Disclaimer: I am not J K Rowling, anyone who saw me in real life WOULD know that, anyone who would read this story WOULD know that, anyone with half a brain WOULD know that. :D

NOTE PLEASE READ: This is the third chapter, and If your not hooked after reading this i don't know what else would. I actually split it up into two chapters now because it was too big and too much in a short amount of time. So I added more and the result is this. I thought it turned out pretty well and am quite proud, tell me what you think. There's a mean as next chapter 4, where it's all properly underway and you get to see where I'm all going with the story. Chapter 5 the gang start to go back to school for their most interesting year yet (Lol I just wanted to say that and sound vain!)

Shout Out: Thanks to my two new reviewers LauraDK and Madam-Kati. Here are the answers to your questions.

Firstly, to Madam-Kati I'm sorry I didn't make that sentence clearer, I am a twat and I give you permission to hit my head over repetitively with a baseball bat how many times you feel is necessary.

I have gone back last chapter to fix the error up, it now reads: 'If it wasn't for the fact that he still had to find the rest of the Horcruxes during his time at school, Harry would have enjoyed his last year at Hogwarts very much since both his school enemies had left.'
I hope it isn't as confusing this time round.

Secondly, to LauraDK yes I have all these chapters lying about, some may need the tiniest of tweaks since I fix errors constantly when I see them when I post them up. Like I said earlier Id get those up fairly quickly, the longest I'd leave it would be 3-5 days like I mentioned before hand. My seventh form (last year of high school) is very demanding at the moment but so far I'm glad to report isn't interfering with my time on here. I'm glad that you enjoy this story.

Warning: Contains insight and plot lines relating to the sixth book HBP. So don't read this story if you haven't read it yet.

Harry Potter and The Hogwart Houses Horcruxes
Chapter 3 - As Cunning as a Slughorn

All four of their jaws dropped to the floor, Mrs Weasley was holding up a letter from Professor McGonagall telling them that their old Headmaster's portrait was awake; Harry just couldn't believe it himself. They went and bombarded Mrs Weasley if they could go to Hogwarts as soon as possible to go talk to him, Harry even more so.

Molly looked at them nervously, not so sure of them going straight away as she supposed the Order members were most undoubtedly talking serious matters with him at that very moment. She told them they could all go when Professor McGonagall gave the word which could mean they would have to wait the rest of the day.

They were all waiting and it had been a whole agonising few hours already, Harry was bursting to go, angry at his watch who wasn't being helpful by ticking very slowly.
Hermione looked intently at him for a while.

"So do you think he'll tell them what happened with... Snape and all..." She looked at him uncertainly, fearful that he'd think her mentioning it was insulting.

Harry didn't speak so Ron put in his two-cent worth.
"I don't know, he'd-he'd probably wouldn't tell even if he knew, he kind of operates like that doesn't he"
Harry's head slowly swerved to look at his red haired friend, yes that was true he had to agree as he nodded his head.

"He probably won't talk much about the Horcruxes either would he?" Hermione voiced Harry's burning question he wanted to ask himself.
"I just want to see him no matter what; I don't even care if he doesn't say something to help us, just to know that he can talk back to us would be a blessing in itself." Harry said, sounding highly mature for his age to have said it, very grown up indeed.

Hermione inwardly cringed a little, she knew they had just treaded on thin ice to have been talking about it, she knew what he said meant that at least one person who he cared for and died could actually speak back to him no matter what now. It was hard for Harry last year about Sirius's passing, for him not to have been able to correspond to him anymore.

Mrs Weasley bustled into the living room where they were all lying around hopelessly, but they perked up the minute they noticed her expecting they got their answer back.

"No, I haven't any word yet, it's too soon!" She snapped irritably, she was carrying a dirty wash basket, muttered an incantation, and then tossed all of Ron's now clean laundry at him.
"Why don't you do something useful instead of moping around you lot!" Then proceeding to give Ginny and Harry all their laundry too.
She bustled out of the room again.

Harry was bonging his head on the back of a tattered chair recliner, Ginny drumming her fingers, Ron whistling and Hermione biting her lip.

Mrs Weasley then entered angrily into the room again, "I didn't mean for you all to pick up annoying habits and drive me insane, I think It's about time you all went outside"
Now that they had no choice but to go outside the house, they all got up in a dead like trance and out the magical sliding door.

Hermione asked them once they reached the garden, "What can we do now? There's nothing else left to do"
"Lets play Hide-and-Go seek." Harry asked half seriously, not thinking what else there was.
Hermione gave a loud abrupt laugh, but Ginny and Ron looked at him completely puzzled. But of course Harry thought, they didn't know what that was since they were an all wizarding family.

So Hermione and Harry dedicated their time to teach the red heads about the stupid nuisance game that would undoubtedly waste their precious brain cells.
Mrs Weasley walked out two hours later when they were playing Duck, Duck, Goose to tell them that they could finally go to Hogwarts, as another letter from Professor McGonagall was clutched tightly in her hand.

They wasted no time and made quick haste to Hogwarts, where Professor McGonagall was waiting for them to turn up at the fireplace grate in her office already.

The two Weasley children, Hermione and Harry followed through the fire after Molly, Arthur was already there from being in Order business just before hand.

They all looked around their surroundings; the office looked the same as it ever did with all the whirring silver trinkets, Professor McGonagall not feeling the need to get rid of Albus Dumbledore's possessions. And Harry noticed that all the portraits weren't feigning being asleep, they were wide awake and buzzing to see that Dumbledore finally woke at last as well.

The four students walked over to his portrait, to see their old Headmaster smiling at them all.
"Welcome back, I expect that you all have had no lasting trouble to which you couldn't all handle yourselves?" He inquired with his soft setting voice, serene and sombre appearance, and a sparkle in his eye as always.
They all looked to each other, and smiled back at him, smiling with all their might.
"It's good to see your back too sir." Harry spoke
"Yes Harry, it is indeed."

They all spent a good time getting reacquainted with Dumbledore's portrait self and talking about the things happening in the time he had been gone from passing over.

Finally all the questions everyone had asked him had been answered swiftly to, not including Harry's burning questions about the letter about Fawkes or the Horcruxes as he thought the timing inappropriate.

They then found Dumbledore seemed to be contemplating something, as if wondering to speak or not.
He decided on that whim, and requested that he speak to Harry alone.

When everyone had left them to themselves, Dumbledore turned real sombre indeed.
"I'm sorry Harry, for what I had asked of you at the end of last term. However I knew it had to be done, and I am glad you stuck true to your word, and for that I am forever grateful."

He stopped, but Harry sensing that Dumbledore was going to continue didn't interfere.

"I hear you made Head Boy, I offer my congratulations and say that it is very well earned ...I am proud of you Harry, I truly am. You've grown more mature over the past five years, more mature than many other students have in the time they've been here I'm sure of it."
A lump rose in Harry's chest, it was awkward being praised like this, feeling all these mixed meaningful emotions over the last couple of weeks.

"I wish you all the very best in the quest to destroy all the remaining Horcruxes, and I will be here for you whenever you need the assistance."

Reminding Harry of the admirable sentence he made to him in Hagrid's hut in his second year.
'You will find that I will only have truly left this school when no one left is loyal to me, help will always be given in Hogwarts to those who ask for it.'

Dumbledore gazed at him for a long period.

"I believe in your potential Harry for you have the ability to stop Voldemort, everything is left up to you and your friends, and anyone else willing to help, and know that you will always have me here Harry to help assist you along the way, always though it may not seem like it."

Harry nodded numbly and then broke into a soft smile. Both Dumbledore and he talked for quite some time till all school related subjects were exhausted, sensing it was time to say goodbye Harry said he was glad for him to be there as well.
He then went to go join the rest of the Weasleys; all of them returning back home very late in the evening.

Two more weeks came and went, and as Hermione kindly reminded them there was less than two more to go. She was hinting that they better get a move on with their homework, Ron and Harry didn't see how they could delay it any longer because Mrs Weasley was now on their backs too, which meant they would never be able to rest.

Ron was having trouble with his Transfiguration essay, Harry who already finished it let Ron look at his to get some ideas, Hermione wasn't at all impressed as you could imagine.

He thought he'd make a start to his Potions homework, Slughorn sent them quite a lengthy essay to write which took him most of the day to get through.

Hermione only had to do her Arithmancy essay, and only needed one more foot left till she finished as she gloated to them. She got through it easily within quarter of an hour.

Mrs Weasley, also sensing that they better get all their school supplies as well, asked Arthur kindly if they could also have another bodyguard or two from the Order to make sure they would be fine to go shopping down Diagon Alley to get everything.

Harry had hoped they would get Hagrid again to look after them, however Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody were to be watching over them instead.
The rules Mrs Weasley expressed, was to get everything they needed in one go, and to not linger around so they could be in and out as fast as possible, no side trips to the twins shop either which would be incredibly hard for them to do as they were about to enter through their fireplace up their shop for transportation again.

Alastor designated himself to go first as he said so, took a pinch of floo powder and scattered it on The Burrow's fireplace, which immediately erupted emerald green embers flicking upwards.

"Diagon Alley!" He shouted, like he meant business. This reminded Harry of the Impersonator Moody's powerful voice whenever he went 'CONSTANT VIGILENCE'

Harry was instructed to go next, and like Moody followed suit and was soon joined with him on the other side to the fireplace, the Twins house above the shop.

Out Hermione, Ginny and Ron tumbled, Ron grumbling about he forgot to tuck his elbows in again.
Soon enough Mrs Weasley, Remus and Kingsley joined as well.
"That us!" Mad-Eye Moody barked gruffly, everyone nodded.
"Well lets get on with it shall we?"
They helped Ginny get all her gear first as she was the only one out of them who was continuing her courses like normal.

The golden trio, who all had their letters out in front of them addressed from Professor McGonagall told them they would need all their supplies (Which was not too expensive as Mrs Weasley was glad to hear for her sake) at a new shop they had never allowed or needed to venture through before, but had seen it plenty of times not giving it a second thought as it looked so bland and unnoticeable before anyhow.

The shop was called "Literally Literacy Magic" owned by the landlord P.Inghlises. It was devoted to mainly books with interesting but moderately hard spells that an everyday wizard would have trouble mastering, Hermione went in an over excited state saying she had never been in here before since she was underage. You had to be at least seventeen to enter.

But the books weren't the most interesting part as they were soon to discover, P.Inghlises himself went over to them as if they were right on time and told them to follow him.
He went to the back of the store, went and bent over by the dusty rug on the floor and up heaved it, to where a faintly seen trapdoor was visible.

Of course this sent Moody on the alert, who went first as always to look for any possible thing to cause them trouble, which was never anything anyway.
When he gave the all clear, they all joined up with him inside.

Harry's eyes went round, as he expected to be in a dark and tightly enclosed space.
They were in a room about half the length of a large quidditch field, full of rows of more books and interesting objects, many of which he suspected would be on either Hermione's or Moody's Christmas list that year.

Apparently this P.Inghlises person had a whole library full of valuable objects, ranging from anything to everything. He could see a lot of Dark Art detectors and silver trinkets, some which he could easily identify with. There were even things that had essence of many mystical creatures such as rare ice dragons like Cunderlins from up north in Antarctica, Frinck Sphinxes from down in Egypt and Johuzza Snakes from Brazil.

And many other bizarre animals and creatures he'd never heard of, and a heap of rare distinction items on a special stall were for discount. And even still this was only the tip of the iceberg as the landlord claimed his most prized valuables were not currently displayed or on sale.

There were also many aisles dedicated to special and dangerous scrolls which when read would trigger curses or enchantments of the deadly kind.

But they were there to get special armoury such as skin tight methril, potions from the mini apothecary set up there which had some illegal substances that people were not normally allowed to have, and about half a dozen books each to teach them the sorts of things they were to learn at Hogwarts that year.
All for a 25 percent discount, and the Armour came free of charge anyway since they were apart of the Order.

After they got what they needed, Moody barked at them all again very loudly that they better get a move on. Ginny was still nosing through an interesting collection of Runes near the back, and Mrs Weasley thinking she had lost her she searched panickly and called out for her, when Ginny finally heard them came running back pronto.

"Mum, can we stop at the Three Broomsticks please!" Ginny whined Molly looked at her crossly, the facials telling her the answer straight off the bat.
Kingsley however thought differently as well "Oh go on Molly we've had quite a day shopping, I'm sure Rosmerta would like to see you all again."

She still didn't look persuaded enough.

"Look I'll shout, my treat!" He added this seemed good enough for her since she didn't want to end up paying anyhow. She felt safe enough as well, seeing how there were an ex-auror and two highly trained wizards with them.

So they got to enter the pub, Rosmerta happy to see there were at least a few customers, and greeted them heartily. No one wanted to stick around Diagon Alley as much as they would like, and it was starting to affect her business badly as she told them sadly.

The adults were all conversating with each other, Mad-Eye reluctant to do so, he still had his famous hip-flask too and refused to drink from anything else much to Rosmerta's dismay.

As Harry looked around there were only a couple of people in the pub with them as well, it was as quiet and low in number as the Hog's Head was when he last visited.

The four of them, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all went up to the counter when their Butterbeers were ready, they took seat up at the barstools up there as well happily slurping their drinks away. They were talking about the shop they had just left, when Ginny and Hermione hopped off their chairs to go to the toilet.

As Ron commented, it was in their nature to go toilet together in packs, Harry nodded his head agreeing too, thinking back in fourth year when he noticed all of Cho's friends doing this with her when he was trying to ask her out to the dance.

A couple of cloaked people entered the Three Broomsticks, one told another what they wanted for a drink then walked off to the corner of the room. The other lowering their cloaked hood to reveal a teen of about their age, with short-to-medium pale blonde hair with a distinct dark steel blue rim around her surprisingly warm grey eyes.

Her face showing a smile as she sat on the barstool two seats next to Harry, to talk to Rosmerta about what she and her friend would like to have.

Noticing that Harry and Ron had turned to look who entered, smiled and said hello to them quite cheerfully, like she'd never known that where she was at this moment was a very dangerous place to be at these times.

"Uh hello." Ron talked unintelligibly first, as she had quite a pretty look to her and that made him nervous.
"I take it you two are from the school round here?" She asked nicely.
"Yeah, we're from Hogwarts, are you starting here too?" Harry answered, wondering as well if she was some sort of exchange student.

"Oh no I'm not from here normally, I learn in a very private institution down in - Oh my, shouldn't have said that. Security reasons you know." She laughed along rather nervously, seems like she was a person very easy to talk to as Ron and he had found out.

Her accent sounding slightly out of place, suggested she was telling the truth when she said she wasn't around these parts. It still sounded kind of English, but she rolled her 'r's suggesting she might be Irish, but then she also said her 'u's a lot more flat, and exaggerated her 'i's too much for her to belong to anywhere in the UK, or perhaps even Europe.

Rosmerta had then finished serving their Butterbeer, the blonde girl paid her and carried the drinks to her hooded friend over by the corner. "She seemed nice." Ron commented.

Ginny and Hermione had just finished up in the toilets and made their way over to Ron and Harry, who were by then making their Butterbeer glasses zoom to each other with the Accio spell.

The four of them joined the adults up on their table and talked with them for quite a long time, glad for the adults to be distracted as they were. Kingsley even more so when they found that his hidden motive to come here all this time was to see Rosmerta - on a more personal basis. Remus leaned over to tell them that they were a new couple and that Kingsley was getting anxious over Rosmerta, afraid for her well-being and safety here. They were getting pretty cosily with one another now though.

Then at long last they had to go back home to their warm beds that were awaiting them, they had spent so long at the pub that the adults didn't realise till late that it was dark out, even Moody for some strange reason though Hermione assured them that she knew why that was. So in through the Twins shop and out through to The Burrow, pillows calling out and for sleep to claim them.

Then too soon he woke before dawn again, Harry thought savagely he'd have to see that rooster would get a silence spell for ruining his plans of further sleep.
He got up wearily, and noticed straight away that Hedwig was perched patiently at the foot of his bed on the railings.

She gave a dignified 'Hoot Hoot' then flapped her wings a short distance to be on Harry's outstretched arm, it was then that she'd landed on him that he noticed she had a letter attached to her leg, feeling guilty that he didn't realise she'd left for a while to get him a message, stroked her snowy white feathers while reading. His brow frowned even more in thought with each sentence he read.

-o-0-o-

Dear Mr Potter,

Dumbledore requests to speak to you again about the next possible Horcrux in question, he told me to pass on to you that he is thankful that you did not bring this up to him last time you talked.
However now he is ready to talk to you properly about new information he received from a friend, who dropped by him earlier this week. He insists that you come as soon as you can. He also tells me to tell you to bring a mirror you apparently received a year and a half ago, I do not know why he has asked such an absurd thing but I would imagine he would tell me once you two have examined it together.
I trust that your visit to Mr Inghlises store yesterday went well and that Mr Weasley and Miss Granger along with yourself got everything you needed? He is a wonderful friend and helper, aiding the Order and our vast demand for supplies over the last couple of decades. Alastor Moody had informed me that everything went well when he was monitoring the security yesterday, which seems remarkable because he would've normally criticised on at least one negative fault, I guess he was having an off day.
Also it would be a wise idea if you brought along your wand, cloak and broomstick Potter, I'll explain to you after your chat with Dumbledore. Don't forget about the mirror as well.

Headmistress McGonagall

-o-0-o-

Harry rubbed his eye of the sleep, and then sluggishly walked up one more flight of stairs to Ron's room. He shook him by the shoulder a few times before he came around.
"Whassamatter"
"Going to Hogwarts, See Dumbledore, Got letter." Harry told him lazily, clearly too tired to string his words properly.
"Okay then." Ron then quickly rolled over and fell fast asleep again, no doubt forgetting this encounter ever happened. Harry thought he'd better leave a note in the kitchen for Mrs Weasley just encase they didn't know where he was which later turned out to be correct.

He went back upstairs and searched his messy trunk for his cloak. Then remembering about what Professor McGonagall said about the mirror, he had to think for a moment before realising she meant Sirius's one he'd given him two Christmases ago. But that was broken.

He however searched the very bottom of his trunk and found the frame for it, then decided it was fruitless trying to get the shards with all his clothes in the way so he chucked them out first. Then piece by piece he found every fragment of glass that he could find. He put them in his Gobstone's bag, which was a soft leather pouch that would tighten up the top with the pull of the cord.

Harry then took all this, cloak under his arm and trudged heavily down the stairs and went to the shabby shed out back of the house to retrieve his Firebolt. Then forgetting that he still had his pyjama's on, walked with all his gear to the fireplace in the living room and set it alight with green flames with the intended destination being Hoggity-Hoggity-Hogwarts.

One injured elbow and a spurting mouth full of ash later he was back in the fireplace at Professor McGonagall's office. Seeing him with her beady eyes through intimidating glasses, peering down at him wearing his soot covered pyjamas, she showed a look of utter bewilderment.

Dumbledore however seemed to be witnessing this all and laughed merrily from the chair he was sitting in, nested cosily inside his portrait. Harry couldn't help but smile from embarrassment.

"Good to see you arrived earlier than I anticipated; dressed for the occasion I'm sure." His Head of House looked at him more with a stern gaze, though he could tell that she was inwardly finding this funny as she was fighting the urge to smile.

"Ah Harry, you never cease to bore me with your award winning entrances, I have to admit well done." Dumbledore smiled, and then informed Harry of why he brought him here.

"I have had a tip off from a very reliable source, good friend who wishes to stay anonymous for the time being." Dumbledore ploughed on.
"They have reason to believe with plausible facts that a certain proud family with quite a dark history has one of the four Horcruxes we are intending to find, you will have a difficult time trying to get to where they live as they are monitored and have their own wizard henchmen standing guard their own personal small scale castle, the Burlen Castle.
We do not know at this point however that they are apart of the Deatheaters ring, so don't jump to conclusions just yet.
Luckily for us we might be able to pull this off if we manage to get you invitations to their 1250th anniversary of their pureblood family producing all suitable male heirs to a certain wizarding cult tradition, we haven't learnt a lot of detail in this part as they are very good with the family secrets most of the time. They are held with utmost respect and nobility, indeed they are a very high status family and are just as highly influential, that is what I can see from here their greatest weakness, do you know why Harry?"

Harry who didn't know the answer to this just muttered unintelligently, taking a stupid wild guess.

"It's because we can use their influence against them, do you know of such a person who values other people's influence as a blessing?" Harry finally knew who he meant.
"You don't mean, surely not Professor Slughorn sir"

"Yes Harry, that's precisely who I mean." Dumbledore finished rather strongly, eyes sparkling away madly.

"The Anniversary will be held next week on Sunday, It is your job and yours alone alongside Ron and Hermione's to see if you can manage to get the invitations, otherwise you'll miss the golden opportunity and need to wait for the next to arise, and I daresay you don't want to be waiting for another 1,250 years for that to happen"

Harry nodded in understanding, he'd have to get on with it as soon as possible, they talked a while more on specific details of the castle's whereabouts and what they'd do.

Dumbledore reached another important matter, "Now, I had asked for you to bring along the mirror Sirius had sent to you a little while ago"
Harry's mouth turned into a round circle, "Uh yeah, I have it... but um. Yeah..." He finished lamely and emptied his gobstones bag to reveal the broken mirror's shards of glass. Frame too.

"Oh indeed! No matter that can be fixed." Dumbledore waved his hand nonchantedly. "But it will need to be carefully smithed back together with the same material that the glass is made from."

Harry looked puzzled, "But, that's just ordinary glass - oh - you mean it isn't?" Harry drew to the conclusion himself when he realised just anything was possible in the wizarding world.
Dumbledore chuckled; "Of course it's not ordinary glass Harry, you think that anything that once belonged to Sirius and your father plain ordinary?"

Harry smiled sheepishly. Professor McGonagall spoke at last from her long silence, "It will take a few weeks I trust, to find the materials which by the way aren't commonly found, and to find a suitable person who can mend it back together as it is a bit of a tricky operation"

Harry turned to face her as she kept talking, "I'd Imagine it would be repaired some time after the start of term." She concluded.

"Ah yes, and then we can take a proper look in it to try and find some clues. It's not everyday that a mirror such as that to be still existing, even if broken." Dumbledore spoke, intriguing Harry's suspicions.
"And will, will Sirius be able to talk back sir?" Harry asked tentatively putting all his hopes on the line, wishing that Dumbledore wouldn't dash it in an instant.

"We'll see, anything's possible Harry." He replied back, making Harry feel worse because he didn't say if it would or not, the thought of not knowing haunting and mocking him.

They then managed to bring their conversations around to the subject of Dobby, Kreacher and Winky.
"Ah yes as I understand it, Kreacher is still sulking around, Winky sulking even more so I'm afraid, but Dobby seems right as rain as always." Harry was glad to hear that Dobby was alright, a little concerned that Winky still hadn't come right by now, but Kreacher? He couldn't care less.

"And also Harry, the matter of your cloak and broom along with your wand. Could you kindly please all put them on Professor McGonagall's desk?" Harry obliged, wondering what this was for.
Professor McGonagall coughed a little to clear her chest, and then proceeded by walking around the desk and whipping out her own wand.
"What's going to happen?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"Just procedure and an upgrade." McGonagall had plainly said unhelpfully.

"Accio Book." An ancient brick book of faded rusty red colour from the nearby bookcase came hurling in the air towards her, she promptly caught it and Harry asked out of slight awe if she was Seeker herself back when she was still a student, to his surprise she gave a short dry 'Ha' laugh. She said she'd prefer playing Chaser in her day, any day of the week.

She flicked through the pages till she found the one that she was searching for, where she said, "Here it is, stand back please Potter"
And with a few complicated swishes and an incantation later, Harry found all three of his prized possessions to be glowing white-gold, illuminating the strong light blindingly.

It soon died off within ten minutes and she said it was done. The spell she used apparently meant that his cloak, broom and spell were 'recharged', it was more resistant to hexes and curses, would work more efficiently in terms of power, and Harry saw that his cloak was more larger so it could easily fit Ron, Hermione and himself, maybe Ginny as well if they could manage to fit together.

When both Professors asked if Harry had anything else he'd like to talk about, he said "No." Because in all honesty they had covered everything that he needed taken care of these holidays, indeed he was more organised and with a lot more people's help than he ever had been.

They then surprised him when they said they wanted him to stay at Hogwarts for half the day, along with Ron, Hermione and Ginny who would join up with him and Mr Weasley later. They were to look around the Order's Headquarters and to check out their new classrooms that they would be training in that year if they weren't being like James Bond or being in Mission Impossible, out on a deadly mission in search for the Horcruxes.

Harry was given breakfast by McGonagall, who conjured up a plate of a bacon and eggs with sausages. Harry ate this down in record timing, feeling surprisingly hungrier this year, perhaps because he was growing rapidly like usual and becoming a more filled out young man.

The other three friends arrived shortly after, looking around curiously as to why they were sent back there again. Harry told them they'd be visiting the new Order HQ.

And they were, as soon as Mr Weasley opened through the door learning of their arrival, then off they went down the Gargoyle staircase and down the corridor all the way down the main stairs and right in front of the Great Hall, where Mr Weasley turned left and Harry thought fleetingly that they were going down to the dungeons, that was till Mr Weasley turned another sharp right to what had always thought of as an empty unused and highly dusty classroom.

It was at first, but then the Weasley's dad went right up to the blackboard and with the chalk wrote on the board with big letters "Order of the Phoenix", the letters were rolling madly like if they were the symbols on a muggle gambling machine. It then spelt the word "Member I.D Required", and the solid imprint moulding of where a left-hand was supposed to be in place, here Mr Weasley put his own in and the Blackboard accepted his entry, they walked inside a hole where the blackboard once was.

It was another corridor of more doors and classrooms, it looked fancy and a lot tidier than Hogwarts usual standards, a lot fancier.
Here every so often a few Order members would flit through, working hardly and some even practicing and training. Harry couldn't help but look on amazed, as were the other three with mouths dangling.

"Welcome to your new Headquarters over the next year." Arthur Weasley proclaimed.
Harry could hear Ron say quietly, "This is so cool!" like a little kid.

Here they were given the tour, it was definitely impressive. All of them were thinking the same thing, which was this was all they could have ever dreamed.
There was a class devoted entirely to the DA, but for the students (Besides from Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny) the room would only be accessible through another door from the Room of Requirement as they weren't allowed to enter in normally like the other Order members.

As for the other rooms in the Order Headquarters, there was another two large classes and another small one designed for Order member training themselves.
A huge classroom unit with all the books of information that they would ever need, a library if you like.
A classroom that acted as a storage space where certain ingredients and equipment were put, a lot as Harry could see came from P.Inghlises's own private stores.
Another classroom which was actually set out to be a large meeting room.
And another which showed other doors and fireplaces, effectively making a travel from one place to another in the castle significantly quicker.

They were in Hogwarts Heaven, the answer to all their prayers as they just had the school's best shortcut system.

There was also another door at the very end of the corridor that was locked, but they weren't told what was inside so they dismissed it as unimportant.

It was quickly lunchtime, and seeing how they had finished their tour they were allowed to get back so Harry could devise his plan to get Slughorn to help him out, he wouldn't forget last year in a hurry seeing how he had to do something similar, trying to get information out of him and he almost left it too late.

But how could he approach Professor Slughorn to help him? Ginny was joking when she told Harry that he should seduce him and see where that went, when they all looked to her with devilish grins on their faces. Oh yes, Ron and Hermione were thinking the exact evil thing Harry was.

"No there is no way in You-Know-Who's hell! I'm not doing it, get Hermione to she's got a thing for teachers doesn't she?" Ginny worried, leaving Hermione turning red and Ron fuming at the ears.
"But he's taken some sort of liking to you like he did with my mum too, it may be the red hair and their feistiness." Harry made fun of her.

They bickered a little longer then, "Alright, but you're not all getting me in an uncomfortable position with him, I swear that man is impossible!"

Within no time at all Harry, Ron and Hermione managed to get her all dolled up and they were just going over rehearsals with one another when they would approach Professor Slughorn.
But knowing Ginny, she wasn't taking this seriously and along with Hermione would giggle abruptly every time they said a word, as Hermione was playing Slughorn's role.

"Okay Professor, but I don't think we should be doing this, this would go against teacher-student protocol..." She got real silly, holding onto Hermione in a fake seductress scene, Harry laughed and it sounded like a kind of snort, Ron clutching his sides in pain from laughing too much.

"No we have to be serious guys, start from the top." Harry came round and instructed them a lot more firmly. Ginny huffed and said "Spoil sport"

She tried to behave this time round, "So Professor, I heard recently that there was a famous elegant party, an Anniversary in some castle I think, up in Burlen if I'm not mistaken"

This would where the Professor would step in and say if he knew about it or not, and if so Ginny would say, "Oh how wonderful, say Professor would it be okay If I and a few friends went with you?".

This would also be when the Professor say there were invitations involved, where Ginny would beg him to do her a favour so she could go, saying she always wanted to mingle with the right sort of people, which Slughorn would undoubtedly lap up and take her under his wing.

When Harry said that was enough role-playing, he wrote a letter addressed for Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore saying they were ready for the next phase, where they would then lure Slughorn and the rest of Professors to have a cocktail party tomorrow night at Hogwarts so he could not refuse to go. This would be a relaxed environment where Harry and the team could put their plan into action without him becoming too suspicious and catching on to their plans.

And soon enough tomorrow night came, Harry was in one of his formal robes along with Ron who received some from his twin brothers a couple of years ago. Hermione and Ginny were all dressed up in their fancy dress robe attires too. When they were ready they immediately transported over, walking out of a fireplace just outside Hogsmeade, where there were royal carriages which where the same ones with thestrals that usually took them to the foot of the castle when each school would start each year.

Harry was impressed with the fine job the Professors and Order did when assembling the castle to hold a party in nearly no time at all, Hermione was complaining in the carriage that they must be working the house elves overtime without any pay like usual.

When the thestrals stopped, they were met with a doorman opening their carriage, and walking formally up with them to the grand entrance to open the door for them also.

Here many of the Professors inside were dressed up in their fine wear, socialising and mingling with wine and other cocktails in their hand. In no time at all they managed to find Slughorn, as he was trying to be centre of the attention, schmoozing away and getting a little chummy with the famous people and previous outstanding students he was entertaining with. Ginny was starting to have second thoughts.

"Don't worry Ginny, the drinks will talk for him you'll get the invitations no sweat." Ron assured her.

So she plucked up her courage, and gracefully walked over to him. Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't hear them from where they were standing as the hall was alive with noise from the band playing closely by. But by the looks of things all went well, they were both smiling and laughing, Slughorn being as loud and in your face as he ever was. Then with one last smile she looked to have said goodbye, and walked back to them.

"That was easier said than Quidditch." She bragged. Harry found it a little annoying for her to have gotten through to him, when he couldn't most of last year.
"He says he'll get us the invitations, he's planning on going too as well because he has a friend to buddy up with who he says has connections in the Castle." She finalised the details.

So now that they had come to get what they came for, they could be at ease the rest of the night. They snuck up to Professor McGonagall upstairs in her office though first thing, she was the only Professor not to be enjoying the festivities as she had a lot of work and organising to do, mainly concerning them.

"I trust you managed to persuade Professor Slughorn into giving you all invitations?" She asked concernedly, they replied that they did and it went smoothly.

"That's good to hear, now, a limo will be there to pick you up on the night of the Anniversary to take you straight there. You will have Auror protection in their Invisibility cloaks stationed around the entrance and they will come get you if anything goes wrong, meaning if the party is a catastrophe and all hell breaks loose. Your aim as you all know is to get as close to the male heir, which we have no idea what he looks like, but he would no doubt be making a speech to the audience and you would know then. You are then to schmooze your way in to getting to know him better, best to hang around Professor Slughorn for that part for he would be all over him as I can imagine. Try and learn about the Horcrux but I don't imagine him to be parading it, so if you can't see yourself getting that information then you would most likely need to be snooping around so you'll have to get your cloak ready for that Potter. It can be anywhere, so search high and low seeing as it is a castle... And be bloody careful." She added as an after thought.

They got the rest of the details, thanked Professor McGonagall and went on their way back to prepare themselves.

The rest of the week went by, and they were becoming worried by Friday as the Anniversary at Burlen Castle was only two days away and the Professor in question still hadn't dropped in on them with the Invitations. Harry was becoming extremely nervous and feeling ill, what if it never came? Would they have to try and break in which Dumbledore had mentioned previously, had spells and curses to prevent anyone to do so?

Mrs Weasley popped her head into her fireplace, which flooed over to Professor Slughorn's and she asked for Ginny if he managed to get it yet. He said that his friend was going to give it to him sometime tomorrow through owl mail and he said he'd be right over to give them to Ginny; they had to accept that answer for now as they really had no choice but to trust him.

Tomorrow came, and they were waiting patiently all day to see a sign of Professor Slughorn. But he didn't arrive at The Burrow till it was evening; they were having another drink session where he was looking his chummy self as the adults were into the strong percent alcohol Firewhisky.

"...It wasn't easy getting these Ginny my girl but I managed to get four. One ferrr myself of course... Hic I'm good friends with what's-his-name... oho can't even remember, a bit too much nosh ferr me." He reminded Harry of Aunt Marge when drunk.

All of them had a good time that night, eventually Slughorn apparated back to his home, while the Weasley family, Hermione and himself stayed up a little while longer playing Wizarding Poker. The cards pictures of the royals would move around and quote Shakespeare occasionally, which would give away what kind of hand you had sometimes too. Since the Weasleys weren't exactly what you'd call rich, they all agreed that each round would cost the players a Knut, winner takes all at the end of 25 hands. Ginny ended up winning the small kitty.

Before he knew it they retired off to bed, he had a big night for him tomorrow. Thankful that they managed to get invitations last minute, Harry climbed into the warm bed now set up for him in the twins room.

The last thought before drifting off to sleep was that it was comforting to know that he now had a warm home to return to with a kind family if ever he needed it.