Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, not mine.

A/N: Well, here it is, very late as usual. Thanks too all of my reviewers, especially mysticruby and AllylovesHarry. Mysticruby has reviewed all 4 chapters so far, and they are the only readers at this time to have read and reviewed chapter 4. Thanks also to the unsigned reviewer calling herself Anne, who complemented me by telling me that I write like the great J.K. Enjoy and please R & R this time.

Secondary Disclaimer: I'm only going to put this once, but this fic is going to take a lot of influence from Year of Discovery and Spirit of Time by dbzdragonlanceman. The plot of course will be my own, but certain things will come from him. There will be some influence from other fics, but not as much as YoD and SoT.

Chapter 5

Training with an Enemy

Harry enjoyed spending time over the next few weeks with his friends. At times, Ron and Hermione would have a huge argument, and both would storm off, leaving Harry and Ginny alone to discuss, among other things, the inevitability of a Ron and Hermione relationship. It was during these moments that Harry realized how attractive Ginny had become. 'Am I falling for her?' he would ask himself sometimes. This thought was usually followed by 'Ron'll kill me.'

Harry also spent a lot of time in Voldemort's head learning new things. The nice thing about the connection was that when Harry took information about most of the spells and curses, it was like he knew them and had been able to do them for years. Harry now had impenetrable Occlumency walls, and could also do Legilimency. He snuck away from his friends whenever he could, and essentially completed his Hogwarts education. Riddle, after all, was one of Hogwarts' most brilliant students ever. During this time, he finished his summer homework. Harry became quite skilled in all of the classes Hogwarts offered except for Divination and Muggle Studies, which Tom had not taken.

After two days passed without a letter from Madam Hopkirk, Harry started practicing his new knowledge. He could now apparate, and also do complex transfiguration like conjuring and animating. However, Harry devoted most of his alone time to animagus training. He started by making small changes to his body, one part at a time. After a week of this, all the while making it more complicated, Harry was ready. Since he already knew it and was capable of implementing all of the information to complete the transformation thanks to Voldemort, he didn't need years to accomplish it.

To attempt the transformation, he went into the room in the house where absolutely no one went—Sirius's room. It was hard the first time, especially when Harry saw the other two-way mirror on the dresser, but Harry got used to it, and decided that he would take the room as his own after his birthday.

To complete the transformation, Harry needed complete concentration. This was much easier with his newfound Occlumency skills. He placed a large mirror in front of himself, and drew inward into his mind. He decided that if he was to become a Death Eater hunter, he needed a proper form. Hmmm, what better animal for stealth and hunting than a black panther? He focused on the form of the cat, and willed himself to become it. As it became sharper and more defined in his mind, he could feel himself changing more and more rapidly. After a couple of minutes, he opened his eyes to see a black panther staring from the mirror back at him. Next, he pictured himself as a human again and, willing himself to, transformed back. It took less time to change back than it took to become the panther. 'Whoa,' Harry thought, 'I just became an unregistered animagus. Hmmm, I wonder if…'

Harry decided to try for another form. Hell, he wasn't the Child of the Prophecy for nothing! He thought of which animal to try to transform into, and thought of Fawkes. 'Wow, it would be really cool to be a phoenix,' he thought. 'I wonder if I can do a magical creature?' Once again, Harry drew into his mind, this time picturing Dumbledore's magnificent bird. He stayed in focus for longer than for the panther, and finally came out to find that the room seemed to have grown. He looked into the mirror and saw a red and gold phoenix looking back at him. If Harry had been human at the time, he might have shouted in surprise of his success, but instead, only the melodious singing of the phoenix emerged from his beak.

Harry changed back, once again finding it easier than the original transformation. 'I guess I should try the panther again, just to make sure I can still do it,' he thought. Harry willed himself to become the great cat, and did, taking even less time. 'Wow,' he mused to himself, 'I just became an animagus with two forms, one being magical, with only a week of training. That's gotta be some kind of record.' Harry then realized that he was really tired, and that the first few times transforming must take a lot of energy. He went off to his room to take a nap.

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After his great accomplishment, Harry started spending more time with his friends. When they questioned him about his periodic absences over the past week, he told them that he had found a book on Occlumency in the Black library and had spent time studying it. He even went and found one so that he could produce it if needed. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione accepted this, and were just glad to have him back. Hermione was surprised that Harry had already finished his homework; even she still had an essay from Snape to finish.

During the time spent with the others, Harry could not stop sneaking glances at Ginny. She really had grown up from the little girl he pulled out of the chamber in her first year. Every time he did this, he would pull himself together and remind himself that this was Ron's little sister. Still, he couldn't help but look.

A few days after he completed the transformation, Dumbledore showed up at the house, asking to speak with Harry. When they were alone in the drawing room, Dumbledore began, "Harry, first I want to apologize for keeping all of that information from you. I know that you don't really trust me right now, and I understand that, but please try to understand that at the time, I thought I was doing the right thing." Before Harry could respond, the headmaster continued, "I'm sorry that I have to give you this news, but Sirius's will will be read on August first at Gringotts. You, of course, are named in it, as well as the Weasleys, Remus, and Hermione." Harry's eyes began to tear; if the will was read, than Sirius was really not coming back. Dumbledore turned to go. "I'll see you before then, under most likely happier circumstances."

The headmaster left Harry alone. After Harry spent five minutes of just sitting there, Ginny walked in, looking for him. She saw him sitting in a chair, not moving at all. There were tears in his eyes. She began to approach him, but he stood, not noticing her. In a menacing voice she never expected to hear from Harry Potter, he said, "You're going to pay Tom. I'm going to make you pay for all of the lives you've ruined. You sure fucked up mine a bunch, but there are many, many others. You're going to pay with your pathetic hypocritical half-blood life." Harry gave a short maniacal laugh and strode out of the drawing room as if in a trance, not seeing the youngest Weasley at all. She stood in shock for a moment, then went to go find Ron and Hermione.

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A few days later, Harry got out of bed and stumbled down to breakfast, but when he stepped into the kitchen, he was met with a shout of "SURPRISE!" He jumped (later he was told it was at least a foot in the air) in shock and immediately woke all the way up, pulling his wand out of his pocket.

Most of the Order was there, along with everyone who was living in the house. Harry lowered his wand and said, "You guys are lucky that I'm not as paranoid as Mad-Eye, or I would have been firing before the wand was all the way up." Everyone chuckled at that, except for Moody himself, who complemented Harry on his quick draw. Harry was pulled toward the table, where there were some gifts waiting. After a quick breakfast, he began opening them.

Ron gave him some sweets and a Chudley Cannons poster. Hermione got him (what else?) a book, this one an encyclopedia of spells, hexes, jinxes, and curses that earned a "Wow, thanks, Hermione!". Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave the usual jumper and food. Tonks and Kingsley got him an Auror Training Manuel, with a wink and the whispered line "You're not really supposed to have this until you start training." Once there were no presents left on the table, Moody limped up with two wrapped packages. "Here you go, Potter," he said. "The smaller one's from me and the other's from Albus."

Harry opened Moody's first. At first glance, it was a nice looking watch, but the paranoid ex-Auror broke in "It's unbreakable and waterproof to 1000 meters, it has two alarms, it won't scratch, it can't be summoned or disarmed from you, it can only be removed by you, and, it doubles as a holster for your wand."

Harry did a double take at that last part. "What!"

"Yeah, it's really handy; I have one myself," Moody said, showing Harry his own watch.

"But this must have cost a fortune! You shouldn't have gotten this for me."

"Eh, Potter, I have enough money stashed away from capture rewards, and your safety doesn't have a price. Here, let me show you how to use the holster part. Put the watch on, then hold your wand like normal and place the tip on the face of the watch." Harry did so. "Ok, now, say 'Guard this wand.'" After Harry gave the instructions to the watch, his wand glowed gold, and slowly faded away. Seeing Harry's look after his wand just disappeared, Moody said gruffly, "Think of your wand being in your hand, boy." As soon as Harry did so, his wand appeared in his hand milliseconds later. "No matter which wrist the watch is on, it will deliver the wand to the hand you used to command the watch. Now think of it in the holster." Harry thought of his wand gone, and it was nearly instantly.

"Thank you sir. The watch is great, and its double use is perfect for the next time Ol' Red Eyes tries to kill me." Hermione looked shock that Harry would joke about that, but Moody just chuckled and said, "Nothing like being prepared, boy. That alone has saved me countless times. I advise you to never take that watch off. I don't think I ever have."

Harry smiled at the fact he had already assumed, and then asked, "What did Professor Dumbledore give me?" Moody handed him the larger package, and Harry unwrapped it, finding a pensieve. Inside was a note and a small booklet.

The note read

Dear Harry,

I know that I said I would be there today, but the (insert your own insult here) minister called me away with supposed urgent news. I will be there tomorrow at Gringotts. The booklet will show you how to use the pensieve. Do not worry about where I obtained it, or the cost, just consider it a peace offering and the start of an apology for keeping all of that information from you during your life.

Professor Dumbledore

After hearing from Hermione just how rare and expensive pensieves were, Harry got to enjoy his birthday for the first time in his life with "family" and friends.

A/N: I'm soooooooooo sorry it took so long, but here it is. The next chapter will be Sirius's will, some Diagon Alley fun, and an explanation of part of Trelawney's 3rd. R&R please.