Ginny awoke early on Monday morning, just one day after Harry had returned, with a need to prove to herself that his return had not been a cruel dream. She got out of bed and dressed quickly as she prepared to walk to Harry's dorm room to confirm his presence. She knew she would have to be quiet about it though. Harry's dorm mates might not like being disturbed so early just to satisfy her curiosity.

Ginny was about to walk out of her room when a sudden thought came to her. She had the perfect way to check on Harry without disturbing anyone. She couldn't believe she had forgotten about it. She had been staring at it almost continually for the past couple of days after all.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Ginny said as she pointed her wand at the map.

A bolt of panic shot through Ginny as she looked at where Harry should have been, but did not see his name appear there. She unfolded the map the rest of the way quickly, and a short survey of the castle later was enough to set her mind at ease. Harry was inside the castle, and right where she might have expected him to be.

Ginny opened the door carefully, not knowing what she might find on the other side. A slight peek around the door showed that Harry was sitting at a table reading over a large book. A smile spread across her face, and she was just about to walk in and surprise him when she heard someone else's footsteps in the room somewhere out of her view.

"I know it may be a crazy idea," Harry said, "but I think it'll be a fun thing to try."

"I don't think it's crazy at all," Sirius said as he walked into Ginny's view. "I think it'll be brilliant if it works. Even James wouldn't have ever thought to… Ginny!"

"Is it really you?" Ginny asked amazed as she stepped into the room.

"Well, as much as it can be anyway," Sirius answered. "I'll disappear again as soon as Harry leaves this room, but I feel real enough while I'm here anyway."

"It's really good to see you again," Ginny said as she gave him a hug. "So this isn't the first time Harry's seen you I take it."

"Oh heavens no," Sirius said. "He's been bringing me back to talk to him since last year. You should have seen him when he first conjured me here. Boy was he ever a mess. He's seems to have straightened out a bit since then though. I can't tell you how proud I am of him. I would have given anything to see the look on old Snape's face when Harry passed that Potions test. I'll bet he was livid."

"Actually," Harry said, "Snape and I have come to a sort of agreement since then."

"I don't believe it," Sirius said. "Surely he's been docking points from Gryffindor like a mad man since then."

"He's probably cut back on it if anything," Ginny said. "I don't know what happened in that test, but ever since that day Snape has seemed almost cheerful in class."

"Now I really don't believe it," Sirius said with a chuckle.

"Well, happier at any rate," Ginny said.

"Now I really wish I had been there to see your test, Harry," Sirius said. "Hey, maybe you could conjure that in here and let us watch it."

"Not a chance," Harry said as he closed the book and it disappeared.

"Spoil sport," Sirius said with a grin.

"So what is this brilliant thing you were working on when I walked in, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, it's nothing really," Harry said as he stood up and hugged Ginny.

"Oh, Harry," Ginny said. "Don't tell me you've got another secret."

"I promise I'll tell you what it is soon," Harry said. "I may even need your help with some of it."

"Oh you are a devil, Harry Potter," Ginny said. "You know that just makes me more anxious to know about it."

"I'll tell you what," Harry began. "If you promise you won't mention it to anyone else, I'll tell you on the way down to breakfast."

"You've got yourself a deal, Mr. Potter," Ginny said surprised it was so easy to get Harry to let go of a secret.

"Oh sure," Sirius said, "tell her after only a few minutes.

How long was it before you told me what you were reading in all those books? Maybe I would have gotten further if I had put on some makeup and tossed my hair a bit more."

"Well, I could conjure you that way the next time if you would like," Harry said with a grin.

"Don't you dare," Sirius said. "Ginny, get this boy out of here before he gets any more funny ideas."

"I'll see you again tomorrow morning, Sirius," Harry said.

"Feel free to bring Ginny back with you," Sirius said. "Not that I don't enjoy your company, Harry, but a little variety never hurt anyone."

Harry and Ginny walked into the Great Hall just as Harry finished telling Ginny what he was planning.

"Do you really think you can do it, Harry?" Ginny asked. "It sounds pretty difficult to me."

"I don't know," Harry said. "It may not work at all, but it can't hurt anything to try."

"I guess you're right," Ginny said. "I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll do whatever you need me to."

"Just having you there would be enough for me," Harry said with a smile. "We're going to have to learn to share things soon enough anyway. It couldn't hurt to start early."

"I was right before," Ginny said. "You are a devil. Only you could find so many ways to ask me without actually asking me."

"I'm not asking yet," Harry responded. "I just know that I will someday. I want to do it right though. I still plan on having that talk with your parents, but I don't know if I can wait until summer to do it."

"What do you need to talk to them about?" Ginny asked.

"Don't worry about it," Harry said. "It's just something between me and them. That's all."

"Secrets again, Harry?" Ginny asked. "Can't you go an hour without coming up with a new secret?"

"Patience, dear," Harry said. "Everything at it's own time and place."

Harry and Ginny had gotten to the Great Hall very early, so it was several minutes later before a few other students and teachers began to filter in.

"Good morning, Harry," Professor Bane said as he stopped on his way to the teachers table. "Good morning, Ginny."

"Morning, Professor," Harry and Ginny said in unison.

"Harry," Bane said, "I never got the chance to tell you that I don't think it will be necessary for you to attend classes any more. There isn't anything I plan to cover that you haven't already mastered it would seem. Instead, I would like for you to come and see me later this week. I have an independent study project I'd like to propose to you."

"I'll come to your office just before dinner on Saturday to talk about it if you want," Harry said.

"That would be perfect," Bane said. "I'll see you then. I'll see you in class Ginny."

"I'll be there," Ginny said.

Professor Bane had only walked a few steps away when Harry and Ginny noticed that most of the sleepy students in the Great Hall suddenly slumped over their tables.

"I would have though that you all would have learned by now that an attack can come at any time," Bane said with a grin as the students began to recover. "Twenty points to Gryffindor for Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley remembering to shield themselves."

"There you two are," Ron said as he and Hermione walked into the room several minutes later. "I guess you must have gotten an early start today. I nearly panicked when I woke up and you weren't there, Harry."

"You guys don't have to keep a constant surveillance on me you know," Harry said with a grin.

"Sorry, Harry," Hermione said. "I tried to tell him."

"Liar," Ron said with a smile. "You were as worried as I was, if not more."

"Well, maybe just a little," Hermione admitted.

"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said as she walked to the table, "Professor Dumbledore has asked me to tell you that he would like you to come to his office as soon as you have finished your breakfast."

"Can Ginny come with me?" Harry asked.

"I wouldn't advise it," Professor McGonagall responded. "I don't know how long it will take, and Miss Weasley, unlike you, has not been excused from her first class. It wouldn't be good for her to be late to Potions."

"Sorry, Ginny," Harry said. "I tried."

"I know, dear," Ginny said. "I guess I'll get used to you being privy to secrets that I am not."

"I promise that I'll tell you everything," Harry said as a grin came to his face. "If I can, that is."

"I expected as much," Ginny said as she kissed him lightly. "Now don't keep the headmaster waiting. Go on."

"I'll see you at lunch," Harry said as he got up to leave.

"I'll be looking forward to it," Ginny said.

Harry knocked on the heavy wooden door to Professor Dumbledore's office. Hearing the invitation to enter, Harry pushed the door open and stepped inside to find Professor Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, and a familiar looking goblin standing in front of him.

"Harry, I believe you have met Mr. Griphook," Dumbledore said.

"Yes," Harry said. "We met when I first went to Gringotts before my first year. I hope you have been well Mr. Griphook.

"Quiet well," Griphook said sharply. "I have made this trip to see you because of, though it saddens me to have to admit it, an oversight that was made at Gringotts. I can assure you that the Goblin responsible has already been disciplined."

"What sort of oversight?" Harry asked.

"It was within our records that you were to be presented with your inheritance once you reached the age of seventeen," Griphook said. "I am ashamed to tell you that we failed to do so out of a clerical error, and I am here to discuss your inheritance with you now."

"My inheritance?" Harry said. "I don't understand. I thought what was in my vault was my inheritance."

"No, Mr. Potter," Griphook said. "The money in your vault is the result of an account your parents set up to act as your educational fund. Not drawing anything out of the account until you were eleven allowed the account to grow considerably. I set that account up with your parents myself. Everything was worked out perfectly to allow yearly withdrawals throughout your school years before the money ran out during your last year at Hogwarts. The fact that no withdrawals were made for the first eleven years upset the calculations terribly."

"I still don't understand," Harry said. "That isn't my inheritance?"

"I believe I have said that it is not," Griphook said. "If it was then I would not have to be here, Mr. Potter. I assume it is not a problem that Professor Dumbledore is present. A witness is required in all transactions of this nature."

"No, I don't mind at all," Harry said, still trying to grasp what
the goblin was saying.

Griphook waved his hand and a small desk appeared along with a chair on either side of it. The goblin motioned for Harry to sit, and Harry sank into the chair closest to him. He noticed when Griphook sat down that the goblin's chair was tall enough so that he was elevated slightly above Harry.

Griphook produced a roll of parchment from somewhere and said, "We will start with the land holdings. There is, of course the two-acre tract in Godric's Hollow where your parent's house once stood. If you will sign here, ownership will revert to you."

Harry signed the roll of parchment in the designated space still not believing what he was hearing.

"You'll have to go and see Godric's Hollow for yourself, Harry," Dumbledore said. "It's a beautiful place. I have a house there myself."

"You also own three hundred acres of forest land in Ireland that was set aside by your parents as a reserve not unlike the Forbidden Forest here at Hogwarts," Griphook said placing a new parchment in front of Harry for his signature. "There is also a small villa on the southern coast of France."

"That was a very special place to your parents, Harry," Dumbledore said as Harry signed once again. "That was where they spent their honeymoon. Your mother fell in love with the place and your father bought it for her as an anniversary present."

"That is the extent of your land holdings from your parents, Mr. Potter," Griphook said. "There is one additional item that was willed to you by your godfather with a request that it not be given to you until such time as you turned seventeen. It was attached to your parents will at the time of his death. You are now the owner of the Black family manor located at twelve Grimauld Place."

"Please tell me that's the end of it," Harry said as he signed the parchment before him.

"There are no more land holdings," Griphook said. "All that remains are the monetary items. There are long term investments made by your parents, as well as your parent's personal vault, and the Potter family vault. A list of each of these things can be found on this scroll."

Harry looked at the scroll and nearly choked when he saw the values listed on the parchment. There was no way he would be able to spend even a fraction of the total even if he was to work at it for the rest of his life.

"Can I do anything I want with all of this?" Harry asked.

"Once you sign for it, it will belong to you and you may do as you wish," Griphook said.

Harry signed the paper and asked, "Now how do I go about splitting these assets into separate accounts?"

Griphook pulled out a blank piece of parchment and said, "Just write down exactly what you want done and I will make the transactions once I get back to Gringotts."

Harry went to work, writing down all of the different places that he wanted the money to go. Then he began to portion out amounts to each of the new accounts. He worked for several minutes, scratching out the amounts several times to revise them. Once he had gotten the amounts exactly as he wanted them, he began writing out the instructions for how each of them would be paid out. Harry looked it over one last time to make sure he hadn't missed anything, and handed the parchment back to Griphook.

Griphook looked over the parchment to make sure he understood all of the requests, and said, "I don't see any problems. I should be able to make these changes right away. Are you sure you want to just give away such a sizeable amount though?"

"What do I need that much for?" Harry asked.

"Forgive me, Mr. Potter," Griphook said as he rolled up the parchment. "Goblins do not find it that easy to just give away wealth."

"I still have more than enough," Harry said with a grin.

"Very well then," Griphook said as he stood up. "I should have these transactions completed within the hour. I'll send an owl with your receipt."

Griphook then reached out and took hold of a small object on Dumbledore's desk and portkeyed back to Gringotts.

"I think you handled that very well," Dumbledore said. "Most people would have been too overwhelmed on the initial meeting to think clearly enough to know what to do with all of the money."

"I was overwhelmed," Harry said. "I think that may have been what made me so anxious to get rid of it. No one person should have that much money at their disposal."

"Wisdom beyond your years, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Then again, there are several things about you that are advanced far beyond where one might expect."

"Believe me, I know the reason for some of that," Harry said. "It isn't easy being seventeen with more than fifty years of memories to draw on."

"Speaking of that," Dumbledore said, "how are you feeling?"

"Very much like myself right now," Harry said. "I think the incident with Draco may have turned the corner for me. I'm more determined than ever to drive Voldemort's memories to the far recesses of my mind."

"That's good," Dumbledore said. "Stay calm though. It is at the times when you are the angriest when you become the most dangerous."

"I don't plan on attacking anyone any time soon," Harry said. "I'm doing what I can to keep calm."

"It isn't just attacking someone that you have to worry about," Dumbledore said. "The day of your accident that sent you to St. Mungo's, you were flying around in a bad storm."

"I know," Harry said. "I was so angry that I barely even noticed that it was raining."

"So you don't know," Dumbledore said thinking out loud.

"Know what?" Harry asked.

"That you were the cause of that storm, Harry," Dumbledore
said.

"What?" Harry said.

"The ferocity of the storm was tied directly to the feelings you were experiencing at the moment," Dumbledore said. "If Ginny hadn't been there to calm you down, I don't know how bad the storm would have gotten. It was bad enough as it was."

"How could that be true?" Harry asked. "I don't know any magic like that, and neither does Voldemort."

"There may be natural abilities within you that you are unaware of, Harry," Dumbledore said. "You may be an elemental."

"A what?" Harry asked.

"A person with the power to control and alter the elements," Dumbledore said. "It may have just been a freak bit of accidental magic though. Elementals are a rare thing. There hasn't been any record of one in nearly four hundred years."

"Great," Harry said shaking his head. "As if I didn't have enough problems without worrying about that. I could get mad and strike my friends down with a bolt of lightning."

"I would say that there is very little chance of that," Dumbledore said. "Besides, you will always have Ginny there to calm you down before it gets that bad."

"I'm glad you brought that up," Harry said blushing. "I'd like to ask your advice about something."

Later that night, Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room with Ginny, Ron and Hermione. It was nearly nine and Harry was trying to think of a way he could sneak out without any of them knowing or asking any questions.

"I thought you told me this morning that you would tell me all about your meeting with Professor Dumbledore," Ginny said. "Come on, Harry. Out with it."

"It was nothing covert I assure you," Harry said. "There was a goblin there from Gringotts. He was just having me sign a bunch of papers."

"What kind of papers?" Ginny asked. "Since when does Gringotts send representatives out instead of making you come to them?"

"Well it seems as though there was some kind of mistake," Harry explained. "Apparently, they were supposed to get me to sign for my inheritance when I turned seventeen, but they didn't."

"Your inheritance?" Ginny asked. "Are you saying there was more to it than what's already in your vault?"

"Just a few investments and some land," Harry said not wanting to make a big deal of it all. "It was nothing really."

Ginny sat and looked at him for a few seconds before she said, "There's more to it and you know it, but I'll wait. Everything in it's own time and place. Isn't that what you said?"

"Speaking of time," Harry said with a yawn, "I got up awfully early this morning. I think I'll turn in for the night."

"Retreating from the field of battle, Harry?" Ron asked with a grin as Harry stood up.

"I don't know what you mean, Ron," Harry said as he bent over and gave Ginny a kiss. "I'm just feeling a bit tired. Really."

They watched Harry walk up the stairs, and Ron asked, "Do you think I should follow him?"

"Are you wanting to tuck him in, Ron?" Hermione asked. "You wouldn't want him to think you're spying on him. We can't hover over him every second of the day."

"I guess you're right," Ron said. "I guess there isn't any way for him to sneak out past us anyway."

Once in his dorm room, Harry looked around to see if he was alone. Fortunately, he was. Harry opened his trunk and took out his dress robes. He changed quickly, and drew the draperies around his bed to hide his absence just in case he wasn't back by the time Ron decided to go to bed. Once on the stairs outside his dorm, Harry covered himself in his invisibility cloak. All he would have to do is to wait until someone opened the portrait hole. Then nothing would stop him from leaving the school grounds.

Molly Weasley sat happily knitting while Arthur read the days copy of The Daily Prophet. Suddenly, there was a knocking at the kitchen door. Molly and Arthur both looked at one another, and Arthur drew his wand as he got up to see who it could be at that time of night. Molly followed, but stayed back far enough to be an effective backup if needed.

"Harry?" Arthur asked as he opened the door.

"Mr. Weasley," Harry said as he stood up straight. "Mrs. Weasley. Please forgive me for intruding upon you at such a late hour. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Of course not, Harry," Arthur said a bit confused.

"Come in Harry dear," Molly said as she walked closer.

Harry walked in and stood stiffly before them as he said, "I have a matter that I need to discuss with you that is of the utmost importance to me."

"Come in and sit down, Harry," Molly said. "I'll make you some tea."

"No thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. It wouldn't be proper for me to sit or take refreshment in this situation."

"Forgive me, Harry," Arthur said, "but I'm not exactly sure what this situation is."

"My name is Harry James Potter. I have taken a liking to your daughter, Ginerva Weasley," Harry said. "I am here to seek your permission to formally court your daughter. If, at the end of the formal courting period, all parties are agreed, I will ask your daughter for her hand in marriage."

"Well I'll be…," Arthur said in amazement. "I haven't heard of anyone holding to that convention in generations. My grandfather told me about it."

"I think it's romantic," Molly said with a girlish giggle.

"Let's see…," Arthur said. "What was it that my grandfather said about the official response? Ah yes. Harry James Potter, we, the parents of Ginerva Weasley do here by grant you permission to formally court our daughter. Having done so we agree to uphold all of the conventions required of us."

"Thank you for your time, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. "Please remember that it is up to you to notify your daughter of the courting, and instruct her in the conventions pertaining to it. I thank you. I will not intrude on your time further."

Harry turned and walked out the door leaving a stunned, yet happy couple behind him. He wondered how Ginny would react to the whole thing when she found out. He wondered what was in store for him, since the time scale of their relationship was just placed in her hands. He was hoping that she would hold to a few of the conventions, but as anxious as she had seemed, he could very well find himself getting married by the end of the week.

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