Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe all other claimants to anything to do with the H.P. story are simply hangers on to her glory. I thank her for allowing us mere mortals to play in her world and I promise that while I have Harry in my care nothing bad will happen to him. I will leave that to J.K.R. herself in her books.
LOVE CONQUERS ALL
Chapter 6Ginny's Birthday.
When Harry and Tonks arrived in Privet Drive, they went down stairs and told Harry's aunt and uncle that they would be leaving that evening and that Harry would probably not see them again until next summer.
"You're not having any money back," said uncle Vernon.
"You can keep the money, I'm sure it won't be missed." said Tonks and they both went back up stairs to pack.
It didn't take long to decide that it would be easiest just to put everything into Tonks bag, so she went and packed all her things and came back into Harry's room. Harry had given Hedwig some owl treats and told her to come and find him in Chudley Salterton, then he let her out of the window, he had cleaned her cage with a Scourgify spell ready to put it in the bag. He packed everything else in his trunk and when Tonks returned she shrank his trunk and put the whole lot into her bag, then they used their return Portkey to the flat.
Harry and Tonks were the first to arrive back at the flat and they went to his room and emptied all of his things out of her bag on to the bed, he put his trunk onto the floor and Tonks expanded it to its original size.
Then she taught Harry how to fold and put his things away using magic.
With a cheeky grin Harry asked, "When we packed my things last summer, for me to go to Headquarters you said that you couldn't fold and pack things by magic, what happened?"
"Well," Tonks replied, blushing a bit and looking very sheepish, "what you probably don't know is that Molly opened your trunk after it had been put in your room at Headquarters, she was going to put your things away for you. She saw the mess it was in and asked me who had packed it, I had to admit that it had been me, to cut a long story short, she had me practising this for about three hours until I had it off perfectly and don't tell her but really I am very glad that she did."
When they had finished putting his things away Tonks went to her room and Harry heard someone arrive through the Floo, so he went out to the lounge and saw that it was Ginny who had just arrived back from Hermione's house. She was letting Crookshanks out of his basket, so Harry picked up the two big bags that Ginny had also brought with her and took them into Hermione's room. Ginny brought Crookshanks basket in there as well, but the cat took one look at his basket and then quickly disappeared, he was off exploring the rest of the flat.
Ginny said, "I haven't had the chance before to thank you for including me in all this Harry," she was smiling at him.
He smiled back at her and said, "I have never had a sister Ginn, so I would like it, if you would be mine please?"
She really wanted more but she came over to him and gave him a cuddle, then told him, "Nothing would give me more pleasure Mr Potter."
The pair heard another whoosh from the Floo in the lounge, this time it was Ron and Parvati with Parvati's mum and dad, they were closely followed by Hermione with the rest of her things from her home. Parvati had to introduce her parents to everyone, as the only one of them who had met them previously was Ron, they seemed to be very pleased to meet 'Harry Potter' before they went off with Parvati, Ron and Tonks to look at the rest of the flat.
Ginny, Harry and Hermione went to Hermione's room to put all of her things away. Harry was teaching both of the girls the spells for folding and packing away clothes. When Mrs Patil saw what Harry was doing through the open door she asked him, with a cheeky smile, if he would make sure to teach them to Parvati and Harry promised that he would.
They were all back in the lounge and Parvati's parents told them that she would come early in the morning with her things, her parents promised that she would be in time to go for breakfast at the Burrow, then the three Patil's Flooed home.
Ginny suggested to Ron that they should go home now to pack and be ready to move their things over in the morning, he thought that it was a good idea, so they said goodnight and left for their home.
Tonks went to her room, she still hadn't put all of her things away, telling the couple not to stay up too late so they sat quietly smooching on the sofa for about half an hour then said goodnight to each other and went to their beds.
x-x
The following morning Harry was already awake when the delivery owl arrived with his copy of 'The Daily Prophet' so he showed the bird that he wanted the paper put onto the desk in his room. He unfolded the paper and wandered towards the study looking at the front page and as he came out of his room he bumped into Hermione who was looking at her paper as well, "I was going to put this in the study," they said in unison and then they both started giggling. Having dropped their papers onto the big table they had a few good morning kisses and were returning to their rooms to continue getting ready to go out when Parvati arrived.
She immediately told the pair of them that her parents had only agreed to her coming in the hope that she could become Harry Potter's girlfriend. However she assured Hermione that she had no intention of doing this and Harry advised her not to let it slip to Ron, as he would probably freak out and sulk for a week. Then they both assured her that if she were to start playing up to Harry when her parents were around they would both understand what she was up to.
Before the four of them left the flat for the Burrow they arranged the presents they had bought for Ginny in her room, they were intending for her to find them when she arrived at the flat later.
All of them were ready so they Flooed to the Burrow, it was chaos when they arrived, the twins had not left for work which was always bad news for everyone. On the bright side the twins had however eaten their breakfast and were only waiting to see Ginny open her presents before they went off, this she had flatly refused to do until the others arrived.
Harry was the first to arrive he greeted Molly, then wished Ginny Happy Birthday and gave her a kiss on the cheek. As they arrived the others were all wishing Ginny Happy Birthday, they were saying hello to the rest of the family before Ron gave Parvati a kiss and of course this provoked raucous catcalls from the twins.
Parvati looked at them demurely and said, "You shouldn't worry to much, Ron they are only jealous, because they want to kiss you as well."
This produced hoots of wild laughter from the twins and everyone else was laughing except Ron, he had turned scarlet and was trying to hide.
The whole crowd of them moved through to the lounge, where Ginny sat on the floor and proceeded to open her presents.
Bill had given her a enormous selection of Honeydukes sweets and chocolate, Charlie had sent her some Dragon skin Gloves, these were lightweight golden fashion gloves not the heavy gauntlets they all used for Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. Fred and George's contribution was a large selection of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes fireworks and all the ladies admired Ron's gift of the manicure set lastly Molly and Arthur had given her a silver comb to fix in her hair. Ginny had been thanking everybody as she had been opening her gifts.
All of them were getting up and every one started moving into the kitchen, the twins called out goodbye and Apparated off to work and Molly started preparing breakfast for the new arrivals. Ginny and Tonks started packing up her things because she was moving to the flat today, she was leaving the fireworks behind to be set off when they all came for dinner that evening.
Having just finished packing Ginny's things they were all walking through to the kitchen when there was a loud crack and pop from outside.
"It's only us," called out the Headmasters voice as he and Winky came through the back door.
Everybody welcomed Winky and she was smiling as she went and tried to stop Mrs Weasley from cooking so that she could do it, so Molly and her came to a hurried agreement as they finished preparing breakfast and putting it on the table. Everyone started eating breakfast and talking happily, Dumbledore sat with them all and drank tea but Winky had disappeared.
Professor Dumbledore asked which of them had stayed at the flat the previous night and how they had faired. Harry explained that he Tonks and Hermione had stayed and it was fine except when Hedwig had flown through the window, giving them all a shock because it was not open at the time. The other problem was keeping Hermione out of the library, so that they could all start their work together and sulkily she said, "I only wanted to go into the Special Restricted Section for a minute to see what it was like."
"If we had let you in there you wouldn't be in bed yet," laughed Harry.
Dumbledore smiled and said. "I am sorry but I have a lot to do and I must be going but first I must wish Miss Ginevra Weasley a Happy Birthday and give her a small gift," he took out a silver amulet and handed it to her. "This is an amulet of protection, tradition says that, if ever you are in trouble it will call your friends to you." He stood, "now I really must leave, I will see you all later," then he 'Disapparated'.
After that Ginny asked Harry who was sat between her and Hermione if he would fasten 'the Amulet' around her neck for her.
As he fastened it he said. "Now if you are in trouble we will all come and rescue you."
Having finished their breakfast they went to complete their packing, Ron went up to his room and Harry went with him, Ron had nearly finished packing the night before, he caught Pig his owl then told him where to come to find him then he let the owl out of the window and he shrank his owl's cage for the trip.
Ginny had put all her things that were in the lounge into Tonks bag so they went up to her room and put all her other things into it as well.
Tonks went on up to see if she could help Ron, so Ginny went back down to the kitchen, "When did you do my room Mum?" she asked.
"I haven't done your room yet," Molly replied.
"It must have been Winky then, she really will not sit still if there is work to do and as you know House Elves can find work where we see none, although she will be very useful to you for the party tonight," said Hermione.
"Yes," Molly said, "we are having a buffet because it has grown and there will be too many of us for a sit down,"
Tonks and the boys came down stairs, "Were all ready," Tonks said, "we'll see you this evening Molly," they all said goodbye to her and Flooed back to the flat.
x-x
When they arrived back at the flat they put Ron's things in his room then went to Ginny's room and she became excited when she saw her additional presents.
From Hermione she received matching knickers and bras in three different colours and the same from Tonks only in another three different colours, Parvati had given her a large makeup case full up with various colours of lipstick, nail varnish, blusher, eye shadow and things like that.
Then Ginny saw a long slim package, she picked it up and immediately she knew it was a broom. She opened it and saw the Nimbus Flash, she looked for a card it said, 'From your new brother with Love. Good Luck in the Trials.' she flung her arms around Harry's neck and started crying her eyes out with her head buried in his chest. Crowding around they all asked her what was wrong, eventually she stopped crying and gave Harry a kiss and then she said. "It's absolutely perfect, just what I really, really wanted."
Then Harry said. "But it was Hermione's idea that you might like a broom, I only went and bought it."
"Yes," sniff, "yes but," sniff "I have been reading about this broom for months in 'Which Broomstick' and you went and bought the exact model," then she went to Hermione and cuddled her and said, "thank you for thinking I might like a broom. I love it."
A little later the group were all seated in the lounge with soft drinks and snacks, they had read the papers and were trying to decide what they were going to do. It had previously been agreed that they were not going to work today, because it was Ginny's Birthday. There were a few squally showers blowing in off the sea so they didn't particularly want to go for a walk, then Ginny asked if someone could teach her how to use the computers.
Their relief was evident because they weren't going to be working but they were going to be doing something useful, so they all went through to the study, really only Tonks and Hermione knew anything about how to use a computer and Tonks' knowledge was very sketchy. Hermione suggested that they all pick one computer and keep with that one, so they sat in the order Harry, Hermione, Parvati, Ron, Tonks, Ginny and in a few hours they had a reasonable idea of what they were supposed to be doing with their computer's.
The girls left the study at four thirty to get ready for the party, "Why do you need an hour and a half to get ready?" asked Ron.
"Because were girls," they all chorused.
The two boys kept on with the computers for about another hour before they too went and changed into dress robes, when they returned to the lounge ready for the party, Harry went and called out, "Aren't you lot ready yet?"
The reply came from Ginny's room that they would be out soon, so he returned to the lounge and 'soon' turned out to be another quarter of an hour.
The first to emerge was Tonks and she was wearing emerald green dress robes and she had long silky hair of exactly the same colour as her dress, she looked extremely attractive. Next came Hermione she had on her pale blue dress robes and her hair instead of being bushy, hung in soft ringlets, she told Harry that Parvati had taught her a charm for her hair, and he told her that she looked really beautiful. Next came Parvati she had on bright red dress robes and her hair was done in a French twist, she looked really great. Lastly came Ginny she had her new bright shimmering silver robes from Madame Malkins these just flowed with her movements, her hair was piled up in curls on top of her head, held in place with her new comb and her hair radiated golden copper. She looked absolutely stunning, then she looked at them all and smiled.
"I think I must be in heaven because I see four angels before me." Harry said grinning and then they all Flooed to the Burrow.
x-x
When the party arrived at the Burrow, they were greeted by Bill who wished Ginny Happy Birthday, then he gave her a kiss on the cheek and he said, "You lot are fashionably late, but what's happened to my little sister? She's gone and grown up without telling me, all the others are outside."
Moving outside they found that there were a lot of people in the garden some from the Order, some from the DA as well as others from school and a few they did not know. Ginny asked Harry and Hermione if they would walk around with her whilst she greeted all the guests, this they readily agreed to do.
"Who's the gorgeous bird Harry?" said Dean Thomas, who was standing in a fairly large group that included Fred, George and Cho Chang.
"Which one?" Harry pointed at Hermione and said, "This one's mine. However," he pointed at Ginny and said, "this is the birthday girl, washes up well doesn't she." Ginny hit him on the arm grinning and then Hermione gave him a big kiss sending out, in neon lights, the fact that they were a couple, because she had noticed that Cho was watching Harry covetously.
Ron and Parvati were soon in deep in conversation with Luna Lovegood and Neville, when Parvati paused to give Ron a kiss, people realised that they were together, although most of those from school were not in the least surprised. Luna then looked pointedly at Neville, when he looked at her she kissed him, Neville looked startled but then he kissed her back. Parvati immediately asked them if they were a couple and Neville said, "Well we weren't but I'm willing to give it a go if you are Luna?"
"I think that it is the best idea I have heard all night," Luna said and they kissed each other again.
Ginny, Hermione and Harry were wandering around talking to everybody and they were all wishing Ginny a Happy Birthday, eventually they reached Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who couldn't believe just how grownup Ginny looked.
"That is because I am, mother." Ginny intoned in a mock posh voice, then erupted with giggles, ruining the whole effect, Mad Eye Moody, Remus Lupin and Tonks, who were also in the group, started laughing along with her.
When it had become dark, Fred and George let off the fireworks that they had given Ginny for her birthday, these were really spectacular and many guests were asking the twins where the fireworks had come from. When the fun loving pair told them that they were from their shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes they took quite a few orders.
By about eleven, most of the younger people were leaving so Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Parvati and Ron decided to leave as well, they went and told Tonks who was still talking to Remus. After that they went to tell Mr. and Mrs. Weasley they were leaving and they wished them all goodnight and then the group Flooed back to the flat.
x-x
The two couples sat on separate sofas and they were all talking about how much they had enjoyed the party, after about ten minutes Ginny, who was sat in an armchair, said quite loudly, "I feel like I haven't eaten all day I wonder if Dobby is awake," pop.
"Dobby is awake Miss what can I get for you?"
Harry asked, "If you don't mind I think that we are all quite hungry, could you bring us something to eat, please?"
"If all of yous would all like to go to the table I will bring you some supper," pop!
Hermione was muttering, "This isn't very fair is it?"
"Well, fair or not, we can't get food any other way, can we?" said Ron, as they were sitting down. Whoosh, "we're in here," he called out as Tonks arrived.
She came into the dining room and flopped down on a chair, "What are you doing?" she asked.
Hermione replied, "We told Dobby that we were hungry and he said that if we all sat in here he would feed us." Half way through her saying this plates, goblets, knifes and forks arrived at all six places. Then food arrived there was bread, butter, three kinds of cheese, cold ham beef and chicken, also there was salad, pickles and Chocolate Éclairs.
Hermione started giggling, "Well Ron Weasley, he must have been expecting you to ask for food."
"There was plenty of food at the party, but I didn't get around to eating any of it."
"I think that, that applies to all of us, Ron," said Ginny.
After they had finished eating they all went back into the lounge, it was after midnight and they had had a long day, they were all tired so Ginny and Tonks went to bed. After about another ten minutes kissing and cuddling First Harry and Hermione then Ron and Parvati also went to their rooms to sleep.
x-x
In the morning as they were gathered round the table eating breakfast Tonks told them that Dumbledore had asked her to start them off by teaching the group some proper Transfiguration.
"What do you mean by proper Transfiguration?" asked Hermione looking affronted, Professor McGonagall was one of her favourite teachers.
"Well, if you change a pin cushion into a hedgehog it's not really going to terrify many Death Eaters, is it?" said Tonks grinning, "Except of course, if they have a particular phobia against Hedgehogs, it won't feed you either for that matter, unless you like Hedgehog a la Prickles," now they were all giggling. "So sticks to swords or spears and rocks to food and things like that, is what I, as an Auror, would call proper Transfiguration."
"Like Hagrid," said Ron, they all looked confused, "ah, perhaps his Transfiguration isn't very good, his rock cakes are still rock." The laughter was all round and when they had finished their meal they made their way through to the training room.
Over the course of the next few weeks they learned how to shrink and expand things, how to make things bigger on the inside than on the out, how to make weapons out of almost anything and how to banish them violently at a target wall. Also they learned how to transfigure food and drink, from rocks, grass and sticks and such like, they could conjure bread, butter, milk, water, cheese, cooked meat, biscuits, apples and cake, also they could conjure a cup of tea, without tealeaves out of thin air, they would be able to live off the land and their wands.
Also they had mixed in potions with Herbology and they were learning fundamental theory as well as having practical instruction, they wouldn't call them lessons they were far less formal, with discussions back and forth between all of them. So all in all they were assimilating far more of the fundamental how's and why's of magic and this understanding was going to be really useful as they came to their more advanced studies.
On the Monday morning after Ginny's birthday, Harry had sent Hedwig with a letter to Mr McMahon the solicitor, asking for an appointment to make himself a Will and then he went to breakfast.
Harry and Hermione decided to spend the day in the library researching the two questions; why do some magic rings disappear when they are worn and what could they find out about the Ring of Merlin. Hermione especially knew the ordinary library extremely well and they were both fairly certain that it did not hold the answer to either question, however in the restricted section they eventually found a sort of answer to their first question.
It appeared that some of the most powerful magic rings would disappear when being worn by those worthy of them. Of course this started a discussion between them that never really reached any conclusion. The debate centred around the exact meaning of those two words, 'Powerful' and 'Worthy'.
While they had stopped for lunch Hedwig had returned with the appointment for Harry to make a Will, it was for Thursday at nine thirty.
By the time it was five thirty and they sill had not found anything at all about the Ring of Merlin, they decided to give in for the day and relax.
That evening they took Ron, Parvati and Ginny out to the cinema, they went to see a special showing of 'Fiddler on the Roof.' To say that they were captivated would be the understatement of the year.
"I thought that Muggles didn't have moving pictures." Ron said.
Hermione looked frustrated. "Of course they do, what about television? It's just that they don't have them on paper, like wizards." Over the next few weeks they went to the cinema several times to watch a variety of films, and in the flat in the evenings they were watching videos.
x-x
The six of them were sat at breakfast on Tuesday when five owls arrived, one for each of the students.
"How can we get five owls here and the Muggles not notice?" asked Harry.
Tonks explained to him, "There is an anti-Muggle field for two hundred yards around this building when an enchanted owl flies into it all a Muggle will see a seagull, you may have noticed that there are a lot of gulls around here. Similarly when Hedwig or any other owl leaves the area, to a Muggle, she looks like a gull until she is two hundred yards away and because there are a lot of wooded areas around here it isn't very lightly to become a problem."
"Oh, Hogwarts letters," Ginny said, when she opened hers she discovered her normal book list, also she had been made a prefect, Ron picked her up and swung her around gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Congratulations, we will have to go and tell mum."
Ginny's eyes were shining as she said, "Yes we will, but are you going to open yours now?"
After a slight squabble they decided to open them in turn so Ron went first.
"It says that I can take my pick of NEWTS in Care of Magical Creatures, Defence Against Dark Arts, Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration and Divination, apparently everybody is to be allowed to take Divination because we had a disrupted year. Oh, there's a note that says that Professor McGonagall has made a special application to Professor Snape asking if I could take Potions and he has said that I would have to take extra lessons on Sunday Mornings. On the back is a list of the books required for each subject.
There's another page, I think you had better take your second sheet out Harry, it asks here do I want to continue being a Prefect or do I want to be the Quidditch Captain and HA bloody HA, neither of us could be both because we lead such quiet sedentary lives? Well what do you think mate?"
"Well I'd like to be Quidditch Captain but you know much more about the game than I do and I wouldn't mind being a Prefect. So you choose."
Then Hermione said, "I think that is almost certainly why she's arranged your Extra Potions for Sunday's, I think she really would like you to be Quidditch captain Ron."
"I think you're probably right, so I'll be Quidditch Captain and you'll be a Prefect, OK Harry?"
"Fine by me," he said, "now my letter It says that I can take NEWTS in Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, Defence Against Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration and the same as you about Divination, your turn now Parvati."
"Mine says that I can take NEWTS in Care of Magical Creatures, Defence Against Dark Arts, Charms, Divination and Potions the same as you Ron, ok your turn now Hermione."
"Well it says that I can take NEWTS in Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Potions, Defence Against Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Also Professor Sinistra has said that I can retake my Astronomy OWL at the same time as taking my NEWT if I want to, she said that my exam result did not reflect my ability because of outside distractions." Hermione was beaming, "but I can't take nine, it would kill me."
Then Tonks said, "None of you have to decide for a few weeks yet, but first you all should decide what you want to have as a profession, then it will be easier to figure which subjects will suit you best. I know that you had a formal interview last term, but now you have had more time to think about everything and might well have changed your minds."
"What do they do in the Department of Mysteries?" Hermione asked.
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