Harry Potter and All There Is Left To Do Is Love
by: wish on a muggle at yahoo dot com
Chapter 4: Another Birthday and The Portrait
"Dumbledore?" Harry repeated stupidly.
"Yes." Ginny said, sitting down on his bed and looking him in the eye.
"Er, Ginny," Harry said, not sure if he heard her right, "Dumbledore is dead."
"I know he's dead," she said with a wave of her hand, "I'm not stupid."
"A ghost?"
"Of course not! Dumbledore would want to go on!"
"Ginny, are you sure it was Dumbledore?" Harry asked, he didn't know if he was being stupid or not but Dumbledore was dead.
"Neither can live while the other survives," Ginny said, her eyes flickered up to his scar and then back to his eyes. "How would I know what the prophecy said if Dumbledore hadn't have told me?"
Harry sat up, "Ginny, I really wanted to tell you..."
"Shut up. Dumbledore said he made you promise not to tell anymore but Hermione and Ron. I understand." She didn't seem to care about that part but moved back to the most important mission Dumbledore had instructed her, "You must come back to Hogwarts!"
Harry shrugged, "I dunno..."
Ginny grinned a little, "How can I convince you?" Ginny asked, a little bit of teasing in her voice. She got up and straddled Harry just like she did the night before.
"That could work..." Harry said, feeling like a pervert. He looked down, her button up shirt was open at the top, reveling her perfectly proportioned cleavage.
Ginny leaned over and kissed his neck, heat flooded his body immediately. His face burned and she lightly licked a sensitive spot. When Harry let out a moan of pleasure Ginny sat up. She put a fake defeated look of her face, "Of course, if you don't want to go back to Hogwarts, then you don't want to go back to Hogwarts..." She stole a smile at Harry and he pushed her to where he was laying so he could be on top.
"Well...say I go for a few months?" Harry offered, giving her a lopsided grin. She squealed and pulled him down to kiss her. Harry started kissing her neck like she did him, but he found that her collarbone was craving the attention too.
He unbuttoned one of her buttons, showing him her amazingly affective light green bra. He lightly kissed the top of one of her breasts, touching them both with his hands. He kissed the other, she was making soft noises, sort of like purring.
He looked at her face for a moment but her eyes were closed and there was a small smile on her face. Harry kissed her between the mounds he was holding and felt her hands tangle themselves in his hair, he kissed her soft skin with more pressure and found that his head had squeezed itself between both of her boobs. She moaned louder and the door swung open.
Harry and Ginny sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Ron was standing there, face red and jaw dropped, he shut the door quickly. Harry turned his face slowly toward Ginny and they started laughing. He walked to the door and opened it. Ron's back was to the door but Harry could see the back of his neck and his ears were red.
"Hi, Ron," Harry mumbled. Ginny walked up behind him.
Ron turned around and muttered something that sounded like, "Dinner." Then he looked at Ginny with mild disgust and said, "You should button up your shirt." Harry smiled as Ron turned around and walked away.
"I like it the way it is," Harry said, knowing he was a pervert.
Ginny giggled and buttoned up.
When they went down to dinner Ron was still red and sitting by a confused Hermione. She gave Ginny and Harry a questioning looks. Harry leaned over and whispered to her what Ron had just walked in on.
"Oh," Hermione muttered, "OH!" She turned pink.
Before long it was Ginny's birthday. It was fun to have everyone back before even a month had past since they were there last. It was a very large dinner party and when people started to go home and go to bed, Harry turned and whispered to Ginny, "Meet me in my room later. I've got your gift up there."
His heart was pounding...could he go through with it? He didn't know, he would just see if he could muster the courage. She gave him a questioning look and nodded. Harry ran up to his room and waited until she would come up. He brushed his teeth, so that his breath didn't smell and even flexed a little in the mirror but he thought he looked stupid so he forgot about it.
"Harry?" The door just opened and in walked Ginny.
"Shut the door," Harry said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Lock it," he said, not wanting to be barged in on.
"Harry?" Ginny repeated, "What are you doing?" Harry stepped out of the bathroom and looked at her. "Are you ok?"
"Fine. Take a seat." Harry motioned to the bed. Ginny sat down and smiled at him.
"Well?" Ginny asked after he stared at her for a while.
"Well," Harry said, "since you have already stripped for me..."
"You are going to strip for me?" Ginny giggled.
"Shhh!" Harry told her. "I was planning to."
"Oh!" Ginny jumped up and hugged him, "Please, please, please," she whispered.
Harry smiled, "Sit down." Ginny giggled and ran back to the bed. Harry felt like a piece of meat but he loved the excited look on Ginny's face. Harry took off his shirt and tossed it at Ginny who caught it, silently laughing. Harry turned his back to her and unzipped his pants, he couldn't believe he was doing this.
Of course she has already seen him, all of him, they've had sex for goodness sakes...several times now, but there was something so weird about taking off your clothes in front of someone. He let his pants drop and kicked them aside.
On his white underwear he had put a red "I" on his left butt cheek and a red heart on his right butt cheek, Ginny giggled and he turned around to face her. Her picture was winking on his crotch.
Ginny burst out laughing, jumping up and hugging him. "That's fantastic! You must wear those at least 3 times a month!" Harry laughed. "I love it!"
"I thought you would," Harry said with a smile and Ginny pushed away to get a better look at her winking face.
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley called up the hall, "Hogwarts letters are in!" Harry ran down stairs two at a time. He didn't know why he was so excited. Maybe it was because...
"I'VE BEEN MADE HEAD GIRL!" Hermione screamed.
Harry walked in smiling. Ron shrugged and said to her, "Like anyone would doubt otherwise."
Hermione's bottom lip quivered and she kissed him. "You're so sweet, Ron!"
Mrs. Weasley handed out the rest of the letters out. Ron looked over Harry's shoulder, "Still Quidditch Captain? Good, I think we can play a couple of times before we leave to do," he whispered, "you-know-what!"
Harry looked down at his Quidditch Captain badge. He forgot about Quidditch. He was just going to leave and not return to Hogwarts, he forgot about not playing Quidditch ever again. Maybe they had adult leagues, that is, if he survives...
"I need Standard Book of Spells Grade 6 AND 7," Ginny grumbled. "I guess I still need to study it even thought I'm not taking 6th year Charms." She was petting Arnold, her Pygmy Puff.
"I shouldn't worry, dear." Mr. Weasley said, "You've always been really good at Charms.
Mrs. Weasley smiled as if thinking of a very fond memory, "I remember her taking my wand when she was very young and bewitching things so that they would sing to her."
"Yeah," Ron said irritably, "MY toys!" The Weasleys laughed.
Remus and Tonks were in the kitchen now, looking ready to leave. "Ginny," Tonks said walking over, "since you are the only one who can't Apperate, then you will do a Side-Along with me!"
Ginny nodded and stood up, "Just let me go get my cloak." Harry ran up and got his as well and joined everyone in the kitchen.
"Everyone, lets meet outside of Fred and George's shop," Mr. Weasley said before disappearing on the spot. Harry joined him, turning around in the dark kitchen and blinking in the sunlight outside of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
The ad for the "Constipation Sensation that is Gripping the Nation" was no longer in the front window but there was a large picture of Lord Voldermort with a mustache and black eye drawn on. Harry laughed seeing it. Fred and George were smiling in the doorway.
"We've been getting plenty of owls telling us to take it down." Fred said.
George laughed, "Like we'd listen!"
Harry walked in after Ron. "Anything new, fellas?" Harry asked.
Fred and George motioned for all the Weasleys, Tonks, Lupin, Hermione, and Harry to follow them into their huge back room. "Watch the front for us Verity," George said to a girl in staff robes.
"Our Defense products!" Fred said waving his arms around the room. "New stuff too, mostly Squibs come in to buy some stuff but the Ministry buys hundreds of it all!" Fred walked over to the clothing racks, "You've already seen our Shield Hats, cloaks, and what-not."
George walked over to a bin with bright red pills in it. "We're still working on this," he said.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Well," said Fred, "the idea was to feed this to a person to see if they are a Death Eater or not. If they eat it and they are a Death Eater then they will turn bright red and it is supposed to be permanent."
"But we don't know any willing Death Eaters to test it out for us," George laughed.
"This here," said Fred walking over to green bottles lining the wall, "are invisibility solution. Takes 30 seconds to turn you completely invisible."
"Can I try?" Ron asked.
"Well," said George, smiling slightly. "Your BODY turns invisible. If you don't want anyone to see you, you have to take off your clothes as well."
"Well, that doesn't seem that bad," Ron said. "How long does it last?"
"Well, depends on the person," Fred said. "Weight and height...Want to test it out for us?"
Ron turned red, "No."
"What are these?" Ginny asked looking at a box full of little bugs.
"Bugging devices! You just place it on a person you want to spy on and it records everything into a book," Fred said.
"But," George interjected, "the Ministry won't let us use them. Well, not until they get everything worked out legal-wise."
"You'll be the first one to know, Harry." Fred added.
"Thanks."
"Boys," Mrs. Weasley said, "we need to go get your school books."
Before Harry knew it they were on the Hogwarts Express. Ron and Hermione were off doing prefect and Head Girl Duties so Harry and Ginny found a compartment with Neville and Luna.
"I'm really sad that we didn't have the D.A. last year," Luna said in her dreamy tone.
"Yeah, sorry," Harry mumbled, "I was really busy with Quidditch and Dumbledore."
Neville sat up in his seat, "That's right, I heard you had lessons with Dumbledore! What kind of spells did he teach you? Will you start up the D.A. again this year so you can teach us what he taught you?"
But before Harry could answer, their compartment door opened and in walked in none other than Remus Lupin.
"Professor?" Neville asked awkwardly.
"Yes?" Lupin said smiling, making his premature wrinkles frame his face.
"Um, what are you doing on the train?" Neville asked, scared to talk to a former teacher.
"I am teaching at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He said simply as he took a seat on Ginny's other side.
"I remember you," Luna said dreamily, "My second year. You were a lot of fun. You always included me." It was another one of those times where Harry felt uncomfortable after something Luna said.
Lupin, however didn't, "You were very good in my class, I believe you always got top marks." This made Luna give a glowing smile, something Harry had never seen before.
"Dumbledore had given McGonagall instructions to hire me to teach at Hogwarts, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and to lead the group known as the D.A."
Harry's eyes must have looked like galleons. Ginny however was the first to speak, "So the jinx must be over?"
"What jinx?" Lupin asked her.
"Well, the one where DADA teachers usually only last one year. This will be your second year teaching the subject so the jinx must be gone."
Lupin seemed to ponder it in his mind a few seconds and nodded, "Must be."
It was sort of exciting sitting there talking to Lupin about all the spells he would teach them in the D.A. Although it felt weird that Dumbledore was gone but it seemed to reinforce the idea of Dumbledore's Army, like something he left behind to finish the job.
When they reached the Hogsmeade Station, Lupin led them all out of the train. It looked as though all the students had returned. Dumbledore's protection was more appealing than joining any one side, apparently. Lupin left them to see Tonks at the gate, they exchanged a sweet kiss before Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna all squeezed themselves into a thestral pulled carriage.
The Great Hall was a splended sight but before Harry had reached the Gryffindor table, hand-in-hand with Ginny someone stopped them.
"Potter," came the voice of Harry's Transfiguration teacher, and new Headmistress, Professor McGonagall. "Tomorrow during break, I want you to meet me in the Headmaster's office."
"Do you mean, your office?" Harry asked.
Then something Harry never thought he would see happened, McGonagall cried, "Yes," sniff, "Well, you see," sniff, "It is, but still," sniff, "The password is 'Sherbet Lemon'," and dashed up to the head table, leaving the large chair in the center empty for a second then sitting in it looking uncomfortable.
After the sorting and the wonderful meal, Headmistress McGonagall stood up. "Welcome," she said, in a warmer tone that Harry had ever heard her utter, "to a new year at Hogwarts. I know some doubted whether or not the school would open this term, but we felt," she motioned to the staff table, "that Dumbledore would want us to stay open for any who wished to learn in a safe place.
"We have a new appointment to the staff this year," she motioned for Lupin to stand up, "Those older students will remember him well, Professor R. J. Lupin." The Gryffindor table applauded so loudly that the first years on the end looked shocked that they had entered such a rowdy House.
"He has kindly taken the post after resigning a few years ago. He does wish to let everyone know that for his class and his class only you get the day of the Full Moon off." It was widely known amongst the older students that he was a werewolf but Harry was sure the first years did not understand. "Also, I would like to announce that Professor Lupin has kindly agreed to take the post of Head of Gryffindor." The Gryffindors shouted even louder at this.
After a minute of letting them shout, McGonagall raised her hand for silence. "I know you are all getting sleepy and you wish to get some rest before your first day of hard work begins. So I will let you all go with one thought to remember in your mind," Harry saw tears in her eyes, "Dumbledore left us with something to ponder and that is love, in all it's forms, will be a power beyond reason. Don't go throwing it away."
Harry frowned slightly. Love? That is all? No defensive spell or to remember a certain potion ingredient that could help us defeat Voldermort?
Ron and Hermione ran to the front and showed the First Years the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. Harry and Ginny walked slowly together holding hands. "What did McGonagall want?" Ginny asked.
"Told me to go to the Headmaster's office tomorrow at break." Harry said.
"Oh yeah," Ginny said remembering, "He'll want to talk to you as soon as possible."
"He?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, Dumbledore." Harry thought best not to press on the subject. Ginny usually changed it as soon as he asked. Ginny walked up to the fat lady and smiled, "Godric," she said and the portrait swung open.
Harry let Ginny walk in first and then he followed.She made her way to the staircase leading up to the girl's dormitories. Harry followed her to the bottom step. "Good night," she said and leaned over to kiss him. He smiled and wished her sweet dreams.
Harry found Ron outside the 1st Year's dormitory, telling them to shut up. "I hate first years,"Ron told him.
Harry began to tell him about Dumbledore talking to Ginny. Then about McGonagall wishing to call her new office the Headmaster's office. "Well, she is a bit sad, right? I mean, she and Dumbledore worked together for 40 years. Plus he probably taught her Transfiguration when she was at Hogwarts." Harry nodded.
Harry entered his room to find most of guys asleep. After Harry climbed into bed with his pjs on he could hear Neville snoring. Then he and Ron fell asleep as well.
Harry woke up the next morning before anyone else, he thought he could go take a shower first, which he did. He was dressed and ready for breakfast before the other's had fully gotten out of bed. He went down into the common room to wait for the others when he noticed a sign on the Bulletin Board:
Are You Interested in Learning Highly Useful Defensive Spells?
Then please sign your name up with Professor R. J. Lupin, Head of Gryffindor House. Meetings will begin as soon as the next full moon is over.
Harry smiled.
"Good morning!" Harry heard from behind him, as he turned around, Ginny had slipped her hand into his. "You're up early."
"You too!" Harry said.
"Well," Ginny grinned, "I guess I'm excited, I start 7th year classes today!"
"Oh that's right!" Harry asked, "Are you nervous?"
"Not really. I am excited for you too."
"What do you mean?"
"Dumbledore," she said simply. Before Harry could ask her what she meant she placed her lips on his. Just as Harry was getting into the kiss he heard a loud voice behind him.
"5 points from Gryffindor for Public Displays of Affection," Ron yelled, but Harry could tell he had a smile on his face.
During breakfast they were passed out their new schedules by Lupin. "Wow," he said handing Harry his timetable, "you have more breaks than James, Sirius, and I had in 7th year."
Harry smiled, "Well, I don't want to overdo my self."
"That's right," Lupin said, "you have a bigger mission in life than getting 12 N.E.W.T.s."
Since Harry didn't have a class before morning break, he walked up to the gargoyle earlier that he probably should have. "Sherbet Lemon," he said and the statue moved aside to let Harry in.
He knocked on the door and could hear a faint, "Come in," Harry opened the door and almost had to do a double take. The office was just like it was a few months ago. Fawkes was there on his perch, Dumbledore's silver objects were emitting little puffs of smoke. Gryffindor's sword was in a case and the Sorting hat was sitting on a shelf. But the thing that surprised Harry the most was that Dumbledore was sitting at his desk.
Well, he wasn't sitting at his desk but his portrait was put directly behind so it looked like he was.
"Good Morning, Harry." Dumbledore smiled.
"Good Morning?" Harry's jaw was dropped.
"Please, take a seat," Dumbledore smiled, "I daresay, I would shake your hand but as you can see," he motioned to his gold frame.
"Professor?"
"Yes Harry?" Dumbledore smiled.
Harry didn't take anytime to think of what to say. "Why did you trust Snape?" He hadn't taken a seat. "He killed you!"
Dumbledore sighed, "That is why I asked you to come here."
A/N: I will try to get the next chapter up today. I was going to put the rest of the scene in this chapter but it is getting long. I don't know how long I wanted it to be.
Yeah, it is his portrait. I thought about his ghost, but Dumbledore would want to go on, wouldn't he?
I don't think this fic is going to be REALLY LONG but after I finish it, I already know my next project!
P.S. If anyone would like to help me with some of the chapters in this fic (like the ones that involve Harry fighting Voldermort) please e-mail me. My e-mail is on my profile. Please make sure you give me you pen name so I know exactly who you are! Thanks!