing Harry had ever seen.

Harry and Ginny stood up after they were finished. "Goodbye Dobby, it was nice to see you again." Harry dropped his voice to a whisper, "And thanks for the ego boost."

Ginny giggled as they walked back to their dormitories. "Looks like the Harry Potter Fan Club has a new leader…"

"Oh be quiet, you… at least Dobby doesn't send me singing valentines-"

"That was mean, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed angrily, giving him a playful thwack on the arm.

"Well, this year I'm going to send you a singing valentine," Harry remarked with a smirk.

"You're so silly sometimes… who would have guessed that the serious, determined Harry Potter had this side."

"You realize that I'm going to have to be serious for quite some time, right? Dumbledore's going to have a fit when he realized I foiled his Kingsley plot. We're going to have be careful talking in corridors even when we're alone. When Dumbledore talked with me, we came to a compromise. Now I've broken it by leaving the castle and he's broken it by spying on me. It doesn't help that he's blocked off the Room of Requirement. Add this Halloween Tournament and McGonagall's extra training to the mix and things are sure to get thick. I have to tread carefully around those two teachers because who knows what they are reporting to Dumbledore." Harry's face was serious; the lighthearted smile gone. "We have one more stretch until the holidays, and I still want to increase the intensity of our training. Right now, I'm taking a break, but…"

"I understand that… hey, extra lessons with McGonagall?" Ginny asked sharply.

"Oh… yeah, I forgot to tell you. Our kind, generous Transfiguration teacher has offered to train me to become an Animagus," Harry said drolly. "I think it might be a genuine offer, and I really don't want to turn her down. But there is a chance she's reporting to Dumbledore, in which case I need to get out of the situation before she gets any information."

"Do you think she's reporting back to Dumbledore? She strikes me as too independent to do that, whether or not she respects Dumbledore. She's been laying into Dumbledore about recent events too," Ginny said wisely.

"Yeah, I've noticed that. I'm going to have to give her a chance because if she is being genuine, then I have a chance to build a relationship with a powerful witch who is close to Dumbledore. If I reject her offer, she will think less of me and be more likely to agree with Dumbledore. If you think about it, at the very least, she is better at Transfiguration than I am, so hopefully I'll end up learning a few tricks."

"So why don't you just pretend to learn how to transform into a stag? She will praise your progress and you will have the chance to find out whether or not she is trustworthy," Ginny replied.

"I can transform myself part by part, but I can't mimic the slow, shaky way a beginner first learns. I could try, but McGonagall has been teaching this for forty years; she's bound to figure it out. Then, she might be mad because I'll be wasting her time," Harry said, sighing as they finally reached the Gryffindor Common Room and took off the cloak. Harry cast a Silencing Charm around them for good measure.

Ginny thought for a long time, her feet absently rubbing against Harry's. "I think I have an idea… over the summer when I saw that you had become a lion, I searched Grimmauld Place for the Animagus book that the Sirius had used. I don't think I found the book they used, but I found one titled History of the Shape-Shifters. It said that a few wizards have forms that they chose, namely Merlin who supposedly had twenty-four forms. The book said there was a really complicated potion that could be made where in the trance, the wizard could choose an animal they wished to be. It warned that in the trance the wizard would only get to choose from animals that were compatible with the wizard and some people would see nothing at all. It also warned that this type of transformation was much harder than the standard method, but…"

"You think I can have another form that I can learn with McGonagall?" Harry interrupted excitedly.

"Well, yeah, the book didn't list the ingredients, so we still have to research that…"

"Ginny, you're brilliant!" Harry gave her a quick kiss.

"Glad I could be of service, Mr. Potter. But seriously, listen, I didn't mean to get your hopes to high. The book severely discouraged attempting that kind of transformation…"

"Well, I have to try, I mean, I do have a magical Animagus form and that's supposedly impossible… If it doesn't work, I'll just have to try to worm my way out," Harry said confidently. He was happy now that he had a plan, not to mention the prospect of having a fourth Animagus form. I wonder what it will be… Harry thought.

Harry heard footsteps, so he dropped the Silencing Charm. He saw Ron and Neville walking in, discussing Ron's latest chess victory.

"Harry, where have you been all day?" Ron asked, peering at him strangely. He looked at Ginny, taking in their rumpled hair and his ears turned red.

Harry noticed that Ron was getting ready to blurt out something that would get him Bat-Bogeyed, and Ginny looked at him challengingly, as if daring him to say what he was thinking. "Ron, we went flying, nothing for you to worry about… We just wanted some privacy from Dumbledore, give us a break."

Ron nodded curtly. "Well, let's get to dinner then, I'm-"

"Hungry, we know," said Harry rolling his eyes. "Where's Hermione?"

"Library… she said she'd be back by now, but I swear, its impossible to get her to leave that place once she's cracked open a short, light book…"

Neville chuckled. "Perhaps if you improved your snogging technique, she wouldn't want to spend all the time in the library."

Harry looked strangely at Neville; he never knew Neville had the ability to make that type of comment. "Well, I'm sure she'll find us in the Great Hall, let's get going."

After they had started dinner, Hermione joined them, saying that she had been researching "their Transfiguration project".

"Hermione, you need to be careful; if someone sees what you're reading, they will figure it out!" Harry hissed.

"Oh, Harry, I hadn't thought of that… sorry," she concluded sheepishly.

"Well, just be careful and think about things before you do them," Harry said.

"Care to explain what the two of you are on about?" Ron asked.

"Erm… after we get the Room issue worked out I will," Harry said evasively. He didn't want to hide things like this anymore, but at the moment there were too many potential disasters waiting to happen. Harry had to anticipate any additional potential problems and take measures to avoid them. Deciding to change the subject, Harry told them to finish dinner and come to the Common Room to practice Occlumency before the party.

. Harry and Ginny decided to go shopping, saying that they were going to buy Christmas presents for their friends. That was only half true; they planned on picking up some Potions ingredients from the Apothecary for Harry's Animagus Potion and they wanted to do that alone.

They traveled under the Invisibility Cloak through the tunnel to Honeyduke's. Harry checked his map to make sure no one was following him, in addition to scanning the area with Legilimency probes. Content with his security, they arrived at the candy shop and exited after purchasing a variety of candy that they believed Ron would enjoy for Christmas.

The Apothecary's shop was at the edge of Hogsmeade and Harry learned that it was a chain of the shop in Diagon Alley that Harry had stolen a bezoar from. Harry told Ginny to wait outside while he made the purchases. Ginny questioned his logic, but then Harry cast Glamour Charms over himself and changed his hair color to Lupin's sandy brown, while elongating it into Sirius's graceful curls. "Apothecaries keep records of their sales, which someone like Dumbledore or Fudge could ask for. They may realize that I have bought the ingredients to the rare Animagus Potion…"

"Oh, that's pretty smart of you. You look better with your messy, black hair though," Ginny replied.

Harry smiled at her and then entered the shop. The elderly man who was at the counter looked at him and said, "What'd you want here?"

"Just a few ingredients for a potion of mine. Would you fetch me some Ground Dragon's claw, Hart-Tree's Ichor, Boomslang Skin, purified volcanic rock, Elderberry Seed, Primal Water, and Scion's Flower?"

The man looked at him wide-eyed. "And why the hell would ya be needing all of those ingredients? Mind you, Hart-Tree, Primal Water, and Scion's Flower are tremendously expensive. I've not had anyone buy any for years. Ya better not be wasting my time…"

Harry shrugged and pulled out his Bottomless Bag. "Name your price."

"Well, how much d'ya need of each, I only keep two vials of the Ichor, five flasks of the Primal Water. I don't have any live Scion's Flowers; those are extremely rare, most likely not found in Europe anymore. I have four dried flowers, will that do?"

Luckily Harry had memorized the quantities as well. He decided to play it safe and order twice as much as he actually needed so that if he messed up the first time he wouldn't have to come back. "Hmm, yes two vials of Ichor, three Primal Waters, and all four dried Scion's Flower. That should do. Also, I need one and a half jars of Boomslang Skin, one pound of Elderberry Seed, and three cups of ground Dragon Claw."

"I am required to record your purchases, please tell me your name," the old man asked.

"Can we forget the name? I can always ask this lovely bag to tip you heavily?" Harry asked not-so-subtly.

"S'not worth the risk, young man. It wouldn't be noticeable if a few pounds of Dragon's claw went missing, but-"

"Fine. John Andrews. Now what's the total price," Harry replied curtly.

"Hmm… 45,000 galleons, not a coin less." Seeing Harry's drop open, the man said, "I told you how rare Scion's Flower is, right? Well, there's approximately four Hart-Tree's in the U.K. They're large trees, but there is only a tiny vein of Ichor in the middle of the stem and branches. To harvest it, we have to cut of the branches and dissect them. If we tried to obtain it from the trunk of the tree, the tree would die. The tree can also change its color and the branch must be severed when the tree is white, otherwise the Ichor will be poisonous. Andrews, m'boy, we get our pure volcanic rock from Italy. Now Primal Water…"

"Okay, okay. 45,000 Galleons!" Harry said to his bag, muttering about the price being more expensive than his broom. However, it did make sense that a potion that could give someone an extra Animagus form would be expensive. It was a good thing he was the Heir to both the Potter and Black fortunes…

"A pleasure doing business with, Mr. Andrews. Good luck with your forays into potions, I hope you know what you're doing… some of these ingredients are extremely volatile…" The man handed him the ingredients, which Harry put inside his bag, allowing him to carry them without using his hands.

Harry exited the shop, deciding to stroll the shops of Hogsmeade with Ginny for a bit and then meet up with his friends for lunch at the Three Broomsticks.

"Did you get it all?" Ginny asked eagerly.

Harry nodded and grabbed her arm, taking her to the main shopping street in Hogsmeade. They bought a few presents for various friends and family, but Harry saw nothing he wished to come back for later to purchase for Ginny. Harry wanted to get her something nice, but he was wary of her parents' reactions. He had come to an understanding with the two of them, even receiving their blessing to date their daughter, but he knew that buying expensive gifts would just make the Christmas atmosphere uncomfortable. Still, if there was something a bit pricey that he thought was perfect for Ginny, he wouldn't hesitate.

Before they knew it, it was lunch. The six of them found a table at the Three Broomsticks and began chatting lightly about their day. Just as they were getting settled in and placing their orders, Harry noticed a neat mass of red hair in the distance, behind a lime-green bowler hat.

"Shit."

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked in a hurt voice.

"No, no I wasn't saying in response to you… look over there," Harry hissed. The two figures were getting closer to the bar.

"Percy?" exclaimed Ron and Ginny simultaneously.

"And his boss…" observed Neville.

"Maybe they'll just pass by. How could they have known that we are here?" Harry asked.

Hermione frowned, her brain working hard. "Well… I saw Percy in Flourish & Botts today. He saw me, but I didn't talk to him or anything… I wasn't going to tell you guys, because I didn't want Ron to get angry and seek Percy out or something."

"Well, we'll figure that out later, because they're turning this way. It's too late to run for it… we'll just have to see what they want. If the situation gets ugly, everyone grab onto me and we'll go to Grimmauld Place."

"Mr. Potter! It is great to see you again. Percival here wished to have a word with his siblings, perhaps we could give them a moment alone?" Fudge said jovially.

Harry glanced at Percy, who seemed surprised at Fudge's proclamation that he wanted to talk with his siblings. "Fine." Harry smirked at Percy. "Ron's overjoyed to see you."

"Perhaps we should come with you--"

"I'll be fine, Hermione."

Fudge strolled over to a table far away. "Harry m'boy--"

"Cut the nonsense, Fudge. You have five minutes of my time to say what you want. Look, I don't like you at all; I very much think that the world would be better off if you were put in Azkaban. I know you don't like me, so I don't want to here this "m'boy" nonsense."

Fudge turned red, his knuckles white upon the table. "You need to learn to respect your elders…"

Harry laughed. "You're an idiot, Fudge. Now get to the point, as you obviously need something from me, and if you are upfront about it, I am more likely to cooperate."

"Very well then. Harry, it is my belief that the Wizarding World would benefit if you would give the appearance that you are working with the Ministry to capture Death Eaters and help win the war-"

"Where was the Ministry during the attacks? Where was the Ministry LAST YEAR? I don't care if I get the credit for capturing Death Eaters, but I sure as hell won't let a spineless bastard like yourself take advantage of battles in which my friends almost died in. Innocents are dying and you are to blame," Harry said angrily.

"Harry, you must understand! The Wizarding World needs to know that we have the Chosen One on our side! They need to trust the Ministry, and your actions must add to that trust, not take away from it!" Fudge said, the lines in his forehead rippling in frustration. "It is your civic duty."

"Drop this 'for the good of the Wizarding World' nonsense. It isn't my civic duty to help the government lie to it's people. I don't owe our country anything, except the middle finger for all the shit they gave me last year. It's my civic duty to alternate between being society's pariah and then their hero?" Harry took a deep breath and calmed himself, forcing his mind to think pragmatically instead of idealistically. "If you want something from me, you will have to give me something of equal value. You're only interested in your reputation. I'm only interested in winning the war and living the way I want to live. Now if you are a help to me, I may consider helping you…"

"Excellent, Harry, I knew we could come to an understanding. Now, I believe it is your desire to become an Auror? If you could be seen coming to the Ministry occasionally, I can arrange for our Aurors to give you professional training. In return, I simply ask that you tell the press you are working with the Ministry to take down You-Know-Who. That won't even be a lie, will it? You can work with our top Aurors!"

Harry snorted. "I can take down your best Auror already. What I want is Apparation Licenses and Under-Age Magic waivers for my five friends and I. Also, I want you to double the size of the Auror Department and multiply its funding. Lastly, I want you to start a project to remodel Azkaban. I want the project to be headed by Alastor Moody and you will spare no expense in making it secure. In return, I will give one press conference, where I will say that I am working with the Ministry. I will say that the Ministry did play a role in the capture of the Death Eaters currently in Azkaban. I will also praise your decision to remodel Azkaban. Then there is one more item. I want YOU to give the media the honest truth about the many injustices done to Sirius Black. I don't care if you give him a medal or two posthumously, but the world will know that he was a good man, who died fighting for the good of the wizarding world. The more… convincing your report about Sirius's innocence is, the more convincing I will be in my speech promoting you. Those are my terms and I will not negotiate."

Fudge seemed to be thinking it over, his hand rubbing his pudgy chin. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "In addition to that, I need you to state that Voldemort was not fully alive during the past year and that the first time he was truly alive was during the fight at the Ministry. That way, neither I nor you would have been lying last year."

"Forget it, I would never do that. Unlike you, I have integrity," Harry snarled, holding up his hand that had the words I will not tell lies.

"But Harry, if you could just add that it was reasonable of me to believe that you-"

"No. That's not an option. I suggest you either agree to my terms or stop wasting my time," said Harry coldly, his face frozen in an expression of determination. "You created this god-awful mess with your pigheaded, closed mind. I said I'll help you, not bail you out completely. The only way to truly clean up the mess you have made is to dedicate yourself to the betterment of the Wizarding World. My little speech will help you in the short-term and give you some time, but ultimately, being a decent, intelligent human being is what will give you long-term success. You see, Minister, the truth has a nasty way of making itself known, no matter how hard one tries to bury it with lies. Now, if you had been telling the truth last year, then everyone would respect you as a dedicated Minister with integrity."

Fudge sighed heavily, thinking about the Potter boy's terms. "Fine. I shall give you and your friends your licenses and waivers. After you speak to the press, I shall get started on the other two tasks, as long as you make it clear-"

"And Sirius Black's innocence," Harry said firmly.

"Yes…yes… after this meeting I will schedule the appointment, consider it done. As I was saying, you will make it clear that--"

"That you are a competent, skilled Minister; got it. Your approval rating will soar. However, IF you even think about twisting my words or backstabbing me, I will make your approval rating plummet. Do you realize that there are dozens of people out there, that given a vial of Veritaserum, who knows what they'd say… As long as you keep me in a good mood, stick to the deal, and refrain from taking bribes from Death Eaters, you will still be Minister. Do you understand?"

Harry employed Legilimency, searching the man's mind for any schemes. Harry found evidence of blatant corruption, of course, but Fudge was predictably corrupt. You could always trust him to do anything for his own well-being and to do anything to save his own skin. As long as his 'skin' was in danger, Harry knew the Minister wouldn't try to double-cross him. The man wanted Harry to be the Ministry's poster boy, not to alienate him like last year.

"Y-yes, I believe I do. A pleasure speaking with you, Harry. I shall see you at this same location on Saturday. Perhaps in the future we can come to a similar agreement?"

"If you can help me with something, I'll help you. Mr. Fudge. If you change your ways and truly desire to be a good Minister, I will be happy to offer my advice."

Harry strode back over to the table in which his friends were sitting, mixed emotions running through his mind. On one hand, he had successfully negotiated with the Minister of Magic and gotten his way, but on the other hand, he had sold himself out. He had agreed to go against his beliefs for a reward, just like the Minister had planned. Of course, he did get what he wanted, but was the price worth it? Was praising that invertebrate in front of someone like Rita Skeeter worth it? Harry sighed; he just didn't know; he had to do what was best for the small group of people he cared about, but he just had a nasty feeling about this whole deal.

Harry noticed that Percy was no longer there. "What happened?"

"Bloody git… tells me that Fudge has important business to discuss with you and I should keep my nose out. Apparently Weatherby has been stationed at Hogsmeade on "Boy-Who-Lived lookout duty". As soon as he saw Hermione, he called Fudge and followed her from a distance. As soon as we started talking, he Apparated away. Bloody, sodding flobberworm! We told him that Mum looks at his hand on the Clock and prays for him every night, and what does he do? He runs away like he's too good to be seen with us."

"Was it that bad?" Harry asked Ginny. Ginny gave a slight nod. "Well, I'm sorry Ron, I wish there was something we could do. Hmm…"

"What are you thinking, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing, really. I was fantasizing about having Fudge sack Percy," Harry replied smirking. "But that wouldn't help."

"Yeah, Percy's beyond saving. I always knew he was different, but I never could have imagined that problem would grow his big," Ginny said sadly.

"I always knew he was a right bastard," Ron said angrily. "There's no way in hell I'm related to that inflated windbag."

Harry didn't know what to say, so he just pulled Ginny into a hug. "Well, we should probably be getting back to Hogwarts. We forgot to work out in the morning, we had better do that now."

"Wait, what did Fudge want?" Ginny asked.

"He just wanted me to keep his arse from being fired… He wants me to give an interview that puts him in good light and he wants to be seen 'working together' with the Ministry," Harry replied carefully.

"Ha! Bet you told him to shove it, right? I wish I was there, his face probably turned so red…" Ron exclaimed. "I mean, after all he did last year… I bet you told him to go to hell… right?"

Hermione looked at Harry piercingly, causing Ron to trail off.

Harry sighed. "I agreed. Let me explain… he was willing to give me something in return, and it pays to have on our side. He's a pathetic, selfish, sorry excuse for a Minister, but he is still the Minister. I'm still underage, meaning I'm a step above 'House-Elf' as far as my rights go. If I can get Fudge give us adult status, it gives me more leverage over Dumbledore." Harry held out the Apparition Licenses and Under-Age Magic Waivers. "I need to be able to Apparate and you lot needs to be able to cast spells. Also, Fudge will fund the rebuilding of Azkaban and double the funds and size of the Auror Department. Plus, I have a feeling that Dumbledore may try to exploit the fact that I have no guardian since Sirius died. I don't think Dumbledore will go that far, but if he does, it can't hurt to have the Minister on my side. Also, the Minister will tell the truth about Sirius. That means something to me… I can't stand it when I hear people saying that the mass-murderer is dead."

"But… don't you think it will be better for the Wizarding World if Fudge gets the vote of no confidence?" Hermione asked. Harry could tell she did not approve of his actions, but she was hiding it.

"Look, if Fudge gets removed, the next Minister MAY be better, but it's likely they will be worse. What if Umbridge were to get it?" Harry said sharply. "Fudge is predictable… at the very least, we know he isn't a Death Eater. At the very least, we know how to motivate him."

"You realize the Order will be really, really angry?" Ron said. "Dad probably won't be thrilled either, he was pretty excited when we thought Fudge would get the boot."

"I'm sorry if this angers your parents. As for the Order, if they were a force that was fit to protect the world from Voldemort, I would care what they thought. Voldemort has over one hundred Death Eaters, all of which can cast the Killing Curse. The Order has a handful of skilled fighters. Don't get me wrong, the Order has some people I really love in it, like Mrs. Weasley, but the Order isn't going to win the war. The reason the Order is losing the war is not just because of Fudge. Even if Mr. Weasley or someone was to be made Minister, I still don't think the war would swing in the Order's favor. The only thing that will stop Voldemort's army is thinning his ranks quicker than he bolsters them or bolstering our ranks by heavy recruitment of anyone who can fight, old or young." Harry's voice was firm but passionate. He couldn't say that the statements he just made were running through his mind while he talked with Fudge, but now that he was analyzing the situation, he thought his decision was a fairly sound one. "Voldemort's ranks are swelling, but the Order's are not. Either the Order needs to increase in size and power, or they need to get serious about the whole war and start decreasing Voldemort's ranks."

The friends were silent for a bit, taking in Harry's strong statements. Finally Luna replied, "You think that the six of us will make more of a difference in the war than the Order." It was some sort of cross between a statement and a question.

"Yeah, I do. I think you five are powerful, intelligent, and trustworthy, which is more than I can say for the majority of the Order. I'm very touched that you are agreeing to go through this rigorous training business so that you can be there for me in the war. If the Order wants to work with us that would be the best scenario. If they want to be secretive and manipulative, then I'm going to be a force independent of the Order. Fudge can help with that."

"That makes sense, I suppose," said Ginny.

"You suppose?"

"Well, how praising do you plan to be in your interview? I mean, you're not going to… sell yourself out, are you?"

Harry sighed. "I'm going to have to, Ginny. I know it's un-Gryffindor of me, but there's a reason why the Slytherins generally rise up in the world of politics. I'll try to be as honest as I can, but the fact of the matter is that I have to raise Fudge's approval rating. In the future, it is likely that I will need something from him. Ginny, are you okay with this?"

"Yeah, I guess," she said..

"You guess?"

"Yes, Harry, I'm okay with it."

Harry wasn't sure why he cared whether she was okay with him selling out. He certainly wasn't concerned about what Dumbledore or even his friends would say. "Well, let's get back to Hogwarts. We missed our morning workout, so we'll just have to do it now," Harry said, ignoring their groans and leading them out of the Three Broomsticks. "This evening we're going to head to Grimmauld Place and get Lupin to teach us how to Apparate."

"Wicked!" Ron said and the rest of the group seemed to agree.

"But then we have to practice Occlumency, don't forget. You all can do it individually before you go to bed if you want," Harry reminded.

"Slavedriver…" muttered Ginny, rolling her eyes but smirking to let Harry know she wasn't being serious.

Harry walked back to Hogwarts with his friends, hoping that whatever happened, they would always walk as a group.

A/N: Okay, that was chapter ten. A significant amount of time didn't pass, but the issues Harry deals with in this chapter are going to be very important in the future.

If you don't like H/G, I'm sorry about the H/G scenes in this chapter, and the next couple chapters will be fluff-free. In general, this story doesn't focus on romance, really.

Review if you have got a moment… I say this every chapter, but knowing what my readers are thinking really helps, not because it will make me change the plot, but because it lets me know if my characterizations are right. So… tell me what you think.