Good Merlin! She updated!

Ugh! I'm so sorry, everyone! It took me far too long to update! And so I promise that the next chapter will be up super-soon! And thank you so much for the plethora of reviews!

Thank you's all who reviewed (if I missed anyone, I'm really sorry!):

weselan: Great guess! You'll find out in this chapter...Thanks! Laughing Cat: This chapter doesn't help too much with the mystery, but next chapter, which I plan on posting uber soon, will. Thank you! HecateDeMort: Thank you! sirius-forever: Ah, thank you. :) Hope you like this chapter! Annmarie Aspasia: Ah, worry not. Harry's eyes stay. His don't NEED to change. Thanks! emikae: I love double negatives, too! So no no thank you to you for your review! (I know, I'm a nerd ;)) Lottie x x x x x: Thank you! And maybe Ginny won't dump Dean...Hmmm...Raiining: Thanks! You're right--I did rush it a bit with Harry liking Ginny. Ah well. megan7: Well, I PROMISE the next chapter will be up very soon. Thanks! Kaleena Mason: Thank you! I'm a bit of an idiot, so it's nice to know my strange thoughtwaves amuse people. ;) fire-icecat: Thank you! I do love cliffhangers. And as for Hermione's weird excitement, you'll have to wait a couple of chapters to see what's up...tina7610813: Ahh, make me feel guilty for being a slacker, will you! Thanks for the review! NB80: Thanks! Lily is really not very developed in the books, so it makes it so much easier to write about her. Although I doubt Jo imagines her like I do, and she's the boss... KMK: Jo wrote about Harry and his wand, so as for him being the heir, I haven't a clue, and I probably won't go there in this stroy, because it'll be too complex. Thanks for reviewing again! :) DK Lili: I love Sirius! He is my absolute favorite character, or one of them atleast, so I've tried to bring him in as much as I reasonably can. Thank you! Misty's Dawn: Thanks for the review! And of course I won't answer those questions! :) Nimbirosa: Good call, but I just wanted to put something realistic in her entry, and how many girls complain about dormitories being too warm? Although I don't know any girls who sleep in dormitories, so never mind...Thanks! loudnproud223: Thank you! I'm glad she seemed realistic! moi: Thank you! And I know Hermione is being weird. At first I didn't mean for her to be like that, but then a reviewer pointed out how ooc she was, so I found a reason for her behavior, and made it an even bigger mystery. :) RiRiana: Yup, that's the Alice! Thank you! Silwen Aurdomiel: And to make matters worse for your head, I took forever to update! (puppy dog eyes) Forgive me? There's not even a cliffie in this one! And thanks! insertgoodnamehere: Hee hee! Thank you! blackbird fly: Oops...Thanks for your review! rachel132: Much thanks to you!

And now for:


Chapter 11: The Encounter

"What is it, Mum?" Ron demanded as he, Hermione and Harry reached the foot of the stairs, slightly winded from hurrying down the many flights so quickly.

Ginny and Dean were sitting on a couch in the living room, Ginny's face in her hands, shoulders shaking.

Dean looked uncomfortable and rather upset, his knuckles white as he squeezed his hands into fists.

A heavy cloud of tension hung in the air. Silence filled the room for a moment, Ron's question seemingly asked in vain. The silence dangled a moment longer, and then, annoyed, Harry heard his own voice cut into the tense atmosphere.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His heart felt like it was thumping in his throat. Something awful had happened. He could instinctively tell. "What's going on?"

Ginny lifted her head just enough for her poignant brown eyes, which were currently red and puffy, to lock with Harry's for a brief moment. She quickly looked away, and a fresh glaze of tears washed over those eyes.

Mrs. Weasley motioned for the trio to be seated.

Just then, an owl swooped into the room. Mrs. Weasley read it quickly, and then, with a grim smile, sent the owl off with a hastily scrawled reply.

Hermione was bracing herself, gripping the sides of the couch cushion on either side of her, prepared for any news that may come.

Ron and Harry sat down beside Hermione and exchanged looks of bewilderment mingled with worry.

Mrs. Weasley sat down last, anxiously watching the youth seated around her. Finally, in a shaky but determined voice, she slowly began to explain.

"Ginny and Dean came back from a little walk a few minutes ago, quite shaken. And it's no wonder they're shaken--dreadful…"

As her voice trailed off, leaving yet another pregnant pause that seemed to last for hours. Mrs. Weasley cast an anxious look at Ginny and Dean.

Harry noticed that Mrs. Weasley looked as if she'd rather be just about anywhere on the planet other than in her front parlor, discussing whatever was to be discussed.

She kept closing her eyes, as if trying to wish the situation away, and opening them again, only to look about disappointedly.

Ron was becoming whiter by the second, his freckled face mingled with anticipation.

"Merlin, Mum, will you just tell us?!?" Ron shouted. He looked scared. "What the hell's going on?

"Ronald," Mrs. Weasley said warningly, her face clearing for a moment as she returned to the familiar grounds of chiding her son. "I'll have none of that language in this house, especially with company over."

Ron looked exasperated.

"Right, whatever Mum. So what is it?" he said irritably. Mrs. Weasley returned to her fretful state.

"Well, before I begin--" Ron let out a strange, strangled sort of sound at this point, earning a glare from his mother--"Before I begin, I want to make sure that Harry and Hermione and Dean all know that they are always welcome here. Especially you, Harry. You're as good as a son to me. But because our home is no longer safe, I'm going to have to send you all home immediately--'immediately' meaning sometime today or tomorrow-- as soon as possible."

"No longer safe?" Hermione echoed.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, although he was beginning to see what may be going on.

"Ginny and Dean were walking around near the town, and they went by the Diggory's house."

"Amos Diggory?" Harry asked in a low voice. He was surprised that his question was heard and answered.

"Yes. And Amos Diggory happened to be outside as they walked by," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Wait--you're not going to tell us that Diggory's a Death Eater or some dung like that, are you?" Ron demanded.

"Ron, will you please shut up?" Hermione snapped.

"Thank you, Hermione, and Ronald, if anyone has to ask you to be quiet again, you'll be dusting the attic for spiders." Ron shuddered at this and remained silent from then on. Mrs. Weasley continued:

"So the two were walking by, and Ginny was about to say 'Hello' to old Amos, when he suddenly clutched his upper arm, as though it was intensely painful."

Harry, Hermione and Ron exchanged shocked looks at this foreshadowing, and returned their gazes to Mrs. Weasley, looks of disbelief present on their faces.

"Moments later, You-Know-Who appeared before the man. Ginny and Dean quickly hid, as You-Know-Who is not the sort of man they wanted to have see them. They heard You-Know-Who ask the man if he had done it yet. And then Amos answered, according to Ginny, in a way very much unlike his usual self."

Ginny then spoke, surprising everyone.

"It didn't sound like Mr. Diggory at all. The man had a weird, intimidated, almost whiney voice very unlike him. And You-Know-Who called him Wormtail."

"It was Peter Pettigrew," Harry breathed in astonishment. "Pettigrew's impersonating Amos Diggory. Why?"

"Because Peter Pettigrew lived in this house for thirteen years. He knows all about the Weasleys," Hermione said, comprehension dawning on her face.

"What? How?" Mrs. Weasley asked, shocked. This piece of the puzzle seemed to be unknown to her. Ginny also looked confused by Hermione's words.

"Peter Pettigrew? I've heard of him. Didn't Sirius supposedly kill him? He lived with us? Isn't he supposed to be dead?" Ginny demanded.

Hermione, Harry and Ron began to explain about Scabbers, when they were interrupted by a faint popping noise, and a tall man with a very long, white beard, and bright blue eyes appeared before them.

"Albus, thank Merlin you're here," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Molly, we haven't much time. Are you all aware of what's going to happen?" Dumbledore's intense eyes scanned the room. Mrs. Weasley nodded.

"Er, I'm still a little lost," Harry said. "What I know is that Pettigrew is impersonating Amos Diggory. Ginny and Dean witnessed Voldemort--" he ignored the cringes of the Weasleys and Dean--"Visiting him in front of the Diggory house, and we're all supposed to leave the Burrow by tomorrow…So what am I missing?"

Dumbledore's intense blue eyes sparkled as he began to fill in the gaps of the story.

"Peter Pettigrew is using Amos Diggory's body--probably with the aid of the Polyjuice Potion--to spy on the Weasley family and the Lovegood family--two prominent wizarding families that are both opposed to him and are friends to you," Dumbledore said, his eyes locking with Harry's.

For a moment, making eye contact with Dumbledore caught him off guard. After all, Dumbledore had very seldom looked him in the eyes the previous year.

Harry was pleased to note that the Headmaster seemed to no longer have a problem with looking at him. Yes, he was still very ticked off about last year, but there were more important things to worry about than past irritation with Dumbledore.

"Miss Weasley and Mr. Thomas also happened to be seen by Peter Pettigrew after Voldemort disapparated. That's why we know there will be an attack soon, because Voldemort likely knows that we know about Amos being used to keep tabs on the neighborhood.

"After hearing of what Ginny and Mr. Thomas heard and after deducing the outline of this new scheme, we realized that the Order has told Amos Diggory some things that we would rather not have Lord Voldemort knowing. Such as about the Quibbler article--before it was published, Amos (or actually, Peter,) knew what it said, and I'm assuming that's how Voldemort got word of the content, which revealed that Death Eaters are allergic to garlic, due to the Dark Marks on their arms--garlic anywhere near Death Eaters causes irritating burning and blistering to the Mark."

"Death Eaters are allergic to garlic?" Ron said in utter astonishment. Dumbledore merely nodded, and continued,

"The man we thought was Amos Diggory also knew that Harry came to the Burrow, leaving you all in even greater danger. Hence the reason I've contacted Dean's mother--she'll be here to take him home in about an hour--and the rest of you will go to London."

Harry felt his stomach cringe. Grimmauld Place was the last place he wanted to be. He'd remember Sirius, and the Department of Mysteries, and he'd probably murder Kretcher…

"So we're all supposed to just pack up and leave our house for You-Know-Who to come and tear apart?" Ginny demanded, her tearstained, freckled face suddenly indignant.

"Members of the Order will be here to fight," Mrs.Weasley said.

"I'm staying," Ginny said firmly.

"Ginny, go upstairs and pack your trunk for school, and everything you'll need for the rest of the summer," Mrs. Weasley said. "That goes for all of you," she added.


As Ron crammed items into his trunk grumpily, Harry struggled to squeeze all of his new things from Sirius into his own.

"There's no way I can fit all of this in here," he grumbled. After hearing the sound of shattering glass somewhere under his mother's diaries he'd just tossed in, Harry swore and began to search for what had broken.

"What is it mate?" Ron asked while emptying his sock drawer into his trunk.

"It's a picture. One of Sirius's."

"Ah, damn. Is it the really hot girl?"

Harry retrieved the shattered photo frame, dumping the broken glass into Ron's trash bin, and held up the black and white picture of the tall, slender girl with many little braids in her long hair and a sad smile playing on her full lips.

"Yeah, it is," Harry said, picking some more glass off the photo paper.

"Bloody hell, Harry! I just realized something!" Ron exclaimed, dropping his drawer intohis trunk and snatching the picture fromHarry's hands. "She looks like Dean!" Harry, surprised by this sudden revelation, grabbed the picture back, and examined it.

"Hey, you're right!" he said.

"Wow," Ron breathed, "It's like seeing Dean with braids and a hot body!"

"Ugh, please don't put it like that."

"Oi, mate! Didn't your mum write in her diary about a girl named Natalie Thomas?"

"I don't remember. She wrote about a lot of people."

"Maybe she's Dean's mum!"

"Dean's mum was here just a few days ago, and she looks very different," Harry reasoned. "And she's a muggle, remember? And his mother would probably have a last name other than Thomas in my mother's diary."

Ron looked crestfallen. "Oh yeah," he said.

Just then, the door flew open.

"You're supposed to knock," Ron said irritably as Ginny bursted into the room.

Ignoring him, Ginny plopped onto Ron's orange-covered bed, her face red and her eyes fiery and watery, all at once.

"What's wrong?" Harry demanded.

"Are you crying?" Ron asked awkwardly. Ginny sniffled a bit.

"No. Why would I cry about that damn gizard?" she snarled.

Gizard? Who? Is she calling Dean a gizard? What in magic is a gizard? She's not nearly as pretty when she cries. Wait, Dean's a gizard? Meaning her boyfriend is a gizard? Why would she date a gizard? Maybe she won't want to now... Harry shrugged away these odd thoughts, while Ron became furious and indignant.

"You mean Dean? What did he do to you, Gin?" Ginny's warm brown eyes locked with Harry's, and she quickly looked away.

"Nothing. He's just being an arse, that's all."

"What do you want me to do, Ginny? I'll punch his face in, I swear!"

Ginny's eyes suddenly fell on the picture in the broken frame that Harry was still holding.

"Who is that? She looks just like Dean," she said, apparently trying to change the subject.

"Ron was just saying that same thing," Harry said. "What was it, mate? She looks just like Dean, with braids and a hot body…Right?" Ron's ears turned pink and Harry grinned at his best friend's reaction, but Ginny looked serious.

"No, really. It's true!"

"Yeah, but it's obviously not his mom," Harry pointed out.

"Maybe it's his aunt," Ginny said pointedly. "Anyway, funny how we're talking about this, because that's what Dean and I were just talking about."

"Yeah? About his aunt or something?"

"Not quite. When Amo-I mean, Peter Pettispew or whatever- saw me and Dean, he got all wide-eyed and stuff and looked at Dean really funny. And he said, 'It's Dean Thomas, right? I just remembered--was your father Jay? Because we finished him off last time, and I never realized you were his son,' so we got all freaked out and ran for it, but anyway, Jay Thomas was Dean's dad. Dean always thought his dad ran off on his mum, but apparently, he was a wizard--Dean always thought he was muggle-born, so that was a shock. And his dad was killed by You-Know-Who, so he's really confused. So I was trying to help-"

Ginny's eyes got strangely fiery and irritated again, and she continued, "and the great prat decided that he didn't want to deal with 'the stress of having me as a girlfriend,' and said he needs to sort things out and think and be alone, which I entirely understand, but he broke up with me because he thinks it's stressful to date me, and he was a total bighead about it all, so I said I was sick of dating him, and he wasn't even that good at kissing, but he didn't even seem upset! And I feel so bad, because I want to be there for him right now, but he doesn't want me to be."

Ginny looked extremely depressed now. Harry didn't know what to think. Did she still like Dean? They had broken up. That was excellent, of course. But she didn't seem too happy about it. She obviously still cared about him.

"So Dean's dad was a wizard?" Ron said. "So if thislady in the picture is his sister, and is Dean's aunt, she could have a name like, oh, say, Natalie Thomas?"

Ginny took the picture from Harry. Her small hands and bitten nails pried the back hinges of the frame open, and after lifting the backing board, Ginny extracted the photograph. She smiled triumphantly, her eyes still a little puffy but not fiery or angry or sad anymore, as she glanced at the back of the photo.

"Check it out," she said merrily, passing the photo to Harry and Ron, pointing to the writing on the back. "Read it aloud, one of you."

Harry gaped at the tidy, curly cursive scrawled on the back of the photo in shimmering, still wet-looking, black ink.

Ron cleared his throat a little, and Harry followed along as Ron preceded to read the note.

Sirius:

Hey Bighead. Well, here's my muggle-taken photo I got this summer. And you're forcing me to write on the back. Just like a typical Bighead--always looking for more attention.

So now I get to say something sentimental. Well, as we're just beginning our final year of school together, I reckon I ought to let you know that I really don't think you're a bighead. Not anymore, at least. I just like to tease you, give you a small taste of what it feels like to be your friend. And I like calling you something nobody else would dare call you.

You know, I really do admire you. You're a strong individual, and you know what you believe and stick with it. You're also incredibly loyal. I'm really lucky to be friends with you, even if we were enemies for five years before we could even be civil with each other.

So Sirius, I have a Sirius question for you. (See, that joke's not funny anymore. Stop using it.) But really, I do have a matter of great importance I want to get off my shoulders.

You see, I've had a crush on you for a very long time. Like, ever since I met you on day one at Hogwarts, I've been head over feet about you. It's an unhealthy obsession, and so I just wanted to get that said. So now that that's said, I think I'll go hide under a sofa and die of humiliation. Don't get an even bigger head over this, okay?

Good luck in life, Bighead, and after we graduate, keep in-touch.

Love, Natalie Thomas

"Why do girls always write so much?" Ron wondered. Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother and turned to Harry.

"That was really sweet!" she gushed. Harry shrugged.

"I guess so. I wonder if they ever dated. Sirius kept her picture--he framed it. I'll bet he liked her."

"That's adorable! I wonder what happened to her. Dean never mentioned an Aunt Natalie. Not to mention, she's a witch. Not to mention, we don't even know if she's related to Dean."

"Not to mention, we don't care," Ron muttered. Harry couldn't have agreed more, but he didn't dare say so.

There was a knock on the door, and before Ginny could punch her brother as she so desired, Dean appeared in the doorway.

"I just wanted to say goodbye," he said awkwardly. Ginny's eyes got all fiery again, and she nodded stonily.

"Have a nice summer, Dean," she said politely. "See you at school." Ginny then stalked out of her brother's room.

Ron and Harry exchanged looks, and then Harry stood.

"Hey, Dean, do you know if your dad had a sister named Natalie?" he asked.

Confused, Dean shrugged.

"Mum said I had an aunt on Dad's side, but I think she died right after I was born." Harry held out the photograph.

"This is Natalie Thomas. My godfather left me her picture with a bunch of other stuff. And I think she's your aunt. Why don't you keep that, and let me know if you find anything out about her when we get back to school?" Dean examined the picture, thanked Harry and said goodbye to his fellow Gryffindors.

"Thanks for everything, guys. I know stuff's been weird between us, with me dating Ginny and all, but it'll be back to normal hopefully soon." He offered a smile, and Ron and Harry grinned back.

"We'll help you get your stuff downstairs," Ron said, and he and Harry walked with Dean out to his car, where they waved him off.

"I'm glad he dumped her," Ron said vacantly. Harry grinned and said nothing, but he couldn't have agreed with Ron more.

Love is a two-way thing. It takes two to work. And Dean seems to be giving up. Score.

"We'd better get back to packing," Harry said, feeling a new spring in his step that he couldn't and didn't want to subdue as he and Ron turned back to the Burrow.


Ahh, now that's not a cliffhanger, is it? Next chapter will bevery action-packed, with some cool new revelations. So please review, let me know what you thought of this chapter, and thank you SO MUCH for reading!