So I totally posted this two weeks ago before I went away and I went back on yesterday to see poof! its not freaken there! Grrrrr. Alright Chapter 21 Take 2!

Its been a while as usual, but I have a fun new chapter for you all! This one ends on a bit of a sad note and some of it I leave to your imagination. I do so love Severus and Harry drama! I also love the Original Seven, they are so much fun to write. I have written ahead to the end of the Camp and I can tell you that I do pick up the pace soon and the character analysis will give way to some more plot fun.

I want to welcome Cassandra30 and fifspice to the FOLD, she has just read the entire story and left me so many wonderful reviews for each chap! Special Review thanks to lyaser53, AspergianStoryteller, and Bookworm92 for the plot help ^_^

Enjoy Everybody!

Harry Potter and the FOLD

The Mind is a Portal

000

Saturday dawned bright and sunny and the sun greeted the hard working youths as they raced around the obstacle course at Potter Manor. Smarten took a deep breath as he stretched his legs and kept pace with one of the twins and one of the triplets. The other two males were ahead of them by a few lengths. He knew Harry and Dennis were racing up ahead and Neville was doing his special run that Dudley had shown him behind him, but he didn't feel the need to either slow down or speed up, keeping pace with Henry. Or Caleb, he couldn't tell them apart any more than he could the Weasley twins. In fact, until yesterday he hadn't ever seen either set of males without the other.

Still he glanced ahead of him as one of each set discussed the possibility of some muggle device called a mine. Why a hole in the earth was cause for a discussion about explosions was beyond Smarten. Next to him he was halfheartedly participating in a discussion about tracking spells. Cen had explained the concept of a 'homing' device the other day and he had remembered this one spell his sister had performed on him once where an annoying whistle followed him around for an hour. He was discussing the possible modifications with Gred.

Most of the group now called either twin Gred and Forge and the male triplets Cen(Ken) and Hal. Since only them and the triplet's third could ever keep any of them apart, it seemed to work. Smarten was one of the few people who knew that the four males could in fact tell each other apart. He decided it must be a twin thing. He wasn't going to complain. This was the first time he had someone to talk to about his prank ideas.

Being in Slytherin meant that you had to be even more sneaky when performing a prank. Smarten had had some good ones over the years, usually at bullies. The students had never traced one back to him and his Head of House had only done so once. Of course, he thought that if he was stupid enough to get caught laughing and watching from the shadows, he deserved to get caught. Professor Snape had given him a detention and then a talking to about sneaking around.

He ducked under an obstacle as he pointed out a flaw in their thinking. Sometimes they could get mildly carried away. He sighed, he had always known Gryffindors had little sense. That was why they needed Slytherin ingenuity. Together they had perfected many of their inventions and come up with some new ones. They had also come up with some impressive weapons.

He lagged behind as he thought about that. He wasn't very comfortable with the weapons, though not for the same reason as his friends. His elder brother was a firm supporter of the Dark Lord and he knew his father at least agreed with him. His brother was stubborn enough to actually go out and actively participate in that madman's warmongering. He hoped he wasn't making weapons that could one day be aimed at his brother.

"Smartie-Pants?" Smarten looked up. Forge and Gred had started calling him that after he figured out the reason the spudzooka wasn't working. "You okay?" He looked at the Twin and the other three beyond him. He knew they didn't like the idea of a war. He also knew that he wanted to be on this side of the war if...when it happened. He didn't believe in the Dark Lord, even though he agreed with some of the ideals.

"After the fighting is done...even before we fight, can I join you guys in opening that Joke Shop?" He knew about it. The four of them looked at each other in confusion but eventually Hal nodded confidently. The others smiled and Gred turned back to him.

"Of course, we'll need a smartie-pants like you in the business." Smarten felt a wide grin spread across his face as two arms slung across his shoulders in camaraderie. Although he had been friends with others since childhood, this was the first time he felt like he belonged with his friends. He knew his friends were finding other new friends in the other houses. It was his turn. He grinned and slapped them on the back.

"Come on, let's go see what they made us for breakfast!"

000

Hermione ducked as the pancake flew through the air. Thinking quickly she caught it with an Arresto Momento. Sighing slightly, she turned to her partner in the kitchen for the morning. The red head was in the middle of arguing with his sister as everything he had already charmed flew about out of control. Hermione wasn't sure even the siblings knew what they were arguing about anymore. Shaking her head she started guiding pancakes to their correct destination, leave it to Ron to make cooking into a contest of wills between him and a red-headed female. Although Hermione didn't hold to stereotypes, Ginny was very much the stereotypical red-head; spunky, beautiful and intelligent...and stubborn. She thought that last was a red-head trait since the entire family was stubborn as a snowball in hell.

She had hoped that Ron would take this chance to get to know the world she grew up in a little bit, but he was as skeptical as before about anything muggle. His best friend didn't help matters either. Despite how close they were, Hermione knew that she was not a guy and thus Harry and Ron would always have something in common that she didn't. Truthfully, she didn't want to be one of the guys with Ron. Of course, she knew him well enough to know that if he ever got hint of those feelings that he would turn red as a tomato and then run for the nearest hill.

She thought about the camp as she tried the pouring spell Eileen had taught them. Her studies had made excellent progress during the week. Talking to others who had similar electives but a year more advanced so she was learning a lot. Plus, she was learning how her classmates saw the lessons. Harry and Ron had taken her aside with Neville and Susan and asked that she not just automatically correct everyone. Actually, at first they were trying to be tactful about it and she had been so confused. Finally, Ron simply came out and said it. Susan explained how people wouldn't have the courage to talk if they thought they were always wrong, so even if she did know more specific information, unless they said something outright incorrect, to let it slide.

That got difficult during some of their discussions. History especially, she wanted to add some of the things she had noted in school, but they were reviewing history based on stories and legends the teens knew and her information wouldn't fit in with the discussion. She did find that she could participate by giving the Muggle version of the legend or time in history. Those discussions cleared up some confusion in muggle history.

She was also excited to learn how to fight. Even in muggle schools she had been a bit brainy and thus the target of a few bullies. Learning some of these fighting moves, in addition to being very useful in the war, gave her pride in herself that she had been lacking before.

Her parents were proud of her, too. That meant a lot to her. Growing up, they let her make her own mistakes and accidents to learn from. Whenever she learned something useful and applied it later she saw this really proud look on their faces. She saw the look now as she slowly became more fluent in dodging and retaliating. In addition, they were fascinated by her studies, but now they had a vast network of people to ask questions of. She was going to be sad when they left.

000

Draco and Luna were talking quietly to one side as they waited for Harry to come over to eat later that evening. Hermione was busy with her parents and Ron was still discussing something with Ginny so for once Harry didn't look terribly torn on who to sit near. Draco usually dealt with this by involving himself in an in-depth talk with whoever he had sat next to and he knew Luna dealt with it by not sitting until after Harry had found a place to sit. He doubted Weasley had noticed, but Granger usually caught Harry's eye when he was looking around particularly befuddled and nodded, letting him know she would deal with Ron should he make a fuss. Draco was actually becoming rather accepting of the Muggleborn. She seemed perceptive for one of muggle blood and she did, in fact, care a great deal about Harry. He also would admit privately, that he had to admire the fist she had planted on him his third year too.

He glanced at Luna next to him. She was still a complete mystery. He had tried to form a opinion about her several times only for them to be completely blown away the next time he saw her. He finally stopped and simply retreated back to basics with figuring her out. Since she didn't fit into any group he understood he simply started collecting a group of things she did care about and used that to try and predict her behavior with limited success. He knew she was a Pureblood back at least two generations, if not more. Despite that she seemed very lax about propriety, the type of behavior he would expect of ignorant muggleborns, and yet she was perceptive and experienced enough to pick up any pureblood behavior. She was definitely a girl and yet though he thought she liked Harry, she didn't flirt or draw attention to herself around him or anything he knew girls did around the boy they liked.

One thing he thought he could predict was her support of Harry, and yet though she definitely always supported the Golden Boy, it was rarely in the way he expected, with better results than he expected. Several nights ago, Harry had one of his nightmares and when Draco finally gave in to his curiosity and concern for his friend he found them rolling on the floor laughing. He never would have thought he'd see Harry do that. She had stayed up with Harry again last night after a nightmare woke them all to Harry screaming.

Harry was very good at not screaming during nightmares, so the fact that he did so worried everyone. He had stared at everyone with wide eyes for but a moment before dashing out of the tent. A few moments later Misty had reappeared to tell them Harry was fine. They had been arguing about who would follow the boy at that point. Luna had found him and they had talked. Draco didn't know what about, but it had helped somehow. Harry had given him an abridged version of the nightmare and why it had awakened him. He was seeing through Slit-face's eyes. Draco had shuddered at that. To see what his body was doing, to feel the emotions going on in that insane head was enough to nearly make Draco lose his stomach. He could understand why Harry was upset.

000

Neville regarded the girls in mild fright. They looked like they were ready to eat him, and every other boy in the group. He glanced at Harry gratefully who snagged him and Luna before wandering over to the corner. The idea was one muggle born/raised in each group, preferably a girl. Hermione was working on Ron and was eyeing Draco and Susan, who in the spirit had snagged his elbow and was forcibly dragging him over. He glanced about to see further resistance from most of the males, even those from the muggle world. Some of the witches looked downright excited.

Tonight they were practicing muggle disguises. Since spells could be broken or you could lose concentration, this was much more effective. The Grangers and Eileen and Lady Cissy were assisting. Apparently Lady Cissy had used muggle make-up before. It was very different from the beauty charms witches use. Neville cleared his head and tried to focus on what Eileen and Mr. Granger were saying.

"First thing to do is to locate your distinctive features. What would some spot about you first in a crowd?" Neville nodded nervously understanding the logic behind what they were saying. Hide your distinctive feature and add a new distinctive feature. He looked over at Harry and did a double take. He knew it was Harry since he was still wearing Harry's shirt, but without the glasses and the scar covered up he looked ordinary. He darkened and straightened his hair and had done something to his lips to make them very noticeable. All in all, it didn't look like Harry.

He saw Hermione pull Draco into the seat and start fussing with him. The heir pointed out that his pale features were his most noticeable asset and then let her have at it. Draco had probably already figured he couldn't actually stop her, or any determined witch in this bunch. Neville sighed as he waited for Harry to be ready for him. Instead of wondering, and dreading, his own transformation, he looked around. Tomorrow they were going to do their own disguise after breakfast and wear it all day. Today was simply to give them practice. He could identify some people right away. The Twins, for example were simple. They were always together. Ron was also fairly simple, Hermione hadn't been able to completely cover his red hair and nose.

He knew the girl next to Harry, was Luna, having just watched Harry transform her. Luna's transformation was startling. Her blonde hair was in a tight braid and brown. Her normal high flush was in a much more common location on her cheeks and a stern look had replaced the gentle dreamy look on her face. The change was startling. Neville looked over at Susan as Hermione moved on to Draco's hair. Her auburn hair was now jet black and her freckles were gone, face pale. She had a pair of glasses on that suited the vampire look she was sporting now. A very well-done job there. Draco now looked like a straggly teen with proud eyes. He probably itched to brush out his now ragged brown hair, but Neville knew well that that would be met with irritation if not outright anger. Still, his delicately angular face was more rugged now, ruddy in some areas. He looked completely different, which was the point.

"Okay, you're done Nev." Neville's hair had been brushed back in mimicry of Draco's usual look. He was wearing nicer clothes then usual and his skin and lips were paler. In fact, Neville wondered if the idea hadn't been to turn him into Malfoy.

"Well?" He looked back up at Harry as he stood there waiting for his opinion.

"I look like a Malfoy." His cheerful comment made several people giggle for some around him, but Harry seem to accept this idea as a compliment. It was a good disguise for him, if he could pull off the acting it required. Just like Draco would need to dull down his proud gaze, Neville would need to stand up straighter. Otherwise their appearance would appear incongruent.

"You look good Neville." He smiled up at Hannah. She was definitely different, sporting a head of curls and slightly angular make-up. Sarah had done a wonderful job on her.

"Thanks Hannah. It feels kind of strange though." Hannah smiled and shook her head.

"Yeah, but I think that's the point. I'm really glad I can spell my hair straight again." He had suspected the curls were a charm. Briefly he wondered what kind and then he caught sight of Hermione. Although Hermione's hair had always been curly, this was a complete frizz that she had pulled into two hair ties off to the side. The result was actually rather frightening. She had lightened her hair and eyebrows and her cheeks looked different. She looked like a younger Professor Trelawney. Neville almost shuddered at the thought. Beside him Harry did shudder.

"Herms, you look positively terrifying." She smiled, which ruined the transformation.

"Thanks. I tried to think of the opposite of me and Professor Trelawney came to mind." Harry shook his head. Neville agreed. Yikes!

000

"No, Leave him alone! NO!" Neville lit his wand as Harry's screams woke him up. This was the third night in a row Harry hadn't slept through the night. He looked over and as expected Draco was already next to Harry shaking him. Ron was on the other side holding his lit wand up as well, calling Harry's name, and probably had been for the last few minutes. Neville was about to go get one of the adults when he saw Harry's flailing hands find his wand. Muttering a curse he was sure his grandmother would scold him for, he leaped for Malfoy.

Since the blonde was the one shaking him, if anyone was going to get Harry's attention it was Draco, but with a wand and in the middle of a nightmare, that may no longer be a good thing. Neville felt the spell brush the tips of his hair as he tackled the pureblood to the ground. He didn't recognize the spell, but Harry was screaming denials still so it was probably not something he wanted to land.

Neville saw Ron hit the deck too as Harry lashed his wand around. He didn't fire off anymore spells, but Ron wasn't taking any chances. Usually, Harry's wand was under his bed both so he could find it fast and so he didn't accidentally find it during nightmares. Everyone knew Harry suffered from the nightmares nearly every night. When he couldn't wake up before they got too bad were the nights they truly worried about him.

Neville rose as he saw a flash of blonde hair and Luna and Hermione joined them. Hermione proceeded to do exactly what Draco had been doing only for Ron to yank her back when Harry fired off an Expelliarmus. Dimly, Neville remembered to thank Dudley for the dodging practice. None of them were getting hurt, but they couldn't wake Harry up.

Luna, who had been hanging back until this point suddenly crashed into Harry, sending them both tumbling off the bed. The room was completely silent, which was almost as effective as a stupefy on the occupants. Draco recovered first and wriggled out from under Neville and over to the other side of the bed to Harry and Luna.

The distressed boy was simply staring at Luna in confused shock, which Neville personally thought was a large improvement over the screaming nightmare from before. Harry glanced about frantically a moment before Neville grabbed Draco and pulled. Luna, recognizing the signs, backed away as Harry turned and threw up.

"Out, go on, shoo!" Neville glanced behind him as Eileen and Misty came in with Ginny. He was never happier to see the youngest Weasley before. Eileen left the shooing of people to the older students, who had taken up the cause and rushed to Harry's side with Misty. The House-elf banished the vomit immediately before handing Harry a steaming cup of something before popping out. Neville nodded to Hannah as she ducked out, pulling several others with her until the original seven were the only ones left.

Harry smelled the cup a moment before taking a sip, glancing at Eileen in question. The witch was checking him for temperature and generally just touching his face reassuringly.

"Yes, my son did make that. Before you ask, yes, it is his creation." Harry looked reassured by this proclamation so Neville put it to one side for the moment, returning his focus to the teen in front of him. Harry drank the tea without hesitation after that reassurance. It did seem to help. Slowly the color returned to Harry's face and his breath slowed. Neville noticed that his eyes, normally a startling emerald, had paled considerably during this ordeal to almost yellow and only now were darkening.

Harry looked around at his six closest friends. Ron and Hermione who had been with him through the last four years, Draco and Neville who shared his past and future and Luna and Susan who seemed to grasp his present and help him through it. The seven of them had founded and ran the FOLD. Ron and Draco had taken over the FOLD in the eyes of the group. Harry and Hermione had the reins from behind the curtains. Luna and Neville saw what they were accomplishing and what they still needed to accomplish and Susan recruited from all houses and ages.

The group was barely a month old and already Harry had seen his classmates forming ties. Dennis and Dudley had hit it off, Dudley taking the younger one under his wing. The Twins and Triplets seemed to have become quite close to Smarten. Everyone was forming new friendships that they probably would have never considered without the FOLD. This group was important.

"There's something I need to tell you."

000

Severus wheezed as he crawled out of the fireplace. After more than 48 hours in that madman's presence he was ready to lose himself to sleep. Apparently, not only did Crabbe Sr. not get the artifact the Dark Lord wanted, since Severus got it first, but he found out that some other artifact was destroyed thanks to Malfoy. This had put him in a particularly foul mood. When he summoned Severus and Severus didn't have two of the potions he wanted, not that he had asked for them in the first place, he had demanded Severus remain to brew them, quickly. Unfortunately for Severus, the Dark Lord's potion abilities were somewhat lacking, meaning he had very little concept of exactly how long brewing actually takes. Needless to say Severus had been in quite a bit of pain for the majority of the last few days.

He gasped as he felt a rib snap. It had been cracked several hours earlier but now laying on it had finished the break and caused another to crack. He couldn't think. Slowly he forced himself to meditate and sink into his occlumency shields. Once the pain was far enough away, he could think. Moving still wasn't much of an option. If he didn't report to Madam Pomfrey soon, Albus would come, but that wasn't until morning, probably 7 am. Severus guessed it to be closer to 2 am.

Running through his list of options, he found them severely limited. He could probably perform one maybe two small magics, if that. No one knew he was here nor would know for maybe five hours, assuming the Head Master wasn't terribly busy. He hissed as he felt his broken rib poke his lung again. Suddenly, he wished he had gone home to a wife like most of the other Death Eaters. None of them had been in the best of shape, but he was the only one who had stayed overnight with the weak and irritable Dark Lord. He needed medical help.

"Misty." The whisper was out before he could reconsider what he was about to do. He wasn't sure why Misty could apparate within the castle, but right now he didn't much care. A soft pop alerted him to the presence of one of the few lifeforms to ever see him so disabled. Misty didn't like him, but she had been incredibly helpful and knowledgeable at Potter Manor. Despite their enmity, her care of him had been exemplary. Another positive, Poppy knew her.

"Professor Snape is hurt again." He nearly smirked at her resolute dismay. She sounded very much a mother at her child who had tracked mud in the house.

"Yes, Professor Snape is hurt again!" Before he could continue she snapped her fingers and Severus found himself lifted to the couch.

"Misty will wake Madam Poppy." He sneered at air as she popped out only to return a minute later with the mildly drowsy Poppy Pomfrey. Poppy took one look at Severus and was next to him in an instant, completely awake.

"Misty, please retrieve my potion's kit." Misty popped out and returned with both the potion's kit and with another house elf.

"Misty is leaving Dobby to helps Madam Poppy. Misty is needing to be with Master Harry." That successfully got both adult's attention.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Severus nearly sat up before Poppy pushed him back down, continuing with her exam of him.

"Master Harry is dreaming the Dark Lord again. Master Harry is hurting people Master not want to hurt again. Master Harry is needing Misty." She was about to pop out when Severus stopped her.

"Wait, he is still dreaming he is the Dark Lord?" Misty froze a moment before nodding.

"Master Harry asks Misty not to worry Master's friends, but Master Harry is getting worse. Master Harry can no longer wake himself." She was wringing her hands together nervously. Severus ignored Poppy's confused glare as his mind raced. He had suspected a mental connection and the times when the boy slept would be the best time for the connection to open. He doubted the Dark Lord knew about it yet, but the evil creature was insane, not stupid. He would figure it out eventually.

"On my shelf, the blue thin book." Misty hesitated a moment before retrieving the desired item. Severus opened to a page he knew by heart. He knew the entire book by heart. Placing a spare bit of parchment he kept in the book for such a purpose in the page he handed it back to Misty.

"If he follows the directions that should lessen the nightmares. Tell him lessons will start in ten days and I want this back then." Misty looked at the book and then at Severus again, but the man was wincing as Poppy poked a particularly painful bone bruise and was no longer paying the House Elves any attention. Misty caught Dobby's nod and popped home. Dobby would come later when the professor was settled.

000

Harry settled further into the cushions. They had moved into the house after his proclamation. Now they were in one of the sitting rooms so that the others could go back to sleep. It was only 2:30 in the morning. Harry cradled the small wyvern in his hands. Spec had been sleeping at the head of his bed, but she had gotten hungry and went off to find something to eat. By the time she felt Harry's distress she was quite some distance away. Once she had returned she had curled up around Harry's wrist protectively and not let go. Like Harry's eyes, she had turned a yellow green with distress.

Next to him on the back of the couch sat Hedwig. Luna had gone to fetch her when they had moved and his owl was watching Harry in a manner that very much resembled Spec's. She had already reassured the boy and herself of his lack of injury. He felt warm knowing his familiars were present. Eileen had settled herself in the chair behind his shoulder with Hermione and Susan next to her petting Crookshanks. Draco was at his feet at the other end of the couch stroking Sapphire and Neville was on the ground holding Trevor with Ron. Luna, who had brought in Hedwig, had lost her balance when placing the bird on the couch and ended up sitting on the couch when Harry practically fell onto it. As such she was directly behind him, snuggled between copious pillows as he was. They had thought to disentangle themselves, but Harry didn't want to move and Luna said something about Blasterworts and stayed put. Draco, Luna and Ron were all in contact with Harry and it helped him stay focused on the now.

"You guys know I have nightmares, right?" Harry's soft voice caught their attention. Ron was the first to speak.

"I think we caught that, mate." Harry gave his best friend a tired grin. Trust Ron to lighten the mood a bit.

"What I haven't told you is what they are about." He received some odd looks. He waved his hand "Yes, some of them are about my uncle and some are about Slit face. But..." He got really quiet, he wasn't sure how exactly to explain this.

"My scar, I think it's linked to him. Some sort of mental thing. Anyway, I think what I'm dreaming about some of these nights, it's actually happening wherever Slit face is." He sighed as Spectra slithered up his arm to wrap herself around his neck in a protective gesture. She looked vaguely like a thick jeweled choker that way. Harry felt her magic and his muscles relaxed. "I think I can actually see in his mind."

By now he was worried many of them would faint. Draco, Eileen and Ron all looked quite pale. Harry nearly smirked as Sapphire berated him for upsetting her nestmate. Hermione and Susan were both holding each other's hands tightly, probably to keep from squeezing Crookshanks terribly. They looked slightly thoughtful under their panicky expression. He couldn't see Luna, but he could guess that she held a serene, if not slightly sympathetic look, since he had already told her this. It was Neville who surprised him, though. Instead of turning white, the boy turned quite red in anger.

"You have to watch what He does every night!" Harry nodded at Neville's furious question. He was a bit speechless, having never heard that particular tone from the timid teen. He noted that Trevor had been placed on his lap, but the toad was staying put for once, making soft sounds.

Neville's brows furrowed a bit as he seemed to rein in his temper. Harry had only seen Neville this intense twice before. Once in their first year when he stood up to the three of them, and once in their third year when a group broke into the Herbology garden and damaged several Mandrakes. He saw Neville clench his fists a few times, probably calming himself down before he placed a gentle hand back on Trevor's back.

"How can we help?"

Harry cocked his head in confusion. He wasn't asking for help. He simply thought they should know.

"Don't tell anyone." That response was automatic and necessary. He received nods all around, but Neville wasn't done.

"There must be something we can do to help."

Harry simply looked at him bewildered. He didn't even know what was going on, how would he know what to do to help. It was Hermione who finally spoke.

"Cover for him." They all looked at the brunette in question. "Harry, these visions are becoming rather frequent and will probably continue, right?" Harry nodded. She turned back to everyone else. "We will need to cover for him then. Take notes, make excuses, cover for him when these visions get bad." Most of them were nodding.

"Yeah, we may not be able to help with the visions right now, but we can at least make sure you have less else to worry about."

"Thanks, guys." Harry felt a lump lodge in his throat. He had the best friends. They were nodding as Misty popped back into the room.

000

Ginny frowned into the fire. Even though it was 3 am on a Tuesday during Summer hols, the twenty odd group of students were wide awake. After Harry and the other seven had walked up to the house so they could go back to bed, they tried to fall asleep again. A few of them actually dozed a bit, but one by one, or in the twin's case two by two, they came outside to join the youngest Weasley by the fire she had started. She found the flames calming and was just staring into their leaping depths. At first she simply nodded at those who joined her, but soon enough she was simply staring at the fire, thinking. Her life had changed so much in the last month.

A slice of toast appeared in front of her nose, jolting her out of her thinking. She took it automatically from Smarten as Henry toasted another one. The other twins were passing around a tub of peanut butter and some jam quietly. It appeared none of them felt like sleeping. Briefly she took note of who was absent. She knew Justin would immediately support the group, but she wasn't terribly familiar with the rest of the absentees. They would have to talk though. She looked up as Dudley stood up.

"Get up." Many of them were staring at him now. A few had automatically risen at the command, for that was what it was. Dudley started nudging those who hadn't moved. "Oi, come on! Up I say!" More of them stood. "Start walking. Down to the pond. Go on!" He flapped his hands at those who were standing until they started moving. Slowly the herd migrated as he cajoled and demanded a response from everyone still sitting.

Several didn't feel like getting up, but his 'I don't care' response reminded them so much of their Potion's Professor that they didn't argue. He never got to Ginny as Marie got to her first.

"Come on, Red. Up you get!" Ginny glared at the girl as she physically lifted Ginny onto her feet. "I know you want to stare at the fire, but trust us. We've been helping you guys for over a week now. Trust us on this. Start walking." Ginny was almost too dazed to argue. She simply kept replaying Harry's expression and exhaustion in her mind. Over and over like a portrait on repeat. She stumbled a bit on a tuft of grass she hadn't seen but Seamus caught her by the arm.

"You okay, Red?" Although they all had code names, they weren't used terribly often. Ginny's however, doubled as a good nickname and thus she heard hers fairly often.

"My brother was right." She saw Dean lift his eyebrows in question as they flanked her. "When we first started this camp. He said 'Our parents war was becoming ours'. Harry was already in the midst of their war when he was a baby. How long is it going to take before they drag the rest of us into the war?" She glanced at Dean and Seamus as he sighed.

"They sure did leave us a mess to deal with."

"I guess we had better enter the war of our own accord." Ginny raised her eyebrow in question as they tromped up the slope to the pond. Dean flashed her a grin. "I'd rather enter on my own terms than be dragged in when it's most convenient for my enemy." Ginny looked at the lake where Dudley had the group doing stretches.

"We all need to be prepared." She looked at the group. They were slowly waking up and looking around more. The sad, dazed look was passing on many of them. She looked at Dean and Seamus seriously. "Much more prepared."

000

Harry blinked as Misty handed him a thin book. She had just returned and everyone was staring at her.

"Misty is told Master Harry should follow instructions on the marked page, Master Harry." Harry glanced at the book a moment before gently taking it before the poor creature's arm fell off. He opened the front cover to gasp and slam the book shut. This, of course, alarmed everyone else.

"Harry?"

"You okay, mate?" He nodded, he was just shocked. On the inside cover of the book was something he could hardly believe. He slowly opened the book again, to the bookmark and began to skim the contents. It was an advanced meditation that protected your sleeping mind from Legilimency. Luna read the title aloud over his shoulder for the others benefit. He glanced at Hermione in question as she peered closer at the title and author.

"It's a good author. He also wrote the advanced Defense books the seventh years are using to learn protection spells." Harry gave her a smile, but she didn't know the half of it. Inside the front cover was a secret that made him happier. He would remember that inscription a while.

January 9th, 1975
For Severus,

Nightmares, like bad odds, are not something to simply accept and endure, but to overcome. A well-rounded person is strong of body, spirit, soul and mind. May this book help you in your studies to protect and strengthen your mind.

Happy Birthday and Love you,
Lily

What he didn't know was that only a few months later these two friends would never hold another civil conversation again. Only a few months later would Severus Snape make the choice that he would regret for the rest of his life. Only a few short months later would the wizard realize that this was the last birthday present he was to ever get from Lily Evans.