A/N Hello all, this is my first fic that I have ever written, so please Read and Review nicely. If you must flame me, at least sign it with your name. I will not get angry at any of you, and I will not take it personally, unless you leave a flame review that is unsigned. By the way, obviously, I own none of the characters here, except for the ones I make up. I also own the plot.
Chapter 1: Dreams and Revelations
"Come to me, Wormtail. I have a job for you. You will succeed where my death-eaters could not at the ministry. You shall provide a means of killing Harry Potter."
Harry awoke with a start. He had been having this dream for the last two weeks during the time in which he had been living with his aunt and uncle at Number 4, Privet Drive, in Surrey. Harry Potter was no ordinary person. His aunt and uncle knew this, and despised him because of it; but they did not say anything, not out of anger, but out of fear. They knew that if he told his friends from the train station, they would be here any minute to turn the Dursley's into frogs or something of the like. For Harry Potter was a wizard, and his friends were some of the greatest witches and wizards alive. His two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, were the only thing that kept Harry from killing his aunt and uncle and cousin right now because of their atrocious behavior to him before he went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, he knew that if he did kill them, he would face a life sentence in the Wizard prison, Azkaban, and he would most likely be dead before he reached twenty years of age.
Harry was now sixteen, and he had no girlfriend. Whenever asked by his other friends at school, he just said he was still getting over Cho Chang, whom Harry had dated very briefly the previous year. Cho had rejected him in the middle of their date after Harry had said he wanted to go meet Hermione for something very important. Cho had misinterpreted this as being an indicator that he liked Hermione more than Cho and had then broken up with Harry on the spot, leaving Harry very confused and very embarrassed.
Now, Harry felt very empty and depressed, because not even one month ago, he had seen his godfather, Sirius Black, go through the veil at the Ministry of Magic and thus had lost practically any link he had to his parent's lives before they were killed. Remus Lupin, it was true, was still alive, but it was now a full moon, and because of his severe Lycanthropy, he was probably indisposed at this second.
With all these thoughts in his head, Harry moved towards the bathroom, intending to wash his face, and finish some of his homework before dawn as it was very unlikely he would be able to fall asleep again. After washing his face, Harry took out his Transfiguration textbook, his quill, and some parchment for the foot-long essay on Metamorphmagi and the advantages and disadvantages of being one. Harry looked up the metamorphmagi section, and read:
"Metamorphmagi are witches and wizards who are able to change their appearance at will. The metamorphmagus ability cannot be made. A witch or wizard must be born with the metamorphmagus ability. A metamorphmagus might, after some time, forget their natural appearance and this may result in a feeling of discontentment, so it is usually probable that metamorphmagi keep pictures of themselves in order to remember what they looked like before a transformation."
Harry then began to write down his answer to the question when there was a tapping noise at his window. Hedwig had returned with Hermione's reply to his letter. Harry had written to Hermione, asking her whether or not they could meet up at the Burrow or Diagon Alley during the summer break. Hermione had written the following:
Dear Harry,
I believe that I can convince my parents to letting me go to The Burrow, but I thought that we all would be going to you-know-where now that it`s HQ for the Order and everything. I wrote to Ron to ask him what his plans are also so that we could all be together. I know you hated it last year when we kept you in the dark while Ron and I were at the HQ. So, see you soon, and don't do anything that would anger your uncle and aunt, Harry, because it's entirely their decision to let you go or not. All the Order can do is "persuade" them to let you go.
Love,
Hermione
Harry laughed out loud. Simply being alive in their house was enough to anger the Dursleys nowadays. Still laughing, he put his Transfiguration homework away in his trunk. Harry put Hermione's letter into a special box that he reserved for Hermione only. When Ron found out about it, he had asked in a pretend hurt voice why Harry didn't put his letters in a separate box too.
Harry felt an odd twinge in his gut whenever he heard or saw Hermione's name, but he had always denied it and convinced himself that it was nothing. However, a person couldn't be blind forever. Harry now realized that his feelings for Hermione were far beyond friendship. Harry loved Hermione. He hadn't realized it until he had nearly lost her in the Department of Mysteries last month. Harry felt as if his whole world had been slashed into pieces the second Dolohov hit Hermione with the curse. He didn't admit it to anyone, but he knew that if Hermione didn't love him back, he would surely commit suicide right that second.
Engrossed in his own feelings and thoughts about Hermione, Harry failed to realize that it was nine o' clock in the morning and that a ruffled, brown owl was tapping quite loudly on his window. Afraid the noise would awaken and anger Uncle Vernon, Harry quickly opened the window and allowed the owl, whom Harry knew was called Errol, into his room and to have some water from Hedwig's bowl. Attached to Errol's leg was a letter from none other than Ron Weasley. Ron's letter was rather lengthy, and looked as if it had been written in Ron's neatest handwriting.
Harry,
I don't know if she told you, but Hermione wrote to me, asking where we will be spending the summer holidays after you're picked up from the Dursley's. When I read that, I asked mum and she said that after you're picked up, we'll be going back to Hogwarts immediately, along with Professor McGonagall and everybody else that was with us in the Department of Mysteries. We'll have the entire castle to ourselves for a month! Won't it be great? We'll be able to play chess and not do homework in the luxury of Hogwarts. I wrote and told Hermione this as well. Dumbledore'll be contacting Neville and Luna tomorrow. I expect Hermione will be pleased too because she'll be able to use every stupid book in the library for her homework and everything. Dumbledore visited yesterday and gave me yours, mine, and Ginny's Hogwarts letters, so I sent them along with Errol. I haven't gathered up the guts to look at my O.W.L. results yet, but you can if you want. I know I probably did horribly, but still, as long as I don't have Trelawney again, I'll be fine. By the way, I hope they'll surprise you, but Tonks, Moody, and Lupin are coming to pick you up today at five, so we can leave for Hogwarts as soon as possible.
~Ron
Harry looked behind Ron's letter, and saw another letter with the Hogwarts seal on it. Harry opened it, and found his book list for next year, along with yet another envelope from Hogwarts and one from the Ministry. He looked at his book letter first.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that your life-long quidditch ban put into effect by Professor Umbridge last year has been lifted, and you are now allowed back onto the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. We are also pleased to announce that you are the new Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and you should find your badge, along with another surprise, waiting for you in an enclosed envelope. The term starts on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Harry was elated with joy. He had not only been given his most favorite thing at Hogwarts back, (well, maybe second-most), but he had also been made Captain of the Quidditch Team. What could be better? Harry then opened the other envelope from Hogwarts and out fell three things, his Captain's badge, his book list, and yet another envelope. Putting those things aside, (he was quite annoyed with the envelope-inside-the-envelope concept), Harry picked up his letter from the Ministry, deciding to find out whether or not his dreams of being an Auror would be squashed or allowed to nurture for another two years. Inside the envelope, there was a letter which Harry opened and read.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you of your results from your Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. The grades are as follows: the highest possible grade is O, for Outstanding, E, for Exceeds Expectations, and A, for Average. These are the passing grades. The failing grades are as follows: P, for Poor, and D, for Dreadful.
Care of Magical Creatures
Written: E
Practical: E
Charms
Written: E
Practical: O
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Written: O+ (*)
Practical: O+ (*)
Divination
Written: A
Practical: D
History of Magic
Written: P
Potions
Written: E
Practical: E
Transfiguration
Written: E
Practical: O
(*) - Mr. Potter, we are extremely pleased to inform you that you are the second person ever to get the O+ grade on an Ordinary Wizarding Level while the other person who received it is no longer alive. Please note that your achieving this grade has made history. The only other person to receive this grade was none other than James Potter, your late father. However, even your father failed to achieve two O+ grades, and for that, Mr. Potter, you have made wizarding history. Congratulations! Please note that receiving this grade entitles you to attend any N.E.W.T. class you wish, and you will not be turned down for any reason. Again, congratulations, Mr. Potter.
During the course of reading this letter, Harry's heart had gone down, up, and up again. He had first thought that because of his inability to get an O in Potions, he would not be able to become an Auror. Then, he read about his O+ grades in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and then, he read about how because of his grade, he could indeed, take Potions at N. E.W.T. level, and be able to become an Auror. He now picked up his final Hogwarts letter and opened it. Out came, to Harry's utter disbelief, a Prefect badge and a letter from Professor McGonagall. He picked up McGonagall's letter and read it.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I hope you have already read your O.W.L. results as they mean that you can, indeed, take Potions, N.E.W.T. Also, Professor Dumbledore has chosen you as the sixth-year boy Gryffindor prefect along with Ms. Patil as the sixth year girl Gryffindor prefect. You are now considered full prefects and you are given the same privileges as all other prefects. Along with this, you will be receiving Animagus training from me, along with Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger. Also, you will additionally be taking Occlumency and Legilimency classes from Professor Dumbledore and finally, you will be taking extra classes with Professor Snape for advanced Potions, delving almost irretrievably into Dark Art potions. Also, you will be taking Dark Arts classes with Professor Dumbledore, in order to prepare you for upcoming responsibilities. Only Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and myself, know about your extra lessons. Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger only know about Animagus lessons, and they will not know of any of your other extra lessons. Do not, without consent of myself or Professor Dumbledore, enlighten Mr. Weasley or Ms. Granger about these extra lessons. All will be revealed in time. We will see you soon, Mr. Potter.
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall
Harry was so confused, and yet, so excited. It was as if all his dreams had suddenly come true. But he was angered slightly that he would have to keep yet another thing a secret from Hermione and Ron. He hated keeping secrets from them for two reasons. One, was that it was nearly impossible to lie to Hermione, which was intensified by the fact that he loved her. The other reason was that if he kept all this inside, he was sure to explode. And what about quidditch? With all of his extra-curricular activities, how was he going to fit quidditch into his schedule?
Anyway, he would find out soon enough because, suddenly, Harry heard three loud popping noises and before he knew what was happening, he found himself looking up into the faces of Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, and Alastor Moody. They all greeted each other after assuring the fact that Harry was not some imposter under the influence of Lord Voldemort. After this, they offered to wait outside, while he tidied his room up a bit. They said that they had cast a null-magic charm on the house so Harry could use magic to tidy up. Grateful for the chance to do something useful without hard labor, Harry announced to the room at large, "Scourgify," which cleaned every single spec off the walls, as well as cleaning all his clothes. Satisfied with his handiwork, he spoke, "Pack," which put all of his clothes, books, parchment, quills, and broomstick, into his trunk, which locked itself with a quick "Collo Portis."
Harry then stepped outside of the room, and told Moody, Lupin, and Tonks he was ready to leave. Lupin then said, "We'll be traveling by Portkey to The Burrow, and we will floo from there to you-know-where. Okay?"
"Fine," said Harry, glad to finally be rid of the house for another year.
"On three. One…..Two…..Three," Lupin said, as they all felt a familiar tug behind the navel.
Thud. Harry's trunk landed on the kitchen of The Burrow and the sound echoed eerily in the empty house.
"Okay, Harry. Here is some Floo Powder," said Lupin, as he gave some of the powder to Harry, "Now remember, if you turn up in the wrong place, use Hedwig to contact us at once. Good luck."
Harry took his wand and said, "Incendio," which lit the Burrow fire. Harry then threw the floo powder into the fire, and said in a clear voice, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place."
When Harry appeared in the middle of his late godfather's kitchen, his vision was obscured when his glasses were knocked to the ground, due to Hermione hugging him so hard that he didn't know what hit him, literally.
"C'mon, Hermione, let him breathe. He can't even see because you've knocked his glasses off. Here you go mate," said Ron, as he handed Harry back his glasses.
"Thanks for the welcome, Hermione, what's the big hug for?" questioned Harry.
"Erm…It's for finally letting yourself realize that you aren't responsible for Sirius's death," said Hermione timidly, and in a shaky voice. Almost as if she made it up off the top of her head.
"How could you know that when you had only seen me for a split second?" questioned Harry.
"Well, okay Harry. I'll tell you," said Hermione, with trepidation. "Ron, can Harry and I talk in private for a moment, please?" said Hermione.
"Sure," said Ron, giving Harry the thumbs-up behind Hermione's back.
After Ron left, Hermione did the unbelievable. She kissed Harry. And not just a kiss on the cheeks, which she usually gave Harry, but a real, full-fledged kiss. Harry was in heaven. Hermione, the girl of his dreams was kissing him. But, why?
Hermione must have realized that Harry was thinking about something else because she broke the kiss, looking fearfully up at Harry's face.
"Did you like that? I mean, of course not. You probably don't even feel that way about me, so I'm probably just wasting my time. But Harry, I just wanted to say this one thing, whether you reject me or not, I love you. I have loved you since last year, and I always will," spoke Hermione in a hushed, fast voice.
Harry's mind took a minute to register what Hermione had just said. She had said that she loved him. She loved Harry Potter, not The Boy Who Lived. He quickly made up his mind, and said, "Hermione, I love you too. I have loved you for such a long time, that I hardly know when my feelings towards you became more than just friendship. But I do know this: I will always love you. Hermione, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Oh Harry, yes, of course I will," and with that, Hermione kissed Harry again. This was no longer a chaste kiss, however. Both Hermione and Harry had admitted that they loved each other, and that they were going to be together. However, knowing that they were both minors, Harry stopped the kiss before it was too late, because he knew, and it shocked him, that if Hermione had decided to go on, he couldn't have stopped himself. Suddenly, he became scared. He voiced his question to Hermione.
"How are we going to tell Ron about us?" said Harry.
"I already told him. He says he knew it was going to happen sometime, and he's glad that we finally stopped being stupid and blind to true love right in front of our eyes. And besides, he and Luna are an item," said Hermione, with relief.
"WHAT! Ron and Luna Lovegood? You've got to be kidding me," shouted Harry in surprise.
"I know, but Luna and Ron got together right after the train ride back home. Luna only lives about five minutes away from the Burrow, and Mr. Weasley and Mr. Lovegood have been good friends for a while now. One day, they met up, and they've only just started their relationship. I'm really happy for them," said Hermione.
"I suppose I will be too after I get over the shock of Ron and Luna being an item," said Harry.
"Well, let's get back upstairs with the others. Dobby came here from Hogwarts so he'll take your trunk and Hedwig up to your room with Ron," said Hermione.
"Okay," said Harry.
As Hermione and Harry were walking up the stairs, they met an odd sight. Ron and Luna were snogging themselves senseless while sitting on the troll's leg umbrella stand, which was in danger of falling over, with their combined weight and their constant shifting of positions.
"Hem, hem," said Harry, with a good interpretation of Dolores Umbridge. Ron and Luna sprang apart, both looking wildly around for the source of their discomfort. Realizing it was Harry, Ron lunged at him playfully.
"What'd you have to do that for? You scared me half to death! Anyway, I see you two have finally stopped being the world's biggest idiots, and realized what you have. Practically everyone in the entire school knew it was going to happen. I am going to be rich. I bet Seamus, Dean, and Neville you two'd be an item by the time we got back to school," said Ron.
"Really?! That many people know?" said Harry, in a disbelieving voice.
"Yeah! You two were the talk of the school for the last two years, what with Rita Skeeter, and everything! Anyway, you better get upstairs, Mum and Dad have a surprise party for you, Harry," said Ron.
"What for? And why will you not be coming with us?" questioned Harry.
Ron now lowered his head. "They are reading Sirius's will now. We have already heard it, but we will be up in minute. Mum wanted me to go get something." Harry told Ron, "It is not a problem, Ron. I am over Sirius's death, and I realize that it isn't my fault. Thanks for caring enough about me to listen to it again."
"No problem, Harry," said Ron.
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