Chapter 3: Expect the Unexpected
Harry looked at the card before him in bewilderment. An 'implantant' card. He'd never heard of one of these before but by the sounds of it Ron and Hermione had. To be honest it sounded painful but he wasn't quite sure what it was so he decided to ask Ron.
"So, what exactly is an 'implantant'?"
"There aren't very many of them, none right now. In fact you have to get ministry approval before you can become one and you'd have to be rich because even after the ministry approves it still costs more than most people have."
"So what is it?" asked Harry again.
"Well, they do it for people that show an aptitude for wandless magic. What they do it they take your wand and another just like it and they take out whatever you have inside. Then they cut open your arm all the way down to your wrist. To the bone. Then they put your wand core inside your forearm bone with all your marrow and then they stitch you up. When they're done you can do wandless magic and your spells become more powerful. There's only one person in all of Great Britain, no, the world, that can do it though."
"Who's that?" asked Harry, silently hoping that it wasn't Snape.
"Gregory Simonsfield." Answered Hermione as Ron muttered something along the lines of know it all.
"Hmm. I wonder why they want me to become an implantant?" pondered Harry out loud.
"Well it's obvious, Harry," said Ginny, "you need to get Voldemort in the end and if it makes your magic any better then why not do it, I'm sure Dumbledore got it for you. It's the fact that Fudge actually agreed to let you become one that surprises me the most, especially without knowing that you'll be the one to take out Voldemort. You know how he can be sometimes."
"I know how he can be all the time," replied Harry, beaming at Ginny's use of Voldemort's name twice "I guess if Dumbledore thought it best then the ministry decided that they'd be best off without arguing with him.
"Yeah, I guess."
"I've got a better way to find out what Dumbledore was thinking!" said Ron.
"What?" asked Hermione quickly.
"Why don't we read that letter that he sent along with the package?" asked Ron.
"Oh," said Hermione, a little put out that she didn't give the answer herself, "I thought you meant a way to tell what Dumbledore was thinking now. If I would have known what you where talking about I could have told you that."
"You're just jealous because someone's smarter than you for once after I got attacked by those brain."
"I am not. In fact I don't know if those brains really did make you smarter since you even thought for a moment that I was jealous of someone as pitiful as yourself."
"I'm pretty sure with a face as ugly as yours I'm sure you're jealous every time you see another girl."
Hermione looked like she was ready to cry but Harry spared her the embarrassment by starting to read his letter:
Dear Harry,
I'm sorry that I could not give this to you in person but under the circumstances I'm sure you'd understand. You may have already looked at your new wallet. If you have not I suggest that you do now since I am about to explain it's contents. The first card is your apparation license. I talked to the minister and he agreed to give you your apparation license to you on your 16th birthday rather than your 17th. I assure you that he does not know of your situation (prophecy). As to the Animagus card well I talked to the person in charge of Animagus registry and she said that although you need to be eighteen to become an animagus she believed that you where ready for the challenge. Needless to say it was Professor McGonagall. As to the last card. I'm not sure if you know quite what an implantant is as they are so rare. Right now there are no living implantants. An implantant is essentially someone who can do magic without a wand in their hand but they have a wand core implanted in each arm. Only wizards who are good at using wandless magic are given this opportunity and you have proven that you are able to do wandless magic many times before. As soon as you get to school you will commence a rigorous training routine. To help you prepare as much as possible for the final confrontation, whenever that will be. Professor McGonagall will be teaching you to become an animagus as well as how to apparate. Professor Snape will continue his occlumency. I know that this news will not thrill you but it is necessary that you learn to become an occlumen and Professor Snape is very advanced in this field. I have asked Professor Moody to return to teach you proper dueling techniques and defense. I'm sure you're dying to find out who the new defense teacher will be but I'll hold the suspense and you can wait till the first day of classes. You will begin many more extra-curricular classes but I will tell you about them myself for as soon as you read my name I will appear before you.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
No sooner had Harry read these words than Dumbledore arrived, exactly as promised.
"Well, that was unexpected," commented Harry.
"You should begin to expect the unexpected Harry, these are dark times," said Dumbledore.
"Then you ask me to do the impossible Albus," said Harry, "to expect the unexpected is impossible. For if I'm expecting something then it's no longer unexpected. Therefore it is quite impossible to expect the unexpected but I will make an effort to expect more things to cut down on the unexpected."
Dumbledore looked as if he might reprimand Harry until he burst out laughing that it.
"Quite right you are Harry," laughed Dumbledore, "after all these many years my wits are not always about me. But now on to more serious matters."
Dumbledore moved over to take a seat beside the four teenagers.
"I mustn't stay long. If I had had the time I would have told you all that was in the letter to you myself. Harry I have something for you that was too valuable to have taken by an owl. Even if he was an auror and a member of the Order."
Dumbledore reached within his robes and pulled out a long thing wrapped in burlap. He reached out and handed it to Harry who took it hesitantly. Harry lifted up one end of the burlap and looked inside. What was inside made him gasp. It was the sword of Godric Gryffindor. He looked up at Dumbledore and removed the sword completely. Both Hermione and Ron gasped. Ginny just stared at it. It was the sword that Harry had saved her from the chamber of secrets with.
"I'm not sure if you know this but it is part of you heritage." Explained Dumbledore.
"Y-yeah, Hermione told me. But I never even thought about having a magic thousand year old sword before."
"I would imagine not. It is not what most people wish for."
"Is there anything else which you wish to tell me, Albus?"
"No I think not, in fact I was just attending a staff meeting. If it's fine with you I think I'll be leaving now."
And with that he disapparated out of sight. Just outside the school grounds no doubt since there was no apparating inside of Hogwarts.
"Well, that didn't tell us much that we didn't know," said Hermione unhappily.
"I thought that the discussion went rather well," said Harry.
"What discussion?" asked Hermione, "All you did was joked a bit and then he left after giving you the sword."
"But you see, last time we didn't part on very good terms. In fact a couple of weeks ago I kind of trashed his office. Broke some priceless items and stuff." Said Harry looking at his feet.
"You, what? You've really got to work on that temper of yours," said Ginny.
"Well enough of that," said Ron, much to Harry's delight, "Why don't we go finish up our homework."
So the four trudged upstairs, pranced in the case of Hermione, to do their homework.
The next few days passed somewhat uneventfully until the third Monday of the holidays. Harry was sitting on his bed facing Ron in a match of wizard's chess with Ginny's aid. All of a sudden he felt a large pain in his chest and he cried out in agony. Ron and Ginny both looked at him for a minute then returned to the game. They seemed to think that Harry had cried out because his queen had been taken.
He couldn't breath he couldn't talk. Soon Ron and Ginny noticed something was wrong and rushed over to him.
"Harry, can you breath?" asked Ron franticly.
Harry shook his head violently and struggled for air. He was sure he was going to pass out.
"Ron, do the unchoking charm!" Ginny cried.
"I can't do magic in the summer and I forgot how it goes!" yelled back Ron.
"Do the muggles Heimlich then!" said Ginny pleadingly.
Ron stood Harry up hastily and proceeded to do the Heimlich maneuver. But when nothing happened after three tried then he gave up.
"He's not choking Gin! He just needs air!"
"Then give him mouth-to-mouth!"
"I'm not kissing my best mate!" cried Ron.
Ginny looked around franticly for a few moments then decided that it was the best course of action. She summoned all her courage to her and took a deep breath. She pinched Harry's nose shut and pressed her lips against his. Not quite the first kiss she'd been hoping for but it was that or she was down a friend. She blew into Harry's lungs and removed her lips. She then pressed down on his chest and felt the air blow out onto her. Then she gave him air again.
Harry started to fall into darkness. He felt someone squeeze his stomach several times and let him fall to the floor. Then he felt someone plant their lips on his own and breath air into his lungs. He felt himself coming back. Then he breathed out and in and out and in and out. Soon enough he was breathing normally and he opened his eyes. He looked up into the faces of Ginny and Ron.
As soon as he opened his eyes Ginny backed off blushing furiously and she ran upstairs to her room. Ron just looked after her then turned his attention to Harry.
"You all right mate?" he asked, "Just about suffocated you did!"
"Yeah," said Harry slowly sitting back down onto the couch, "fine except for my gut is aching."
A few seconds later Dumbledore came rushing out of the fireplace.
"Harry?" he said with a look of concern on his face, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Albus. I just got the breath take away from me it seems. How did you know I wasn't well?"
"Your aunt tried to escape today and we had Kingsley on duty. She took his wand so he used muggle means to subdue her. Unfortunately Kingsley it a big man and he packs quite a punch!" said Dumbledore chuckling, "He winded your aunt and then returned her breath to her with a simple charm. He then notified me and I came straight here. It seems you have remembered your breathing charm Ron."
"Er, well actually, sir-" started Ron.
"Like I told Harry," Dumbledore interjected, "call me Albus."
"Sure, well I actually didn't remember that charm but luckily Ginny remembered the muggles 'mouth-to-mouth,'" replied Ron.
"Ah, well that works too," said Dumbledore looking at Harry playfully, "Perhaps even better. Well, I should be off. I'm at another meeting with your parents and the twins. You never seem to get into trouble at the convenient moment."
And with a wave he was gone again.
Just after Dumbledore had left Harry went straight to Ginny's room. He told Ron he'd be right back and went up the stairs to Ginny's room. He knocked softly on the door. When he heard no reply he knocked a little louder.
"Ginny?" he asked.
"I'm fine Harry, go finish that game of wizards chess with Ron."
"Ginny, I just wanted to thank you," said Harry seriously, "Dumbledore said that you may very well have saved my life just now."
Ginny remained silent for a while.
"What's wrong Ginny?"
When again he heard no reply he entered her room. He found Ginny sitting on the edge of her bed crying softly. Harry went over and sat down beside her and went to put his arm around her.
"Leave me alone!" said Ginny pulling away from Harry, "Don't go putting your nose where it doesn't belong. I said leave, now go!"
Harry stared at Ginny for a moment before obliging. When he got to the door he turned around.
"Ginny, I was just trying to thank you for-" but he didn't get to finish before she slammed the door in his face.
Harry walked downstairs at a slow pace and entered the living room and flopped down on the couch across from Ron.
"What's gotten in to her?" he asked Ron.
"To answer your question with another; who knows?" said Ron testing out some of his new found wisdom, "I'd leave her alone for a while if I where you, you don't want to get on the wrong side of the Weasley temper now do you."
"No, you can say that again. But still I wonder what's gotten into her, I mean why is she angry at me for trying to thank her?"
"You know I don't understand how girls work, you might as well ask me what boomslang skin is used for!"
"Then I believe I can help you," said Hermione from the doorway, "I know the answer to both your questions."
"You can skip the boomslang thing," said Harry quickly.
"Of course," said Hermione moving to sit beside Ron and across from Harry, "The reason behind Ginny's anger towards you is simple. She always had a crush on you right Harry?"
"Yeah, I guess so but that was when she was 10 and didn't know any better."
"Yes but she never forgot and he brothers didn't either so she's sure that he brothers are now going to tease her since she 'kissed' you."
"No she didn't saved my life is all she did. And where were you?"
"Oh, I was outside in the back yard, er, weeding. Took me awhile to fit through the slightly open window to get in here. I heard the whole thing though. Oh, and the reason why she doesn't want you to talk to her is so that she seems not to be attached to you so her brothers don't tease her. We'll talk to all of them before they see her but I'm not so sure if the twins will pass up an opportunity like this to poke fun at her."
"Oh, I'll see to it they don't" said Harry pounding his fist into his palm"
That night at supper all of the Weasleys where in attendance with the exception of Charlie. All of the Weasleys had been informed of what happened and had been told not to poke fun at Ginny. The twins agreed but only after Harry threatened to pull their funding.
Supper passed uneventfully, all of the Weasleys complimented Ginny for saving Harry's life. Every time Harry would smile at her and she seemed to perk up a bit.
After supper Harry went upstairs to get his broom so that he could play a game of quidditch with Ron, Bill and the twins. Since no muggles could see or hear the entire yard they where at no risk playing quidditch out in the open. And since Harry had gotten back the right to play quidditch, in one of the papers Dumbledore had sent him, he couldn't wait for his first game in almost a year.
As he walked upstairs he walked past Ginny's room.
"Harry?" he heard from within.
He walked back to the door and looked in, as the door was ajar. Ginny was once again sitting on her bed, not crying this time though.
"Yeah, Gin?" said Harry hesitantly.
"Um, I'd like to apologize for yelling at you earlier I was just, er, a little embarrassed."
"No need, Ginny. It's me who should be thanking you, you saved my life you know."
He walked over and helped Ginny up and pulled her into a warm embrace.
"You up for some quidditch? We've got a game about to start."
Ginny grinned up at him.
"What are you waiting for," said Harry, "Go grab your broom."
Harry left her then and went to retrieve his own broom from his closed upstairs. Dumbledore had placed it there for him.
The quidditch game went well. Since they only had 6 players they had only three hoops and one keeper and one beater. Ron played keeper and Fred played beater. Harry and George where on a team against Ginny and Charlie and the four played chasers.
Harry was an okay chaser and George proved to be one of the worst chasers Harry had ever seen. They lost hands down to Ginny, who was actually a quite talented chaser and Charlie who had played keeper as well but was a decent enough chaser.
By the time the sun started to set all six of them had smiles on their faces.
"I'd forgotten how fun it was to fly," said Harry, " Wonder who the captain is going to be this year, eh Ron?"
"Yeah, I wonder who it'll be since Angelina, Katie and Alicia had all graduated. And whoever it is will have to make pretty much an entire new team with the twins gone as well," said Ron as the twins exchanged high fives, "But I'm thinking that they'll make you captain."
Harry stopped walking, "Me?"
"Well, yeah. It's only me and you left on the team from last year and you've got loads more experience than me."
"But you study quidditch all the time Ron, you know way more about the strategy and you've improved quite a bit over the summer. Have you been practicing?
Ron smiled, "Yes, as a matter of fact I have but you'd still make the better captain."
The topic switched to something else that Harry wasn't aware of and they continued on inside and off to bed.
The next day Harry and Ron where awoken by a yell from Hermione. He looked over to see that Ron was awake too so he hastily threw on some clothes and raced downstairs to see what the commotion was about with Ron hot on his trail. When they entered the kitchen they found Hermione looking at a piece of paper and Ginny was looking at one as well.
"What's that?" asked Ron.
"It's our OWL results Ron! Open yours." Said Hermione.
"How'd you do Hermione?" asked Harry sitting down at the table grabbing an envelope addressed to him.
"I got all 10 of my OWLs and they where all Os!" she cried gleefully.
Harry looked down at his own paper.
Dear Mr. Harry James Potter
Below are your last year's OWL results and the classes you are eligible to take the advanced NEWT course for next year.
Harry read his grades out loud:
Transfiguration O
Potions O
Defense Against the Dark Arts R
Charms A
Herbology A
Astronomy E
Divination P
Care of Magical Creatures O
History of Magic D
When he finished and looked up at everyone else. Ron seemed to be looking at him in shock and Hermione seemed a bit put out and Ginny seemed surprised.
"Did somebody get an R?" asked Mrs.Weasley from where she was making breakfast; apparently she had been listening in on the whole conversation, "Was that you, Harry dear?"
"Er, yeah," said Harry hesitantly, "would someone tell me whether I want to have an R or not?"
"Harry," said Hermione as if it was common knowledge, which it probably was for most, "R stands for Ridiculously Good!"
"Oh, I'm so proud of you Harry," said Mrs.Weasley enveloping him in one of her famous bear-hugs, "The only one who ever got an R was Percy."
Harry noticed that she didn't give much thought to Percy anymore. It had been almost a year now and he supposed that she was getting over it.
After a minute she stepped back and examined Harry. "I'm prod of you Harry" she said again and then went back to making breakfast.
"That's great Harry how'd you do Ron?" asked Ginny.
"Oh, great," said Ron somewhat nervously, "Here goes:"
Transfiguration O
Potions E
Defense Against the Dark Arts O
Charms E
Herbology E
Astronomy A
Divination T
Care of Magical Creatures E
History of Magic D
"Did I mishear you or did you say 'T'?" said Hermione angrily.
"Uh," said Ron shrinking back, "You mean like in the last week? Oh, sure I say 'T' all the time."
"You know what I mean Ron."
"Er, well yeah I kind of did get a 'T' in Divination."
"Oh," said Hermione breathing a sigh of relief, "If Divination's where you got it then that's the best place to get a 'T'."
Ron let out a sigh as well. He was sure that Hermione would have flipped out on him if he had gotten a 'T' in any other class.
So then it was up to the three going-on-sixth-years to pick their courses for the next year. Hermione decided to take all ten of her advanced classes and take no spares. Ron argued that she needed some downtime but she refuted by stating that 'obviously her future meant more to her than it did to others'. Harry took all advanced courses that he could which where Transfiguration, Potions, Defense, Care of Magical Creatures and Charms. He was able to take advanced charms since his scar hurting had disrupted his exam. He also took Astronomy but dropped the other courses so he could have four spares. Dumbledore had requested that he have at least three spares and decided to go for four just to be safe.
Ron picked the advanced courses for Defense and Transfiguration. Charms, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures would be his other courses. Hermione insisted that he take more than five courses so eventually he gave in and took Divination.
Just then Ginny let out a small squeak as she held up her prefects badge.
"Congrats Ginny," said Harry, "Now the twins are the only ones in your family who didn't get make prefect."
"Well you didn't either Harry," said Mrs.Weasley, "You're part of the family too, you know."
"Well, I guess so," said Harry hesitantly, "Hey Ron did you get the captains badge?"
"Sure, rub it in why don't you?" said Ron.
"You mean you didn't get it?" asked Harry suspiciously, "Cause there's nothing in here about quidditch at all."
"Hmm… I wonder who it'll be then?" asked Ron to no one in particular, "We're the only ones left from the original last year."
So that left Harry and Ron somewhat stumped for a while but after a bit they gave up discussing it and decided to wait until they got to school.
The next month of living at headquarters passed quite uneventfully since after the first week or two the four no longer had any homework to complete. Harry spent most of his time either talking with his friends or attempting to beat Ron in a match of chess, sometimes with Ginny's help he was able to come close to winning but after a while he just accepted the fact that it was not meant to be.
Sometimes they would go outside and play quidditch and Hermione even played once or twice but for the most part it was just the original six. They shuffled the teams around and Harry and Ginny proved to be a good team and actually won quite a few games.
Harry finally gave in and talked about Sirius to Ron, Hermione and Ginny. It made him feel quite better. He wished Luna could have been there thought. Something about her made her easy to talk to. He felt that he was coming back to himself. Who he was before Sirius's death and he couldn't be more thankful for such great friends.
He practiced his occlumency the best he could each day but the nightmares came all the same. They where always similar. In them he saw himself standing on a pillar surrounded by lava. There where pillars all around him with Mr. and Mrs.Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, the twins, Bill, Charlie, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore, Tonks, Moody, Kingsley and Professor Lupin. He would hear Voldemort laughing and one by one the pillars would fall into the lava killing whoever stood on them.
The order they fell was different each time but the last person to fall was always Ginny and when she fell he would sometimes awake or sometimes scream then awake. He had woken the household several times now. Every time the girls and Mrs.Weasley would come check on him. But it was all he could do to tell them that he was fine with a straight face. He was not fine and every time after he woke up from the dream he would cry until he fell asleep.
One time after he had thought that everyone had left and Ron had fallen back to sleep he felt a weight settle onto his bed. He sat up to find himself staring into Ginny's eyes.
"It's Voldemort isn't it?" she asked softly as to not wake Ron.
Harry who was a little embarrassed at letting a girl see him cry he tried to wipe away his tears. But before he could finish Ginny pulled his hand away.
"Harry, it's alright to cry." Said Ginny soothingly.
It was then that he totally gave in and poured out all the tears he'd been holding back for so long. He leaned on Ginny and she held him. If he wouldn't have had his face hidden Harry would have seen the blush that rose into Ginny's cheeks. He stayed like that for a minute or two until finally Ginny spoke.
"I know what it's like to be controlled by him Harry," she said, "He was controlling me for the better part of a year."
Harry realized that he had forgotten that Voldemort had possessed Ginny during her first year. He decided that he'd tell Ginny about his dream. When he was done she looked at him quietly.
"He's playing on your strengths and trying to turn them into your weaknesses Harry. You mustn't let him do that. Next time try to change the dream. He's trying to make you forget that your ability to love is one of your weaknesses. Never give in to him. Don't make the same mistake I did. I thought that I was able to hold him back but I wasn't when he took away what mattered most to me. My ability to love." Said Ginny through gasps.
Acting on some inner compulsion he reached out and hugged Ginny to him and pressed her face into his shoulder while she cried.
"Don't think about that Ginny, Tom's diary has been gone for years now. You did what you could and I'm proud that you had the courage to even think of throwing it away."
As he said this he rubbed her back and slowly ran his fingers through her hair. It was in this moment that her realized how much Ginny meant to him and how much he wanted to make her happy. But he wasn't sure how she felt about him so he let it drop from his mind.
When Ginny was done she looked up at him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Don't be," said Harry, "What are friends for?"
She smiled. "Thanks"
And with that she got up and left to return to her own room. Harry had spoken to her less since. He realized that he cared about her and he didn't know what to do or say. Things with him and Cho hadn't worked out so well and he was not exactly looking forward to telling Ginny how he felt about her and so he decided that he was less likely to say something stupid if he didn't say anything at all.
But right now found the four together in Ron and Harry's room while an order meeting was about to get underway. Harry was pacing the floor back and forth.
"I can't stand it. I'm the one has to kill Tom, why aren't I in that meeting?"
"Well, you're not yet of age Harry," started Hermione but Harry cut her off.
"Well, I won't find out by sitting here, I'm going to attend this meeting whether they like it or not!"
And before Hermione could even say 'Wait Harry' he was out the door and had slammed it behind him.
Harry went down the stairs and entered the living room where the meeting was taking place. As he entered the room several of the members looked up at him but it was Snape who spoke first.
"Look's like Potter's arrogance has gotten the better of him again!" he sneered.
"What gives you the right to be here and not me?" asked Harry.
"I am at least twice your age and I just so happen to be far more cunning than you as well."
"If you're going to hate me professor, hate me for who I am, not for who my father was."
"Your father was a filthy-"
"Severus, that should quite do." Interrupted Dumbledore, "There is no need to form enemies amongst our allies. Is there something I can do for you Harry?"
"Yes, you could ask me to attend this meeting." He said bluntly.
"Oh, is that all then? Harry would you like to attend this meeting?" he asked.
Harry pretended to think about it for a minute, "Yes I believe I would."
"Find a seat then." Said Dumbledore waving his hand towards a couple of empty chairs.
Snape was furious, "How can you let such an arrogant child join the order?"
"In good time Severus, all in good time," said Dumbledore, "Now if the meeting would now come to order," everyone went to their seats and looked at Dumbledore expectantly, "I believe a welcoming is in order. Our newest member of the Order is none other than Harry Potter."
Everyone applauded politely except Snape who glared at Harry through his eyes, which had become narrow slits.
"Would you like to say something Harry?" asked Dumbledore.
Rather than answer him Harry stood up, "Good evening everyone. I'm glad to finally be a part of the order since it concerns me directly. There is something that I have known for just under two months that I think the rest of the order deserves to know. Albus it already aware of this information, he is actually the one who told me, as are Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley."
He looked over at Dumbledore, slightly nervous but the headmaster smiled his encouragement and Harry continued, "There was a prophecy made about me and Voldemort. Most of you know that. But it was smashed and nobody ever heard it. I found from none other than Albus, that the prophecy that was smashed was simply a recording of the actual prophecy. The original witness to the prophecy was Dumbledore himself. He has told me the prophecy and it's contents."
Harry took a deep breath and let it out. He realized that all the eyes of all the people in the room where fixed on him.
"The prophecy states that someone born as the seventh month dies and who's parents had three times escaped the Dark Lord would be born and the Voldemort would mark him as his equal," as he said this he lifted up his hair to reveal a certain lightning-bolt shaped scar behind it, "It says also that he will have power that the Dark Lord knows not and that neither can live while the other survives and that either must die at the hand of the other."
Everyone in the room looked at him with mouths wide for a moment before turning to gossip with the person sitting next to him or her.
"I believe," said Dumbledore loudly to gain everyone's attention, "that it is now evident why I have decided to admit Harry into the Order, let's move on to other matters."
The rest of the meeting was not as interesting as Harry might have hoped but still well nonetheless. He learned that Snape was being lowered in the Death Eater ranks and that he suspected that he had been found out, he also reported that Peter Pettigrew had returned from a mission to Spain to find the 'libro de Merlin' or 'the book of Merlin'. According to what he heard, which was very little, the book contained things of old magic that Voldemort believed could help him defeat Harry.
The rest was just talk about safety precautions that should be taken to ensure the safety of the people.
When it was over many of the members got up and shook hands with others while carrying on their own private discussions. Harry thought that now was as good a time as any to make things up with Snape. If Dumbledore trusted him then so did he.
"Professor," he started tentatively, "I'm sorry if I insulted you earlier, sometimes I let my anger get the better of me."
Snape regarded him for a moment before nodding his head curtly, "I can understand that. If I'm not mistaken I could have sworn that you'd done some growing up this summer."
Harry thought he almost saw the stern professor smile as he extended his hand to Harry.
"Thanks, professor," said Harry somewhat amazed.
"Here we are on a first name basis Harry, call me Severus. Of course once we get back to school everything goes back to the way it was."
Harry nodded and they shook. From not too far away a smile spread across Dumbledore's face.
Harry talked with a few of his other friends, Tonks, Mad-Eye, Kingsley and he and Remus talked about Sirius for a while. After it was over Harry headed up to his room to relate what had just happened to his friends.
After telling them what happened they all went to their respective beds for a good night's sleep. The next day was after all the day they went to Diagon Alley.
Harry woke early the next morning and decided to wake Ron too, much to the dismay of Ron. The two boys headed downstairs and played a match of wizard's chess before Hermione and Ginny came down then they ate their breakfast and where all standing by the fireplace ready to go.
"Now since the floo network is being watched," said Mrs.Weasley once they where all ready to go, "The order has developed something called bloo powder," as she said it she held up some blue powder, "It is identical to floo powder only it's blue and it cannot be traced. I'll lead then."
And with that she stepped into the fireplace and shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and she vanished in a sapphire flame.
The others followed suit until only Harry remained. He remembered his last attempt to reach Diagon alley with floo powder. "Diagon Alley!" he shouted.
The first thing he noticed was that the ride was much less smooth than floo powder and that he was flying all over the place until he appeared again and felt himself fly into someone and fall to the ground. As it turned out it was Ginny and they both got up very hastily and embarrassed.
"Never did like flooing did you Harry?" asked Mrs.Weasley.
Harry shook his head as Ron laughed at him from behind his mothers turned back.
They went into Diagon alley then got out their school lists.
"Where to first?" asked Mrs.Weasley.
Harry looked around and his eyes stopped on someone who looked like someone he knew. When the person lifted their bowlers had a little higher he recognized Mad-Eye. He groaned, he thought that for once he had been given a chance to go out to a public place without a bodyguard or two.
"Gringotts to get some money then to Flourish and Blotts" said Hermione, bringing Harry back to the present.
So they walked over to the wizarding bank to get some money. Harry took some from his vault and Hermione exchanged some muggle money. Mrs.Weasley took out some money as well and Harry noticed that the vault was fuller than the last time he saw it.
Reading the expression on his face Ron answered Harry's unanswered question, "The twins have been making a killing ever since they opened up their shop. Mom was a little put off at first that they started up a joke shop so they made some more practical things and then business just took off."
Harry smiled to himself. 'Good ole twins' He couldn't be gladder that they had succeeded in their business.
So then they went off to Flourish and Blotts. Harry and Ron went to the cashier and showed her their lists and she found the appropriate books for them and they paid. After a while of looking for her books on her own Ginny did the same.
Then is when the hard part got started; waiting for Hermione to look at every book in the store. After bout an hour she was half done and even Mrs.Weasley was getting impatient. Finally after another half hour Hermione selected the books she would need for next term and enough to last any normal person a lifetime and a half of 'leisurely reading'.
"Well, glad we're done there," said Mrs.Weasley looking at he watch, which said 11:00.
"Let's go get some parchment and quills," said Hermione happily and before any of them could stop her she was already in the shop.
"My quill's lasted me five years!" exclaimed Ron, "Why does she get three every year?"
Hermione went quicker in this store and she was able to select her quills and parchment in a record twenty minutes.
"Now let's go to-" started Hermione.
"Why don't we let the boys pick a shop?" said Mrs.Weasley.
Ron and Harry looked at each other and immediately ran into Quality Quidditch Supplies. It was Harry's dream store. Everything from quidditch books to brooms to lawn mowers!
Harry and Ron rushed over to the broom section with Ginny hot on their trail. They got there to find that several new brooms had been released called 'The Slug', 'Tsunami' and 'Thunderbolt'. Ron and Ginny 'oohed' and 'awwed' over the Thunderbolt but for some reason Harry couldn't take his eyes off of The Slug.
"With a name like that, who'd buy it?" asked Ron.
Harry went over to find an employee and when he found one he asked him about the Slug.
"From what I've heard they made seven, enough for a testing team but then they realized that they couldn't fly worth beans and they sold 'em to us for a cheap price so we took 'em." Explained the employee, "It was going to be called the Streak and be the fastest broom in it's class but something went wrong and it ended up being the worst broom they've made in ages."
"How much do you want for the set of seven?" asked Harry.
"Well if you buy all seven I'll give you a discount for buying multiple brooms and I'll give you a discount just to take them out of our hands. I'll say 100 galleons."
"That's it? A firebolt costs less than that!"
"Well, they're that bad apparently. 100 galleons take it or leave it."
"I'll take it," said Harry laying his wallet down on the counter and counting out the correct amount.
So with seven broom boxes floating behind him Harry and the others left Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"I can't believe you actually bought those useless brooms!" complained Ron from Harry's left.
"I don't know why I just wanted them. I'll be right back, I'm going to floo these back to, er, home."
So Harry went and put the brooms in his and Ron's room back at headquarters and returned just in time for lunch. They ate some muggle-style corn-dogs courtesy of Muggle Treats. They where actually some of the worst corn-dogs that Harry had ever eaten but since the others, save Hermione seemed to be enjoying theirs so much he decide to play along.
They continued they're shopping and had finished by around three and had only to get back to Fred and George's shop and bloo home. That would have been to perfect a day for someone like Harry potter. For until Voldemort was defeated he could never truly 'live' but only survive, as the prophecy suggested.
It started just as they where approaching the side street that Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was located on. All of a sudden Harry saw Kingsley, Mad-Eye and Tonks running towards them.
"We've got company!" said Mad-Eye as he hobbled down the street on his peg leg.
The three aurors formed a circle around the startled students and Mrs.Weasley.
"Into that shop!" said Kingsley pointing, "There's some Death Eaters on the loose! We think that Voldemort himself showed up!"
They didn't need to be told twice and they headed into the shop that turned out to have two staircases on either side of the room up to a balcony up top. There was a huge flat chandelier as well. They quickly ran up the stairs to find that a jewelry shop was there. They quickly explained to the man who ran it what was happening and he told them that they where welcome to stay here as long as they needed. They all lay down near the railing of the balcony so that they couldn't be seen from the door.
Their hope was that the death eaters would leave after a while. But Harry could tell that Voldemort was with them and that he was getting closer every second by the pain that was coming into his scar. When all of a sudden it grew more painful then abruptly stopped.
"They're here," he whispered and no sooner had the words left his mouth than he saw the door blast down and three death eaters entered surrounding Voldemort himself. It wasn't apparent in his appearance. Only Harry knew it was he since he could somehow sense him.
Voldemort pulled back the hood he'd been wearing and uncovered his pale white, snake-like face.
"Come out now Potter and nobody dies!" he yelled.
Before anyone could stop him Harry stood up.
"Here I am Tom." He said boldly.
"Don't call me that. I have never been Tom Riddle. I was born to be Lord Voldemort! AVADA KEDAVRA!" shouted Voldemort.
Since he was so far away Harry had ample time to dodge the curse and watch it dissipate against a wall.
Voldemort stood still for a moment before sniffing the air.
"So," he hissed, "We meet again Virginia."
And he closed his eyes and then smiled. Beside Harry Ginny stood up, almost mechanically, with a fear in her eyes that Harry had never seen before.
"Ginny, get down!" he said.
But then she started to run down the stairs to stand in front of Voldemort. Voldemort conjured a pole in the ground just below where Harry was standing. Ginny walked over to it and Voldemort cast a binding charm so that Ginny was tied to the post. Then he released her from his command.
"HARRY!" Ginny yelled.
"Stay calm Gin!" said Harry, "I'll get you out of this."
But he wasn't so sure of himself. Voldemort laughed.
"I don't think so Potter!" said Voldemort, as he said this he raised his wand again this time pointed at Ginny, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Harry watched almost in slow motion as he cast the spell. Acting on his impulse to protect Ginny Harry took a running start and leapt over the banister and down to the floor below. As he fell he saw the horrified faces of his friends watching him fall. He saw Ginny looking at the curse coming at her with dread in her eyes. He saw Voldemort look at Harry as he fell and saw a smug smile spread across his face. He saw the curse, green and ominous before him and he realized that he was in a collision course with the curse, just as he had hoped.
Suddenly as everything came back to normal speed Voldemort watched as Harry was hit square in the chest by the curse and as if that wasn't enough he landed face-first into the floor and everyone present in the room could hear the sickening sound of Harry's neck snapping.
Then all at once the three death eaters and the three aurors engaged in combat. Voldemort looked at Harry's body with delight.
"I've done it!" he cried, "I've killed Potter!" and with that he flung Harry's body upstairs and against a wall. Harry's friends looked at him in horror before charging down the stairs after the three aurors.
"You'll pay Voldemort!" said Ron throwing curses at Voldemort like mad.
They continued to fight for half a minute with nobody really taking the upper hand since Voldemort was just standing there congratulating himself, when all of a sudden a voice filled the room, "TOM!"
All the combatants stopped dueling and listened again for the voice. A glow seemed to be emanating from upstairs.
"TOM!" came the voice again.
And as if that wasn't enough Harry himself walked up to the banister over which Voldemort had just thrown him. It seemed that he was the source of the glowing.
"B-Bu-But how?" stammered Voldemort.
Harry laughed. He hopped up onto the railing and put his foot over the edge and stepped down. But he did not fall. He then took his other foot off of the banister and stepped down again. It was as if he was using an invisible staircase.
"You're going to pay for what you've done, TOM." Said Harry while floating in the air halfway towards the floor from the second story.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" he shouted pointing his wand once more at Ginny.
"Accio Ginny!" yelled Harry. As soon as she reached him he used a banishing charm on her and sent her towards her mother.
"THIS TIME TOM, YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR!" yelled Harry, as he said this he spread his arms out wide and the faint yellow glow that had been surrounding him flared to life and turned into a monstrous green inferno. The glow was so intense that the light could be seen coming out onto the street outside from one of the windows.
Harry threw and invisible ball towards Voldemort and a green ball of flame flew towards Voldemort and knocked him off his feet into the wall behind him. He looked injured but not badly.
"Next time we meet Potter, things will not work out so well!" he shouted before disapparating away and his fellow death eaters quickly followed suit.
Harry dropped to the floor and stood for a moment. His friends looked at him and then his flame went out and he collapsed on the floor.
When he awoke he found himself in his bed at headquarters. He sat up and immediately fell back again due to the pain he was feeling in his neck and groaned. Mrs.Weasley who was sitting in a chair nearby sleeping suddenly woke.
"Harry!" she said jumping up and hugging him forcing another groan from Harry.
"The neck! The neck!" he said. Mrs.Weasley put him down but started crying.
"Harry dear, we'd thought we'd lost you." She managed in between sobs.
Apparently her cries had not gone unnoticed and the rest of the household was soon standing at the doorway and upon seeing Harry awake they all rushed in to hug him.
"No hugs! The neck still hurts!" said Harry just before Hermione reached him.
They spent the next few minutes telling Harry how worried they'd been then Harry had found out that he was unconscious for a day and a half. They talked a bit more before Dumbledore himself arrived.
"Ah Harry," he said, "glad to see you up and about," he turned to look at Harry's friends then looked at the open door. Getting the message they all left quickly.
Dumbledore looked at Harry for a while then turned to the door and pointed his wand at two extendable ears, "Finite Incantum"
Harry heard two muffled curses from behind the wall as he heard the twins follow the rest of their family.
Dumbledore cast a silencing charm on the door then turned to Harry, "It appears that you have and extra word added onto your name now; the-boy-who-lived-…twice."
"Oh great, I'm in the papers aren't I?"
"Well," said Dumbledore chuckling, "Unfortunately so. You are not dissed or made fun of though. The article is rather supportive of you now that Tom is publicly back…Well Harry, it would seem that you have acquired the 'power that the Dark Lord knows not'"
Harry thought about this for a moment. There wasn't much that her remembered about his encounter with Voldemort. He knew that he had somehow beaten him and that he had found an enormous power within himself.
"I believe," said Dumbledore slowly, "That I know how you have found your powers. When you where a child Voldemort could have chosen you or Neville to become his equal. When he cast the avada kedavra curse on you he gave you the powers to be his equal but they where sealed away. You and Neville where already going to be very powerful wizards but he picked you to be the better of the two. I have no idea why Neville does not do better at school. But this magic Voldemort used to transfer his powers to you accidentaly is a very ancient form of magic that was around before Merlin himself. Power transmission. It can only be achieved through the casters most powerful spell on a child who is protected from its bad effects by some other force. In your case, love. So the only thing that could have freed your powers is an immense feeling of love while being hit by Tom's most powerful spell a second time."
Harry stared up at the headmaster taking all of this in one bit at a time. When he thought he had it all figured out he nodded and the white-bearded professor continued.
"So it is apparent where the spell came from. From what Mad-Eye had told me you where hit square on with an avada kedavra curse. The only thing missing is the immense feeling of love you where feeling when you were struck by the curse. Do you think you could explain?"
Harry shifted uncomfortably, he knew the answer all right. He had wanted to save Ginny and had shielded her from the curse.
"Yeah, I think I know where it came from." Said Harry. The head master waved his hands in a circular motion as if to say 'and?', "And well, they had Ginny tied up to a pole and he sent the curse at her and so I wanted to save her and-"
"Why?"
"Because, I don't want anybody to get hurt because of me and-"
"Would you have jumped over a banister to save, say, Draco Malfoy?"
"Well, yeah, I-"
"Don't lie to me Harry, you are forgetting that I am an accomplished Legilimens, I know when I am lied to."
"What made Ginny different?"
"Well, she's my friend, kinda"
"What else about Ginny is different."
"Okay, fine! I like Ginny as more than just a friend but you mustn't tell her, I'm not entirely sure how she'd handle it."
"Then it is as I thought," said Dumbledore happily, "Do not fear, I will not tell a word of what we have just discussed to anyone, least of all Ginny," he paused, "but I think you should."
And with a quick nod he was out the door with Harry staring after him.