First I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far for taking the time to do so. I appreciate any feedback. After reading what some of you have said I thought I'd clarify a few things so no one would be confused. I started this story before the release of HBP so that book had no influence on this piece whatsoever. As a result I had already made assumptions about how magic works that were shot down in HBP but that I refuse to change because frankly my way makes more sense in my humble opinion. Thus this story is completely AU, any differences should be taken in stride. For example, apparation cannot be done except by the individual person. One person cannot take another "along for the ride" so to speak. The Ministry of Magic can detect underage magic specifically (this will be important later on). Portkeys can be blocked by wards directionally, which means basically that the ward maker can choose to block incoming, outgoing, or both types of portkeys at the same time. Seeing as how it is possible for Dumbledore to portkey into Hogwarts but others cannot (or else Voldemort would just portkey in whenever he felt like a visit) that leads me to believe that portkey blocking wards can be keyed to allow certain persons (or perhaps magical signatures) passage.
As for romance, it will be present, but it won't be a big deal, especially between characters other than Harry and Hermione. You will see the beginnings of N\G and R\L but there won't be anything overt really. However, despite this Harry and Hermione's relationship will play a key role in resolving the outcome of this story and perhaps as many as two sequals should I choose to write them. I already have them planned out, more or less, so it would simply be a matter of finding the time.
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Snape stalked out of the room, his robes billowing behind him like giant limp wings, but he never noticed the teens sitting at the top of the stairs as he headed straight to the door and out into the night. Other members began filing out soon thereafter and Harry jumped up so that Dumbledore wouldn't be able to escape before they could talk to him. The others followed Harry into the room where Dumbledore, Molly, Tonks, and Moody were still huddled together talking in strained whispers. They stopped abruptly when they realized they were no longer alone.
"Er, sorry," Harry said, "we thought you were done"
"That's quite alright." Dumbledore said, preventing them from backing out of the room.
"We wondered if we could talk to you for a moment," Harry said, indicating that he preferred to talk to the Headmaster alone. The other adults glanced uneasily at each other.
"Of course Harry, but first there is something you need to attend to as master of the house." Dumbledore said.
Ginny, Ron, and Hermione looked at Harry and he realized he had forgotten to tell them about the will.
"Sirius left me his estate," he said out of the corner of his mouth, then looked to Dumbledore, "Ok, what is it."
"Well Harry, as you know Sirius left you all of his possessions, which I'm afraid also includes his servant. As his new master only you can deal with him."
Harry paled as he remembered Kreacher and was dimly aware of Hermione grabbing his arm tightly. He had known that he would have to deal with Kreacher as someday and he had already resolved himself about what he was going to do, but it was difficult now that he was confronted with the necessity.
"Kreacher, appear," Harry said in a strained voice. With a crack the little elf appeared, still dressed in the same rag he always had on. Kreacher eyed Harry uneasily, but with a look that he had already resigned himself to whatever fate Harry pronounced upon him.
"Kreacher, you are ordered to never again leave this house without my direct permission. You must not divulge any information about what happens inside this house to anyone, especially my enemies or the enemies of the Order of the Phoenix. You are also to stop interfering with the cleaning of this house." Harry said in the kindest voice that he could force himself to use.
Molly stared at him slack jawed, Moody's eye, which usually fidgeted about nervously, had frozen in place. Tonks didn't seem very surprised and Dumbledore was positively beaming at him. Hermione's grip on his arm had tightened and she was looking up at him with huge round eyes.
"That's all?" Ron sputtered.
"Yes Ron, that's all" Harry said softly, "Kreacher can't do us anymore harm so long as he has proper orders. Can you think of anything else I should tell him to do Professor?"
"No Harry, that should be sufficient," Dumbledore said.
Kreacher stared at Harry for a moment and then must have decided that silence was dismissal because he vanished with a crack. Molly seemed to collect herself as she began putting food on the table for a late dinner.
"Professor, can we talk now?" Harry asked.
"Let's eat first, I can stay for a few minutes." Dumbledore said.
"That was a noble thing you did Harry." Hermione said as they all sat down. Ron looked incredulously at her.
"I'm not so sure we should have let him off so easily though." Ron said hesitantly, uncomfortable about bringing up Sirius' death, even indirectly, "I mean, won't he just take the next opportunity available to betray us again…"
"That's why I gave him orders not to leave the house." Harry replied, "If he can't leave then he can't very well hurt our cause."
Ron made some more sputtering noises, but Harry cut him off.
"Look, I know he lied to us, but it isn't entirely his fault. Kreacher has been abused and twisted by dark wizards for his entire life. Taking vengeance on him now can't bring Sirius back, but maybe keeping him alive can do something to help save someone else. At the very least we should remember that Kreacher is a victim too, a slave, and his life has been taken away in much the same was as Sirius' was. He may be alive, but his life isn't his to live because of his enslavement to wizards. Hermione and Dumbledore tried to tell me this last year, but I only recently started listening" he finished wistfully.
Hermione looked at him sadly, comprehending his pain, but proudly too because of the effort he was making with Kreacher. Harry avoided her gaze, partly because he didn't feel like he deserved her thankful look since he didn't feel in his heart the forgiveness he had shown Kreacher with his actions and partly because he wasn't entirely convinced that he had done the right thing. If Kreacher did find a way to betray them again he didn't know how he would deal with it. He silently wondered if he had the wisdom to make these kinds of decisions that could end up being life or death for those he cared about.
Thinking about the terrible things that could happen to his friends caused Harry's stomach to clench again and he stood jerkily to his feet with his dinner barely touched. Everyone glanced up at him anxiously.
"Professor, could we talk please?" he said.
Dumbledore gazed at him over his half-moon spectacles before slowly nodding his head. Dumbledore seemed to sense that Harry wanted a private conversation because he got up and headed out into the hall. Harry followed him until he was sure that they wouldn't be overheard.
"Now, what is it that is so urgent?" Dumbledore asked. "Well, Hermione and I have been talking about things we can do to give us an advantage against Voldemort," Harry began, "and I wanted to run them by you before we started trying anything."
Dumbledore nodded so Harry continued.
"First of all, we wanted to become Animagi, unlicensed of course, since that would have obvious advantages in terms of stealth and escape." Harry said.
"I can't condone illegal activity Harry," Dumbledore said, raising an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling devilishly, "I would be most disappointed indeed if you were to go to Remus for help in securing the books and ingredients necessary to accomplish such a feat. Of course if you were discrete about using your transformations I would probably never find out."
"Certainly sir, I wouldn't dream of it." Harry said with a small smile, "I was also wondering if you think I am sufficiently skilled in Occlumency to try and teach it to Hermione and Ron?"
"Actually that might be a very good idea," Dumbledore said, "It would also give you an opportunity to practice Legilimency, which you may find very useful in detecting dishonesty from those around you."
Harry squirmed for a moment at that, thinking of the times that he had been less than honest with Dumbledore. He couldn't help it now though, so he forged ahead.
"When you fought Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries I noticed that you cast spells without saying the incantations that went along with them. Would it be possible for you to teach us how to do that?"
"Very clever, very clever indeed Harry," Dumbledore said as he gave him an appraising look, "but I'm afraid that silent casting is not a skill that can be taught by one person to another. Each person has to discover the art on their own and I warn you that only the most powerful wizards can accomplish such a feat. The only advice I can give you is to be fully aware of the effects of each spell and of the proper wand movement. After that it is merely a matter of power and will to cast your spells."
Harry pondered that for a moment, his thoughts interrupted as Dumbledore told him that it was time for him to go. Harry went back into the kitchen to find that everyone except Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione had already went off somewhere else. He whispered to Hermione and Ron after making sure that she wasn't within hearing.
"Ron, do you think we should tell your mother about the prophecy?" he asked them.
"I don't know, she'd probably freak out." Ron replied.
"I think she might be more understanding of us if she knew the role Harry has in the prophecy and how we're going to help him fulfill it." Hermione said.
"She sort of has a right to know, don't you think?" Harry said quietly, "Plus Hermione is right, she might be more understanding."
"Well," Ron looked torn, not wanting to worry his mother any further, "I suppose."
"We won't tell her unless you're sure." Harry said.
"Alright, alright, I'm sure, we should tell her, but no one else." Ron said finally.
Harry and Hermione jumped up and closed the doors to the kitchen after making sure there was no one else around. It was getting quite late so most Order members were on duty, at their homes, or asleep somewhere else in the house.
"Mum, we need to tell you something." Ron said after they gave him an all-clear sign.
Mrs. Weasley eyed them suspiciously at Ron's serious tone.
"It might be better if you sat down Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said kindly.
"You kids are scaring me," she said nervously.
"It's about the prophecy," Harry said.
"I take it that you've already told Ron and Hermione then." Mrs. Weasley said. The pair nodded in affirmation.
"Yeah, but we all agreed that you have a right to know too since your family's proximity to me will make you all a priority target for Voldemort." Harry explained.
"You can't tell anyone though Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said earnestly, "Only the three of us and Dumbledore currently know the entire prophecy. If Voldemort ever discovers all of it then it could help him win."
"Maybe you shouldn't tell me then." Mrs. Weasley said, wiggling uncomfortably at the mention of Voldemort.
"I know that you'd never do anything that could jeopardize our safety and to tell the truth we need your help." Harry told her, "I thought you should know why I need your help before I asked you."
"Mum, remember you can't tell anyone, not even Dad. He might encounter a Death Eater strong enough in legimency to get it out of him." Ron cautioned.
Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath as she let that sink in before finally nodding that she wanted to hear the prophecy.
"Basically, the key part is that I am the only person who can defeat Voldemort and I must defeat him or else he will kill me." Harry said, "There is more, but it isn't as important, it just hints at how I am supposed to defeat him, but honestly even Dumbledore doesn't know exactly what it means."
Mrs. Weasley turned as pale as a ghost and he could see tears building in her eyes. She immediately ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him in a motherly embrace.
"Oh Harry," she sobbed, "surely there must have been some mistake."
"I'm afraid not, Professor Dumbledore heard the prophecy himself from the source."
The four sat forlornly and comforted each other for several minutes while Mrs. Weasley composed herself. Ron looked grim and Hermione appeared to be holding back tears of her own, the shock of first hearing the prophecy herself had not fully worn off yet.
"Its ok Mrs. Weasley," Harry said soothingly, "we can still win, that's why I need your help. Professor Dumbledore suggested several things that I can do to help prepare to face Voldemort, but I need Ron and Hermione to help me do them. We also may need extended periods of uninterrupted time and you're the only one we can trust to keep the other Order members away from us."
"What kinds of things." she asked shakily.
"Well, actually it would probably be best if we didn't say, except that we'll be doing magic well beyond the sixth year." Harry replied.
"Well, I guess you must. I'll help you of course, and please Harry, Hermione, call me Molly. You're both like family to me." Mrs. Weasley said as she glanced between them nervously, a strange tone in her voice that Harry couldn't place.
"We should probably get started as soon as we can." Harry said, but Molly would have none of it.
"Its getting late, you can't do anything if you're falling asleep," Molly said as she bustled out. They could hear her telling Ginny to get to bed as they ascended the stairs.
"We'll be able to start tomorrow," Hermione said soothingly as if she sensed Harry's eagerness to get started, "Molly's right, we'll be better once we're rested."
Harry trudged into his room and flopped down on his bed after hurriedly changing into his pajamas. He stared up at the canopy over his big four poster bed and considered all of Dumbledore's advice. Animagus training would be difficult to complete before the next term at Hogwarts started, but with Hermione's help it was definitely possible. They would have to be careful though and Dumbledore had suggested that Lupin would be a great help too since he had already seen it done. The house creaked eerily as Harry continued to mull over his training plans for the rest of the summer.