Author note regarding ages: When I begun writing Mad Sanity I made a mistake with ages (thanks to the dreamer-4 for pointing this out to me). Harry and Ariana should have celebrated their fourteenth last year, and fifteenth this year. But because I am so far down the line with the story now, I am going to keep them as they are (it is an AU fic). Age won't have that much influence, but my continuity has already been rather poor so I would like to keep that the same.

On with the story…

Chapter 37

Ariana walked up to Hagrid's. With everyone else away her choices had limited on who she could go and visit. Seeing as he was also one of the only teachers who had passed her he was definitely one of her favourite people at Hogwarts right now.

He was seating out of the steps with Fang by him and he smiled and waved as he saw her wondering up.

"Yer rite Ari?" he asked.

"Yup, I'm good. Just missing everyone." she told him as Fang came to greet her and the dog started soaking her hands making her laugh.

She loved him. He was such a sweet dog and very affectionate.

"I suppose you find it hard being here without the others being about."

"Not hard, just weird." she admitted with a shrug.

"Ay, I guess so." he nodded. "Glad classes are over though?"

"Yeah. Thanks for passing me." she said, suspecting he had done so out of the goodness of his heart rather than because of her grade.

"Had no choice, did I? Yer did well this year." he congratulated her.

She laughed, embarrassed.

"I was proud of you."

"Aberforth said the same thing."

"Must be true then." he shrugged. He was a good person. He was kind and he was gentle and he was one of the best people she knew. She didn't spend enough time with him when he was so kind to her.

"I don't know. The term has ended really weirdly." she said to him.

"Yer tellin me. I don' t think in all ma years here it has ended on such a note," he shook his head.

"From what Harry was saying every year he has been here something has happened. He said told me about the stone, and then the chamber, then I turned up last year and now he has come back!"

"Ay, when you say it like that its sounds bad - "

He shrugged and shook his head.

"Why is it good stuff never happens. And when it does it is over shadow by the bad?"

"I don't know. The news don't highlight the good enough."

"Though it seems they aren't publicising the fact he is back too well either."

"I know. I don't know what the prophet is playing at I really don't. I were talkin to yer brother about it earlier today.""They are calling Harry a liar." she said degusted; she knew him and he was no liar. It was just so unfair. Why was everything like this happening? When he had been through so much already, it was not what he needed.

"I know. Its wrong. Ent that lad been through enough already."

She more than anyone knew he had been through more than enough already. If he got back to the wizarding world next week to find that she wasn't sure what he was going to do. Shaking her head, she let the half giant put his arm about her as they shared a moment of grief for Harry and worried about what was just about the corner not just for him, but for them all.

-

"The new headquarters we are going to be using will be Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of Sirius Black. It isn't the friendliest place in the world but it is the safest for us, that we know of." Albus told his brother.

"When is the first meeting going to take place?""

"Tomorrow night." Albus informed him.

"Right." he nodded.

"Will you be bringing our sister?"

"From what I remember an Order meeting is no place for a child. No, I'll ask Rosmerta to watch her for the evening. She can do some homework or something." he shrugged.

"That's a wise decision I think." he nodded. There was so much on his mind and he felt the only one he could share it with was the man who was before him. "Hagrid leaves for the mountain this evening."

"So everything really is under way for the return of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"It looks that way."

The two brothers wondered into Albus's private quarters and sat down on his chairs. Albus had always known this day was going to come he thought to himself. How could it not? Yet he had prayed it was not going to come to pass. Memories of last time, just as they did for everyone else, still haunted him. But this time he knew it was going to be the same. The stakes were higher. In fact, they had never been so high.

Not only for them but for the entire wizarding world. In ten years it had seemed they had moved on so much from the hell which had been. They had made progress away from what had been.

There had to be an angel watching over him if he was going to help carry the wizarding world through this. However, perhaps to his heart more importantly his family. Despite their ages he was still the eldest of the two brothers. Aberforth wouldn't be happy if he knew he still thought of him as his little brother and yet it was true. He did. Holding the three of them together had to be a priority for them all. But especially for him. He was the eldest.

-

"Can't I just stay here?" asked Ariana when she heard she was going up to The Three Broomsticks.

"Afraid not. I have already asked Rosmerta to take you now."

"Oh but come on, it is my sixteenth birthday in a matter of weeks. The fourth of august is not so far away now brother mine."

"I know it isn't. But until that day, and indeed till you come of age you are a child. And I am going protect you as I see fit until then. You are going to be spending the night at Rosmerta's whether you like it or not darling. Get used to it." he said to her as they sat by the bar.

"Fine I'll go. But I won't enjoy it."

"You don't have too." he shrugged as he teased her. "The Order meeting won't be so long. I'll be back before you know it, I'll come pick you up."

She nodded. He knew as ever he was only trying to do the best thing for her.

Going down the road wasn't so bad. She only wished he would let her have five minutes to herself.

Still she knew what she was going to use the evening to do.

-

Dear Harry,

I know we are only apart for a week, and they say that absent makes the heart grow fonder but I wanted to write to you.

It so funny to think I have been here in this era for a year now. Almost over. I have made some great memories and even better friends. But you're the best.

Its always been you Harry.

Now our sixteenth birthdays approach and we'll spend them together. Then the new term…

For all the horrible things in the world that are going on right now I can't help but be grateful for the good.

I can't help but be grateful for us.

As ever,

Your devoted Ariana.

Your devoted….

Those two words spun round Harry's head as he went to sleep and they broke through the depression that had begun to take hold. She had indeed been right to send him the letter and it was with anticipation he thought of their reunion.