So this shortish story of mine?

Is now 70,000 words and is not done lol.

I am still hopeful that it will be done by Friday though.

Thank you for reading and for reviews.

I am not JK Rowling…Sorry.

Chapter 21

Happy New Year

"I look ridiculous!" Harry yelled from his room.

"Don't be stupid, get out here!" James yelled from the other side of the door.

"No! I am not going!" He replied. "I am getting undressed."

"Harry James Potter, bring yourself out into this hallway right now!" James said sternly.

"Harry, really. We are all in similar robes, it isn't that bad. Besides you can't stay here, Brooke is waiting for you." Sirius called reasonably before turning to James, "How is you yelling at him going to help? He never listens to you anyways." He whispered furiously. James couldn't even retort because it was true.

"Harry, just come out, let me see them, I will tell you the truth, I promise." Lily called through the door.

"What is taking so long? We have got to go." Elizabeth Potter said, climbing the stairs to the kids' chambers.

"Harry is being a bit self-conscious." James said, shaking his head.

Elizabeth knocked on the door softly. "Harry love, just come out sweety, I am certain that you look even more dashing than Jamie and Siri combined." She called through the door.

"HEY!" yelled James and Sirius in unison.

Truth be told the two boys looked very nice, they were both in white dress robes, Sirius' with a high collar and black buttons down the front with silver pinstripes down the entire length of the robes and the slacks underneath. The under dress shirt was silver with a white bow tie. James' robes were solid white, buttons and all. He wore a bow tie and a shiny white shirt that had the popular open chest flair, and the lapels on the robe were a shiny white satin.

"James can you make my wall do the walk through thing? I will get him out." Lily asked.

James looked at her searchingly but followed her into her room and tapped the wall three times to enact the spell.

"Just go downstairs, I will get him out." She said confidently. James shrugged and nodded before leaving the room.

Harry looked up at the sound of Lily's voice.

"What is the holdup Mr. Man?" she said softly.

As she walked closer she saw that he was sitting on the bed, robes thrown behind him, dress shirt unbuttoned, bow tie in his hand, and shoes untied. His mouth was open comically as he looked at her.

She was wearing the robes that her and Elizabeth had gone shopping for on boxing day. They were shimery silver/white with crystals sprinkled artfully across the bust line and hemming of the robes. They were tight at the top, showing a small bit of cleavage and the flowed loosely from the waist. She had paired the robes with white and silver platform heels, making her only a couple of inches shorter than Harry. Harry was speechless. She giggled at his response.

"You look just like James. Though, I think you look a little less dumbfounded. And there is no drool." She joked. He laughed and stood up, walking over to her.

"You look perfectly incredible." He said with a smile.

"Thank you. And I am certain that you will too, once we get you dressed. I believe there is a young lady waiting to dance with you. And you are going to be late."

"I look ridiculous, I cannot go out like this." He mumbled.

"Have you never worn dress robes before?" she asked.

"Once, but they were dark green and looked like my school robes mostly, these do not." He said holding his arms out.

"Let's see. Button your shirt, and tuck it into your slacks and I will help you get ready, I promise I will not let you leave looking less than perfect." She said softly. He looked at her as if he did not believe her.

"Come on Harry, placate me. Let me help my only son get ready for his first big New Year's Eve ball. Or would you rather me get Elizabeth to help? I will if you want, I don't mind, I understand that you see her as a mum." She said, though the slight frown on her face said otherwise and suddenly her sullen mood lately made sense to him.

Not wanting to hurt her feelings any more than he unintentionally had this week he began to do up his buttons. He hadn't even thought about how Lily would feel if he called someone else mum or acted like someone else's son.

"Of course I would rather it be you." He said softly.

She watched as he tied his black shoe and stood, wearing shimmery black slacks and a white dress shirt, open collared like James'. His over robes were a bit shorter than James' and came right to his knees, they were white with black silk edging. She stepped closer and began to button the robes and fixed up his open collar adding one button.

"There, I know you feel like they are missing too many buttons. That is plenty enough to make you look stylish but a bit more modest, unlike your father. Who doesn't have amodest bone in his body." She said with a grin, Harry laughed quietly. "Harry you look very handsome in this. Brooke is going to fall over when she sees you."

"But the white with the black." He whined.

"Looks awesome on you, especially with your dark hair, and if I can be so bold, your eyes are gorgeous."

"They are your eyes." he said softly.

She nodded, "And I am glad to share them with you. I am telling you, this is a very good look on you. Come downstairs with me. Please." She said softly. He held out his tie to her, having been unable to tie it up right. She smiled and took it in her hand, "I think we are going to need your father for this, he seems to have experience." She said, "But that requires going downstairs."

He nodded as she opened the door and stepped out after her. "Are you going to escort me down? Or am I to go alone?"

"I would never make you go alone." He said. Holding out his arm and leading her downstairs.

When they reached the half-way point down the main staircase James happened to glance up the steps. He smiled at the pair of them coming towards him, Lily's hand resting on Harry's arm. When they reached the bottom step Lily kissed Harry's cheek, making him blush before stepping into James' arms.

"We need your help" she said before kissing his cheek and holding out the black bowtie. He took it, looking down at it lying in his hands, suddenly remembering the time his father had to tie his ties for him.

He looked up and Harry and smiled slightly, walking over and wrapping the tie around his neck.

"It took me forever to learn how to do this right you know." He said as he began to fold and loop the fabric at his son's neck. "I think I was 15 before I finally got it right on my own, and right after I did, Siri came by and untied it, took me another 20 minutes to get it right again. Dad was so mad, I wouldn't let him help, I wanted to do it on my own." He pulled the tie together.

Lily watched as Harry just stared at James' face while he talked, she wasn't sure if James even realized how big of a deal this was for Harry. She turned and saw the smile on Harold's face and in an instant knew that even if James didn't, he did understand. She turned back to her boyfriend as he pulled the tie tight, but stopping before choking the 16 year old in front of him.

"We were 30 minutes late for that party, but, I got my first kiss that night." He finished with a wink as Harry grinned.

"So, what you are telling me is that I should untie this and do it myself for a better reward?" Harry joked.

"NO!" Harold, Elizabeth and Lily yelled as James and Sirius high fived and laughed.

0o0o0o0o0o

He was looking around the vast ball room that they were standing in, watching as Sirius flitted off to a pretty little brunette who had been occupying the space by the window. James was holding Lily's hand, walking beside him, Harry nervously pulled at the sleeves of his robes.

"Harry, you look fine, she is going to like it I swear. Honestly, had I not already picked out these robes I would have bought those for myself. They look good." James said, smacking his hand away from his cuff again.

"I feel ridiculous." Harry muttered.

"Well, feeling ridiculous and looking ridiculous are two totally different things." James hissed as a very uptight looking wizard approached them with his hand already outstretched.

"Ah Mr. Potter. I am so happy to see you this evening. I just read your entrance deposition from your auror applications, I look forward to seeing you in the ministry." James shook his hand and smiled.

"Thank you Mr. Crouch. I appreciate that. Of course it is all dependent on my NEWT scores but I look forward to it as well."

Upon hearing the last name Harry turned his attention back to the man in front of him. This was Bartemus Crouch, a much younger man than he remembered. He looked like he was even younger than the memories Harry had seen in the pensieve.

"And you must be Harry, I have overheard my son speaking about you. He is in your year at Hogwarts, you may know him, he goes by Barty. He is in Ravenclaw." He said politely. Harry was pretty sure that he felt all of the blood leave his face. He might have been hyperventilating he wasn't sure.

Apparently Lily picked up on his distress as she cut in suddenly, "It is so lovely to meet you sir but I was wondering if Harry would escort me to punch, I am really thirsty." She said sweetly, not waiting for an answer she grabbed Harry by the hand and drug him away from the questioning and alarmed looks of James and Mr. Crouch.

She had him corralled in a corner by the bathrooms a hand on each cheek. "Harry, Harry! What is wrong? You have to breathe Harry" she said as he dropped, so his hands were on his knees and he was gasping. He didn't speak for several minutes, just gulping in air like he had been suffocating. Suddenly he looked up at her, his eyes glazed over.

"He's here, it's him. I didn't even think. He-he brought him back, He! He was responsible for Cedric dying, he tortured Frank and Alice! They are going to live in an insanity ward because of him. Neville will have no parents. Cedric is going to die! He- He- I am going to kill him!" he growled as he leapt up.

It was a good thing that as soon as he leapt past her James and Sirius stepped into view. Lily wondered how long they had been there listening as they both seemed concerned but aware of what was going on. Sirius had caught him by the shoulders and pushed him back against the wall as James rushed into the men's bathroom, seeing it empty, he grabbed Lily by the arm as Sirius pulled Harry in and locked the door behind them.

"Harry, you have to settle down." Sirius said still holding him up by the shoulders.

Lily had never seen him look like this, so angry, determined, so passionate about something. There was not a trace of a tear on his face, though she knew from his eyes that all of these emotions were fueled by pain. Most of which was not even his own pain. Harry was out for vengeance.

"You said that it was him. Who was him? Mr. Crouch?" James asked standing beside Sirius and holding Harry's chin, forcing him to look him in the eye.

"His son, Barty Crouch, he is a death eater. He is going to cause so much destruction and pain. If we just kill him it won't happen. None of it. Alice and Frank will be fine. Voldemort won't rise, which means Sirius will still be alive and things will be alright. Even if nothing else changes that will be alright." He ranted, not seeing the looks of despair on the other three faces.

"Harry you can't know that to be true. He might not even be a death eater right now. You said that my cousin helped torture Alice and Frank, she could and likely will do it whether that boy is there or not. And He had nothing to do with Jamie and Lily dying. And if nothing else changes Pete could still bring back Voldemort in which case I will still die." Sirius said somberly.

"Well, that settles it, we can kill him too." Harry said, lost in his fit of anger and rage.

"Harry!" Lily said, shocked.

"You do not mean that." James muttered.

"Like hell I don't." Harry said, frustrated.

"Harry we are not killing Pete, even if, sometimes, he can be a bit of a waste of space." Sirius said lightly, "It really would help nothing at this point."

"I would enjoy it immensely." Harry muttered dropping his face into his hands. James couldn't help it, he burst out laughing, followed quickly by Sirius and then Lily. Harry looked at them all like they were crazy.

"I'm sorry, but you just. You are so rambunctious and you get fired up and so serious, that was not a pun, and you remind me so much of Lily when she used to yell at me." James said, hiccupping for air.

"This is not a laughing matter!" Harry argued, trying not to get irritated.

"We know that. We do, we swear. But you have to see it for what it is Harry. Something that right now none of us can do a damn thing about. Right now you are worse than those tiny little dogs that bark all pissy but with one swing they would be wiped out. Too big for their bloody britches. Right now you are a 16 year old underage wizard, there isn't anything we can or should do about it. But yet you are ready to fight the world." Sirius said, his back heaving with restrained laughter.

"Really Sirius, I am here because you are dead!" he said harshly.

"I think we know that Harry. But he is right, at the moment we are all in school, we can't do a thing about the future until we are living it, Dumbledore said it best Harry, just live. For right now, just live and for once in your life just let the grownups to the fighting." Lily said as she checked her makeup in the mirror for smudges.

Before Harry could say another thing James was adjusting his robes and tie and messing with his hair, he brushed him off and smiled.

"There you go, wouldn't even know anything happened. You two leave first and Lily and I will wait, it will just look like we were in here snogging." James said with a shrug while Lily spluttered.

"Don't worry Lils, they are used to James snogging in here every year." Sirius said as he left the through the door, dragging Harry with him as Lily turned to glower at her grimacing date.

Harry followed Sirius out, grumbling. They made their way through the throngs of ministry workers and people of influence when Harry felt a hand on his arm. He turned quickly, not certain what he was actually expecting. But it wasn't who he saw.

Standing before him was Brooke and he was rendered speechless. Her hair was laced with glitter making the red highlights stand out, fading the blonde into the background. It was twisted and braided away from her face but hung down her shoulders in loose artful ringlets. Her robes were a shimmery black, tight from the bust to her hips where they flared out in layers of ruffles cut a bit above knee high in the front and flowing into a floor length train in the back, white piping rimmed every ruffle. Silver glittered up the front making spirals and flowers over the satin. It sat perfectly off of her shoulders and she wore a diamond heart pendant necklace. He stared at her for a minute before Sirius nudged him back to reality.

"Brooke, you look incredible. You are absolutely gorgeous." He said softly before holding his hand out to her to spin her around to see her entire dress.

"Wow Harry, who knew you cleaned up so fantastically. I don't even know what to say." She said, smiling shyly.

"That's easy." Harry said as he heard music flare up in the next room. "Say you'll dance with me."

"Of course I will." She said before smiling. And without knowing it she pushed all thoughts of murder, death eaters, and dark lords from his head for the rest of the evening.

Hours later as the party goers began to count down the final minutes of the year, Harry was sitting on a low wall that overlooked a frozen pond. Brooke was sitting beside him and they were watching the snow fall above their heads, melting as it hit his warming spell.

"I am sorry I didn't ask you to be my date." He said softly as he ran his thumb over her fingers softly.

He was relieved when she laughed gently. "You don't have to apologize Harry, I understood what you said on the train. And I appreciate it. I am glad that you wanted to do something with me at all."

"I really like spending time with you." He practically whispered.

"I like you too Harry." She replied in barely more than a breath, he saw her cheeks tint pink.

"You really are absolutely beautiful tonight, well, all nights really, but especially tonight."

"Thank you." She muttered, feeling his hand on hers.

"I don't know how to say t right….I mean…I am not lonely when I am with you. It's weird, most of the time I miss my friends from school but it isn't like that with you. It is like I have known you forever. Like, you have always been here." He said, almost questioned.

He looked over at her, meeting her eyes. Her eyes made him feel light headed when he looked into them. His stomach flipped and his heart dropped as it pounded practically out of his chest. But at the same time they made him so calm and peaceful. They made him feel like he belonged there. Like, he was supposed to be right there with her. He couldn't tear his own eyes away from her. He reached his hand up and ran his fingers down her cheek, letting them rest under her chin. Staring into her perfectly clear eyes he did the only thing he knew to do, and leaned his lips to hers, falling into a kiss that was unlike any he had ever had.

0o0o0o0o0o

That night Harry was walking up the stairs to his room carrying his over robes over his shoulder, his shirt already untucked and undone, his shoes tied together and hanging by the laces in his hand.

"I didn't see you much after 11 tonight. How was your first Minister's Ball?" James asked from his own bedroom doorway.

Harry didn't reply until he was walking into his own room. "It was really good." He said vaguely.

James' eyes sparkled. "Yeah? Where did you get off to? Gideon and Fabian were looking for you. Frank came up hunting you out too. Actually I even heard Gideon ask Alice where our sweet little Brookie was. I didn't see you until about 15 minutes before we left when we found the two of you eating puddings in the dining hall. Were you in there the entire time?"

Harry shook his head in response as he threw his shoes into the corner and his robes onto the floor, leaving him standing in his pants and unbuttoned shirt. "No, I was out by the pond and in the garden's mostly." He mumbled.

"Yeah? It was a little cold out there wasn't it?" James asked, fishing for information.

Harry shrugged "Someone once told me that proper wizards use warming spells."

"Oh, I see. So did you and Brooke have a good evening together in the frozen gardens?" James smirked.

Harry couldn't have held back his grin if he wanted to. He placed his hand on his door before saying quietly, bemused. "Well, let's just say, that there were no tears this time." And he closed his door leaving James laughing in the hallway.

"That's my boy." He said loud enough for Harry to hear in his room.