Numbal- Harry suffered a lot of loss so he is still grieving. He should recover a bit more as the story progresses. : )

MegaArchangel- Please do not die on me. : ( I am extremely happy that you like my story so much. : )

Athenakitty- Bill will mostly be in the background of the story. Yes, Harry will cheer up later. : )

Icantusechopsticks- Thanks

WhiteWizard101- I will write every time I feel a spark of inspiration. I'm glad you found the last chapter humorous. : )

tomoyo7- Yes, Ron is in love with Hermione, which makes him act very paranoid. Harry suffered two deaths because Sirius and Lilyanne died, both of whom were very close to him. Cho's father also died, but Harry didn't know him well enough to truly "suffer" in grieving.

Mjk306- I did : )

Enigma- Thanks

PinayAko- Thanks

AlennaDemi688211- Yes, it has been a long time since the LPI was out. Sorry for the wait. : ( I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Safire Cappy- You might like or not like the ending to this story, it depends on which ships you root for. : )

SupaSonik Hedgehog- Thanks

Chapter 3- Sunday at the Weasleys

Harry showered and then put on his pajamas. He didn't go to bed. Instead, he waited in Ron's room until Ron finished showering and when Ron came in, he knew Ron wanted to talk.

Ron was wearing maroon pajamas as opposed to Harry's green pajamas.

"I'm sorry," said Ron uncomfortably. "You…you're still…" Ron didn't finish.

"Not grieving as much as I was, I'm getting better," said Harry.

"Are you…still angry at Dumbledore?" Ron asked hesitantly.

Hearing Dumbledore's name, Harry's eyes flashed anger for a second, then left. He sighed.

Hermione came into the room quietly and shut the door. She sat down on the floor and watched Ron and Harry, unsure of whether to speak or not.

"I don't feel bad talking about it…not with you two…" Harry said quietly.

"Are you still in contact with Cho?" Hermione asked.

"Yes." said Harry. "But only recently. She kept to herself for awhile, but we owled back and forth. I paid her a visit last week."

"And…" said Hermione uncertainly. "D-did….are you…do you two still talk about…what happened?"

"You mean Sirius, Lilyanne and Mr. Chang?" asked Harry. "Yes, yes we do."

There was silence.

"It's better to talk about them sometimes," said Harry. "Because we can't forget them. And, because we know what it feels like…we understand each other…it helps."

"Oh," said Hermione quietly.

"Well, mate, if you ever need to talk, Herm and I are here for you." Said Ron.

"Thanks." replied Harry.

There was a thoughtful silence and then after awhile, Mrs. Weasley came upstairs to check on them (even though they were adults, they were still mollycoddled by Mrs. Weasley) and Hermione Apparated to Ginny's room.

Harry got into the top bunk and Ron got to the bottom.

"Goodnight, mate," said Ron.

" 'night." Replied Harry. As he closed his eyes, he saw Lilyanne over and over again…

"Harry?" a soft voice said.

It certainly wasn't Ron's voice.

"Err?" Harry mumbled. Sunlight was seeping through the window.

"Harry, it's me." said Ginny.

"Oh, hi Ginny, what are you doin' here?" Harry said, his eyes still closed and his head on the pillow.

"I wanted to talk." said Ginny.

"Not now." said Harry, trying to go back to sleep.

"Well, I've been thinking the whole night…I just want to tell you one thing." Ginny said.

Harry heard the sound of pots and pans downstairs and in a minute, a wonderful aroma of breakfast wafted upstairs.

"What do you want to talk about?" Harry asked, rolling on his back so his ears could hear better.

"Well," Ginny said. "You're not engaged anymore." She sounded thoughtful.

"I know." answered Harry, suppressing a yawn.

"Well…" Ginny said.

"What is it, Ginny?" Harry asked again, now getting up and trying to find one of his socks.

"Well, we can go out to dinner, if you like, Harry." Ginny said with cheerfulness in her voice.

It took a moment for those words to sink in.

"Dinner?" Harry asked, forgetting about his sock.

"Well, yes." Said Ginny.

"Why?"

"Because…you're not engaged anymore!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry confused.

"I want to have dinner with you, Harry." stated Ginny. "Like old times."

"Ginny…" said Harry uncertainly.

"Yes?"

"Ginny, I don't want…to have dinner," Harry replied.

"Why not?" Ginny said. "You're not engag---"

"I know." Harry interrupted, irritated. "Just because I'm not engaged doesn't mean I'm interested in dating anyone."

"Oh." Ginny replied, quite taken back.

"Look," Harry sighed. "It's not you. I'm not interested in anyone, alright?"

"But you're not engag---"

"I know, Ginny." Harry interrupted again.

"Hey, Harry!" Ron said, flinging in the door open. "Visitor!"

"Who?" Harry asked, pulling on his socks.

"Lupin!" Ron answered.

"Lupin?" Harry said, excited. He and Ron ran down the stairs and saw Lupin, with a worn face and gray hair, but never less a bright expression on his face.

"Good morning, Professor Lupin!" Harry greeted.

Lupin embraced Harry like a father to son and then studied him carefully.

"How are you, Harry?" he asked.

"Good, and you?"

"Fine, fine." Lupin said. "And you don't have to call me professor, Harry."

"Alright." Harry answered. He accepted a plate of breakfast from Mrs. Weasley.

"How are you, Ron?" Lupin asked.

"Good, sir, and you?" Ron asked, grinning.

Harry noticed that Lupin was wearing a shabby robe and still had the worn briefcase he had since he was professor at Hogwarts.

Fred and George then emerged downstairs wearing fresh, new pajamas bought with their shop's money.

"Hey!" Fred said. "It's Lupin!"

"How are you, sir?" George asked, shaking Lupin's hand.

"Good, good," Lupin answered. "Just stopped by this morning on my way to work."

"What is it Pro—I mean, Remus?" Harry asked, feeling slightly awkward.

"Good news." Lupin said, and he smiled. "Moody just told me that after another two weeks of training, you'll receive your degree as an Auror."

"That's great!" Harry said, grinning. He stopped in the middle of his pancake.

"So what are you going to do now that you're an Auror?" asked Fred or George, it was hard to tell which one.

"I don't know. Not a lot of trouble at the Ministry, now a days, huh?" Harry said.

"Well no trouble is good news." said Mrs. Weasley pulling out some gingerbread cookies from the oven.

"Ooh!" said Ron reaching his hand out to grab one. Mrs. Weasley slapped his hand back.

"Those are for Bill and Fleur." said Mrs. Weasley as she happily placed the cookies in a box and wrapped it with a bow.

"Why," asked Fred suspiciously, "are the cookies shaped like baby rattles?"

Mrs. Weasley just hummed and didn't answer.

After breakfast, Fred, George, Ron and Harry went to play Quidditch. They asked Ginny and Hermione to play but Ginny said she didn't feel like it and Hermione was busy doing a paper for the Ministry.

"It's Sunday!" Ron protested, but Hermione gave an annoyed tut and Ron walked away, his broom over his shoulder.

They had a good time playing Quidditch in the field of the apple trees, and around lunch, trooped into the house, tired and sweaty but hungry.

Harry, who haven't played Quidditch in a good, long while felt extremely cheerful after scoring six goals in a row, only to be stopped by a pigeon who pooped on his head and then darted in front of him making him stop his broom and nearly fall off.

Mr. Weasley was in the shed working on another secret project he had hoped to keep away from Molly, and came into the kitchen right after the boys. Hermione herself was feeling quite chipper because of her early finish of her paper, but Ginny was looking very disgruntled and wouldn't tell anyone why. Harry decided not to say anything to her because he had a feeling she was still upset about that morning.

They were all eating sandwiches around the table and talking carelessly when Hedwig swooped down into the open window and landed beside Harry's plate. She held a note.

"Thanks, Hedwig," Harry said, taking the note from her. She gave a satisfied hoot and then flew across the room to join Pig, who was eating owl treats.

Harry knew whom the note was from and decided not to read it in the kitchen.

"Quiddich World Cup in two months!" Mr. Weasley said happily. "Want to go, boys? Ginny? Hermione?"

There was a boom like a cannon exploding as Fred, George, Harry and Ron all started cheering enthusiastically and then starting talking about the teams, but Hermione said something about a trip to Bulgaria and Ginny said she didn't feel like going.

"Are you sure?" Mr. Weasley said looking at Hermione and Ginny. "It'll be fun! Goodness, Britain hasn't hosted the cup for…for…since the last time we went to see the Quiddich World Cup!" He shook his head sadly.

"I'll try to come after my trip," said Hermione. "It shouldn't last too long. It ends the day the Quiddich Cup starts."

"Wait…hold on…" Ron said looking at Hermione. "Did you said that you're going to Bulgaria?"

"Yes." Hermione replied, pouring some milk into her glass.

"Bulgaria?"

"Yes."

"Bulgaria"

"Yes, Ron—"

"Ah-ha!" Ron said angrily. "You're going to visit him, aren't you?" He was pointing a finger at Hermione as if accusing her of some crime.

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"You're going to visit Vicky!" Ron said, furious.

"His name is Viktor and I am not going to visit him!" Hermione said. "He's not going to be in Bulgaria anyway! He'll be playing for the World Cup!"

"Oh…" Ron said, comprehension dawning him. "Oh, that's right…"

"Honestly, Ron!" Hermione said, now getting angry too.

"What?" Ron asked.

"It's very annoying when you keep on doing that!" Hermione said, now standing up.

"Doing what?" Ron asked.

"Accusing me of going around behind your back! If you can't trust me, then why bother being in a relationship with me?" Hermione shot at him, her face furious.

"But---but Hermione, I was---"

"I don't care, Ron! You have to trust me you know! And if you can't do that…then…then I don't want to…I can't be in a relationship with you! It's so much work trying to calm you down about me talking with another man…" Hermione then walked out of the room, her hands shaking.

It was very quiet in the kitchen, then----

"Nice going, Ronnie." said Fred grinning.

"I was just…" Ron broke off, looking very startled as he always did when Hermione lost her temper with him.

"She has a point you know," said George. "She's not doing anything at all to jeopardize your relationship. You're just over protective."

Harry thought that George had a point, but knew he wasn't going to say anything to Ron about that. He just quickly finished his lunch and then went upstairs to Ron's room to read his letter. It was a short letter written in elegant, light writing.

Dear Harry,

Thanks for your letter. I'm doing fine really. I'm getting better day by day and it isn't so hard for me to wake up in the mornings anymore. My mother is coping well too. It's really kind of you to be so concerned. I hope you're doing as well as I am, or even better. I want to also thank you for the box of Hogsmeade's chocolate that you'd attached with your letter. That was very sweet. I hope your Auror training is going well. I bet you're one of the best Aurors there are, aren't you? L.A.W. is all right, it's pretty time consuming and I'm off to a rocky start, but my mother says that's normal. That's how my father did in the beginning. I still think about him everyday and Lilyanne too. I'm also sorry your Godfather died, Harry. I visit his grave sometimes and pay my respects. Hope your summer's going well.

Love,

Cho

Harry read this letter and sadness filled him again. Sirius. Mr. Chang. Lilyanne. He will never forget them. Mr. Chang died trying to save his life. His eyebrows furrowed in anger again as he thought of Dumbledore and then the anger ceased as quickly as it came.

"They're dead." He said quietly to himself. "You might as well try to cope."