Tonks awoke from the best sleep that she had had in months. She took a deep breath as she tried to remove the sleep from her eyes. It was then that she felt the comfy body that she was using as a pillow. She could smell something that reminded her of pine forest and as she looked up she saw that she had fallen asleep in the arms of the man that only last week she had thought she had lost forever. It was then that she remembered all that had transpired in the past two days and she once again had to fight back tears as she wondered for the tenth time if this was all a hallucination or if it all really happened. Not that she cared if it was all a figment of her imagination she was willing to sacrifice her sanity if it meant that she could stay like this forever.

"So you're awake are you?" his voice broke her from her train of thought and she looked up into his smiling face. As her gaze led her to those emerald eyes that she had dreamt so many times of being lost in she knew that it had to be real. Never before had they looked so perfect. Not even in her dreams where stared at her filled with love had they every been this amazing and once again she was at a loss for words.

"Hey are you okay." he asked. It was then that he noticed the water begin to build up at the edges of her eyes and knew that he had to do something. But once again he was not prepared to deal with a crying woman. But what happened startled him. Just as he closed his eyes preparing for the onslaught of tears that he knew was to follow a pair of lips enveloped his own. To say that he was shocked was an understatement. Once again he was at a loss as to what he should do and just as his mind began do kick start into gear she pulled away and rested her head on his chest.

"I don't care if this is real. I just want this to last forever." Tonks said as she listened to his nonexistent heartbeat. At this point a throughly stunned Harry began to laugh. She looked at him wondering what her imagination was doing laughing at her.

"Tonks this is real. I don't know how but I am here. I am alive...well sorta. Not sure what exactly I am but I am real." Harry paused to gauge her reaction. He was positive that the shear amount of emotions that raced across had to be a record or something. In the span of five seconds she went from a dreamy delirious state to happy, relieved, confused, embarrassed, shocked, and then back to embarrassed as well as twenty other emotions that he was positive he would never have heard of before. Then as if her hair was on fire she jumped from the bed, ran to the other side of the room and locked herself in the bathroom. This once again caused him to laugh as he rose from the bed and crossed the room at a much calmer and more reasonable pace.

"So mind telling me why it was that you kissed me?" he asked fully intending of taking advantage of the moment to embarrass her to the point that she would no longer be able to look at him.

"Nope not really." she replied from the other side of the door.
"Are you sure cause it sounded to me like it wasn't the first time that you did it. In fact it almost sounded like you thought that you were still in a dream." he tried to twist the knob on the door to no avail. Either she had locked it or she was holding it so tightly that it had broken off.

"Well you must have been hearing things. Cause it was an accident." she knew that it was useless. She knew that she would never live this one down. The graceful thing to do was admit the truth. But then again anyone who knew Tonks knew that she was anything but graceful.

"Oh well then I guess that there is no need to tell you that I enjoyed it is there. I mean if it was an accident." They both knew that he was playing dirty but fortunately it worked as no sooner had the words left his mouth did Tonks faint.

…

The headmistress was startled awake when she heard the knocking on her door. She didn't realize it but apparently she had fallen asleep at her desk. She knew that it would be hard to run the school but she had hoped that it would be a little easier once the term had started. But here it was halfway into the year and she was still up to her neck in paperwork. It had taken her almost all summer to find a new Transfiguration and a new DADA teacher. And then she had to reverse all the policies that the toad had put in place. She had only just finished that in order to start the new term. Luckily she had a very reliable charms teacher who had graciously taken on the roll of deputy headmaster and was able to handle all of the new students.

She was broken from her thoughts when someone knocked on the door once again. She didn't know how but she was certain that it was Hermione Granger who was knocking. Deciding to trust her gut she invited the young girl in.

"How can I help you Ms. Granger?" she asked as she opened the door. The younger witch walked in and sat down without hesitating.

"Well I am not sure if you knew this but after Harry died Hedwig has been staying with me." She said. But even though she had tried to keep her voice level the headmistress heard the slight waver at her dead friends name.

"Yes I was aware of this. Why is there a problem." she asked concerned for both the owl and one of her favorite students.

"That's the problem. She disappeared. At first I thought that this was normal. You know that she just wanted to get out for the night. But she hasn't come back and it has been two days now." She paused at this point as if wondering if she should continue.

"Well I can see why you wold be worried but Hedwig is a smart owl. Actually one of the smartest that I have ever seen. I am sure that she is fine." replied the Minerva hoping that it would help the girl.

"No it's not that. I know that she will be fine. The thing is I read in a book that some familiars are so in tune with their masters that they can even sense their magic no matter how scarce it is. What if she believes that Harry is still out there, in some form." she finished with a look that of hope for her friend.

Of course Minerva had read the same book. And she knew that it was a possibility. She also knew that some familiars were so in tune with their masters that when their master dies the familiar goes to their grave and sits there waiting for death as well. Of course Hermione knew this as well but refused to think that way hoping beyond hope that Harry was back... Back.

"He's back" the headmistress whispered to herself as she remembered what the young auror had told her just the other day. It was a long shot but she was more then willing to bet on it. Of course she couldn't say anything until she knew all the facts. Luckily Hermione had not heard her and was now staring out the window.

"Well it is possible Hermione that Harry might be back. But I wouldn't dwell on the thought. He wouldn't want you to think like that. He would want you go on and be happy." she was saying exactly what she knew the young witch wanted to hear hoping to be able to get her to leave while still being kind about it. She had to find out the truth.

"Do you really believe that he could be back?" she asked the exact question that Minerva didn't want to ask herself. Did she really believe that Harry could be back. Or was it simply that she wanted him to be back. It didn't matter now. She would find out the truth.

"I hope so." but even as she said it a small trickle of doubt entered her mind. "I really hope so." she was talking more to herself then the young witch in front of her. She watched as Hermione raised from the chair hope now shining in her eyes for her lost friend.

…

It was now five months since Albus had started to train Neville. And while the boy had lots of potential it was going to be a long time before he would be ready to hold his own against even one of the dark lords inner circle, let alone the dark lord himself. Maybe if he had trained Harry none of this would have happened. Maybe if he had told him about the prophecy he would still be alive. Maybe...

It had been like this everyday and every night since he had started the training. All of the maybes and the what ifs that had filled his head were driving him crazy. He knew that he shouldn't be thinking like this. That he needed to focus on training Neville. But even though he knew that he shouldn't he couldn't stop the thoughts from coming. Eventually it had gotten to the point that he had to use occulmencyto stop the thoughts in order to simply cast a spell.

He watched as once again Neville attempted to navigate his way through the course that he had set up. It was a simple course one that Harry would have had no problem with. Maybe that was his problem. The fact that he kept on comparing Neville to Harry. The fact that the prophecy could have been about either of them was the only thing that the two really had in common. Harry was a fighter. He was always best on his feet thinking by the seat of his pants. Neville on the other hand was best when he didn't have make a decision on the fly. Something that Albus was trying to change. He was trying to make Neville more like Harry. Able to make a decision on the fly. One that might mean life or death. Unfortunately Neville always froze in those situations and instead of making a decision that might save the lives of those around him he made no decision and cost the lives of everyone. Albus realized that it would be a long time before he was ready. He simply hoped that wizarding world would last that long.

…

After Harry had finished laughing to himself he slowly opened the door to find Tonks passed out leaning over the edge of the bath tub. As he slowly lifted her up and moved her back to the bed he began to think about last night and how she had fallen asleep in his arms. He thought about the kiss and how amazing it was. He watched as the sleeping witch moved in her sleep. Just then there was a tapping at his window and he looked out to see and old friend waiting for him. He walked over and opened it allowing the snowy owl to fly in and land on the headboard above the peacefully sleeping Tonks. Just as he was about to close the window and address his old friend another bird flew in. It was a crow. The crow landed next to Hedwig and stared at Harry.

"It's good to see you girl." Harry stated to his owl.

Good to see who?

Harry jumped at the voice that came out of nowhere. He looked around the room wondering where it had come from.

Over here.

Once again he looked around the room his eyes scanning now for disillusion charms and invisibility cloaks.

The bird on the headboard genius.

He took a look at the two birds sitting on the headboard. He watched as the crow smiled at him, an action that he would have thought impossible had he not been seeing it with his own eyes. It was now Harry's turn to faint and he did.

…

Harry awoke several hours later with a pain in the back of his head. He was back on the bed and he noticed that both birds were now sitting on a perch that was not there earlier. It was then that he remembered why he had fainted.

No you were not imagining things.

Even though he had been expecting it it still to Harry by surprise to hear the bird talk.

Technically I am not talking.

"Can you hear what I am thinking?" He asked as he got up off the bed. He noticed that Tonks was not in the apartment which made it slightly easier knowing that no one else would be around to believe that he was crazy.

Yes. Now before you say or think anything else I think that I should explain what exactly is happening. As you know you died. No easier way to put it you bit the big one. Fortunately... or unfortunately depending on your point of view the powers that be have decided that it is not your time. Or something like that. I couldn't care less. All that I know is that I am here to guide you through whatever crap it is that you gotta do.

"You mean defeating Voldemort?"

Yeah sure that guy. So I have been sent here to bring you back to life and give you some gifts so that you can do what you need to do then I get to do this spiel all over again with the next dumb ass that the fates decide got dealt a bum hand.

"So what are you like an angel or something?"

Ha. Don't tell me you believe in that whole heaven or hell crap. The bird paused to watch as Harry scowled at it wondering how he had managed to get such a idiot after all these years. 'Thought that they would finally upgrade me to something above a wet behind the ears teenager like this. Well might as well make the best of this situation and see how badly I can corrupt this guy.' the bird thought to itself knowing that while he could hear almost everything that Harry thought the opposite was not possible. A grin appeared on his face that looked exactly like what the twins would get while thinking up a new prank or product.

"Well if they aren't real then what the hell are you?" he asked wondering what type of nightmare he had gotten himself into this time.

I am simply a guide of sorts. Look all that you need to know is that I am the one that is in charge of training you to be able to do what you need to do. And trust me this is a lot easier on my part because you are a magical being. The last shit head that I had was completely useless. Stupid muggle bastard thought that he was a god of some sort. Needless to say it was hilarious to watch as my boss had to come down and clear the whole thing up. Harry knew that the bird was talking more to himself than it was to him. Luckily it gave him some time for his mind to comprehend all that was happening.

"So let me get this strait. I was killed. That one is pretty obvious." Harry continued ignoring the birds sarcastic reply. "And after I was killed the 'Powers That Be' decided that I was still needed to complete the prophecy and so they sent you to not only bring me back from the dead but also to train me so that I can complete the prophecy."

So far so good. Maybe you are not as stupid as you look. Now as I was saying the fact that you are a wizard makes it a lot easier as we can openly communicate. Luckily you are not the first wizard that I have trained. Not by a long shot. And you will doubtingly be the last either. Now I guess that I should introduce myself. My name is Grex. I was alive many many years ago about the same time as Godric Gryffindor your ancestor. Though I was from a different part of the world. I was a wizard such as yourself and known as one of the most powerful in the land.

"Alright Grex where do we start?" Harry asked eager to begin his training.

We will need a place to train. Preferably someplace secure. And yes before you ask you can bring along that Tonks woman. There are somethings that I will not be able to teach you alone. So for now I guess that we should get to know each other a little better while we wait for her to return.

…

Tonks had awoken to find Harry lying unconscious on the floor. Knowing after checking to make sure that there was nothing wrong with him she had placed him in the now vacant bed and had left to go into the office. The death eaters had been quite lately so there was little work other than the basic guard duties. Duties that were rarely given to the young auror. And today would be no exception. With nothing to do she decided that she should go and pick up a few things from Diagon Alley. She wasted no time in appariting to the mostly deserted alley that use to be the liveliest places she knew. She wasted no time in going into one of the many shops that inhabited the alleyway and quickly purchased a few things that she had been running low on.

After twenty minutes of shopping she was ready to go back to the apartment and spend more time with Harry. Just as she was about to apparate away something grabbed her arm. Turning she saw one of the last people she had been hoping to see that day.

"Hello Ms. Tonks do you mind if we had a word." and with that she felt the familiar tug of a portkey.