A/N: Sorry for the hiatus and i should be back to updating this sooner.

As for those of you who have criticized me on the sexuality, the summary says slightly, and i think i was a little too safe with it. But it is better to be safe than sorry.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Potter?" Ron yelled angrily. "You were willing to give up MY family for your own selfish needs?"

"Shut UP Ron!...would you have rathered me do nothing? You of all people, my best friend should know right now what I am capable of doing, with or without a wand. I read over one hundred books in the last week, entailing transfiguration, charms, defensive spells, hexes, curses both legal and not. They both stood a lot better of a chance with me challenging her than not do anything!"

"But-"

"But nothing Ronald Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley yelled. "If he hadn't shown up, you would of probably had to see me and Ginny either disappear into nothingness or fall to the ground dead. And if anyone were to complain, it should probably be Ginny or me."

"I know" he said. "I'm sorry Harry…I should have known that you had their best interests at heart. You know…it's my family. I get protective."

"Everything's all right, mate."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked out of the hall with Hermione right behind them. Though when she saw Harry, she immediately broke between them and ran to him.

SMACK!

"How dare you leave me without telling me where you were going!"

"I deserved that…I did. But you were asleep Mione and I saw it and didn't know how much time I had…" he replied she interrupted his explanation with a kiss.

"It's ok Harry…I am sorry for smacking you like that. You just scared me.I am just glad that you are safe."

"Albus…" Harry began, "I think that we need to call a meeting for tomorrow night. The thing is…I don't want the minor players there. Only the ones that will be a big part of this war. And then to that list, I want you to add the Weasley twins also. I am going to need them, too."

"Consider it done, Harry. But could I ask what it's for."

"Another time tonight, maybe…"Harry stated, although DD never did ask again

Later that night, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny sat in the living room talking, mostly about Quidditch and the upcoming schoolyear, when Harry interjected:

"Listen you guys, you three are probably going to be the ones most targeted during this war, since you are my best friends and Hermione, you probably have worse being my girlfriend. That's why I want you three to start training in earnest. Look at Charms that'll be useful, along with hexes, curses, incantations. I even dug into a little of the Dark Arts when I was studying."

"Harry!" Hermione snapped

"Mione, it was only some control spells, combined with some time incantations, nothing malicious at all. I needed some of them for some spells I've been looking to create."

"CREATE!" Ron and Ginny both yelled.

"Yes, spells have to come from somewhere…"

"But isn't that hard?"

"Well, yes," Hermione interrupted, "it'll take him the better part of the year to figure out all the theory and what the wand motion will be. Incantations have to match up exactly with the translations. There are numerous variables to consider." Ron and Ginny looked at her questionably.

"How would you know that?"

"Well there for a while we read the book about it together, so I know the basics."

When they had all realized that it was nearly two in the morning, They quickly got to bed as Harry and Hermione were going to Diagon Alley tomorrow at around 1 o'clock. Ron and Ginny would be "visiting their great aunt Gertrude."

Of course, in all actuality they'd be busy decorating for the party.

The next morning, Harry awoke as he had for most of the summer, Hermione curled up against him and feeling content. He smelled her strawberry shampoo and realized that he needed a shower. Before she could wake up and claim the bathroom for herself he slowly and carefully removed himself from her and went into the adjoined bathroom. When he came out fifteen minutes later, in his robe, after washing, and shaving, she looked up at him with heavy eyes.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"I woke up and you were gone. We usually cuddle a bit. I didn't know where you were."

"I am sorry. I just wanted to get the shower before you did. However much I love you, I like having hot water too. Plus, if we want to get out of here by one you might need to step it up. It is already 12:00"

"I am on it." she said throwing the sheets off and running toward the bathroom.

Harry threw on a Black pair of jeans, black shirt and a necklace he had found at the bottom of his mother's drawer. The necklace's charm was a bright green emerald that brought out his eyes. Before he knew it, the bathroom door had opened and Hermione stood there in only a towel, her hair slicked back and a slight gleam off of her body. Harry's breath caught in his throat.

"Holy Lord of Mercy! You are gorgeous!" he explained. She blushed widely across her chest.

"What are you still doing here? I'm not stripping in front of you…at least not until tonight." she stated matter-of-factly. Harry gulped. Slowly and reluctantly, he stepped out of the room to let her dress.

He then went downstairs and grabbed a large steaming mug of Earl Grey and sat down to talk to Ron and Ginny.

"Is there anything that you two need from Diagon Alley while we are there to day?" Since they were both still eating they just handed their lists to him and continued steaming away on their food.

"Are you sure that you don't want anything to eat Harry dear?" Molly Weasley asked him "No thanks Molly. I'm fine."

"Rubbish eat some toast."

"If your going to make me eat, why'd you ask me?"

"I always like to give everyone a sporting chance before I get down and dirty."

When Hermione came down, luckily they didn't have time for Molly to force-feed her and they got away and flooed to Diagon Alley without another word.

Walking through Diagon Alley, Harry and Hermione saw many of their school friends: The Creevy Brothers, Parvati and Padma Patil with Lavender Brown, Seamus and Dean and once Harry saw Neville being pushed along by his intimidating Grandmother.

They both had decided to go to Flourish and Blotts last since that was where they would get most of their supplies that everyone needed.

They took a look on Ron and Ginny's lists first to see what they needed so they knew what to look for. They set out for Madam Malkin's Robes for every Occasion first.

Harry had chosen to not get Ron and Ginny any secondhand robes like they did every year. Of course they now had the money to buy new things, but they had obviously forgotten because on the list it had said second hand.

After getting Ron and Ginny's robes along with some of their own new robes and dress robes, they made their way to the Apothecary.

On the way, they passed Quality Quidditch supplies. In the window was a Firebolt, like Harry's. But, there was a broom next to it that seemed to be the newest edition by the Cleansweep company, The Excelsior. They had the Firebolt up to compare the two. Supposedly, the Firebolt wasnot top of the line anymore.

When Hermione finally was able to drag Harry away from smudging his nose against the window. They finally got to the Apothecary and found all of the needed ingredients, although their arms were now laden down with the items.

"Dobby!" Harry yelled and an instant later a small bug-eyed elf had appeared.

"What do you be wanting of me, Harry Potter, sir?"

"Could you take these back to Grimmauld Place?"

"Absoposilutely!" he yelled with a salute he grabbed the bags and disappeared with a Pop!

"Hey Hermione?"

"Yeah…" she said waving to a Gryffindor 3rd year that they didn't know too well.

"Do you think we should get Ginny a birthday present while we are here?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"We could Nip in to the Magical Menagerie, she doesn't have her own animal yet."

"That's a good idea, lets go!"

They opened the door to the menagerie and a cacophony of sound hit them in the face. Birds were squawking, cats were meowing scratchily, toads were ribbiting along with hundreds of other noises.

"What do you think Ginny'd want?"

"A cat or an owl I'd wager." Hermione said

"Oh! How cute? You'll be perfect!." she said screeching at a black and white cat/kneazle mix.

"Oh yeah that one will be good for her." she said going to the counter.

After paying, they left with the carrier in hand, they ran off to find Flourish and Blotts.

When they arrived, each went their own way with Ron or Ginny's list of books. They quickly paid for both,

Hermione sending a note to Molly to make sure everything was done soon and they quickly went their own ways again for their own books. When Harry was done he went to find Hermione. She had a heavy load of books on her shoulders and she was still looking for more.

"When are you ever going to learn that we can shrink these and put them in our pockets?"

"Well now you are starting to sound like me."

"That was the point," he said pointing his wand at the gigantic pile of books, " Minimize"

"Now I know that you have probably bought a ton of books that wouldn't fit into your pockets, so where'd you put them?"

"Actually I only have six books that I needed."

"Which ones?"

"Merlin's theory 1-5 and Incantations and Other Magic"

"I have never seen those books in this store before."

"Because they arent kept out with the others. They are in the back and you have to ask the attendant behind the counter. I talked with Dumbledore yesterday about finding these six. They are normally kept a secret because they talk about the theory and spells that are quite powerful. But since I am 'The Boy Who lived, it's pretty easy to get them."

"Okay, you think we could get home now, I am getting hungry." Harry said, " And then after lunch I am going to start reading." Hermione smiled as they made their way toward the Leaky Cauldron and Floo back to Headquarters.

Just before Harry stepped into the fireplace though, Tom called out to him:

"Eh! Mr. Potter! I just wanted to wish you a Happy Birfday!" he said with a lisp. Harry looked stunned

"Er…Thanks." he said quietly… 'How could I have forgotten that today was my birthday?' he thought, ' how could everyone else?' Harry looked sad now and Hermione had known why. She was ok because in a second he would find out that no one really had forgotten.

"SURPRISE!" Harry heard the second he rolled out of the fireplace. Hermione was next and she rolled into him. She quickly put her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"Happy Birthday, sweetie!"

"You did all of this? You planned Diagon Alley?"

"Alas not everything. It was Dumbledore's idea for Diagon Alley to be the distraction." she said turning to smile at the old man. He smiled back with a twinkle in his eye.

"I had thought that everyone had forgot…"

"We would never let that happen Harry. You are too important to us to do that." Hermione said, "And don't any of you forget it!"

"Harry! Come, presents for you are in the drawing room!" Ron yelled.

Dragging him by the arm as he was trying to talk to

Dumbledore, they made their way into the drawing room. A stack of presents piled high was in the corner by the Black family tree.

Harry was sat down in the chair next to the pile and began opening presents. He was opening for the better part of half an hour.

After receiving three new racing brooms (Excelsior, Firebolt Advanced and Cleansweep Bolt), multiple Defense books including three sets, a large crate of his favorite candies from Ron and several LARGE boxes of jokes from Fred and George, Harry was exhausted by hearing a whoop go up from the crowd every time he opened anything cool. Harry was in need of sustenance too.

He was then ushered into the formal dining room, which he realized he had never seen before. It was elegant and had high ceilings. Elegant gorgeous moldings were everywhere, and suddenly a graceful calming rendition of Phoenix song rang through everyone's ears.

Fawkes appeared, with a note tied to his leg...it was labeled to Harry...

...From Sirius.