A/N: Reminders: This isn't a fluff story so don't worry about the H/G moments that do pop up once in a while. Next, I have a Yahoo group, the link of which can be found in my profile. Lastly, if you write a review with a serious question or technicality or just a question in general, it will be posted on the group's list. :) Thanks, R&R!
"Isn't this dress robe I got for you handsome?" Ginny asked brightly as she entered Harry's bedroom on the evening of his birthday to find him intently studying a magical mythology text. She walked up in front of him and showed them to him.
Harry looked up at Ginny, "What?"
"The robe Harry!" Ginny reiterated. "The robe! What do you think of it?"
Harry surveyed the dark blue robe that was trimmed with gold. He had to admit that it was rather elegant despite the fact that he preferred Muggle formal dress over that of magical folk. "Yeah, sure it looks great Ginny. Why did you get it? There isn't a ball at Hogwarts this year is there?"
"Not that I know of," Ginny answered as she placed the dress robe carefully onto Harry's four-poster- bed. "We might be able to convince Dumbledore to throw something for Christmas though. In celebration of our wedding and all. We'd be the only ones to know quite why though."
Harry sighed and set the book down on the small table that sat next to the armchair. "Shouldn't we at least tell Ron and Hermione? They know about who we are now. They'd understand the reasons and they are after all our friends."
Ginny nodded thoughtfully, "Perhaps, it depends on where we are with them at that point. More trouble could arise concerning Ron." Ginny quickly glanced at her watch, "You have exactly one hour before you need to be wearing these robes and downstairs greeting out guests."
Harry sat forward instantly, his eyes bulging out. "What!"
"The dress robes are specifically for you Birthday Ball Harry, you wouldn't want to be late to a ball celebrating your own birthday, now would you? Everyone from Orekylshire will be there, then of course there's my family, and a few people from the Ministry, and of course, a few friends from school." Ginny responded calmly. She waved merrily and casually slipped out of the room and into her own.
Leaping up, Harry grabbed the robe from his bed and began to get ready. Why had Ginny not warned him? He was a mess! He'd been playing Quidditch all day with Ron and the twins and needed to take a bath. Harry quickly made his way to the bathroom.
*
Harry politely shook the hand of a Muggle family from Orekylshire. They were dressed in formal Muggle dress. Then again they could be magical. If Mr. Weasley liked Muggles so much why didn't he settle down in the village? Harry wondered to himself. He crouched down to eye level with the young boy and shook his hand. "Welcome." He stood up again and gestured in the general direction of the ballroom, or at least where he thought it was. "That's where dinner will be served and after the dancing will begin. Harry also assumed that dinner came first. Ginny had failed to come down from her room and had left Harry to greet the guests while she prepared.
"Harry!"
Turning, Harry scanned the new arrivals coming up and spotted Neville and what appeared to be his distant family. "Thanks for coming Neville," Harry said in greeting.
"It's a pleasure Harry! When we got the letter from Ginny inviting us, Gran nearly had a heart-attack. She had never expected to be invited to Phoenix Manor." Neville said breathlessly. "Have you seen Elizabeth yet?"
"I haven't," Harry said, "I'm sure that she'll be showing up sooner or later though.
Just then, something over Harry's shoulder caught Neville's eye. His mouth dropped open and his eyes bulged out. "Harry! That's some girlfriend!"
Harry spun around and spotted Ginny elegantly descending the main staircase. She was clothed in the most elegant dress that he had ever seen. She wore a dark but very bright blue that was trimmed with elegant patterns of silver. Her hair was done up in a beautiful bun that emphasized her red hair and to crown it off, she wore a silver tiara with inset sapphires. Harry's heart leapt and began to flutter, it was Ginny, his Ginny. "Hello Harry, Neville," Ginny said, smiling brightly as she arrived at the bottom and approached them.
Harry took Ginny's hand and bowed to kiss it, "My High Lady."
Ginny smiled gracefully and curtsied. "My High Lord."
They turned around to talk to Neville but found that he had disappeared. They quickly found him approaching Elizabeth Fawcett as she entered. "Neville and Elizabeth in a tree. . ." Ginny chanted.
"Just like us," Harry commented dryly. "At least they're not planning to elope."
Ginny giggled, "Oh Harry." She gave him her hand. "I think that everyone has arrived, let's go and eat. Dinner is about to be served. Harry shook his head and the pair made their way to the ballroom.
*
"This place is magnificent!" Ron exclaimed as he surveyed the ballroom. His adventures and wanderings during the summer had not brought him into this room. The wall of the large circular room seemed to be made only of glass as was the ceiling. Delicate chandeliers hung throughout the room, and intricate patterns decorated the marble dancing floor. The tables were set on a platform that circled the dance floor and was slightly raised above it with several steps from various points leading down. "And for once it isn't in 'Hogwarts a History.'"
"Seriously Ron," Hermione sighed as she sipped some fruit punch from a crystal goblet. "This place is rather nice though, I doubt that any dwelling in all of Britain could surpass it. Or even in Europe for that matter. I wish that Fleur Delacour and some of her friends from Beaubaxton's could see this, and weep!"
Ron snickered, "Or Durmstrang for that matter?"
Hermione was about to reply when they were interrupted by Parvati and Padma Patil. "This place is absolutely gorgeous," Parvati said breathlessly. They sat down at Ron and Hermione's table.
"I hear that you've been spending the whole summer here," Padma said to Ron, ignoring Hermione's glare.
Ron nodded and began to talk about everything in the manor as if he'd lived there for his whole life while Padma listened with rapt attention. Parvati turned her attention to Hermione. "So how is Harry these days? It seems like forever since the Yule Ball. I haven't had the chance to say hello to him yet either."
*
Harry, Ginny, and Professor Dumbledore were at another table talking about more serious matters. "Ron and Hermione know what we are now," Ginny said.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he nodded, "I suspect that they were rather surprised. It might be for the best at this point for them to know being that Voldemort is aware." He looked down at the menu the house-elves had placed for each person, and ordered some chicken and sweets. "Have you told them that they will be teaching the Highly Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts class yet? Miss Granger will feel inadequate if she doesn't have enough time to prepare."
"Actually we haven't told them quite yet," Harry replied. "However, I have written out detailed lesson plans for them to follow. There are some things that I'd like to have specifically taught and or addressed in the classes. How many have signed up so far?"
"You'd be rather surprised I think," Dumbledore acknowledged. "So many that Remus and I have decided to change the curriculum of the normal Defense class and have everyone take it anyway."
"Oh?" Ginny said, intrigued, "What's going to be taught in there now?"
"For the most part it will be a discussion class where Remus will answer questions and talk about whatever subjects come up. If there's something special we want to communicate to the student body that's where we'll have it pop up." Dumbledore explained.
Harry nodded, "That might come in handy at one point. On a more serious note, have you heard anything more about Voldemort? What he's doing or what he is planning to do?"
"Professor Snape has been unable to find anything concerning that," Dumbledore sighed. "He can sense the danger though. Whatever Voldemort is doing is extremely dangerous and as time drags on, it becomes more of a danger to us."
The conversation continued on but did not produce much more information. After everyone finished eating the musical group that Ginny had hired began to play songs for people to dance to. "Care to dance?" Harry said to Ginny as he stood up.
"I'd love to," Ginny said as she smiled and took Harry's hand.
They made their way to the floor and fell in with the slow beat. "Are you enjoying your birthday party?" Ginny asked as they waltzed.
Harry grinned, "Of course I am, although I would have never expected to have a ball thrown in honor of my birthday."
"Then you have a lot more surprises coming you way," Ginny said, "a lot more." The ball continued well into the night as Harry and Ginny danced together lost in each other's arms.
*
Harry pulled a pair of folders from a drawer in his desk and quickly thumbed through them checking that the contents were all there. They would be returning to Hogwarts in the morning. Everyone had spent the day packing and finishing their homework. With the exception of Harry and Ginny who didn't particularly have any homework. There was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Harry called.
The door opened to admit Ron and Hermione. He had asked Ginny to tell them to come down on her way to bed. He motioned for them to sit down. "What do you need us for?" Ron asked as he and Hermione sat down in front of the desk.
"You may or may not know," Harry began, "but nearly the whole student body at Hogwarts has signed up the HADADA class. I don't have time to handle all that many classes. Therefore I'm asking you to become my teacher assistants and teach most of the classes."
Hermione's mouth fell open in shock and delight, "Me? Teach at Hogwarts?"
"Who else is teaching?" Ron asked.
"Ginny will be taking the rest of the classes that you two don't cover. I'll be overseeing everything and maybe even do some of my own teaching. I've written up your lesson plans for all of the stuff I want covered over the year." Harry explained as he handed them each a folder containing the same contents.
"Are you sure that everything we need is in these?" Hermione asked as she excitedly looked at the lesson plans and references in the folders.
"You'll do just fine with that," Harry replied.
Ron quickly looked through everything as well. "Do we get our own offices?"
Harry rolled his eyes and dryly replied, "I'm afraid not Ron. You may be teaching but you're not necessarily professors. You of course may give or deduct points but that authority and power comes from me. If you have the need for an office then you may borrow mine. Any questions?"
They both shook their heads but Hermione spoke anyway. "We just wanted to tell you something Harry. During the last Order meeting someone brought up the subject that you ought to be guarded more closely. They assigned us and others to sort of watch out for you. It wasn't Dumbledore or us, it was just other members. They kind of think rather highly of themselves."
"Basically," Ron explained, "they want to treat you as a baby who doesn't know squat until the time comes to face Voldemort."
Anger surged through Harry but he suppressed it. The time would come when he would take care of such ridiculous nonsense. "Thank you for telling me," Harry responded diplomatically. "I shall take care of it in due time. For now though, I suggest that you go to bed."
*
Harry glanced at all the aurors lining Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and sighed. Really! All of this for him was total nonsense. What did they think he was! Harry and Ginny waved and exchanged greeting with fellow classmates and some that he didn't even know. Most of them wanted to know if they had made the HADADA class or not. He assured them all that they had.
"I have to attend the special meeting for prefects," Ginny told Harry.
Harry nodded, "I'll grab a compartment then."
Ginny walked off and Harry dragged his trunk onto the train and found a compartment somewhere in the middle. He sat down alone and waited. Two hours later Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Elizabeth entered the compartment just in time to eat the sweets that Harry had gotten from the cart.
"Did they say anything interesting?" Harry inquired.
"They're sure coming down hard on the rules and safety," Neville commented excitedly. Apparently the staff had decided that extra prefects were necessary. "They've declared that the punishments for rule-breaking will be super-harsh this year. What will you do Harry?"
"I didn't know that I was increasing punishments," Harry replied dryly.
Ginny laughed, "Scare tactics Harry. Everyone has seen you make an example of Malfoy, they don't want worse than that." She reached over and took a bag of jelly beans.
"The security has been increased. Three prefects will be on each patrol as well as a teacher. The only exception is Ginny it seems. Apparently she qualifies as a professor." Hermione explained. "Prefect ranking will become more rigid than ever. Should Hogwarts ever come under attack the prefects and teacher will serve as a sort of military force with the assistance of the students."
"As Head Boy and Head Girl, Hermione and I are ranked as lieutenant colonels basically. Each prefect thereafter is a major and then from there they choose their own officers. The professors are colonels and then Dumbledore and Harry are the generals. They didn't say this but I suspect that you're actually commander-in-chief Harry." Ron said.
"They failed to mention that Ginny is a general too," Harry said. "In fact, as far as you're all concerned if the command comes from her it comes from me."
"We understand that," Hermione responded earnestly.
The ride continued throughout the day and well into the evening. The friends talked about various things, some serious, some light. They were just finishing a game of Exploding Snap when Elizabeth shrieked. "What was that!"
Harry jerked forward. "What!"
"I thought I saw something out the window," Elizabeth whispered nervously peering out the window.
"Probably just your imagination," Ron scoffed as he set the Snap game up again. "It's dark, it's raining, there's lightning and thunder, you could see anything.
Just then the compartment's lights blinked out as the train's wheels locked and began to wail as the trains momentum pushed it onward until it came to a screeching stop.