Standard Disclaimer: Even when you examine this story down at the quantum level, and measure the particle activities of the Muons and Quarks you will see I do not own these characters. They are the sole property of JK Rowling and a bunch of other people, but not me.

On the other hand I bet I have a nicer pickup truck than Rowling does. SO THERE!

Pre-chapter Author's Note: What follows in this chapter revolves around the information gleamed from the Harry Potter Lexicon. Specifically the layout of Hogsmeade. ALSO! There IS NO SEX in this chapter, so get your minds out of the gutter!

Insanity Reigns Supreme…

It was that time of year once again. The school classes were winding down and those in their OWL and NEWT years were exploding with panic. Both Neville and Harry were quickly becoming convinced that their girlfriends had gone crazy.

The normally quiet and slightly dizzy Luna had taken to throwing books at Neville every time he tried to talk to her. Ginny had hit Harry with an elephant ears hex one night, simply because he tried to console her when she had burst into tears over the amount of homework they were still giving her.

Harry tried to help were he could. He gave them both enchanted quills that wrote their essays, all they had to do was speak, or even think to the quill. It wasn't enough. The two girls had reached such heights of insanity that both boys had taken to avoiding them entirely. The last time Neville saw Luna, she had hurled a flower hex at him that, if it had hit, would have turned his hair to flowers.

The girls had made it plainly clear that they wanted no distractions, and in their case, that meant Harry and Neville. And just when it couldn't get any worse, the girls resorted to sneak snogging attacks in the hallways. Apparently the girls knew they could have any distractions, but they also wanted their men to realize they really weren't angry with them. That plan was a disaster from the start. With the girls torn between hexing the boys for being a distraction and sailing in out of the blue to snog their boyfriend senseless, the two boys were nervous wrecks.

Harry and Neville took to taking their meals down in the kitchens, much to the amusement of Ron and Hermione who watched this annual rite of passage with glee. When they weren't in the kitchen, Harry would take Neville outside and work with him on his broom flying. Neville wasn't as bad as Hermione when it came to flying, but he was a nervous flyer. Part of the reason for that was Neville was using his father's old Cleansweep two. It broom was all right, but it was old, somewhat unstable, and prone to veering off course suddenly.

Harry helped Neville gain more confidence by letting him use his Firebolt while Harry trailed along on the shaky Cleansweep. On a more stable and much more responsive broom, Neville quickly gain the confidence he needed to fly well. He'd never fly or handle a broom as well as Harry, but he learned to enjoy flying for the first time.

While the two spent a lot of their time flying, they weren't alone. In ones and twos, they were joined by other students who had suffered from a relationship under the threat of OWLS and NEWTS. Harry found himself in the position of helping several uncertain flyers become more proficient.

As the OWLS approached, the boys did everything possible to avoid Ginny and Luna. While the sneak snogging attacks ceased, the hexing did not. Harry had loaned Neville his invisibility cloak so he could move through the castle with impunity, while Harry used a camouflage charm or his Phoenix form to move between classes.

Harry found this really quite confusing and depressing. He was more than a bit hurt by it, especially when Ginny nailed him with her bat bogey hex for being in the Great Hall at the same time she was.

Why couldn't they just do like the other fifth year witches and ask their boyfriends to leave them be for a while?

Gryffindor Girls Dorm, night before testing begins…

The scene in the fifth year Gryffindor Girls Dorm room was one of total chaos. Half dressed girls were running around clutching books and asking to see each other's notes. Parchments and old homework were flying everywhere. Full panic had set in. More than a few girls had run to the bathroom to toss up their dinner. One girl was lying on her bed, weeping uncontrollably.

Ginny sat calmly on her own bed, reviewing her notes. The bed was covered in books, quills and notes. It had been a trying past few weeks and now she was coming down to the home stretch. Tomorrow morning was her Charms OWL, with Potions in the afternoon. She felt pretty confident, but she wanted to make sure she had everything down, which is why she was sitting with one of her old first year notebooks in her lap.

Ginny looked up as Hermione open the curtain to her bed and climbed in.

"Ginny, we need to talk."

"But Hermione I still need to study…"

"Ginny, if you don't know the material by now, you'll never know it. Besides you've got everything down pat. You're one of the smartest witches in your year. And this is important."

Ginny sighed and closed her book. "You're probably right. Going over this stuff at this point isn't going to help. So what did you want to talk about?"

Hermione shot her a funny look. "Ginny, have you seen Harry?"

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "No, come to think of it, I haven't seen Harry in a couple of days. Is something wrong? Has he started training again? If he has…"

Hermione stopped her with a raised hand. "No Ginny, he's not training again, but he's definitely not fine."

"Not fine? What are you talking about Hermione?"

"You really have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

She shook her head in confusion. Hermione sighed sadly. "Ginny, you and Luna have been studying for your OWLS very hard, and you've made it plain to people that you want no distractions. But both you and Luna went to extreme lengths to point that fact out to Harry and Neville. Neville is running around the castle under Harry's invisibility cloak and Harry's been using his phoenix form to get to his classes. You two girls have hexed them both almost every time you spotted them."

"Oh come on Hermione, it wasn't that bad… it was just a few hexes."

"Ginny, you've given Harry elephant ears and trolls feet. You've turned his hair into snakes! You even lengthened one of his arms enough to make it drag the on the floor. The final straw for Harry however, was the bat bogey hex. Neville isn't in much better shape. Luna's hex enlarged a certain part of a boy's anatomy and was quite painful for him. In between all this, you'd find them in the hall and pin them to a wall, kissing them to a state of total frenzy, then walk away."

Ginny rocked back against the headboard of her bed. I didn't do that did I? She thought. Oh Merlin! Bat Bogey is painful! What was I thinking?

Hermione looked at her compassionately. "Ginny, Harry and Neville both know what it's like going through the OWLS. They tried to give you and Luna as much support as possible and as much space as you felt you needed. Both of them are actually afraid of you two now. Neville will probably get over it easier than Harry will."

Ginny's eyes widened as comprehension sunk in. Harry had been sent to his relatives, people that were supposed to love him, and they hurt him. Now she had done the same thing!

She sat thinking furiously. How could I have been so stupid? I don't even remember casting a bat bogey at him! What was I thinking of? Oh Harry!

Ginny looked at Hermione in horror as the magnitude of her actions finally hit home. She looked to her ring and gasped. It still pulsated softly, but the glow was fainter than before. She had weakened the bind!

Her shoulders shook as she began to cry. "'Mione, how can I fix this? He must hate me now!"

Hermione spoke to the younger girl gently, "The ring still glows Ginny, as long it glows he doesn't hate you. But you do need to see him, talk to him, and even apologize to him. I've spoken to Ron and told him, in no uncertain terms, that he is not to interfere with you tonight. Mind you, I'm not suggesting you go shag his brains out, but you two need to work this out. He's in his dorm, probably in bed by now. He's hurting badly and you're the reason for it."

Ginny looked at Hermione the plea evident on her face. "'Mione, I don't… I'm not sure I can face him alone. I did to him what those damn Dursleys did."

Hermione rolled her eyes at this. "Don't get too dramatic, Gin. Sure, you weren't very nice to him and you did a few really awful things, but you're not the Dursley's, for Merlin's sake. That being said, you still have to fix this. Harry is a tough, proud man, but he knows so little of what its like to love or be loved. The feelings he has for you are his anchor. Without you, he could turn his back on our world and the muggle one, letting Voldemort take them both. He still loves you Ginny, but you've confused him and hurt him, and he doesn't know how to deal with it. He has no real experience with love Ginny.

"I've tried talking to him about it. So has Ron. He almost understood what we were saying, and then you hit him with the bogeys. Since then, he's shut us both out, refusing to talk or listen to either Ron or myself. He and Neville are clinging together during the daytime, but neither really understands what's going on."

She slumped her shoulders in defeat, "I'll go talk to him. I won't be able to study anymore tonight anyway, not after this."

"Good. You do what it takes to make him understand how you feel Ginny. I'll speak to Luna in the morning."

Slipping on a robe, she padded barefoot down the stairs of the girl's dorm and up the stairs to Harry's. Most of the beds were closed off with the privacy curtains. Ron looked up from his bed and gave her a weak smile, then nodded towards Harry's bed. A light burned from behind the curtains, the only sign of it being occupied.

Nodding to her brother, she walked over to Harry's bed and, pulling the curtain back a little, she crawled in and cast a silencing charm.

Harry sat at the top of the bed, dressed in boxers and eyeing her warily. Since that time Ginny's in the Room of Requirement, he had stopped wearing pajamas to bed.

"What do you want Ginevra? Here to hex me again?" he asked, his tone void of any emotion.

Ginny flinched inwardly to hear herself spoken to in such a monotone. "Harry, can we talk?" she asked in a soft tone.

She moved up closer to him and he flinched back slightly. He's flinching from me? She thought. Her heart was breaking.

She looked down at her hands, unable to meet his eyes. "Harry, I-I'm s-s-so so-sorry, I never meant to hurt you. Things just got so crazy with studying for the OWLS…"

She started to cry softly. There was a long silence that tore at her even more.

"You hurt me Ginevra. I tried to help you. I tried to stay out of your way and every time I turned around you were hexing me," he said softly, his own tears not far away.

Fighting for control Ginny gasped a few times, "I-I-I kn-know Harry, I'm sorry…"

"Is this what's it's really about? Is this what love is really like? The hexes were only physical pain. I'm used to that. But being hexed by someone who says she loves me? I felt empty, dead inside."

"It's not to suppose to be like that Harry. I was stupid, and selfish. I hurt you without thinking about what I was doing. If you want, I'll give you back your ring and leave." She choked out that last part and then started crying again.

"NO! Gin… Gin, please don't leave, I don't… I can't… without you, I don't think I'd be human anymore. You keep me connected… just please… don't hurt me again like that."

She looked at him through her tears, afraid to make move towards him. Suddenly his hands gripped her by her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. He held her tightly, her head on his shoulders and she wept for what she had done.

"Shhh… Gin, it will be ok." He laid his own head on top of hers, holding her while she cried. Finally she calmed and looked up at him. He smiled, his own face tear streaked as he looked at her.

"It did hurt Gin, it hurt a lot. But I can't stay angry with anyone, especially you. You know that. It's ok love, I forgive you."

His soft words echoed in her mind. He forgave her, she could see that in his eyes. She had to admit to herself that she didn't know if she could be so forgiving. For the millionth time she marveled at how gentle he could be, considering his upbringing.

"Harry, get under the blanket…"

"But Gin? We're in…"

"Hush Harry, we're going to sleep only. Besides, Ron will cover for us."

She slid under the covers next to him, wrapping her arms around him. They laid like that for a long while, foreheads touching, sometimes talking, sometimes giggling, and even occasionally kissing. Eventually, they fell asleep. Ginny never noticed that her ring was pulsating even more brightly than ever.

Hogwarts, Great Hall, breakfast before the start of OWLS and NEWTS…

Harry and Ginny entered the Great Hall late. Ron had told them to wait until Seamus, Neville and Dean had left the dorm room before getting up. Then Harry had to wait for Ginny to run up to her room and get dressed.

That sat in their usual spots at the Gryffindor table with Ron across from them. Hermione was off talking to Luna at the Ravenclaw table. Luna kept glancing over at Neville, looking more and more distressed, as Hermione kept talking to her.

Harry gave Hermione a curious look when she finally rejoined them. She was looking far too pleased with herself.

"Watch Luna," Hermione said as she started to fill her plate.

Luna stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor Table. She stopped behind Neville, who was talking to Seamus and still hadn't noticed her. She reached out with one hand and hesitantly touched him on his shoulder. Startled, he swung around on the bench until he faced her. She wasn't wearing her usual dreamy expression. Today it seemed a little sad, a little more in touch with the world.

When Luna reached out to caress Neville cheek, he grabbed her and held her tightly. She wrapped her arms about his head, cradling it against her breasts. Neville had a wonderful smile on his face. Luna glanced over to Hermione and winked.

Harry shot Hermione a suspicious look. "You playing peacemaker, 'Mione? I don't…"

Ginny laid a hand on his thigh, and he paused.

Hermione shrugged. "Let's just say I kicked a few butts that needing kicking."

Oh thank you Hermione! He thought. Just what I need for some payback on Ginny!

"Funny, I didn't see any bruises other than my teeth marks on you last night Ginny. Remind me to check that area more carefully for bruises next time," he said with a smirk.

Ginny, who was in the process of drinking her pumpkin juice, sprayed it all over Ron and the table between them. Hermione looked shocked for a moment before she started giggling. Ron sat, dripping and muttering vile threats at Ginny.

Ginny glared at Harry, but her gaze softened when he smirked at her saying, "Payback for your bat bogy." Seeing her sad look, he changed the subject. "So, what's your OWL schedule like?"

"Charms this morning and Potions in the afternoon. Tomorrow is Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Wednesday is Transfiguration and Herbology. Thursday is DADA, and Care of Magical Creatures. Friday is History of Magic and Astronomy."

"Very well Miss Weasley, I will make sure I am not around to distract you this…"

He stopped as Ginny grabbed him by the ear and gave it a sharp yank down, bring him to eye level. "Don't you dare Harry Potter. I expect to see you everyday and I won't stand for you running from me again! Is that clear?"

Harry blinked in surprise at his little red head. Damn she's pretty when she's mad! He thought, which brought a smile to his face.

Still holding his ear she ground her teeth at his smile. "What are you smiling at Harry! I'm serious!"

"I was just thinking about how you get even prettier when you're angry. It's actually kind of sexy," he said, starting to chuckle.

Ginny's face ran a gamut of emotions from elation to anger to embarrassment over his remark before surrendering to the inevitable. She smiled back and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around him.

"How about you Harry? This is finals week, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I'm not too worried about finals, not like I was about OWLS or will be about NEWTS. I do have another meeting tonight with the Professors Snape in their apartment about some personal stuff. They are going to try to help me figure out why I'm stuck using a glamour at the moment."

An Evening with the Snapes…

After finishing dinner and calming an over excited red head who was convinced she had passed both her Charms and Potions OWLS with good scores, Harry left for his evening appointment.

Arriving at the Snape's apartment, he was greeted by his unsmiling DADA Professor.

Nodding in welcome, Severus stepped aside. "Come in, Harry. Mrs. Snape is in the living room setting up some tea, I believe."

Harry entered the living room and greeted Mrs. Snape before sitting down. Severus took a seat next to him.

"Harry, I've been thinking about this power problem of yours and the glow." Severus began. "Researching this sort of problem is quite difficult because it's happened to so few people over the millennia. The only two people we know for certain that had this sort of problem are Godric Gryffindor and Merlin himself. And to be honest, little exists from either of them. But the records clearly state they had a similar problem that they solved by their twentieth year. I don't think they used the glamour as a solution for this problem. Serena has some interesting ideas about it."

Harry nodded, then turned to look at Serena.

"Harry, one thing did catch my eye and I'm not sure it's significant, but it could be a clue," Serena began. "Historical references to both Godric Gryffindor and Merlin refer to the men having an almost golden hued tan to their skin. I can't help but wonder if they somehow managed to channel their glow through their skin somehow?"

Channel the glow through the skin? He thought. Now that has some possibilities. But how?

"That's an interesting idea Professor. I might try that and see how it works."

"Harry, the other thing I'm wondering about is the amount of energy you seem to have available. Severus tells me that you first found it steadily available after your meeting in the Headmaster's office with the Ministry representatives. I'm not sure I understand, but Severus said you had an instinctual break through during that meeting."

Harry nodded replying, "It's hard to explain Professor, but I'll see if I can. In the past, my magic seemed to ebb and flow…rather like a tide. When I got angry, or when I was upset, the amount of power available would become immense and mostly uncontrollable. But after I regained control of my emotions, my magic would flow back down to more normal levels. After that meeting in the Headmaster's office, the magic didn't recede. It was like a huge dam holding back the magic, always there, always ready for me to tap into."

"And the level of magic behind that dam rose during the fight in the Great Hall?" Serena asked gently.

"Yes! That's exactly what happened! I heard your scream and I could feel it grow again. I very nearly fainted from that."

"Harry, not to change the subject, but what do you know about muggle dams?"

Harry blinked. Muggle dams? I didn't even know muggles had dams! He thought. What does this have to do with my magic, or the glow?

"Um… not much I'm afraid, Professor. My relatives rarely let me watch TV, and never took me anyplace."

Serena smiled at him. "That's alright, Harry. The summer after I graduated from school, a group of witches that I graduated with took a tour of the United States for a couple weeks. One of the places we visited was muggle dam called the Hoover Dam. Now, I'm telling you this for a reason, so pay attention. One of the things I learned about that dam was that it had something called a spillway, that prevented the water from putting too much pressure on the dam and breaking it. It allowed excess water to pass over the dam. I'm coming to think that your glow is sort of an uncontrolled spillway for you. If I'm right, then your glamour is not only the wrong solution but a bad idea, as it's giving you a false sense of security."

"But professor, I can't walk around school glowing all the time. It's bad enough I get stared at because of the scar. Imagine what it would be like if I were glowing." He shuddered at the idea.

"I'm not saying to stop using the glamour Harry. All I'm saying is don't come to rely on it. Your body needs to find a way of channeling the excess energy properly. The glamour isn't controlling it, it's merely hiding it from view."

"I understand Professor. I'll see what I can do and, if I get stuck, I'll ask Hermione for help. She loves this sort of research project. Oh, and that reminds me. Before I leave tonight, I'd like to get a full set of the mode crystals, including the attack and removal crystals. I'm not sure I'll need them, but I want to keep a set on me, just in case."

Serena stood up and went into the lab. She returned a moment later with a small leather box and handed it to him. The box was engraved with the Potter Family crest on the front and the top had the crest of the Gryffindor house. He raised an eyebrow at her.

She gave him an appraising look and said, "I'm not just a potions mistress Harry. I like working with my hands also. I made this for you. It has a sticking charm on it so it will stick to your belt, and it's charmed to be fireproof."

He opened the box to see the crystals neatly lined up. The blue-yellow attack crystal off to one side in its own little compartment. The workmanship was exquisite. He gave her a shy smile and thanked her.

Severus leaned forward. "Harry, we've never tried the attack crystal. It could use as much power as the removal stone. I'd suggest using it only in the direst of emergencies."

"I know Professor. I'm not really planning on using it unless given no choice," he replied seriously.

Harry thanked them for their help and bid them both a good night before leaving the apartment.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry took a seat on the couch in front of the fire. His mind still lost in thought, considering what the Snapes had told him about the glamour. He never even noticed when Ginny sat next to him, nor did he notice when she put his arm about her shoulder.

"Harry?"

"Hmmm?"

"Where are you Harry? I've been sitting here for five minutes now and you've never even noticed me."

"I'm sorry love. I was just thinking about something Professor Snape told me tonight. How do you think I'd look with a tan?"

"A tan? What are you talking about Harry? Your skin is almost as fair as my own. You'll burn, not tan."

"I do burn Ginny, but Professor Snape said tonight that the only two people on record that had a glowing problem like mine ended up with a golden hued tan when they fixed the problem."

The image of a golden hued Harry flashed through Ginny's mind and it caused flutters in her stomach. Not now! Owls! Remember Owls! She chanted silently to herself.

"Um… I think you'd look really nice Harry," she said, still trying to get the image from her mind.

A mistake is made…

The four friends found themselves sitting around the breakfast table at the beginning of the third day of the OWLS. Ginny felt fairly confident that she had done well and she had made an effort to spend some time with Harry every evening. Harry had helped by quizzing her on the subjects for the next day's exams.

At the moment, Harry and Ginny were listening with amusement to Hermione and Ron bargain over the number of kids they planned on having. Ron started the bargaining by saying he wanted a large family, at least eight kids.

Hermione choked on her drink, nearly spraying Harry, and countered with an offer of one child. Ron said a larger family provided for a more stable, loving environment for the children, then lowered his offer to seven. Hermione pointed out that she was an only child and asked him pointedly if he felt she was unstable in anyway. Then she upped her offer to two.

Harry leaned over to Ginny. "I bet they'll settle at four," he whispered.

She nodded her head in agreement. Harry was forced away from the battle of the babies when an owl came to land in from of him. Another owl landed in front of Ginny.

Harry removed the letter from the owl and, after feeding it some bacon, sent it on its way. He was about to open his letter when he heard Ginny shriek next to him.

"THOSE BLOODY BROTHERS! I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'D DO THIS TO ME DURING THE BLOODY OWLS!"

Harry turned to see a pair of very fuzzy, pink bunny slippers on the table in front of his girlfriend.

"Gin? What's wrong? All I see are a pair of bunny slippers."

"Harry, those aren't just bunny slippers! Those are Follow-Me squeaking slippers. They will follow me everywhere today, squeaking with every step I take!"

Harry chuckled. "Gin, that's nothing compared to what's going to happen to them. Don't you remember the curse we put on their blood contract?"

Her eyes gleamed evilly. "Oh, you are so right!"

Hermione broke in at that point. "What are you two talking about? What blood contract?"

Harry grinned and jumped at the opportunity. "'Mione I'm surprised at you. Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"Figured out what Harry?" She said in exasperation.

"Remember when the twins got pranked in the Great Hall back in March?"

"Yes I remember. The Marauders and the New Marauders pulled that stunt. I know Remus is part of the old Marauders but… no!"

"Yep! Wings is a member of the New Marauders, as is Ginny… and Luna… We haven't given them names, since they haven't mastered their animagus form yet, but I'm sure they'll get to it soon enough. Didn't you notice we came in late? We were the ones in the black robes."

Ron was staring at Harry and Ginny, bug eyed. "You're the ones that filled the Slytherin Common room to the ceiling with sand? And put that reverse sex charm on the Hufflepuff door? And replaced the Ravenclaw Quidditch team brooms with rubber brooms? That was bloody brilliant!"

Hermione was looking put out with them both over keeping this secret for so long.

"Yeah Ron, but if you tell anyone, I'll fix it so you can use your tongue as a necktie! My point is, the twins signed a binding blood contract stating they would never prank a Marauder or New Marauder again. And right about now, they are discovering the penalty for violating that contract."

Ginny looked at her slippers and laughed a very evil laugh.

Harry turned back to his mail. Opening the envelope, he found two letters, one from Molly and Arthur and another from Percy of all people! Turning to Molly's letter, he read it first.

Dear Harry,
I cannot express the joy it gives me to write this letter. Two days ago, Percy returned to the Burrow. He was upset, asking if he was still welcome here. He had quit his job with the Ministry. It took quite a bit of talking and questioning, but he finally admitted that he had wronged us and it was you who had pointed out the error of his ways.

Harry dear, I don't know what you said to him. But you've made our family whole again. We are truly blessed; in the past year we gained a new son and regained one we thought lost to us.

When Percy found out I was writing you a letter, he asked me to include his with mine. He's feeling bit ashamed of himself, but I think he's going to be fine.

Love
Molly & Arthur

Harry passed his letter over to Ginny while he read Percy's letter.

Harry,
I find myself faced with writing a very difficult letter to you. Your comments to me in Dumbledore's office led me to realize that family IS everything. The love and devotion you showed for our family, and your willingness to forgive me, made me realize that I've been so wrong about you in all ways. Mum tells me you intend to marry Ginny. A year ago, I would have been willing to knock your lights out, and I would have been wrong. You've shown yourself to be a better man than I am Harry, and it shames me to say that. My parents raised me with the values that seem to come naturally to you.

I ask that you forgive me for what I said about you, in Dumbledore's office and elsewhere. I was wrong and I am sorry.

Your Brother
Percy
PS. I can't think of a finer man for Ginny. Good Show!

Harry waited for a moment for Ginny to catch her breath and calm down. Her parent's letter left her very emotional. With a nod from Harry, she passed the letter to Ron and he gave her Percy's letter.

Ginny leaned over to Harry and squeezed him. Her family was together again and there were no words capable of expressing how happy that made her feel.

Ginny got up from the table and headed off to her next OWL exam. A pair of bunny slippers following her, making a loud squeak with every step they took.

The Twins discover their mistake…

Moments after Ginny opened the letter from the twins, the two young man in question where opening their shop for the day. Business was good and they expected that, once Hogwarts let out for the summer, it would get even better. With the restriction on underage magic, the kids would be buying enchanted pranks to make up for what they couldn't do themselves during the summer.

They were surprised by a knock at the door, and just a little apprehensive when they saw Remus and Tonks standing outside their shop. Fred opened the door to allow them to enter, then placed the 'Open' sign in the window.

George, noticing the large grin on Remus' face, gripped the counter. He liked Remus, but the smile on his face wasn't an easy, friendly sort of expression.

"Good Morning Gentlemen!" Remus exclaimed as he walked up to the counter. "I wonder if by chance you ever got around to reading your copy of the magical blood contract you signed with the Marauders and the New Marauders?" he asked, innocently.

"Of course we read it," George said.

"It said we couldn't prank them again, or we would suffer the consequences," Fred explained.

"And we haven't pranked anyone," George continued, firmly.

"Well there was Ginny…"

"…but we know Ginny can't be a Marauder…"

Both of the twins turned to the other with a look of horror. Sure Ginny couldn't be a Marauder, but…a New Marauder?

"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the consequences," Remus replied cheerfully to the horror-stricken duo.

Suddenly, there was a large shadow in the street outside and someone screamed. A large troll appeared outside the shop and tried to enter it through the door. But the doorway was far too small for the troll.

The troll shrugged and the doorframe broke free from the building in a shower of plaster. It entered the shop through the gaping hole it had created and approached the terrified twins. and it entered the shop. Stepping up to Fred and George it poked each with a ham sized finger and growled.

Raising enormous hands, it poked each twin in the chest with a ham sized finger, growling, "Yous did wrong! Yous mush pay!"

As the twins clutched each other, the troll lifted a hand to both their heads and daintily plucked a singer hair. Flinching, they turned wide, shocked eyes to Remus.

"Gentlemen, I have been instructed to inform you that the troll will pluck a hair from your head every ten minutes. I did manage to convince my friends to start with the top of your heads, however. It was their inclination to start with ah… shall we say, more private areas, before starting on your heads. The New Marauders have further instructed me to tell you that the troll will continue plucking hairs until you are totally bald. Then, it will start plucking other body hair.

"However, after two days, you can stop the troll by agreeing to cooperate with the New Marauders on a little project they have in mind for you. All you need do is floo me on the second day with your agreement and the troll will leave you be. Should you opt not to cooperate, once you are hairless, the troll will start plucking extremities - fingers, arms that sort of thing. Good day boys."

Remus and Tonks walked from the shop, stepping over the ruins of the door. They managed to contain themselves until they reached the street. Once there, they hurried to the Leaky Cauldron, laughing loudly.

Somewhere in England, Location unknown...

Voldemort was gleeful. His planning and efforts were about to pay off!

Despite the failures at Hogwarts, his attacks elsewhere had managed to scatter the Auror forces all over the country. There was no way they would be able to gather in time.

"Send in Wormtail," he sneered to a servant.

The fat man came scurrying into the chamber and groveled at his master's feet.

"Wormtail… is everything ready?" asked Voldemort.

Wormtail groveled before his master and whined. "Not quite Master. Malfoy reports his force is being slow to gather, due to Ministry interference with the floo network. He begs to report that he expects to be fully assembled in less than an hour. The first attack group is ready to depart at your pleasure, my lord!"

"Send in the first group and tell Malfoy that he has a half hour or I will take my displeasure out on him personally."

"Yes my lord, it will be as you command."

Wormtail backed out of the room bowing all the way.

Bored, Voldemort turned to one of the always-present sycophants and muttered, "Crucio".

Life is good, he thought while he tortured the Death Eater for the fun of it.

Hogsmeade Train Station…

The Hogsmeade station didn't see a lot of train traffic. There was the twice-daily wizard commuter and it was a favorite apparation point. The stationmaster had an easy job, with only two trains a day. The only time he really had to work was during the arrival and departure of the Hogwarts Express.

As no trains were due, he was working in his office, and was surprised to hear the sound of people apparating in. A lot of people by the sound of it, and they just kept coming. Being curious, he stepped outside his office, then onto the platform and froze.

A voice yelled, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

In a flash of green, the Hogsmeade stationmaster slumped to the ground, lifeless.

Seff Johnson was a newly graduated Auror. He was approaching the train station to apparate back to the ministry when he saw the unmistakable flash of green light from a killing curse. He then spotted a black robed figure, duck behind the building. Knowing he was probably out numbered and not experienced enough, he did the smart thing. He ran all the way back to Hogsmeade, where he met up with Senior Auror Shacklebolt and stammered out his warning.

"Death Eaters, assembling at the train station!" He gasped.

"I'll send the alert signal. You get up to the school and warn the Headmaster!" Shacklebolt ordered.

Seff nodded and took off for the school at a full run while Shacklebolt sent two alert signals, one to the Order and one to the Ministry.

Hogwarts, Great Hall, last day of the OWLS/NEWTS…

Harry and his friend were enjoying their breakfast on the last day of the OWLS. Harry was actually looking forward to the OWLS ending so he'd get his girlfriend back, hopefully with her sanity fully restored.

There was a commotion at the entrance to the Great Hall. Harry turned to watch a man he didn't know, but clearly wearing an Auror's uniform, run into the hall. He got about half way to the head table when he stopped, panting heavily.

Summoning his breath he shouted, "HOGSMEADE IS UNDER ATTACK! DEATH EATERS MASSING AT THE TRAIN STATION!"

The man stood panting in the center aisle, his gaze fixed on Dumbledore, the hope clear on his face. His shouted warning still echoed in the hall. Student's looked around fearfully.

"Attention please," Dumbledore called. Everyone turned to stare in his direction.

"Madam Pomfrey, Professors Sprout and Snape, you will remain here. All of the remaining teachers will accompany me. Classes and tests are cancelled today and all students are to remain here in the hall."

With that, Dumbledore hurriedly left the Great Hall, teachers close behind.

Hogsmeade, train station…

The Death Eaters continued to apparate in. Less than half of them were present and Voldemort had given them strict orders not move into town until everyone was present.

From the town it was possible to hear the sound of screams of panic as the folk of Hogsmeade tried to flee.

Grimmauld Place…

An alarm shrieked through out the building. Remus and Tonks bolted from their room and ran down the staircase to the main meeting room. It was quickly filling up with people. Tonks ran to the apparation point and left for the Ministry. As an Auror, she had different duties today.

Alistair Moody had a map of Hogsmeade up against the wall. Nearby were boxes of pre-made portkeys.

"LISTEN UP! We have little time. A large band of Death Eaters has been spotted gathering at the train station. Everyone grab a box. We'll be apparating to the west end of town. When you arrive, hand out portkeys to every civilian you see. When your box is empty, move east to support the Aurors. The Aurors will be setting up a line west of the train station to give us time to evacuate. You've got your orders! Move it!"

Everyone scrambled for a box of portkeys and ran to the apparation spot in the building.

The Ministry of Magic, Department of Law Enforcement…

A two-tone alarm rang through the hallways. Those Aurors sitting around on standby immediately gathered in the Ministry's briefing room.

Amelia Bones herself, ran the speed briefing.

"We are calling in all of our Aurors, off duty and on assignment. In the meantime, we have reports of a large concentration of Death Eaters gathering at the Hogsmeade train station. They have not yet moved into the town, but it's only a matter of time until they do. You will apparate to this position here." She pointed to a map and the apparation coordinates appeared.

Several other Aurors slipped into the briefing room, including Tonks.

"This is roughly one hundred meters from the train station. You will form a defensive line and hold it. Civilian volunteers will be assisting in the evacuation of the town and join you as soon as the evacuation is complete. Everyone kit up. We move out in 3 minutes!"

Albus Dumbledore…

Dumbledore led his teachers down the Entrance Hall and out towards the edge of the Anti-Apparation wards. Once they arrived, they immediately apparated to the west end of the town.

The Great Hall, Hogwarts…

Professor Sprout tried to shout for everyone's attention. Many of the first years and some of the second years were panicking. Few could hear Professor Sprout, although a few prefects tried to get the kids to pay attention to her. More than a few heads turned to face Harry, waiting for the word.

Serena looked worriedly over to the Gryffindor table. Harry looked at her with a determined smile. He nodded to her, and then he climbed on top of the table.

"DA! Everyone get their gear and assemble in the Entrance Hall in three minutes! Blaise!"

Blaise Zabini stood up from the Slytherin table. "You have castle security. You know what to do." Blaise nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

Professor Sprout started to shout as the DA members ran from the room. Serena touched her on the arm. "Pomona, they won't listen to you."

"But… but where are they going Serena?"

"They are going to war Pomona. Without them, there will be no victory."

Hogsmeade Train Station…

With nearly two hundred Death Eaters in place and waiting for the second wave, a few were caught off guard as the Aurors started apparating in. The Aurors however, had made a classic mistake of arriving in groups against a larger opposing force and arriving in the open.

Spells flew furiously and, within minutes, more than a third of the Aurors were dead. Of the remaining Aurors, more than half were injured.

Tonks cursed. They had apparated in with over a hundred and fifty. Fifty were now dead and, with more than fifty injured, their fighting strength had reached dangerously low proportions. The Station was only two hundred meters from town, and those remaining Aurors who could, were falling back to the west, still under heavy fire. Others were pinned down by Death Eaters, unable to follow their comrades and further splitting their strength.

Hogwarts Entrance Hall…

Fifty-six members of the DA formed up in squad formation in the Entrance Hall. From there, it was a mere two-minute run to the point where they would be outside of the anti-apparation wards.

Each member carried a belt, containing four of Serena Snape's Anti-Cruciatus potions, a blood replenisher and two pain relieving potions. Harry was the only one that carried an extra burden. Clipped to his belt was a box of crystals, in case he had to resort to using them.

Harry stepped over to Ginny, grabbed her in a bone crushing hug and whispered in her ear, "You be careful today!"

She nodded. "You too love!"

Harry turned to Ron and gave him the signal. Ron yelled to the group, "We're going in using plan B. When we arrive at the apparation point, assume defensive positions. Everyone drink a Cruciatus potion!"

With that, the group moved out of the castle at a fast trot to the apparation point. Behind them, Blaise Zabini watched, wishing he could go. But he had his instructions. He nodded to his second in command, who gave a curt order. The main doors of Hogwarts swung shut and a shimmering one-way shield was put in place.

Back in the Great Hall, other Slytherin members of the DA assumed defensive positions by the doors. Once Blaise returned, the doors would be sealed and shielded.

Hogsmeade West, Order of the Phoenix…

Roughly thirty members of the Order arrived within seconds of each other. Cracking open the boxes, they started handing out portkeys to every civilian they could see. They had more than enough portkeys to evacuate all fifteen hundred civilians. The portkeys were set up to take people to a special receiving station at the Ministry of Magic. Healers from St. Mungos stood ready at the Ministry to deal with incoming wounded.

Remus Lupin was beside himself with worry. Standing in front of Gladrags, he was afraid for his wife. She was somewhere up the street with the Aurors. He continued handing out portkeys, as the sound of fighting slowly grew louder.

Now and then an Auror would come back with wounded. Remus would put a portkey around the wounded Aurors neck and send them back to the waiting healers.

Albus Dumbledore and the other Hogwarts teachers helped hand out portkeys. Dumbledore kept glancing towards the east.

More members of the Order were arriving, and it did help to ease the general sense of panic.

Nymphadora Tonks…

Tonks was one of the lucky ones. She had taken a hit to her thigh that immobilized her, but she was hidden from view behind a large rock. She watched with tears in her eyes as friends and co-workers were killed. With her wound, there was no way she could make it across the fifty meters of kill zone to the Three Broomsticks. She was pinned down and unless someone came to help her, she was going to die there.

Remus, she thought, I'm so sorry!

Hogsmeade West, Order of the Phoenix…

Arthur and Molly Weasley had finally managed to arrive with the last of the incoming Order members. All told, fifty order members were now present. There were over five hundred civilians still to evacuate.

Dumbledore, Snape and Remus heard a loud hum coming from the east. Severus and Remus knew the source of that sound, but Dumbledore had never heard it before. His eye's narrowed, wondering what devilry the Death Eaters were up to. He started moving east to gain a better view of what was happening. Remus and Severus followed him. A moment later, Minerva McGonagall joined them.

Hogsmeade Train Station…

Like sharks smelling blood in the water, some of the Death Eaters started to push forward, in violation of their instructions. The second wave hadn't arrived yet, and the movement forward caused the other Death Eaters to lighten their fire. For a brief moment, the fire coming from the Death Eaters weakened considerably, allowing for more Aurors to pull back.

Tonks however, was still firmly pinned down since she had no one to help drag her back.

The Shrieking Shack, Hogsmeade…

"Ron, combat formation. Make sure you keep an interval of fifteen meters between squads," Harry said quietly. In the distance the sounds of fighting and people screaming could be heard.

Ron passed the word to the squad leaders. Neville took up position near the first squad in the line. Ron had the fifth squad.

Harry, Ginny, Luna and Hermione took up position next to squad three.

"SHIELDS!" Harry bellowed. The command was echoed up and down the line.

Fifteen shields snapped to life with a loud hum. One squad member controlled each shield and they extended for ten meters in either direction from the caster, four meters high. The result was each squad had three shields in a triangular area of protection. One shield to the front, and one to each side.

Harry signaled to Ron to move them away from the Shrieking Shack. "All squads! Move out maintaining fifteen meter intervals," Ron shouted.

Squad leaders barked orders and the shielder's made a slight adjustment to the their shields, raising them off the ground a meter so the squads could move freely without hitting anything.

At a trot, the DA moved down from the Shrieking Shack to cut off the road between the train station and the rest of the town.

Hogsmeade Train Station…

Few things can stop a madman. But if you confront a madman with a totally alien situation, he will stop to consider what he's seeing. That's exactly what the Death Eaters did when the DA moved onto the field. They were seeing something totally new.

Hogsmeade Road, east of town…

The DA came trotting from the direction of the Shrieking Shack, their shields issuing a loud hum. Once they had straddled the road, the shields were once again dropped to ground level. Now, each squad leader took over.

Each group consisted of one squad leader, five shooters, three shielders and one trained for healing. The squad leader and healer could and did double up as shooters. The shooters worked in pairs, timing their shots so that, even if one shot is deflected by a shield, the second shooter could get a shot through a weakening shield.

Roughly thirty percent of the DA members were capable of firing spells without a wand. In the first volley, fifteen Death Eaters were killed or disabled. The shields of the DA splashed and glowed with deflected shots. The shields would deflect anything but an Unforgiveable curse, and they were trained to dodge those.

Harry looked over the enemy. They were outnumbered by at least three to one. And there were a number of Aurors pinned down between the DA's line and the Death Eaters.

"Covering Fire!" Harry yelled.

A second later Ron and Neville echoed the order. When the DA's firing commenced, Harry, Ginny, Luna and Hermione fired off Sun Fire spells. Normally used for Stadium night lighting, these powerful spells arced out over the DA and ignited, just in front of the line of Death Eaters. The intense glare cause by these powerful lights, and the smoke spells being fired by the DA, caused the Death Eaters to flinch back and pause in their casting.

Harry amplified his voice then yelled, "AURORS! FALL BACK AND REGROUP BEHIND OUR LINE!"

In ones and twos, Aurors scrambled behind the line set up by the DA. After several minutes, the Sun Fire spells extinguished and the smoke cleared in the morning breeze.

"Commence firing!" Harry yelled again.

Harry, Ginny, Luna and Hermione were firing spells that arced over the front line of the Death Eaters, landing to their rear in huge explosions. The DA continued to use spells none of the Death Eaters had any experience with, causing confusion in the enemy ranks.

"HARRY!"

He whirled to see Hermione pointing to prone Tonks, cowering behind a rock. He tried to apparate but it seemed the Death Eaters had erected an anti-apparation ward in the vicinity. He eyed the distance carefully. She was clearly over range for his micro-jumping capability, which could work through a ward. Using his phoenix form wasn't viable either, he'd have to expose himself too much for that.

Stepping out from behind the shield of squad three, he entered the unshielded interval between the two squads.

"ACCIO TONKS!"

He grabbed her in his arms then spun around to return behind the shield. It was at that point that a cutting hex clipped him in the calf. It wasn't a serious wound, but it would slow him down some. He handed Tonks to Luna, who pulled her out of the line of fire so she could work on her wounds. Luna dragged Tonks all the way back to Honeydukes, well out of the line of fire, before propping her up against the building wall.

Dumbledore…

"AURORS! FALL BACK AND REGROUP BEHIND OUR LINE!"

Dumbledore stopped when he heard that. The fighting was still in the distance, but that was Harry's voice! He increased his pace.

Dumbledore walked steadily east, towards the source of that strange hum. He stopped suddenly, nearly causing the two men following him to pile into his back.

Nymphadora Tonks leaned with her back against the wall of Honeydukes. Luna worked on her wound healing it and administer a pain relieving potion.

Is that Miss Lovegood? Thought Dumbledore. How did she get here? She's supposed to be back at the school!

Remus, spotting Tonks, rushed to her side. Luna looked up at Remus and smiled reassuringly. Then she turned and rushed back to the fight.

McGonagall, Severus and Dumbledore followed.

They didn't have to go far. Up the road from Honeydukes, Dumbledore once again stopped suddenly, this time in shock. It wasn't possible. There were over fifty students from the school cutting across the road. They were holding against the Death Eaters!

McGonagall's face paled and she gaped at the sight before them. "Oh Merlin Albus, they're students!" she whispered.

He could see a small number of Aurors filling the gaps between each group of students.

"ANTI-PERSONELL FIRE!" Yelled Harry Potter.

New spells shot out from the students. Arcing over the first line of Death Eaters, the spells exploded in the air behind them, showering the rear ranks with hundreds of pieces of sharp metal. In a single volley, more than forty death eaters fell.

Dumbledore was at a total loss. He simply didn't know what to do. The students were holding against a much large force and doing major damage.

"SHEILDERS! PREPARE TO ROTATE!" Harry yelled.

Amelia Bones finally arrived in Hogsmeade and she joined Dumbledore, watching the students…students!…doing their job.

Harry and the DA…

Harry looked at the forward facing shields. The two end squads were all right, but the three center squads were glowing brightly. The center squad had started to shimmer, a sure sign that it was about to overload if they didn't let it bleed off the energy it had absorbed.

"SHEILDERS! PREPARE TO ROTATE!" He yelled.

At their nods of readiness, he gave the order. "SHIELDERS! ROTATE!"

In each squad, the three shielders shifted positions. The front facing shield was moved to the left, where it could safely bleed off energy, as the right shield moved to the front.

"ANTI-PERSONELL FIRE!" Harry ordered.

Again, the high arcing spells shot out from the squads, exploding over the rear ranks of the Death Eaters.

The Second Wave arrives…

It took too much time. The second wave was half again as strong as the first, nearly three hundred Death Eaters, the crème of the crop. Lucius Malfoy led the group, Bellatrix Lestrange was second in command.

The Death Eaters boiled out from behind the train station building and paused for a moment. In front of them were the remnants of the first wave, less than one hundred Death Eaters.

"For the Dark Lord!" Shouted Malfoy

And the crowd of Death Eaters surged forward.

Harry and the DA…

"ANTI-PERSONELL FIRE!" he yelled for the third time that day.

Again the spells shot out to the back of the ranks of the Death Eaters. In an instant some eighty of the tightly packed Death Eaters were dead.

Lucius Malfoy…

Malfoy ducked as the spells exploded overhead.

Great Merlin, what in the hell was that? He thought. I better get my ass to the front to see what's going on.

He didn't want to, but he shoved and pushed his way forward.

Bellatrix Lestrange…

Seeing what happened to the rear ranks of her group, she decided to swing south and see if she could come up along the side of that strange cluster of shields.

She moved stealthily around until she had a good position. She saw an Auror firing into her Death Eaters.

She stepped out from behind her cover and cast her spell.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The Auror, caught off guard, died instantly.

A time for justice…

He saw a flash of green out of the corner of his eye. Turning left he saw her.

Bellatrix!

Neville dived to the ground, firing off a cutting hex which narrowly missed Bellatrix.

Spotting Neville, she dove to one side while firing another killing curse at him. Neville rolled out of the way and sprang to his feet.

The two faced each other across six meters of open space.

"Well Longbottom, I think it's time you join your parents in St. Mungos!"

"Crucio!"

The curse hit Neville squarely in the chest.

Bellatrix gaped. Her curse had hit, she saw it hit! He hadn't even tried to dodge it. Yet he was still standing?

"I'll see you in hell first Bella," Neville snarled. "Diffindo!"

The spell caught her in the side. She rolled away gasping in pain and cast another Cruciatus. As he dodged away, she cursed. Her curse turned to a shriek as he struck her with another cutting curse.

Forgoing the Unforgiveables, Bellatrix started using other spells. She knew she was in a fight for her life. She managed to hit Neville in the leg with a cutting hex, and narrowly missed with several Reductos. She tried a smothering hex, but missed as she was forced to dive out of the way of another spell from Neville.

The two continued to trade shots for a minute or so when it happened. Neville slipped, the blood from his wound and run down his leg, causing his foot to slide in his boot. It was a minor slip, but it was enough.

"DIFFINDO!" Bellatrix yelled.

Neville screamed as his wand arm was cut off at the elbow. Reeling, he tried to catch himself as he fell. As the bloody remains of his arm ground into the dirt, he screamed again. Laying on the ground, he panted. His arm pumped blood freely. When a shadow fell over him, he looked up into Belletrix' eyes, gleaming down at him.

"Don't worry little Nevi. You're parents will be joining you soon," she said in a sing-song voice. "When I'm done with you, I'll see to it myself! Enjoy your time in hell!"

Neville raised his hand, as if begging her to stop.

Lifting her wand, she snarled, "AVADA…"

"Reducto!" Neville gasped.

His wandless spell blew right through her stomach and out her back, taking with it a long chunk of spinal column. Her eyes widened in shock and she collapsed backwards, dying.

Neville cast a bandaging charm on the stump of his arm and staggered to his feet. Reeling from loss of blood and shock, he moved back up the line towards Harry.

Behind the line…

Slowly, a crowd built up behind the DA, mostly Order members and the few remaining unwounded Aurors. Molly paled when she saw Harry, Ginny and Ron out there. Arthur grabbed her when she tried to run to them. She looked at him, pleadingly.

"No love. They may be our children, but they're warriors today. Look, they're doing what we could not do."

She crumpled in his strong arms, unable to argue with him.

Remus looked at the stunned and immobile onlookers. Idiots! He thought fiercely, before shouting, "WELL? Are you warriors of the light or spectators? HELP THEM!"

Order members broke from their paralysis and moved forward to join the Aurors and the DA.

Amelia Bones turned to Dumbledore.

"You did this? You trained these students? No… I can see this is as much a surprise to you as it is to me…"

Dumbledore could barely nod in agreement.

She scowled at him and moved forward to help with the others.

Lucius Malfoy…

"Move forward!"

He was in front now, but he continued moving, ducking behind his own shields and everyone else's. It had been his intent to lead from the rear, but this group of students…STUDENTS!…had forced him from the safety of that position.

Harry and the DA…

They were holding, but they wouldn't hold for long. The numbers were not on their side. There were so many Death Eaters that they were spreading out and starting to flank him on both flanks. Between the remaining Aurors, the DA and the Order, they had barely a hundred and twenty fighters, and were badly outnumbered. Hermione had joined Squad two. One of the students there had gone down from a ricochet that made it through the gap in the shields. Ginny and Luna were helping wounded Aurors and Order members who had taken up positions between the shielded squads.

Three more DA members went down with hits coming in either through the gaps or from overhead. Harry's eyes narrowed. He knew it was time for drastic measures. Either he'd have to fall back or...

Then he saw him, darting in and out of the shields on the front line of the Death Eaters. There might be a way to pull this off yet!

"MALFOY!" Harry bellowed. It was enough. Malfoy paused to see who had yelled his name.

Harry darted out in front of Squad three. He cast a shield for a moment.

"Accio Malfoy!"

Lucius Malfoy came flying through the air and collided with Harry's shield, stunning him. Dropping his shield, he crouched down and ran to Malfoy. Upon reaching him he knelt down, ripped opened the box, and pulled out the attack crystal. There wasn't a moment to lose. He rolled sideways, dodging a killing curse. He cast another shield to buy time and prayed that this would work. His glamour dropped as soon as he started to feed energy into the attack crystal.

Ron, at the top of the line, saw Harry out in front and his eyes widened.

"COVERING FIRE!" He yelled.

Again, smoke spells burst in front of the ranks of Death Eaters, but this time it didn't stop them. They fired at random into the smoke. Spells continued to blast through, but they were un-aimed.

Harry's shield dropped as soon as he started to power the crystal. He couldn't do both things at the same time. He never even noticed the hits he took, as he sent all his magic into that crystal. In a matter of seconds, he was hit with multiple cutting hexes and over a dozen crucios. The crystal burned a white hot in his hand. Turning to stunned man, Harry aimed the crystal right at his forehead. An intense white beam shot out, hitting Malfoy. This had to work, the attack crystal was supposed to attack all the dark marks in the area, but it had never been tested.

Malfoy's eyes snapped open and he began to writhe on the ground, screaming, his body starting to smoke. Barely a second later all of the Death Eaters dropped to the ground in agony. Harry ignored them.

Ron, seeing what was going on, yelled to the DA, "Check Fire! Check Fire!"

Malfoy continued to writhe, Harry stood rock still over the screaming Death Eater as he continued to feed magic into the crystal. The sound of hundreds of people screaming was hideous! The light from the crystal continued to brighten, as did the glow from Harry, until everyone had to turn away from it.

When the light faded, Harry stood swaying. The crystal in his hand smoked from the energy it had been made to carry. Death Eaters were down everywhere. Malfoy had been reduced to a charred skeleton.

Harry toppled over the still smoking remains and lay still in the morning sun.

"HARRY!" screamed Ginny and she pelted out to him.

Ron barked out new commands. "All squads, drop shields. Medic detail, check wounded!"

The silence, which suddenly descended on the battlefield, was eerie. It was possible to hear the occasional moans of wounded, both behind the line and in front.

Then another voice rang out in anguish. "NEVILLE!"

Luna rushed over to the still figure, laying face down in the road. Ron's eye's narrowed. Then he turned to fifth squad's leader. "Susan, send a messenger to the castle. Inform them we have wounded coming in."

Susan nodded to one of her squad who apparated away. Apparently, the anti-apparation wards had come down when the Death Eater who'd cast it fell.

Hermione and Ginny were working on Harry. He was a mess. He had been hit by nearly a dozen Cruciatus curses. Serena's potion had helped, but he would pay for it. He had a hole in his side, dozens of cuts from cutting hexes, and the hand that held the crystal seemed to be severely burned. It took both of them to pry the crystal loose, the skin peeling away with it. Frantically, they worked to stabilize him.

Several minutes later, Ginny leaned back as Hermione nodded to a student, who was standing by with a stretcher ready.

Remus approached Ron. Placing a hand on his shoulder he said, "Your job is finished here. We'll clean up."

Ron nodded and turned back to the DA. "All units form up. Medic detail! Stretcher the wounded. Prepared to return to the school!"

As the squads formed up into neat columns, Ron looked over the field. Six DA members had been injured. Harry and Neville were the most serious, but four more had minor to moderate wounds.

As Amelia Bones and Dumbledore moved towards the neat group of students, Ron gave an order and, as one, they apparated away, stretchers and all. Amelia was astounded. She was certain that she had spotted her niece Susan among these students. Her niece had NEVER mentioned anything like this in any of her letters!

She was about to turn to Dumbledore and rip into him when she was interrupted by Severus Snape.

"Headmaster, Director Bones, I have made a preliminary survey of the Death Eaters before us. I would have to estimate that Harry and his group have decimated Voldemort's forces. There are at least four hundred, maybe five hundred Death Eaters out there.

"You knew about this group of his, Severus?"

"Yes Sir, I did. Harry's been training them for this battle since the beginning of the school term."

"Why didn't you come to me with this Severus? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry Headmaster. The simple fact is, Harry doubts your commitment to our cause, and he felt you would have tried to stop him from fighting here today if you knew about it. Had you succeeded in stopping him, we would have lost this battle. He did what was necessary Headmaster and, in doing so, has introduced a whole new way of fighting this war. He knows his responsibility Sir, but he also refuses to be a pawn any longer. If you want to deal with Harry, you need to treat him as an equal, not a student.

"I have to tell you Headmaster that Harry is the only member of his group that will speak to you about this. He has given specific orders that no one else talk about their activities. I think you will find the DA exceedingly loyal to him. Just look at what they accomplished here today."

As Snape spoke, Amelia Bones listened carefully. She was enjoying this. Dumbledore had been a thorn in her side for years with his Order, and now a student, A STUDENT, builds an army right under his nose!

Senior Auror Shacklebolt came up and slipped her a piece of parchment, interrupting her reverie. It was the casualty count and it wasn't good.

Effective: 35 Aurors
Wounded: 47 Aurors
Killed: 68 Aurors

She scowled. Just under half of her Auror force was dead, and many of the wounded would be out of action for months to come.

Dumbledore stood there, digesting what Severus had said. Yes, I can see the only way I can deal with Harry anymore will be as an equal. I have robbed him of his childhood, and this war has forced him to grow up far faster than I would have wished, he thought sadly.

Director Bones broke his concentration. "I too, want to talk to Mr. Potter. What he accomplished here is nothing short of amazing. And given our loses, I think I would like to talk to him about getting help recovering from them. If he can build group of students into that kind of fighting force, and do it under your own nose Dumbledore, he'd build a force to be reckoned with if we allowed him!"

Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…

Professor Sprout had finally collapsed in a chair at the head table, staring at the tall Slytherin. No matter how many house points she threatened to take away from him, he refused…refused…to drop the shields now guarding the castle and the Great Hall.

She watched Blaise as he walked away, circling the Great Hall, talking to students, checking with his shielders and generally keeping everyone calm. When the castle rang out in a loud two-tone gong, Blaise look up sharply.

"Shielders drop shields. Prepare to receive incoming wounded!" He ordered.

Serena Snape went over to Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy, come, we will be needed in the infirmary shortly."

"But how can… how… Serena?" She said weakly.

"Poppy, we have injured coming in. I don't know how many, but the shields have been dropped. That noise was the signal that Harry and his friends have succeeded and are returning to the school with injured. The battle is over."

"Mr. Potter eh? Mark my words! He'll probably be one of those injured if I know that boy! Very well Serena, let's go wait for the injured in the infirmary."

Serena and Poppy arrived at the infirmary and were laying out supplies when the doors burst open, and six stretchers were brought in. Ron posted two members at the door to the infirmary and told everyone else to stand down. Several of the medical detail entered and started working on the lesser wounded.

Poppy stood in shock as she watched students healing wounds, or requesting potions from Serena, to administer to their patients. She noted that Harry, and Mr. Longbottom were among the wounded.

Luna healed a bad cut on Neville's leg, then looked up at Poppy. "Madam Pomfrey, he'll need a Crucio restorative and two Blood Replenishers before we can re-grow his arm."

Poppy arched her eyebrow in surprise. She ran a diagnostic scan, which confirmed Luna's suggestions.

"Hmmm… Very well, Miss Lovegood. We'll do it that way. I'll get you the potions, then we'll work on starting the re-growth." As too few of the students went into medicine, she wasn't about to discourage any student that showed an aptitude for it.

Turning to Potter, she saw that most of his wounds had been healed already. He was awake, if very groggy, and Ginny Weasley was helping him drink a Crucio restorative potion. She saw his hand and frowned. Even in the magic world, burns were tricky. She hurried to her supply cabinet and pulled out a large tub of salve and bandages. Returning to him, she handed the salve to Ginny along with the bandages.

"That's a very bad burn he has. You'll need to numb it first, then smear this cream on it, before bandaging it. He'll need to have the bandages changed and the salve put on three times a day. It's going to hurt a lot for the next few days before the healing reaches his nerves. He can either use a numbing charm or a Pain Relief potion. The problem with a numbing charm is that, with the hand numb, he might bang it against something and damage it without ever knowing about it."

Ginny glanced at Harry then suggested, "I think a Pain Relief potion would be best then." She turned back to Harry's hand and started working again.

"Well Mr. Potter, I suspected you would be one of those carried in. I just never expected you to bring your own healers with you!"

Harry gave her a tired smile. "We'll always need you Madam Pomfrey. It just wouldn't be Hogwarts without you."

One by one, Poppy checked on her charges and released them. There was really very little for her to do.

Reluctantly, she released Harry. He was exhausted and weak from multiple Cruciatus hits, but she also knew Miss Weasley would make sure he rested, as well as seeing to his hand.

With Ginny and Serena watching him carefully, Harry left the infirmary. The only member of the DA that would require a longer stay was Neville and he seemed to have a very dedicated healer in Miss Lovegood.

Just outside the infirmary, the three met up with Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Potter, the Headmaster would like to speak with you in the Great Hall, and from what I understand, so would a great many other people." Her displeasure was evident in her voice.

"Yes Professor, we'll be right along."

"I'll see that he gets there, Minerva," said Serena.

McGonagall turned, her back stiff, and left the three to make their own way to the Great Hall.

Halfway there, Harry gasped and staggered. Ginny and Serena caught him.

"Harry, what is it?"

"I need… to sit… for a moment…" he gasped. Ginny nearly let go of him as she could feel his muscles rippling under her fingers.

They helped him to an empty classroom and he sat down, his body trembling. His breath ragged from the pain. Serena knelt by his side. "Harry, what's wrong?"

"I… think… my body is building that spillway you talked about Professor… all by itself…"

Ginny pulled open the front of his robe and opened his shirt. She gasped as his skin tone slowly darkened and, she wasn't sure, but it seemed like his muscle definition had improved. They weren't bulging, it just seemed they had a sharper definition. She looked up at Harry, the light returning to his eyes.

"You like Miss Weasley?" he asked, trying to smirk through the pain

Serena tried to hide her laugh and failed.

Dumbly, she nodded, and tried hard not to lick her lips. After a moment, the pain passed and Harry had a deep bronze tone to his skin. Ginny reluctantly re-buttoned his shirt and they continued down to the Great Hall.

Somewhere in England, location unknown…

Peter Pettigrew was terrified, even more so that usual. He cowered outside the Master's chamber where, a short time before, a terrible screaming had come.

Now there was silence. He had sent a messenger to Hogsmeade and when the messenger returned with the news, he was too afraid to deliver it. So he sent the messenger into the chamber.

Voldemort was in a rage. He didn't bother casing the killing curse on the messenger. He snapped the man's neck with his hands.

His arm burned painfully, and his link to his forces confirmed what the messenger had told him. His forces had been defeated, most of them killed.

He didn't know how, he didn't know who, but he was determined to find out.

"Wormtail! Stop cowering outside the door and get in here!"

Wormtail scurried into the room.

"I have several tasks for you Wormtail…" he said with a hiss.

The Great Hall, Hogwarts…

They arrived at the Great Hall to find that the DA members were being denied entry by Aurors. Apparently, they wanted to speak to Harry alone.

Senior Auror Shacklebolt stepped into the doorway. "I'm sorry Potter, they want to talk to you alone. No one else is allowed in."

Harry felt a cold determination fill his belly and the light in his eye's flared. He turned his gaze on Shacklebolt. "Senior Auror, I will say this only once. We will all be entering the Hall. If you try to prevent it, you'll regret it."

Shacklebolt suddenly looked doubtful. This was no student he was dealing with, this was a wizard, and one more powerful than himself.

Harry went on in a gentler voice. "Senior Auror what few comrades you have left are alive because of us. Honor them and do not make us regret saving your lives."

Shacklebolt nodded shakily and motioned to his Aurors to let them all in.

Dumbledore looked furiously at Shacklebolt. Arrayed with Dumbledore were all of the teachers, Amelia Bones, a number of Aurors and Order members, including a very relieved Arthur and Molly Weasley and Remus Lupin, who winked at Harry and raised an eyebrow at his tan.

Dumbledore stood, preparing to speak, but Harry stopped him with a raised hand. He began to speak softly, his tone all the more authoritative because of it.

"Before you begin Headmaster, know that should you try to invoke any disciplinary action against us, we are fully prepared to leave Hogwarts and attend school elsewhere. Remus has handled all the details for me. I have only to say the word and our new school will be operational and accredited by tomorrow. I might add that, if we leave, Hogwarts will be without Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors."

Dumbledore turned to glare furiously at Severus and Serena. Both gazed back at him, calmly. Sitting heavily, he turned back to Harry as the young man spoke.

"Now Headmaster, are you ready to listen to me?"

Dumbledore nodded mutely. Some of the other teachers looked at Harry like he was some strange bug. This wasn't the meek, shy Harry Potter they knew.

"Since the end of my forth year you, the Order and the Ministry have stumbled about allowing Voldemort to recruit his forces…"

A bunch of people flinched at the name.

"Look at you! How can you possibly fight him when you are afraid of even saying his name?" He asked them in disgust. Raking fingers through his hair, he said, "Had I listened to you Headmaster, I would have lost everything I hold dear. You tried to take me away from my family, you threatened to expel the woman I love from this school, just so you could control my life."

Molly and Arthur looked startled at that and shot Dumbledore angry looks.

"Last summer I got an idea which stands before you today. Wizards and Witches, trained in the muggle way of fighting and healing, motivated, highly skilled, utilizing spells and techniques which no one else knows. Had we not intervened today, the casualty count would have been far greater than it is. And Hogsmeade would be a burning ruin.

"You know this Sir, because I showed you the vision months ago of what it could have been. This was not the final battle to be sure. We have badly beaten Voldemort in the field and he will be a long time recovering, but the final battle is less than a year away and it will occur right here on the grounds of this school!"

Dumbledore jerked his head up to stare at Harry. Everyone else in the hall gasped.

"The choice is yours headmaster in how you deal with us. Are you willing to commit to war or are you planning to continue to waffle and cling to noble ideals? There is nothing noble about war, nothing fun, nothing glorious. It's brutal, ugly and downright vicious. One way or the other Albus, this is my war and I intend to fight it on my terms. Will you help me as a friend and equal or not?"

Dumbledore didn't look surprised at Harry's use of his first name, but he did look amused. "Harry, I would be proud to help you. That's what I've wanted from the beginning. I know now that I went about it the wrong way, however. What do you need?"

Harry looked relieved and asked softly, "Albus, I would ask that you cancel and reschedule today's OWLS and NEWT's for Monday. I do not want anyone to miss chances of obtaining good grades because of what happened today. The rest of our needs, and discussions about the defense of Hogwarts can happen another time."

Dumbledore eyes twinkled and he said, "I had already ordered just that, Harry."

From behind Harry came many sighs of relief.

Harry nodded at the Headmaster and smiled slightly. Then he turned to look questioningly at Amelia Bones, as she looked to be nearly bursting to speak. She stepped forward a pace or two, her eyes shining with pride as she took in the sight of her niece, Susan Bones, standing proudly with her friends, her comrades.

"Mr. Potter…"

"Please Director Bones, just Harry is fine."

"Very well, Harry. I'd like to say thank you, on behalf of the Aurors. You and your companions did what we could not. You saved hundreds of lives today and I'm personally going to recommend the Order of Merlin for the lot of you. I would like very much to talk to you about your training techniques and methods. It takes us three years to train an Auror and what you did in less than a full year is… incredible!"

"I can't really take the credit for it Director, I had exceptional people. But I would be honored to talk to you about our training methods Director. However right now I'm sure you'd like to speak with your niece. I know she's dying to talk to you," he said with a grin.

With a glance up to the Headmaster, he nodded as the everyone relaxed. Dumbledore sat for a moment then filled several tables with food. Other students started streaming in to the Great Hall, they wanted the story as well.

As Ginny, Ron and Hermione moved off to talk to Molly and Arthur, Harry remained where he was. He was dreading that meeting more than any other. Their approval of him was one of the lynchpins of his existence, like his love for Ginny. He was afraid to lose that. When a hand fell on his shoulder, he turned quickly to find Remus smiling at him.

The man grabbed Harry in a bone crushing hug. "Thank you for what you did for Tonks! She's going to be fine."

"I'm glad Remus, she's important to you, and to me. I'd really hate to see anything happen to my Auntie," he said with a smirk.

He glanced longingly over at Molly and Arthur, who were busy hugging Ginny and Hermione.

"Harry? What is it?" Remus asked.

"Do you think they'll hate me now Remus? I took their two youngest children into danger. I'm almost afraid to face them," he said in a small voice.

Remus looked at him sharply. He could tell that the scars left by the Dursleys had only begun to heal.

"Harry, they won't hate you. They love you like a son. Come on, I'll walk over with you."

Reluctantly, Harry let Remus lead him over to Molly and Arthur. Molly grabbed him and looked him over carefully. Spotting the bandage covered hand, she started to cry and pulled him into a fierce embrace. "Harry! I was so worried when we saw you three out there! I'm so glad you're all safe!"

"Molly, Arthur, I'm sorry that I took Ron and Ginny into danger…"

Arthur interrupted him. "Harry, I think I know my own children well enough to know that Ron wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he let you go alone. And Ginny? Well, she's merely protecting her investment," he said with a smile. "Although I do wish you were more like a normal teenager and just got my daughter pregnant instead of dragging her off into battle. But…"

"ARTHUR!" Molly exclaimed, her face beet red. She smacked him across the back of his head.

Stammering, he said hastily, "Umm… forget I said that last part."

"You're not mad at me?" Harry asked.

Molly took him by the shoulders. "Harry, Arthur and I know what you have to do in this war. We really wish you didn't have to do it, just like we wish our children didn't have to get involved, but we're not mad at any of you. You've done us all proud today."

Hermione cut in. "Harry, when did you get that tan? It looks good on you!"

Somehow Harry felt he was going to be asked that question a lot in the days to come.

The next morning…

MASSIVE BLOW DEALT TO YOU-KNOW-WHO'S FORCES
By Rita Skeeter

Director Amelia Bones reported today the death of over five hundred Death Eaters in an attack on Hogsmeade. Casualties were far lighter than they could have been, and the prophet has learned that all this was made possible by the Boy-Who-Lived! Yes that's right! The Boy-Who-Lived has come out of Hogwarts and struck a major blow against You-know-who! Unfortunately, we were unable to determine exactly what happened, but it seems the Boy-Who-Lived, with help of some small number of students from his school, dealt this massive blow to the dark forces.

Ministry officials confirm that the Minister of Magic himself will be attending a special awards ceremony in Hogsmeade to present multiple Orders of Merlin to the participants of this battle.

We have also learned that the Boy-Who-Lived is engaged to be married…

Harry sighed and put the paper down on the table.

"Well, at least they didn't release too much information I guess."

Yesterday, Harry had grabbed a few quick sandwiches from one of the tables and went up to his dorm to sleep. He'd slept through dinner and didn't wake up until early dawn. It was then that he discovered that trying to do things one handed was extremely difficult. It took him a half hour to get undressed so he could take a shower, and nearly an hour after the shower to get dressed. Some things, like tying his shoes, were impossible for him.

Ron had told him that more than one hundred upper level students had asked about the possibility of joining what was quickly becoming called Potter's Companions. Even some of the younger students were asking how they could help.

He had visited Neville earlier. His own private healer told him he was doing fine and would be released in two days. She also told him that Neville's wand had been found in Hogsmeade and returned to him.

Dumbledore had rightly figured that a lot of the DA students would be starving that morning, so he ordered a higher protein fare than usual. Ron watched with amusement as Harry struggled with a plate of steak and eggs. He didn't have any problems with the eggs, but the steak was trouble.

Hermione and Ginny watched him with disapproving looks. They were waiting for him to ask for help. Harry tried holding the fork in his burned hand but it was too painful. When his hand slipped for the third time, his steak flew across his plate, landing on Ron's.

Harry looked mournfully at the steak for a moment.

Ron grinned. "Thanks, mate!"

Harry growled and stabbed another steak from the platter. He looked at the knife and fork angrily and said, "Oh, bugger this!"

Raising his good hand over the steak he murmured, "Diffindo", deftly slicing through the steak. And the plate. And the table.

Ron gawked at the wreckage for a moment, and then started howling in laughter. Harry just stared at his plate. He could see his foot shuffle nervously through the hole in the table. Damn, his shoes were still untied!

"Oh honestly Harry! It wouldn't hurt you to ask for help would it?" Ginny exclaimed as Hermione whipped out her wand and repaired the damage.

Ginny reached for his plate and cut his steak into manageable pieces, all the while complaining about his stubborn nature.

"It's not stubbornness Gin. I'm trying to adapt. I have to live with this for at least a week. Have you any idea what you do during a day that takes both hands? It took me over an hour to get dressed today and I wasn't even able to tie my own shoes!" He protested weakly.

"Tomorrow is that stupid ceremony and I have no clue how I'm going to get into my dress robes. I'm beginning to think I just may end up transfiguring what I'm wearing for the next week."

"Don't worry Harry. If necessary, I'll help you get dressed," she said, patting his cheek fondly. Harry turned red at that.

So long and thanks for all the Fudge…

Harry felt decidedly uncomfortable. He and the DA, minus Neville who was still in the infirmary, were sitting up in front of a large crowd. The place was crawling with reporters. Up on a stage were a number of chairs for important people, who were probably going to inflict long and boring speeches on everyone.

Harry started to tune people out after a while. It wasn't until Ginny nudged him and whispered for him to stay awake that he realized he had started dozing. He turned his attention to the current speaker.

"… and so, with a great deal of pride, I am pleased to give you our illustrious Minister of Magic. Ladies and Gentlemen, the honorable Cornelius Fudge!"

There was a moment of bored applause and Minister Fudge bounced up to the podium to speak.

"Nearly seventeen years ago, I took it upon myself to see to the nurturing of a recently orphaned child. He was placed in a fine home, where he was cared for and loved, for the first ten years of his life. I was so proud of our Harry when he turned eleven years old and entered Hogwarts.

"I watched his academic career with great joy, occasionally giving it a nudge where I could. I knew the world expected great things of Harry Potter and I loved him like he was my own son."

Ginny looked over at Harry and then nudged Ron.

Ron looked at Ginny and Harry, then nudged Hermione.

When Hermione looked at Harry, she barely stifled a groan.

He sat stiffly, his eyes like twin search lights. Harry Potter was pissed and he was going let the public know about it.

"I know how supportive he has been of my policies and how much he hopes to see me remain as Minister for a long time to come. Therefore, it is with no small sense of satisfaction that I am here today to honor him by awarding him the Order of Merlin, First Class. Come on up here Harry and say hi to everyone!"

Harry assumed a smile and bounded up the stairs of the stage. Minister Fudge shook his hand, pausing for several photos to be taken, then stepped aside to let the boy speak.

The Minister wasn't worried. All had been taken care of. There was no way he'd allow this boy to ruin his career. The podium was surrounded by a silencing charm. A member of his staff would read a prepared speech which, thanks to the charmed microphone, would be delivered in Potter's voice.

Harry detected the charms and nearly smiled. Fudge was in for a bad day. Quickly sending a surge of magic down the charmed link, he stunned the Minister's lackey. Releasing the silencing charm on the podium, he smiled at the crowd.

"Thank you Minister Fudge, ladies and gentlemen, representatives of the press… This is quite an honor you are bestowing on me. Unfortunately, I cannot accept this award…"

Fudge had a look of panic on his face. This wasn't the speech he had prepared!

"You see ladies and gentlemen, the real Harry Potter grew up living with muggles who beat him severely, nearly killing him on more than one occasion. They taught him little of their world and nothing of this one. Where was the good Minister? I don't know, I never met him until my third year at Hogwarts.

"In the summer of my fifth year, he tried to have me expelled from school for the crime of defending myself against two Dementors, sent to kill me by Delores Umbridge, his aid. In the fifth year, he orchestrated a slander campaign against me and my Headmaster, because we tried to tell people that Voldemort had returned. He allowed Umbridge to torture me and my fellow students, and set other students spying on us. For more than a year, he knew about Voldemort's return and he did nothing, except attack me and make my life miserable.

"This year, he threatened to take me away from my family, from the people who love me, and train me as an assassin. Now he stands before you spouting his lies, while he did nothing. Our Auror force was way too small. Everyone knows it, but he refused to do anything about it. He put you, ladies and gentlemen, at risk. He put you and your loved ones in danger by his inaction.

"So you see, I'm not the Harry Potter that he claims I am. Therefore, I am not entitled to this award. It wouldn't be right. It belongs to a fantasy Harry Potter, who does not exist.

Now I believe the press has a few questions?"

"Mr. Potter, Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet. Are you calling our Minister of Magic incompetent?"

"No Rita, he's not good enough to be called incompetent. He might have been all right during the peace that existed before Voldemort's return. But we're at war now, and the Minister is incapable of handling what needs to be done. His policies against other magical creatures are only helping Voldemort."

"A follow up question please, Mr. Potter!"

Harry nodded to Rita.

"Are you saying we should replace Minister Fudge? Or call for a vote of no confidence? And if so, whom would you suggest to replace him?"

"Rita, I've thought a vote of no confidence was appropriate more than a year ago. As to who would replace him? I'd suggest looking seriously at Amelia Bones. She is honest, competent and fair. I think she understands what needs to be done in this war and would treat the other magical races fairly."

As Rita opened her mouth to shout another question, he raised his hand. "No more questions, please."

Harry walked off the stage, leaving the award lying on the podium. The crowd was in an uproar. All of Fudge's toadies on the stage were in a state of shock. Amelia Bones looked stunned. The DA members were on their feet, applauding.

Harry walked over to Ginny, Ron and Hermione and asked, "I don't understand why Fudge didn't stop me from saying all that?"

Ron looked sheepish. "Well, I sort of hit him with a full body bind."

Ginny looked at Ron in shock and said, "You did? So did I!"

"Make that three," Hermione added softly, looking embarrassed.

Harry doubled up in laughter.

Authors Notes:

First and foremost. I have it on good authority that RK Rowling is concealing Mad-Eye true name due to his excessive paranoia. That's why I used the correct spelling of it, just to annoy him.

Will the DA get the equivalent of Modern Military hardware? Well let me tell you, I really tried to write in the wizard equal of a Truman class Air Craft Carrier and the M1A2 Abrams, but they just didn't seem to work well with the story line.

For all those complaining about sore butts from sitting and reading this in one sitting, try writing it! But seriously, we offer free butt cushions at the door on your way in. Pick one up and use it if you wish, other wise don't complain to me about your sore butt. Mine's so sore it's got a crack in it!

Fawkes is Merlin and Harry is immortal? REALLY? Dang! I'm going to have to go back and read my own story to see where I said that. But seriously, do you honestly think I'd make Harry immortal so he could outlive Ginny and would he want to? I doubt it.

For the record, anyone that wants to tell their friends or complete strangers, about this story, you have our permission. I tried to rent out a billboard at the Vatican for an advertisement, but they weren't interested.

I suppose I should point out this part of the story is nearly finished. We'll have one more chapter, wrapping things up and then we'll go quietly off to have a nervous breakdown, or use the bathroom! But seriously, I can't tell you the name of the next book because I don't know it yet. I'm sort of leaning towards calling it "BOB"… catchy title eh?