Chapter 26: The Second Party

Harry spent the next week in the Hospital Wing under the careful watch of Madam Pomfrey. Finally, he was let out to go home to Potter Manor, still weak from the battle. While being supported by Sirius and James, Harry walked onto the back porch. James had told him that they were going to play Quidditch and Harry should come watch. When they got to the porch…

"SURPRISE!"

Harry was shocked to see practically the ENTIRE wizard world in his backyard. Aurors, teachers, the D.A., parents of D.A. members, some people from the Ministry, the Order of the Phoenix members, centaurs, and fairies.

"What's this for?" Harry asked. "My birthday isn't for another month."

"You might say this is a "Thank you" party." Ron explained. "After all, you defeated You-Know…Voldemort."

"We're getting there." Harry stated about Ron's ability to say Voldemort's name. "You guys didn't have to."

"But we did." A man from the Ministry stated. "Hello Harry. I'm Rufus Scrimgeour. The new Minister of Magic."

"Nice to meet you." Harry said taking his hand from Sirius' shoulder and shaking Scrimgeour's while still steadying himself on his father.

"Here." James said. "Let's get you to a chair."

"Thanks." Harry said.

After Harry took a seat, he looked around at his visitors. He noticed that Molly had her hand on Percy's shoulder while his hand was in Penelope Clearwater's hand. Apparently, the middle Weasley had made up with his family. Fred and George saw Harry looking at Percy and they motioned to Percy and Penelope and made actions that CLEARLY told Harry that Percy and Penelope were going out, if not engaged or already married. It was all Harry could do not to laugh.

"'Arry." A voice came from the opposite of where he was looking. He saw a few strands of silver hair as he felt a kiss on both cheeks.

"Fleur." He stated when he recognized the woman. "What are you doing here?"

"I 'ave a job 'ere." She told him. "Bill 'as been teaching me Eenglish"

"Well, your English IS improving." Harry said catching Ginny's eyes. Ginny rolled her eyes and shook her head. Apparently, Bill and Fleur had been doing a bit more than working on her speaking skills.

"We are engaged to be married." Fleur announced. "Bill and I."

"Congratulations." Harry said as Ginny gave a look that said don't-remind-me.

After everyone had their say to Harry, they got to talking to each other. That left Harry and Ginny alone.

"Should we tell them?" Harry asked.

"Well," Ginny told him. "I heard a rumor about something that will happen today…"

"Is this the Order of Merlin I'm going to get?" Harry asked.

"Don't let anyone hear you." She told him. "We…left out that little detail when we told your parents about your powers."

"Please. Every Potter has those powers. When they get them is a different story."

"Anyways," she continued. "When you get it, I can just run into your arms and kiss you full on the lips."

"In front of your brothers?!"

"Yes. Unless you'd rather do it now and get it over with."

Harry looked at the Weasley family. He then realized something: every Weasley had a special someone. Bill had Fleur, Charlie (somehow) had Tonks, Percy had Penelope, Fred had Angelina, George had Verity (a witch he had met at work), and Ron had Hermione.

"No one's looking." Harry said.

They kissed.

Arthur, who had been talking to James, looked up and saw Ginny kissing Harry.

"James." Arthur whispered. "Look."

James looked and saw what Arthur was seeing.

"Rats." James said. "I owe Padfoot ten galleons. I told him that Harry would be the age I was when he got a girlfriend."

"If he had waited just a few more weeks…"

"No." James said. "He would have to wait a few more months. Lily and I didn't start dating until that Halloween. I didn't tell the guys until February."

"James?" Lily asked "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

She had seen Harry and Ginny

"If you mean the make-out session on the porch, then yes."

"My baby's grown up." Lily cried.

"Lily? Didn't we go through this lecture when Harry said his first word? AND when Harry started crawling and walking? AND during his first birthday party?"

"Yes." Lily admitted. "And we're going through this again when he gets married, and when he has kids of his own…"

"Here we go again." Arthur and James sighed. Lily had gone through this list during Harry's first birthday party.

The make-out session on the porch had now captured the attention of every guest in the Potter's backyard. When Harry and Ginny pulled out after realizing that they were going longer than planned, they looked out and blushed.

"If anyone has a problem with this, then they can step up. I'm sure Hermione would be more than happy to hex you." Ginny told them. "Or you can wait a few more weeks, and Harry can do it."

Everyone went about their own business.

"You KNEW about this?" Ron asked his girlfriend pointing at Ginny and Harry.

"I knew that Ginny had a huge crush on Harry, but I didn't know that they had actually decided to go out." Hermione told him.

"Pinch me." George said. "Hermione Granger said that she didn't know something."

Hermione gave him a look.

0000

"Everyone!" Rufus Scrimgeour said getting everyone's attention. "I have discussed this with the Ministry, and we've all agreed on something."

"Here it comes." Harry whispered to Ginny.

"For his bravery in battle against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Scrimgeour continued. "I am pleased to award the Order of Merlin: First Class, to Harry James Potter."

Everyone clapped as Harry gave Ginny an I-told-you-so look.

"He had a vision about it." Luna whispered to Neville.

"Thank you." Harry said as he received a certificate from the Minister. "But I couldn't have done it without my parents, my godparents, the Lupins, the Order of the Phoenix, and of course the D.A."

"Exactly, what IS the D.A?" A witch from the ministry asked.

"Just a defense club my friends and I formed during our fifth year." Harry explained. "Our teacher…don't get me started."

"So, D.A. stands for Defense Association?" a wizard from the ministry asked.

"That was the original plan, but we changed it." Harry said.

"It's Dumbledore's Army. We changed it to give Fudge a good scare." Ginny added.

"I was overruled." Harry defended looking at the D.A. members.

"Those who are members of the D.A., please step forward." Scrimgeour said.

The D.A. stepped foreword after Harry nodded it was okay. This caught their parents by surprise.

"How do you think we did so well on our OWLs in Defense?" Justin asked his mother.

0000

After the Order of Merlin had been presented, the Golden Group had joined Harry and Ginny on the porch. Ron had given his consent to his best friend dating his sister. He was shocked to here that they had been at it for a week already.

"So," Hermione asked looking at the Minister talking to James, Lily, and Dumbledore. "What do you think they're talking about?"

They were apparently arguing over something. Dumbledore more calmly.

"Me." Harry said. "That seems to be the subject for the day."

Lily finally got in between the Headmaster and the Minister and pointed at Harry.

"What did I tell you?" Harry asked.

The four adults walked up to the porch and joined the kids.

"Harry." James said gently. "Dumbledore had gone through the test scores and compared the D.A. members to the rest of the students who took the OWLs. They had done much better."

"Of course." Ron said. "Harry's a better teacher than the Toad."

"Ron!" Hermione scolded.

"You think so too." Ron argued.

"What are you getting at?" Harry asked.

"Well," James said. "Tell him, Albus."

"Your parents will teach for one or two more years." Dumbledore informed the student. "Because of how well the students tested, we would like to know if you would make the D.A. a school wide club."

"A…school wide?" Harry asked.

"That means Slytherins doesn't it?" Ron asked.

"Not all Slytherins are bad." Sirius told him as he joined them. "What's going on?"

"I'll keep the D.A. going." Harry said. "I guess, after I graduate, I can pass on the reigns to Ginny, and she could pass it on to someone else."

"Or, you can just keep teaching them." Dumbledore told him.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I think you know." Dumbledore said with that twinkle in his eyes.

"Well…I…" Harry stuttered. He hadn't taken his NEWTs and was already getting a job offer. "I'd have to think about it."

"Very well." Dumbledore said. "You have plenty of time."

"What do you five think?" Harry asked his friends.

"Bloody hell mate." Ron said. "Haven't even taken you NEWTs and already getting a job offer."

"And what's worse, it's the job Snape wants." Neville added.

Harry looked out and saw Snape talking to Mad-Eye. Apparently the Potions master had no idea of the job offer.

"I wonder." Harry said looking at Snape as if he was deep in thought. "I think I'll take the job."

"It was nice knowing you, mate." Ron said.

"Relax." Harry said. "Snape won't try anything. Apparently, a Death Eater was about to kill him while the others were preoccupied with Regulus, and I had knocked the Death Eater over when I jumped in front of Regulus."

"That's…Harry! That's two life debts in one action!" Neville exclaimed. "You save Snape's AND Regulus' life."

"Everyone has life debts now, Neville." Hermione told him. "We were saving each other."

"True." Luna said.

"Harry." Dumbledore said as he came up to the students. "I must be leaving now, but I have something for you and Miss. Granger."

He handed the two students two envelopes.

Harry and Hermione opened their envelopes and Harry read his silently.

Dear Mr. Potter,

After careful consideration, I feel that you are the best candidate for the Head Boy duty. Now that Voldemort is gone, you do not have as much going on. You will share a private suite with the Head Girl with your own private room and bathroom. Friends are allowed to visit the suite. I look forward to seeing you over the summer.

I am, yours most sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore.

"I KNEW IT!" Hermione cheered causing Harry to jump in his seat. She had read his letter over his shoulder after she read hers over three time. "I'm Head Girl!"

"I knew it, mate." Ron said patting Harry on the back. "When we were told that your father wasn't a prefect, but was made Head Boy, I KNEW you'd end up with that title."

"I'm Head Boy?" Harry asked starring at the letter.

"Sounds like it to me." Neville told him.

"This badge is a bit of a give away." Ginny said handing him the badge that was enclosed.

Harry took the badge and looked at it. It looked like the one Percy had the year Padfoot broke out of Azkaban.

"Sirius is going to have a heart attack." Harry said. Suddenly, he smirked and looked out into the backyard. "HEY! PADFOOT! MOONY! PRONGS!"

The Marauders looked up to see what Harry wanted. Harry held up his badge for all to see.

"I knew it." Remus said to a shocked James and Sirius. "He is most DEFINITELY Prong's son."

"I didn't announce it to the world though." James said.

"You didn't say a word to the world." Remus corrected.

"He's been corrupted." Sirius stated with a look of horror. He grabbed little Vega from Spica and held her to his face. "You will NOT be. You will be a prankster like your Daddy. You will groan if you are chosen to be a prefect, let alone Head Girl."

Vega just babbled at him.

"You have no clue what I'm saying." Sirius told her.

"Give me my daughter." Spica said taking her kid back. "I will NOT let you corrupt her. You can corrupt Remus' kid."

"If my child plays ONE prank," Remus told him. "I'm holding you and Prongs responsible."

"I think you started something." Ginny whispered to Harry.

"Good." Harry said wrapping an arm around her waist. "Keeps them occupied. By the way, Colin Lupin will be born the day we get back for Christmas Holiday."

TBC