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NOTE: With the exception of any original characters my mind may create, no one else belongs to me. All characters and places belong to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. That said, this is my first fan fic so be kind, or honest, whatever you want. Read, Review, Enjoy!



A hot wind swept down Privet Dr, lending no relief to the sweltering mid-summer heat. While most slept soundly in their homes comforted by their cool air machines, one teenager remained awake, abandoning the stuffy air in his small bedroom to climb onto the roof where it remained only a few degrees cooler than inside. He ran his hands through his sweaty hair, lightly brushing the lightning shaped scar he wore upon his forehead. Adjusting the round glasses which framed his emerald eyes, he brought the book he’d been given closer to his face, trying to read in the moonlight.

Harry gave up with a heavy sigh. This wasn’t helping him stay awake and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could fight the grogginess that always came over him when it was so hot outside. Tossing the book aside, he wondered how Hermione had finally convinced him to read Hogwarts: A History. Climbing to his feet and taking a stealthy walk around the roof to revive himself, he silently cursed his uncle who had closed off the vents going into Harry’s room so that the rest of the house would receive more of the synthetic cold air. He didn’t know but often wondered what he had done to warrant the treatment he’d received his whole life. It was a problem he often tried to figure out the answer to, but he didn’t have much of a chance this time, becoming distracted by the familiar image of a snowy owl flying toward him on her way back from hunting. Smiling widely, he held out his arm so that she could easily land. Hedwig, always careful not to dig her claws in too deep, latched on quickly before walking up to his shoulder where she perched herself and cooed quietly in his ear as if asking why he was still awake at such a late hour.

But no matter the hour, Harry couldn’t fall asleep; the incident at the Department of Mysteries was haunting his conscience. If I don’t sleep, I don’t dream, he silently answered the owl’s unasked question. The dream, or nightmare rather, was always the same- a flash of imagery that included Neville’s bloody nose, Luna helping Ginny walk on a broken ankle, Ron being attacked by brains, Hermione’s unconscious body, and ending with Sirius falling through that dark veil. He shuddered to himself just remembering it all and felt a sudden flash of anger. All of it, every bit, was his fault because he’d let himself be tricked by Voldemort and those working with him. The famous Harry Potter had gotten his friends hurt because he just had to play the hero again. And what had happened? Sirius and the others had needed to come save him instead, resulting in the death of his godfather.

"Harry Potter!" a small voice shouted in excitement, knocking him out of his fevered reverie. He was so startled, he lost his footing and landed hard on his back before sliding helplessly to the edge of the roof. He desperately grabbed for the gutter and caught it with both hands, leaving him to swing helplessly a few stories above the ground. "Harry Potter must hold on! Dobby is helping!"

And sure enough, the funny little head of Dobby the house elf appeared above him, clad in three large unusually shaped hats. "Hi Dobby." Harry said tiredly as he hung from the roof.

The elf rubbed his knobby little hands together. "Harry Potter lets go now."

"Are you sure?" He asked looked down. He knew the fall wouldn’t be great enough to kill him, but he couldn’t help but wonder just how many bones he could break if Dobby screwed this up.

"Harry Potter must trusts Dobby now sir."

And so he did. Carefully letting go of the gutter, he found himself floating in midair until he was once more able to feel the springy roof beneath his feet. "Thanks." Harry said as Hedwig hooted angrily from the window ledge. "I’m okay." He assured both her and the elf.

"Dobby is very sorry sir! Dobby did not mean to surprise Harry Potter, Dobby was sent with a message. Professor Dumbledore trusts Dobby and no one else to delivers Harry Potter his letter." He said proudly as he presented the envelope.

Holding it up in the soft glow of the nearly full moon, Harry recognized Hermione’s small, neat writing. "This isn’t from Dumbledore."

"No sir, Professor Dumbledore only asks Dobby to brings a message from Harry Potter’s friends. Professor Dumbledore says Harry Potter will be happy to have news on his birthday." Dobby answered with a wide smile.

"Well, come on, let’s go back inside before the neighbors wake up." He began making his way through the window, the small elf following close behind him.

"It is too hots in here sir." Dobby said looking uncomfortably around the room as he tossed the book Harry had forgotten on the bed.

"Sorry about that." Harry said, wanting to tear open the envelope but having the decency to try and wait for the visit to be over.

"Dobby can fix it." The elf answered, once more rubbing his hands together and ending with a sharp snap. Harry was amazed as the temperature dropped instantly and he began to see his breath puff out in the air in front of him.

"Too cold I think." He said through his suddenly chattering teeth, as the frigidness mingled with the sweat and turned his skin cold and clammy.

Dobby made an adjustment and the room evened out to a comfortably spring-like coolness. "Harry Potter likes this better?"

"Yes, thank you very much." Harry smiled and stretched away the sleepiness that the heat had brought over him.

"Dobby will leave Harry Potter to his letter. Dobby must be getting backs, sir, as we is preparing the castle for the students to return. We is very busy now, cleaning and scrubbing. Dobby likes being busy all the time and must gets back."

"Well, I won’t keep you. Thanks for bringing this to me, and I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself."

"Dobby is excited to have Harry Potter back at school soon." The small elf looked down shyly, the three hats he wore swaying on his head. "Happy Birthday!" he added before disappearing with the snap of his fingers.

Alone in the room at last, he let go of the small bit of patience he had and tore into his letter. As soon as the envelope was open, Hermione’s voice floated out of it quietly surrounding him as she began.

"July 30 8:00 p.m.
Dear Harry,
Ron and I and the rest of the Weasley’s just arrived at the usual place. We had expected to use an owl to get this to you, but as I’m sure you know by now, Dumbledore showed up with Dobby. But speaking of OWL.s, have you gotten your grades yet? I know WE haven’t. I shall have to speak with Dumbledore the next time he’s here. We were supposed to get those weeks ago. I know you were expecting a letter from Moony or Tonks, but they agreed to let us tell you the good news. I’m sorry I haven’t written more over the summer, I wanted to but they had told us it wasn’t a good idea. But that’s over now! Oh, hold on. Ronald wants to say something."

"Hey Harry mate. Can you believe how she begins a letter? Personally the longer it takes to get back our OWL results the better. I wanted to write too, of course, but mum and dad said we could put you in danger, having owls swooping all over your house now that You-Know-Who is looking for you. But boy do I have a lot to tell you! So much has happened, but I think it’d be better in person, now that we’re so close to seeing each other. Anyway, how are the muggles treating you? A fair lot better I expect after the Order talked with them end of last year."

Harry closed the envelope there and took a minute to reflect. True, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had been better to him, for about two weeks. They of course made sure Harry wrote "his freaks" every other day, but they monitored what he put into the letters, breathing down his neck as he wrote. There was no way for him to mention that his food portions were getting smaller by the day as Vernon and Dudley made themselves fatter. Or that he was getting the occasional smack around for not doing chores in a timely manner. It seemed that this year, when Harry most wanted to be left alone, they were always there. Uncle Vernon especially had turned meaner than he ever had, never once all summer calling him by his name. It was always "Boy" or "Idiot boy" or "Freak" and there was always something Harry was doing wrong that deserved discipline; being too loud, being too quiet…. breathing.

If only he could do magic to emphasize the point the Order tried to make when they’d threatened the Dursleys. But no, Harry could face evil wizards, centaurs, death eaters, trolls and dementors, but the muggles he has to stay with he can not lay a hand on, or wand in this case. If only you could see me now Ron. He thought bitterly. Big strong Harry Potter, forced to scrub toilets and getting beaten if they aren’t spotless. Harry looked at his arms which were covered in small finger shaped bruises and scratches from being grabbed and thrown around by the massive man. If only Vernon weren’t so much bigger than him, he might be able to fight back.

And then he smiled with remembrance. It had been two weeks, but the memory still held great satisfaction. He had been out back mowing the lawn and wrapped up in thoughts of his friends and why they hadn’t written him. Distracted he had accidentally mowed over part of Aunt Petunia’s garden. A very small part, he had thought that no one normal would notice. But Vernon had been on him in an instant, as if he had been watching for Harry to screw up. The shouting red faced man had been storming toward him and seeing the garden hose on the ground, he’d pictured it wrapping itself around his uncle like a snake, stopping his tirade in it’s tracks before he could inflict harm on his nephew. Harry had reached behind him, had felt his wand in his pocket. He never went anywhere without it. And then suddenly, though he could have sworn to himself that he hadn’t said a spell, hadn’t even pulled his wand out, the hose had tangled itself around Vernon’s feet, tripping him so that all his mass landed hard and bounced slightly as he fell to the ground. Harry had watched in amazement as the thing wrapped itself around and around the terrified man. And then he had run and hadn’t come back until well after he was sure the family had turned in for the night. Vernon hadn’t bothered him for three days after, and they had been the best of his summer thus far, left alone in his small room. He smiled again in the present moment, remembering the fear in his uncle’s eyes that day. Of course, when no further occurrence took place, Vernon had regained his false sense of bravery. With a sigh, he opened the envelope again, hoping for the good news Hermione had alluded to at first.

"Hope you’re doing alright with those horrible people. Hermione keeps pushing me and I keep telling her aghh-"

"Ronald is done now. Anyway, Harry, as I’m sure you won’t get this till after midnight, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Mad-eye told us that we could tell you to expect them at your house tomorrow. You’ll be coming here for the rest of summer again! Lupin has insisted he go with to bring you here, so expect him at noon. I know you may be sad being back here with all the memories, but at least you get to leave the Dursleys’ house and we miss you so much! Oh-"

"Jeez, Hermione sure knows how to bring up bad stuff. Girls. You just can’t explain them."

"Please, if Ron would try to explain anything his head would explode. Girls are not that complicated. He’s just a slow learner. Besides, to scold me on poor topics when he goes and brings up those muggles… Anyway, see you tomorrow, Harry. I can’t wait."

"WE can’t wait. Now it’s my turn to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, mate! See you tomorrow!"

"Love,
Hermione and Ron"

Harry smiled in real joy for the first time in awhile. His best friends couldn’t even "write" a talking letter without fighting with each other. At least he now knew they weren’t mad at him, that the order had kept them from sending letters. He had been so scared that they would blame him, hate him even for what they had all gone through. That didn’t seem to be the case and a sense of relief washed over him. Now he only had to worry about how much he blamed himself.

Glancing at the clock, he realized that it was in fact about a quarter past midnight. He began packing immediately, both in anticipation and as a welcome exercise to stay awake. It didn’t take long since he hadn’t unpacked most of his school things in the hopes that he would be leaving sooner than usual, so he cleaned Hedwig’s cage next. Finally with nothing left to do and the clock showing it was only just past two thirty in the morning, he reluctantly picked up Hogwarts: A History and began again from the beginning. He made a mental note to never again say he was bored around Hermione lest she suggest another big boring book.




NOTE: Please stay tuned. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 2: Surprise at Number 12, Grimmauld Place

A/N: Characters and places are not mine, they belong to J.K. Rowling. A little more to read about in this one, so go ahead, Read, Review and Enjoy!



Harry had been waiting on the stairs since eleven a.m. staring at the door and fireplace, unsure how his rescuers would be arriving. Of course he wouldn’t feel the need to be rescued, had they not forced him to come back here. Despite the sweltering heat outside, he’d made sure to wear long sleeves so that his bruises wouldn’t show. For a moment when dressing that morning, he had considered baring his arms and letting the Order all know that they had failed in protecting him from his own family. But the embarrassment of his abuse outweighed any satisfaction he might have felt from exposing it. Besides, he just wanted to go, to get away from these people and never have to see or think of them again.

Peering into the parlor, Harry saw his aunt and uncle lounging in front of the television but Dudley was no where in sight. He had no idea where his cousin had gone after breakfast, nor did he care. Early this morning, he’d decided to warn the family that their house was going to be infiltrated by wizards- he’d quickly changed his mind about that after Vernon threw the frying pan at him during breakfast. Let them be taken by surprise when the others arrived, he hoped his massive uncle’s heart gave out and he died of the shock. Shaken by the dark thought, he forced more pleasant images, like the reunion with his friends and with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. But that led him to think of Dumbledore and how he had left things with his Headmaster, and that of course brought him to the prophesy. It was the reason his godfather was no longer alive after all.

Then he began to wonder, with Sirius gone, who would make sure he got information? Were they going to keep him in the dark again? Dumbledore had said that not informing him had been a mistake, so were they going to tell him everything now? He felt his temper rising; they already hadn’t told him anything in any of the short letters they’d sent, it had all been about plans for school and telling him to be patient. So were they expecting him to just sit in Black Manor and keep being a good little boy? They better tell me everything, I’m sixteen now, no need to be coddled, he thought miserably.

At exactly noon, the room began to crackle and out of nowhere, Remus Lupin appeared in the parlor, startling Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Harry laughed as silently as he could, just in case he had to come back. He walked in to greet his friend, the last true Marauder, as Vernon started up. "What the HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING? YOU CAN"T JUST-"

"I can do anything I like." Lupin cut him off and turned to Harry. "How are you? Ready to go I presume?"

"Since I got here." He smiled up at Lupin and gave him a hug, forgetting his anger from a few minutes ago. He was just so happy to be leaving.

"Hey!" Vernon shouted. "I’m tired of my home being invaded by you freaks! Petunia, pull the shades, we don’t want the neighbors to see anything." He ordered his wife as he stood, trying to look intimidating while approaching Lupin who appeared unconcerned.

Before anything more could be said between the two men, the air crackled once more and Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared looking both aware and amused. "Harry! Good to see you again." He said placing a large heavy hand on Harry’s shoulder in greeting before turning to his partner. "The street is all clear Remus. Nothing to worry about."

"Actually, we may have a problem. Mr. Dursley here seems unhappy with us." Lupin said, winking at Harry.

"He does?" Kingsley asked in mock horror. "Well, Mr. Dursley, what can we do to make things better for you? After all, we’d hate to leave you upset."

Vernon, though not the brightest man, quickly caught on to the mocking tone in the wizards’ voices. "You can get the hell out!" he shouted, his face turning purple as they laughed at him.

"Well since you asked so nicely." Kingsley chuckled. "I’d hate to face the wrath of this muggle."

"Get out! And don’t come back! Keep that boy, he’s possessed anyway!" Vernon screamed, turning another shade darker in his fury.

"Alright Harry, Tonks and Mad-eye are out in the car. Shall we go then?" Lupin asked, his amusement at Mr. Dursley’s anger clearly evident.

Harry merely nodded and left without a word to his relatives, who were now silently fuming that they were once more disrespected in their house but too scared to do much of anything about it. Following Lupin out with his trunk and Hedwig, he saw a small car waiting patiently at the curb. He had a feeling that it was charmed to be as big as a bus inside, and by the crooked way it was parked, he also had a feeling of who was driving.

They put his things in the rear and then climbed in the backseat with Hedwig. Harry saw that he was right, Tonks was in fact sitting happily behind the wheel. "Wotcher, Harry" she said. "Happy Birthday." She smiled then turned the car on and began to drive.

"Potter." Mad-eye said by way of greeting from his place in the passenger seat.

"What about Kingsley?" he asked.

"He’s in the air above us with a few more Aurors. We all have to be extra careful now." Mad-eye answered without turning around. "Constant vigilance, how easily some forget." He muttered, pulling out his flask and taking a swig. As they got further away from Privet Drive, Harry settled into the seat feeling lighter. He tried to never think of the happier life that he could have had if his parents had lived and it was much easier to do that away from the Dursleys, where life actually offered a few happy moments.

A short while later, Tonks screeched to a halt and parked the car quite a few feet away from the curb. She and Mad-eye got out to survey the area as Harry leaned toward Lupin. "Why was she driving?" He asked, a little unnerved from all the close calls they’d had on the road.

"Because Mad-eye is officially listed as disabled and I was never allowed to get my license." He answered, looking just as shaken as Harry felt.

"And she was the next best choice?!" Harry asked in bewilderment. Lupin simply laughed in response as they got out of the car at Tonks’s signal.

Out of nowhere, number 12 towered over them, the other houses shifting out of the way to make room for it. Lupin pushed Harry ahead of them. "After you." He said with a slight bow.

Feeling anxious, he opened the door revealing the dark, foreboding hallway. "Remember," Tonks whispered so as not to wake the screeching portrait of Mrs. Black, "watch out for that damn umbrella stand, it comes out of nowhere. Just go straight into the parlor." He nodded and stepped inside, hoping his friends were already waiting for him. But the parlor was dark and he couldn’t remember where the light switch was located.

As Harry was groping along the wall trying to find the light, the room was suddenly illuminated and a group of people shouted, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY!!" He was astounded to find Hermione, Neville, Luna, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown, and Parvati and Padma Patil standing in the middle of the room. Kingsley had arrived before them and was standing off to the side with some Order members whose names Harry didn’t remember. All of the Weasleys- with the obvious exception of Percy- were huddled near the entrance.

As Harry tried to gather his bearings, Hermione ran up and gave him a hug that almost knocked him over. Once she let go, Ron grabbed him in a brotherly hug as well. He was in shock; no one had ever thrown him a birthday party before, let alone gone through the trouble of arranging a surprise. He felt on the verge of tears.

"For goodness sake." Mrs. Weasley came forward, "Let the boy come in. Hello Harry dear, where you surprised?"

"You have no idea." He answered, still not sure how to feel.

Ginny came up next to hug him. "Do you like the decorations? We’ve been working on them all morning." He took in the hundreds of balloons covering the ceiling, streamers at every corner, bubbles floating generously throughout the party guests and the hugest pile of presents he had ever seen, even compared to what Dudley normally got.

"They’re wonderful." He answered, nodding hello to Bill and Charlie as the others led him away to get some punch.

Everyone began chatting as soft, happy music filled in the background. The teens went off to a corner, with people occasionally coming over to say Happy Birthday again. Hermione had been the one who had invited all of their school friends and Harry was glad they were there, though he found it a bit unsettling to come from someplace where he was lonely and unwanted to all of this. When he finally admitted to never having a party before, Ron had all the incentive he needed to start some party games.

Though Harry caught a sense that the others felt bad for him as they realized he’d never really celebrated his birthday before, he didn’t care. He felt happier than he had in months and for a little while, was able to forget about everything plaguing him. By the time cake came around and everyone gathered to sing, he couldn’t keep a smile off his face.
　


NOTE: Up next, Harry receives some news about Sirius and they all get their owl results. See you next time!

Chapter 3: Good News, Bad News and OWL’s

NOTE: All characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling. I wish I had thought it up first. But then again don’t we all? I decided to just post as I finish the chapters cuz I’m really impatient, but please review and I’m going to try and answer all reviews so if you have a question or comment please post.

　

"PRESENTS!" Ron yelled and ran back to the parlor. Everyone had just finished their cake and followed him at a much slower pace, their stomachs not as used to being stuffed full as his was. Once they had all settled Harry began opening his gifts, feeling awkward that everyone was watching him. He supposed most people were used to this sort of positive attention, but it was definitely something he was still uncomfortable with… the last thing he wanted was to be the center of attention. Pushing those insecurities down deep, he kept a joyous air about him for the benefit of the those who’d gone through the trouble of giving him this party. Besides, after opening a few gifts and getting used to the upbeat atmosphere, part of him actually liked that people were paying attention to him without yelling or throwing things.

From Ron, he got a muggle toy called "Magic 8 Ball," with a card that read, To remember old Trelawney and the fact that we never have to take her class again. The boys shared a grin as Harry reached for the next gift, which happened to be from Tonks. She gave him a new broom servicing kit and flying goggles that she’d had fitted with lenses containing his exact prescription. He thanked her profusely as Ginny excitedly handed her gift over next- an indoor quidditch set that everyone wanted to try right away, Harry included. But Mrs. Weasley quickly called for order, insisting they not be rude by ignoring the rest of the presents.

Eager to play the new game, Harry quickly opened the rest of the wrapped packages in front of him. Fred and George gave him a sample pack of all their new merchandise along with a gift certificate for their store, The Weasley Bros. Laugh Emporium. While he found it amusing, he decided the twins’ gift was something he should look through later, based on the face Molly was making. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him a new wristwatch, which Harry believed to be far out of their price range. Though he sincerely thanked them, he made a mental note to try and find a polite way to give it back for something less costly later.

Lupin’s present was strange. It was a blank piece of parchment and a note saying that he would explain about the parchment later. His friend winked at him in a conspiratorial manner before turning to continue a conversation he was having off in the corner with Tonks. Harry shrugged and put the gift in the pile with the rest of his new things before reaching for the next present. It was from Hermione and surprisingly she didn’t give him a book. Instead it was a small box that said, "Open me later when there aren’t many people around." He looked at her quizzically and she just smiled.

It took a lot longer than he’d imagined, but when he finally made it through all the presents, Mrs. Weasley announced dinner for those that were staying, once more delaying the game. Most everyone left, except the Weasleys, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Lupin and Tonks. Mad-eye grumbled something about annoying duties and apparated with a loud crack. Everyone talked throughout dinner, their hearts as light as their moods and Harry reflected that he finally felt at home, for the first time in a long time. More than that, he felt accepted, even loved. They talked and laughed for a long time, the teens all forgetting their desire to play the new quidditch game as they were distracted by such a happy gathering.

Finally the clock struck half past nine and it was time for Luna and Neville to take their leave through the floo network. They each wished him a happy birthday one last time before stepping into the fireplace and disappearing to their individual destinations. Harry was exhausted, but gave no argument when Hermione and the Weasley kids wanted to talk privately in his and Ron’s room. They all headed upstairs in a noisy ruckus, everyone still in a carefree party mood; once they situated themselves comfortably around the room it seemed everyone was talking at once, each trying to catch Harry up on what he had missed while stuck away at the Dursleys. With a headache threatening to break loose, he made them go one at a time.

"It’s Fred and George, Harry!" Ron said grinning madly at his brothers. "Their shop is doing so well, and they’re giving a lot of money to the folks! We’re not poor anymore, thanks to them."

"Aww, you embarrass us little brother." Fred said with mock modestly.

"Really, it was nothing." George piped in.

"Dad getting a new job helps too, you know." Ginny put in, attempting to keep her brothers’ heads from swelling any further.

"The store and a new job, so that explains the wristwatch! I was going to have your mum return it for something else." He stared down at the gift sitting comfortably on his wrist and wondered what Arthur’s new position was.

"Not a problem anymore." Ron couldn’t keep the goofy grin off his face as he looked through all of Harry’s new things. He suddenly became distracted by something he found. "Hey! You should open this box Hermione gave you now." He held the small, white box out to him.

Harry glanced at Hermione who was sitting next to him and she nodded her agreement. He took it from Ron’s hands and shook it gently, his curiosity peaked at the unusual sound buzzing inside. As soon as he opened it, something small and glittery zoomed up and out. On instinct alone he reached out and caught it mid flight, though it took a second to realize what was struggling in his hand. "Where did you get this?" He asked her.

"I took it from the practice box at the end of last year. I figured you’d like a real one to practice with, and you told us your dad had one." She looked down shyly at she admitted she had stolen the snitch.

"Well done, Hermione!" George said proudly.

"A girl after our own hearts." Fred complimented her, looking positively gleeful that she was starting to come around to their way of doing things.

"It was a one time thing. Something special for Harry for his birthday." Hermione assured the twins in a scolding tone before peeking at Harry out of the corner of her eye. "Do you like it?" She asked him nervously.

"Of course! This is so much better than a book or homework planner!" He said, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in for a hug.

Everyone laughed as someone knocked, interrupting the fun. Mrs. Weasley opened the door and walked right in. "Here you all are!" She exclaimed as Harry quickly hid the snitch behind his back. "Harry dear, Albus is downstairs and would like to see you, as well as Ron and Hermione."

"We’ll be right down." He promised. She closed the door and everyone looked at each other.

"Maybe he has our OWLs!" Hermione jumped up and ran from the room. With that thought, Ron and Harry followed much slower each trying not to be the first downstairs. When they reentered the parlor, Dumbledore was sitting by the fire and Hermione was practically dancing around him in anticipation.

"Ah, Harry. So that Miss Granger doesn’t strain herself, I will say that, yes, I do have your OWL results with me, but first there is something important I must discuss with all of you. Remus! Thank you for joining us as well." Everyone turned to see Lupin in the doorway. Dumbledore waited patiently while they all settled into the ugly furniture. Lupin slumped into the armchair near the door, but Harry chose the couch closest to his headmaster as Ron and Hermione took a seat on either side of him. All three teens were anxious to find out what the big news was, certain Dumbledore wouldn’t bring them word of anything bad on Harry’s birthday. They soon found out how wrong they were.

"Now, Harry, what I have to say may upset you but it must be said." The old wizard began carefully. "Tomorrow you, Remus, Hermione and Ron will be accompanying me to the Ministry of Magic for the reading of Sirius’s will. Apparently, he left us all something and we all must be present."

"He left Ron and me something?" Hermione asked, shocked not only by Sirius’s generosity but by the subject they were discussing. Harry felt her take his hand in silent support and he was grateful, unsure of his own feelings on the topic.

Dumbledore brought his fingers together and regarded his audience over the top of his small spectacles. "You should know that after he returned here to Black Manor to hide out, Sirius contacted me about changing his will. He now had a godson he cared for a great deal, and two young people who he cared for almost as much as Harry, in addition to a best friend." He paused to nod at Lupin who was sitting quietly with tears on his face. "I made the changes he indicated and now, with his passing, we must hear his final words."

Harry was having a hard time dealing with his emotions at the moment. Sadness mingled with guilt and anger, leaving his stomach churning and his eyes stinging with the unshed tears he’d built up in his anguish. Ron reached over to place a hand on his shoulder as Hermione squeezed his hand tighter, each knowing how tormented he must be feeling- he was thankful for them both. He met Dumbledore’s empathetic gaze. "What time are we leaving?" He asked quietly.

"Around ten o’clock. The meeting is set for eleven and I’m afraid you three aren’t yet old enough to apparate so we must take the muggle way." The headmaster answered quietly.

"I think I’d better go to bed then, I wasn’t able to sleep last night and today was a lot to take in." He said his goodnights, thanking everyone for everything they’d done in throwing him his very first birthday party. Then he quickly went to his room and closed the door. After changing into a T-shirt and sleep pants, he collapsed on the bed feeling both wide-awake and extremely exhausted. Minutes later, he heard a knock on the door and realized he had been waiting for it. "Come in." He called with sigh.

Hermione stuck her head in. "Are you okay, Harry?"

Ron’s head appeared above hers. "Can we come in?" He asked quietly. Harry nodded and they both tumbled into the room. Ron took a seat on the edge of his own bed, but Hermione gently settled herself next to Harry.

"What are you thinking?" she asked him quietly.

"That I wasn’t expecting that." he answered. "I know I probably should have with him being... being... gone, but I wasn’t prepared."

"Neither were we, mate." Ron took a bite out of a chocolate frog and shook his head at the floor.

"What can we do for you, Harry?" Hermione looked upset and eager to do anything to make him feel better.

He shook his head helplessly. "I just want to stop thinking about this and I don’t want to talk about it either."

"Well, Dumbledore gave us our OWLs. We haven’t opened them yet, we wanted to wait for you. Maybe that will help." Hermione held up three envelopes.

"Anything to see your grade, eh Hermione?" Ron teased.

"Oh shut up, Ronald. Here." Harry reached to take his and Hermione jumped back in horror. "Harry! What happened to you?!"

Ron grabbed Harry’s arm before he could hide it under the covers. He had forgotten that he hadn’t put on his sweatshirt to hide the marks. "Was it the muggles?" his friend demanded.

"It’s nothing." Harry was flushed with embarrassment and hoping they’d just let it drop.

But Hermione appeared livid. "You have to tell Dumbledore. I can’t believe it. And after the order talked to them-"

"Let it alone, Hermione." Harry pleaded, cutting her off. "It’s over. I’m here now and next year, I’ll be of age and able to use magic to defend myself."

Hermione looked angry and unsure, but finally she dropped her eyes and silently handed him his envelope. Ron took his too, though he was still positively fuming. They read though them, Hermione getting more and more excited. "You first Harry!" She said eagerly.

"Why don’t you go first?" He responded, sharing a smile with Ron.

"Well if you insist." And with that she spread the paper out on the bed so they both could read it.

Miss Hermione Granger,
We are pleased to report that you have received the highest marks in your grade. Below are your individual scores. Congratulations and keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Griselda Marchbanks

Arithmancy - O
Ancient Runes - O
Astronomy - O*
Care of Magical Creatures - O
Charms - O
Defense Against the Dark Arts - O
Herbology - O
History of Magic - O
Potions - O
Transfiguiration - O
*Due to unforeseen circumstances, your Astronomy grade is based solely on what you had completed.

"Wow, Hermione! You got all O’s!" Harry was stunned, he knew she’d do well, but all O’s?!

"What did you get Harry? You go next." He spread his paper on top of Hermione’s letting the others take a look.

Mr. Harry Potter,
Below are your individual scores. On behalf on the entire board, I would like to congratulate you on receiving the highest grade in Defense Against the Dark Arts in over 50 years. Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Griselda Marchbanks

Astronomy - O*
Care of Magical Creatures - O
Charms - O
Defense Against the Dark Arts - O+
Divination - A
Herbology - E
History of Magic - E
Potions - O
Transfiguiration - O

"Wow, those are good marks, Harry!" Ron marveled.

"How did you get an O+?" Hermione demanded. The boys looked amused.

"I showed my patronous for an extra point. The tester offered it, I didn’t ask for it." He said, hoping to appease her jealousy.

"I could’ve shown my patronous too." Hermione said sourly under her breath. Then she shook her head and returned to normal. "Anyway, your turn Ron."

Ron grumbled to himself as he leaned forward and put his paper on top of the other two. He obviously wasn’t as pleased with his grades.

Mr. Ronald Weasley,
Below are your individual scores. Good luck in the next two years.
Sincerely,
Griselda Marchbanks

Astronomy - A*
Care of Magical Creatures - O
Charms - E
Defense Against the Dark Arts - O
Divination - P
Herbology - A
Potions - E
Transfiguiration - E

"Oh Ron." Hermione shook her head.

He dropped his head, looking worried. "How long do you think I can keep mum from seeing these?"

"Probably only till you wake up, if that." Harry laughed as Ron’s face twisted into an expression of terror.

"Two O’s! She’s going to kill me. Even Fred and George managed three each!"

"At least we both got good enough grades to continue potions." Harry said, trying to cheer him up. He knew Dumbledore had gone over Snape and nullified the professor’s threat not to accept any student with less than an O.

"Yippee." Ron said sarcastically. "Two more years with Snape."

"We need it if we’re going to be Aurors." He reminded his friend. "Besides, the grades aren’t the worst in the world and you passed everything important with good marks."

Ron got up said goodnight and crawled into bed, pulling the covers over his head. Harry and Hermione grinned at each other before she looked down at the floor again, avoiding his gaze. "We should probably go to bed too, Harry. We have to be up...early...you know." She hesitantly said goodnight and made to leave for her and Ginny’s room.

"Thanks, Hermione. For keeping the Dursleys a secret for me." Harry said, trying to ensure that it would remain a secret. She gave him a weak smile and left without another word. "You too Ron." He said to the lump on the bed next to his.

From somewhere under the covers, Ron mumbled "You’re welcome." Harry put his glasses on the nightstand and got under the covers. He hoped that he was tired enough to not have any nightmares and after awhile finally closed his eyes to thoughts of flying on his broom with Hermione and Ron right behind him, all trying to catch the snitch she’d given him for his birthday.

(BREAK)

Hermione quietly closed the door to her room, noting that Ginny was already asleep. She lay in her own bed, wide awake, thinking of how sorry she felt for Harry. He was holding so much in, she was afraid he would burst someday soon. They were all sad Sirius was gone, but they had others to fall back on. Harry formed very fast and very strong attachments to people, probably because he’d felt so alone for so long. Sirius of course had been no exception and to take him away from her friend was simply cruel.

And those muggles! How Harry could continue to suffer in silence for what those horrid people did to him, she just didn’t know. She figured it was probably because he was embarrassed, but she didn’t care. She wished the Order had done more than threaten the Dursleys, she wished they’d cursed them straight to hell.

Tossing and turning for more than an hour, she finally gave up on sleep and kicked off the covers. There was nothing she could think to do to help Harry through all of this… she certainly couldn’t force him to talk to her. And if he didn’t talk to her, how was she ever supposed to be able to try and make him feel better? Frustrated, she knew the only thing she could do was wait patiently for him to decide he needed to talk to someone. She just hoped she was the one he turned to.

(BREAK)

Ron got up as quietly as he could, not wanting to disrupt Harry. He’d seen the heavy dark circles beneath his friend’s eyes and as his usual roommate, he knew how horrible Harry’s sleeping patterns were. And Harry needed his rest more than any of them to make it through what was shaping up to be a very sad tomorrow. So in an effort to let Harry continue sleeping peacefully, Ron made his way down to the kitchen for a glass of milk.

His own restlessness he attributed to a combination of his anger on Harry’s behalf for what the muggles had done to him as well as his poor grades. There was nothing he could do about the Dursleys, especially if Harry didn’t want the adults to know about it. So he attempted to put all of that aside- after all, if Harry could do it why shouldn’t he be able to?

As for his grades, while he hadn’t exactly failed everything like he thought he would he’d done no where near as well as his friends. Hell, he hadn’t even done better than the twins, and they couldn’t have cared less about school. Of course, he knew Fred and George were smart in their own right, but still… he’d actually tried to do well. Or maybe he hadn’t. Truth be told, his mind hadn’t fully been on his exams last year, there had been too much going on at the time. But saying that he’d been distracted by the goings on at the end of last year was an excuse and nothing more. After all, it hadn’t affected Harry much and it certainly hadn’t stopped Hermione. He poured his drink and sat at the table, trying to feel tired.

A small sound behind him startled him so badly he thought he was going to jump out of his skin. Ron whipped around to find Kreatcher exiting his cupboard. The strange, cranky little elf walked through the kitchen and out into the hallway, muttering softly to himself. Though Ron couldn’t hear what exactly he was saying, he figured the ugly thing was upset to once more have the house invaded by wizards he deemed unworthy. He was a bit curious as to what the house elf was up to, but the last thing he wanted was to have any interaction with Kreatcher.

With a heavy sigh, he put his now empty glass in the sink before heading back up to his room. Once more he took great care to not wake Harry as he slipped back into his own bed. As he pulled the covers up around him and closed his eyes, he only hoped his mother would go easy on him. As for this school year, he was determined to do better. Maybe he would ask Hermione to help him study… Yes, that was a great idea! He rested easier, now that he had a plan. Especially since it was one that would give him an excuse to be around Hermione even more. Drifting off to sleep, he pictured how great this year would be and the things he’d finally have the courage to say and do. He was determined to make this the best year he ever had. Perhaps it was too much to wish for, but at the moment he didn’t care.





A/N: Coming next, reading of the will, trouble at the ministry, changes at Grimmauld place. Look for it soon!

Chapter 4: The Ministry of Magic

NOTE: Once again I own none of the characters or places unless they are original work from my twisted and cluttered mind. That said, Read, Review, Enjoy!




Harry awoke to shouting from downstairs. By the sound of it, it seemed Mrs. Weasley had found out about Ron’s grades. He reached for his glasses and glanced over at the other bed, sure enough it was empty. As Harry got up there came a light knocking on the door. He opened it to reveal Hermione and Ginny standing awkwardly before him. "We had to get out of the kitchen, so we volunteered to come see if you were awake yet. Can we come in?" Ginny asked as she walked past him and plopped down on Ron’s bed, not waiting for an invitation.

"Sure. Um, yeah it was hard to sleep through all that yelling." He motioned for Hermione to come in as well. She sat awkwardly next to Ginny. "Where’s Fred and George?" he asked, yawning widely.

"Oh they’re still down there. They love it when someone else gets yelled at for a change." Ginny smirked.

"You should get dressed, Harry. It’s almost nine and Dumbledore said we were leaving at ten." Hermione was wearing a somber dark blue dress and a sad expression. Harry nodded and grabbed his nicest clothes to go change in the bathroom.

Ginny groaned as he came out and they started for the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was still loudly berating Ron. Walking in quietly, they took seats as far from the argument as possible. Fred and George however were right near the action, occasionally egging their mother on. "Yeah, Ron, at least we got three O’s." Fred taunted.

"At least I didn’t drop out of school!" Ron shot back and Mrs. Weasley turned to the twins.

"Good influence the two of you are on your brother!" She yelled. From behind her, Ron stuck out his tongue.

"It was a smart business move mother. At least you know we’re doing something with our lives as simple as you might think it is." George said trying to turn her wrath back on Ron.

"That’s right!" She shook her finger in Ron’s face. "What are you going to do with yourself, with grades like those? Oh, Harry, I didn’t see you come in!" Harry who had been enjoying watching the boys manipulate Mrs. Weasley’s anger was embarrassed to suddenly find himself the center of attention. "Here, have some breakfast, dear. And you girls eat up too." Ron looked positively relieved that Harry had drawn away his mother’s fire and he silently mouthed thank you. Mrs. Weasley looked Harry over. "Don’t you have a nice T-shirt you can wear, it’s so very hot outside."

Harry looked at Hermione in panic "It gets cold in the ministry though." She said quickly on his behalf.

"Right you are dear, darn near freezing in there it is." She agreed, turning back to the stove.

"Thanks." Harry whispered.

"Sure." Hermione responded absently, staring down at her plate and shuffling food around.

"Alright, everyone. Come on, eat up before you leave." Mrs. Weasley turned back to the teens. "Oh, Harry, Hermione. How did you two do on your OWLs?"

"We did okay." Hermione carefully answered, glancing at Ron.

"Well! Let me see your scores!" She requested, as excited for them as she was for her own children.

They looked at each other quickly, trying to decide how they could help Ron. "Um, we left them in our rooms." Harry told her.

"No problem. Accio OWLs," she said with a wave of her wand. In a second, she was holding their letters. They quickly finished eating while she looked over them so they could leave before the yelling started again. Sure enough, as they rushed out of the kitchen they heard, "Ronald Weasley! When are you going to learn to apply yourself?!"

They ran back up to Harry’s room, where at least the noise was muffled. "I’m guessing you both did a lot better." Ginny grinned.

(BREAK)

Ron felt his ears grow warm and was certain his entire face was flushed with embarrassment. He listened as his mother went on and on about how he was better than what he was producing and that he just needed to learn to focus. "It’s not like I failed out of school." He grumbled.

"It’s not like you got all O’s either!" She yelled, brandishing Hermione’s scores in her hand.

"Hey! Hermione’s like a robot or something! You can’t compare me to her!" he protested.

"She is a bit brighter than the average bulb, mum." Fred joked.

"Yeah, Ron’s bulb just flickers a little, that’s all." George added with a grin.

He glared at his brothers, who weren’t helping his cause. Of course, he’d never helped theirs either, and they were in trouble on a far more frequent basis. "That’s not funny." Molly scolded the twins before turning back to him. "Okay, if you feel Hermione is so special at school, then explain why you couldn’t do as well as Harry!"

"Oh that’s good. Compare me to Harry Potter, like I don’t get that enough!" He yelled in frustration.

Before his mother could answer, someone knocked loudly on the front door. Looking flustered, she went to answer leaving him alone with his brothers. "Well, that was…interesting." George said of Ron’s outburst.

"Shut up and leave me alone." He answered grumpily. Hearing Dumbledore’s voice, he rose to join the adults in the hallway. Despite the tragic reason they now had to leave the house, he was glad for the chance to get out.

(BREAK)

After awhile of playing with the snitch, Harry and the girls realized the house was silent. "It’s ten till ten." He announced after looking at his new watch.

They headed downstairs just as someone came knocking at the door. Mrs. Weasley rushed to answer it before Harry could, admitting Dumbledore into the house. "Are you all ready to go?" The headmaster asked as Ron came out of the kitchen. Harry and his two best friends nodded sadly. "Then let us be off." He turned and led the way outside.

Waiting at the curb was the same small car that had brought Harry yesterday. Lupin was already in the back but this time there was a ministry driver behind the wheel. Without realizing it, Harry sighed in relief knowing the ride would be far less turbulent without Tonks driving. The trip was a silent one… no one dared speak or even knew what to say.

Staring out the window, Harry watched the houses give way to businesses and saw more and more people on the street. He knew most in this part of town were muggles and they were all rushing around, living their lives completely unaware that their world could be ended at any time by a danger they knew nothing about. How could the muggles ever understand the threat Voldemort presented? He wouldn’t have six years ago.

At last, they pulled into an underground parking area and parked the car next to a wall covered in shadow. Dumbledore got out his wand and tapped in certain places, just as one had to do in order to enter Diagon Alley. The wall slid back silently and they hurried through the makeshift doorway. He felt his heart rise up in his throat as he recalled the last time he’d been at the ministry just a few weeks earlier… his felt his entire life had changed that day.

After a long walk down a deserted corridor, they found themselves in the lobby. It looked quite different since Harry had seen it after the showdown between Dumbledore and Voldemort- it had been in ruins then. Now, the statue in the fountain was gone replaced with a simple chalice until a new sculpture was produced. Some of the walls were still being repainted and repaired and there were tarps everywhere. He didn’t understand why they were doing it without magic.

"It’ll be stronger if we rebuild it ourselves and reinforce it with magic." Dumbledore answered Harry’s unspoken question. He looked at the older wizard and realized the man hadn’t actually said anything outloud. Harry wondered if Dumbledore was in his head or if it was the other way around, since the other gave no indication that anything was going on at all.

They reached the lifts and squeezed in the nearest one. Dumbledore muttered something under his breath and the elevator went up one floor instead of down to the others. "Law Department" a voice announced. They got off and went down another long corridor. At precisely eleven, they entered an office simply titled, Last Will and Testament. The decor was ordinary considering where they were; it was just like any standard office with a desk, chairs and lots of books, files and folders. Harry sat between Lupin and Hermione, Ron on her other side and Dumbledore took the seat behind the desk.

"As a favor, I asked that I be allowed to read his will to you. Thankfully they thought me qualified. Now, are there any questions before I begin?" Everyone was staring at the floor, obviously wishing they were anywhere but there. "Alright then. It begins, ‘I, Sirius Black, am obviously not here if this is being read.’" Everyone looked up at this. Dumbledore regarded them all with a sad smile before continuing. "‘Hopefully, those present are my heroic godson Harry Potter, the brilliant Hermione Granger, the bravely loyal Ronald Weasley, and my long trusted, well-loved friend Remus Lupin. A side note for Moony, if you haven’t told her yet mate, do it soon, you know who I mean. Just a little advice.’" Dumbledore paused.

Everyone had tears in their eyes; they were sad but also amused that Sirius wrote his Will as if he were still here talking to them. Passing the tissue box around, the old wizard continued reading. "‘It’s a sad business, reading Wills since it almost always means that someone has died. Unfortunately, this is my Will and I just want you to know that wherever I am right now, I am missing all of you. I know that my death was not in vain, that it was a sacrifice for the good guys, and that I will have taken out as many of the bad guys as I could reach before it happened. I know that I will have died fighting the good fight, and Harry, Remus, believe me when I say there is no other way I would have chosen."

"Now, I suppose it’s on to business as you must be wondering what I have left you. To Ron and Hermione, I leave the sum of 20,000 galleons each. To Albus Dumbledore, I leave 30,000 galleons to be used for any Hogwarts business. I feel that it’s the least I can do to make up for various activities that may or may not have involved James, Remus and myself. I also leave you the knowledge that you did everything you could to tame us and our, pranks shall we say, in no way reflected our opinion of you. Remus, dear friend, last of the original Marauders, I leave you 100,000 galleons and the contents of my safe, you know the one I’m talking about. For Merlin’s sake, buy yourself some new clothes.’" Lupin gave a small laugh at that, tears flowing freely down his face.

"‘Harry, I wish things were different for you. I wish that we would have had all the time in the world to know each other, but unfortunately things turned out differently. Whatever you do, do NOT blame yourself in any way for my death. No matter the circumstances, no matter what you think happened, the choice to fight was ultimately my own. That said, I leave you Black Manor, or more precisely now, Potter Manor. Not quite the same ring to it, but it’ll grow on you. I also leave you the rest of my fortune to do with as you please. The sum is great, but I know that things like money don’t matter to you. Family matters, so look around you and see these people here with you now. They ARE a family, the one you made for yourself. I love you all, good luck, in battle and in life. Someday, somewhere, we are destined to meet again. Just don’t make it too soon. For all of eternity yours, Sirius "Padfoot" Black.’"

The room was unearthly quiet as all reflected on what they had just heard. Silent tears were spilling over in everyone’s eyes, and Harry wondered if things would ever be better for any of them.

(BREAK)

Hermione watched the torment that played across Harry’s face as he tried to make sense of his life. Although a few tears had escaped, she saw how hard he was trying to hold them back. She didn’t know how he was able to, her own face was wet and she felt like doing nothing but sobbing hysterically. It was all so tragic in her mind.

Sirius had been like a big kid once freed of Azkaban, and while he’d been a very capable man she’d never pictured him as a real fighter. Sure he’d had skills, never backed down and had effectively proved he would defend himself and those he loved to his death, but the fact that he’d had to do so at all seemed completely unfair. It wasn’t the life he was meant for, but it was the one he’d had to deal with since being framed for the death of his friends fifteen years before. For that long, his memories, anger, and guilt had tortured him. His future had been taken from him in one fell swoop. And then Harry had come along and once more it seemed the man had something to live for, something beyond his desire for revenge against Peter and ultimately Voldemort. Unfortunately, he’d proved how immature he was, letting his need to get even override his need to care for his godson when the boy’s parents couldn’t. Or maybe the two things had been equal in his mind when he’d gone to the ministry with the others to help them. She didn’t know and would never have the chance to ask.

Glancing at Harry again, she saw how much he was struggling to be strong. She wanted to shake him out of it, to tell him to let himself cry and release some of the pain he always carried. She wanted to take him in her arms and comfort him, assure him it would all get better someday even if they both knew it was probably untrue. Instead she kept her hands clasped in her lap and waited for it to be time to leave.

(BREAK)

After a long while everyone had more or less pulled themselves together and Harry knew it was time to leave. He felt a bit regretful, wanting to stay in the presence of that document- his last link to Sirius. It was silly and he knew it, so he remained silent. Without a word from anyone, they exited the office and headed toward the lift. Once they were all on, he faced the corner to try and hide the fact that he had to wipe his tears away. Unfortunately, Hermione seemed to notice and as he turned around she reached out and squeezed his hand. Although embarrassed, Harry squeezed back thanking her for her silent support.

Something was obviously wrong when they reentered the lobby. People were running everywhere shouting as they prepared for something unknown. Tonks appeared before them out of breath and panicked. "Albus...the dementors...they have left Azkaban. They have joined his forces and are attacking the ministry!"

Dumbledore turned to the group. "Ron, take Harry and Hermione to your dad’s office and stay put until he or I come and get you. Remus, come with me."

"Come on." Ron said as the adults hurried away. He led them back to the lift and they rode it all the way down to floor one.

Harry was confused as he followed his friends down the bright hallway. "Ron this isn’t the floor your dad’s office is on."

His friend simply smiled in reply and led the way into a large, beautifully furnished office, locking the door behind them. The nameplate on the desk said Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic.
　



A/N: Uh oh, the dementors are out of control…. We’ll see where that goes. Stay tuned for the next installment, coming relatively soon. Thanks for reading!

References to Sirius’s death and fighting in the ministry from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 5: Potter Manor

NOTE: This may be repetitive, but once again, I do not own any of the characters or places unless they are original and if you are a true fan, you will know the difference. That out of the way, read, review, enjoy!

　

　
Harry looked at Ron incredulously. "Your dad is the new minister?"

"We didn’t get a chance to tell you last night, with Dumbledore interrupting us and then the OWLs." Ron answered, unable to keep himself from grinning with pride.

"How did this happen? What happened to Fudge?" Harry asked, bewildered. He’d never imagined that this was Mr. Weasley’s new job.

"His worst fear." Hermione grinned. "Fudge was overthrown, but not by Dumbledore. The Daily Prophet wrote all about it, but you probably didn’t get those while you at the Dursleys. There was a hearing to go over why he didn’t take your story seriously back in fourth year after the tournament and they voted him incompetent and incapable of doing his job. They told him that all threats, real or imaginary concerning Voldemort must be taken seriously and investigated. Basically they said, ‘Harry Potter had another student’s dead body and a story that he couldn’t have possibly fabricated in the short time he disappeared, it should have been investigated further.’"

Harry turned to Ron. "Wait, what about Percy then? Wasn’t he Fudge’s secretary or something like that?"

He shook his head angrily. "The git still won’t admit he’s wrong. V-v- you-know-who shows himself and Percy still acts like a total prat. He resigned his position, saying that he just couldn’t work for dad. Couldn’t face him more like it. Anyway, Dumbledore and my mum convinced dad to put his name in for the position. And he got it!"

"Well, with Dumbledore’s help. He’s the one who convinced them all to give Arthur a chance." Hermione added. Before Ron could reply, they heard someone nearby scream. Pressing their ears to the door, they heard people running by yelling for assistance.

"We should help them, we can all do a patronous!" Harry whipped out his wand.

"First of all Harry, we aren’t allowed to do magic and second…"

"Hermione...Harry…." Ron interrupted her. "Um guys, I think we should start calling our patronous." Harry and Hermione stopped arguing and realized that the temperature in the room had dropped considerably as they began to slowly see their breath. The three stepped away from the door, their backs to the wall as the lights flickered wildly before going out completely. They raised their wands ready for whatever came out of the darkness. Hermione’s free hand was digging painfully into Harry’s arm- he barely noticed. Ron on the other side of him was shaking badly, his knees knocking together, but he stood tall and his wand arm was firm and ready.

As suddenly as it had come, the cold disappeared and the lights sprang back on. They kept their wands up, not wanting to let their guard down as the door lock clicked open. Dumbledore poked his head in and collectively, all four let out their breath. Harry, Ron and Hermione lowered their wands as the headmaster walked in,