Harry Potter and the Mind Mage

By James Milamber

A/N: Okay, I was wrong. Plot is taking a backseat to Harry/Ginny at the moment, but I can assure you that won't last. It'll definitely remain, but it will fade into the background a bit when they get back to Hogwarts.

The summer seemed to pass with almost agonising slowness. As James had said, every second day an Order member appeared at the front door to check on the two teens. Some, like Mad-Eye Moody, were only good for a quick hello, while the visits from Lupin and Tonks lasted much longer.

Having Ginny around was not as awkward as Harry had first thought. After the first few nights, she accompanied him on his evening walks, and they talked. Harry found it easier to talk about the Wizarding world away from Privet Drive, when there was no chance of setting Uncle Vernon off. The Order seemed to be going out of its way to keep Harry informed about Voldemort's movements, a welcome change to the excessive secrecy of the last year. Ron and Hermione were sending letters by the dozen, and Harry had to laugh when Ron threatened him with the entire range of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes if he did anything 'inappropriate' (he had a feeling that was Hermione's word, as he could see the remains of something much nastier scratched out underneath) with his sister.

Harry would almost go so far as to say that this was his best summer ever. He had someone to talk to about school, Quidditch, Voldemort, and everything else he usually missed over the holidays. Nevertheless, late at night after Ginny had dropped off to sleep, his thoughts would inevitably turn to his Godfather, and he would lay awake for hours on end, brooding.

He also began to wonder why they had sent Ginny to Privet Drive and not Ron. He immediately rejected the notion that they were being forced together; that was just too embarrassing to contemplate. The best he could come up with was that it might have something to do with the Chamber of Secrets incident in Harry's second year, although he couldn't be sure.

On the evening before Harry's sixteenth birthday, he and Ginny sat on their respective beds eating from a hamper of food that had just arrived from Grimmauld Place. They were talking quietly, and somehow the conversation moved to Ron and Hermione.

'I wonder if they'll get together this year,' Ginny mused. Harry promptly choked on a pumpkin pasty and Ginny laughed, reaching over to pound him on the back.

'Thanks,' he muttered, taking a long drink of pumpkin juice from a canteen. A thought occurred to him, and he asked, 'Have you got any letters from Dean this summer?' Ginny looked at him strangely, and he flushed. 'You know, on the train home you said you were going out with him?'

Ginny giggled. 'No silly, I only said that to get Ron riled up. Dean's nice and all, but…' She trailed off, then giggled again.

'Oh.' For a reason he couldn't quite place, that made Harry feel better.

'What about you?' Ginny asked shyly, partially hidden behind her hair, which was loosely framing her face.

Harry sighed pensively. 'I doubt I'll get back together with Cho,' he said, idly picking at a bit of fluff on his blanket. 'I mean, she's nice and all, but with the whole Cedric thing…' he trailed off, unable to put his thoughts into words, so just settled for a shrug.

'I can see how that might make things difficult,' Ginny agreed.

'Doomed from the start,' Harry said wryly. 'You should have seen us on Valentine's Day, it was a disaster.' Ginny looked at him quizzically. 'We went to Madam Puddifoot's,' Harry began. 'I really had no clue what I was doing, and there were these bloody cherubs,' he mimed throwing confetti into the air, and made a face. 'It didn't help that Roger Davies and his girlfriend were sitting at the next table trying to snog each other senseless.'

As Harry told the story of his disastrous date with Cho, Ginny couldn't help but feel a little envious of the older girl. As much as she tried to convince herself that she was over her crush on Harry, even she knew that she was lying through her teeth. She also knew, however, that Harry didn't see her that way. To him, she was "Ron's little sister", which made any relationship near impossible. So she was content to be his friend and stand by him, even if at times she wanted more.

Harry finished his story, and Ginny forced herself back into the present. 'Yeah, well, no offence Harry, but you two really weren't very well suited to each other,' she said.

Harry sighed pensively. She noted that he did that a lot these days. 'Yeah, I suppose you're right,' he agreed.

And he smiled his tired, crooked smile, and her heart told her quite plainly that friend or not, she was not happy with their current arrangements.

========

July 31 dawned bright and warm. Harry awoke early to find his windowsill lined with owls. Yet more sat on his desk, and Hedwig perched on the end of his bed. There were about twenty in all, and Ginny was making her way around the room removing packages and shooing the relieved owls out the open window.

Finally, only Hedwig, Pig and an owl Harry recognised as Hermes were left, and there was a large pile of presents on the end of his bed. He stared at it in wonder.

'There are a lot of people who care about you, you know,' Ginny said softly, instinctively realising the cause of Harry's surprise. He smiled gratefully at her, then eagerly dove at the presents.

First was a heavy parcel from Hermione. Predictably, she had bought him a book, entitled "Evil Incarnate: The Greatest Dark Wizards Of All Time". An enclosed note told him that Dumbledore had recommended the book to her at the end of the last year, and went on to list page numbers of all the references to Voldemort. Harry smiled, wondering just exactly how Hermione had ended up in Gryffindor and not Ravenclaw. A parcel from Ron (Harry had to wonder how Pig had managed to carry both presents, as they were quite heavy) contained an extensive selection of Honeydukes sweets.

Fred and George had sent him a bright orange backpack, filled to bursting point with their latest range of pranks. A lime green card on top with the words "WWW Shareholder" written in silver entitled him, according to the twin's letter, to get anything from their shop for half price.

'I'd be careful with that,' Ginny warned as Harry made to drop the bag off the bed. 'Never know what could be in there, knowing Fred and George.' Harry thought a moment then nodded, gently placing the bag on the floor.

'Good thinking,' he said, picking up another parcel, this one from Remus Lupin. Inside was a scarlet baseball cap with "Prongs Jr." emblazoned across it in gold letters. Harry swallowed hard, glancing over the accompanying note.

Harry,

Your father had this made for you after you were born. I thought you might like to have it now.

Don't think badly of James just because of one incident, Harry. Your father was everything Snape was not, and he never lost an opportunity to cause trouble for the Marauders. Much like you and young Mister Malfoy, neither could leave the other alone. You might think about that the next time Draco tries to get a rise out of you.

Moony.

The words, "neither could leave the other alone" struck a chord deep within Harry. Perhaps it was their similarity to a line of the Prophecy, but he couldn't help shiver at Lupin's probably inadvertent choice of words.

'What does he say?' Ginny asked curiously. Harry handed her the note, and he could tell by the way her eyes narrowed that she hadn't missed the similarity either. She didn't comment, however. Instead, she looked up with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and said, 'Are you going to put it on or not?' Harry shrugged, placing the cap on his head where it magically tightened to fit.

Ginny suddenly stifled a laugh. Harry watched her in puzzlement, until she pointed at the mirror hanging on his wall. He turned to see that the text on the cap had changed. It now read, "Brush your hair, Potter!" Harry laughed, pulling the cap off and trying to get his hair to stop sticking up. He replaced the cap, and the text changed again to, "That's not much better!" Harry laughed again and, having an idea, tapped the cap with his wand. The text changed back to "Prongs Jr."

'Thanks Dad,' Harry whispered, quickly wiping a tear from his eye before Ginny could see. He carefully assumed a bright smile and moved to the next package.

Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody had sent him a book entitled "Auror Training: A Practical Guide". The included note from Tonks told him that "a little cat told us you wanted to be an Auror", and they thought this book might help.

Most of the rest were from DA members, and most contained assorted sweets. Neville sent him a hand held Foe Glass, and Luna sent a postcard from Sweden where, she assured him, she and her father were hot on the trail of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

Holding the Foe-Glass from Neville, Harry remembered with a jolt that today was also Neville's birthday. When he pointed this out to Ginny, her eyes narrowed.

'Wait a minute,' she said slowly. 'If today is Neville's birthday too, and you're both the same age…' She left it hanging.

'The Prophecy could have meant either one of us,' Harry confirmed, absently rubbing his scar. 'Both our parents had defied him three times in different ways, too, and his parents were Order members like mine. Obviously, Voldemort thought I was the bigger threat.'

Ginny looked at him uncertainly. 'Harry…'

'It's alright,' he said quietly, his eyes downcast. 'I'm going to tell him when we go back to school.' He grimaced. 'After what you all did for me at the Department of Mysteries, it's the least I can do.'

Ginny sighed, rubbing her eyes. 'Harry, none of us went with you in the hopes of being rewarded, you know.' He looked up sharply. 'We went because we're your friends. Even Luna,' she said with a wry smile. 'I can't speak for the others, but if you ever need me, all you have to do is ask. You don't have to shoulder this burden on your own. In fact, if you try,' her eyes suddenly twinkled, 'I'll sic Fred and George on you for being a git.'

He laughed and threw his pillow at her.

She caught it easily and sent it back. 'Seriously though,' she said, 'Don't try to do everything by yourself. I'm sure Ron and Hermione feel the same way. We all want to help in any way we can.'

Harry lowered his gaze, unable to look at her any longer. Her large brown eyes were filled with compassion, and he suddenly felt himself unworthy of such friends.

'Thank you,' he said finally, looking up again and catching her gaze. As he held it, she began to blush, but her gaze didn't waver. The corners of Harry's mouth tilted up into a smile as she suddenly looked away, blushing scarlet. Her hair caught the sunlight streaming through the window, causing it to take fire, and Harry found himself mesmerised by its shifting colour. He coughed nervously, looking away quickly and noticing a letter that had been under all the other presents.

'That's from Percy,' Ginny said, her face still bright red. 'I didn't know if you'd want to read it or not.'

Harry nodded slowly, carefully breaking the Ministry seal on the envelope. A folded piece of parchment fell out, and Harry opened it to find a letter written in Percy's neat handwriting.

Harry,

First, let me say that I am sincerely sorry for not believing you about the return of You-Know-Who. I realise now that I was wrong about you, and I regret ever speaking out against you. I know that it will take a long time for my family to forgive me, especially Ron and Ginny, but I hope you can find it in your heart to not hold my past mistakes against me.

Let me also assure you that I am doing all I can to help the Order now, starting with preparing statements to appear in the Daily Prophet about Death Eater activity. The Ministry is doing all within it's power to prepare the Wizarding community for the coming war, and the Aurors are out in force, patrolling public places such as Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. We are doing all we can to ensure the safety of everyone, be they magical or Muggle. I can't give you too many details, in case this letter is intercepted.

I hope you can forgive me for acting like a prat for so long. I am truly sorry.

Percy.

Harry re-read the letter, feeling a weight he had not even known existed rise from his shoulders. He had felt guilty about causing a rift in the Weasley family, but it looked like that rift was finally on the way to mending.

A/N: As always, any comments are welcome.