Thanks to my wonderful betas spacegal19 and Romulus Magnus!

Whoops – got a couple e-mails on why would Arthur be the one to store the Death Eater Spams. Good point. My reasoning was this: Harry & Hermione gave the spell/idea to the Aurors, and Tonks would have suggested the Weasleys because it was a brand new and freshly warded home, and Arthur is a ministry employee. Does that 'work', or do I need to tweak it better? Where they are stored will not matter at all in the story. I just thought Grimmauld Place is too risky – they have been meeting there for long enough that it's bound to be discovered sooner or later, and if it was, the stacked cans of spam would be examined by Voldemort.

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Chapter 18

End of semester

The next few months seemed to fly by. Harry and his friends trained hard in Godric's Suitcase with the house ghosts in advanced dueling, and learned many spells that hadn't been used for years. The Malfoy elves, recovered from their previous family, thrived in Godric's Hollow, which Harry visited often with his friends and Tonks and Remus.

Godric's Suitcase was a happy place. The Christmas tree was still up, kept alive by Neville's knowledge of plant related spells, and there was a constant turn over of fairies who all wanted to hang around Luna. Elrind's tribe never left however, and had several births to add to their number. The marbles in the maze were now all enchanted for Spring, glowing pastel colors, and showing off the taste of fresh asparagus, sounding like a bubbling brook swelled with melted mountain snow, and the scent of daffodils and bluebells.

With Draco gone the Slytherins were no where near as aggressive or cocky as they had been. When Narcissa finally discovered her son went missing, it was February, and she was fit to be tied. None of the other students had become Death Eaters (besides Crabbe and Goyle, who frankly were too stupid to worry about), and Professor McGonagall was actually helping several Slytherins stay at Hogwarts to escape their abusive Death Eater parents.

All four of the founder friends were outstanding students now, thanks to time slowing and group studying. Harry's relatively new love of books put an even larger wedge in the split between Ron and he, and the Weasley boy didn't even bother to give him dirty looks any more – he just avoided him completely. Ginny was petty and snarky to Hermione – their engagement did not go over well with her.

Harry started to hone Snape's huge natural talent in occlumency until it was unbeatable in the wizarding world. He spoke often with the potion master and Hermione about removing the dark mark from his arm, and what could be done for repentant Death Eaters. Through Snape's spying and Harry's link with Voldemort many unrepentant Death Eaters were turned into Spam during those months. They both smugly agreed it was never what Dumbledore had intended for Harry's 'detentions'.

Neville and Harry took to working out, to gain physical strength. They had no idea how long the final battle would actually be, and hoped that youth and fitness would give them a decided edge against the older and weakened Riddle.

There were the occasional raids on muggles and wizards, but every time an attack would start, the aurors and Order of the Phoenix was there waiting for them, arresting or downing Death Eaters and taking few if any losses of their own. Voldemort knew he had a spy in his midst, but could not figure whom. He was leaning toward Wormtail or Bella, but was so filled with paranoia he didn't dare accuse anyone yet.

Amelia Bones was proving to be a great choice for Minister. She immediately started recruiting more Aurors, and raised their pay and benefits. She reached out to the goblins to try and heal old hurts, and hired several to head departments in the Ministry. Madame Bones also worked tirelessly on researching ways to defeat Voldemort, but found that Dumbledore was not very forthcoming with information or help, which had her suspicious.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Dumbledore still called Harry into his office for monthly visits, much to Harry's annoyance.

"Well, my boy" Dumbledore twinkled, pushing the bowl of tainted lemon drops over to him, "how is it going with you?" It was May and the year was winding down. Students were all in a panic of studying, and Harry had plans for the summer on his mind.

"Fine, sir" Harry answered politely, declining the lemon drops and reinforcing his mental shields. "Oh – here are some more lemon-drops. Ron gave me some for Christmas and I really don't care for them." He handed a fresh bag over to his headmaster, who took it with a smile. "Any chance I can forgo staying with the Dursleys this summer? I do turn 17 in a couple months." Harry knew the headmaster would expect him to ask just that.

"Now Harry, you know your Aunt and Uncle really do care for you deep down" he smiled sappily at him. "Anyway, that month spent with them is the last time you can take advantage of your mother's blood protection. Keep strong while you can – you never know when the final confrontation will take place."

"Well, starving and beating me is a very strange way of showing they care. I'm glad Hermione is less demonstrative then they are." Perhaps sarcasm wasn't the best way to deal with Dumbledore, Harry mused to himself, but some things just had to be said.

The headmaster leaned forward at bit, and Harry could feel the magic bouncing off his shields. "You know, my boy, I'm really quite disappointed at your engagement to Miss Granger. You both are much too young to be considering marriage. I really do not feel she is suitable for you at all."

Harry raised his eyebrow, and kept his temper well in check. "I don't think that's any of your business, sir. You kept recommending Ginny for me, and quite frankly, I feel she is hormonally out of control and quite shallow. As for being too young, the average wizard in Britain marries at age 18, which is what we plan, and 14 of wizard marriages are still arranged by age five, and we are a bit older than that." Harry enjoyed the mental shouting and sputtering that was going on in Dumbledore's head after he finished talking.

"Harry, I only want what's best for you – you know that. We are just worried that after all you have been through, and all you are going to face, a commitment like marriage isn't, perhaps, in your best interest. Also, you are famous, Harry. There are many great and well established wizarding families around the world that you could align yourself with through marriage for great political or financial power. Did you ever think of that?"

Dumbledore's wand hand was under his desk as usual, and the spells were just flying and bouncing off Harry's shields. Fawkes the Phoenix was giving strange looks at the pair of wizards. The young wizard cleared his throat and gave a firm look to his headmaster. "No, Professor, I never did consider marrying for anything but love. I fell in love with Hermione, and I want everything with her that I was denied as a child – a loving home, children treated fairly, acceptance and affection. I want commitment. The only commitment I ever experienced as a child growing up with the Dursleys was their commitment to hurt me and use me as a house-elf. Frankly sir, I respect you as a powerful wizard and a hero to the wizarding world, but when it came to your decisions about my upbringing, you never checked up on me or investigated any of my complaints. I have to wonder about your priorities and how much you really do care about your students."

The headmaster's eyes stopped twinkling and glared at Harry with white-hot fury for a moment. With supreme self-control, he bit back the scathing comments on the tip of his tongue (that Harry was able to enjoy through the wonder of occlumency), and switched back to 'grandfather mode'. "Very well, my boy" he sighed sadly. "I'm sorry you feel that way. Someday my decisions will make sense to you – you have to understand that at my age I can see the big picture."

With that, Harry felt the meeting was over.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o

Luna watched the meeting on the telly between the headmaster and Harry with a shrewd look in her eyes. It was time for another request to Hogwarts for help with a prank…

Harry left Dumbledore's office shaking his head sadly. Perhaps it wasn't the wisest thing to do – telling the headmaster how he felt about his upbringing. And he really wanted to lash out, fire hexes, scream and smash things. But losing his tempter might cause him to reveal things about himself he didn't want the man to know. Harry wanted to be in control at all times.

Professor McGonagall came around the corner as Harry headed back toward the Gryffindors tower. She made eye contact with him, and nervously glancing at a nearby portrait, she gestured for him to follow her. His curiosity peaked, he willingly complied.

They walked in silence toward the elderly witch's office. Harry telepathically asked Hogwarts to stop the paintings from reporting to Dumbledore, as McGonagall obviously was worried about privacy. They entered the tidy office and she breathed a sigh of relief after shutting the door, gesturing Harry to a chair.

"Harry, I want to say things" she started immediately, eyes wide and brow damp with effort, "but I can't. There are things happening, people, events… can't speak!" Harry watched her with alarm – was she having a fit?

"Oh!" he blurted with realization. "You took an oath!" She nodded with palatable relief. "You are trying to warn me?" Again, McGonagall nodded, unable to vocalize against the oath.

The Boy-Who-Lived took a quick reading from her, and saw that his containing of the desk hex had done the trick. Minerva McGonagall did not trust Albus Dumbledore anymore, but he had taken a wizard's oath from her for her loyalty several years back – to say anything against him would cause her death.

"Stop now!" he cried out – grasping her hand. "I understand! Do not say a thing – it could kill you!" Harry felt panic rising in his chest – that his transfiguration professor was willing to risk her life to simply warn him of her suspicions was beyond comprehension. He gazed into her face, willing himself to speak calmly.

"Professor – I already know Dumbledore is not to be trusted. I know everything going on. We will not speak any more of this. Thank you for trying to warn me – it wasn't worth dying over!" Harry was gratified to see the color returning to her cheeks and her calmness restored.

"You know?" she asked.

"I can't tell you more, because I don't want to put you in any more danger – from your oath or from the headmaster's probing." Harry shook his head in fury. "How could he demand a wizard's oath for loyalty – that's too general and subject to interpretation!"

A single tear escaped the woman's eye and slowly trailed down her parchment-like cheek. "I loved him once" was all she said.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o

Albus had calmed down from his meeting with Mr. Potter. It hadn't gone as he wished, but at least he knew the boy would be returning to Privet Drive for the summer. As long as the Order believed there was blood protection there, his boy could be kept safe and contained, beaten into submission, and the Order was willing to keep him there.

He leaned back in his chair, idly sucking one of his beloved lemon-drops. A slight glint of light reflected off one of the portraits, but it didn't catch his attention. He was pondering how Harry could resist all his spells when it came to Miss Granger. He had tried various repelling curses so he wouldn't be attracted to the muggle born witch, many charms to force him to feel attraction to Miss Weasley – nothing worked. Another glint of light caught him, and he glanced at another portrait of a headmaster, but didn't notice anything.

Perhaps Mr. Potter and Miss Granger had bonded somehow. That would make him impervious to everything, including love potions. It was unfortunate – he really wanted to arrange a more politically viable marriage for the boy if he survived. Oh well – no point crying over spilled potions. He caught another glint of light out of the corner of his eye.

This time Dumbledore sat up and really looked at the portraits in his circular office. They were not acting any differently, but every time one looked at him, their eyes twinkled. Just like his own. "All right now – stop it please" he growled with irritation.

The portraits all look at each other with confusion. They had no idea what the current headmaster was on about. Hogwarts had not only charmed the portrait's eyes to sparkle anytime they looked at Dumbledore, she charmed them so they couldn't see it themselves.

"Er, excuse me Albus. What are you talking about?" Former Headmaster Derwent asked with concern. Her eyes were twinkling as merrily as Albus' on a grand day.

"You know very well" Dumbledore glared at her, his own peepers glinting with anger.

"How about cluing us in, then" she sniffed back, and turned her back to the Mugwump.

"Arrrrrrrgh!" Dumbledore slammed his hands down on his desk with frustration. He stormed out of the tower office, hoping a nice lunch would calm him down and give the portraits time to go back to normal. It wouldn't though. Every portrait in the castle was charmed for eye twinkles for a day. And Albus was the only one who could see it. Oh, Albus had been the victim of far worse pranks, but this was just plain annoying. Eye twinkles was HIS signature effect!

O0o0o0o0o0o0o

Exams were over and so was the school year. Neville, Luna, Harry and Hermione were truly looking forward to the summer, and the ghost's promise of new teachers for them. Next in their intensive training would be wandless magic, animagus training, more spying, and meeting more magical creatures. Hopefully before the summer was over they could finalize a game plan for taking down Riddle for good.

They loaded their trunks and pets into their favorite compartment of the Hogwarts Express and settled into a game of exploding snap, waiting for the train to pull out of the station. Once the train was up to speed, they glanced down the hall for privacy and shut the door. Harry sent Hedwig out the window to Mrs. Longbottom for the summer, and Hermione popped Crookshanks into Godric's Suitcase, along with the other three trunks. The magical trunk was shrunk down and Winky was summoned to set it up in the room of requirement again. Once the elf sent them the telepathic 'all clear', one more glance out the compartment, and they popped right out of the train and into their summer home.

With sighs of contentment, the four unpacked their school supplies, flopped on the couches, and chatted and giggled, waiting for Dobby and Winky's start of summer banquet. "How long before Dumbledore discovers we disappeared?" Neville laughed.

"I sincerely hope he's in his office when he does" Luna smiled.

"And that we are sitting right on this couch" Harry continued.

"Munching Winky's excellent popcorn" Hermione nodded with satisfaction, ending the train of thought.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o

Ron and Ginny finished their prefect duties as the train sped on towards London. "Where do you want to sit?" the red headed boy asked his sister.

"I dunno. I suppose we could keep an eye on Potter some" she shrugged her shoulders.

Ron rolled his eyes. "I really don't want to, but if I don't report something to ol' graybeard, I won't get my check."

The siblings walked down to the Gryffindor's favorite compartment in the train, opened the door to find it empty. Completely and totally empty. After a short time to gather his wits, Ron felt around with his hands in case Harry was hiding under his invisibility cloak, but it wasn't the case. Harry was just not there.

"Should we go look for him?" Ginny frowned.

"Are you kidding? He is probably huddled in that stupid cloak somewhere laughing at us. Forget him." He glared and sat down hard. "Come on, Ginny – I'll play you a game of snap."

Another common question I've been getting concerns the relationship between Arthur, Molly and Harry, and Arthur, Molly and Ron & Ginny. I obviously haven't 'fleshed' the Weasleys out enough, and I'll go back and add a bit more down the road. But in a nutshell, Mum and Dad are clueless as to what Ron and Ginny are like at school. Keep in mind last summer Molly was bustling around moving to a new home with Ron's help and didn't see the interaction between him and Harry. And sadly, parents are very often oblivious to their children's failings. Arthur works long hours, and Molly has a very strong fantasy life – reads Witch Weekly and really has it in her head that Harry will hook up with Ginny some day, and her Ronnikins is the brave Gryffindor… but they will be woken up before summer ends…