Harry's birthday was steadily approaching, but Harry gave it little thought since Dumbledore had allowed his books for the next term to be sent to him immediately. It had taken several owls to deliver all the heavy packages. Harry had also been exchanging regular letters with Ron and Hermione, who both were presumably at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. He had already read through his sixth year books at a breakneck pace and was on his second reading. He marveled at how quickly he could absorb the material when he focused on it and focus on it he did. Whenever Harry found his attention drifting on one subject he would set it aside and concentrate on another. He worked especially hard on his advanced potions material. Not only did he work to memorize the properties and construction of each potion, but he also tried to cross-reference the properties of the ingredients whenever he could.
As time created distance between Vernon's memory and the threats by Moody at King's Cross got ever greater Harry was increasingly bothered by the Dursley's to do this task or that. He tried to be civil about it, but it was difficult. Harry kept reminding himself that it was time to turn over a new leaf so to speak and to do the right thing even if no one else around him did. He remembered the placid calm of Dumbledore even in the face of Voldemort and vowed that he too would separate his emotions from his actions. He also began to rigorously apply his Occlumency lessons and with great effort began to sleep peacefully without any nightmares, let alone Voldemort inspired ones. He noticed that his scar had quit hurting entirely, but he didn't know if that was due to his Occlumency training or if it was simply because Voldemort was lying low for the time being.
It was still two weeks before Harry's birthday when an ancient looking old man with a long beard knocked on the door of Number Four Privet Drive. Aunt Petunia opened the door and let out a little gasp as the old man invited himself in.
"Hello Petunia" Dumbledore said pleasantly, "I've come to collect your nephew if that's quite all right with you."
Aunt Petunia sniffed haughtily, torn between her fear and loathing of this old wizard and her delight at getting rid of her freakish charge.
"I'll take that as a yes." Dumbledore said as he whisked away up the stairs without a second glance. He quietly opened the door to Harry's room and was shocked by what he saw. He had of course had some inkling of what Harry was doing since he had authorized the early release of Harry's book list, but he hadn't quite expected this. Stacks of books were organized neatly, rolls of parchment attested to the many essays Harry had already written, and Harry himself was hunched over a book, his wand tracing patterns in the air as he mumbled to himself. Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly as he stepped into the room.
"Professor, I'm glad you're here, does this mean I can finally leave?" Harry asked.
"Yes, of course, but first I thought it might be best if we talked about a few things," Dumbledore said hesitantly.
"I expected as much," Harry said with a sigh as he closed his book, "but first I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for how I reacted in your office last year after Sirius' death."
"That was perfectly understandable" Dumbledore replied, further surprised, "you had been dealt a severe blow that night."
"Yes, but nothing could be helped by wrecking your belongings," Harry said sadly, "and I've promised myself to quit doing things that won't help anything."
"You've changed a great deal since we were together last Harry," Dumbledore said as he gently probed at Harry's mind only to find that he was blocked, "and not just in your attitude."
"I've been practicing Occlumency hard," Harry said as he caught on to Dumbledore's meaning, "and I realized that if I had of just trusted you things would have turned out much differently. I won't make that mistake again."
Dumbledore pondered this for a moment before reaching into his robes and removing a folded piece of parchment.
"I doubt it will surprise you to learn that Sirius has left Grimmauld Place and what remains of the Black family fortune to you"
"I hadn't thought about it, but no, I don't suppose that is surprising," Harry said quietly, his eyes shimmering as he thought about Sirius.
"Well then, you must have more questions, but its nearly time to go so let me pack for you."
Dumbledore flicked his wand and Harry's possessions began spinning around the room before neatly tucking themselves away inside his trunk. Dumbledore produced a small round disk and sat it on top of Harry's trunk. Recognizing it as a portkey Harry reached out and touched it. Immediately he felt the tug as they were whisked through a multicolor world and deposited at the entrance to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore quickly got out a large brass key and handed it to Harry.
"Use the master key to make your possession official," Dumbledore urged as he glanced about.
Harry put the key in an ancient looking lock that magically appeared and heard a series of mechanical clicks for a moment. The door finally swung open and Dumbledore ushered Harry in, floating his belongings behind him. Grimmauld Place looked much the same as it had last summer. There were fewer paintings on the wall, but the environment was still dark and brooding.
"Harry, it's so good to see you," Molly Weasley said as she bustled toward him, hugging him tenderly, yet hesitantly as if she were afraid of hurting him.
"It's good to see you too Mrs. Weasley," Harry said politely. He liked Molly, but he wasn't particularly interested in her look of pity even if it were out of concern.
"Is everything ready for us to begin," Dumbledore asked, breaking the silence between Mrs. Weasley and Harry.
"What?" Mrs. Weasley asked, then remembered, "Oh, yes, everyone's waiting. Harry dear why don't you take your things upstairs, Ron and the others are cleaning in one of the rooms down the hall."
Harry drug his trunk up the stairs as the two adults disappeared through the door for another Order meeting. He didn't even feel a twinge of curiosity or annoyance like he would have last year. The Order was doing all it could do and it was probably still dangerous for him to know more than they needed to tell him because even with his improving mastery of Occlumency he couldn't be totally sure that Voldemort was unable to get anything from his mind. Harry dropped his things in his old room before seeking out his friends. He found them kicking at a stool which was lunging at them as if it were trying to bite them. Ron's foot had just managed to break its legs in half when they looked up and saw him.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed happily as she walked toward him faster and faster until she embraced him in a long hug.
"How's it goin' mate?" Ron asked uncertainly as he prodded the stool with his foot.
"A lot better now that I'm here." Harry said with a small smile as Hermione stepped back from him.
"We've absolutely no idea what's been going on," Hermione said anxiously, "Ginny is here, but the twins are at their shop and without them we've not had any luck with extendable ears or anything."
"They won't let the twins join the Order yet either," Ron said grimly, "They were pretty upset, but not half as upset as Mum was about them leaving school. They're doing a lot of business though, and galleons seem to be making their profession seem more respectable. Dad doesn't have a problem with it now."
"I guess its just as well, the twins wouldn't have much time to do Order related things," Hermione said reasonably.
"They still don't let us in on any meeting," Ron said glumly, refocusing on their own problems, "all we get to do is battle furniture."
"We probably shouldn't know then if they don't want to tell us." Harry said.
Ron and Hermione just stared at him unable to believe what he had just said. They had expected Harry to be furious at not having more information and depressed about Sirius, despite the generally mellow tone of his letters.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Ron asked again.
"Yeah, as well as can be expected, but we do need to talk," Harry said seriously, "I've been doing a lot of thinking and there are things you guys need to know."
The trio headed back to Harry's room so that Harry could unpack as they talked. Ron plopped down on a stool after checking to make sure it didn't bite and Hermione sat cross-legged on the bed. Harry began pulling out books and stacking them in an orderly fashion, which caused them both to goggle at him again.
"Are those this years books mate?" Ron asked incredulously.
"Yes, they must be," Hermione said breathlessly as she leaned over and snatched one from Harry, "but how did you get them already."
"I asked Dumbledore to send them to me so I could begin studying." Harry said as he surveyed their shocked looks, "That's one of the things we need to talk about."
"How you're turning into Hermione," Ron said as Hermione glared at him.
"First things first," Harry said taking a deep breath, "I need to tell both of you the prophecy."
"But I thought it was lost," Ron broke in.
"The prophecy at the Department of Mysteries was only a copy of what someone actually heard." Harry said.
"Who heard the prophecy?" Hermione asked
"Dumbledore, he told me afterwards and showed it to me in the pensieve."
Harry recounted the prophecy that he had etched into his memory word for word. As he finished Ron looked like he had just been hit in the face with a bludger and Hermione was nearing tears.
"Oh Harry," she said mournfully as she moved to hug him tightly.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you both sooner, but I promise never to keep secrets from either of you like this ever again," Harry said solemnly.
"Its ok Harry," Ron said as he finally found his voice, "that's something anyone wouldn't want to talk about."
"No," Harry said forcefully, "It isn't ok. You're my best friends, you're always there for me, and I remember how angry I was at being held out on last year. Then I go and hypocritically do the same thing to you. You deserve to know everything I do and I'm not going to make the same mistakes over again."
"It really is ok Harry," Hermione said in an absent voice as she went into analysis mode, "This explains why Dumbledore was so determined to protect you and why Voldemort is so determined to kill you."
Ron shuddered at the mention of Voldemort's name.
"Actually, Dumbledore told me that Voldemort only knows the first parts of the prophecy, that's why he was after it to hear the rest." Harry said, earning another shudder from Ron.
"Well, since he didn't get it that might help, but he will undoubtedly keep coming after you." Hermione said.
"Yes, which reminds me of the second thing I need to talk to you about." Harry said as he looked at them, "If I'm the one who has to defeat Voldemort then I have to become even stronger than Dumbledore. I need help to become a powerful wizard."
"Of course we'll help you Harry, we'll do whatever it takes, no matter what," Hermione said instantly, "what do you think we've been trying to do all this time?"
"I know," Harry said, "you're better friends than I deserve."
"You got that right," Ron joked, then added, "so that's why you had Dumbledore send your books early."
"Yeah, I've been memorizing all the spells and potions that I can without actually being able to practice them."
"You're going to need more than school books if you're to defeat Voldemort though," Hermione said, "we need access to the restricted section of the library."
Harry nodded, he had already thought of that. "That's one of the many things I need to ask Dumbledore about as soon as the meeting is over."
"They've been at it a while" Ron said. They had nearly lost track of time, but a quick glance out the window revealed that the day was beginning to turn into night. The three teens walked out of Harry's room and settled down on the stairs where they could watch the doors to the meeting room. They could barely be seen in the thick gloom of the hallway, which was illuminated by the thinnest of slivers of light that emanated from under the doorway.
"Harry," a high pitched voice squeaked behind them. Ginny ran up and gave Harry a hug before settling down next to her brother. The four whispered quietly so as not to wake up the painting of Mrs. Black. Ginny shot her brother an inquisitive glance and nodded toward Harry and Hermione who were talking in conspiratorial tones. Ron began filling her in on some of Harry's new plans, but left out the prophecy and the animagus training since the trio had agreed that such sensitive information should probably be limited to as few people as possible. Ron didn't feel too guilty not letting his siblings in on the matter since most of the Order members had no idea about the prophecy's contents either. Harry was also concerned that Voldemort might have a way into Ginny's mind after what happened in second year, but he didn't voice these concerns to Ron.
The four teens looked up sharply as the door opened slightly allowing the sounds of banging chairs and rustling papers to make it into the hall. Suddenly the doors burst open and Snape marched out.