Quidditch, Occlumency, and Birthdays

Harry awoke the following morning to the smell of strawberries and the vision of strands of flaming red hair across his face. The grass beneath him was crushed into a kind of bunk bed, and Ginny looked like a manifestation of all his dreams come true. He grinned at the thought and made to get up. Ginny awoke too and stretched. The first thing she saw was those brilliant green eyes that had so much captured her fantasies. She grinned at him when she saw him grinning at her.

The two of them entered the house through the balcony door which led to the lawn they had just spent all night at. As they walked up to the East Wing, they saw lots of things.

Ron slept heartily in the first room, while Hermione was already coming out of her room and smiling at them. "Good morning, Harry, Ginny."

"Good morning, Hermione!"

A second room had Nymphadora Tonks preparing to sleep, apparently having worked all night. The room next to her was her cousin, Sirius Black's, and Sirius kept turning into a shaggy black dog. The next room had Remus Lupin, and Harry remembered that tonight was the full moon, and that was why Sirius kept transforming into his Animagus form. So Sirius could keep Remus Company.

Other rooms were having Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred, George, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, all of them either sitting on their beds or arranging their beds, or in Fred's case, experimenting on Canary Cream as George howled with laughter seeing Fred covered in feathers.

"Which room have you selected, Ginny?" Harry asked. He had just realized Ginny hadn't stopped at any of these rooms to freshen up or anything. Ginny blushed.

"Harry, there is this room adjacent to the staircase area that has a balcony overlooking the lawn. I want that room, but Mum and Dad say that room is probably meant for someone special. So, I'm just chilling out at Hermione's for the time being.

Harry stared at her. "First of all, Ginny. You are special to me. So, you can have that special room for yourself. That was my grandmother, Euphemia Potter's chambers. It is not only a room but also a small sitting room. Secondly, the East Wing alone has thirty rooms, and you can select any one of them without having to share with anyone else. Thirdly, as far as I've seen, no one is using the rooms in the West Wing."

Ginny beamed at him. "I love you, Harry!"

"I love you too, Ginny!" Harry grinned, "Now, let's get you settled in Lady Euphemia Potter's chambers, shall we?"

"Ginny, you're using those special chambers there?" Hermione was amazed as Ginny collected her belongings from Hermione's room.

"Yes, Hermione. Harry specifically told me I can use it!" Ginny smiled.

"Ginny, you're bloody well lucky, and you know that! Lady Potter! The Chambers of the earlier Potter Ladies!" Hermione grinned.

After helping Ginny, Harry went to Hope. "Hey, Hope. I was wondering if you could show me the way to my room so I can freshen up."

Hope stared at Harry as though Harry was either drunk or was pranking her.

"That would be obvious, Harry Potter, sir! This is your room!" She indicated the vast Masters Bedroom, and Harry's eyes widened. "But that's the Masters Bedroom!"

"And you are the owner of the house and Hope's master, Harry!" a bemused voice said behind him to reveal George.

"Well, Fred, I think we'll need a repetition of the first of September 1991 now!"

"Anytime, George!" Fred grinned. "On the count of three. One, two, three!"

George and Fred lifted Harry suddenly and threw him on the bed with evil and identical grins. "The only difference, George."

"Is that in 1991, we moved Harry's trunk."

"And now we move Harry Potter!"

They laughed and left the room, leaving Harry to explore the softness and warmth of the sheets. At the balcony sat a snowy white owl basking in the morning sunlight.

"Hedwig!" Harry said happily. Hedwig hooted with glee and drifted to sleep.

Harry munched his toast and peanut butter with delight as he savored the Masters Bedroom. His room. A vast, gigantic room! Even all the Dursleys' bedrooms were smaller than this one. The King Size Bed with red and gold handings, a large balcony overlooking the entire lawn and fountain area and part of the front yard, and a comfy bathroom with a gigantic bathtub very much like the one in the Prefects Bathroom at Hogwarts!

"Mollywobbles, let me sleep." Arthur said. His eyelids were drooping.

"Arthur, I'm not saying you shouldn't sleep. I'm merely saying let's check up on everyone before tucking in." Molly said, but an exhausted Arthur had already drifted off to sleep after a busy night. Molly had also had a busy night, not that she had slept last night. She, too, lay on the bed and was soon haunted by her usual dreams about Fabian and Gideon fighting Death Eaters. God, her nightmares were as bad as Ginny's. She inwardly thanked God that Ginny had Harry just like she herself had Arthur.

Bill sat on his bed yet again, grinning so much that his jaws hurt. His mind was occupied with the English lessons he was giving to a certain girl with silver blond hair with a French accent. What's more? She had even agreed to join the Order of The Phoenix! Today was that day, and Professor Dumbledore had very kindly told her that she could now take part in Order meetings and Order activities! Bill knew the goblins had noticed how he had suddenly started having that grin and were getting alarmed at this. He knew that goblins didn't trust wizards and witches. He didn't care. He was genuinely happy and not plotting anything, so why should he be concerned about what others think?

Charlie loved Potter Manor. He loved being near his family. But he also knew Professor Dumbledore wanted him to be in Romania and try and get in touch with as many foreign wizards and witches as possible. He would be leaving for Romania in two days. He decided to make the best use of his time with his family and friends while in the U.K. He saw Bill walk out of his room just then and accompanied him.

Percy came out of his room. He remembered a conversation he had had with the twins on the ninth of July about his two baby siblings and their love interests. He remembered Ginny, Ron, and Hermione discussing something very seriously in a close-knit group. His mind was nagging him there. Did they know something about the prophecy? What was it that made three teenagers bow their heads and contemplate something as though they suddenly had the world on their shoulders? At the moment, the only person he could talk to about this all was also the person who wasn't a member of the Order of The Phoenix, so that he couldn't discuss it there. He made a mental note to ask Professor Dumbledore later.

Fred and George were still grinning at each other.

"Gred, you want Ange here, right?"

"As if you don't want Alice here, Forge?"

"They aren't members of the Order, Fred. Besides, we being Order members, if we associate too much with them, Death Eaters will not hesitate to harm them or target them so they can get at one or more of us." George's grin was replaced with a more severe look. Fred stared at George. George was the more serious, responsible, thoughtful, kinder, and sensitive twin. Fred knew and appreciated that.

"That's okay. We can talk to Professor Dumbledore about this and also ask the two girls if they're interested in being Order members. If nothing, we can ask Harry if we can invite the girls over for a Quidditch match or something." Fred thought loudly.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" George nodded, with a slow grin creeping up. Fred grinned too.

Ron awoke with a start. He was back in the library kissing Hermione at midnight, and suddenly a Snape-like Death Eater with the back of Quirrel's head for a face grabbed Hermione away from him! He had woken up with cold sweat.

"Bloody hell!" He cursed.

"You're awake, Ron?" It was Hermione. She came in, blushing to the roots of her bushy brown hair. Ron inwardly promised himself that he would die before any harm befell Hermione. He would protect her with his life.

"Bad dream?" Hermione's voice brought him back. He smiled bravely and put an arm around her. "Let me show you the Quidditch pitch. I'm not sure if Harry and Ginny are still in the lawn area. They were snogging there last night as we snogged in the library."

"What? How come I missed that? No wonder both of them were coming up the stairs into the East Wing early this morning. Harry and Ginny were here in the East Wing today morning. Ginny has moved into Euphemia Potter's chambers because Harry told her to. Harry is also in the Masters Bedroom, that's his room. We can still go to the lawn, Ron." Hermione smiled.

Ginny snuggled deeper into the warm sheets, just as Hope appeared with breakfast. "Oh, keep it here, Hope. Thanks!" Ginny beamed at Hope. Hope was so thrilled at the compliment that she literally hopped off to whatever she would do next. Ginny chuckled.

Sirius was tired. He had been changing into his Animagus form and back for the last one hour. He was ready for the long night ahead. He forced Remus to sleep, but he insisted on seeing Tonks again before doing so. Sirius shook his head just as Remus came back to his room. "There you are! Moony, if you neglect your health one more time!" Sirius barked.

"Padfoot, I'm fine, really! And I swear I'm not being careless. If I don't see Tonks every now and then, I get an anxiety attack! You know I love her!" Remus protested meekly.

"Ah! I see that Moony has become Prongs. But my statement still holds, Moony. You are neglecting your own health. Off to bed, now!"

"Okay, Padfoot! Jeez!" Remus complained like a teenager, and Sirius chuckled. If Remus was whining and complaining like this, it meant Remus was finally healing from everything he had suffered from November 1981 in the absence of Padfoot and Prongs thanks to Womtail's betrayal.

"Enter!" Dumbledore said. He heard a few pairs of footsteps and knew there must be atleast four people in his office. When he looked up, he was looking into the eyes of four Weasley boys and four girls, respectively. He recognized all the girls but couldn't place one of their names.

"Fleur Delaceur? Angelina Johnson? Alicia Spinnet? And?"

"Audrey Jones, Professor! I was a Gryffindor, and I graduated Hogwarts in 1994."

"Ah! Miss Jones! I now remember! You were a very reserved girl back in your time. But you were brilliant in Arithmancy! I recommended Miss Granger ask you for doubts during her third year here at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore smiled. "This is Angelina Johnson, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She and Alicia Spinnet here are Chasers of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And here is our charming Beauxbatons Triwizard Champion, Fleur Delacour!"

"Professor," Bill said, "Fleur wants to be a member of the Order!"

"And so do Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson!" George and Fred were quick to say.

Percy, however, was always the Prefect and Head Boy. He raised his hand and curtly said, "Professor Dumbledore, I would hereby like to request you to grant permission to Audrey Jones to join the Order of The Phoenix and be a part of our meetings and missions."

Dumbledore chuckled, "If the young ladies here agree to be Order members, then permission granted!"

"We do!" The girls were elated!

"Okay, I want you four to meet me at Potter Manor this evening at five. Mr. Weasley." He indicated the oldest Weasley brother. "I want everybody at Potter Manor to be available for the meeting. I also want you to inform Harry Potter, because that is frankly his house, that I'll be bringing a few other Order members today to Potter Manor."

Harry was sitting on the lawn, Hermione was lying on her stomach, and Ron and Ginny were leaning against the Manor wall. The four were enjoying the late morning sun. Just then, Bill Weasley came to the lawn. "Harry?"

"Yes, Bill?"

"Harry, so this is Fleur, Alicia, Angelina, and Audrey, our newest Order of The Phoenix members. Girls, this is Harry Potter. Audrey, you probably know Hermione. That's my sister, Ginny, and my brother, Ron."

"Hi, Fleur! Angelina, how are you? Alicia, how are you?"

"Arry! Good to see you! Ron, Hermione, Ginny! How good to see you all!" Fleur greeted them.

"Hey, guys! I'm good!" Angelina said, grinning.

"Hello, everybody! I'm splendid!"Alicia grinned.

"It is my pleasure to meet you all. Mr. Potter, I'm grateful that you have let us into this beautiful Manor. Mr. Weasley. Miss Weasley. I'm pleased to meet you! Hermione Granger, long time no see!" Audrey beamed.

Harry felt Audrey was somewhat like Percy. He grinned. "Pleasure is mine, Miss Jones. And please call me Harry."

"Then, it's 'Audrey', not 'Miss Jones'." Audrey grinned.

Fleur and Audrey took rooms in the East Wing, and Alicia and Angelina wouldn't be staying at Potter Manor at present. Harry counted nine Weasleys, two Marauders, Hermione, Tonks, Fleur, Audrey, Angelina, and Alicia in the house, his heart swelling with glee. So many people! In his house! Lunch was more a feast than a regular meal that day.

"Perce, who is Audrey Jones?"

"How do you know Miss Jones?"

"Where did you meet Jones?"

"When did you meet Jones?"

The twins kept nagging Percy with knowing looks, and Percy was red in the face throughout lunch. "Drop it, guys. She is my best friend, okay?"

"Best friend?" Ron grinned. Percy threw a cushion at him, which Hermione caught, saying, "Sure." Ron and Hermione had started communicating, of late, as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Harry thought. The two always had their own unique method of silent communication. And the knowing looks on their faces when they saw him with Ginny, or Bill and Fleur, or Remus and Tonks, or currently Percy and Audrey was enough to make the said targets go speechless and red in the face.

"I want to form a Quidditch team here at Potter Manor!" Angelina declared. "Quidditch tryouts at ten tomorrow morning! Every one of you!"She barked across the table during dessert time.

"Can I join, Miss Johnson?" A stern voice that Harry knew very well came in.

"Professor McGonagall! Of course! Oh, I would love it!" Angelina was jumping on her seat now. Minerva McGonagall gave her a rare smile.

Minerva was followed by Severus Snape, who glared at Harry down his hooked nose and put a piece of strawberry cake into his mouth as he went into the lawn. McGonagall sat next to Alastor Moody, who had just walked in, "Nice Manor, Lord Potter!"

At five minutes to five in the evening, everybody had settled down on various couches, sofas, and mats in the vast living room. In came Albus Dumbledore with his blue eyes twinkling.

"Arthur! Bill! Sirius! Remus! Nymphadora!" Tonks fumed at the mention of her first name but said nothing. "I hope we have the lessons planned out. Every member of the Order will have to undergo training to fight. I believe Lord Potter here is a capable leader and can plan the lessons alongside you all. Minerva and Severus will be here as well, as I'll also be visiting often. Harry, you not only have teaching schedules but will also have learning schedules! Of course, you all can have your Quidditch tryouts tomorrow, but I want the lessons to begin in the next two days. Voldemort is already gaining followers, and Hagrid and Madame Maxime are already on an Order mission!"

"Hagrid is not in the U.K.?" Harry blurted out, shocked. Hagrid was one person he most definitely was looking forward to meeting. He was hoping that Hagrid would visit Potter Manor one of these days. But now, Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was out on a mission for the Order of The Phoenix, and Merlin knows how long it would take before Harry could see the Gamekeeper again.

He looked at Fleur Delacour, who appeared surprised too. "Madame Maxime is also on a mission?" She was telling Bill, who squeezed her hands and mouthed, "I'm sure Hagrid and Madame Maxime will be fine."

Harry felt Ginny in his mind and looked across the room where she sat next to Ron. She didn't open her mouth, but Harry clearly heard her voice mouthing the exact words Bill spoke. Harry wondered what this telepathy meant. To his surprise, Ginny shrugged, and he heard Ginny "Even I don't know, Harry. I can hear your thoughts easily, and it seems like the same goes for you too."

"Occlumency?" It was ten, and most of the inhabitants of Potter Manor had gone to bed. Alicia and Angelina stayed at Potter Manor for the tryouts the following day, while McGonagall and Snape had left soon after supper. McGonagall would join them for the tryouts the next day. Albus Dumbledore looked serious.

"Harry, you need to block your mind from Voldemort. You share a special connection to his mind, and you both can see and feel each others' emotions and viewpoints. This connection must be stopped if you have to be trained to fight him. I can train you, prepare you for the fight, only when yours and Voldemort's connection is reduced. That's possible only if you learn to block your mind. Listen to me carefully. I shall explain how you should do this."

Dumbledore went into Harry's mind just when Harry heard Ginny's voice, "Tom, NO!" Dumbledore broke the connection and was white in the face. Harry immediately ran over to Euphemia Potter's chambers, where Ginny clearly was having a nightmare.

"Ginny!" With a speed that would make him look as though he just apparated, Harry rushed to Ginny. When he held her, she clung to him, crying. However, she stopped crying soon after and was dozing off in Harry's arms. Harry, however, heard her voice as though she was speaking, "You have come, Harry! You've come for me. I feel so safe!"

"Sorry, Professor." Harry apologized to Dumbeldore. But Dumbledore merely stared. "You both are true soul mates! You can communicate with each other in your minds! Your magic is connected. Your thoughts and feelings are in sync! Oh, you have no idea how happy this makes me, Harry!"

Harry was startled to see tears in Dumbledore's eyes! "Professor, are you alright?"

But Dumbledore walked away, muttering something about 'Powerful mind connection! He doesn't have to die for it to be destroyed!'

Harry had dozed off in Euphemia Potter's chambers that night. Ginny awoke in the morning in Harry's arms. She felt bliss coming from Harry and was happy that he was feeling blissful. Then came memories of the previous night. She had been in the Chamber once again. She frowned a little. What was this connection between her and Harry? This connection that can enable each of them to know how the other is feeling or what the other is experiencing. Harry waking up with a start did not surprise her. She knew her mind was reeling, and Harry had sensed it. "Uh, Ginny. What happened?"

Ginny spoke in her mind, "It is morning, Harry."

"Is it? Already? Oh, well, I know you're wondering how I ended up here. Dumbledore is teaching me how to block my mind to Voldemort, who can sense my emotions because a part of him is in me, presumably my scar. So Dumbledore wants to make sure Voldemort can't access my mind. Just as when Dumbledore demonstrated Legilimency, I heard you in my mind, and so did Professor Dumbledore. The two of us came straight here." Harry explained non verbally. Then he opened his eyes and said verbally, "Hang on!"

"We can listen to each other and communicate non verbally!" Harry and Ginny said at the same time.

"I'm sure Dumbledore realized this yesterday!" Harry remembered the previous night. "He went out of the room saying that we have this powerful connection!"

"Well, does this connection work only when we are close?" Ginny wondered.

"Today's a good opportunity for that! What position are you interested in?" Harry asked.

It took a while before Ginny understood what Harry was talking about. She grinned, "I'm into being a Chaser but wouldn't mind being a Seeker!"

"Tell me where the Golden Snitch is, won't you?" Harry teased.

"Oh, and drop the Quaffle and lose my team points? Ha! In your dreams, Potter!" Ginny laughed.

Very soon, they were all at breakfast. Harry sat five chairs away from Ginny and thought, "Sirius is so serious he siriusly can't be sirius!" Ginny snorted at this. "Wish there, Lord Potter has spoken!" She thought.

Both were sure they could now communicate from different ends of the room.

After breakfast, Harry climbed up the stairs when he heard Tonks speaking to Dumbledore. "That Cup, Professor! It is in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts! My mother has access to that vault, and she will bring that cup this evening to Hogwarts."

"Thanks, Tonks! I need that cup so Voldemort can be stopped."

"Why is that cup so important, Professor?"

"Remember Riddle's diary? The two objects are similar in this one aspect. There is also a ring and a locket. I've dealt with these three objects and will deal with the cup once I get it."

As Dumbledore left and Tonks went to her room, Harry felt sudden distress. He knew, without really knowing, that Ginny had heard this conversation through the mind connection.

"That monster split his filthy soul into different parts and defiled precious objects with it?" Harry heard Tonks mutter to herself in shock.

"To think I threw that filthy monster's soul into the toilet in my first year!" Ginny's mind voice was shaken but at the same time cracking a joke. Harry laughed out, "Oh my God, Ginny. Wait till you hear this! When Draco Malfoy called Hermione Granger the M-word, Ron cursed Malfoy to eat slugs. Ron performed extraordinary nonverbal magic. His broken wand, unfortunately, backfired on him. This had him vomiting slugs all day, even while in detention with Filch. He vomited multiple times on Voldemort's trophy!"

Ginny's laughter actually boomed outside her room and reached Harry. The two of them couldn't contain their grins as they walked down the Quidditch pitch at ten that morning.

Ron was there, although looking sullen. He had no broomstick. "Ron, you know you can use my Firebolt!" Harry said. He would lend his Firebolt to Ginny as well. Unbeknownst to both of them, he had ordered the new Nimbus 2002 for the two Weasleys. He would let them use his Firebolt for the tryouts, and the new broomsticks would arrive shortly.

There were now two teams. Ginny, Angelina, Alicia, Fred, George, Charlie, and Tonks were one team. Harry, Ron, Minerva, Katie Bell, Bill, Percy, and Audrey were the second team. Katie Bell had loved Potter Manor and was excited to check out the Quidditch pitch. Harry and Ginny were the respective Seekers.

That evening, Ginny's and Ron's new broomsticks arrived.

"Why, Harry?"

"You shouldn't have, Harry!"

"How do we repay you?"

"Oh, Harry!"

Harry cut across both their protests and insisted that they take their new brooms as gifts from him. When Mrs. Weasley tried to cut in, Harry said, "Oh! I'm late for my lessons with Dumbledore! You're both keeping it! It's final!" and went back to Dumbledore. His Occlumency lessons had begun, and Dumbledore was a very kind and patient teacher. He would help Harry whenever he had any difficulties, provide Harry with specific and detailed instructions, and proved to be an able teacher even with the responsibilities he had at that age.

About ten days since Harry first visited Potter Manor, Neville Longbottom and his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, visited the Manor. They were both members of the Order of The Phoenix and would stay at Potter Manor.

"So, Neville, you have a good view of the Quidditch pitch from this room." Harry smiled.

"Thanks, Harry!" Neville said happily as he settled into his new room.

On the evening of Neville's birthday, all the inhabitants of Potter Manor as well as Alicia, Angelina, Minerva, Severus, Mad-Eye, Albus, and some guests attended the joint birthdays of Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter.

Harry's cake was the shape of a huge Golden Snitch and was decorated with nuts and dry fruits.

Neville's was a chocolate cake decorated with cherries.

After the cakes were cut, everybody gave gifts to Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. Ron and Hermione hugged the two birthday boys hard and clapped their backs enthusiastically. The Weasleys were all cheering, and Fred and George let off fireworks into the sky. Ginny gave Neville a friendly hug and gave him his present before hugging Harry tight and capturing his mouth in a blissful kiss. She gave him a nice painting of her and Harry by the lakeside at Hogwarts. Neville, on the other hand, stared at Ginny's gift to him, which was a drawing of Neville happily chatting with his parents. "T-Thanks so much, Ginny!" he choked, "Means so much to me!"

"We're all there with you, Neville. It's okay." Harry and Ginny said together, then looked at one another and blushed, and Neville looked grateful.

Harry had given Neville an exotic Herbology book that he absolutely adored. Neville did the same to Harry, which he absolutely adored, except it was an exotic Quidditch book.

"Alice Longbottom was of great comfort to Lily Potter when her parents, that is, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, were murdered by Death Eaters in broad daylight. Lily was always grateful to Alice for that. Oh, I also don't think Lily's sister ever recovered from that murder. You see, Mr. and Mrs. Evans were murdered right in front of Lily's muggle sister." Moody seemed to be remembering a distant past. Harry's heart dropped like a stone. Aunt Petunia had witnessed her parents' murders, just like had witnessed his parents' murders? It must have shown on his face because Neville hugged him that very instant, "Harry, it's okay. We're all here with you."

Harry smiled gratefully.

As he looked away, he saw so many things. Ron and Hermione were engaged in a passionate kiss. Everybody else was either socializing or enjoying cake, Butterbeer, and the Rotis and Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Hope had cooked for dinner. Hope had selected Indian food as the menu for dinner. Angelina had announced during dinner that there would be a Quidditch final between the two teams at Potter Manor on the twenty-ninth of August (so that everybody had time to pack their trunks for September the First).

There was music, food, dancing, fireworks, and excitement. Harry's birthday had already come by the time the party came to an end. Everybody halted at Potter Manor for the night.