A/N: I was really conflicted about whether or not to upload another chapter today, especially since I'm starting to work on the next book in the series. I'm almost to the end of writing in the story from Albus' point of view, I'll be sending the last chapters to my proofreader tonight.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter.

Moving back home and commuting between Hogwarts and Godric's Hollow was much better for Harry than living in the castle. He usually only stayed until his last class was finished, then he couldn't get home fast enough. He had also taken to doing Ginny's occlumency lessons in their home, he even moved Snape's portrait into James' room, where they were doing most of the lessons.

Today, however, Ginny would be meeting him after his final class of the afternoon. James was trying out of the house team, and they wouldn't miss it. He had replaced James' broom with the new one that morning, so he assumed that James had already found it. He and Fred had skipped all of their classes that morning according to the map, and Harry had the sneaking suspicion that they were using the time to prepare for the tryouts.

He was pondering this during the dueling club meeting, while the students practiced dodging spells instead of using shields. His attention was drawn back to the meeting by a stunner that barely missed his head. He heard Malfoy laughing "Best pay attention, Potter. Mr. Hunter apparently thinks you are his partner." Melvin Hunter was one of the few 5th year students that Harry had taken into the dueling club. His spellwork, if not his aim, was incredible for his age.

"I'm sure Mr. Hunter is just looking to test himself against tougher competition." Harry said, jovially, he had actually come to quite enjoy having Draco in the club. He had even brought Neville into the club on Malfoy's suggestion. The number of students who could produce the necessary patronus to get into the exclusive club had risen considerably when people found out that the only way in was to send a message by patronus to Harry. The first one had actually come when he was napping in his office between classes, and had made him incredibly grumpy for the next class. It seemed the entire seventh year was now in the club and more than half of the sixth. The fifth year had started with only three students able to join, but by the third meeting that number had risen to five times that amount.

Harry called a halt to all the pairs practicing, holding his wand to his throat as he spoke, amplifying the words. "I have an announcement to make," he started, "but first, I need to congratulate each of you on a job well done. In the three meetings, we've had, we've seen our number rise exponentially and all of you are better duelists than you were when we started. I have spoken to the Minister, and she thinks that the board of governors needs a way to gauge your progress." At this, whispers broke out amongst the students. "Therefore, we will be hosting a dueling competition to show your progress to them. Each house will select two students from fifth, sixth, and seventh years, to compete in the tournament. These students will duel in a single elimination, tournament style competition against the other selections from their house. The winner of each house's tournament will then duel that house's head of house." The whispers all stopped at this and they each looked at each other, some looked afraid, but Harry noticed that the Gryffindors all looked more excited than nervous.

He continued, "If any of you manage to defeat your head of house, I have arranged for you to compete in a professional dueling competition during the Summer Holidays." Harry paused, and motioned to a large piece of parchment hanging on the wall. "Anyone who wishes to participate, may sign this piece of parchment to be placed in consideration." He walked out the door as the entire dueling club rushed to get their names on the list.

"Harry, you know they're never going to be able to agree on who gets to compete." Neville said, catching up to him. Harry had already thought of this.

"They will, when they realize that they can't write their own name on the parchment." Harry had charmed the list to only accept a name that wasn't written by its owner. Also, the names weren't visible to anyone except the author, so their votes would be secret. It was, in Harry's opinion, one of his best pieces of charm work.

Harry made his way down to the quidditch pitch, accompanied by Neville. Upon their arrival, Harry realized he had been right about James and Fred's absence. He watched as James flew low over the field straight toward the base of the towering stands. Harry was just about to shout a warning, thinking that James didn't see the approaching stand, but just before his son went crashing into it, he pulled up hard on his broom and flew straight up, his toes grazing the wooden stand. Harry laughed and clapped at his son's display of skill.

James looked down in absolute horror at his father, knowing he was probably about to lose his new broomstick on the day he got it. He flew down and landed in front of his dad and Neville. "Hiya, Dad, Nev…I mean Professor Longbottom." James said, putting on his best I'm supposed to be here face. "Did you come to watch the tryouts?"

"Actually, we came to warn you." Harry started, barely keeping down his laughter, "Your mother is due to arrive any second, and if she sees that you've skipped all of your classes she may make you tryout on a Cleansweep One." Harry laughed at the dumbfounded look on his son's face.

James, after a moment, regained himself. "I'd still make seeker on a relic like that." He bragged, but he mounted his broom and flew away toward the castle.

"That was cruel," Harry heard his wife's voice come from beneath the stands, "Now he'll think he got away with it."

"How long have you been watching him fly?" Harry asked as his wife appeared out of thin air in front of them. "And where did you find my cloak?"

"Oh, James tried to pack it and the map in his trunk before he left for school. I guess I forgot to give it back to you." Ginny said innocently. "Hiya, Neville."

"Hi Gin, Neville said, been a while." Neville responded.

"Well, you never come to the burrow when we invite you!" Ginny said, intentionally acting hurt.

"Hannah tells me that you lot invite us nearly twice a month, I've been meaning to come but I hardly ever get the chance to leave the castle. When I do, well, you know." Neville's face was turning red, so Harry changed the subject.

"So, Ginny and I have a bet going about whether James will be a seeker or a chaser, you want in?" Harry asked.

"I'll put ten galleons on seeker. He's just too damn fast to be a chaser." Neville said, earning a glare from Ginny and a laugh from Harry.

The tryouts started at six that evening, seeker tryouts were first. James was by far the best flyer of the three students trying out. The chaser tryouts went a bit differently than expected, with Victoire, Dominique, and Louis all getting the nod. The two American twins, Ian and Ryan, made a fierce beater pairing. Fred got keeper, but only just. The young Susan, sister of Ian and Ryan, gave him a run for his money, saving the same number of shots in the first three rounds before losing by one save in the fourth round of ten.

After the tryout had concluded, Harry, Ginny, and Neville made their way into the castle to join the feast. Harry had avoided the great hall as much as possible since he started working at the school. He usually just grabbed some food from the kitchen and ate in his office, or went home directly if Ginny wasn't working and had food prepared.

During the feast, Harry noticed Ginny's owl fly through the great hall carrying the tell-tale red envelope that everyone knew was a Howler. It dropped the envelope in front of James, where it opened itself and screamed, in Ginny's voice. "How dare you skip your classes?! I have half a mind to send your broom back, if I ever hear about you skipping class for a silly reason like that I'll come teach as well! And I assure you, I won't be as easy going as your father! Oh, and by the way, congratulations on making Seeker, but you lost me twenty galleons, so you'll be paying that back with chores." The envelope then jumped off of the table and ran, directly into the fireplace.

Harry watched his son's face as the howler did its work. The coloring went from normal, to red, to green, and back again during the course of the howler's words. He laughed as his son realized that his mother must have sent the owl after the tryout. He turned to look at his parents sitting at the staff table, and joined in the laughter when he saw the laughing expressions on their faces.

After they had eaten their fill, Harry and Ginny walked out of the great hall toward his office, where they were going to floo to their house. "Do you have your broom here?" Ginny asked as they walked into the office.

Harry nodded, knowing what his wife was thinking. He moved, not toward the fireplace, but to a small closet that held his Firebolt, he hadn't brought the prototype to the school, fearing a student would see it. He and Ginny mounted the broomstick and flew from his office window. They flew over the grounds, and past the wards surrounding the school. They flew over Hogsmeade and the wooded areas surrounding it. They flew near enough to the burrow to smell the dinner that Molly had prepared for her grandchildren, most of them seemed to live there during the school year if they weren't old enough for Hogwarts. Then, they flew around Godric's Hollow, landing in the front yard of their home.

"How long has it been since we just flew? Just the two of us, flying. It used to be one of our favorite things to do." Ginny said, looking into his eyes as they stood in their yard. "It seems like we haven't been off the ground since this damned darkness appeared. I hardly leave the house except for work. And when I'm here, I always feel like that, that thing is going to be waiting around the corner." Ginny had nearly broken down into tears, when Harry grabbed her around the waist, pulling her close.

"Gin, nothing has happened in over a month, the house is under a fidelius charm, and you're safe. Besides, you've gotten good enough at occlumency that I don't think even Voldemort could get into your head now." He finished, kissing her. He pulled away after a moment, and mounted the broom again, pulling her with him. "And, as for the whole flying thing." He kicked off, and they flew, with no destination in mind.

In the alley across from the place where the Potter house stood, hidden, stood a man in black robes, his face obscured. He saw the two Potter adults fly above him, disappearing when they reached the property line. They reappeared a few moments later, flying the opposite direction. They looked at ease, happy.

"Good," the man said, "get comfortable, you're in for the ride of your life, Potter." The man smiled, unseen by anyone else, and spun on the spot, disappearing with a pop.

A/N (2): I was recently informed that my spelling of the House Gryffindor was incorrect. I am working to rectify that, presently.