Chapter 8

The Freedom of Choice

Once again Harry slowly woke to the sound of whispering voices. Lying on his stomach, Harry turned his head towards the voices and slowly opened his eyes. He was surprised to find that he was once again in Remus' room only this time it was brightly lit. Remus was sitting up with his back resting against the headboard and a tray on his lap. There were two somewhat blurry figures sitting beside the bed. From the red hair of the tall bloke and the bushy brown hair of the shorter girl, Harry knew that Ron and Hermione were the ones who had been talking to Remus.

Questions immediately entered his mind. What had Remus told them? Had he told them what he saw in Professor Dumbledore's Pensieve? Had he mentioned how Harry could sense emotions? No. No, Remus would never do that. Neither Sirius nor Remus would tell anyone anything like that without asking me first. Closing his eyes, Harry could sense concern and nervousness. Those emotions were the most common these days. It seemed that everyone was worried about him and uncertain of what to say or how to act. Harry could relate. Although the Weasleys had done all they could to make the atmosphere comfortable last night, Harry had still felt uneasy and he knew it was his fault for feeling that way.

But I'll make it better. I'll make the effort to confide in them more. I promise.

The bed shifted and, before Harry could even react, a wet and rough surface ran over his face. He groaned in annoyance as he pushed the large furry dog away and wiped the slobber off of his face. He hated it when Midnight woke him up that way although it was the only way to wake Harry up quickly without scaring him half-to-death.

Rolling onto his back, Harry was instantly bombarded with another dose of Midnight's large tongue before the dog lied down between Harry and Remus. Big blue eyes stared at Harry as Midnight let out a pitiful whine. Harry let out another groan and started to scratch behind Midnight's ears. A hand ruffled Harry's hair causing Harry to look over at Remus and smile, knowing that his guardian was smiling at Midnight's antics.

"We have company, cub," Remus said with a grin. "Apparently, Hogwarts letters arrived today and your friends couldn't wait to talk to you about them."

Harry rubbed the remaining tiredness out of his eyes and slowly sat up to avoid any dizziness. "Hogwarts letters?" he asked quizzically as he leaned against the headboard for support and grabbed his glasses off the bedside table. "But I haven't even seen my O.W.L. results yet and Sirius said—"

"—never mind what Sirius said," Remus interrupted gently. "What do you want, Harry? Do you want to go back to school with what happened in June?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. He really didn't know what he wanted other than to make Sirius and Remus happy. Hogwarts had been the first place he had called home but now he had an actual home and an actual family. He loved living at Black Manor but could he honestly turn his back on Hogwarts…even with what had happened? Could he never enter her walls again only because he was afraid of possible dangers? It's so much easier when the decision is made for me. That was the heart of the problem. Harry didn't trust himself to make decisions anymore.

"Harry!" Hermione cried in shock. "You have to come back to school! You have to finish your education!"

With a pop, Sirius had appeared and was glaring at Hermione. "What's the point in finishing an education if he's dead?" he shot back. "Harry has been nearly killed every year he's been at Hogwarts. If staying here keeps him alive then that is what he will do."

"But it should be his choice, Sirius," Remus interjected firmly. "Poppy made a valid point when she was here. Secluding Harry won't help him. He needs to be around people."

Harry bowed his head, his shoulders slumping forward. Both Sirius and Remus had valid points. Harry had been in danger ever since he had entered the wizarding world at age eleven but staying away from people would only hinder his empathic ability. He couldn't help shuddering at the thought of being overwhelmed with emotions like he had the night his magic had been restored. Was the risk of danger worth it? Harry just didn't know.

Sirius and Remus noticed Harry's dejected demeanor and dropped the argument. Remus reached over to the bedside table and picked up two envelopes. "Here, Harry," Remus said handing over one of the envelopes. "I believe this has been here for a while. Why don't you open it?"

Harry nervously took the envelope and after a nervous glance at Sirius, he slit it open and unfolded the parchment inside.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results

Pass Grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)

Harry James Potter has achieved:

Astronomy – E
Care of Magical Creatures – O
Charms – O
Defense Against the Dark Arts – O
Divination – A
Herbology – O
History of Magic – E
Potions – E
Transfiguration – O

Harry couldn't believe his eyes. How in the world had he managed five 'Outstanding' marks? How had he managed an 'Acceptable' in Divination? He read through his grades several times before he actually noticed his Potions mark. 'Exceeds Expectations' would have been a remarkable accomplishment if Harry hadn't known that he needed an 'Outstanding' to take the N.E.W.T. class, a class that was required for the career paths he had discussed with Professor McGonagall.

"Well?" Sirius asked anxiously. "How did you do, Harry?" Harry reluctantly handed over his results and waited until Sirius cried out in shock. "Harry, these are amazing! Five Outstanding's! How in the world did you accomplish that! 'Exceeds Expectations' in Potions and History of Magic!"

"What!" Remus shouted as he grabbed the parchment from Sirius and looked it over. He smiled widely and pulled Harry into a one armed embrace. "I'm so proud of you, cub! Nine O.W.L.'s! You passed everything, even Divination!"

Hermione now had the parchment and was reading through it with Ron looking over her shoulder. "These are amazing, Harry," she said as she looked up at him and smiled sympathetically. "It's too bad about Potions though. Professor Snape was quite clear that he wouldn't accept anything other than 'Outstanding' on an O.W.L."

The happiness in the room died instantly. Sirius and Remus looked at Harry compassionately, now understanding completely why Harry was so quiet. Who wouldn't be when they just discovered their dreams had just died? "I'm sorry, kiddo," Sirius said gently. "I know you were seriously thinking of being a Healer."

Harry shrugged his shoulders helplessly as he avoided making eye contact with anyone. The compassion and pity was so thick that Harry felt like he was suffocating. He hated when people felt sorry for him. "It's just that when I worked at the hospital, I helped people," Harry said softly. "For the first time in my life, I could actually see myself doing something after Hogwarts that wasn't related to Voldemort. I actually thought I could have a future."

Remus tightened his hold on Harry. "Then hang onto that dream," he said firmly. "If Severus won't take you as a student then we'll tutor you privately and find a way for you to take your exam." Sirius shot Remus a warning glare. "That is, of course, if you want to return to Hogwarts and if we can remind your godfather that he had been a teenager once. I seem to remember that Sirius also run away from home—"

"—that is completely different!" Sirius protested.

"I suppose," Remus said nonchalantly. "You left because you couldn't stand your family. Harry left to protect his family." Sirius moved to protest again. "I'm not saying Harry was right to do what he did, Sirius. I agree with you that he should be grounded but keeping him in this house against his will during the school term isn't the answer. When we were teenagers we made mistakes too, rather severe mistakes…wouldn't you think?"

Sirius winced at the comment and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I know you have a point, Moony, but this is Harry," he insisted although everyone could see that his firmness was wavering. Slowly, Sirius shifted his gaze so blue eyes met green. "I know you felt like you had no other choice, Harry. I saw your memory. I heard that voice and for a moment, I thought it was James too. I saw what happened in that cell. Can you blame me for wanting to protect you from that?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm grateful that you care, Sirius," he said truthfully then glanced at Remus before shrugging his shoulders. "It's really not a big deal. If you don't want me to go to Hogwarts, I don't have to."

Ron and Hermione stared at Harry in shock. "But what about your education?" Hermione asked in horror. "You've worked so hard! You can't just give it up now!"

"What about Quidditch?" Ron added, earning a smack on the back of the head from Hermione. "I mean, you can't!" he said quickly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Hogwarts won't be the same without you! What about the D.A.?"

Remus and Sirius shared a look, both of them well aware that Harry would follow through with responsibilities rather than doing what he wanted. "Well, we still have a month to make a decision," Remus said diplomatically as he handed Harry the second letter. "Go ahead and open it. Let's see what interesting titles the instructors selected for this year."

Opening his Hogwarts letter, Harry was surprised to see that there had been more than a letter and booklist. There was a badge similar to a Prefect badge except there was a large 'C' where a large 'P' should have been. Harry could hardly believe his eyes. He had been made Quidditch Captain! Cautiously, Harry looked up at Sirius and Remus to see mixed reactions. Remus was smiling brightly while Sirius looked like he was trying desperately to keep his temper under control but failing regardless.

"Congratulations, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed happily. "You now have equal status with Prefects! You are even allowed to use our special bathroom!"

Remus ruffled Harry's hair before shifting to be more comfortable. "I'm proud of you, cub," he said sincerely. "You worked hard for that, although, now you will have to keep the stunts to a minimum. Can't have the Captain in the hospital wing all the time now, can we?"

"It's brilliant, Harry!" Ron said with a bright smile. "Now you have to come back! We can't have a team without the Captain!"

That certainly was the wrong thing to say and everyone knew it. "Ah, Ron, Hermione, why don't you two help Harry to his room so you three can talk," Remus said casually. "It appears that Sirius and I need to discuss a few things."

Ron and Hermione nodded nervously as they stood and walked around the bed to Harry's side. Anger was radiating off of Sirius. Harry didn't have to be empathic to know that and instantly felt extremely guilty for being the reason of Sirius' anger. After casting an uneasy glace at both of his guardians, Harry sighed in defeat before sliding to the edge of the bed where Ron and Hermione helped him stand up. He closed his eyes tightly as a wave of dizziness hit him. It passed after a moment and Harry let Ron and Hermione usher him out of the room.

The moment they entered the hallway the door closed behind them signaling that his guardians were most likely going to shout at each other. It didn't happen often. In fact, Harry could count the number of times Sirius and Remus argued this badly on one hand and they normally covered the same topic: Sirius' overprotective nature. Harry knew that Remus was just as worried as Sirius but Remus seemed to understand that locking someone up wasn't the answer. It had happened a couple of times last summer while Harry had been recovering from his duel with Voldemort and it looked like it would be happening again although Sirius now had more ammunition to throw at Remus. Sirius had more proof that keeping Harry at Number 12, Grimmauld Place was the only way to keep him safe.

As they entered Harry's bedroom, Hermione hurried ahead and pulled back the bedcovers for Harry. Ron took a firm grip of Harry's arms and supported Harry as he slowly sat down on the bed. Harry bit back his frustration as Hermione pulled the bedcovers over his lower body. He hated that he couldn't even walk to his own room without assistance. He hated that he was taking so long to recover from this.

Ron was the first to move and sat down at the foot of the bed while Hermione sat down on the chair at Harry's bedside. "Er—sorry, Harry," Ron said uncomfortably. "I didn't mean to make Sirius so upset. I just thought that—with you being Captain—Sirius would realize that you belong at Hogwarts."

"Or, Sirius will think that Harry was made Captain so he would return to Hogwarts," Hermione countered. "With as upset as Sirius is with Professor Dumbledore, I can understand why Sirius is acting this way. I can only imagine what the school year would be like for you, Harry."

Harry looked at Hermione with a blank look on his face. "Why should it be any different than any other year?" he asked. "I haven't changed—"

"—but you have, Harry," Hermione interrupted. "You've grown quite a bit over the past year and even though you have lost some weight, you still are built better than most of the boys at Hogwarts. Add in what you have accomplished and…well…I'll just say that you probably won't have a problem finding a girl who's interested in you."

Harry leaned back against his pillows as he took everything Hermione said in. He knew it was normal to date but he had avoided it in the past. It always seemed that there were more important matters to worry about. Like staying alive. "But how many of them are only interested in being seen with the-boy-who-lived?" Harry asked rhetorically. "Maybe I should just go back to being Orion and forget that Harry Potter ever existed."

Ron and Hermione shared an uneasy look. "I take it 'Orion' was the name you used when you ran away?" Hermione asked gently.

Harry nodded. "Jonathan Orion Evans was my name but everyone at the hospital just called me Orion," he said. "It was kind of nice being normal for once. I wasn't hated or adored for something I had no control over."

"But you were living a lie," Hermione said softly. "You're not—er—Orion. You're Harry and everything that comes with being Harry…that includes being a wizard."

"How did you do it, Harry?" Ron asked bluntly. "How did you manage to escape from Hogwarts? We were told Friday morning that extra wards had been placed around the grounds to prevent anyone from entering or leaving Hogwarts. We didn't find out until later that it was because Death Eaters had managed to sneak in and take you to the Ministry the night before."

Harry let out a sigh before he told Ron and Hermione how he managed to leave the castle: Fawkes. He told them everything about that night except for being able to talk to Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione listened eagerly as Harry told them about meeting Dr. Rolands and working at the hospital. Once Harry started, he found it difficult to stop. He told them about his weekly meetings with Fawkes and how he learned about Voldemort searching for him. Ron and Hermione were horrified to hear Harry's account of the Charing Cross Road attack and what happened afterwards.

He didn't say much about his time as Voldemort's prisoner. Harry knew Ron and Hermione were eager for details but some things were too painful to speak about yet. Instead, Harry figured it was time to tell Ron and Hermione something else that he could only hope they were compassionate enough to hear. "There's something else," he began. "Last night, I realized what you two most likely have been feeling ever since Sirius and Remus entered my life. I learned what it felt like to be in the dark. I didn't know Ginny was dating Dean or that Bill was engaged to Fleur and I felt like I was missing out on something."

Ron and Hermione leaned in eagerly.

"I haven't been very forthcoming for some time now because I was afraid of how you would react," Harry continued, his voice shaking slightly. "In ways, I'm still afraid. I know what I went through wasn't normal." He let out a nervous sigh as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. This wasn't as easy to talk about. "Do you two remember the training I went through before our third year?"

Ron and Hermione nodded. "It was to teach you how to defend yourself from Sirius," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

Harry nodded. "Well…you see…Dumbledore believes that's what triggered everything," he said softly. "It started when I was practicing the Patronus Charm with Remus. I—er—sort of overcharged my spells…occasionally. It didn't happen often so as long as I was careful I didn't think it was anything to worry about but it changed during the summer before our fourth year. The—er—overcharges started happening on their own."

"The World Cup!" Ron exclaimed. "You collapsed in the box! That's what it was?"

Harry nodded again. "The overcharges transformed into magical outbursts," he said as he stared down at his hands enfolded in his lap. "They were powerful and extremely painful. They didn't happen often but when they did I felt like I was going mad. I had no control so Dumbledore gave me a suppression necklace to wear. It worked most of the time. The only time it actually failed was during the second task when I had two outbursts while underwater." Hermione gasped. "It was too much for the necklace to absorb so I had to find some way to use it to free myself from the Grindylows."

"What about after the third task?" Hermione asked. "Didn't it fail then too?"

Harry shook his head. "Voldemort discovered the necklace and pulled it off before we dueled," he said with a slight shudder as the memory came back at full force. "I was hit with three outbursts that night. They had been what saved me but they had also what nearly killed me. My body couldn't handle the strain. My lungs collapsed and my heart weakened to the point that any stress could send it into shock. That was why I was monitored so closely here last summer. We had to worry about outbursts affecting my heart. The outbursts still came but they weren't as strong as before so I was able to live through them with no further complications."

Hermione took hold of Harry's hand as she stared at him, desperately wanting him to continue. Ron, on the other hand, had a look of apprehension on his face, almost like he was nervous to where this conversation was going. Harry knew that, of the two, Ron would be the one who would most likely have a problem with this since Ron had been raised in the wizarding world to know what was accepted and what wasn't.

"Well, the outbursts didn't happen often last year," Harry continued with a shrug. "They only seemed to manifest when I absolutely needed them and I was able to use them to get out of a few sticky situations." He looked at them for a moment, biting his lower lip nervously. Here goes nothing. "But I don't have them anymore; at least I don't think so. When I was in London, I noticed that something in me had changed. I found that…I found that I could feel emotions from those around me."

Hermione's eyes widened as Ron's jaw dropped. "So…you know what we're feeling now?" Hermione asked in awe.

Harry let out a long breath as he closed his eyes and concentrated. Curiosity filled the air along with disbelief and fear. Harry's shoulders slumped forward in defeat. "You're afraid of me," he said softly. "If this is too much for you to handle, I'll understand. I just thought it was time you knew the truth. I'm tired of keeping secrets. I—I'm just so tired of it all."

Hermione stood up and sat down on the edge of Harry's bed as she wrapped her arms around him. "It's a little scary, I'll admit," she said honestly, "but you're our best friend, Harry. It doesn't matter what you can do. Is this what Remus was talking about when he said that it was better if you were around people?"

Harry nodded as he wrapped his arms around Hermione, relieved that she wouldn't desert him. Looking at Ron, Harry could see that his other best friend seemed to be having a mental debate with himself. This worried Harry. The fact that Ron had to think of whether he wanted to remain friends with Harry shattered the faith Harry had in their friendship.

Finally, Ron looked at Harry nervously. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "If the Ministry finds out about this they're going to take you away! They'll claim that it's for your own safety but they really want you to help them! They'll force you to help them! The last known empath was over a hundred years ago and she ended up killing herself because the Ministry held her prisoner and wouldn't let her be with the man she loved."

Hermione pulled away and looked at Ron in confusion. "I've never heard of that," she said as she repositioned herself so she was sitting next to Harry. "Are you sure this isn't just some story you heard somewhere?"

Ron rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Hermione, everyone who grew up in the wizarding world knows the story of Sylvia Sinclair," he said. "She was engaged to marry a wizard before the Ministry discovered her abilities. It is said that the Ministry even threatened her with her fiancé's life so she would cooperate. After two years of helping the Ministry, it became too much for her so she and her fiancé killed themselves. It was a rather large scandal. Everyone believed that the Ministry had gone too far in trying to control her."

"Oh," Hermione said softly. "It sounds too much like Romeo & Juliet if you ask me. Are you sure this actually happened?"

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "All I know is that Ginny loved the story when she was younger," he said then looked directly at Harry. "You're not going to let the Ministry know about this, are you?"

Harry let out a snort but internally he was overjoyed. Ron's hesitation had been out of concern, not fear. "Sure," Harry said sarcastically. "I'm sure they'd love to hear that their precious 'Chosen One' can feel that they're all a bunch of spineless cowards who want a teenager to fight their war for them. I'm not telling anyone unless Sirius and Remus think I should. We haven't even told Dumbledore. We may tell Tonks, though. She is a member of the family."

"It's probably good that not many know," Hermione said matter-of-factly then looked at Harry and smiled. "Thank you for trusting us with this, Harry, although I can't believe you actually thought we would turn away from you just because you're different. You've always been different. You're just finally realizing it."

Harry had to admit that Hermione had a point. The only thing that had really changed was Harry's acceptance of who he was and what he wasn't. He wasn't normal or a freak. He was just different…like Remus.

It had been only two days after his birthday when Harry had woken one morning to find something on his bedside table that hadn't been there the night before. Sitting by his glasses, Harry instantly recognized the holly wand that he had used for the past five years. He slipped on his glasses before slowly wrapping his fingers around the wand. It felt warm and comforting and on closer inspection, Harry noticed that there were several marks around the handle that resembled flames. He didn't know what it meant but he had to admit he sort of liked it. The flames reminded him of Fawkes and all the phoenix had done for him in the past.

Hedwig had also finally returned from the Burrow and made no effort to hide her displeasure with Harry. For nearly two days, Hedwig kept her back facing Harry while occasionally looking over her shoulder to make sure he was still there. Harry had apologized to her repeatedly, telling her how much he missed her and how much he thought about her when he had been away. Sirius and Remus found the entire situation completely hilarious, especially when Hedwig would let them pet her without protest.

The next week passed slowly. Sirius had finally agreed to let Harry choose on returning to Hogwarts but that didn't mean Sirius kept his opinions to himself. During the week, Harry had heard more tales of how unsafe Hogwarts was than he had ever wanted to hear. It didn't help that Sirius included Harry's past exploits to only make his point of view even stronger. Harry ended up being so frustrated that he told Sirius to stop with the stories or he would go to Hogwarts just to have a moment of peace.

The threat worked. Sirius immediately backed off allowing Harry to read in peace. Tonks had taken the liberty of picking up his books for him earlier in the week which gave him something to read other than the books in the Black family library. Harry had a feeling that Remus had something to do with it but he kept his thoughts to himself. It was easy to see that even though Tonks didn't want Harry to leave, she agreed with Remus that it should be Harry's choice. Harry didn't know whether to be grateful or not. There was still a part of him that didn't want to make the choice out of fear that something may happen.

Tonks had taken the revelation that Harry was empathic rather well and had agreed with Ron that the Ministry shouldn't know. She had heard the same story Ron had mentioned although Sirius and Remus insisted that the story of Sylvia Sinclair was just a tale mothers told their children about the lengths people will go for love. In retaliation, Tonks charmed Sirius' hair green which was the start of a prank war. Harry and Remus made every effort to stay out of the way of the fighting cousins. If last summer was any indication, the pranks were bound to be humiliating.

The only drastic change during the week was that Ron and Hermione visited every day with Ginny accompanying them occasionally. He had learned that Hermione had passed all of her O.W.L. exams with ten 'Outstanding' marks and one 'Exceeds Expectations' mark in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ron received seven O.W.L.s and seemed rather proud that he had earned more O.W.L.s than Fred and George combined.

Harry also learned that the Weasleys and Hermione had gone to Diagon Alley only to realize the affect the war was already having on the place. Florean Fortescue, the man who ran the ice cream place, was missing and Ollivander was gone too. Ron went into excruciating detail of their encounter with Draco Malfoy at Madam Malkin's. Harry didn't miss the exasperated look on Hermione's face when Ron went on and on about how arrogant Malfoy was by making fun of Harry's capture. "So how has Perfect Potter been? I heard he 'screams' like a little girl." Draco Malfoy always knew exactly how to ignite Ron's temper and after listening to Ron, Harry could see that Malfoy had succeeded in his task. Harry would be lying if he said the comments didn't hurt but he knew Malfoy too well. The Slytherin student had always relied on words and empty threats to make himself feel more powerful than he actually was.

The highlight of that visit was when Ron, Hermione and Ginny told Harry about their visit to Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. Harry couldn't believe the vast range of products the twins were now selling. There were Skiving Snackboxes, Patented Daydream Charms, Edible Dark Marks, Shield Cloaks, Shield Gloves, Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators, Love Potions, Pygmy Puffs, and even Self-Inking, Spell-Checking and Smart-Answer quills. Ginny had brought her purple Pygmy Puff, Arnold, and the round ball of fluff instantly took a liking to Harry, letting out a high-pitched squeak whenever anyone tried to take him away.

The most uncomfortable subject discussed was Bill's engagement to Fleur (or 'Phlegm' according to Ginny). Apparently, Fleur couldn't say enough of 'Arry Potter and was trying to persuade Bill to agree to Harry standing up at the wedding because he openly supported the union. Hermione and Ginny made no point in hiding their dislike for Fleur and also revealed that Mrs. Weasley didn't approve of the union either. Harry just shook his head sadly. Bill and Fleur obviously loved each other. Why couldn't everyone else see it?

Madam Pomfrey had kept up her scheduled visits, checking on Harry and Remus every two days. Harry's recovery was certainly progressing at a faster pace that Remus'. His need for sleep had dampened throughout the week so he was able to stay awake the entire day and even walk around for a short period of time without feeling tiredness or dizziness. Harry was now told to begin light physical activity to regain his strength. Sirius immediately took up the task and worked with Harry on martial art forms similar to what Harry had learned during previous summers. It was slow and non-strenuous but it also worked the muscles that Harry hadn't been using for the past two weeks.

Remus, on the other hand, was another story. Everyone knew that Remus' recovery was going to be slow even with Harry's help to push it along. It was difficult for Remus to stay awake for more than five hours at a time and, when he was awake, he was so bored that Harry and Sirius were doing everything they could to keep him busy. Harry normally discussed any questions he had concerning something he had read in his text books while Sirius worked with Remus on Order matters and any problems that concerned Harry. Neither Sirius nor Remus were attending Order meetings and had to rely on Tonks for updates and research assignments.

The most consistent problem was the Ministry. Rufus Scrimgeour was beginning to become more and more persistent in scheduling a meeting, even after showing Harry's memory of the duel with Voldemort. As former Head of the Auror office, Scrimgeour knew talent when he saw it and he wanted Harry Potter. Sirius had nearly hit the roof when Dumbledore relayed that on to Harry's guardians. None of them wanted Harry to be coerced into anything.

As the sun slowly set on the Wednesday after his birthday, Harry retreated to his favorite sofa couch in front of the fire with his Defense Against the Dark Arts book while Sirius and Remus discussed Order matters upstairs. He was fascinated with the concept of nonverbal spells and was eager to read everything he could on the subject. During their duel at the Ministry, Voldemort had cast many nonverbal spells which had left Harry at a disadvantage…a place Harry didn't want to be in again. Without the magical outbursts to fall back on, Harry knew he would need to throw himself into learning more common used means of defending himself. He couldn't afford for Voldemort to win again.

Opening his book, Harry forced himself to concentrate on what he was reading. The theory behind using nonverbal spells was rather simple it was actually using them was where it became difficult. Concentration and mind power are needed to basically force the spell out. Not everyone could accomplish casting spells nonverbally but Harry was determined to do all that he could in order to succeed. He needed the element of surprise. His only history with nonverbal spells was when he was under water during the second task and when he had been Voldemort's prisoner. In both instances he had been in a state of emotional distress. He needed to be able to use them when he needed to not only when he was panicking.

An eruption of green flames caused Harry to jump back in surprise. With a flick of the wrist, Harry had his wand in hand as a familiar figure stepped out of the fireplace. The long white hair and beard was unmistakable along with the colorful blue robes. Harry instantly felt soft waves of concern and nervousness which were the normal emotions he received from Dumbledore these days. He knew that Professor Dumbledore was trying to repair the strained relationship with Sirius and wasn't having much success. Sometimes Sirius was just too stubborn.

Harry let out a sigh of relief as he put his wand away and closed his book after marking the page. Rising to his feet, Harry set his book down and turned his complete attention to Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes. "Good evening, sir," Harry said politely. "Are you here to see Sirius?"

Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry for a long moment before smiling. "I'm actually here to speak to you, Harry," he said pleasantly. "I'm afraid this discussion is long overdue. Perhaps it would be for the best if you sat down."

Harry sat back down on the sofa couch, slightly nervous. His first thought was that Dumbledore wanted to talk about his time in Muggle London and as Voldemort's prisoner. That brought up a mountain of questions. What was he supposed to say? After Ron's reaction, Harry had told Sirius and Remus that he didn't want anyone knowing about his abilities. He didn't want to risk anyone letting it slip accidentally.

Professor Dumbledore sat down in a comfortable chair to Harry's left and pulled out a small box from his robes. He placed it on a nearby table then returned his attention to Harry. "First off, I want to apologize for making an old man's mistake," Dumbledore said sincerely. "I know your guardians told you that a Prophecy concerning you and Lord Voldemort existed last Christmas against my wishes. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you, my boy. I just thought you were too young to burden yourself with its contents. I didn't realize until it was too late that if your guardians hadn't said something, events could have turned out more disastrous than they had been."

Harry didn't know what to say. He really couldn't imagine last term ending any worse than it had. Well, that wasn't necessarily true. Remus could have died. Sirius could have died. Voldemort could have succeeded in retrieving the Prophecy. "But, sir," Harry began uncertainly, "if Voldemort could manipulate my dreams and pretend to by my dad like he did then you had every right not to tell me. I told Sirius and Remus not to tell me for that very reason."

Dumbledore smiled softly. "You are too forgiving, Harry," he said gently. "Nevertheless, I believe it is time that I was honest with you concerning the reason Voldemort sought you out all those years ago. Voldemort had been told that a Prophecy had been made concerning him and a child that would be born soon. He didn't know its full contents but believed that by killing that child he would be fulfilling the terms of the Prophecy and bring him one step closer to victory, a decision that backfired on him. You, Harry, survived."

Harry couldn't stop the dread that filled his stomach. He had a feeling that he was about to learn more than he ever wanted to know.

"For ten years Voldemort heard nothing about the child who left him so weak," Dumbledore continued. "Then he encountered you when you were only eleven and his interest returned. Voldemort believed you had special powers because no normal child could ever stand up to him and win. His theory was strengthened when he faced you the night he returned to his body. You fought off Unforgivables and left him in a coma for months, yet you were still only a child. That was the start of Voldemort's obsession to recruit you while trying to find out what the entire Prophecy was. He was certain that the Prophecy would contain the knowledge of how to guarantee your allegiance or, if necessary, the means of how to destroy you. He figured that the Prophecy pertained more towards you than to him."

Harry closed his eyes as he let out a long breath. In a way, he had always suspected something like this ever since he had heard that a Prophecy existed but actually hearing it was a shock to the system. It made everything feel more real. He couldn't believe this was all because of some fortune teller, someone who left some vague prediction that could mean any number of things.

"The glass orb that was destroyed in the Department of Mysteries was merely a record of the actual Prophecy," Professor Dumbledore said slowly as he pulled out his wand. "I heard the actual Prophecy from an applicant for the post of Divination teacher. This applicant was a descendant of a very famous and gifted Seer but it seemed she had no trace of the gift herself. I told her she would not be suitable for the post and turned to leave when I heard it."

With a tap of the wand, the box enlarged and opened to reveal Dumbledore's Pensieve once again. "I believe it is time for you to hear the Prophecy, Harry," Dumbledore said gently. "If you would prefer for Sirius to be here for support, I can retrieve him for you."

Harry stared at the large Pensieve for a long moment, unsure of what to say or do. A part of him desperately wanted to know what the Prophecy said while another part berated him for even considering it. He didn't believe in Prophecies, right? They were just used to mess with people's minds. His life wasn't destined. There was no such thing as destiny or even fate. He chose his own path. His life was his to lead, not for someone else to dictate. It had to be. It…it just had to be.

A hand rested on Harry's shoulder, causing Harry to jump and see Sirius' sympathetic eyes. "I'm here, kiddo," Sirius said as he sat down beside Harry and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Do you want to hear the Prophecy or would you like to wait?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak but he didn't know what to say. Did he want to know? Certainly not. Did he need to know? Possibly. He couldn't move past the fact that in the Pensieve was the answers he had wanted for as long as he could remember but what if the answers only brought more questions? What if this knowledge brought something into light that Harry really didn't want to know?

"I know it's difficult, Harry," Sirius said quietly, "but I think it would be better to get it over with. Knowing what the Prophecy says changes nothing. You still have to recover, help me with Moony and you're still grounded."

Harry nodded slowly, knowing that Sirius was right. Knowing what the Prophecy said only changed everything if he let it. He wouldn't let this change his life. What if others don't react the same way? Suddenly, he remembered one very important fact that had affected the majority of his decisions for the past year. Voldemort. "Are you sure Voldemort's out of my head?" Harry asked softly. "It may be better if I didn't know."

Sirius let out a long sigh as he ran his fingers through Harry's hair to calm him. "Has your scar been hurting?" he asked. Harry shook his head. "Then I think we're safe. That potion is out of your system, you haven't been having any nightmares and you've been practicing your Occlumency."

Professor Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and enfolded his long fingers. "I do believe that Voldemort won't be a significant problem in that way anymore, Harry," he said serenely. "With the failure of his latest plot, Voldemort has moved on to creating as much havoc as he can. Voldemort had expected that you would try to escape from his clutches and (with the aid of the Mind Linking Potion) planned to control you by having you kill those around you. What he didn't foresee was your strength of will. You, Harry, refused to give in which gave Sirius and Poppy enough time to provide an antidote. You are currently in hiding and far from his grasp. As infuriating as it is for him, Voldemort has no choice but to focus on other means."

Harry looked at Dumbledore in horror. "He was going to have me kill all of you?" he asked fearfully.

"Voldemort was going to try," Dumbledore corrected. "You see, Harry, Voldemort made a severe misjudgment in his planning. He didn't even consider your devotion to your family. He overlooked the very reason you ran away—you would rather sacrifice yourself to protect those you care about than to see them die. Voldemort does not understand this emotion that you have an overabundance of or anything remotely similar to it. He doesn't know what it's like to love someone so much that you are willing to risk everything for them."

Harry let out a shaky breath as he rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses. "I just don't know how much more of this I can take," he said softly. "He's driving me mad. I hate that I can't trust myself anymore. I hate that I'm constantly second guessing myself, wondering if my thoughts are actually mine."

"It is only natural for you to doubt yourself with the recent events," Professor Dumbledore said gently. "Start slow, Harry. If you can't make a decision, I'm sure Sirius and Remus could help you out. Just remember, your first instinct is usually the right one. From your memories that we witnessed, your first instinct that night you ran away was to stay with Sirius. Your first instinct when you escaped from Voldemort was to find Sirius. You were right on both instances, my boy."

Harry looked over at the Pensieve thoughtfully. Perhaps Dumbledore had a point. His instincts had told him to reveal the truth to Ron and Hermione. He didn't regret the decision and it had even brought them closer than they had been for the past two years.

Dumbledore raised his wand to his own temple and withdrew silvery, gossamer-fine strands of thought that were clinging to his wand and deposited them into the Pensieve. The silvery substance swirled continuously as Dumbledore looked at Sirius and Harry. "You can be trusted with this information, Harry," he said confidently. "We trust you even if you do not trust yourself. Are you ready?"

Harry felt Sirius squeeze his shoulder reassuringly as he slowly nodded.

Dumbledore returned the nod before prodding the silvery substance with the tip of his wand. A figure slowly rose out of the substance. She was draped in shawls, her eyes were magnified to an enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly wither her feet in the basin. Harry's eyes widened in shock. It was Sybill Trelawney, his Divination teacher. She opened her mouth to speak but the voice was not her own. It was harsh and hoarse like the one Harry had heard once before.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"

The slowly revolving Professor Trelawney sank back into the silver mass below and vanished.

Harry stared at the Penseive unable to move for a long moment before he slowly turned his head and looked at Professor Dumbledore skeptically. "You expect me to believe one of Professor Trelawney's predictions?" he asked in disbelief. "She's been predicting my death for years! She couldn't make an actual prediction if her life depended on it!"

"I will admit that Sybill's actual predictions are extremely rare but I assure you this is an actual prediction," Professor Dumbledore said calmly. "Remember Sybill's prediction concerning Peter Pettigrew. Aspects of this Prophecy have already come to pass. The person who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July over sixteen years ago. This boy was born to parent who had already defied Voldemort three times and would be marked by Lord Voldemort."

Harry slowly closed his eyes and he subconsciously reached up and ran his fingers over his scar. In a way he wasn't surprised considering his history with the Dark Lord but hearing it confirmed just made it all feel more real. "You're sure it's me?" Harry asked meekly. "There's absolutely no one else…"

Dumbledore looked at Harry for a long moment through his glasses. "Yes, Harry," he said softly. "I'm afraid you are the only one in that criteria. There was another boy who had been born on the same day as you to parents who had defied Voldemort three times but he wasn't marked. He was Neville Longbottom."

Harry let out a long breath as he rose to his feet and walked over to the fire. Staring into the flames, he tried to wrap his head around it all. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies." This was why Voldemort wanted him so badly. This was why his parents were dead. "And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal." Harry knew he was marked in more ways than one. Because of those stupid outbursts. Voldemort saw Harry as a worthy opponent and would do everything in his power to kill him. "But he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not." What could this mean? It couldn't be his empathy or even his healing. Those weren't 'powers' that could be used in the middle of a duel, right? "And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives." In other words he would have to kill Voldemort or die at Voldemort's hand. He would be murdered or a murderer.

"Harry?" Sirius asked hesitantly. "I know it's a lot to take in but, remember, it doesn't change anything."

No Sirius. It changes everything. Closing his eyes, Harry reached out and could instantly feel waves of protectiveness, compassion, love, nervousness and fear. He opened his eyes again and fought to calm the overwhelming dread that had consumed him. The Prophecy only had power over him if he allowed it to. He wasn't ready to face Voldemort again but with a lot of hard work, he could be and at the moment that would have to be enough.

With a hand resting against the wall for support, Harry focused completely on his breathing and could feel the concern overwhelming the rest of the emotions in the room. Sirius and Professor Dumbledore were worried by his silence. There was just so much to consider; so much to work through. Letting out a sigh, Harry knew that Dumbledore was taking a risk in trusting him with this information. Perhaps he should return the favor. "Thank you for your honesty, Professor," Harry said softly, "but you aren't the only one keeping secrets."

"Harry—"

"No, Sirius," Harry interrupted softly, his gaze still locked on the fire. He couldn't bring himself to look at Sirius' face because he knew he would do whatever those stern blue eyes wanted him to. "He has a right to know. This is war. We can't afford to keep the secrets that should be shared with those we trust." Inhaling deeply, Harry turned his head so he was looking into Professor Dumbledore's eyes. "Your concern and fear are overwhelming at the moment, Professor. I assure you I will be fine once I have time to digest everything."

Professor Dumbledore's eyes widened as he stared at Harry, completely taken aback. "You're empathic," he breathed as he sat back in his chair. He sat there for a few minutes in silence, appearing to be thinking hard. "I take it Poppy knows about this?"

"She's Harry's Healer," Sirius said evenly. "She needed to know why Harry was constantly using magic unintentionally."

Professor Dumbledore nodded at the point. "Yes, it seems this is the anomaly Audrey McDaniels was trying to uncover for Lord Voldemort," he said thoughtfully. "It is an interesting development although not entirely surprising. Your emotions have always seemed to give you a slight boost, Harry. I can see why Poppy is so adamant for you to return to Hogwarts. Being around a variety of people would help you control and adapt this new ability." Dumbledore's gaze shifted to Sirius who was glaring at the Headmaster. "Of course not much is known about empaths," he said as he returned his attention to Harry. "I shall look through the library at Hogwarts as well as my own personal collection for any information that you may find useful."

Harry moved away from the fireplace, his eyes never leaving Dumbledore's. "I would appreciate it, sir," he said sincerely. "Most of my knowledge about this ability has been through trial and error at the hospital." He walked over to the table near the sofa couch and picked up his Defense book, knowing that both Sirius and Professor Dumbledore were watching his every move. "Well—if you don't mind—I think I need to be alone for a while."

"Are you sure, kiddo?" Sirius asked. "If you want to talk—"

Harry shook his head. "I just have a lot to sort out," he said with a shrug then nodded to Dumbledore. "Professor, thanks for being so understanding."

"Not a problem, my boy," Professor Dumbledore said sincerely. "There is one more matter I need to discuss with you, Harry. Audrey McDaniels' findings were indeed correct. You do have an unusual ability to tap into your magical reserves to strengthen you spells. We have seen it before as well as the aftereffects. As difficult as it may be, Harry, you can not continue to strain your reserves. It made lead to problems later in life."

Harry nodded then excused himself before hurrying upstairs. His mind felt like it was on overload. He not only had the Prophecy to worry about but his oddity of tapping into his magical reserves to worry about. There wasn't anything he could do about the Prophecy but that didn't erase the sense of foreboding he felt everything he thought about it. Becoming a healer suddenly felt more of a dream than a reality. How could he focus on a career when it was quite possible that he wouldn't have one? He had no intention of going down without a fight but could he really kill someone? Could he really become a murderer?

Stop thinking about it! Stop worrying about the future and focus on the present!

Yes, that was something he would have to do from now on. He would do as much as he could in the present to ensure a future but he couldn't afford to sit and wallow about what may or may not happen. Entering his room, Harry stopped in his tracks at the sight of a familiar phoenix resting on his bed. He couldn't help smiling softly as he entered and sat down on his bed. A talk with Fawkes was exactly what he needed right now.

"It's been a while, heh?" Harry asked as he reached out and slowly pet the phoenix. "I've missed you, Fawkes. I've missed talking with you." Fawkes let out a soft trill as if to say I missed you too. "I never thanked you for everything you've done for me. You've really been a great friend, you know that?" Fawkes let out a confident trill passing on that he already knew that. Harry laughed. "Arrogant little chicken." Fawkes squawked at him and tried to bite his hand. "What?" Harry asked innocently with a grin before he turned somber. "All joking aside, I just wanted to say thanks and I'm sorry if you got in trouble for helping me."

Fawkes instantly mellowed and let out a calming trill. Harry felt his eyes closing as he leaned back against his pillows. He suddenly felt his worries falling away as Fawkes continued to sing. His mind began to drift as his head lolled to the side. Harry was so wrapped up in the peaceful song of the phoenix that he didn't even notice Sirius entering his room and putting him to bed. All he knew was that his problems were a world away.

Harry woke early the following morning to a dark room and a growling stomach. Fawkes was gone and he was dressed in a pair of pajamas which consisted of a pair of grey pajama pants and a white short sleeved shirt. Groaning in annoyance, he grabbed his glasses, pulled himself out of bed and staggered out of his room for the kitchen. Stupid bird always thinking he knows best. Harry knew he would never fall back asleep with his stomach acting up like this and really didn't want to bother Dobby and Kreacher this early in the morning. He knew the two house elves too well. Both of them would do everything in their power to make Harry happy no matter what time it was.

Slipping on his glasses, Harry crept down the stairs, hoping not to wake anyone up. Remus could hear a pin drop with his werewolf hearing which was extremely annoying since Remus was the one who needed his rest. He entered the dark kitchen and had to blink a few times when the lights automatically turned on. Sirius had always had a late night snack problem. After a few nights of hearing Sirius curse because he walked into something last summer, Remus charmed the kitchen to automatically light up when someone entered. Tonks and Remus had a good laugh at Sirius' clumsiness which Sirius had his revenge by charming their alarm clocks to go off three hours early no matter what Tonks and Remus did to them.

Harry's night time stroll quickly turned out to be just as eventful as Sirius'. Before Harry could step towards the ice box, the two very house elves Harry was trying to be quiet for appeared with a crack, asking what they could do to help Harry. Harry reluctantly asked them to prepare a snack which quickly turned into a fight between elves because they both wanted to outdo the other. Soon enough, Harry was sitting in front of an entire kitchen table full of food and was forced to order Dobby and Kreacher to go back to bed which they did grudgingly.

For the next hour, Harry slowly ate while his thoughts drifted from topic to topic. He didn't want to go against Sirius' wishes but it appeared that he had no choice. He couldn't hide out here for the rest of his life knowing what he knew now. Sirius and Remus were excellent teachers in their areas of expertise but Remus was really in no shape to teach and Sirius had so much on his plate already. How could he even consider putting more pressure on his guardians?

Harry didn't know what to do. A part of him wanted to stay here, away from the stares and whispers. Last year had been a nightmare and that was when half of the school thought he was out of his mind. Harry didn't want to think what this year would be like. Everyone would want to know what happened with Voldemort, why he left the way he did and if he was indeed the 'Chosen One'. He was going to be even more of target for Malfoy and his gang because some of their parents are now in Azkaban. He was also unprotected from the Ministry and reporters. There were so many reasons not to go back to Hogwarts but were they more important than the reasons to go back?

Letting out a long and frustrated sigh, Harry left the kitchen and took the memorized journey to his bedroom. Every reason for staying was personal. He didn't want to face the people who immortalized him, despised him or wanted something from him. The fans he could handle as long as his friends didn't fall into that category. The bullying from the Slytherins was nothing new. The press had never left him alone and ever since the hearing last Christmas, the Ministry seemed to have a problem doing that too.

Returning to Hogwarts, on the other hand, would help others out. Sirius could concentrate on Order matters and help Remus recover. Remus could finally worry about himself for once. He wouldn't be abandoning his friends or the teachers that had already done so much for him. Most of all, Harry wouldn't be abandoning Hogwarts. He couldn't explain it but there was just a need deep down to enter the school again. It wasn't a conscious thought, just a feeling.

Entering his room, Harry walked past his bed and collapsed in the comfortable chair by his window. Dawn was still a few hours away although the mist that seemed to be never-ending made it nearly impossible to tell for certain. He had seen the mist before while working at the hospital but hadn't paid any attention to it. The few times he had been outdoors he had been too exhausted to notice anything. He just remembered Dr. Rolands complaining about it once or twice.

Staring out into the mist, Harry repositioned himself at a more comfortable angle and just let his mind drift. He wished he could see the stars…specifically the stars named after his parents because at the moment Harry didn't know what to do. He had to choose between what Sirius wanted and what everyone needed…what he needed. Logically it wasn't much of a choice but choosing the right one would mean hurting someone who has already been through so much.

Harry let out a slow breath as he closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the chair. This constant fear of making the wrong decision was really maddening. He hated that so much depended on making the right choice. It had been so much simpler when he had been on his own. Work, stay in the shadows and don't get killed. Did he want to go back to that? Not at all, although he did miss Dr. Rolands, J.J. and the children he told stories to. Did Dr. Rolands feel betrayed now that the boy he had taken in was gone? Had J.J. found someone else to drag into hallway games? Did the children hate him now because he left without saying goodbye?

A distant whispering filled his ears, slowly pulling Harry out of a clouded mind. Waves of concern and uncertainty brushed against him. A hand rested on his shoulder and squeezed gently. Grudgingly, Harry opened his eyes partially and turned his head to see the faces of Hermione, Ron and Ginny through his crooked glasses. Realizing that he must have fallen asleep, Harry shifted his body so he was facing them and rubbed his aching neck.

"G'morning," Harry said as he straightened his glasses and tried to stretch his neck out. "What time is it?"

"Early," Ron said as he flopped down on Harry's bed. "Why were you sleeping in the chair? You aren't having nightmares again, are you?"

Harry shook his head. He really didn't want to discuss what he learned from Dumbledore yesterday until he had more time to work through it. There was also the problem that Ginny was present. She didn't know anything about his empathic abilities or the Prophecy and Harry wasn't sure he wanted to bring her into it all. "Just a lot on my mind," Harry said as he stood up and twisted his upper body. "So how long can you three stay?"

Ginny shrugged as she sat down beside Ron. "Mum really didn't say," she said. "She seemed more eager to get rid of us than anything. Maybe she was going to finally give Phlegm a piece of her mind. I would have liked to see that."

Harry shook his head slowly as he walked to his wardrobe and pulled out a clean set of clothes. "I don't know why you're determined to hate Fleur, Ginny," he said softly. "She may be a little…"

"Selfish, annoying, inconsiderate?" Ginny offered.

"Unaccustomed to a family such as yours," Harry said patiently earning a glare from Ginny. "Look, I know when I first met you all I was intimidated. I had never seen a family act like yours before. All of you are friends in addition to being siblings. You tell each other your secrets, stand up for each other and, if necessary, are willing to sacrifice yourself for each other. The only downside is that, for an outsider, it is really hard not to feel like an intruder."

"But you're not an intruder, Harry," Ron said instantly. "You're one of us. We've been saying that for years."

"Ron's right," Ginny added. "You're completely different that Phlegm. You don't try to force your opinions on us or make us feel like we're three-years-old!"

Harry just shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't think of anything to say since he had never seen Fleur act that way and really hadn't spoken to her without the Weasley clan present. All he knew was that Fleur was a good person and was deeply in love with Bill Weasley. Harry also knew it was something Ginny and Mrs. Weasley would have to witness for themselves. "Well, I'll just go and clean up," he said softly. "I shouldn't be long."

Ron and Ginny looked like they were about to protest so Harry hurried out of his room towards the bathroom. He didn't know if he had been wrong to speak on Fleur's behalf before talking with her. There was a chance that Fleur didn't feel like an intruder. It was possible that she was everything that Ginny claimed but, deep down, he didn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. Why would someone who was so in love with their fiancé not want to do everything in their power to get along with the family they were marrying into? Then again my parents didn't get along with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.

Harry was deep in thought the entire time he cleaned up and changed clothes. What could he do about it anyways? He wasn't even directly involved so why was he worrying about it? Because Ginny always brings it up when she visits. Hermione and Ron rarely discussed life at the Burrow since their main concern was Harry's empathy and Remus' recovery. Ginny, on the other hand, seemed to need an outlet to take her frustrations out on, something that couldn't be done at the Burrow.

Walking back to his room, Harry focused on his calming techniques and pushed the topic of Fleur out of his mind. The only thing he could get from participating in this argument was a headache. Ginny was free to have her own opinion and that was that. He entered his room, disposed of his pajamas and turned to see Ron, Hermione and Ginny sitting on his bed, watching him. "Something wrong?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't feel like an intruder, do you, Harry?" Ron asked pleadingly. "Hermione said that she felt the same way when she first spent time at the Burrow."

Harry glanced at Hermione who had a sympathetic look on her face. He rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses in frustration. He never meant for this to be a matter for discussion. "Not anymore," Harry said truthfully. "Ron, I know your family and I do consider them an extension of my own. All I'm saying is that, considering who I grew up with, a family like yours was a little overwhelming. It's not a bad thing. Most people wish to have a family like yours."

Ron and Ginny shared a glance and shrugged helplessly. "I guess we never thought about it," Ginny said sincerely. "I'm sorry if I got a bit cross with you, Harry. Phlegm just makes me so mad. She doesn't treat me like she treats you. If it really bothers you, I won't bring it up anymore."

"Fleur really does treat you differently than everyone else, Harry," Hermione said bluntly. "I don't know whether it is because of who you are or if it's because of everything that's happened. Maybe it's because you're the first person to actually give them you're blessing without any hesitation. If you think about it, it really isn't surprising that Fleur is acting this way towards you. You're really the only person other than Bill she knows."

Harry shrugged, unable to think of anything to say to that. "So, what do you three want to do today?" he asked as he walked to his bedside table, picked up his watch and put it on. He was surprised that it as only half past eight. They really did arrive early. "I have training with Sirius in an hour. Maybe he'll let you three join us."

Hermione was instantly on her feet. "What are you doing?" she asked eagerly. "Is it your physical training?"

Harry nodded. "We're not sparring or doing anything extremely difficult yet," he said. "Madam Pomfrey wants us to go slow so we're basically back to what we were doing last summer before Sirius felt that I was healthy enough to try anything more strenuous."

Ron looked at Harry skeptically. "I don't know," he said uncertainly. "I've seen what you can do. Won't we be holding you back?"

"Actually, I think it would be fascinating to see," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "We've only seen Harry train alone. Maybe if Sirius has time he can show us some simple moves we can use in order to defend ourselves."

Ginny jumped off the bed with a large smile. "I'm up for it," she said excitedly. "It would be good to know what to do if Malfoy acts like a prat this year."

That was all that was needed to change Ron's opinion. For the next hour, all Ron could talk about was possible ways take out revenge on Malfoy with Ginny while eating breakfast that Dobby and Kreacher provided. Harry and Hermione quietly discussed material they had read in their defense books. It was another one of their endless debates of book knowledge versus instinctual knowledge. Hermione was the theoretical learner while Harry was the practical.

It wasn't long before Sirius made an appearance and clearly wasn't expecting visitors. Sirius was like he was every morning when he crawled out of bed: half asleep and ready to hex anyone who tried to strike a conversation with him. Knowing what his godfather needed more than anything, Harry instantly moved to pour Sirius a cup of coffee when he felt a hand on his shoulder. The hand squeezed gently before Sirius sat down beside Harry.

"How are you, kiddo?" Sirius asked softly and slightly groggily.

Harry looked at Sirius and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll be okay," he said sincerely as he handed over the cup of coffee. "It's just a lot to take in. I never expected the 'Daily Prophet' to actually be right for once."

Sirius sighed as he ruffled Harry's hair. He took a sip of his coffee and set the cup down. "Don't put that sort of pressure on yourself," he said quietly. "We're not going to let this change our lives. We all want revenge against Voldemort. We all want him to pay for what he's taken from us. We will be with you when the time comes to finally take him out, Harry. Remember that."

Harry nodded with a relieved smile on his face. He knew he couldn't go back, only forward and that had to be one step at a time. He felt a swell of confidence that, no matter what, Sirius and Remus would be with him throughout the journey, guiding him. At the present time, that was what Harry needed the most, perhaps more now than ever before.