Thanks to my reviewers:

StarQuality-Hopefully, it's easier to read now.

HannahJLupin-Taking it in a positive direction?

Lady Katrina-This should clear up some questions.

As always, J.K. Rowling owns almost all, but I own Cat, Aenea and Abby.

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Harry spent the next few days anxiously awaiting the arrival of Hedwig with a response. He found that he couldn't get the two-part dream out of his mind. The male voice had sounded so familiar, but he couldn't place it. Harry also kept thinking about that baby. The baby looked so similar to his mother. Did he have a sister, or was she killed, too? His parents had seemed so real in the dream. He couldn't remember them because he was only fifteen months old when they died.

He was reading the Daily Prophet. It wasn't always illuminating, but it was a good way to stay away from Dudley, his cousin. Dudley delighted in Harry's misfortunes, often causing them, but lately he had been distracted by his girlfriend, Bridget Blanche. A more distressing development was that Mr. and Mrs. Dursley had started to go out of town on weekends leaving Dudley in charge. This meant that not seeing Bridget was very uncommon especially at the breakfast table. Harry looked up from page 3 and noticed that Hedwig had come back. She flew to him and nipped his fingers affectionately. Harry took the message attached to foot which read:    

            Harry,

Try not to worry about those dreams. We'll have a talk later. Have your bags packed for school by next Thursday at 6:00 PM.

            Albus

Harry was surprised that Dumbledore himself would reply back. Despite the words to the contrary, Harry knew what he dreamed must have been serious. He wondered what was going on to warrant someone coming for him.

The afternoon of July 31, Harry packed his bags for the last time. He had decided that he wasn't coming back. His aunt and uncle had left for summer holiday and left Dudley behind. Bridget was over all the time.

"Are you going back to that criminal boys school?" she asked him as he waited with his suitcases.

"Yep," said Harry, holding his tongue. His aunt and uncle told everyone that he went to St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys instead of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"I know what today is," said Bridget

"What's today?" he asked.

"Your birthday," she said. Harry had completely forgotten until that morning. He had slept through the midnight hour, but he was disappointed that no one else had mentioned it. No cards. No well-wishes. No chocolates or gifts. No owls at all. It felt like Voldemort had won again.

He glanced at his watch, 5:59 PM, and shrugged his shoulders. Then there was a set of raps from the door.

"I'll get it," screamed Dudley, but Harry easily surpassed him and opened the door. He found Lupin there. He was dressed in decent Muggle clothing.

"Are you all set?" he asked Harry.                                                                  

"I just have to get my bags," responded Harry and he ran to get them.

 Lupin smiled to Dudley and Bridget, trying to be polite. Dudley stood staring. Bridget didn't know what to do or say. The creaky, ill used wheels in Dudley's brain started to turn. Harry never has any visitors. They were his only family and his only friends were…were Them. He must be one of Them.

"How do you do?" Lupin asked Bridget, offering his hand. She accepted.

  "Very well, thank you," said Bridget, impressed by his manners. Dudley didn't like the look in her eyes.

"You're one of them!" he exclaimed, accusingly.

"Who?" asked Lupin

 "A wizard," said Dudley.

"Wizards don't exist," said Lupin, glancing from Dudley ro Bridget. Harry had come down the stairs with his mess of suitcases. Lupin took some from him as Harry turned to his cousin, "Dudley, meet a very good friend of mine, Remus Lupin. He taught at my school." Lupin smiled weakly as Dudley balled up his fists in defence.

"Have you got your learner's permit?" asked Lupin. Harry nodded.

"Okay. One. Two. Three," said Lupin and both of them disappeared. Dudley immediately looked disgusted, but Bridget's response was, "Cool."

Harry had a learner's permit to apparate. Apparition was the ability to disappear from one place and appear in another, but you had to have a license. It was a large responsibility like driving a car.

Harry found himself in the kitchen of Number 12, Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Lupin put down his suitcases.

"You can just set them down here," said Lupin, "and go into the kitchen." Harry felt he had a weird tone in his voice. Harry set down his suitcase and Hedwig's cage. He went to go through the door and Lupin stepped close behind. No sooner had Harry opened the door, then a flood of voices yelled, "Happy Birthday!" Harry was surprised and very happy. The party guests included Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, Olympe Hagrid, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Fred Weasley, Katie Wealey, George Weasley, Molly Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Tonks, Dobby, and a girl that he had never seen before, but was instantly attracted to. She had shoulder length wavy hair that was dyed dark violet and had light green eyes.

I have to be introduced to her, thought Harry. Molly stood before a cake that read:

Happy 17th Birthday, Harry!

There were seventeen candles lit and everyone started to sing. Harry made an impulsive wish and blew out the candles. Every single one became dark. Then he was hugged by Molly, the mother of his best friend Ron.

"The rest wanted to come, but Mr. Weasley's busy at work, Charlie and Bill are both on projects for Dumbledore and Percy's on his honeymoon with Penelope," explained Molly, "but they told me to wish you well in the next year."

"Thanks," said the birthday boy and was soon surrounded by almost the whole party.

"Harry, you have to open mine first," said Ginny, a much sought after Gryffindor in her sixth year. He opened the pink, frilly gift to reveal a framed picture of the entire Weasley family, smiling and waving as only magical pictures could do. Molly gave him a homemade pie, Ron gave him a small dagger, Hermione gave him a smentanet and the twins gave him more of their homemade fireworks. Fred's wife, Katie, shook her head at the gift. Harry walked over to Lupin who looked both sad and pleased. He gave Harry a small box that inside contained a Christmas ornament. It was a hard material, but on the front was a small handprint decked by two index fingerprints. On the back, it read:

Merry Christmas!         James, Lily, Harry

"I found this a couple months ago and felt you should have it," said Lupin. Harry studied the fingerprints. Which was which? He carefully laid it back in the box. Then Hagrid motioned him over. Hagrid and his wife were easily spotted. They were both half-giants and as such were ten feet tall. They had been married over a year, but didn't get to see each other as much as normal couples. Hagrid was the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts as well as teaching Care of Magical Creatures and Olympe was headmistress at Beauxbaxtons, a French wizarding school. Olympe didn't seem to be able to stop smiling as she held Hagrid's hand with all her might. Harry was glad that Hagrid had found happiness in his life. The half-giant took out an envelope and handed it to Harry. He opened the envelope to find a map of Beaubaxtons and he looked at the couple.

"It isn't unmappable?" asked Harry.

"It is, but I pulled a special favour," said Hagrid smiling at his wife, "I'll be there more often this year." Olympe put her head on Hagrid's shoulder. Harry wondered what was going on.

"Harry Potter, sir. Master Dumbledore asked Dobby if he wanted to come to birthday party for Harry Potter," said Dobby the house Elf and he gave Harry a small object wrapped in a knit handkerchief. Inside it, Harry found a gold stone charm on a black, leather cord.

 "Dobby made it mostly from honey, sir, but it has other properties as well."

"Thank you, Dobby," said Harry, tying it around his neck. Tonks gave him a ball.

"This is a scrying ball where you can see loved ones in places far away," explained Tonks.

"Excuse me, but I would like a moment with Harry," said Professor Dumbledore. They went into the kitchen, but not before Dumbledore whispered something to the strange girl.

"Now that you're seventeen, I have something for you," said Dumbledore.

"My apparition license?" asked Harry hopefully. Dumbledore chuckled softly.

"It's the deed to the land that your parents owned," he explained, handing him a paper from his robes.

"I own land?" he inquired.

"Most of Godric's Hollow and a few other locations," said Dumbledore.

"What about the dream I had?"

"It wasn't a dream. Both events actually transpired, but it's troubling that the first part was a memory of Voldemort's."

"The second part was mine, but the girl was in both and I recognised them. It's only that I've forgotten already."

"The girl's murder happened almost sixteen years ago, but sometimes it's easier to forget than remember."

"Who was she?"

"That's not for me to say. There are still those who mourn her and the loss of her parents." The kitchen door opened and the violet-haired girl came in asking, "Am I too soon?" Her voice had a soft British accent as if she lived somewhere else. She was rather shy, but that seemed like it wasn't her usual personality.

"No," said the headmaster, "Harry, I want you to meet Cat Alveena. Cat, this is Harry Potter." They shook hands and Harry was nervous. The two of them stuck by each other the rest of the night, but didn't really talk. By eleven o'clock, most of the guests were sleepy and Dumbledore was covering a yawn. Harry had hugged everyone goodbye when he reached Cat. They looked at each other and shook hands again. Hermione glanced at Ron.

 Lupin went upstairs while the trio stayed in the living room.

"So what did you think of her?" asked Ron.

"She was beautiful," said Harry.

"Yeah. Yeah, she was," agreed Ron and Hermione gave him a look.

"Olympe was acting weird tonight. She hugged me," commented Harry.

"Maybe she's sick," suggested Ron.

"Hagrid did say that he was going to be spending a lot more time there this year," said Harry.

"Maybe it's life threatening," said Ron, worried.

"I don't think it's fatal," said Hermione, not voicing her theory, "but all the adults seemed to be hiding something."

"They always are," complained Ron. They all agreed and talked some more before Harry went to bed. Hermione and Ron were still wide awake so they stayed up for a few more hours.