A.N. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! No, Gracie. Ginny is not going to propose to Harry. In fact, it's quite the opposite, but I'm not saying anything else…
*~Malena~ *
Harry awoke nose to snout with Spot. Spot was standing on his chest and staring back at him with his brown puppy eyes. Harry patted Spot on the head and got up. He pulled on an orange tee shirt that said: FUGITIVE (you never saw me). He pulled on some beige pants and walked downstairs.
James was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the Daily Prophet and eating a doughnut.
"Morning Dad," Harry said, pouring himself some orange juice.
"You're in a good mood today," said James thickly, his mouth full of chocolate glazed doughnut. "You're calling me Dad, anyway. You only call me 'dad' when you're in a very good mood."
"I guess I'm in a good mood then," Harry said, sitting down across from his dad and picking up a jelly filled doughnut out of the box in the middle of the table.
"Any reason in particular?"
"Ginny and I had a date last night." James arched his eyebrow.
"How far did it go?" James asked sternly. "You didn't 'do it', did you?"
"Dad-"
"Remember what I told you, Harry," James said, putting down his half-eaten doughnut. "Sex is like a-" He was interrupted by Harry laughing his head off.
"Dad, we (laugh) didn't (snort) do it (hahaha!)," Harry managed to choke out. James frowned and was about to say something else, but an eagle owl landed in front of him. The owl had a letter with the Ministry seal on it.
James ripped open the envelope and read it hurriedly.
"Damn," He said. "I've gotta go in, Harry. This case might take a long time, will you be okay here for a few days?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Harry said.
"You sure?"
"I've been on my own before."
"All right, do you remember the things that I told you?"
"Throw lots of parties, get really drunk and-"
"Ha ha ha, Harry. I'm serious, be on your best behavior. If this lasts more than two days I'm sending Remus to check on you."
"'Kay."
"Remember, if you ever need me, just-"
"You worry too much."
"All right, all right, I'm leaving," James snapped. He disappeared instantly.
Harry rolled his eyes and went back to his doughnut…
It was an uneventful three days. Harry went to Diagon Alley two times and invited Hermoine, Dean, Ginny, Lavender and Parvati to watch a movie on their big screen TV (which Harry had begged James to buy). Harry was glad when Remus stopped by. They talked for a little while about Remus's new, permanent job at Hogwarts as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
On the fourth day, James returned. Harry was sitting in one of the living rooms, reading a book about Quidditch when all of a sudden James came out of nowhere.
"Hello Harry," James said, taking off his cloak. "How were you without me?"
"Well, let me see, I threw a giant party, everyone got drunk, people were 'riding their brooms' like crazy and then we all passed out on the floor," Harry said sarcastically.
"Ha ha ha, really, what happened?"
"I was really bored and I invited my friends over to watch a movie," Harry said. "That's about it."
"Oh, all right."
"How'd the case go? What happened?"
"The case went fine, and you know I'm not supposed to talk to you about my work," James said.
"Right…"
A day or two before Harry and Ginny were supposed to go to the Quidditch camp, Harry received a letter from the Ministry of Magic.
To Mr. H. Potter, It said.
We have been told of your dealings with the late Lord Voldemort, and we are aware that you also know the Deathday Curse. We, at the Department of Mysteries, are very interested to know more about the Deathday Curse, such as how it is cast. We are also aware of your high marks in the class of Defense Against the Dark Arts. We wish to discuss the chance of you coming to work with us. We await your answer and we will set up a meeting with you.
Prolus Croaker
Head of the Department of Mysteries.
Harry stared in awe at the piece of parchment in his hand. They were offering him a job to be a Unspeakable? Harry set down the letter and picked up a fresh piece of parchment.
To Polus Croaker, Head of the Department of Mysteries,
I would be glad to meet with you to discuss the chance of me coming to work for you, but in two days I am going to Grimiman's Quidditch camp, and I will not be returning until the last week of August. Perhaps we can set up a meeting after that.
Harry Potter
Harry folded the letter, and gave the letter to Hedwig. He watched as she flew through the open window and over the countryside.
"Hey Harry!" Ron said, he was very tan after working at Camp Flicking Wands. Ginny was alongside him, her trunk on the floor beside her.
"Hi Ron," Harry replied. "Hello Gin."
"Hi Harry," Ginny said.
"Come in, we're still waiting for the bus."
"We're going by bus?" Ginny asked.
"That's what the brochure said," Harry said, pulling the brightly colored brochure out of his pocket and showing Ginny.
"Hello Ron," said James, coming into the room. "You dropping your sister off?"
"Yeah," Ron said. "I'm going to leave after the bus arrives-"
Ron was cut off as there was the sound of screeching tires and all of a sudden a very dirty bus came screeching to a stop in front of the house.
"I'm here to pick up Mr. Harry Potter and Miss Ginny Weasley," said a wizard wearing a brown cloak with the words Gimiman's Quidditch Camp on it.
"That's us," Harry said. Harry shrunk their trunks and they piled onto the bus.
Two hours later they arrived at the Quidditch camp. It was better than the brochure. There were 10 Quidditch fields and about 20 cabins, 10 for girls, 10 for boys. The mess hall was enormous! Then there was the hall of fame. It had a picture of every camper that had gone onto play professional Quidditch. Harry recognized Aidan Lynch, and several others.
"Hey Harry!" Harry spun around to see David Korbin waving madly at him. David had played with Harry on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. David reminded Harry of a younger version of Oliver Wood, always enthusiastic about Quidditch.
"We're sharing a cabin Harry," David said. "Come on!" Harry said goodbye to Ginny, who was being dragged away by Audrey Barwin, another teammate on the Gryffindor Team.
Harry chose a bed and made his trunk back to its regular size. David however, was opening the drawers of a bureau.
"Hey, look!" He exclaimed. "Robes." The uniforms were bright red and they had the words Grimiman's Quidditch Camp on them. David was just pulling the robes on when the door opened again. And in walked… Draco Malfoy. He took one look at Harry and instantly smirked.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't our hero, Potty," He sneered. He walked over to a bed and set down his trunk.
"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry snarled.
"You honestly didn't think that you're pathetic team would be the only one coming to this Quidditch camp, did you?" Draco said.
"Let me guess, you're parents paid for you to come here, along with your team. Or wait, only your mother, after all, your dad's still on the run, isn't he?"
Draco glared at Harry.
"Shut it Potter," He spat.
"Where's the rest of your sucky team?"
"They're in other cabins," Draco said. He turned back to his trunk and continued to unpack. The rest of the boys in their cabin eventually came, and Harry forgot about Draco.
The weeks spent at the Quidditch camp were not what a lot of people would call 'fun'. Every morning, at six thirty, the bell rang for them to get up. They ate breakfast and then started training. At around three, all of the teams would go to the Quidditch fields and play against each other. Harry and Ginny were not on the same team, but he was on the same team as Audrey and David.
On the last week of camp, they were having the finals. In the finals, the teams would play against each other until there was one team that had beat everyone. Delegations from all around the world would come and watch, to see if they would want anyone from the teams to play professionally for them. Harry team had beaten every team, but one. The opposing team had Draco. And they had beaten every team, but theirs.
"When I blow the whistle, the game will begin," said the referee. Harry was glaring at Draco, and Draco had a look of utmost loathing on his face.
"TWWEEEEEETTTTTT!" All fourteen players rose into the air and went flying off in different directions.
"Parscer has the Quaffle," Yelled the commentator. "He is going for the goal post, but is hit in the head with a Bludger sent his way by Barwin! No sign of the Snitch yet."
Harry was circling the sky like a hawk, his eyes darting everywhere in search of the Snitch. He was getting seriously bored. The only excitement was when a Bludger came his way. Suddenly, Harry dived. Faster and faster! The ground was speeding toward him. He could see Draco out of the corner of his eye, also speeding toward the ground to the spot where Harry was aiming for.
When Harry was a foot away from the ground he pulled up. Draco was not fast enough and went flying from his broom. He landed about ten feet away.
"Damn you Potter," He spat, so only Harry could hear him.
Harry flew high up into the air and started looking for the Snitch.
WHAM! Harry was almost knocked off of his broom when something much faster than a Bludger rammed into him. It was Malfoy.
"Foul!" Cried the commentator. "David flies forward to the goal post…" David scored, making the score 50 to 70.
All of a sudden, Harry spotted the Snitch flying toward him at amazing speed. It was going to go right past his ear. Right as the Snitch was passing him, Harry threw up his hand and caught the Snitch.
"POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" yelled the commentator through the microphone. "Team number 7 wins!" Harry smiled broadly as the rest of the team rushed toward him. He glanced down at the Delegations and saw that they were talking excitedly. Harry was pulled into a giant group hug as the rest of the team. He tried to find Ginny in the crowds, but she was no where to be seen. The crowd was chanting, "Seven! Seven! Seven…"
On the last day of camp, Harry and Ginny were sitting together under a giant oak tree.
"Harry, we need to talk," Ginny said.
"Sure Gin, about what?" Harry asked, looking over at her.
"Well, you know I have a year of Hogwarts left, right?"
"Yeah…"
"It's going to be hard to keep up a relationship while I'm at school." Harry was silent for a moment.
"What are you trying to say?" Harry said quietly.
"I think that we shouldn't go out while I'm at school," Ginny said quietly.
Harry stared at her for a moment.
"All right," Harry replied.
"So you're okay with it?"
"Yeah, I'm okay with it. And you're right, it would be hard to keep up a relationship."
"We can write letters," Ginny said.
"Yeah," Harry gave a small smile.
"Well…"
"Okay…"
"I'll write."
"I'll reply." Ginny smiled.
"Harry I'm so glad that you're so understanding," Ginny said. "I mean, I was really worried that you would get all mad. And this was really hard for me, because you're always so nice and all."
"Yeah." Harry said, trying to sound upbeat.
"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you…"
"Or hearing from me." Ginny smiled and slowly kissed him on the cheek.
"Bye Harry," She said. She got up and walked away.
Harry heaved a sigh as he watched Ginny walk away.
"Hey Dad," Harry said as he walked into his house later that evening.
"You're right on time," James said. "Two owls just arrived with letters for you."
Harry looked at the table where a Eagle owl and a Great Horned Owl were sitting.
He took the letter from the Great Horned owl first. It was from the Puddlemere United Quidditch team.
To Mr. Harry Potter, It read.
We are happy to tell you that we were very impressed with your performance at Grimiman's Quidditch Camp. We are holding tryouts for a new Seeker and a new Beater on September 2. We would be honored if you would be able to come. Please reply if you are.
Sincerely,
Puddlemere United Quidditch Team
Harry smiled and wrote back, saying that he was able to go. Then he opened the other letter.
To Mr. H. Potter,
How is August 29? We will be expecting you at three o'clock sharp.
Prolus Croaker
Department of Mysteries
Harry stared back at the paper, he had completely forgotten about the Department of Mysteries.
I can just decide if I want to go into the Department during the meeting. Harry told himself. He wrote back and said that he would be able to go.
A.N. Just telling you, that this won't be the last time we see Harry and Gin together!
~* Malena *~