Chapter 7: And So It Begins

a/n : I'm putting an assumption in here that Harry and Ginny have something going on between them, incase you haven't noticed in earlier chapters. I promise things will get good between the two. Remember good things come to those who wait.

But they told me
A man should be faithful
And walk when not able
And fight till the end
But I'm only human

Everyone's taking control of me
Seems that the world's
Got a role for me
I'm so confused
Will you show to me
You'll be there for me
And care enough to bear me

"I can't do this anymore Professor." Harry stated

"And what exactly is the 'this' you're referring to?" Remus Lupin asked the boy.

Harry frowned at what seemed to him an incredibly stupid question. "I can't keep losing people I love. It seems like being close to me brings you nothing but an early grave."

"Now you know that's not true Harry, after all, I'm still around." Lupin joked nudging Harry in an attempt to get him to smile.

He succeeded, Harry did smile slightly but only for a brief moment in time. "I'm tired of being famous, I'm tired of being the boy-who-lived," he paused and then continued. "I'm tired of the weight of the world resting on my shoulders."

Remus frowned. "Dumbledore told me he spoke with you about the prophecy. Harry you do know that you're not alone in any of this."

Harry looked up at the man who he had grown to consider more than a Professor, after all he was the last connection to his parents he had. "But in the end Remus there's only one way I'm going to face Voldemort, alone."

As if on cue she woke turning her gaze and looking directly into the face of the creature that killed her parents sixteen years prior. Arms were tightly strewn around her as the creature moved closer to her.

"At last we get to speak Miss Potter." Voldemort's voice sent chills through Halle as it brought back the memories of what she had seen in the pensive.

"Why don't you skip the small talk and go ahead and kill me already." Halle said with no fear in her voice.

Sirius tightened his grip around Halle not wanted her to do something stupid.

"Now why would I want to kill my apprentice?" The Dark Lord replied.

"Apprentice, what is this Star Wars? The boy won't join you so you go and get his twin sister? I'm afraid you're gravely mistaken Tom." She said with a sharp emphasis on his true name.

"Halle, stop." Sirius whispered to her.

"Give me the girl." Voldemort demanded of Sirius who still had his arm around her protectingly.

Sirius glared at the thing formerly known as Tom Riddle. "You'll have to kill me first."

"That can be arranged." He hissed back.

As he finished a cloaked figure entered the room. "My lord, Serverus has arrived with news from Hogwarts."

"Excellent." Voldemort stated then turning back to Halle. "We shall continue this later." And he stalked out of the room locking the door behind him.

A few moments later they heard the door being unlocked. Halle huddled against her godfather in fear. The person that entered however was not Voldemort. "Come on we don't have much time." The voice whispered.

Halle knew that face, she knew that voice. "Malfoy?" She questioned.

"Shh! Let's go. Here." He said handing her her wand. "Follow me." He led them down a small corridor and lifted up a sewer gate. Without questioning Sirius and Halle went down the ladder with Draco in tow. They walked about 200 feet until Draco stopped them. "We should be able to dissaparate now. We must hurry, God knows your brother is already on his way to save you."

Harry and Remus were just far enough away from the neighborhood in which Grimwuld place was in order to dissaparate safely when they heard three loud pops. They immediately pulled out their wands and stood quietly listening to the voices.

"Is this all part of some plan of yours?" Harry heard a female voice ask. As they got closer he recognized all three voices though one made him feel as if he was going as batty as Professor Trelawney.

"Halle?" Harry called. Immediately his sister came into view. Running he flung his arms around her. "Thank God you're okay. How did you escape?" His eyes then danced over the person standing behind her. "It can't be." He whispered.

Remus Lupin stood with a face that mirrored Harry's. "Sirius? Padfoot, is that you?"

"Well it certainly isn't Snivellus, Moony." He responded.

"But the Ministry, and the veil, Dumbledore said. . ." Harry stumbled around his words.

"Lets get back to Headquarters and I'll explain everything there." Sirius stated.

"What are we going to do about him!" Harry suddenly found his words as he saw the face of Draco Malfoy.

"Bring him back to Headquarters of course. He is part of the Order Harry." Halle stated.

Harry seemed as though he couldn't take anymore surprises, and after all, who really could after the events that had just occurred. He had learned that Dumbledore's other spy was Draco Malfoy, the boy who reeked death eater the day he was born. After checking in, Malfoy was immediately sent back to school in order to maintain his alibi of attending classes when the breakout occurred.

Now after that shock he sat looking at the face of his godfather, the man whom for months Harry had presumed dead. "What did he do to you?" Harry asked looking at the Sirius who was even more deteriorated than the last time Harry had seen him.

"First I must explain what really happened at the ministry Harry. I was indeed on my way to protect you however in the process I was captured by Lucius Malfoy. For the past few months I was imprisoned and interrogated by Voldemort. He, much to his dismay, got no information out of me. After his tolerance of my resistant grew thin the story of Halle came out. Suddenly, I was of use to him again and not disposable. And now, thanks to the bravery of Draco Malfoy I'm sitting here today."

Harry quickly jumped up and ran over to hug his godfather. Tears of happiness for the first time graced the teenagers face. When the reunion was over, the two regained their composure and Sirius began to tell them the truth.

"On July 31st 1988 one of the most unprecedented things in the wizarding world happened. The two of you were born. Twins alone are a special thing however when they are male and female, an incredible magical bond is formed between them. Among many things, they can transfer all their power to the other when it is needed."

Sirius looked around to make sure that it was still only the three of them in the room. "Harry on the night your parents were killed," Sirius still had a hard time talking about James and Lily in the past tense.

"It wasn't just your mother's love that saved you. Yes that truly was the main reason you survived, but the other reason is sitting right here." He said motioning to Halle.

"There's an amazing thing about babies. They sense everything around them. The mind of a child is so much more open than that of an adult. Though you were just a baby when Voldemort attacked you, your sister felt your fear as he killed your parents. Unbeknownst to her she transferred her powers to you and that along with your mothers love is the reason why you are sitting here today."

Harry stared at his godfather taking in all this new information. "So you're saying that Halle and I are to face him together?"

"Remember what I said before Harry, divided we fall." Came the voice of Professor Dumbledore who had just entered the room.

"So that's all I needed all along?" He questioned.

Dumbledore motioned for Sirius to continue. He was now the parent in Harry's life it was now his responsibility to take care of the two teenagers. "Not entirely. Harry you possess one power that Voldemort will never understand, the power to. . ." Sirius was interrupted by his godson

"Love. I know Sirius I've been told many times. What I bloody well don't understand is that if my power is love then why the hell does everyone I love die. . ." Harry stopped mid thought. "He knows."

"Who knows what?" Sirius questioned.

"Voldemort. He knows that that is the one thing I possess that he doesn't. That's why he keeps killing people I love, that's why he took you and Halle, and that's," He paused then continued. "Why I need to stop things with Ginny from getting any further. I can't love her Sirius, it will only get her killed."

Without waiting for a comment Harry left the room and headed upstairs to the lavatory. He walked in and quickly shut the door behind him. He sat on the floor head in his hands running over the events that had just occurred in such a short amount of time.

Halle looked at her godfather. "He really is glad to see you Sirius. He talked about you so much."

"I know Halle. He's had a rough life, I understand where he's coming from." He replied taking a bit out of a biscuit which was only one of the many things Molly Weasley had rushed to him seeing the frail state the man was in. Changing the subject he spoke again. "So Halle, how are you doing in school?"

Halle smiled, no one had truly asked that of her yet. "Pretty good. I'm doing great in Charms, Defense, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Potions, but I'm having some trouble in Arithmancy. Nothing major, Hermione said she'd help me."

Sirius smiled at his goddaughter. "Potions eh? Did they get rid of old Snape?"

Halle shook her head. "No."

The man laughed. "I guess your resemblance to Lily really does have an affect on his treatment towards you. Granted you have your father's dark hair, but everything else is so much your mother."

Her smile slowly faded as she listened to him. "Sirius, tell me about my parents."

"Well your father was a good-for-nothing prankster." Remus Lupin's voice echoed in the room as he entered.

Sirius laughed and a small smile seemed to graze across the girls face.

"James was a great friend. He was always there for us when we needed him." Sirius stated with a nod in agreement from Lupin.

"And Lily, she had a knack for being the most understanding person. She saw me through some of the darkest times in my life." Remus repeated the same thing he had told Harry in his third year.

The two men continued to tell Halle about her parents not knowing of the one who was listening to their every word.

Harry sat on the floor of the bathroom by the vent. He couldn't help but overhear the conversation that Halle was having with his godfather and professor. His thoughts were on his parents but were interrupted when there was a light knock on the door.

"Sorry, but I need to use the floo." Came a quiet voice. He'd know that voice everywhere.

Getting up off the floor Harry opened the door to see Ginny standing in front of him. She saw his tear streaked face. Without question she pulled him into a hug. They somehow ended up on the floor, Harry crying with Ginny soothingly rubbing his back. Harry pulled himself together and looked into Ginny's eyes that seemed to be filled with tears as well. He knew it was because he was crying; he could see it in her eyes. Suddenly without thinking he leaned forward and lightly brushed his lips against Ginny's. Wanting more he leaned in again and began to kiss her more passionately. She didn't protest, she kissed him back entwining her hands in his messy black hair.

Harry suddenly pulled away and looked at Ginny. "We can't do this Ginny." He said getting up.

"What is it because I'm Ron's sister? Is that all I am your friends little sister?" She protested.

"No Ginny that's not it at all." Harry said wiping away a stray tear that began to fall down her face.

"Then what is it Harry?" Ginny asked.

Harry sighed and looked into her eyes sorrowfully. "It's because everyone I care about ends up getting hurt."

"So it's okay for Ron and Hermione to be around you but not me?" She interjected.

"It's different with you Ginny!" Harry exclaimed.

"How!" The red head demanded.

Harry was unsure whether or not he should continue. Slowly but surely however he responded. "Because I think about you as more than just a friend Ginny."

Ginny smiled and touched her hand to Harry's face. "You don't need to protect me Harry."

"Ginny you don't understand." Harry exclaimed.

"Yes I understand very well Harry Potter. I'm tired of you trying to be the hero and do the noble thing. When I look at you you're not the boy-who-lived so stop being the boy-who-lived when you're around me!" Ginny insisted.

"Ginny. . ." Harry was interrupted.

"No Harry I don't want to hear it unless you're going to give me a genuine reason as to why we can't be together because as of right now I have yet to hear one." She huffed.

Harry stood stunned. There was nothing else he could say to her. Ginny Weasley was stubborn, unreasonable, and incredibly vicious; just some of the reasons why he liked her. Harry sighed and sagged his shoulders in defeat. A small smiled graced his face as he leaned in and kissed Ginny lightly. "But if you get killed, I'm telling." He teased.

"So does this mean I'm your girlfriend?" Ginny asked happily.

Harry shrugged. "If you wanna be."

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed sounding exasperated.

He let out a laugh that he truly hadn't though he was capable of as he pulled her into a hug.

Miles away an evil grin grew on the most feared wizard of the time. "I knew she would come of some use, someday."