A/N: Ok, thanks to all of those who kept my family in their prayers this week. My uncle is slightly better (they thought that he would be dead by the end of the week). He still has only a 5 chance of surviving, but miracles happen! Anyway, here's a response to some of your reviews (been too busy to actually email you the reviews!)

Silverjazz: ok, it's denial, you said Dumbledore from the beginning 

Butler: Yep, Dumbledore did say no spell, but he didn't say anything about a potion. I had forgotten about that!

Wolfbane2005: right now!

WeasleyGirl09: I actually update pretty often, and I'm glad that you like we all do (and if you don't…. then why are you on the site?)

Gweasleylover: yes, the potion is permanent, that's what Hermione meant by "as permanent as it can get" (or something like that)

Nemea: Your question about age will be answered in this chapter (my friend Alice asked me the same one)

Chapter 3:

Harry looked at Hermione. She could see tears in his eyes. He went up to Lily, and gave her a warm hug. To Lily, it felt wonderful to hug her son again.

"But, but you're all dead! How are you here now?" Harry asked.

"Hermione found a potion that can bring loved ones back to life; within reason," replied Sirius. Harry looked at Professor Dumbledore.

"You told me that there was no way that deceased loved-ones could come back to life," he said to his old mentor. "I remember you telling me that."

"I did Harry. First of all, I said, spell. I told you that there was no spell that could bring loved ones back to life. I never said anything about a potion. Secondly, I had good reason for telling you that too. I didn't want you to do anything…uncalled for. I don't think Moaning Myrtle would have liked to share her bathroom again," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. There was an awkward silence shared by the trio.

"We are so dead!" Ron mumbled.

"Why didn't you stop us?" Hermione asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Curiosity. I wanted to see if three second year students could successfully make a Polyjuice Potion; which you did. Just like I wanted to see if Ms. Granger would find the book with the Re-Birth Potion in it. I put it in the library at Number 12 Grimmauld Place the summer before your fifth year. I knew that Ms. Granger would happen upon it one day. I was just a matter of time."

"So, Albus, this was all planned from the beginning?" asked James.

"Yes and no, James. I placed the book in the library purely on faith. If it had been planned from the beginning, than I would have personally created the potion, and left specific directions for it. This was also a test of faith for Ms. Granger. A test to show herself what she's capable of doing if she sets her mind to it."

Ginny shifted uneasily, and tugged on the waistband for the jeans that she was wearing.

"I'm going to go and get some other jeans on," she told Harry. "I'll then go and get Cho and bring her here."

"Gin, aren't those jeans new? Don't tell me that you've shrunk them already!" exclaimed Hermione. Ginny shrugged, and kissed Harry's cheek.

"I must have. I'll be back soon," she said right before she Disapparated.

"Harry," James said to his son. "Are you doing anything for your birthday today?" Everyone was now sitting in Ron and Hermione's living room.

"Mrs. Weasley is throwing a huge party this afternoon at the Order Headquarters," Harry replied. Sirius scowled.

"I was hoping that that building would have 'accidentally' been burned down one day by Fred and George," he said. Dumbledore chuckled.

"Where is the Order Headquarters now?" asked Lily.

"At Sirius' old house. I was perfect, except for that horrid picture of his Mum that didn't like us there," explained Hermione. James began to laugh.

"Well, Padfoot," he said. "Looks like your Mother found a way to harass you even after her death. Your worst nightmare came true." Everyone laughed. A pop was heard in the spare room, indicating that someone had just Apparated there.

"We're in the living room, Gin!" Ron called out. Slow, cautious footsteps could be heard walking down the hallway. Cedric stood up from his seat in a kitchen chair. He knew that it wasn't Ginny that had just arrived.

Meanwhile, Cho was walking slowly down the hall. Ginny was supposed to be right behind her, but she had gotten delayed Disapparating for some reason. The house she was in was strange to her. She was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, but hse had never been to Ron and Hermione's house. She had approached Harry after Dumbledore's funeral, and told him that she wanted to help. A few days later, Remus had Apparated at her flat, and took her to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She saw Harry a few times that summer, but one day, he, Hermione, and Ron were gone. Cho had wanted to hunt down any information she could get on Peter Pettigrew. He had, after all, killed Cedric. She had spent hours pouring over any information that she could get on the Marauders. The Order had hoped that Peter or his friends might have mentioned something in their younger days that would hint where the Death Eater was hiding. Remus would help too when he was at headquarters, but it was mostly Cho doing the work. Every once-in-a-while Remus or someone in the Order would drop off an old note or textbook that he or she had found either at home, or at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. It was Cho that had killed Peter Pettigrew. She now had two scars on her neck that formed an "x" to prove it.

Cho saw a figure stand up, and walk to the kitchen. His back was turned, but she would have recognized him anywhere. He had aged, he was no longer 18, he now looked like he was the right age, 25, one year older than her.

"Cedric?" she said. He turned around. It was Cedric! She ran down the hall, and threw her arms around his neck. Ginny Apparated in the living room, and slid silently onto Harry's lap. Meanwhile, Cedric took Cho's face in his hands, and kissed her passionately. Nobody seemed to mind that the couple was kissing. After all, they hadn't seen each other in over 7 years.

"Where were you?" Harry whispered in Ginny's ear. She smiled, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I was waiting to make sure that Cho got here safely. I also stopped by the Burrow, and told Mum that the potion worked," she replied.

"Don't tell me Mum knew about this too!" exclaimed Ron. "Merlin! Was I the only one that didn't know?" Hermione and Ginny stopped to think. Ron held up his hand when they both opened their mouths to reply. "On second thought, don't answer that. It's best that I don't know that one." Cedric pulled Cho into the living room, and they sat up against the wall together.

"Hello, Cho," Harry said.

"It's nice to see you, Harry," replied Cho.

"Cho, these are my parents, Lily and James Potter, and my godfather, Sirius Black." Cho smiled.

"It's nice to meet you all. It's also good to see you again Professor Dumbledore," she said sweetly.

"Thank you, Ms. Chang," Professor Dumbledore said. Cho tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her hair was a crop-cut that came down to her shoulders, and the tips were dyed a dark auburn. The scar on her neck caught Cedric's attention. He tilted her head to the side, and looked at it.

"What happened to you there?" he asked her.

Cho replied, "A spell from the man that killed you."

"Um…Mum, Dad, Cedric and I were in the Tri-Wizard Tournament together a few years ago," Harry said, desperate to change the subject.

"The Tri-Wizard Tournament? Was Hogwarts hosting it?" James asked.

"Yes," Hermione replied. "We were competing against Beauxbatons and Dumstrang. That was an interesting year."

"Have you heard from Fleur Delacour or Viktor Krum? How have they been?" asked Cedric.

"It's actually Fleur Weasley now. She and my oldest brother, Bill, got married about five years ago," Ginny explained. "But I don't think we've heard from Viktor in a few years."

The four friends began to tell Harry's parents about their years at Hogwarts. They would interrupt each other periodically to add a detail, or correct something someone had said. Ginny had become uncomfortable when they got to her first year at Hogwarts, but Harry and Ron breezed through the story quickly. When Harry got to the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Cedric helped tell the story.

"Ok. Harry, Cedric, what was worse? The dragons or the Lake?" Sirius asked. Both men stopped to think.

"It depends on who you ask," Cedric said. "The dragon was harder to defeat, so it was harder physically. The Lake had a time limit. We had one hour to get to the bottom of the Lake, find our 'hostage', and get back up to the surface. Also, we weren't told how to breathe under water. We were basically on our own. It was much more challenging mentally." Harry was about to open his mouth in agreement when green flames shot up in the fireplace, and Mrs. Weasley's head appeared.

"Siriu! Albus! Oh, Lily and James! It's great to see you all! Just wanted to let you all know that the party's going to start soon," Mrs. Weasley said. "I'll see you all soon."

"Molly, do you need any help getting ready?" Harry asked his mother-in-law. Molly shook her head.

"No, no, Harry dear. It's your party; I don't want you to help. Besides, we have enough help; the twins are here. I'll see you all soon." Molly pulled her head out of the fireplace, and the emerald flames died down to nothing.

"I'm sure the twins are thrilled about helping out there," Hermione said sarcastically.

"They're probably making things worse, not better," Harry pointed out. Ginny shook her head.

"Angelina and Katie are there. I'm sure they're trying to keep them in line," she said.

"How's the joke-shop going? I only heard random ideas over the summer, and Molly and Arthur yelling about how Fred and George left school," asked Sirius.

"It's going good," replied Ron. "They finally moved out of the flat about their shop when they got married 2 ½ months ago. Now, they live in houses next door to each other."

"Fred and George got married?" Dumbledore asked.

"They married Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson on the same day so they wouldn't forget their anniversary as easily," Ron replied.

An hour later, the large group Apparated at Number 12 Grimmauld Place for Harry's party. The smell of Molly's cooking wafted up to the foyer from the kitchen. Tonks was coming downstairs when she caught sight of Sirius and Professor Dumbledore.

"Sirius! Albus! How? I mean, what?" she asked. Sirius smiled, and gave his cousin a huge hug.

"It's good to see you, Tonks," he said to her. "I see you still have your bubblegum pink hair." Tonks shot Sirius a deadly stare. Mrs. Weasley could be heard shouting in the kitchen.

"Fred Weasley, you get off that broomstick right now, and help your poor wife move that table!" she yelled. Harry laughed. He could tell that this his birthday was going to be far from boring.