Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the elements of it. They are the property of J.K. Rowling, I only wish that I had thought of it first. :D

Chapter One: Hedwig's trips

It was the summer before Harry's sixth year, and he was once again sitting in the smallest bedroom in the house at number four Privet Drive. He had been back with the Dursley's for two weeks, and they had left him alone. He had only left his room to go to the bathroom, he hadn't eaten a single meal with his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin. He had been surviving on the daily packages that Hedwig had been delivering. He was mourning his godfather and friend, Sirius Black, who had fallen into the veil in the department of mysteries, after being hit by a curse thrown by Beletrix Lestrange.

Every afternoon, Hedwig flew off to the Burrow and came back with a package of food from the Weasley's. Tonight was no different, Hedwig was perched on the outside of his window, a package and letter tied to her leg. "Have you been to see Mrs.Weasley again?" he asked the beautiful snowy owl, untying her burden and giving her a few owl treats. Hedwig hooted and nipped his finger. Harry ruffled the smooth feathers on her head, and then opened the letter. He stretched out on his bed and began to read.

Dear Harry,

I'm sending this letter with Hedwig's nightly package, hoping that you'll read it. I'm worried about you, Harry. Without fail, every night since the term ended, Hedwig has shown up at dinner. She's not carrying a letter, so I have to wonder if those horrible muggles are feeding you. So I pack up food and send it with her, praying that mum won't notice and come charging in there hexing everyone in her path. Harry, are you okay? You can't blame yourself for what happened to Sirius. I would have done the same thing, there are only two people to blame for it, Beletrix Lestrange and Voldemort. You are one of the most caring people that I know, you wouldn't have done anything if you had known that something like that was going to happen. Just know that if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. And if I don't hear from you soon, I'll come there myself and hex those awful muggles.

Ginny

Harry read the letter twice then reached for the package that had come with the note. Inside were two of Mrs.Weasley's meat pies, some fresh baked bread, and a bottle of butterbeer. Harry hid one of the pies and half of the bread under the loose floorboard under his bed, then ate the other with the rest of the bread and the butterbeer. Then he walked over to his desk, pulled out a piece of parchment and his quill and sat to write a note to Ginny.

Dear Ginny,

Thank you for the dinner packages, it makes it easier to ignore the muggles if I don't have to join them for meals. They have been mostly ignoring me since I came home. Believe me, them ignoring me is the best thing that could happen. I don't know if your mum coming and hexing them is a good thing or a bad thing. I wouldn't want her to get in trouble, but it would be funny to see them all hexed. It was nice of you to write to me, I just haven't been up to writing letters. After I read yours, I felt the need to write you back. It's nice to know that you are there for me to talk to, I'll remember that.

Thanks,
Harry

He folded up the parchment and tied it to Hedwig's leg, "Take this letter to Ginny," he told her, rubbing her head. "I know that you just came back from there, but I don't want her to wait till tomorrow." Hedwig hooted and flew out the window. Harry walked over to his bed and got into his pajamas, curled up in the bed and went to sleep.

Harry woke to a tapping on his window. Hedwig had returned, he got up from the bed and opened the window so that she could fly into the room. "I didn't expect you back until tonight," he told her, rubbing her head. He took the parchment from her leg and sat down on the bed to read.

Dear Harry,

Mum found out about the nightly deliveries. She contacted Dumbledore by floo and is sending me by portkey to get you. Aurors are here at the Burrow putting up more protective wards, so that you will be safe here for the rest of the summer. Ron would be coming to get you, but he is going to pick up Hermione. Her parents are going into hiding, so she'll be staying her too. Expect me around eleven o'clock this morning. Have everything ready to go, we'll only have a few minutes before the portkey will re-activate.

Ginny

Harry looked over at the clock and jumped out of bed. He only had about half an hour to get his things packed and be ready to go to the Burrow. He quickly pulled on a pair of muggle jeans and a t-shirt, and then started throwing his things in his trunk He cleaned out the space under the loose floorboard, and pulled his trunk down the stairs.

"What do you think you are doing, boy?" Uncle Vernon bellowed, his face turning slightly purple.

Harry looked up at him, "The Weasley's are coming to get me in about ten minutes. I'll be spending the rest of the summer with them," Harry told him, sitting down on his trunk and rubbing Hedwig's feathers through the bars of her cage.

"Those freaks are coming here?" he yelled. "I will not have those people in my house."

Harry gave him a cold look. "They will only be here for a few minutes. Just long enough for the portkey to activate," he explained. His uncle stomped out of the room, shaking the walls as he went. Harry sat there, not knowing where Ginny was going to appear.

A few minutes later, he heard a pop and a loud crash from the living room. He jumped up and ran into the living room, where he saw Ginny standing in the middle of the room, her wand in her one hand and a book in the other, His Uncle lying in the overturned chair, his Aunt and Cousin cowering in the corner, and Ginny looking around until she spotted him. "Oh, Harry. I thought that I was in the wrong place. Are you ready to go?" she asked, smiling. "Mum has been cooking since she talked to Dumbledore. These muggles are lucky that she didn't come to get you. She would have hexed them into next week," she told him, walking over to him. "Where are your things?" she asked, looking around the room again.

"In the hallway, we can leave from there, right?" he asked, watching his Uncle's face get darker and darker purple. Harry quickly lead her into hallway and over to his trunk.

"Sure, the portkey will be re-activating any minute now," she said, sitting down on the edge of his trunk. Ginny put her wand in her pocket and grabbed a hold of Hedwig's cage, Harry grabbed the handle of his trunk and they both placed a hand on the book. A minute later, he felt the pull behind his navel and they appeared in the kitchen of the Burrow.

Mrs.Weasley rushed over and gave Harry a big hug. "I'm so glad that you're here, Harry dear. When I figured out that Ginny was sending you food every day, I could have just hexed those awful muggles. I flooed Dumbledore and insisted that he allow you to come here for the rest of the summer," she told him, ushering him over to the table. "Sit down and I'll have breakfast for you in just a minute."

"Thank you, Mrs.Weasley," Harry said, sitting down and looking over at a laughing Ginny.

"Ginny dear, go up and wake Fred and George, have them come and fetch Harry's things and take them up to Ron's room," she told her daughter. She waved her wand and sent plates of sausages, rashers of bacon and mounds of eggs to the table. She set a plate in front of Harry, "Dig in, everyone else should be down in just a minute." As Harry reached for the eggs, he heard a thumping on the stairs. He looked up to see Ron, his hair disheveled and still in his pajamas, heading for the table.

"Harry mate, good to see you. I hope that Ginny coming to get you wasn't too much of a shock. I'm supposed to be leaving in a few minutes to collect Hermione," Ron told him, reaching for a sausage. "Dumbledore is sending her parents into hiding, just to keep them safe. So she's going to be spending the rest of the summer here with us." Ron stuffed another sausage in his mouth and turned toward the stairs. "I won't be long."

A few minutes later, Ron came back down the stairs. He had changed into muggle jeans and a t-shirt, and he had brushed his hair. "I have to go and get Hermione, will you be okay here mate?" Ron asked, reaching across the table for a piece of toast.

"It's not like I'm going to be here alone. Your Mum, Ginny, Bill, Charlie and the twins are here. I'll be fine," Harry told him, taking another piece of toast. "How about a game of Quidditch when you get back?" he asked.

"Sure thing Mate," Ron said. "I should be back soon." Ron grabbed a pinch of floo powder from the flower pot on the mantle and threw it into the flames. "Hermione Granger's house," he shouted and stepped into the flames.

Harry quickly finished his breakfast and took his plate to the sink. "Can I help you with the dishes, Mrs.Weasley?" he asked.

"No dear, you go on out to the garden with Ginny," she told him.

Ginny grabbed her broom and motioned to Harry. He grabbed his broom and followed her out the door.

Chapter Two: Quidditch and Snogging?

Ginny sent Pig with a note for Bill and Charlie, and she and Harry headed for the Orchard to wait for them. With their brooms over their shoulders they walked side by side. Harry was happy to be going flying, it was something that he missed when he was with his muggle relatives. "So Harry, I'm glad that mum got Dumbledore to let you stay with us. It was hard for me to send you food without mum finding out, as you saw," Ginny said, picking up an apple to use for a quaffle.

"I didn't get to say thank you for sending me food everyday. I didn't want to see them. All I did was sit around and think about Sirius, and how he would still be alive if I had learned to block Voldemort," Harry told her, kicking an apple that was lying on the ground in front of him.

"Harry, what happened to Sirius was not your fault. Kreacher lied to you," she told him. She reached over and put her hand on his shoulder, "Sirius wouldn't want you to blame yourself." She mounted her broom, "Come on Harry, I'm sure that Dumbledore will lift your Quidditch ban and you'll be the seeker for Gryffindor again. I need to practice if I'm going to stay on the team as a chaser," she said as she kicked off from the ground.

"Alright, we'll practice until everyone else gets here," he said, mounting his broom and kicking off. "I'll play keeper, and you try to get the quaffle past me."

"That's not going to be hard, Harry. You're a seeker, not a keeper," she told him, laughing. "When Bill comes out, maybe he'll play keeper, and you can be a chaser."

They flew around, passing the apple until Bill and Charlie came out.

"Oy, Harry," Charlie yelled as he walked onto the makeshift pitch. "Good to see you." Harry flew down and landed next to Charlie. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay, I guess. Still can't believe that Sirius is dead," Harry told him. "If I had just managed to block Voldemort, he would still be alive."

Charlie looked up at Ginny flying over their heads, "Harry, I'm sure that he wouldn't want you to blame yourself. The house elves are dealing with Kreacher, at Dumbledore's insistence. And I believe that Dumbledore is searching for information about that veil. The Department of Mysteries is giving him all of the information that they have. There is a chance that the veil didn't kill him, only took him to another dimension or time," Charlie told him. "Maybe Dumbledore could use some help, and I think that the four of you would be very useful in searching for information."

Harry laughed, "Especially Hermione. She's the best when it comes to finding stuff in books," Harry told him. "Could you ask him if he wants some help, I would be more than willing to help any way I can."

"I will too," Ginny told them, hovering on her broom behind Harry. "I would do anything to help find Sirius, he was a great person."

With a pop, Fred and George appeared, and with a smaller pop, George's girlfriend Angelina appeared next to him. "Harry, when did you get here?" George asked. "Mum didn't tell us that you were coming today."

Ginny landed and dismounted her broom. "She found out that I had been sending him food everyday, and she yelled at Dumbledore until he sent Aurors to put some more wards on the burrow, then sent me to get him by portkey," she told them. She tossed the apple at Harry and he caught it.

"I can only imagine what Mum would have done to them if she had gone, but why didn't Ron go?" Fred asked, looking around for his youngest brother. "And where is he now?"

Ginny laughed and looked over at her twin brothers, "He went to get Hermione," she answered. "He should be back by now."

"I'm going up to the house to get some brooms, we should have enough people to play Quidditch now that Harry and Angelina here," Fred told them. "I'll see if ickle Ronniekins is back yet." He turned and headed toward the burrow.

The rest of the group stood around talking until Fred came back, followed by a blushing Hermione and an angry Ron. "Ron, why is your face all red?" Ginny asked

Fred clapped a hand on Ron's back, "I found our ickle Ronniekins snogging Hermione," he said. "Who would have thought that Hermione would be interested in our Ron?"

"I was not snogging Hermione. I was only leaning over to see what was in her hair," Ron explained. "Then Fred slapped me on the back and our noses bumped."

"It sure looked like you were snogging to me," Fred told him. "I can't say that I would fault your taste, Ron," he said, looking at Hermione. "Merlin Hermione, you've sure grown up since the last time I saw you. You're a beautiful girl."

Hermione blushed and Ron's face turned red and he turned toward his brother, "Stop looking at her like that you prat," he yelled, standing in front of her.

Fred laughed, "Come on, let's play some Quidditch." Fred handed George and Angelina brooms, mounted his and took off.

"Stupid prat, why can't he just leave people alone," Ron asked the seven other people standing near him.

"Maybe because he sees how good Hermione looks," Ginny told him. "He would have to be blind not to notice, Ron." She turned to Hermione, "You look great Hermione, don't let the prats bother you," she said as she mounted her broom.

Harry looked at his two best friends and shrugged. "You do look nice, Hermione," he said as he got on his firebolt and flew to where George and Ginny were hovering.

Hermione walked over to Ron and kissed his cheek, "Go play Quidditch, we can talk later."

The group played Quidditch, with Hermione watching until Mrs.Weasley called them in for dinner.

Chapter 3: A visit from Dumbledore (Bad News but Good News)

The nine young people headed toward the house and the large feast that they knew Mrs.Weasley had prepared. They were laughing and talking when Bill opened the door to the kitchen and saw Dumbledore sitting at the table with his parents.

"Mum, Dad, what's wrong?" Bill asked, stepping out of the doorway to make room for everyone else to enter. Mr.Weasley turned toward the crowd in the doorway and cleared his throat.

"Albus has come with some news. Why don't you younger kids head upstairs," he said, looking at his children. "Except for you Harry, Dumbledore needs to speak with you too." Fred, George, Angelina, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny headed for the stairs.

"Just call us if you need us, Harry," Ron told him before heading up the stairs. Harry sat down at the table with Mr. and Mrs.Weasley, Professor Dumbledore, Bill and Charlie.

"What's wrong, Professor?" he asked, looking at the sad faces of his best friend's parents.

"Harry, I have some bad news for you," Albus said, reaching across the table. "You will not be able to return to the Dursley's next summer."

Harry looked at him and smiled. "That's okay, Professor Dumbledore. I didn't like going back there. But I thought that I had to," Harry looked at him, confused.

"Well, there has been an accident and the protections that were once there are no longer effective," he told the boy.

Harry looked at Mr. and Mrs.Weasley, who were the closest thing to parents that Harry had. "What happened?"

Mrs.Weasley reached over and squeezed his hand. "I'm so sorry, Harry," she told him. "But your Aunt was in an accident today."

Dumbledore watched Harry's face and continued with what Molly had said. "She was hurt in a car accident. Your Uncle and cousin were less injured, but your Aunt will not be returning to the house for quite awhile. She is in a muggle hospital, her injuries are serious. Arthur and Molly have offered you a home with them, if you would like to stay here."

"You mean that I could live here?" he asked, his shock evident in the widening of his green eyes.

Molly smiled at him. "Albus is going to do the wards and spells to protect the burrow just like Hogwarts. We would love to have you stay with us," she told him. She stood up and walked over behind him, and gave him a hug.

Harry looked around the table at the five adults. "Are you sure, Mrs.Weasley? Having me here could put the whole family in danger," he said, watching Bill and Charlie.

Bill stood up, "I'm going to go and get started on the protections for the house, and I'm going to owl a few friends of mine to come and help. I know a few people that could make this house safe, and a few that will be happy to help me try and tear down the protection." He went into the living room and came back with parchment, quill and a bottle of ink. He quickly began writing a few notes.

Arthur looked over at Harry, he was like a son to him. "Believe me Harry, we have discussed this with Albus many times in the past five years. This is something that we want to do. You have always been welcome in this house and always will be," he smiled at the boy, and stood up. "I'm going to get to work on building Harry his own room. I'm sure that he must be tired of the orange walls in Ron's room by now."

Harry looked around at the older members of the family that had treated him like one of their own. "Thank you. I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for all of you."

Charlie patted him on the shoulder, "That's what family is for," he said. "I'll come and give you a hand, Dad." Charlie got up and he and Mr.Weasley went up the stairs.

"Nothing to worry about, Harry. I'll be seeing you on September first," Albus told him heading for the door. "You will be safe here with Molly and Arthur. And they will be safe with you here, I'll make sure of it." With that said, he walked out the door and started waving his wand at the house. Bill finished writing and got up from the table.

"Harry, could I use Hedwig? I have Errol and Pig, but I need one more owl to get the notes there as fast as possible," Bill said.

"Bill, why don't you just floo call them. It would be much quicker, and then poor Errol could get some well deserved rest," Mrs.Weasley said, as she cleared the table and started moving pots of food onto it. "I'll even make some more food, so that I'm sure that there is enough for everyone."

"Alright Mum. Harry, why don't you go up and give Ron, Ginny and the twins the news," he said to Harry as he threw some floo powder into the flames. "I'm sure that they will be thrilled."

Harry got up from the table and walked up the stairs. As he was passing Ginny's room, an arm reached out and pulled him into the room.

"Well?" Ron asked. "What's going on?"

Harry smiled at him, "Well, it was bad news that had good news with it," he told them.

Ginny pulled him over to her bed and made him sit down. "Spill it, the suspense is killing us," she told him, flopping down next to him.

"Well, right now, Dumbledore is outside strengthening the wards on the burrow, Bill is floo calling some curse breakers to try and tear them down, Oh and your dad and Charlie are building me my own room," he said.

"What does that have to do with the news?" Fred asked.

"Why are you getting your own room?" George added.

"Well, my aunt was in an accident and won't be back home for awhile, so your parents want me to live here," Harry told them. "And I'm getting my own room because your dad thinks that I'm probably tired of the orange walls in Ron's room."

Ginny laughed and hugged Harry. "I guess I should say 'Welcome Home'," she told him.

"You're right Ginny, this is home for me. Everyone I care about is here."

Ron shook his head, "It's about time that Dumbledore let you live here. Mum and Dad have been on him since first year to get you away from those muggles." He looked over at Fred and George, "Hey, so now we can come home for Christmas,"

"Now I have a home to come to," Harry answered

Chapter 4: A Feast in the garden and house elves

The four friends headed down to the kitchen to eat dinner. Mrs.Weasley was bustling around putting more and more food on to the already groaning table. "Boys," she said to Ron and Harry. "Could you please get the plates, I need to extend the table so that there will be room for everyone."

"Mum, why don't we just eat in shifts?" Ron asked. "Or Hermione, Ginny, Harry and I could take our plates out to the garden, so that there's room for the people that are setting the wards."

Molly looked at her youngest son, "That's a good idea, I'll have the twins set up a table in the garden for the six of you. That way everyone will have room to eat."

The back door opened and Bill and Charlie came into the kitchen. "Do you need any help, Mum?" Charlie asked, looking at the heavily laden table.

"I'm going to have Fred and George set up a table in the garden for them, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione. That way there will be room for everyone else in here," she told them, gesturing toward the table.

"Charlie and I will set up a few tables in the garden. Then we can come in and help with bringing out the food, we can all eat outside. It will make for less of a mess, and less of a crowd in the kitchen," Bill told her opening the door. "Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Harry can clear off the table after we eat, and Fred and George can do the dishes."

She hugged Bill and Charlie, "What would I do without my wonderful children?" she asked them, giving them both a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll just finish cooking and leave everything else up to you kids."

Ron walked to the bottom of the steps, "Fred-George," he shouted up the steps, "Come down and give us a hand, will you?"

Fred and George came running down the steps, "What can we help with?" George asked, looking around the room.

"Just follow us, we'll fill you in while we work," Charlie told them, as he walked out the back door.

Twenty five minutes later, they had seating set up for thirty witches and wizards, and everyone was just sitting down at the tables, staring at the wonderful feast Molly had prepared. "Molly, you have outdone yourself," Dumbledore told her. "Everything looks wonderful."

She blushed and patted his arm, "Thank you, Albus. I had to make it a large meal, Merlin only knows when Harry last had a good meal, living with those horrible muggles. They would starve the boy, I'm just glad that Ginny was sending him food, or he would probably be in horrible shape," she told him. She looked over at the table where her children were sitting. "Thank you again, Albus. Harry deserves a real family, and I'm happy that you are allowing us to provide that for him. I just wish that it had been sooner."

Albus smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling. "I should have listened to you from the beginning, Molly. I have no doubt that you and Arthur would have given Harry all that he needed, and I have thought about what you asked me earlier, Arthur. I will begin looking into it as soon as I get back to Hogwarts."

Molly looked at the two men, the question evident in her eyes.

"I will explain it to you later, Molly dear. It's just a little formality that I have asked Albus to look into, nothing to worry about," he assured his wife. "It's something that we will have to discuss with Harry before we proceed, if it's even possible."

Fred and George were preparing for a display of their fireworks. Ron, Harry, Ginny and Hermione were still eating, Ron and Harry reaching for extra helpings of Mrs.Weasley's Shepard's Pie. "Ron, your mum is the best cook," Harry told him. "Eating here is better than the meals at Hogwarts," he said, his mouth full of chicken.

"There's enough food here for the welcoming feast, and no house elves were exploited in making it," Hermione said, taking a dainty bite from her plate.

"Oy, Hermione. The house elves like to serve, it's what they do," Ron told her.

"They took all of the hats and socks that I put around last year," she told them, a look of triumph on her face.

"Uh, Hermione," Harry said, not wanting to hurt his friend's feelings, but wanting to help Dobby. "The house elves stopped cleaning Gryffindor Tower right after you started hiding your hats. Dobby cleaned the tower by himself all year, none of the other elves would even come in because of the hats and socks," he told her quickly. "Most of them don't want their freedom. Dobby worked for Malfoy, he was happy to be free because he didn't have to work for them any more."

Hermione's face fell, "Dobby had to clean the whole tower by himself?" she asked, Harry nodded his head. "I feel terrible," she told him, covering her face with her hands.

"Don't Hermione. Dobby was thrilled with all of the hats and socks. But he liked the socks the best," he told her, smiling. "Socks are his favorite."

"I guess that I'll stop making them," she told them.

"Maybe you could just make some socks for Dobby, and leave them out, clearly marked for him," Harry told her. He looked over at Ron and Ginny who were sitting with their faces covered, shaking with the effort to keep their laughing quiet.

"Oh go ahead and laugh, you two," Hermione told them. "I wish that you had told me before, Harry."

"You wouldn't have listened, Hermione," Ron told her. "If Dobby didn't love Harry so much, the tower would have looked horrible, and you would have known."

Dumbledore put his hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Yes, Miss.Granger. Dobby's affection for Harry is the only reason that I didn't find out about your attempt to free all of Hogwarts house elves before the end of the year," he told her. "The entire staff of house elves at Hogwarts are paid, so I would like to ask you to stop trying to free them." He smiled at the four students, "I should have made that clear to you, so that you wouldn't worry about it."

"I'm sorry sir. I just didn't want to see them enslaved," she answered.

"Miss.Granger, you will be a force to be reckoned with when you graduate. I have no doubt that by the end of the year, you will start to receive your first job offers," he told her. "Just be sure that you bring them to the attention of Professor McGonagall or myself."

"I will, Professor Dumbledore," she said.

He nodded his head and turned toward Harry and Ginny. "If the two of you have a moment, I have something that I would like to speak to you about," he said, smiling at them.

"Okay," Harry told him. He looked over at Ron and shrugged his shoulders, and followed Ginny and Professor Dumbledore away from the rest of the people in the garden.

"This morning, I had a visit from two of Hogwarts house elves," he told them. "And being the only two truly free house elves at Hogwarts, I had to take what they said seriously. Both Dobby and Winky wish to work for individuals, instead of for the school." He looked at the two young people standing in front of him. "Now, generally I wouldn't even consider allowing students to have personal house elves at school, but they made it clear that they would leave and do nothing until the said students graduated." Harry and Ginny looked at each other.

"What does that have to do with me, Headmaster?" Ginny asked.

He smiled at her, "Well Miss.Weasley, Winky has expressed her desire to serve you. She wants to be an 'owned elf' again, and she has chosen you to serve. She doesn't want to be paid anymore and she has taken quite a liking to you," he told her.

"But Professor Dumbledore, I can't own a house elf," she said, looking sheepish.

"Ah, Miss.Weasley, I have already spoken with your parents, and they have no problem with Winky serving you. They feel that her choice shows that you are a wonderful, caring witch," he explained. "As you know, she was devastated when Mr.Crouch let her go. She has been looking for someone to take care of for almost two years, and now she feels that she has found the person that she should be serving. Will you accept, Miss.Weasley?" he asked her.

"I guess so, but I don't know what to do with a house elf," she told him.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that you will adjust quickly," he answered. "Now that Winky is settled, How about you, Harry? Are you willing to take Dobby, I am sure that if he is serving you, he will happier."

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore. I would be happy to employ Dobby, and maybe I can get him to take his days off," Harry told him laughing.

Dumbledore smiled, and with a wave of his hand there were two quick pops and Dobby and Winky appeared. Dobby was toting a case, and Winky had a small bag clutched to her chest. When she saw Ginny she ran forward and hugged her legs.

"Thank you, Miss.Ginny, Winky will take good care of you," the small elf told her, looking up at Ginny with tears in her large eyes.

"It's alright Winky. Until I go back to school, would you mind helping my Mum with things around the house?" she asked.

"Winky would love to help Miss.Ginny's Mum with the house, Winky will get started right now," she said, dropping her bag and heading toward Mrs.Weasley.

Dobby was standing with his bag, staring at Harry. "Thank you, Harry Potter sir. Dobby will do everything for Harry Potter," he said.

"Well, since I'm going to be living here, why don't you help Mr. and Mrs.Weasley until we go back to school," Harry said.

"Dobby would be happy to help Mr. and Mrs.Wheezey until Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts," Dobby said, dropping his bag and running for Mrs.Weasley and Winky.

"Harry, you and Ginny have made two house elves very happy," he told them. He lead them back to the table where the deserts had just been put out.

Ginny leaned over and whispered to Harry, "And we've made my Mum very happy too. Having two house elves to help her all summer is going to make things easier for her."

Chapter 5: Birthday presents and a trip to Diagon Alley

The next few days passed quickly, with the group playing Quidditch (Hermione watching, her nose in a book), and the forced studying by Hermione. With a week to go until Harry's birthday, Ron and Hermione were looking for a way to keep him occupied while they went with Bill to Diagon Alley.

"Ginny, could you find a way to keep Harry away from the house so that we can go to Diagon Alley with Bill?" Ron asked her. "I wouldn't ask, but we need to go and get his birthday presents."

"I already have plans with Charlie and Harry today," she told them. "Charlie is taking us into muggle London so that Harry can buy some new clothes. He's says that he's tired of wearing Dudley's hand me downs." She smiled at her brother, and Hermione grinned at her and winked. "Charlie even said that he would distract Harry long enough for me to buy his birthday present while we are there, or when we get to Diagon Alley for ice cream."

Ron let out a sigh of relief. "Well, Hermione, we don't have to worry about Harry missing us. We can get his birthday gifts without having to hide them from him," Ron said. He looked over at Ginny. "I know that you're going with Charlie, but be careful. I don't want to see anything happen to my baby sister."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Ron, I'm going with Charlie and Harry. Are there any two other wizards that I could be safer with?" she asked. "I mean really, he is Harry Potter, the one who defeated You-know-who, and your best friend," she said laughing. "At least that's what everyone thinks. You know that none of them know him or they would say that it's just Harry. He's a great wizard and all, but he's just a normal person."

Hermione laughed, "That's just what he wants, people to see him for what he is, instead of the boy who lived." She put her arm around Ron. "Kind of like Ron here, he's nothing like the rest of your brothers," she told Ginny. "If he was, he wouldn't be my best friend. Can you imagine me with Fred or George as my best friend?" she said, shuddering at the thought.

"You would have pulled out all of your hair by now," Ginny told her. "They drive people crazy."

Bill walked into the living room, "Are the two of you ready to go?" he asked, looking at Ron and Hermione.

"All ready and Ginny is going into muggle London with Charlie and Harry, then to Diagon Alley to get ice cream," Ron told Bill.

Bill looked over at Ginny, "Maybe we can meet them for ice cream," he told them. "Ginny, Harry and Charlie are waiting in the yard for you. Dumbledore gave Charlie a portkey to take the three of you. He doesn't want Harry going by floo, and he also provided emergency portkeys for all six of us in case of an emergency." He handed Ron and Hermione each a pin that looked like the Gryffindor lion, it exactly matched the one on his robes. "All you have to do is press it's nose in twice and it will transport you back here," he explained. "Charlie has yours Ginny, you had better get going."

Ginny walked over and kissed Bill on the cheek. "I'll see you guys later," she told them as she ran into the kitchen and out the back door.

Charlie and Harry were standing in the garden, whispering to each other and looking toward the door that Ginny had just come out of. When she got close, they stopped talking. "Ready to go, Ginny?" Charlie asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lion pin and handed it to her. "This is your emergency portkey.."

"All I have to do is press the lion's nose twice if there is any trouble and it will transport me back here," she said, laughing at their shocked faces. "I saw Bill in the house and he was explaining to Ron and Hermione."

"Good, then I don't have to tell you that at the first sign of trouble, you and Harry are to activate them and get back here," he said, pinning his own lion on his muggle shirt. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes," Ginny answered.
"Yes," Harry said.

Charlie smiled, "Good, then grab onto this book, and we'll be on our way." He motioned to the book lying on the ground between himself and Harry. They all reached down and touched the volume, and disappeared.

They appeared again in the leaky cauldron, ready to head out to muggle London.
***************

Ron, Hermione, and Bill walked through Diagon Alley looking into windows, searching for Harry's birthday gifts.

"Maybe we should get him a book," Hermione said, turning toward Flourish and Blotts.

Ron looked at her and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, Hermione, maybe we should go see if we can find a book called, How to defeat a Dark Lord in Ten easy steps," he said, laughing.

Bill looked over at the two of them and shook his head.

"If there was a book like that, Ron, I'm sure that Dumbledore would have already given it to him," she stopped, staring over at one of the shops. "Bill, do you mind if Ron and I go into that store over there? We might be able to find something in there for Harry," she said, looking at the oldest Weasley imploringly.

"Sure, I'll just wait outside. I already have Harry's gift, Charlie and I went in together and got him something really nice," he told them. He walked over and leaned against the front of the building.

Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and lead him into the store.

"Why are we coming in here Hermione?" he asked, looking around at the strange things in the small shop.

She walked over to a shelf that held necklaces and rings. "Because this jewelry helps the wearer to find his or her soul mate," she told him.

"You mean that it tells the future?" Ron asked, skeptical.

Hermione shook her head, "No it's charmed to make the wearer feel warm when their soul mate is near them," she said. "I read about them in a book my parents got for me. It's called magical jewelry and it was a very informative book," she said, picking up the nearest ring.

"You can get him something like that, but I think that I'm going to get him something from Quality Quidditch Supplies. Maybe a new pair of gloves or something like that," he told her.

Hermione searched the shelf until she found what she was looking for, a small pendant shaped like a stag, with small green stones for eyes. "Alright," she said. "I'll just pay for this and we'll go over to get your gift." She walked over to the counter and handed the necklace to the grey haired wizard behind the counter.

"Ah, a lovely choice," the wizard said to her. "Is this for you?" he asked.

"No, it's a gift for a friend," she stated.

He put the necklace in a small box, "Would you like it gift wrapped?"

"Yes please, in red and gold if you can," she answered. The man waved his wand and the gift was quickly wrapped in red and gold paper.

"That will be six galleons, two sickles and ten knuts," he said, handing her the gift wrapped box.

She opened a small bag at her waist, counted out the correct amount and handed it to the wizard.

"Are you ready Hermione?" Ron asked, looking across the street to Quality Quidditch Supplies. "I need time to find his gift."

Hermione walked over to Ron and patted him on the shoulder, "I'm finished," she told him. They walked out of the shop and across the street to Quality Quidditch Supplies, with Bill following close behind.
*********************

Ginny, Charlie and Harry stepped out of the leaky cauldron and onto the street in muggle London. "Where do you need to go?" Charlie asked.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "It doesn't matter, as long as I can get clothes that fit, and some new trainers," he told them. Charlie nodded his head and headed off, with Harry and Ginny close behind him. They walked for a few minutes and Charlie turned toward a shop.

"Would here be okay? They carry muggle clothes and trainers," he said, gesturing toward the door.

"That's fine, the quicker we get done here, the quicker we can get to Diagon Alley and Ginny and I can pick out Hermione's birthday present," he told Charlie. "It's hard to shop from school, so I figured that I would get her gift early."

"Well then, we'll head into this shop and then to Diagon Alley," Charlie told them, holding the door open for them.
**************************

Harry, Ginny, and Charlie came out of the shop with several bags and Harry's money bag much lighter. They quickly walked back to the leaky cauldron and headed out into Diagon Alley.

"Where to first?" Charlie asked them, scanning the crowds for trouble.

Ginny looked at the shops around them, "Well, with Hermione a book is always a good gift," she said, pointing to Flourish and Blotts.

"I just wouldn't know what book to get for her, she's read so many," Harry answered.

Charlie looked around again, "Well, why don't you leave the book for a last choice. There are several other stores that you could look in first." He started walking toward one of the shops.

They wandered around Diagon Alley for about half an hour before they came to the shop that Hermione and Ron had been in earlier. Harry and Ginny went inside while Charlie stayed outside the door, watching for trouble.

"Harry, look at these necklaces and rings," Ginny said, picking up one of the necklaces. "It's a unicorn, isn't it beautiful?" she asked, showing the pendant to Harry.

Harry reached over and touched the unicorn with his finger, "It fits you Ginny, would you let me buy it for you?" he asked, blushing. "I mean, I didn't get you a gift for your birthday last year, you could call it a late birthday gift."

Ginny blushed bright red, "You don't have to get it for me, Harry," she said, putting the necklace back on the shelf.

"I know I don't have to, I want to," he said. He walked over to the shelf, picked up the necklace and went up to the wizard behind the counter.

"Ah, a wonderful piece, quite beautiful," he said to Harry. "Is it for your girlfriend?" he asked, gesturing toward Ginny.

Harry looked over at Ginny, "She's my friend, but not my girlfriend, and yes it's for her," he told him. "I don't need it gift wrapped, she's going to wear it."

"This one is unique, the eyes are sapphires, and most just have colored stones. I believe that this necklace is the only one that I have that has sapphires," he told Harry. He leaned over and whispered in Harry's ear, "If you are buying this for a friend, your girlfriend must be a very happy young witch," he winked at Harry and put the necklace back in his hand.

Harry just looked back at Ginny, who was walking around the shop looking at the many figurines and small pieces of jewelry. "How much will it be?" Harry asked quietly, not wanting Ginny to overhear.

"Twenty seven galleons, four sickles, and twenty four knuts," the man told him.

Harry took out his money bag, handed the man the money, and turned toward Ginny. "Come here Gin, I'll help you put it on."

Ginny turned around and walked toward Harry. She lifted her hair and allowed him to clasp the necklace. "Thank you Harry, it's beautiful," she told him.

Charlie was watching the two in the store with a smile on his face. They came out of the store and headed toward Flourish and Blotts to get Hermione a book. Twenty minutes later, they came out with a gift wrapped package.

"Are you ready to meet Ron, Hermione and Bill?" Charlie asked, walking toward Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

"I'm finished," Harry told them. "I'll owl order Ron's gift, I have until the end of April to decide what to get him."

Ginny was following a few steps behind. Harry and Charlie were searching the crowd at the ice cream parlor for the red hair of Ron and Bill when Ginny screamed.

Chapter 6: Death Eaters in Diagon Alley

Harry and Charlie spun around with their wands drawn, to see Ginny being held by black cloaked, masked figure with a silver hand. His wand was pointed at Ginny's head. "My Master wants to see you, Potter. Come with me and I won't hurt the girl," he told them.

"Let her go!" Charlie spat at him, his wand aimed at the Death Eater.

Harry put his hand on Charlie's arm, "Its okay, Charlie. I'll go with him," he said, looking pointedly at the pin on Charlie's shirt. "Alright Pettigrew, when I get over there, you'll let her go, right?"

"Of course, Harry. I'll even allow you to say goodbye."

Ron, Bill and Hermione ran up behind Charlie. "No Harry, you can't go with him!" Hermione shouted.

Harry turned toward the three new arrivals, "I have to Hermione. I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me," he said, and then he winked and walked toward Wormtail.
********************************

Death Eaters were swarming all over Diagon Alley, shooting spells at people and causing destruction. Witches and Wizards were pushing their children behind them, and returning spells at the evil beings that were hiding behind the Death Eater masks. Aurors were running around, trying to stun as many of the Death Eaters that they could, so that they could be sent to Azkaban. There were people lying on the ground, screaming under the cruciatus curse, and black robed figures laughing at their pain. In front of Flourish and Blotts, the boy-who-lived was walking toward one of them.
*************************************

As Harry walked toward Wormtail, he put his wand into his robes. "I'll come with you, but you have to let Ginny go," Harry told him.

"I'll let the girl go as soon as I have you," Wormtail said, gloating.

Harry stood in front of Ginny, and as Wormtail let go of her she reached up and touched her portkey twice and disappeared. Harry, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasleys did the same. The Death Eater called Wormtail screamed his frustration.

Ginny appeared in the kitchen of The Burrow, Mrs.Weasley screamed when she saw her.

"Ginny, what's happened?" she asked quickly, running over to her daughter and hugging her.

"Death Eaters attacked Diagon Alley, one of them grabbed me and Harry turned himself over to him to save me," she cried. With a pop, Ron appeared, followed by several more pops and the rest of the group appeared. "Oh Harry, I'm so glad that he didn't take you," she told him. She ran over and hugged him.

"Is everyone alright?" Bill asked.

"I'm fine," Ron told him.

"Me too," said Hermione.

Charlie looked over at Harry, "Alright Harry?" he questioned. "I couldn't believe it when you walked over to him to save Ginny. What were you thinking? Ginny knew to use the portkey, and you should have too."

"I wasn't thinking about the portkey, Charlie. I was thinking that I couldn't ever face anyone in your family if I let anything happen to Ginny, not when there was something that I could do to prevent it," he said, his face turning red. "You are the closest thing to family I have, and I would do anything to keep you all from harm."

Mrs.Weasley hugged him, "You are one of the family, Harry." She bustled about the kitchen making tea, and seeing that everyone got something to eat. When she sat down with her own cup of tea, an owl flew in the window, a special edition of the daily prophet clutched in it's talons. It swooped low over the table and landed in front of Mrs.Weasley, she took the paper and spread it out on the table in front of her. The owl flew over to Errol's cage, took a drink and flew back out the window. Mrs.Weasley began reading.

Death Eater attack in Diagon alley

Death Eaters attacked Diagon Alley this afternoon, injuring twenty six wizards and witches that were shopping, and twelve Aurors.
The Aurors managed to capture seven of the Death Eaters, and they are awaiting trial in Azkaban. All of the injured are under care at
St. Mungo's. Shopkeepers at Diagon Alley closed up shop as soon as they appeared, all except for one shop, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
The owners of this shop opened their doors to the injured and the people that were trying to get away. While one of the twin proprietors cared for the injured, the other shot off spells from the shop doorway, managing to stun two of the captured Death Eaters. The ministry is suggesting Order of Merlin Second Class for both men.

"I can't believe it," Mrs.Weasley screamed. "My Fred and George, Order of Merlin Second Class." She looked around the room at the rest of her children, minus Percy, who still had not come back to the family that loved him.

"I always knew that Fred and George would do something to get into the papers," said Bill. "I just never thought that it would be something like this."

Harry, who was sitting across from Hermione and Ron, and between Charlie and Ginny, just grinned. "I think that they should get Order of Merlin First Class. They helped the injured and managed to knock out two Death Eaters," he said to the table.

"Let me finish reading this, I got so excited that I lost my place," she told them, scanning the paper.

Fred and George Weasley, sons of the head of the ministry department Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, Arthur Weasley and his wife Molly, will be receiving their awards in one week. The ceremony will be held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the awards will be presented by none other than Albus Dumbledore. He has told us that he has a surprise for the two men.

"Leave it to Dumbledore to have a surprise for them," Charlie said. "I can't wait until next week."

Chapter 7: Wizards Chess and a Revelation

The group sat at the table discussing Fred and George's bravery, and their upcoming awards.

"I can't believe it, Order of Merlin. Fred and George will be known for their bravery, people will be visiting their shop just to see them." Ginny said. "It will be like with Harry's scar, everyone wanting to just get a glimpse." Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bill, and Charlie laughed.

"I think that they will enjoy it more than Harry, and when they get tired of it, they'll use jokes from their shop to deter people," Ron said, looking around.

Ginny giggled, "I can see them handing out canary creams, or nosebleed nougats," She patted Harry's arm. "Fancy a game of Wizard's Chess, Harry?" she asked.

"Are you going to beat me the way Ron does?" he said, looking over at Ron, who was watching Hermione.

"I might," she laughed and grabbed his arm. "Come on."
**************************

Harry and Ginny played three games, with Ginny beating him soundly all three times.

"I feel like I've been playing with Ron," he told her. "I haven't been beaten like that since the end of last term." He reached over and took her hand. "Thanks Ginny, I needed the distraction. After what happened to Sirius, and then what almost happened to you."

"Harry, you shouldn't have offered yourself to him, I was going to use the portkey. I don't want you to die to save me," she told him.

Harry looked over at Ginny, watched the way the fire danced in her hair, and wondered why he had never noticed how beautiful she was. He let go of her hand and stroked her hair. "Ginny, I would die for you. This is the only home I know besides Hogwarts, and your family is the only family I have. I love all of you. I love the way your mum worries about how much I eat, and the way your dad is fascinated by muggles. The way that Fred and George can find humor in almost everything, and the way that Bill and Charlie are so protective of you. Ron was the first person that I could call friend, and he has been there for me ever since," he said. "I would do anything to protect any of you, but I just realized that I would gladly give my life in a second if it would save you." He got up, and walked into the kitchen and out the back door.
****************************

Ginny walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

"What did you say to Harry, Ginny?" Ron asked.

"I beat him in three games of Wizard's Chess and then we were talking about what happened today," she sniffled and tried to stop the tears that were threatening to escape. "He said that we're the only family that he has, and that he loves the way that mum fusses about him eating, and the way dad loves muggles, and the way that Ron was the first friend he ever had, and that he's been there for him ever since," she sobbed.

"Don't cry Ginny, it's good that Harry feels like we're family," Ron said, patting her on the back.

"He said that he would do anything to protect us," she told them. "He touched my hair, and said that he would give his life if it would save me."

Hermione let out a choked sob, and ran over to hug Ginny.

Mrs.Weasley had come down the stairs and watched the entire episode. "Ron, you go out and check on Harry. Hermione, take Ginny upstairs and help her clean up, we don't want Harry to know that what he said upset her," she ordered. Hermione led Ginny up the stairs, and Ron headed out the back door.

"Mum," Bill said, "Why would Harry tell Ginny that he would give his life to save her?"

Mrs.Weasley looked at her two oldest boys, "I would assume that Harry has seen Ginny for the beautiful young woman that she has become, instead of just Ron's little sister," she told them, smiling.

Bill laughed, "It's about time."

"I've been waiting for this day since he saved Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets," she told them. She sat down at the table with Bill and Charlie, "They've had a connection since that day, I just wondered how long it would take for Harry to feel it."

Charlie looked at his mother, "Is it a good idea to encourage it, mum?" he asked. "I don't want Ginny to get hurt."

Mrs.Weasley looked at Charlie, "It has been destined since her birth, but that's all I know. If you want to know any more, you'll have to ask Dumbledore."
***************************

Ron walked through the garden until he found Harry, he was poking at a Gnome hole.

"Are you alright Harry?" he asked, sitting down next to him.

"I don't know Ron," Harry looked over at his best friend. "I think that I'm falling in love." He turned his head back toward the Gnome hole.

Ron stared at him, "It's not Hermione, is it?" he asked, looking at Harry like he had two heads.

"No Ron, it's not Hermione," he looked up. "It's Ginny."

Ron clapped him on the back, "If she's going to have a boyfriend, there's no one that I would rather it be."
********************************

Ginny sat down on her bed, trying to stem the flow of tears.

"Its okay, Ginny," Hermione told her. "Don't cry."

Ginny wiped her eyes, "I thought that I was over him, Hermione. Then he looked at me like I was beautiful, and told me that he would die for me."

Hermione put her arm around Ginny, "I knew that it was only a matter of time before he realized that you were wonderful," she told the younger girl. "How could he not, you're a beautiful young woman. He would be lucky to have you."

Interlude: Ron and Harry in the garden, Hermione and Ginny in Ginny's room

Ron and Harry in the garden

Ron walked through the garden until he found Harry, he was poking at a Gnome hole.

"Are you alright Harry?" he asked, sitting down next to him.

"I don't know Ron," Harry looked over at his best friend. "I think that I'm falling in love." He turned his head back toward the Gnome hole.

Ron stared at him, "It's not Hermione, is it?" he asked, looking at Harry like he had two heads.

"No Ron, it's not Hermione," he looked up. "It's Ginny."

Ron clapped him on the back, "If she's going to have a boyfriend, there's no one that I would rather it be."

"I'm not going to put her in danger, Ron. Until Voldemort is destroyed, I can only be her friend," Harry told him. "If Voldemort found out that I cared for Ginny, he would use her to get to me. I already put you and Hermione in danger because you are my friends, but I will not allow him to get to Ginny."

Ron leaned back on the grass, "Harry, Hermione and I know the danger of being your friend. We accept it, because we feel that you are worth the risk. Ginny knows the risk and if you ask her, I'm sure that she would be willing to take it."

Harry sighed, "I don't want her in danger. It's bad enough that he can use you and Hermione, I couldn't stand it if he had more people to use against me."

"Harry, do you think that Vol---- Voldemort wouldn't use my family to get to you. He knows that I am your friend, and that my family stands against him, he would use any of us. You're not protecting her by pushing her away, you're just going to make her mad. I would suggest that you talk to her. She has the Weasley temper, and you don't want to be on the receiving end of it." Ron said, laughing.

Harry looked at Ron, "I guess that I have to talk to her."

Hermione and Ginny in Ginny's room

Ginny sat down on her bed, trying to stem the flow of tears.

"Its okay, Ginny," Hermione told her. "Don't cry."

Ginny wiped her eyes, "I thought that I was over him, Hermione. Then he looked at me like I was beautiful, and told me that he would die for me."

Hermione put her arm around Ginny, "I knew that it was only a matter of time before he realized that you were wonderful," she told the younger girl. "How could he not, you're a beautiful young woman. He would be lucky to have you."

Ginny looked at Hermione, "I don't want to be a distraction to him. Voldemort could use me against him, and I wouldn't be able to stop him. I don't want Harry to get hurt protecting me."

Hermione turned Ginny toward her, "Even if you and Harry aren't together, he could still use you. He had his Death Eaters do it in Diagon Alley," she said. "Your parents stand against him, that makes your whole family targets." Hermione told her. "I'm sure that Harry doesn't want anything to happen to you. He worries about Ron and I getting hurt because we're his friends."

"That's all I can be to him for now, Hermione, his friend. I won't let him risk himself to protect me," Ginny stated, pulling the unicorn necklace out of her top. "Maybe when Voldemort is gone, when there is peace, I won't need to worry."

Hermione was looking at the unicorn pendant that Ginny had pulled out, "Ginny, where did you get that necklace?" she asked.

Ginny looked up from the unicorn, "At a shop in Diagon Alley called magical jewelry, Harry bought it for me."

She reached in her bag and pulled out a small gift wrapped package, "Let me tell you about the jewelry from that shop."

"Who is that for, Hermione?" Ginny asked, watching Hermione gently unwrap the gift and pull out the pendant.

"I bought this for Harry's birthday. It's a soul mate pendant. When the wearer gets near their soul mate, the pendant warms up. If they are around them a lot, it gently nudges them toward the other. If you resist the pull of the pendant, it causes your thoughts to dwell on your soul mate," she explained. "Let's go find Harry and Ron and see if your pendant heats up."

Chapter 8: Fred and George get the Order of Merlin

The next week passed quickly, with the preparations for Harry's birthday and Fred and George's awards. Mrs.Weasley was the happiest that Harry had ever seen her, she had been cooking for days, all in preparation for the two parties that would be happening in the next two days. The first was Fred and George's celebration for their Order of Merlin, the second was for Harry's sixteenth birthday. Ginny and Hermione had been assisting her the whole morning, making sure that everything would be ready for the party, which was to take place that very same evening.

"Ginny dear, have Bill and Charlie prepared the tables?" she asked.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Yes mum, and Ron and Harry are carrying out the dishes, and Hermione and I are going to make sure that everything looks good. We'll all be ready to go in one hour," she told her mother.

"Very good dear, do be sure to wear the dress robes that Fred and George bought for you. I think that the color suits you, Ginny dear," Mrs.Weasley told her, as she rushed from one side of the kitchen to the other, preparing a feast for the evening's celebration.

Before Mrs.Weasley could direct them to more chores, Ginny and Hermione escaped out the back door and into the decorated garden. There were faeries in every bush and tree, to assist with the lighting, banners congratulating Fred and George for their awards, and Bill and Charlie had set up celebratory fireworks, to be set off when the cake was brought out.

"What do you think, Ginny?" Bill asked her. She just stared at him, a faerie had landed on his shoulder and was playing with his earring.

"The yard looks great, Bill," Hermione told him. "But Ginny is fascinated with the faerie on your shoulder.

Bill looked over at the pretty blue faerie, "Are you back again?" he asked, putting his hand up for her to perch on. "You can sit on my shoulder during the party, but now I have to go and get changed." He walked over to the closest bush and deposited the small faerie on one of the branches, then he headed for the house.

Ginny and Hermione went in search of Harry and Ron, just to make sure that they were ready to go on time.

"There you are!" Hermione said, as she spotted the two boys grabbing at the last two garden gnomes and flinging them out of the yard.

Ron grinned at her, "Had to be sure that they were all gone, mum would have a fit if they messed up the yard while we are gone."

An hour later, everyone was in their dress robes and ready to leave. Mr.Weasley handed an empty soda can to Charlie, "This is the portkey for you, Bill, Ron, and Harry. I have a separate one for your mum, Ginny, Hermione and myself. It will take you into the Great Hall at Hogwarts in exactly one minute," he told them. Everyone in the room reached out and touched their respective portkey and waited for it to activate. "Remember, you have your portkey pins to bring you back home, your mum didn't want us to travel by floo and get our robes dirty. A few seconds later the portkeys activated, and with the feeling of something pulling behind their navels, they were transported to Hogwarts.

They appeared in the Great Hall, surrounded by guests, and Albus Dumbledore. "Arthur, Molly, so good to see you. Bill, Charlie, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry, I am so glad that you could make it," he said, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "Fred and George are waiting at the front table for you all, please follow me and I will show you."

They followed the headmaster to a table in the front of the hall, all heads in the room following them and pointing. "We will be starting shortly, as soon as the Minister of Magic gets here."

Molly and Arthur each hugged Fred and George, so did Hermione and Ginny. Bill, Charlie, Ron and Harry clapped them heartily on the back.

"I never expected the two of you to earn Order of Merlin," Molly told them. "I couldn't be prouder, didn't even take your N.E.W.T.S and you managed to help the injured and take out two Death Eaters."

Fred and George just smiled at their mother, and then leaned toward Harry, Ron and Ginny. "Our generous benefactor," said Fred.

"We have new products for you," George finished. They handed Harry a large box. "The contents of this package...."

"Are top secret, we had to get permission from Mad-Eye Moody...." Fred continued.

"To give them to the four of you," George said. He leaned close to Harry and whispered in his ear, "Keep this stuff with you, there are four smaller boxes in here, one for each of you. Stuff to help you out of a jam, because you four seem to get into them a lot."

Harry put the box on the floor under the table, "What kind of stuff is it?" he asked.

Fred and George shared a look, "Well, there are some pea soup bombs. They emit a thick fog that you can't see through, unless you have the counter," Fred told him.

"A piece of candy that increases you eyesight so that you can see through it, it's great for when there are a lot of Death Eaters," George said.

"It's all stuff that we developed to help with the war, the Aurors are using some of these things," Fred continued. "There are invisible nougats, you eat one and you become invisible for five minutes."

"And the most useful of them all, the stupefy stickies. You stick them or throw them at the enemy, then wave your wand and say 'active' and it will stupefy the person it is stuck to," George told him, a look of glee on his face.

"I can't believe it, you guys are providing the ministry with weapons for the war?" Hermione asked, a shocked look on her face. "I didn't expect you to do something like that."

Fred and George looked at each other and then at Hermione, "We wouldn't even have our shop if it wasn't for Harry, so we're making products that can help to protect him, and defeat Voldemort."

A few minutes later, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge stepped up to the podium in the front of the hall. "I would like to thank you all for coming. Today we are awarding the Order of Merlin Second Class to Mr. Fred Weasley and Mr. George Weasley for their brave actions during the attack on Diagon Alley. We are also awarding them the Order of Merlin First Class for their work in providing effective weapons for our Aurors to use," Fudge said. He looked over at the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "Albus also has an award for the two gentlemen, but I will allow him to tell you about it." He stepped back and found a seat behind the podium.

Albus Dumbledore looked over at the table where the Weasley family was sitting. "Madam Pomfrey, could you please come and assist Arthur with his wife, I believe that she has fainted," he said, beaming at the two men that were being honored. "I believe that she will want to be awake for this next award."

Madam Pomfrey came forward and waved her wand over Molly, who blinked several times and straightened her robes.

"Now that everyone is once again ready for an announcement," he said, looking around the room. "To Mr. Fred Weasley, I award your Certificate of Graduation, and to Mr. George Weasley, I award your Certificate of Graduation. Please come forward to receive your awards."

Fred and George stepped up to the podium.

"Order of Merlin First Class for your work to assist the Aurors with weapons that are easy to use and quick to act," he said, handing the two men their awards.
"Order of Merlin Second Class for your assistance to the injured, and stopping the Death Eaters during the attack on Diagon Alley," he told them. He handed them two more awards. "And finally, Certificates of Graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each of your inventions to the Aurors has been examined by the examiners for the N.E.W.T.S, and they have found you more than adequately skilled to be graduates. Congratulations."

The hall broke into cheers, people rushed forward to congratulate Fred and George. Molly just sat next to Arthur stunned, "Order of Merlin First Class, Second Class and Certificates of Graduation. I've never been prouder," she told her husband.

Chapter 9: Celebrations

After the awards were given to Fred and George, the Weasley family plus Harry and Hermione headed back to the Burrow. Mrs.Weasley served the feast that she had prepared, and everyone sat down to eat.

"Fred, George, I don't think that Mum's ever been so proud," Ron told them around a mouthful of chicken.

Ginny set her fork down, "She fainted when Fudge announced your Order of Merlin First Class," she paused and looked around the table. "Okay, now tell me about the box you gave Harry."

Fred and George laughed, "We're staying here tonight, and we'll show you all of the new inventions. That's what was in the box, top secret Auror Wheezes. We've been working on them for months," George told her. "And we've been sending a little of everything to Dumbledore, he said that he would try to get them to let us take our N.E.W.T.S."

"Instead, he had the stuff examined and they passed us, I still can't believe it," Fred told them. "I never expected the First Class and Graduation Certificates. They only told us about the award for helping in Diagon Alley."

They finished eating and Bill and Charlie set off some of the Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs that they had purchased from their brothers shop a few days before. "These things are incredible," Bill shouted as he watched the dragons, Catherine wheels, flying saucers and rockets soaring around the garden.

"The two of you are brilliant," Charlie crowed, lighting a few more.

Fred and George smiled at each other, "Thank you, Thank you," they said, bowing repeatedly.
***********************************

Harry woke late the next morning, completely forgetting that it was his birthday as he got dressed and headed down to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Happy Birthday, Harry!!!!" everyone shouted as he walked into the kitchen.

Ron came over and clapped him on the back, "How about a game of Quidditch after breakfast?" he asked. They walked over to the table and sat down. Mrs.Weasley placed a plate heaped with eggs, sausages and bacon in front of him.

"Would you like tea or pumpkin juice?" she asked, passing him a plate of toast.

"Pumpkin juice would be good, Mrs.Weasley. Thank you," he said. He took a few bites of his breakfast, and watched Ginny out of the corner of his eye. Mrs.Weasley handed him the glass of pumpkin juice and went back over to the stove.

"Would you like some more sausages, Harry dear?" she questioned, turning with the frying pan full of sausage.

"No thank you, Mrs.Weasley. I'm sure that what I have here will be plenty," he answered, quickly finishing his breakfast and heading up the stairs to get his broom.
**************************************

Four hours later, the six teens headed back to the burrow, ready for lunch. Hermione was the first one in the door, and she squealed with delight when she saw who was sitting at the table. "Professor Lupin, it's so great to see you," she told him.

Harry came into the kitchen quickly when he heard her greet his parent's old friend. "Professor Lupin," he said. He walked over and hugged him. "I'm happy to see you, why are you here?" Harry asked.

"Did you really think that I would forget your birthday?" he asked, a small smile on his face. "When Molly told me that you were going to be here, and that they were going to have a small birthday party for you, I had to come."

"Thank you," Harry told him, a sad smile on his face.

"Why don't we take a walk, Harry?" he asked. "There are some things that I want to discuss with you." Harry followed him out the kitchen door, and out into the garden. "How are you holding up, Harry?"

"I miss him," he paused and looked at his old professor. "If I had just learned how to block him, Sirius would still be alive."

Remus stopped and put his arm around Harry's shoulders, "Harry, you don't know that. He could have been killed in any confrontation with the Death Eaters."

"He died because I have what Hermione calls a 'hero complex'," Harry answered, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Remus pulled him down onto a bench, "Harry, he died because Bellatrix Lestrange killed him, not because of you."

Harry continued sobbing, "He died because of me, my friends almost died because of me, I'm a danger to everyone."

"Harry, I think that we need to talk to Dumbledore. This has gone quite far enough," Remus said forcefully. With a pop, Dobby appeared. "Dobby, please go and tell Professor Dumbledore that Harry and I need to see him. And tell him that I no longer agree with his decision."

"Yes sir, Mr. Lupin sir. Dobby will go and tell Professor Dumbledore," the house elf told them. With a pop, he disappeared.
****************************************

Inside the house, Fred and George were preparing the entertainment for Harry's party, while Ginny, Hermione and Winky were assisting Mrs.Weasley with the food.

"Boys, will everything be ready by dinnertime?" she asked. She sat the large four tiered cake on the table and began decorating it.

"Yes, mum. It will be a birthday Harry will never forget," George answered.

"You are quite right, Mr.Weasley. It is a birthday that Harry will never forget," Dumbledore said from the fireplace.

Molly shrieked, "Albus, you just scared the magic out of me. What are you doing here?"

Chapter 10: Snake and Rat

Albus smiled at Molly, "Remus has requested to speak with me, where can I find him?" He sat down at the kitchen table. Molly bustled over with a cup of tea and sat it down in front of him.

"I'll call him for you, Albus. He and Harry are out in the garden talking," she said. She went over to the back door and walked out. "Remus, Albus is here and he would like to speak with you," she shouted.

Remus looked toward Molly, "I'll be right there, Molly," he answered. He looked at the boy sitting next to him. "Harry, I'll be back as soon as I speak with Albus. Would you like me to have Ron, Hermione or Ginny come out with you?"

Harry looked up at Remus, "No, I'll be alright. You go and talk, I'll see you when you get back." Remus got up from the bench and walked into the house.

He sat on the bench in the Weasley's garden, just staring into the bushes, until he heard a voice. "Sssso sssssorry, I didn't sssssee you there."

Harry twisted around quickly and saw a snake on the bench with him. "It'ssss alright, what are you doing here?" he asked. The snake was a dull green with a collar of orange and black scales at its neck.

"What isssss your name?" the snake asked him. "I have never spoken to a perssssson before."

"I'm Harry, what isssss your name?" he asked in return.

The snake looked up at Harry, "I am Greta, how isssss it that you can sssspeak with me?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I can just talk to sssssnakes. Do you like it here in the garden?" he asked.

"It isssss quite good here, when the frogsssssssss are around. Now there are only ratsssssss," she told him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small flash of silver coming from beneath one of the bushes, "Greta, can you sssssmell a rat under the bush?"

Greta flicked her tongue out in the direction that Harry was looking, "It ssssssmellsssss like a rat, but it sssssmellsssss like a man too," she answered.

Harry looked at her in shock, "Could you catch it and not kill it?" he asked her quickly. "I will make sssssure that you have plenty to eat if you can."

"I can do that, Harry," she said, slithering toward the bush. He could hear her struggling with the rat, "Sssssstay sssstill, I will not kill you," she said. A few minutes later, she came out of the bushes with a rat in her jaws, it had a silver paw. Harry reached in his pocket and pulled out one of the stupefy sticky and stuck it to the rat.

Harry pulled out his wand, "When I ssssssay go, let the rat loossssse, he will not get away," he told the snake. "Go!" She released the rat and he waved his wand, "Active!" he shouted. The rat fell to the ground.

"Isssss there a reason you wanted thissssss rat?" she asked, crawling up onto the bench again.

"Yesssss, he killed my parentssssss. He isssss a man, he can become a rat," he told her. He turned toward the Burrow, "Professor Lupin, Professor Dumbledore!!" he shouted, "Come quick."

Remus and Albus ran out the door and over to where Harry was sitting with the snake. "What is it Harry?" Albus asked.

Remus looked at the ground and saw the rat, "Is that.....who I think it is?" he asked, turning toward Harry.

"Peter Pettigrew, he was hiding under the bush. Greta caught him for me and I used one of Fred and George's inventions to stun him," Harry said, rubbing the snake's head.

Albus smiled and picked up the stunned rat, "Well Harry, Remus and I should take Peter here and turn him in to the ministry."

"Professor," Harry said, looking forlorn. "Could you make sure that they clear Sirius' name? We weren't able to do it when he was alive, it's the least we can do now that he is dead."

Remus looked at him, "I'll make sure, Harry. Peter will pay for betraying your parents, and for framing Sirius."

Professor Dumbledore conjured up a magical cage, put anti-apparition wards and something to keep him from transforming on the cage, and then he stuck the rat inside. "Do not worry Harry," he told the boy. "Why don't you offer Greta a home, either with you or with Hagrid? I'm sure that she would appreciate a place where she doesn't have to worry about finding her favorite food, we could be sure to stock a large amount of frogs at Hogwarts." With that, he raised his wand and a bucket of frogs appeared in front of Harry. "Give her as many as she wants, then put the rest in the pond."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said as the two men walked toward the burrow, a magical cage floating between them. Harry picked up the snake sitting next to him, "Professssssssor left a bunch of frogsssssss for you, Greta. He ssssssaid for you to eat your fill," he told her. "And I would like to asssssk you if you would like to live with me? I go to a magical ssssssschool, and the gamekeeper would make sssssure that you have plenty to eat."

Greta looked from Harry to the bucket of frogs, "I would be happy to come to sssssschool with you, Harry," she told him as he put her down next to the bucket of frogs. He reached into the bucket and took one out, and placed it in front of her.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George came running out of the house and toward Harry. "What happened?" Hermione asked.

"Greta here," he gestured to the snake, "caught Wormtail, and I stunned him with a stupefy sticky," he told them. "They work great, by the way."

The group looked stunned, "He was hiding in the garden?" Ron asked, looking sick.

"I don't know how long he's been here, but I saw a flash of silver under the bush, and I asked Greta to catch him for me," Harry explained, pulling another frog from the bucket and placing it in front of the snake.

Mrs.Weasley walked toward the group in the garden, "Albus told me about Greta, would you like to bring her into the house and sit her by the fire Harry, we're going to wait until Remus and Albus get back from the ministry to start your party," she said.

Harry looked down at the snake that had just finished swallowing her second frog, "Would you like to come inside, Greta?" he asked. "There'ssssss a fireplace where you could sssssstay warm and I can bring you food when you need it," he told her.

"Yesssss, Harry, I would like to come inssssside," she answered.

Chapter 11: Harry's Birthday

Everyone sat around the living room waiting for Remus and Albus to return, Ron and Harry playing Wizard's Chess, Hermione and Ginny giggling about an article in teen witch weekly. Fred and George were up in their room, making more of the stupefy stickies. Mrs.Weasley and the two house elves were in the kitchen finishing up the feast for the party. Ron had just finished beating Harry for the third time when they heard the whoosh of the floo network activating. The four teens ran into the kitchen to see who was arriving. As they ran into the room, Remus Lupin stepped out of the fireplace, quickly followed by Albus Dumbledore.

"Molly, if you would turn on the WWN, Fudge will be announcing Sirius' innocence in a press conference in just a few minutes. They administered the Veritaserum to him and he cleared Sirius," Albus told them. Just then, the announcer came on the wireless,

"We interrupt this Weird Sisters song for a special announcement from the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge," he said.

They heard a man clearing his voice, "Three years ago, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban Prison, and was assumed to be out to kill Harry Potter. He has been on the run from the Ministry, the Dementors, and the muggle authorities. Today a person that was thought killed by Mr. Black, Peter Pettigrew, was captured by none other than The-boy-who-lived, Harry Potter. He was questioned by the Ministry, under the influence of Veritaserum, and he confirmed the story told almost three years ago, by Mr. Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, and Miss. Hermione Granger. He will be sentenced by the wizard's council tomorrow, it is most likely that he will receive the Dementor's Kiss. Mr. Black has been cleared of all charges, and he will be compensated by the Ministry of Magic for his twelve years in Azkaban and his three years on the run. Mr. Black is the Godfather of Mr. Harry Potter, and as soon as he is found, guardianship of Mr. Potter will be transferred to him."

All eyes in the room turned to Harry, who was standing with tears in his eyes. "Now it's not just a birthday party, it's a celebration of Sirius' innocence," Harry said. "I just wish that he was still alive to enjoy it." Ginny walked over and hugged the crying boy.

"You did it Harry, you cleared his name. Sirius and your parents would be so proud of you," Ginny told him. She kissed his cheek and led him to the kitchen table. "I'm proud of you. We are lucky to be considered your friends."
**********************************

Two hours later the party was in full swing, the tables in the yard were heaped with food, and the WWN was playing loudly for everyone to hear.

"Well Harry, how does it feel to be sixteen?" Hermione asked him.

"No different from being fifteen, I guess. I've only been sixteen for one day," he told her laughing. "Only one more year, Hermione, then I will never have to go to the Dursley's again."

Ron came up behind them, "Only two more years of school, I wonder what it's going to be like, not having to go to transfiguration and potions," he said. "It will be strange, we won't be together everyday anymore. I hope that we don't forget about each other."

Hermione sighed, "That won't happen, Ron. You and Harry are my best friends, I'll never forget about you, either of you. We'll just have to set up times to spend together. I can work out a schedule for us to meet, and we'll see each other on holidays. Maybe we'll even work in the same field."

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes at her comment about the schedule, "Don't worry Ron, we'll always be friends," Harry told him.
*****************************************

Mrs. Weasley carried out the cake that she had decorated for Harry's birthday, and behind her Ginny carried a smaller one that read 'Congratulations Sirius'. She served the giant chocolate cake with sides of pumpkin ice cream that she and Ginny had made.

"Mrs.Weasley, I think that this has been the best birthday of my entire life, not to mention my first birthday party," Harry told her before he wrapped her in a hug that rivaled one of her own.

"We would do anything for you Harry dear, you are just like one of our own sons," she stated, sniffling.

Ginny came running over, and grabbed Harry's arm, "It's time for you to open presents," she said quite loudly. Harry followed her across the garden to one of the tables.

Ron handed Harry his gift first, "Something that I knew you needed," he told him. Harry quickly un-wrapped the package and found a new set of Quidditch pads.

"Thanks Ron, I really did need these," he said as Hermione handed him her gift.

He stared at the small package, expecting the same gift that he always received from Hermione, a book. "Isn't this too small for a book, Hermione?" he asked.

She lightly swatted his arm, "I didn't want to get you a book this year," she said, sticking out her tongue.

He un-wrapped the gift and pulled out the Stag pendant that she had bought. "Hermione, thank you," he said, looking longingly at the stag. "It looks just like I pictured Prongs."

Remus looked at the pendant, "If that's how you pictured him, you did a good job. Hermione, where did you find this at?" he asked.

She leaned over and spoke to him softly, "At a shop called Magical Jewelry, it's a soul mate pendant," she told him. She watched Harry open his other gifts out of the corner of her eye.

"Magical Jewelry? That shop hasn't been open since I was in school," he told her.

She looked at him, "Well, last week, Ron and I went shopping for Harry's gift, and it was open. Harry even bought Ginny a pendant from the same store, hers is a unicorn."

Remus looked at Harry and Ginny thoughtfully, "I'll be back, I have to check something out."
********************************

Remus returned about half an hour later, and motioned for Hermione to join him. They walked over to where Albus was standing, a plate with a piece of cake in his hand.

"Albus, when was the last time that you saw the shop Magical Jewelry open?" he asked the headmaster.

He looked thoughtful, "I believe that it was your sixth or seventh year, when James and Lily had their pendants made," he said, "Why Remus?"

Remus looked around to be sure that no one was listening, "Because when Hermione and Ron went to get Harry's gifts, it was open. Hermione bought Harry a pendant that looks shockingly like James' stag form. That same day, Harry bought Ginny a unicorn pendant from the same shop." He paused and checked around again, "I just came back from there, Albus. The shop isn't there, and none of the shop keepers have seen it."

Albus stroked his beard, "I think that I must take a look at these pendants."

Hermione, Remus and Albus walked over to where Harry and Ginny were sitting together, laughing at a large yellow canary sitting in front of them. A few seconds later, it molted and became Bill.

"Harry, Ginny, might I have a word with you?" Albus asked.

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore," they both replied.

They went into the kitchen of the burrow, and Albus explained what had happened. Harry and Ginny both removed their necklaces and handed them to Professor Dumbledore. "I think that maybe you and Professor Lupin should check them out before we wear them again, Professor," Ginny told them.

"Have they done anything strange?" he asked, looking at both teens.

Ginny blushed, "It gets warm whenever I'm near Harry," she told them quietly.

"I only had mine on for a little while, but it did get warm when Ginny came over," he said, blushing one shade lighter than Ginny.

Remus smiled, "We'll have them checked out, and you will have them back if they are okay."

"Will we get them back soon," Ginny asked, turning even redder.

"Don't worry Gin, if we don't get them back, I'll buy you a new necklace in Hogsmead, during the first visit of the year," he told her, patting her shoulder.

Chapter 12: Shock on the Hogwarts Express

The days after Harry's birthday passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was September first and time to go back to school. With only the four of them going back to Hogwarts, it wasn't quite as crazy as it had been on Harry's previous visits to the burrow. Hermione and Ginny had insisted that Harry and Ron pack their trunks the night before, and cars from the Ministry were taking them to Kings Cross. The ride to the station was uneventful, and all too soon, they were directing their carts toward the barrier of platform 9 �.

"Ronald, I want you to watch out for your sister," Mrs.Weasley said, watching Harry assist her daughter with her trunk. "I know that Harry will watch out for her, but it's better to have both of you. And you watch out for Hermione also, and stay out of trouble," she said, hugging her youngest son. She quickly hugged Ginny and Hermione, and then she walked over to Harry. "Harry, I want you to be extra careful this year. I don't want anything happening to you," she said, then pulled him into a hug.

After the attack on Diagon Alley, Professor Dumbledore didn't feel that it was safe for Harry, Hermione or the Weasley's that were returning to Hogwarts to venture back there, so he had someone from Madam Malkin's to come to the burrow and fit the four students. Fred and George Weasley had collected the rest of the items on their lists, and had visited Gringotts for Harry. At his request, they had also gotten a nice carrier for Greta.

The four climbed onto the Hogwarts Express and waved goodbye to Mr. and Mrs.Weasley until they were out of sight, they found an empty compartment and made themselves comfortable for the long journey. Ron and Harry were playing a game of Wizard's Chess, with the girls watching, when the door to their compartment opened. Remus Lupin came into the compartment, followed by a large black dog.

Hermione was the first to react, throwing a stupefy sticky at the dog and activating it.

Professor Lupin looked at the dog and sighed, "I told him to wait in the corridor until you had read the letter from Dumbledore," he said.

Harry was staring at the dog, he looked up at Remus, "It's not him, it can't be!"

"Harry, all I can say is read this letter from Dumbledore," he said, handing the boy the piece of parchment.

Harry opened the parchment and began reading, tears streaming down his face. "He says that it's Sirius, and that you would explain how."

Ginny scooted over toward Harry so that Remus could sit down, "It begins with the faked death of a Death Eater," he paused. "Nothing that I say here can go any further than here. Ron, Ginny, your parents will be told by Albus this afternoon, before the train arrives in Hogsmead."

The four teens agreed.

"Remember last year when Sirius told you about his younger brother, Regulus?" he asked. Harry nodded. "Well, Regulus tried to back out when he found out what he was expected to do, he went to Dumbledore. Albus sent him into hiding, announcing his death, and putting charms on him to change his appearance. When Voldemort came back at the end of your fourth year, Dumbledore contacted him, and never told Sirius that his brother was alive." He paused and took a deep breath, "Last year, when Sirius was confined to the manor, Regulus was brought back to England. Dumbledore had Professor Snape prepare the polyjuice potion, and at each meeting, Regulus would attend as someone that wasn't able. The night that you went to the Department of Mysteries, Regulus took the potion with the addition of one of Sirius' hairs. Dumbledore went right to Black Manor and took Sirius to Hogwarts, where he has been in hiding ever since."

Harry looked down at the dog lying on the floor of the compartment, "But why would his brother pretend to be him?" Harry asked.

Regulus knew that Sirius was innocent, he had seen Peter. He didn't want Sirius to risk his life, so when we went to Black Manor to get him, we found Regulus, disguised as Sirius. He had locked Sirius in the bedroom with Buckbeak, hoping that Peter would be caught and his brother would finally be free. He didn't count on falling through the veil," Remus answered. "So now, Harry, should I wake up your Godfather, so that he can tell you himself?"

Harry nodded his head, letting Remus know that he was ready. He didn't remove his eyes from the still form on the ground.

"Enervate!" Remus said, pointing his wand at the large black dog.

The dog blinked and with a small pop, changed into a man. "Harry," he said, in a strangled voice.

Harry jumped up from the seat and threw himself at his Godfather. "Sirius, I thought that you were dead, that I had killed you," he sobbed.

"I'm sorry Harry, Dumbledore didn't want you to know that I was alive. Remus and I didn't agree for a second," he explained. "He wouldn't allow me to contact you, and he wouldn't let Remus tell you."

Harry looked over at his favorite DADA Professor, "That's what you were talking about on my birthday," he said. "But while you were talking to Dumbledore, Greta and I caught Pettigrew."

"Correct, I was fighting with him to allow me to tell you, there was no reason to let you suffer. But after your incredible capture of Peter, we waited. Sirius was so excited, he couldn't wait until today. Dumbledore agreed that today would be perfect, considering that you would have seen him tonight at the feast anyway."

"What do you mean, I would have seen him tonight?" Harry asked.

Sirius smiled, "Well, Remus and I are the new DADA teachers, meet Professors Lupin and Black," he told them. The four teens let out a whoop of joy, and crowded around their new Professors.

Chapter 13: Pendants and Portkeys

The four teens sat at the Gryffindor table waiting for the sorting to be finished so that they could eat. Harry kept sneaking glances at Ginny who was sitting on the opposite side of the table, next to Hermione. When Professor McGonagall carried the stool and the sorting hat out of the Great Hall, their attention went to Professor Dumbledore, standing at the staff table looking around the room.

"Another year is beginning, and before I can allow you to eat, I must get through a few announcements," he said, looking around the room. "First, The Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to ALL students, anyone caught out of bounds, will have detention with a professor of my choice. Second, Mr. Filch has added to the list of forbidden objects, which now includes over 600 items. Most of the new items are from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and include Skiving Snackboxes, and Wildfire Whiz-bangs. The complete list can be found in Mr. Filch's office and on the board in your common rooms. And finally, we have new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors. Professors Black and Lupin," the room erupted in cheers from all tables except for the Slytherin table. "As some of you may remember, Professor Lupin taught Defense Against the Dark Arts about three years ago, and met with respect from most students. I have had many requests to bring him back to teach," Remus looked at Professor Dumbledore with a look of shock on his face. "From students and parents alike, so welcome to our new Professors. Tuck in," he told them as food appeared on the tables.

Ron and Harry piled their plates and began to eat.

"Honestly Ron, you would think that you hadn't eaten in days," Hermione told him.

"'M a growing boy, 'Mione," he said through a mouthful of Shepard's Pie. "I need to eat."

Harry and Ginny laughed, and then Harry looked up at the Staff table and smiled at his Godfather. "I can't believe that Sirius is alive, and I'll get to see him when ever I want," Harry told them. "I thought that I had lost him forever."

After the group had finished eating, Hermione and Ron lead the first years up to Gryffindor Tower, and Harry headed toward the staff table. Sirius and Remus had just finished eating, both men got up from the table and walked toward Harry.

"Harry, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you and Ginny Weasley in his office before you go to bed tonight," Remus told him.

"We'll walk up to the tower with you, and you can go in and get Ginny," Sirius continued. "Then we can walk to Dumbledore's office."

Harry looked toward the Gryffindor table, "I think that Ginny just left, maybe if I hurry, I can catch her," he said, running toward the door of the Great Hall, Remus and Sirius following behind at a slower pace.

Harry ran up the steps quickly until he could see Ginny's red hair, "Ginny!" he shouted.

She turned around and looked to see who had called her, "Harry, what's wrong?" she asked, coming quickly down to where he was standing.

He took a few deep breaths, "Professor Dumbledore wants to see us in his office," he stated, panting.

"You ran from the Great Hall to catch me?" She laughed and put her hand on his arm, "You could have caught me in the common room," she told him.

"Remus and Sirius are going to take us to his office, so I wanted to catch you before you got there and I had to explain everything to Ron and Hermione."

Remus and Sirius caught up to them and lead them to Dumbledore's office, "Baby Ruth," Sirius said to the Gargoyle. It jumped to the side and allowed them entrance to the spiral stairs that led to the Headmaster's office.

When they arrived at the top of the stairs, Harry raised his hand to knock on the door, but before it had made contact, Dumbledore said, "Come in." The group entered the Headmaster's office, and took seats in front of the desk. "I'm sure that you are wondering why I have called you here, so I will not keep you waiting," he told them. "I wanted to return your pendants, the staff has examined them and found no curses."

Harry and Ginny smiled at him.

"The only spells on these necklaces are the ones that James and Lily placed on them," he said, waiting for a reaction.

"Sir, do you mean that these belonged to my parents?" Harry asked, gesturing toward the two necklaces on the desk.

Remus cleared his throat, "When I saw the necklace that Hermione gave you for your birthday, I knew that I had seen it before, I helped Lily by getting a picture of James in his stag form for the jeweler to use. Sirius helped James to pick out the unicorn, and insisted that he have the crystals for the eyes replaced with sapphires. They spelled the pendants to find you when you were sixteen, but it seems that your father's found Hermione instead," he told them.

"I have turned the pendants into portkeys to my office, if there is any kind of danger to either of you, they will both activate and transport you both here," Dumbledore told them. "After you offered yourself for Ginny's return in Diagon Alley, she is now one of Voldemort's biggest targets. Professor Snape has told us that he is actively searching for her, and will use her to get to you."

Harry put his head in his hands, "I'm sorry Ginny, I didn't mean to put you in danger."

"Harry, I told you, my whole family is already in danger because we support Professor Dumbledore in the fight against Voldemort," she said, patting his arm.

The Headmaster smiled, "Professors Black, Lupin and I are working on something to protect both of you and put you out of his reach until the end of the year," he said. "As soon as we are ready, we will put the plan into action. The two of you should return to Gryffindor tower now, I will be sure to keep you informed."

Harry and Ginny each picked up their necklace and left the Headmaster's office.
***********************************

"Albus, are you sure that this is the best way to protect them?" Sirius asked.

The Headmaster sighed and hung his head, "I can think of no place safer and no other people that could protect them better," he said.

"Now all we have to do is find a way to send them back to our sixth year, and a way to explain to our younger selves what is going on," Remus told them.
Chapter 14: The Plan

Classes didn't start for another day, arriving on Saturday had its advantages. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny spent the day visiting with the people they had missed over the summer. They had spent the morning with Hagrid, and they were headed back to the castle to have lunch and spend the afternoon with Sirius and Remus.

As they sat down at the Gryffindor table, Professor McGonagall came up behind Harry. "Mr. Potter, Miss. Weasley, the Headmaster would like to see you in his office directly after lunch," she told them. She turned toward the staff table and continued forward, stopping occasionally to speak to other students.

"Harry, what was that all about?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "He said that he had a plan to protect Ginny and I, maybe he's going to have to find something else. We'll know after lunch." He and Ginny ate their lunches quickly and headed for Dumbledore's office.

Remus and Sirius were waiting for them at the bottom of the spiral staircase. They stood on the stairs and waited for them to reach the top. Remus and Sirius led them into the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore looked p, his blue eyes twinkling, "Sirius, if you would be so kind as to go back to the bottom of the steps and escort Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger up here. It will save Harry and Virginia from having to repeat what is said," he said with a smile.

Once Sirius had returned with Ron and Hermione, Dumbledore waved his wand at the door. "Now that we will not be disturbed or overheard, I will tell you what we are going to do to protect the two of you," he motioned to Harry and Ginny. He nodded his head toward Sirius. Sirius walked over to the fireplace and threw in some floo powder, "The burrow!" he shouted and stuck his head into the green flames. The room waited in silence until he pulled his head free, "They'll be here in just a few." He stepped away from the fireplace just as the flames turned green again, and out stepped Molly Weasley, quickly followed by her husband.

"Molly, Arthur, please have a seat," Dumbledore told them, he conjured up two more chairs and began to speak. "As we all know, after the attack in Diagon Alley, Voldemort has decided to use Miss. Weasley to get to Harry. I do not want to leave these two students in danger, so I have come up with a plan to keep them safely out of his reach until the end of the school year. While they are away, I will be improving on the wards and protections at the burrow so that it will be safe for them during the summer, and improving the wards at Hogwarts to make it safe for them next year," he paused and looked over at Mr. and Mrs.Weasley. "Arthur, Molly, I will need your help with this. I am intending to send Harry and Virginia back to Sirius and Remus' sixth year,"

Mrs.Weasley looked shocked, "But Albus, You-know-who is in that time too, how will that keep them safe?" she asked.

"The Voldemort of that time is not searching for them, and I have discussed it at length with Sirius and Remus, and my younger self. I have created a porthole in time for contact with where I will be sending them. My younger self has called Remus, Sirius and James and asked them if they would be willing to help protect someone from their future. They have not been told who they are, or their importance, but they have willingly agreed to keep them safe from Halloween until the end of the year," he said. "I want to keep them together, so I have arranged for Miss. Weasley to sit for her O.W.L.S. It will be much easier for the three Marauders to keep them in site if they are in the same year." He looked over at Hermione, "Miss. Granger, will you assist Miss. Weasley in preparing for the O.W.L.S.?" he asked.

"Of course Professor," Hermione answered.

"Thank you, Miss. Granger," he looked around the room. "I have also arranged for small trunks, big enough for one of your wonderful Weasley sweaters, Molly, to carry all messages from our two travelers to the people in this room. "This must be kept secret, no one is to know where they are. I have informed my younger self to remind Remus, Sirius and James to not let Peter in on the secret. To him they will just be students that were transferred from another school. Here the story will be that they have gone into hiding, my brother Aberforth will be traveling with a two people for the rest of the year, so every now and then, there will be a sighting of the two of you with my brother. We will be needing some hair from both of you," he said.

"Are you sure that this is the only way, Albus?" Arthur asked.

Dumbledore sighed, "I wish that I could keep them here, but we do not want to risk either of their lives. They are too important."
***********************************

After Molly and Arthur had left, Dumbledore looked at the two teens that would be going back to the past. "I will need you both to be prepared for anything," he said. "Please expand the inside of your trunks to be sure that you have enough room for the packages that Fred and George will be sending you, it's more stupefy stickies, and items like that. Harry I will also need for you to give me your Gringotts key, I must go to get you enough money so that you will have enough funds for the year."

Harry looked over at Ron and Ginny, "Take enough out for both of us, it's my fault that we have to do this, so I'll pay for everything," he told the headmaster. "And no arguments from either of you, I have enough money to do this, and I don't want to hear anything about it." They stayed for another half and hour, discussing delivery of the small trunks and the items from Fred and George. Harry allowed Ron, Hermione and Ginny to leave the room before he stood up. "Professor Dumbledore, couldn't this change our time? I mean us going back and knowing what goes wrong, couldn't it change things?" he asked.

"It is quite possible that some things will change, Harry. But it is a chance that we must take for the safety of both of you," he answered. Harry turned and left the office.
********************************

Professor Dumbledore was sitting in his office, alone except for the large Phoenix sitting on a perch behind his desk. He walked over to one of the shelves, pulled down a small sphere, and returned to his seat. He tapped the sphere with his wand and a smoky figure emerged. It began to speak:

In his sixth year, the Phoenix will endanger the Unicorn just by knowing her.
For protection they must return to the way things were, changing the way that things have become.
The Unicorn will be the center of the storm, and the Phoenix will find his love for her.
Together they will defeat the darkness, bringing light to all.
Together they will change what is wrong, and make peace.
The Phoenix and the Unicorn will be forever bound, merging their lives.

He returned the sphere to the shelf and debated the other on the shelf, then walked out of the office.

Chapter 15: Ginny's O.W.L.s

The next month and a half passed quickly, with Harry, Ron and Hermione helping Ginny to prepare for taking her O.W.L.S. The day had come for her exams, and she was quite worried.

"What if I don't pass?" she asked Hermione. She was pacing back and forth through the common room, waiting for her first exam to start.

"Calm down, Ginny. You are ready to take the O.W.L.S., you will do very well, and you will get to move up to sixth year with Ron, Harry and I," the older girl said. The portrait hole opened and Ron came in with Harry.

"Ginny, I got you something," Harry told her. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small bag with the Honeydukes logo, he handed it to Ginny. "For your O.W.L.S."

Ginny opened the bag and pulled out several Sugar Quills in a variety of flavors. "Thank you, Harry," she told him smiling.

"Good luck, even though you are not going to need it. This time next week, you will be a sixth year," he told her. He walked over and quickly hugged her, "Don't forget to give the quills to McGonagall so that she can put the anti-cheating charm on them."

Ron stood staring at them open mouthed, wondering why Harry had just hugged his baby sister. "Alright, enough of that. Ginny you need to get to the room of requirement, your tests should be starting soon," he said, pulling her toward the portrait hole.

"I'll see you guys later," she told them as Ron pulled her out of the portrait hole and toward the room of requirement.
*********************************

Ginny gave a sigh of relief and stuck the strawberry sugar quill in her mouth, she had just finished the final theory paper for her O.W.L.s, all that was left were the practical portions of the exams. She had been at if for three days, and had three more to go. Professor McGonagall came over to her desk, "Miss. Weasley, you will have tomorrow off, please make the most of your trip to Hogsmead," she told her, collecting the paper from Ginny's desk.

Ginny walked back toward Gryffindor tower wondering if Hermione, Ron and Harry had felt this tired after their exams. She knew that her theory results would be ready tomorrow, and that she only had a few days more until she had her results, and a few days after that, she and Harry were headed to the past. She stopped in front of the portrait hole, "Ursa Major," she said to the painting. When the portrait swung open, she saw her brother and his two best friends waiting for her. They were holding up bottles of butterbeer, and as soon as she came in, Harry handed one to her.

"How was it, Gin?" he asked, pulling her down on the couch next to him. "I remember how tired I was after those exams, and I hear that the N.E.W.T.s are worse."

She sighed and leaned her head back, "I'm tired, but I have tomorrow off, and then the practical part starts. I wonder if I'm going to survive this, forget about passing," she told them. Harry reached over and opened her bottle of butterbeer.

"Go ahead and drink the butterbeer, Gin. I snuck to Hogsmead to get it," he told her, laughter sparkling in his green eyes.
********************************

They saw very little of Ginny after the trip to Hogsmead, but as soon as she had finished the practical part of her exams, she threw herself onto one of the chairs in the common room. "Finished!! Now tomorrow, I get my results," she told Hermione. They were sitting, staring at the fire. Ginny heard a shuffling and Ron appeared at the bottom of the boy's stairs.

"Finally finished?" he asked his sister.

"Yes," she answered. He walked over to the chair Hermione was sitting in, and gently shoved her over.

"Harry's re-enlarging his trunk, Fred and George keep sending him new stuff and he doesn't have room for it all," Ron told them. "Dumbledore told us that we would be able to send things to you through the small trunks, I don't know why they keep sending it before he leaves."

Ginny smiled at her brother, "I guess that I should get working on packing my stuff, we only have a few more days until we leave." She got up from the chair, "I'll catch up with you guys at dinner," she told them. She walked up the steps to her dorm and started packing.
********************************

The next morning the four made their way down to breakfast, only stopping to talk to Nearly-Headless-Nick. They piled their plates and set to eating. A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall stepped up behind Ginny.

"Miss. Weasley, I have your O.W.L. results. I have sent a copy to your parents, and I'm sure that you will be hearing from them very shortly," she said, looking toward the doors of the Great Hall where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were rushing toward the Gryffindor table. She handed Ginny a piece of parchment and walked off.

"Ginny, we're so proud of you," Mrs. Weasley said, grabbing her daughter up in a bear hug.

Ginny grunted, "I haven't even seen my result yet, Mum. Give me a second," she said, unfolding the parchment. She looked down, shock evident on her face. "I got eleven O.W.L.s, I can't believe it."

For the next few minutes, Ginny was hugged and patted on the back. "My baby girl, a sixth year. Skipped a full year," Mrs. Weasley sniffed. "We couldn't be prouder, and we're going to miss you."

Ginny sniffed, fighting tears, "Mum, I'll see you at the end of the year. I'll be fine, Harry will be with me."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley, I won't let anything happen to Ginny," Harry told her.

Chapter 16: A trip to the past

On Halloween morning Harry and Ginny rose before the sun and headed up to the Headmaster's office with their magically enlarged trunks following behind them. They stepped up to the Gargoyle and Ginny said the password, "Tooth flossing string-mints." Pushing the trunks ahead of them, they allowed the stairs to take them to Dumbledore's door. When they arrived at the top, Harry knocked.

"Come in," the Headmaster replied. Harry allowed Ginny to precede him into the room. "I'm glad to see that you are both on time, you will have breakfast here, and then we shall send you on your way." He waved his wand and food appeared on the table in front of them. They both dug into their breakfasts, wanting to finish so that they could get this whole thing over with. "I would like for the two of you to keep me informed of everything that is happening," he told them. "You must remember to try not to change things too much, but if you must, you may tell Remus, Sirius, and James what happens. It may change our time, but if it keeps you safe, it must be done."

Harry and Ginny walked over to where their trunks were sitting, "Professor Dumbledore, what about the message trunks?" Ginny asked

Professor Dumbledore waved his wand and two small trunks appeared. "They are much bigger inside, and you will be able to send and receive Christmas presents through this, so that you won't feel too far from home."

They placed the smaller trunks into their magically enlarged trunks and closed them up. Harry checked the latch on his trunk and turned to Dumbledore, "Could you send Hedwig to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? I know that they will take care of her, and that they can use her to send letters and stuff to Ron while we are gone. I don't want her to feel forgotten," he said.

"Of course, Hedwig will be sent to Molly and Arthur with a note asking them to care for her until your return," he answered. "Do not worry, you will be safe with your father and his friends. And I will be sure to keep your loved ones safe here."
*****************************

With a wave of his wand Dumbledore sent them into the past.

Ginny and Harry were surrounded by a swirling rainbow of colors, and a feeling like they were trapped inside a whirlwind. A few seconds after it began, it stopped, leaving them standing in the same place they were.

"Good morning," Professor Dumbledore said to them. "Welcome to Hogwarts, as you can see, I am a younger Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster." Harry and Ginny looked at him shocked. He didn't really look very different, just a little younger. "I trust that you both arrived here unharmed?" he asked, looking at them both with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry sir," Harry said, looking over at Ginny. "Yes, we have arrived unharmed."

"I'm Ginny Weasley, sir," Ginny told him.

Harry stepped forward, "Harry Potter, sir."

Professor Dumbledore looked at the two teens standing in front of him. "Miss. Weasley, Mr. Potter," he inclined his head toward them. "Miss. Weasley, would you be related to Arthur Weasley?" he asked.

"Yes sir, he's my father. I'm the last of seven children," she told him.

He turned his head toward Harry, "And you Mr. Potter,"

Harry quickly interrupted, "James Potter is my father," he told the headmaster.

"James, quite interesting. Whom, may I ask, is your mother?" he asked, unveiled curiosity showing in his eyes.

"Lily Evans," Harry told him.

The Headmaster nodded his head, "Well, now that the introductions are taken care of, I must say that I wasn't expecting a student's child." He sat down behind his desk and gestured for them to take the seats in front of the desk.

"Professor, your older self only told us that we were being sent to this time and that my dad, Sirius and Remus had agreed to keep an eye on us," Harry said. "I think that telling them that he is my dad, well, it could be kind of strange for both of us."

Dumbledore chuckled, "I can see where it could be a problem. My older self has told me that you were going to try not to tell the three marauders about the future, unless it is unavoidable. But he said that you would tell me, if I felt the need to know." He stared at them, watching their faces. "I think that it would be best if I knew everything from the start."
*******************************

An hour later, Harry and Ginny had explained everything. The Headmaster was sitting at his desk, staring thoughtfully at his Phoenix, Fawkes. "I believe that telling them right away would be a problem, so we will give you different last names for the time being. Miss. Weasley, you will be called Virginia Arthur, and Mr. Potter we will call you Harry James. If the time comes that you have to tell James, Remus, Sirius, and Lily the truth, bring them here to my office and we will explain together. They, all but Lily, know that you are from the future. They have been told not to ask you about anything that happens, but knowing those three, you will be bombarded with questions. Now, for what you should tell them for now. You will have to tell James that you are related to him, the resemblance is too great to deny, as for the other two, what ever you feel necessary." He stood up from the desk, "I understand that you are both Gryffindor, so I will escort you to your common room."

The trip to Gryffindor tower was completed quickly, and Professor Dumbledore stopped in front of the portrait of the fat lady, "Two new students for you, they have both been sorted into your house."

She looked at the two and smiled, "Welcome to Gryffindor Tower, the password is 'wormwood'." With that the portrait swung open and they went into the common room.

Professor Dumbledore looked around the room, "If you two would just make yourselves comfortable here for a few minutes, I will go and collect James, Sirius, Remus and Lily, since they are all sixth years. Lily will show Miss. Arthur to her dorm, and the three gentlemen will escort you Mr. James to yours." With that he turned and walked back out of the tower.

Chapter 17: Meeting the Marauders and Lily

Harry and Ginny sat down on the comfy chairs to wait for the four Gryffindors. A few minutes later, Professor Dumbledore came back into the common room.

"James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, this is Miss. Virginia Arthur and Mr. Harry James," he told the four students standing beside him.

Ginny stood up, "Just call me Ginny," she told them smiling.

"It's very nice to meet you Ginny, I understand that you are from the future," Lily said, looking from Ginny to Harry.

"Yes," Harry answered, "We've been sent her to protect us. Voldemort is after Ginny to get to me." Harry noticed the quick intakes of breath from the four students standing with Professor Dumbledore. "I don't fear saying his name, in my time I have faced him five times and survived, and I have every intention of continuing to survive."

James stepped forward, "Hello, Harry," he said, looking at Harry's hair, "You look and awful lot like me, except for your eyes."

"That would be because we are related, I can't explain the relationship right now, but I can say that I am very happy to finally meet you," Harry told him as he extended his hand.

James took the extended hand and shook it, "I guess since we are related, that you know Remus and Sirius?"

"Yes," Harry answered. "Remus was my defense against the dark arts teacher when I was in third year, and Sirius is my godfather," Harry told them, watching the Headmaster's face for signs that he should stop. He took a step forward and extended his hand toward Lily, "And you would be Lily Evans, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Lily took his hand and smiled, "Very nice to meet you Harry, why don't I show Ginny to her room and then we can all get acquainted." She motioned toward Ginny and they headed up the steps to the girl's dorms.

"Come on Harry," Sirius said, "We'll show you to our dorm, you'll be sharing with us." Harry followed them up the stairs and into their dorm room. "See Dumbledore already has your bed here and everything," he told him, flopping down on Harry's bed. "I know that you're not supposed to tell us anything, but I'm just going crazy wondering what happens to us."

Harry looked at the three teens, comparing the older Sirius and Remus that he knew, "I don't remember James, but like I said, Remus was my professor in third year, he was the best defense against the dark arts professor that I had in the five years that I finished. Sirius I met in my third year too, and he's been very helpful when I needed someone to talk to."

Sirius looked at Harry, "I thought that you said that I was your godfather?" he asked. "Wouldn't you have met me sooner if I was?"

"There were some problems, I didn't get to meet you until third year. My parents died when I was a year old, so I was raised by my muggle relatives," he told them. "Believe me Sirius, I would have loved to live with you, it just wasn't possible."

James sat down on the edge of the bed, motioning for Remus to join them, "Why don't you remember me?" he asked.

Harry swallowed hard, "That is one of the things that I can't tell you yet, I can only tell you if it will help to protect me."

Remus looked thoughtful, "Well, if we look at it that way," he said. "Everything you tell us will help protect you, and it might make it easier to understand why you look just like James, except for the eyes, but even your eyes look familiar." He paused, looking at his friends, "Maybe we should get Peter and let him in on this."

Harry threw himself down on the bed, "Alright, I'll tell you everything, but under no circumstances can you tell Wormtail anything."

The three friends looked at Harry shocked, "How do you know Peter's nickname?" Sirius asked.

Harry sighed, "I know a lot of things," he looked at his father. "You, James, are an un-registered animagus, your form is a Stag and your nickname is Prongs." He turned toward Sirius, "You, Sirius are a large dog that resembles a Grim and your nickname is Padfoot." At last he turned toward Remus, "You are a werewolf, and the reason that James, Sirius and Peter became animagi, they call you Moony. Peter is a rat, a very fitting form for a traitor."

Remus looked at Harry, shocked, "You know about what I am?"

Harry smiled at him, "Like I said, you were my favorite teacher. I don't have a problem with what you become during the full moon, you are a great person, and your secret is safe with me and Ginny."

Remus covered his eyes, "She knows too?" He hung his head.

"I'm sorry Remus, the whole school knew at the end of my third year, that's why you left," Harry told him, "We didn't want you to leave."

"What do you mean that Peter is a traitor?" James asked, looking skeptical.

Harry stood up, "I'm only going to tell this once, so I had better get Ginny and Lily. It's better if you all hear it at the same time," he said, walking toward the door. Before he reached it, the door swung open and the two girls came into the room. "Oh good, I didn't have to try and get up that charmed staircase. Why don't you both have a seat, I have a long story to tell."

Lily and Ginny sat down on the bed with the others, and then Harry joined them. "Does anyone know a silencing charm?" he asked.

Lily waved her wand and nodded for him to continue.

"I'm sorry Harry, she started asking questions and I had to give her some answers," Ginny told him.

He smiled, "That's okay, Gin. Remus convinced me that the more they knew, the better protected we would be. So I'm telling them everything."

Chapter 18: The Room of Requirement and Questions

Harry and Ginny had gotten as far as the end of the second task of the tri-wizard tournament when they were interrupted.

"Classes are about to let out, maybe we should find somewhere else to finish this," Lily told them. Harry and Ginny nodded their agreement.

"I know just the place," Harry told them. Lily removed the silencing charm and they followed Harry to the seventh floor.

"What are we doing up here?" Sirius asked, "There's not a lot up here."

Harry and Ginny walked past the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy three times, concentrating on a place that they could tell their new acquaintances in comfort, with no one being able to overhear. On the third pass, a door appeared.

"What did you do?" Remus asked.

Harry looked at them and laughed, "It's called the room of requirement. We used it in my fifth year, to have defense meetings. The teacher we had, wouldn't allow us to practice any of the spells that were being taught, but we'll get to that."
*****************************

Two hours later, they had finally finished their tale.

"I can't believe it, I'm dead?" Sirius asked. "All of that hiding to be killed by Bellatrix? I never trusted her, she's such a Slytherin."

Remus looked at his friends, "We can't tell Peter anything, and we need to start watching him. If there's anything that we can do to keep him from joining You-Know-Who, we have to do it."

Lily looked around, "I don't think that you understand, we can't change anything!" she shouted. "We have to protect Harry in this time, but we can't take the chance of changing the future."

Harry watched his mother carefully, "There are some things that I left out," he paused.

James quickly interrupted, "Yes, like how you don't remember me, and how we're related."

"I'm getting to that, but like she said, you can't change anything. It would change the future, and that's something that we don't want to do."

"I understand that, but just knowing is going to change things," Remus told them. "We just have to try to keep the changes to a minimum."

Harry looked at the group, "Alright, Dumbledore knew that sending us here was going to change the future, let's just hope that it doesn't make it worse."

James looked at Harry, "Okay, how are we related?" he asked.

"I'm actually related to two people in this room, James and Lily," he paused. "James is my father, and Lily is my mother."
*********************************

The silence in the room was like a presence, the six teens were looking around, not knowing what to say.

Remus was the one to finally break the silence, "Well, that explains your eyes," he told Harry. "There's not a single guy in the school that doesn't get lost in Lily's eyes." Lily looked over at Remus and smiled, then turned toward Harry and examined his features.

"Harry, you said that you were raised by your muggle relatives," she said. "James isn't related to any muggles, who raised you, my mom?"

Harry hesitated, "It was your sister, Petunia and her husband Vernon. Dumbledore left me on their step, and they spent the next ten years treating me horribly. I slept in a cupboard under the stairs until I got my Hogwarts letter, then they were afraid that they were being watched so they moved me to their son Dudley's second bedroom."

Lily's eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry, I wish that there was something that I could do to change what you've been through," she told him. "I know that it's wrong, but we have to do something James." She looked over at James, "We have to make some kind of arrangements so that Harry doesn't have to go and live with Petunia," she spat, "My sister shouldn't be allowed to raise a dog."

Remus put his hand on Lily's shoulder, "We can't change anything, Lily," he told her.

"Dumbledore told Harry that he could tell us if he had to, he knew that we were going to change some things," she explained. "If James and I die to save Harry, we should at least make arrangements for someone to take care of him properly."

"I'm pretty sure that we did that when we made Sirius his godfather, but there were problems with that," James told her. "Let's think about this for awhile, we have the rest of the year to decide what we need to do, and if it comes down to it, we can talk to Dumbledore."
************************************

The group left the room of requirement and headed down to the Great Hall for lunch, Ginny and Lily bringing up the rear, whispering and giggling.

"What is with girls and giggling?" Sirius asked, glancing behind them at the girls.

"Don't ask me, I have no idea," Harry answered.

James winked at Harry, "But we Potter's have great taste in women, Ginny's a very pretty girl, Harry."

Harry blushed and gave James a shove, "She's my best friend's baby sister, I couldn't do that to Ron," Harry told them.

Sirius put his arm around Harry's shoulder, "Your friend Ron isn't here Harry, do you like her?"

Harry glanced back over his shoulder at Ginny walking with his mum, "You know Sirius, I think that I do."

Remus laughed and opened the door to the Great Hall, "Well then, we Marauders will need to assist you with acquiring her as your girlfriend."

The group ate lunch, making jokes and planning pranks on the Slytherins.
**********************************

Harry enjoyed spending time with his father, and the younger Sirius and Remus. He found that it was kind of like spending time with Fred and George Weasley, there was always a prank waiting to be pulled.

"So, what should we do today, young Harry? Turn Snivellus' hair pink? Prank the Slytherin table during dinner? Give me an idea," Sirius said, looking from Harry to Remus to James.

"Guys, maybe you should try being nicer to Snape," Harry said, earning shocked and appalled looks from the three others. "Look, he's a professor in my time. He hates me because of the way that the three of you treat him." He leaned over toward Sirius, "And don't even think about sending him through the tunnel that goes to the shrieking shack. That is an event that scars him for life, and makes him hate you and Remus. The fight against Voldemort in my time will be made much easier if he doesn't hate the three of you."

Sirius leaned back, "Alright Harry, for you, I'll try to curb being so rotten to Snivellus. We don't want to make things harder for you."
Chapter 19:

The four young men sat in the common room, Sirius was trying to figure out a way for them to get Harry and Ginny together. James, Remus, and Harry were plotting a prank. They were still not sure who they were going to prank because of Harry's request to leave Snape alone. "We could aim it at everyone at the Slytherin table except for Snape," Remus told them. "Then it would look like he had pulled the prank."

"Not a bad idea," Harry said, "But maybe we should aim the prank toward the professors." James and Remus looked at Harry in shock.

"Why not!" James said. "We hardly ever prank the teachers." With that decided they began to plan in earnest. James and Harry ran up to their dorm room and retrieved their invisibility cloaks.

"Alright," stated Remus. "We go down to the Great Hall and set it up at the teacher's table, and then we wait for the fun to begin."

They headed toward the Great Hall, two under each invisibility cloak and began setting up their first prank on the professors. When they had finished, they headed back to Gryffindor tower and went to bed.
*********************

The four woke early the next morning, and headed directly to the Great Hall to watch. "This is going to be great!" Sirius stated, sitting down at the Gryffindor table.

"All we have to do is wait," Harry said, looking toward the teacher's table. "I can't wait to see McGonagall's face."

Three professors headed toward the table at the front of the Great Hall, and as they sat down, their hair turned three different shades of Green. Their skin turned pink and their voices were changed into squeaks. It wasn't much of a change of voice for Professor Flitwick. The Great Hall erupted in gales of laughter, Professor Dumbledore stopped halfway to the teacher's table and began laughing.

"Black, Lupin, Potter, and James! In my office, now!" Professor McGonagall shouted, she stood up from the table and stomped toward her office. Professor Dumbledore stopped them as they were walking by, "Gentlemen, I do not know why you decided to prank the teachers instead of your normal targets, but you have made my day quite a bit brighter." He patted each of them on the back and took his seat at the table, changing his hair a light green, skin pink and his voice to a quiet squeak.

They went quickly up to McGonagall's office, wondering about what their punishment would be, "I'll bet that we have detention with Filch for two weeks," Sirius told them. "We'll be scrubbing staircases, and polishing everything, without magic."
****************

After classes the four Gryffindors went back to their common room to get ready for their detentions. "I can't believe that she has us doing detention with Hagrid," Harry told them. "I had detention with him in my first year, we went into the forbidden forest looking for an injured unicorn."

"Hagrid is the best person to have detention with, it's almost always fun," Sirius said, "We'll probably be sitting in his hut having tea and rock cakes."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Actual rock cakes, have you ever tried to eat one?"

"You don't eat them Harry, you put them in your robe and feed them to the giant squid," Remus told him. They dropped their bags in their dorm and headed toward Hagrid's hut.
*******************

They served their four hour detention and headed toward the kitchens to get something to eat. "I can't believe that he had us grooming the Quidditch Pitch like muggles," Sirius complained. "We're wizards, we shouldn't have to do things the muggle way. I'm sure that McGonagall had something to do with what we had to do in the detention."

James reached over and tickled the pear in the picture and they walked into the kitchen. "I don't know about the three of you, but I'm starving." House elves rushed over with plates of food and pitchers of pumpkin juice.

"I wonder what Ginny's doing?" Harry said, pulling apart a roll.

"She's with Lily, so she's doing homework," Remus told him. "She'll have one of the highest grades if she's working with Lily."

James swallowed a mouthful of food, "Lily is a homework junkie. She does it as soon as it's assigned, doesn't even wait a day."

"I have a friend like that," Harry told him. "I really should write them a letter tonight."

Remus looked at Harry, "If they're in the future, how can you write to them?"

Harry put his goblet down, "Professor Dumbledore gave Ginny and I each a chest that will transport stuff back and forth."

"You mean that I could send something to the future Professor Dumbledore?" James questioned.

Harry smiled, "I'll send anything you want, I'm sure that he would love to hear from any of you."

Chapter 20: The Burrow, Ron and Hermione

The Burrow

Mrs. Weasley was baking, she intended to send some of her biscuits and cookies to Harry and Ginny. She wished that Albus hadn't had to send them into the past to keep them safe, but what's done is done. She waved her wand over a bowl of ingredients and they started mixing themselves, she bustled around the kitchen making sure that she made everything that the two liked. Dobby and Winky were following in her wake, cleaning and rearranging things. "I'm sure that I can find something for the two of you to do," Mrs. Weasley told the two house elves.

"Oh, no, Mrs. Wheezy. Dobby and Winky will clean up the kitchen as Mrs. Wheezy cooks," Dobby told her, smiling.

Mrs. Weasley sighed, "Maybe the two of you should go to Hogwarts and see if Albus can send you back with Harry and Ginny," she said. "Or maybe, you should go there to help Ron and Hermione. I'm sure that they are missing them too."

Dobby and Winky just stared at Mrs. Weasley, "Mrs. Wheezy, Professor Dumbledore told Winky and Dobby that they couldn't go with Harry Potter and Ginny Wheezy. Sir told us that we stay here with Mrs. Wheezy and help her," Dobby told her.

Mrs. Weasley looked out the kitchen window, "Well, if you want to help, you and Winky can go out and de-gnome the garden. And when you finish that, you can start on the attic."

"Yes, Mrs. Wheezy, Winky will clean the attic," the smaller elf told her.

After the elves went out to the garden, she went back to her cooking. She prepared all of Ginny's favorite treats and all of the ones that she knew that Harry liked and wrapped them up. With a pop, Arthur Weasley appeared in the kitchen. "Molly dear, you look busy," he said, as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Making treats for the children, well, at least the children that I won't get to see until the end of the year," she sniffled.

Arthur hugged his wife, "I'm sure that Albus did what was best. Just think, Harry and Ginny are getting to spend time with Harry's parents. It's the first time that he can remember spending any time with them."

Molly sniffled a few more times, and then she picked up her package of goodies and walked over to the trunk Albus had sent. "I'll just put these in the trunk, say the spell and they'll know that we're thinking of them," she said, opening the trunk and putting the large parcel inside. She waved her wand and with a pop, everything in the trunk was sent to the trunk in Harry and Ginny's time.

Arthur put his arm around her shoulders, "Molly, they'll be home at the end of the year. Albus wouldn't have sent them back if he didn't think that is was safe."

"I know that Arthur, but I still worry about them. I can't help but worry, You-Know-Who was in that time too. I just want them to be safe," she stated.
****************

Ron and Hermione

The first day of classes seemed to drag by for Ron, without Harry, classes didn't seem the same. Hermione wasn't any help, she was only worried about reading and homework.

"I miss Harry," he told Hermione as they walked toward the common room.

She looked over at him, "Well, Dumbledore sent them where they would be safe," she whispered. "Would you rather them be here and be in danger?"

"But Hermione, Ginny doesn't have anyone to protect her," he said, grabbing her arm. "None of her brothers are there to keep her from dating the wrong guys."

She smacked him in the back of the head, "She's got Harry there, he won't let anyone hurt Ginny," she stated.

"Why can't she just date Harry," he paused. "He's the only one good enough for her." They stopped in front of the fat lady, "Wolfsbane," he said to the portrait. She opened and he motioned for Hermione to precede him into the common room.

"Why don't you write a letter to them, that's why Dumbledore gave us the trunk, so that we could contact them," she said, throwing her bag down on the floor beside the table. "I'll write to them after I get my transfiguration essay started." She pulled out parchment, quill and ink and began her essay.

Ron pulled out his supplies and began a letter to Harry.

Dear Harry,

I wish that you were here! It's so boring without you around. I'm sitting here, right after classes, doing homework with Hermione. I don't think that I'm going to have any fun this year, she's mental. It's only the first day of classes and the first thing she did when we got to the common room is start homework. I wanted to ask you to keep your eye on Ginny, I don't want her dating the wrong guys. It would be perfect if she was dating you, I wouldn't have to worry, but since she's not, keep Sirius away from her. (Sorry about that mate, but we've heard stories about the way he was in school) I'm sure that you'll be hearing from mum any time now, she's not happy that you and Ginny were sent away. I hope that you're enjoying your time with your mum and dad, and Sirius and Remus. I'm just sorry that I didn't get to come along, I would have loved to meet them, and to get away from Hermione for awhile. I can't believe that I'm going to be spending the entire year with just her. I guess that I should start on my transfiguration homework, I'll write to you again later.

Your friend,
Ron

He rolled up the parchment and put it aside and started a letter to Ginny.

Dear Ginny,

It's really strange that you're not here. Hope that you're having fun with Harry, and that you'll be happy to come back home. Mum misses you, and so do I. Don't date any of those blokes that are old enough to be your parents, and take care of Harry. I'll write again later,

Love,
Ron

He put his quill down and rolled up the parchment, then he walked up to his dorm and placed the letters in the trunk, waved his wand and sent the letters to Harry and Ginny.

Chapter 21: Meeting in the Great Hall

Severus Snape apparated in front of the gates to Hogwarts, just outside the wards and stumbled his way up to the school and Dumbledore's office. He stood before the gargoyle and choked out the password, "chocolate frogs."

He allowed the stairs to take him directly to the headmaster's door, he didn't even get a chance to knock on the door before the voice of Albus Dumbledore called out to him, "Come in, Severus."

The door swung open, permitting him entrance. He dropped carefully into one of the chairs facing the headmaster. "I have new information for you Albus, Voldemort is going after the Grangers and the Weasleys. We must find a way to protect them. We can hide the older members of the families, but what are we to do about the two in this school?"

Albus sighed, "I think that we must do the same for them as we have done with Mr. Potter and Miss. Weasley. I will contact the Grangers and the rest of the Weasley family, they will be well hidden by this evening." He looked searchingly at Severus, "Go and see Madam Pomfrey, she will take care of any injuries that you have. I will be contacting Mr. Potter and Miss. Weasley to let them know of the change of plan." He stood up and walked Severus to the Hospital wing. When he arrived back at his office, he sat down and began writing to Harry and Ginny. He stuck the finished letter into the trunk, waved his wand and walked over to the fireplace. He threw a pinch of floo powder into the flames and shouted, "Order of the Phoenix headquarters."

A few seconds later, he was greeted by the smiling face of Nymphadora Tonks, "What can I do for you Albus?" she asked.

"I must speak to all of the Weasleys, could you please have them meet me in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, tell them to pack enough for a few weeks. I'll open the floo connection in there, so that they can just floo in. I also need you to go and collect Mr. and Mrs. Granger and bring them here. Use a portkey, we don't want them traveling where they can be seen," he told her.

"I'll tell the Weasleys and head over to the Grangers. Is there anything else that I can do for you, Albus?" she asked.

"Before you go to the Grangers, get Remus and Sirius and have them come along. I would like for the three of you to pack a bag, you'll either be staying here at Hogwarts or heading back in time to help protect Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione," he told her.

"We'll be there in less than two hours," she said, pulling back from the fire. "Don't worry Albus, I'll get the Grangers there without a problem." She pulled her head out of the fire and ran for the closest Weasley.

*****************************

She ran into the kitchen, breathless. "Molly, Albus needs to see you, Arthur, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Percy, he's opening the floo in the Great Hall. I have to collect Remus and Sirius and then go over and get the Grangers. Albus needs to see them too."

Molly looked searchingly at the young Auror, "What does he need to see us about?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, Molly. He told me to tell all of you to pack enough for a few weeks," she said.

Molly covered her mouth with her hand, "I'll go and fetch everyone. Remus and Sirius are in the library, I'll have them come to you," she answered.

"Thank you, Molly. I'll see you at Hogwarts, he's having Remus, Sirius and I come there too," the young Auror said patting the older woman's arm. Molly retreated from the kitchen, in search Fred and George. She could send them to get Percy and Charlie, Bill and Arthur she would floo call at the ministry. She walked to the bottom of the steps, "Fred!! George!!" she shouted. Two red heads appeared at the top of the steps.

"Yes, Mum?" Fred asked, smiling at his mother, then turning and winking at his twin.

"Pack a bag for a few weeks, Albus wants us to meet him at Hogwarts. When you're done packing, Fred, go and fetch Percy. George, you go and fetch Charlie. I'll get your father and Bill, we're flooing to the Great Hall. Tonks, Sirius and Remus are meeting us there with the Grangers," she told them.

The two boys looked at their mother, "What's going on Mum?" George asked.

"I'm not sure," she told him. "Albus told Tonks that we were to meet him in the Great Hall. We'll know what is going on when we get there."

****************************************

The Weasleys were sitting in the Great Hall, waiting for Tonks, Remus, Sirius and the Grangers. Albus walked into the room and looked around at the assembled people. "I am sorry that I had to bring you here like this, but Severus brought us upsetting news from Voldemort's camp. He is now targeting your entire family, since he can't get to Ginny. He figures that anyone from your family will be enough incentive to bring Harry out of hiding," he explained to the assembled group. "He is also targeting the Grangers. I will be sending Ron and Hermione into the past with Harry and Ginny, along with four adult volunteers. I want the four students well protected. There is nowhere safer than Hogwarts, so the rest of you are welcome to stay here until the end of the year. Arthur, I have arranged for you to work from here."

Molly looked at the Headmaster, "Who will be going back with my children, and Hermione?" she asked.

Albus looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling, "Molly dear, you forgot about Harry," he told her.

She gave Albus a withering glare, "No, I didn't. I consider Harry one of my children."

With a loud pop, Tonks, Sirius, Remus and the Grangers appeared in the Great Hall, covered in grime, robes smoking in several places. "We got to them just in time Albus, the Death Eaters apparated into the house just as we were about to leave," Remus told him, gently leading Mrs. Granger to a seat at one of the large tables.

"Then we have no time to waste. I will ask for four volunteers to go back in time with Ron and Hermione. Your jobs will be to protect Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione. I know that they are very safe with Lily and the marauders, but I would like to have four fully trained wizards or witches to assist, just in case," he explained.

Remus, Sirius and Tonks stepped forward, "The three of us will go, it's my job to protect Harry," Sirius told the headmaster.

Albus smiled at the three, "Good, I will need only one more person to go back with Ron and Hermione."

"I'll go," Charlie said. "I'll be useless here, I might as well go and watch over my brother and sister, Harry and Hermione."

"Very good," Albus said. "You will be leaving in an hour. Bring your bags to my office."

Chapter 22:

Ron and Hermione were the first to arrive at the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office. They stood there with their trunks, waiting for their four body guards to show up. The heard footsteps coming from behind them, they turned to see Tonks, Charlie and Remus walking toward them.

"Where is Sirius?" Ron asked, looking behind them.

Tonks smiled, "He's collecting some equipment from Fred and George," she answered. "They wanted to be prepared for everything, and those stupefy stickies are just unbelievable."

Hermione looked at Tonks, disappointment evident on her face. "I don't think that Fred and George's inventions are that important that he is late for our appointment with Professor Dumbledore."

Remus put up a hand to stop her from going further, "It was Professor Dumbledore's idea for Sirius and I to stock up on Fred and George's inventions. He wants us to be prepared for anything. We have special robes for all of us, and Harry and Ginny. They have pockets for all of the stuff that we want you all to carry everywhere, just in case."

She looked shocked, "You mean that I'm going to have to carry around that stuff?" she asked.

"Yes, most of the ones that we're bringing are good for protection, and you will need to have them on you just in case," he laughed.

Sirius ran up to them, a large box in his arms. "I got their entire stock of stupefy stickies," he told them. "They also gave us pea soup bombs, and the counter, and invisible nougats. Everything is shrunken into this box, we have enough for a small army."

Ron looked over at the box, "I can't wait until I get to use some of those things, maybe we'll get to pull some pranks with your younger selves."

"Ron, believe me, you will get to pull pranks. I wouldn't doubt that they've already started corrupting Harry," Remus said.

"Tooth flossing string-mints," Tonks said to the gargoyle. The statue jumped out of the way and the six travelers went up to the headmaster's office.
*******************

Harry was sitting at the Gryffindor table eating lunch when he caught a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw Ron and Hermione walking toward him. "Ginny, am I seeing things or are Ron and Hermione walking this way?" he asked, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

Ginny looked over Harry's shoulder and jumped up from the table. She ran toward her brother and friend. "Ron! Hermione! What are you doing here?" she asked as she hugged the two.

"Haven't you checked your trunk?" Ron asked. "Dumbledore sent you and Harry a letter telling you that we were coming." He leaned in toward his sister's ear and whispered, "Voldemort couldn't get to you, so he was going to come after our family and the Grangers. Dumbledore has them hiding at Hogwarts, and he sent us here with four body guards."

"Who did he send?" she asked as they sat down at the table next to Harry, Lily and the marauders.

Hermione laughed, "Introduce us first and then we'll tell you."

Harry blushed, "Sorry. Hermione, Ron, this is Sirius, Remus, James, and Lily. Remus, James, Sirius, Lily, these are my best friends, Ron and Hermione."

"It's very nice to meet you both," Lily told them. "Ginny has told me a lot about you Hermione."

"Where's Wormtail, Harry?" Ron whispered.

"I haven't seen him, Ron. He's at home with his sick grandmother, he'll be back in a few days," he answered.

Sirius grinned, "It's nice to meet my godson's best friends. Are you up for some pranks?"

"Wait, you said that you would tell us who Dumbledore sent," Ginny said, poking her brother in the ribs.

"Well," Hermione said. "He sent Remus, Sirius, Tonks and Charlie."

Sirius looked at them, stunned. "He sent my older self back here to protect you?"

"And me too?" Remus asked.

James looked at his two friends, "Who are Tonks and Charlie?"

"Tonks is kind of Remus' girlfriend, and Charlie is one of my older brothers," Ron answered.

"My girlfriend?" Remus choked.

Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny laughed. "Your girlfriend. You're fighting it, but she's one determined Auror," Hermione said.

"She's an Auror?" Sirius asked. "Wow, Moony. How did you manage to snag yourself an Auror?"

Harry looked at the marauders, "She's younger and pretty too."

"Does she know?" Remus asked.

"Yes." Hermione and Ginny answered together.

Remus stared at the two girls, "And she doesn't care? I can't believe that."

"Finish eating, or just come on. I'm sure that we can raid the kitchens later. They're waiting for us in the room of requirement," Ron told them. The all got up from the table and headed out of the Great Hall.
*********************

"Awww, Remus, you were so cute when you were their age," Tonks told him. The older Remus just blushed.

The older Sirius started handing out small packages of Fred and George's inventions. "These are for you to use if you get into a situation that you can't get out of. I don't mean for you to use them on the slytherins, only on Death Eaters," he told them as he handed each of them a package. "We're here to make sure that nothing happens to Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione. I wouldn't want to be the one to tell Molly that we failed."

"Too right," Charlie said. "My mum would hex us into the next century."

"I think that it might be a good idea for James and Sirius, the younger Sirius, to teach these four how to become Animagus," Remus said, pointing to Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny. "The Voldemort of our time wouldn't expect it, and it would give the four of them ways to hide if they needed to."

"Good idea, Moony. I can help if they want me too," the older Sirius said, patting his old friend on the back. He quickly changed into his dog form, walked around the room and changed back. "I can still do it you know."

Tonks looked at the younger versions of her cousin and Remus, "It might be better if you didn't call them by their real names," she said, pointing to their older versions. "We'll call them Sam and Rob. We don't want anyone to know that doesn't have to."

"Good idea," the older Remus told her.

Chapter 23

The next month passed in a blur for Harry, he had classes, pulled pranks with Sirius, Remus, James, Ron and the older Sirius and Remus, and had lessons in becoming an Animagus. He was sitting in the room of requirement with Sirius, attempting the transformation for the hundredth time that week.

"I'm getting nowhere," he complained to his godfather. "I can't even get my hair to grow." He flopped down on the chair next to him.

Sirius put his hand on Harry's shoulder, "It took your father and me years to get it right. It's just going to take time, you'll get it eventually." He handed Harry a chocolate frog. "Just relax, I think that we're going to give you a few days off so that you can think about what you learned in the books."

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes,"I'm thinking about what I read, it's just not making it any easier. Ginny has already started to grow fur on her hands, Ron can turn his hand into a paw, and Hermione gets feathers all over her body. I can't manage to change at all," he complained.

Sirius ruffled Harry's hair, "You're just trying to hard, you just have to let it come. Let your magic control it, don't try to control the transformation. You just have to let it happen."

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath then opened his eyes and looked at Sirius. "Alright, one more time, then I'm done for today," he told him. He stood up from the chair and moved to the center of the room. He sat down on the floor and closed his eyes. He cleared his mind and just tried to let his magic take over the transformation.
********************

Hermione, Ginny and Lily were sitting in the library, but they weren't even looking at the books in front of them. They were leaning close together and whispering.

"Alright, so operation boyfriend will go into effect tonight. Hermione, by Christmas, you will be dating Ron. Ginny, you will be dating Harry by then too," Lily told them.

"And you will be snogging James before then," Ginny laughed. "You can tell that he likes you, he can't take his eyes off of you. Too bad that Tonks isn't in school yet, or we could set her up with Remus and avoid all of the aggravation that he causes her now."

Lily and Hermione laughed, "I think that she enjoys the game. He tries to keep her at a distance, but she won't have any of it," Hermione said. "I'm pretty sure that he's in love with her, he's just worried about what everyone will think."

"Then we should try to convince him that what other people think is not important. I really like Tonks, she would be great for Remus," Lily said to the two other girls. "Maybe someday he'll get married, I'm just sorry that I won't be there to see him happy."

Hermione smiled at Lily, "I think that Dumbledore had something in mind when he sent Harry and Ginny back. He knew that just sending them here would change our time, but he did it anyway. Maybe he sent them back to change things for the better."

Ginny looked over at Hermione, "You don't mean that he meant for us to change how things are? That he sent us back here to make sure that Harry's parents survived?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know what he was thinking, but he knew that by sending Harry back, things would change." She plucked a few cat hairs off of her robes, "He had to have known that you and Harry would change time, no matter how hard you tried not to."

Ginny looked at the two other girls, "I think that it's time for me to write to Dumbledore and find out why he sent us back to this time instead of sending us back just far enough to keep us safe. He needs to tell us just what he is expecting us to do here."
**************************

The five young men crawled out of the trap door in the basement of Honeydukes. "We'll just sneak upstairs and get some candy, then we'll run over to the three broomsticks and get a case of butterbeer," Sirius told them. They went quietly up the stairs to the store, and slipped past the shopkeeper.

"Harry and I will go over to get the butterbeer," James told them. "That way we can get back quicker, we don't want the girls to worry."

Ron covered his mouth, "Hermione wouldn't notice if she had a book in front of her."

"You shouldn't say stuff like that if you expect her to be your girlfriend," Remus told him. "Speaking of, just how are we supposed to make that happen?"

Sirius smiled and put his arm around Remus' shoulder, "With our charm, Moony." The rest of the group laughed. "What, we just have to show them that we can be charming and thoughtful. Don't forget to pick up something for the three girls, something romantic."

"Yeah, Harry and James can pick up flowers for the girls when they go to get the butterbeer," Remus said. "Don't make it too big a bunch, just enough for them to realize that you were thinking of them while you were here."

"Got it," James answered. "Are you ready Harry?"

"Let's go, the sooner we get back here, the sooner we can get back to the castle and begin the plan," he told them, heading for the door.
**********************

Ginny finished her letter to the Professor Dumbledore in her time, put it in the trunk and sent it with a wave of her wand. "I'm sure that he knew. Us just being here is enough to change time, why would he send us if he didn't expect us to change something."

"I don't know Ginny. Let's just wait and see what he has to say, maybe he did something to keep things from changing," Hermione patted the younger girl on the back.

Lily lifted her head from the book she was reading, "I don't think so Hermione," she pushed the book across the table. "Look at this!"

Chapter 24

Hermione grabbed the tome and pulled it toward her. "It's a book of ancient prophecies, what is so interesting in here?" she asked, looking toward Lily.

Lily sighed and pulled the book toward herself, "Right here," she said, pointing to a passage in the middle of the page. "Rowena Ravenclaw was a seer, these are her prophecies. Read it Hermione, and then tell me why it's so interesting."

Hermione grabbed the book and read it. When she had finished the page, she looked up at Lily and handed the book to Ginny. "How can we be sure that it's right?" she asked.

"We can't, but Hermione, what are the chances that it would be so close to what is going on right now?" she asked.

Ginny dropped the book and looked at the two girls. "That prophecy says that we are supposed to save James and Lily."

Hermione sighed, "Well not exactly, it says that the boy-who-lived is supposed to go back to the past and change the way things have become. It doesn't mean that he's supposed to save his parents."

"It might mean that he's supposed to destroy Voldemort in this time. So that he can never come back in your time," Lily told the younger girl. "If he destroyed Voldemort in this time, during this year, none of the deaths that happened after this year would happen."

"That is brilliant, Lily," Ginny told her. "If we could destroy Voldemort, everything would change. You and James would still be alive, Sirius would have never been a wanted man, and Harry would have never had to live with those awful muggles."

Lily got up from her chair and hugged Ginny, "I'm so glad that Harry has found such a wonderful girl. I couldn't imagine anyone better for my son."

Ginny blushed bright red, "Now all we have to do is convince him."
***************************

The five boys sat in the common room waiting for Hermione, Ginny and Lily to return from the library. The older Sirius and Remus, Charlie and Tonks were in Dumbledore's office discussing ways to improve the wards on the castle, to better protect Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione.

"I wonder what is taking them so long?" James asked. "How much studying can you do in one day?"

Ron rolled his eyes, "Hermione could spend all day in the library, but I've never known Ginny to study for so long. She likes to have fun too much, I'll be surprised if she hasn't pulled some kind of prank on Hermione and Lily."

"I hope that she hasn't, Lily hexed me the last time I tried to pull a prank on her," Sirius told them. "It took two weeks for my hair to change back."

Harry started laughing, "What did she do to your hair, Sirius?" he asked.

"A charm to turn it Slytherin green and silver," he told them.

Ron looked over at Harry, "Remind me to never get your mum mad at me."

Remus cleared his throat, "Alright, enough of that. Is everything ready for the three of you to try and win the hearts of the lovely young ladies that should be coming back any second?"

James blushed bright red, "I have the flowers for Lily, and I bought her some candy too."

"I think that I'm just going to give Ginny the flowers and tell her that I'm sorry for not noticing what a wonderful young woman she had become. Then I'm going to tell her that I don't think of her as Ron's little sister anymore and see where that gets me," Harry told them.

Ron looked at the others, "I'm going to give her the flowers and then I'm going to kiss her."

Sirius whistled, "It seems that tonight might just be very interesting to watch."

The portrait hole opened and the older Sirius and Remus came in followed by Charlie and Tonks.

"How are the plans going?" the older Remus asked.

The younger Sirius smiled, "Do you think that we could fit three of us under each of the invisibility cloaks? I don't want to miss a second of this."

Harry looked over at his teenaged godfather, "I don't know if you'll fit, but if you're going to find out, you had better get a move on."

The six of them ran up the stairs to the boys dorms, grabbed the invisibility cloaks and ran back down to the common room. They found seats in the back of the room, with a clear view of the three boys. The boys were each sitting in one of the large armchairs, waiting for the girls to come back. "I don't think that we'll miss anything from here," the younger Sirius said.

"We had better put silencing charms around us, just in case we can't control our mouths," Charlie said, laughing. "I'm sure that I won't be able to be quiet when I see little Ronnikins kissing Hermione."

With a wave of their wands, the older versions of Remus and Sirius put silencing charms up around the sofas that they were sitting in. A few minutes later, the girls walked in.

Harry was the first one up from his chair, he grabbed the flowers that he had gotten for Ginny and walked toward her with them hidden behind his back. "Ginny, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She smiled at him, "Sure Harry," she said. He handed her the flowers and lead her over to the chair he had been sitting in.

Ron and James quickly followed, James gave Lily the flowers and led her to his chair. Ron handed the flowers to Hermione and quickly leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on her lips.

Chapter 25

Harry led Ginny over to his chair, and after she had sat down, he squeezed in next to her.

"Thank you for the flowers," she told him.

Harry blushed and looked down at his shoes. "I wanted to talk to you," he said, peeking up from under his fringe. "I'm glad that we've become friends."

"So am I Harry," she answered. She reached over and touched his hand. "I'm even kind of glad that Voldemort and the Death Eaters are after me."
Harry's head shot up and he stared at her. Ginny's face turned bright red, "I didn't say that right. I'm glad that Professor Dumbledore sent us back here. You get to spend time with your parents, and they get to see what a great person their son turned out to be."

Harry threaded his fingers through hers, "Ginny, I don't think of you as Ron's little sister anymore. It started over the summer, and then I found out that it had been you that had been sending me food. You were the reason that I survived being at the Dursley's this year," he paused and took a deep breath. "When I bought you that necklace this summer, the guy at the shop asked me if you were my girlfriend. I wanted to say yes. I wanted to run down Diagon Alley yelling that I had someone as wonderful as you as my girlfriend."

Ginny smiled and let out a choked sob, "Harry, all you had to do was ask."

He reached up and touched her cheek, "Ginny, would you be my girlfriend?" he asked.

Ginny threw her arms around his neck, "Of course, Harry," she answered just before he touched his lips to hers.
******************************

The groups huddled under the invisibility cloaks snickered when Ron kissed Hermione. "Took him long enough," Charlie said. "They've been bickering since first year."

The older Sirius and Remus looked at him and laughed. "You should have seen them over the summer, Charlie. She leads him around like a puppy, he does anything that she wants," Remus said.

"I've seen the way that he gives in to her, and they've only been here a month," the younger Sirius said.

"Look at Harry and Ginny!" Tonks squealed. All six heads looked toward where Harry and Ginny were sitting.

"I guess that I should write to my mum, she'll be thrilled," Charlie told them, a huge smile on his face.
****************************

James followed Lily over to his chair and sat on the floor at her feet.

"The flowers are lovely James," she told him. "And since we already know that we're going to end up together, I don't see any reason to prolong the suffering." She leaned over and kissed him.

The silencing charms covered the hooting coming from the older and younger versions of Sirius and Remus. "I can't believe it, Lily kissed him," the younger Sirius said, clapping his older self on the back. "I knew that it happened in your past, but I never thought that I would get to see it this year."

"It brings back memories for me," the older Remus told them. "In our seventh year, they were always together. Filch caught them in the trophy room snogging more times than I can remember."

The younger Remus looked at him with a question in his eyes, "They weren't together in sixth year?" he asked.

"No, James and Lily didn't get together until around Easter of seventh year," he answered.

"So that means that having Harry here has changed the future. James and Lily will have over a year more time together, I wonder just how much that is going to change the future?"
******************************

Professor Dumbledore took the letter from the trunk and sat at his desk to read it. He unfolded the parchment, adjusted his glasses, and then he began to read.

Professor Dumbledore,

Hermione, Lily and I were sitting in the library talking and Hermione said something that made me wonder. I'm writing this to ask you if you knew that we would change time no matter how hard Harry and I tried not to? What is it that you expected us to change? How are we supposed to do it? I'm sorry to just spring this on you, but it dawned on us that you had to know that things would change, just by us being here. We will be waiting for your response.

Ginny Weasley

He placed the letter down on his desk and chuckled. He had wondered how long it would take for Harry and Ginny to figure it out, but it took a lot less time once Hermione had gotten there. He could only imagine the professors of that time with the three smartest witches in a century all in one class. He hoped that they wouldn't discover their purpose until Easter, but now they had more time to complete it. He picked up his quill, conjured a piece of parchment and began his reply.

Miss. Weasley,

I didn't expect your letter so soon, but I did expect it. Yes, I knew that you and Harry would change time, and it was prophesized in the time of Rowena Ravenclaw. The changes that you to make are yours to decide, but I must warn you, Voldemort is still here in this time. Harry's parents are still dead and all of the deaths that Voldemort has caused have still happened. I can only tell you that you must be cautious about what changes you make, keeping in mind what I have told you about Voldemort. As long as he is still alive in this time, there will be very few changes that will effect our time. Good luck and be careful,

Professor Albus Dumbledore

He rolled up the parchment and placed it in the trunk, waving his wand to send it back to Ginny.
*************************

Ginny opened her trunk the next morning and found the answer from Dumbledore, she snatched the parchment out of the trunk and ran down to the common room. "Dumbledore sent an answer," she told the group.

"Well, let's see it," the older Sirius answered. He took the parchment and read the letter. "Lily, you said that you had seen this Ravenclaw prophecy. It didn't tell you what they had to change?"

She shook her head, "No, but we figured that it meant that we would have to destroy Voldemort in this time, before he has the chance to kill James and I."

"Then I guess that we should get to work, I'm sure that if we put our heads together we can come up with a way to destroy him," he smiled at the assembled group. "I mean, we have three of the smartest witches in the past hundred years, the marauders, Ron who is brilliant at chess strategy, and the boy-who-lived. We should be able to defeat that pathetic excuse for a dark lord."

Chapter 26

For the next week, Hermione, Lily, Tonks and Ginny spent all of their free time in the library, searching for something to help them create a spell to defeat the dark lord. They had all gone to see Professor Dumbledore, and he had given them a pass for the restricted section. Harry, Ron, the younger Sirius and Remus, Charlie, James, and the older Sirius and Remus were in the room of requirement, searching for any forgotten spells that could be altered to assist them in their goal.

"I'm pretty sure that with enough stupefy stickies, we could knock him out. The problem is how to destroy him," Charlie said.

Harry ran his hand through his already messy hair, "We know how he came back in our time, the problem is that we don't know what he did in this time to make himself so powerful."

"What we need is someone who knows what he did, or at least has an idea," James said.

The older Sirius and Remus shared a look with Harry and Charlie, "Snape!!!" Charlie and Harry exclaimed together. The other boys just looked at the two, wondering what they were talking about.

"You made us promise to leave him alone, Harry," the younger Sirius said.

"What does he have to do with it?" James asked.

Harry held up his hand, "I think that I have an idea."
***************************

Lily and Ginny walked back to the common room, their arms loaded down with books. "I think that I can come up with a spell to defeat him. But I need more information," Lily told the younger girl.

"My information wouldn't help you, it's all from when he comes back. I know what he did to come back, but not how he was before," she answered. "Maybe Harry and James have come up with something." They arrived at the portrait hole, "Devil's snare," Ginny said to the fat lady. The portrait opened and they went through the opening.

"Is there anyone in your time that would know? Would Dumbledore?" Lily asked, dropping her books on the table and sitting down. Before Ginny could answer, the portrait opened again, letting in a loud group. Harry, Sirius, James, Remus, Charlie, Tonks, Hermione and the older versions of Sirius and Remus stepped into the common room and headed over toward Ginny and Lily.

"Harry has an idea, has anyone seen Peter?" James asked.

Ginny shook her head. "Not today, what do you need Peter for?" Lily asked.

The younger Remus ran up the stairs to the boy's dorm, searching for Peter.

"If he's not up there, James can go and check the marauder's map," Harry told them.

A few minutes later, Remus came down the stairs, Peter following behind.

"Guys, help Ginny and Lily with the books. We need to go to the room of requirement," Harry paused, looking at the assembled group. "It's time to tell Peter what is going on."
************************

"I couldn't have done that," Peter told them.

The older Sirius looked at his old friend, "Wormtail, you not only handed Voldemort Lily and James, you helped him to come back and try to kill Harry."

He looked at his friends, trembling. "Why would I do something like that?"

"We don't know, but we want to prevent it. We don't want you to go over to Voldemort, we want you to stand by our sides and help us destroy him," the younger Remus told him.

"If he didn't have you, Peter," Harry said. "He wouldn't have been able to come back in my fourth year. I was sent back here to change time, I don't want you to turn on your friends. It hurt them when they found out that you had given my parents to the Dark Lord, you spent seven years as friends. That means more than power that you will never get."

Peter looked up, twelve sets of eyes met his. "Alright, you have my promise. I will not join Voldemort, I will stand with my friends and fight for them, and I'll even die for them if I have to."
***************************

"As much as he hates us Harry, we're the ones that have to do this," the older Sirius told him. "Sending a letter to Dumbledore is one way, but the best thing to do, is for us to go and work with him."

Remus patted Harry's shoulder, "I'm sure that Severus will be able to come up with something. He's a brilliant man, and if anyone can come up with a potion to destroy Voldemort in this time, it's him."

Harry smiled at them, "Make sure that you tell him that I made sure that the marauders of this time would leave him alone. Maybe he won't hate me as much now."

"We'll be back, send us anything that you come up with. Any spells that the girls create, write them out and describe them. Maybe we can kill him off before spring, and then you can go back to our time, and spend time with your parents. But then they'll be old enough to be your parents, instead of classmates," Sirius told him. Sirius and Remus walked out of the common room and up to Dumbledore's office to go back to the Hogwarts of the future and try to find a way to defeat Voldemort.
**********************

"Albus, I'm not sure that I will be able to come up with something to destroy him," Severus told him.

"Severus, Sirius and Remus will be coming back to this time, and they want your help finding a way to destroy the Voldemort of your school days. If he is destroyed in the past, you would never become a Death Eater, and you would not be risking your life to spy for us now. Just think about what your life could be my boy."

"Send them to the dungeons when they get here. I'm going to start searching for something to destroy him," the potions master told him.

"Lily, Miss. Granger, Auror Tonks and Miss. Weasley are trying to invent a spell to assist. Hopefully they will find something that will work with the assistance of a simple potion," Dumbledore said. Severus Snape stalked from the room and headed toward the dungeons to find a way to destroy Voldemort. He wanted to destroy him before he had a chance to join as a young man, things would be so different if he had never joined him. He allowed a small smile to creep up on his lips, searching his mind for a potion that would kill when combined with a spell.

Chapter 27

Two days later, Lily, Ginny and Hermione were still sitting in the common room flipping through books, searching for a way to destroy the dark lord.

"Hang on," Ginny said. "What about trapping his life force in something? That way he can be stored in a security vault at Gringotts or something."

Lily put the book she was looking at down, "You may be onto something," she told Ginny. "If we could find a spell to trap him in something, it's possible that he could be destroyed eventually."

"I'll send a letter to Professor Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus and Professor Snape," Hermione told them, jumping up from the table and running up the stairs.

"Let's hope that Professor Snape can find a potion that will help us, and that Professor Dumbledore can think of a spell," Lily told the younger girl. "If we can stop him before he gets more powerful, things in your time will be changed forever."
************************

Severus Snape threw down the volume that he was searching through, "There is nothing here," he shouted. "I don't have any idea what I should be searching for."

"Severus, I'm sure that the girls are working on a spell," Remus told him. "As soon as we have some idea of what they are working on, it will make it easier for us to find a potion to help."

Sirius put down his book, "What we need is something to relax us." He walked out of the dungeon classroom.

"Where is he going?" Snape asked.

Remus shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not sure, but he'll be back soon. Maybe we should sit down and not think about the problem for a few minutes."

Severus sighed, "Maybe you're right. We've been working on this for 2 days, non-stop."

Remus rolled his shoulders, "I should floo call Albus, just to see if there has been any contact from the past."

"Hopefully, Lily will have figured it out by now, and we can just work on the potions that they need to help," he said, flopping down in a chair. "I never thought that I would see the day that we were working together," he paused and looked over at Remus. "Why did I hate the two of you so much? My memories of the two of you are kind of jumbled. I remember hating the two of you, but I'm starting to remember seeing Miss. Weasley, and Miss. Granger, along with Harry Potter and Mr. Weasley."

Remus laughed, "Harry put a stop to our torture of you as soon as he got there. He feels that we're the reason that you hate him so much. He wouldn't allow us to play any pranks on you at all."

"I guess that I should thank him when he returns to our time," Severus answered. "The two of you are almost tolerable. We have worked together for two days and there hasn't been even one argument."

Remus looked over at the potions master, "We never really hated you, Severus. We were just children that enjoyed playing pranks on Slytherins."

They sat in silence until Sirius returned, a bottle of firewhiskey in each hand, and glasses floating in front of him. "Let's have a drink, then we can go back to our search," Sirius told them, pouring a measure into each glass.

Severus held his glass up, "To Harry and his friends, for changing things for the better."

"Here, here," Remus and Sirius said. The three men lifted their glasses and smiled.
*************************

Albus Dumbledore opened the trunk and pulled out the piece of parchment. He sat at his desk to read the short note from Hermione, then walked out of his office and down toward the dungeons.

He stepped into Severus' classroom and saw the three men sitting around the fireplace, laughing and talking. He cleared his throat, "I have a letter from Miss. Granger," he told them, stepping into the room and conjuring a chair. "They have come up with an idea, and would like to know if it is a workable one."

Severus sat his glass down and sat up straighter, "Well, Albus. Tell us so that we can get to work on it."
*********************

"Alright, all we're waiting for is a letter from Dumbledore to tell us if our idea could work," Hermione told the assembled group.

"We have Remus, Sirius, and two of Hogwarts Professors working on it," Harry told them. "They should be able to make it work."
**********************

The three adults were running through the halls of the castle, shouting and waving their arms. "Albus, where are you?" Remus shouted.

Albus Dumbledore stepped out of a classroom, "What is it I can do for the three of you?" he asked.

"We've got it," Severus told the older wizard. "We have found the spell and a potion to defeat him in the past."

Chapter 28

The Christmas holiday was fast approaching, and for the group of Gryffindors it was becoming harder to concentrate on anything that didn't have to do with presents. Lily, James, Sirius and Remus had all signed up to stay, because the four teens from the future would be remaining at the castle. They had all decided to take a trip into Hogsmeade, to shop for gifts.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione and I will get a sweater from my mum," Ginny told them. "She always makes them and she sends homemade fudge and treats like that." They walked out of the castle and started across the grounds.

"Your mum sounds great, Ginny," Remus told her.

Ginny giggled, "You should see how she fusses over you in our time. If mum could cure you by sheer force of will, you would have been well a long time ago."

"You should see her when I get there from the Dursley's," Harry said. "She keeps refilling my plate until I feel like I'm going to pop. I can't complain though, her cooking is better than the feasts at Hogwarts."

Sirius looked at them, his mouth hanging open. "Really?" he asked. He looked at Ron and Ginny, "Do you think that your mum would adopt me?"

Ron laughed, "She just might, she did have seven of us."

Remus pushed Sirius and stepped away from him, "Sometimes I think that your mind is always stuck on food."

"Think about it Moony, the food is better than one of the feasts," he sighed. "I didn't think that anyone could cook better than Hogwarts house elves."

The group arrived in Hogsmeade and Harry reached into his pocket for his bag of Galleons. "Alright Ginny, you take half of this."

She raised her hand, looking like she was going to argue.

"I don't want to hear it," he told her. "Take it and go buy presents. Make sure to get your mum and dad something nice." He handed her a large stack of Galleons. "It's my fault that you're here instead of at home for Christmas, so do it to make me feel better." He looked into her eyes, trying to make her take the money with sheer force of will.

"Alright, you know that I can't resist when you look at me like that," she told him. She stretched up and kissed him on his cheek. "But I'm using the money for a gift for you, too."
************************

They spent the day in Hogsmeade, only taking a break from shopping to eat lunch at the Three Broomsticks. It was right around dusk when they headed back toward the castle.

"Do you think that they've come up with anything yet?" Lily asked, a look of desperation on her face.

Hermione smiled at her, "If anyone can figure it out, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape can." She winked, "And the older versions of the remaining Marauders are helping. I even have to admit that they are brilliant."

Lily laughed, "You wouldn't know it if you only knew them now."

Sirius stopped in front of them, "Hey! That wasn't very nice, Lily," he pouted.

She laughed and pulled a dung bomb out of her pocket, "Ginny suggested that I get this, she said that it would come in handy if you started bothering me." Sirius backed away from the three girls. "And it looks like she was right."
***************************

"All we have to do is send this potion and the spell to them?" Sirius asked.

Severus looked at the three other men in the room, "They will have to adjust the spell to fit the situation, but I am sure that Lily is capable of doing that. I have also written the instructions for the potion, in case they need more."

Dumbledore looked at the potions master, "Who would they get to brew it?"

"I'm pretty sure that they get me to brew it, as I was making this batch I remembered brewing it while I was in school," Severus told them. "I'm pretty sure that three Gryffindor females came to me and asked me to brew it, and they explained to me why they needed it and what would happen if they failed."

"Leave it to the three of them to find the best person to do the job," Dumbledore laughed.

Severus smiled, "I seem to remember sitting in the Gryffindor common room on Christmas break, eating some of the best fudge I have ever tasted. I must talk to Molly Weasley about getting some of that for myself this year."

The group of men laughed, "I think that we can arrange that," Sirius told him. "I'm sure that she would be happy to hear that you enjoyed her fudge."

"There were at least nine packages of it, we ate it during the whole break," he said. "She should package it and sell it, she could make a fortune."

Dumbledore took the vial of potion and the recipe and headed toward his office to send them off to his young charges in the past.
************************

"There's a vial of potion and the recipe," Hermione told them. "Now we just have to find someone to brew it if we need it."

Lily looked at the group, "We'll go ask Severus," she told them. "He's the potions master in your time, so he should be able to brew this without a problem. He has the best grades in potions in our year."

"You will all treat him with respect, and maybe you'll make a new friend in the process," Ginny told the guys.

"We'll do what ever we can to make him feel like one of us," Remus told them. "I'm sure that even we can manage to make a Slytherin feel welcome."

Chapter 29

The three Gryffindor girls decided to approach Severus Snape after lunch, five days before Christmas. He was the only Slytherin sixth year to stay for the holiday, and they convinced him to return to the Gryffindor common room with them. As they approached the fat lady, she huffed and gave them a hard time about allowing Severus into the private common room.

"You have to let him in," Lily argued. "We need his help."

The fat lady stared at the red haired young woman, "He is from Slytherin, if I allow him in, he may bring others into the common room."

"I assure you, madam. I have no intention of coming into the bloody Gryffindor common room without an escort from a Gryffindor," Severus explained. "I will even allow these ladies to use a spell to make me blind and deaf until I am inside."

The portrait looked at him thoughtfully, "If you are willing to allow them to do that, I'm sure that I can trust you with the password until after the holiday," she looked over at the girls. "After the holiday, we shall change the password and if he comes back, he must be accompanied by one of you or your fellow Gryffindors."

The four students stepped into the common room and were greeted by the rest of the group.

"Thank you for agreeing to help us, Severus," Harry told him. "We have a lot to tell you and the sooner we get through the explanation and start on the potion the better."

Severus dropped down into a chair in front of the fire, "The bits of information that the ladies gave me was intriguing. I would like to hear the entire story, but I will assist you even without you telling me."

"We'll tell you everything," James told him. "The entire story from start to finish."
*************************

Severus looked around the room of requirement, trying to process the tale that he had just been told. "So you're telling me that not only is Voldemort still terrorizing the wizarding world, but I'm a Death Eater spy?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair, "You have saved countless lives by spying for Dumbledore."

"And I'm the potions master here, in your time?" he asked.

Ginny smiled, "You're the potions master and the head of Slytherin house," she told him. "You're terrible to everyone, except for the students from your house."

Severus looked at each of the assembled group, "If we stop him now, it will change the future."

"That is what we're supposed to do," Hermione told him, handing him the book with the prophecy. He read the page and stared at Harry. "Well then, the sooner we get started, the sooner we can destroy him."
**********************

In the future, Severus, Sirius, and Remus were sitting in the dungeons. Waiting, wondering just what was happening in the past. "I cannot stand to just sit around her any more!" Sirius shouted as he jumped up from his chair.

"Sirius, you need to calm down," Severus told him. "Why don't you have Albus send you back?" he questioned. "I'm sure that they could use your help there."

Sirius looked at the other two men, "That's perfect!" he shouted. "We'll have Albus send the three of us back. We can do more to help if we're actually there."

Severus looked at the two men sitting across from him, "I don't know about that. I'm not sure that I would be welcome."

"Think about the new memories that you have been having for the past few days, what do they tell you?" Remus asked. "Do you think that you would have memories of the Gryffindor common room if you hadn't been accepted? Do you have any memories after fifth year where we marauders harassed you?"

Severus closed his eyes and sat quietly for a few minutes, "No, but I do have memories of pulling pranks with the four of you in seventh year."

"Let's go see Albus," Sirius told them as he headed for the door.
***************************

"Do we know when we are going to be using this potion?" Severus asked the assembled group.

"I read in 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' that Voldemort attacked Hogsmeade at the end of December of this year, on the 30th," Hermione told them. "We should be waiting for him there. We have about a week to prepare everything, and then we see if it works."

Harry reached for the copy of the book Hermione was talking about. "It's only in our copies, right Hermione?"

"Yes, I sent a letter to Dumbledore asking him to send me a copy. I knew that we would need it to find out when we could set this up."

Harry put the book back down, "And if it doesn't work, we will still have time to try again before we go back."

"We won't need to try again," Ginny told him. "We're going to destroy him on the first try, the most brilliant minds in our time and this time came up with it. We can't fail, Harry." She got up from her chair and sat down on his lap. "I have faith in us, we have to defeat him. I don't want to think about us going back to the way things were when we left, I don't want to have to worry about something happening to you when we have our whole lives ahead of us."

Harry ran a hand through her long, silky hair. "I want to think about a future, I don't want to have to worry about Voldemort coming after you just because you're my girlfriend. I couldn't live if something happened to you." He kissed her gently on the lips. "You are my ray of sunshine, and I don't want to think about a single day without you."

"Oh Harry," she sighed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

The door to the room of requirement opened and Sirius, Remus and Severus stepped inside. "Well, well, well, what have we here?" Sirius asked, looking at Harry and Ginny entwined on the chair.
************************

They were all crouched down in their hiding places, waiting for the attack that they knew would come. Harry had tried to keep Ginny and Hermione back at the castle, but they were adamant about coming along.

A whistle sounded, alerting the group that Death Eaters had just apperated into Hogsmeade. Harry waited until he heard the long piercing whistle that would announce Voldemort's arrival. The young Severus Snape was standing in a small copse of trees, a small muggle weapon called a sling shot in his hand. He had spent the last week practicing his aim with Ron Weasley, Sirius Black, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin. He was armed with thirty small vials of the potion that his older self had created to destroy Voldemort, and each of the others had the same ammunition. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Lily were positioned in a circle, so that the spell could be sent from four sides when Voldemort was in the center of the area. Now all they could do was wait.

Interlude: The night before the battle of Hogsmeade

The group sat in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny, Hermione, Lily and Tonks were sitting in their boyfriend's laps, the older and younger versions of Severus were sitting on the floor, eating their way through a package of Molly Weasley's fudge. The rest of the group was down in the kitchens, getting food from the house elves.

Harry looked around the room at the people that he considered his friends and family, "I just wanted to say thank you," he told them. "I'm not sure what is going to happen tomorrow, but I want you all to know that you are all my family." He glanced over at the two Severus', "Yes, even you Professor Snape. We couldn't have done this without you, and I wanted to say thank you."

The potions master looked over at Harry, "Mr. Potter, Harry, I have to tell you, things in the future have already been changed. I'm sure that when you and the rest of the Gryffindors from our time return, you will have many new memories to deal with. One of them being that there is a friendship of sorts between myself, Sirius and Remus," he said. "I'm not quite sure of any other changes, but I have memories of my time at Hogwarts that include your parents and the rest of the marauders." He paused to look around the room, "I can honestly say that you coming back here has given me much happier memories of my time at Hogwarts. I am in debt to you for the changes that you have made," he said with a smile.

Harry returned the smile and whispered in Ginny's ear, she nodded and got up. "Well, Ginny and I are going to take a walk," he told them, taking her hand and heading for the portrait hole.
**********************

They made their way to the astronomy tower, whispering and stopping every few minutes to steal a kiss. They sat watching the stars and snogging, not wanting to think about tomorrow and what could happen.
*****************

Ron and Hermione were in the room of requirement, having a snogfest of their own.

"Hermione," Ron said. "I have to tell you something."

She pulled away from where she was nibbling on his ear, "What is it, Ron?" she asked.

Ron blushed, and looked away. "I just had to tell you tonight, just in case something happens to me tomorrow," he paused. "I love you."

Hermione put her hand on his cheek and turned his head toward her, "I love you too, Ron," she said. Then she leaned in and kissed him with all of the love in her heart.
********************

"Harry," Ginny whispered, twining her fingers with his. "I have been in love with you since I first saw you. The day you asked my mum how to get onto the platform for the Hogwarts express."

He looked deep into her chocolate brown eyes, "I love you, Ginny. I'm just sorry that it took me so long to realize it." He kissed her hand, "But I intend to make it up to you, by doing everything in my power to keep you happy for as long as I live."

They stayed in the tower, snogging for awhile longer, and then headed back to the common room. They needed to get some sleep, so that they were prepared for their plan. Defeating Voldemort.

Chapter 30: The end of the Dursley's

Inside the house at number 4 Privet Drive, Vernon and Marge Dursley were preparing the house for Petunia's return. They were going to pick her up from the hospital this afternoon. "Vernon, why isn't Dudders here to see his mother come home?" Marge asked, straightening the pillows on the sofa.

"The Headmaster at Smeltings wouldn't allow him to leave, he was just home for Christmas break. Said that Dudley's grades weren't good enough for him to miss any time," he answered.

"I don't believe that, Dudders is a brilliant boy. How could his grades not be good enough?" she asked. "Well, he'll be home before long. I'm sure that Petunia would like to get settled in before she sees him."

"I spoke to Dudley, he was very happy that his mother was coming home today," Vernon told her. "He said that he would talk to the Headmaster about calling her when she got here."

"I'm sure that she would appreciate that," she answered as they walked toward the door. "The next time this door opens, Petunia will be back home where she belongs."
*******************

A crowd was gathered outside the hospital. Doctors and nurses were working, desperately trying to revive the three bodies lying on the ground. Two of the doctors stopped to watch the third trying to revive the thin woman that had been released from the hospital only a short time before. Standing in the back of the crowd, two aurors were watching. They were waiting for contact from Albus Dumbledore, and for the ministry to arrive and modify the memories of all of the muggles that had witnessed the attack. Death Eaters had killed Vernon, Marge and Petunia Dursley as they had exited the hospital. With a pop, ministry officials appeared and began the process of obliviating the many muggle witnesses. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks nodded to Arthur Weasley and disapperated from the area.

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office, trying to compose a letter to Harry, explaining what had happened and asking what should be done about his cousin. Dudley Dursley had been left an orphan, with Harry as him only living relative. Harry had to decide what he was going to do about his cousin. Albus opened the book that was sitting on the edge of his desk, there, under the muggleborn wizards and witches' listing was Dudley Dursley's name. When he had first seen the entry, he had contacted James and Lily Potter. Lily had contacted her sister, Petunia had refused to believe that Dudley was a wizard, and had told Lily to keep those 'freaks' away from her Dudley. Maybe now was the time for him to approach the only remaining Dursley, and invite him to Hogwarts, after he had talked to Harry.
************************

Dudley Dursley sat in his dorm room, in shock. His parents and Aunt Marge had died. They were leaving the hospital and were struck by an out of control truck, Potter was the only family he had left. One of those freaks had been here to visit him, she had said that she was a Professor from that freak school that Potter attended. She told him that Harry was unreachable right now, but as soon as they were able to contact him that she was sure that he would come to see him. Dudley wasn't sure that he wanted to see his freak of a cousin. He lay back on his bed and thought about what it would be like to live alone.

He woke with a start, looking around his room and hoping that it had all been a terrible nightmare. What he saw shocked him, sitting in a chair next to his bed was the oldest man he had ever seen. He had long white hair and a long beard, his blue eyes twinkled behind his glasses. "Ah, Mr. Dursley, I am happy to see that you have finally woke up," Albus Dumbledore told him. "It took me hours to figure out what was to be done with you."

"Wh- Who are you?" Dudley stuttered.

Dumbledore smiled, "I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. I am here to escort you to the school."

"Why am I going there, I don't want to be surrounded by those freaks," he shouted.

"Calm down, Mr. Dursley. You will be joining Harry Potter and his classmates, just like you were supposed to. Your parents were informed that you were on the list to attend Hogwarts when you were only a few months old. They refused, so now I am here to give you a chance to accept, and to learn to become a wizard."

Dudley's eyes bulged, "You mean that I'm a wi- wizard?"

Albus laughed, "Yes, you are a wizard. And if you choose to attend, you will be trained. I will take you to Diagon Alley and we will collect your supplies, and you will begin classes tomorrow." He paused and looked at the boy, "That is, if you would like to attend."

Dudley scratched his head, "I don't know. My parents told me that they were freaks," he complained.

Dumbledore waved his wand and a bag of sweets appeared on the bed next to Dudley, "Have you ever spoken to Harry about our world?" he asked. "I'm sure that he would have told you about all of the wonders that he has seen. I have spoken to the family that Harry stays with, and they have agreed to stay with them during the summer." He opened the bag and handed a chocolate frog to Dudley. "Make sure you don't let it get away."

Dudley opened the candy, "Is it a real frog?" he asked.

Dumbledore laughed, "No, it's just a spell. It's just a chocolate shaped like a frog."

Dudley stuffed the confection into his mouth, "If I came with you, where would I stay during the school year? With Harry?" he asked as he chewed.

"It would depend on what house you were sorted into. There are four houses," he began to explain about Hogwarts houses and how Dudley would make up for five years of lost education.
********************

"Hufflepuff," the hat shouted. Minerva McGonagall removed the hat from the large boy's head and placed it on its shelf.

"Dudley Dursley, this is Professor Sprout, she will be your head of house while you are here at Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore told him. "She will show you to your house common room and then she will escort you to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey will examine you and give you some potions to take care of any illnesses that you have and discuss how you are going to take care of that extra weight."

"Okay Professor," he paused and looked at the wise old wizard. "Have you told Harry that I'm here?"

Professor Dumbledore laughed, "Mr. Potter has been told the whole story, and he said that he will speak to you when he returns. The ministry has taken care of your parent's money, it is currently residing in a vault at Gringotts. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have been appointed as your guardians, and as such, will be in full control of your money until you have reached your sixth year here. As a wizard, you would reach your majority at seventeen, but you have to make up the first five years of school before you will be considered an adult here in the wizarding world. After you see Madam Pomfrey, go and see Professor McGonagall, she will explain how you are to make up those classes."

Professor Sprout led the young man to the common room and showed him to his dorm. Then she took him to the hospital wing and waited for Madam Pomfrey to finish with him, and finally escorted him to see Minerva.

Chapter 31

As he walked through the halls, searching for the Hufflepuff common room, Dudley Dursley's mind wandered. He had memories that seemed new to him, pictures in his mind of his Aunt Lily. He saw her hugging him, he saw her and a man that he knew was his Uncle James walking in Diagon Alley with him and Harry. Suddenly his mind was swarmed by new scenes, he squeaked and fell to the floor, unconscious.

He awoke in the hospital wing, a red haired girl sitting in a chair beside his bed with Professor Dumbledore. "Ah, Mr. Dursley, it's good to see you awake once again," the professor told him.

"What happened, sir?" the boy asked, trying to sit up in the bed.

Albus Dumbledore smiled and motioned for the girl to close the curtains around the bed. "We think that the changes to the past have affected you and your brain was just reacting to what it felt was an overload."

"Why would it be overloaded," he scrunched up his face. "My memories are changing, I seem to have new memories, and the older ones don't seem like they are real."

"That should stop in the next few days," he said. "In the mean time, this is Susan Bones." He gestured to the girl. "She will be tutoring you and helping you to find your way around the school." He leaned in and whispered to the boy, "She is the one who found you outside your common room and brought you here."

Dudley looked at the girl and smiled, "Thank you, Susan."

She giggled, "Any time, Dudley. I'll start tutoring you tonight in the common room after dinner." She got up from her chair and walked out of the hospital wing.

"She's really pretty," he told the professor.
********************

A long piercing whistle broke through the screaming in Hogsmeade, Harry looked around, seeing the small glimmer where the rest of the group had used the charmed cloak pins that Lily and Hermione had provided to them. The pins would act as a disillusionment charm, hiding them from the Death Eaters. Harry activated his pin, watching the street in front of him for Voldemort. A group of Death Eaters came down the street, from behind them came six small objects that struck them in the back. As they walked to the edge of the trees to see where it had come from, a quick shout came from the trees behind them. "Active!" Harry shouted. The six dropped to the ground, someone from the group levitated them into the cover of the trees.

Pain seared through Harry's scar, he scanned the area, looking for the skeletal form of Voldemort. What he saw was another group of Death Eaters, walking quickly toward their position.

"Our master wants Hogwarts," the Death Eater announced. "We will take the village and then we will storm the school."

"Over my dead body," Harry whispered to himself.
****************

Professor Severus Snape was standing about thirty feet to the right of Hermione, waiting for the next group of Death Eaters to step onto the path in front of them. He had seen the handful of Stupefy Stickies come from the area that the older Sirius Black was occupying, and had levitated the group of black robed figures into the trees when Harry had activated them. He had used his wand to bind them, they all deserved to go to Azkaban and he would see that they were turned over to the Dumbledore of this time.

He watched as the next group approached and listened to them talking. Another handful of the Weasley twins' invention was flying from the area he knew that the older Remus Lupin was hiding in. He almost jumped when he heard Hermione Granger shout, "Active!" The group fell to the ground and was levitated toward where Black was hiding. He was sure that Sirius would bind them for later interrogation by the Aurors.

And still they waited for Voldemort to step into their trap. In his hand was the enchanted crystal that they would use to imprison the vile being, after he was captured, the Albus from their time had promised to toss the crystal holding him into the veil. He hoped that they were able to trap him here, he didn't want to have to try again when Voldemort attacked the Ministry three months from now. He wanted to end this now, so that the students could return to their own time, and he could begin his new life.
*******************

Albus Dumbledore walked into his office and sat down at his desk, he was amazed at how well Harry's cousin was adapting. He had expected the boy to be nasty and unable to accept what he was, but he had almost embraced the new world that Albus had introduced him to. A small chuckle escaped him as he thought about the way the boy had been looking at Miss. Bones, she was sure to make the transition much easier.

He picked up a copy of the Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and flipped through the pages until he came to the battle in Hogsmeade, there was a look of shock on his face as he discovered that the pages were re-writing themselves. It wouldn't be long until he saw the outcome of the battle that was raging, four of his current students, and one of his professors were there. He had no doubt that they would succeed, as he looked down at the page a smile lit his face. He closed the book and headed out of the office.

Chapter 32

The pain in Harry's scar became almost unbearable, blurring his vision and making his stomach churn. He put a palm against his forehead, and clenched his teeth. Severus Snape saw the boy clutching his forehead and stomach, the potions master edged his way over to him and handed him a small vial of potion. "Drink this, Harry. It's a pain blocking potion, you'll need it, it seems that Voldemort has arrived in Hogsmeade," he whispered.

Harry took the potion gratefully and quickly swallowed it. "Thank you, Professor," he said quietly. Within moments, the potion had done its work, and Harry was able to unclench his teeth and relax slightly. "I don't want to have to do this again, I want to destroy him now!" he whispered fiercely.

Severus patted him on the shoulder, "We'll get him Harry," he told him. "For the first time, I have good memories of my life. I want the life that you coming back here has given me, and I will do anything I can to insure that I get to keep it." He crept back to his position.

Harry watched him go, wondering what changes had occurred to make such a drastic change in the surly potions master. He looked around to where he knew the rest of the group was hiding. There were four of them ready to send the curse at Voldemort, and ten more with slingshots, ready to douse him with the potion that Professor Snape had created. They all knew the spell, just in case it took more magic than the four of them possessed to trap him in the waiting crystal.
*****************

Dudley walked quickly behind Susan Bones, following her to their common room. He had so much to learn! After he had left the hospital wing, he had looked into classrooms as he walked by. Students were levitating feathers, changing animals into water goblets, and shooting spells at each other. He wondered just how soon that he would be doing those things. He walked into the common room and sat down at a table with her, "Okay, Dudley," she said smiling. "I need you to take out your Standard book of Spells, we'll start working on your charms first." He reached into the bag at his feet and pulled out the requested book, she waited for him to sit it down on the table before she continued. "Now, the first thing that we learned in Charms was how to levitate things. First I'll show you the way to hold and wave your wand for this spell," she said. She taught him the swish and flick movement needed to use the spell. "Okay, now you just have to say Wingardium Leviosa with the wrist movement." She placed a feather on the table and had him try. After half an hour, Dudley had his feather rising gracefully off of the table. "That's good Dudley, now let's work on some more first year spells. Maybe by the end of the year, you'll be able to do third year stuff."

He blushed and picked up the book, "With you teaching me, I'm sure that I'll learn everything that I need."
*********************

Albus Dumbledore walked through the halls of the castle, looking for changes. He knew that the school would most likely not change at all, but he knew that the students might. I In his right hand he was holding a list that he had made the day Harry had left, it contained all of the students that were at the school on that day, in his left hand was a list that had been made this morning by Professor McGonagall. He was amazed by the sheer number of students that had just appeared, and was more shocked by some of their last names. There were two new Longbottoms, three Blacks, one extra Potter and three Snapes, and that was just the beginning. He had looked through the book that contained the list of the next batch of first years, it was immense. At that moment, they were expecting 200 new students at the beginning of the new term.

He went to watch the students as the entered the Great Hall for lunch, he wanted to see if he could pick out the ones that had surprised him so. As he watched, a group came in and headed toward the Gryffindor table. Neville Longbottom was holding hands with a girl that could only be Severus Snape's daughter. A Snape in Gryffindor, he rubbed his beard and watched the rest of the group, assuming that he was correct, he was watching Harry's sister, and Sirius Black's daughter laughing and joking around with two students that could only be Neville's brothers. He glanced around the room, searching for more students that were not here before. At the Ravenclaw table, he spotted a young man that looked like Severus and a young lady that must be one of Sirius' other two children, he was speaking quietly to her and she was blushing. He smiled and watched the students that he had identified, there were going to be a lot of things for the travelers to adjust to when they returned.
*******************

They watched as the group of Death Eaters made their way down the street toward where they were hiding. They were surrounding Voldemort as he stalked toward Hogsmeade. As they came close to where the group was hiding, handfuls of Stupefy Stickies flew toward the Death Eaters. "Active!" shouted Severus, and the group fell to the ground.

Small vials of potion were shot toward Voldemort, breaking on impact. High pitched screams filled the air as the potion caused his body to stick to the ground where he was standing. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Lily aimed their wands at him and shouted "Separate Soul from body." They watched for the wispy cloud that was his soul, but nothing came. Charlie, Severus, Remus, Sirius, Peter, Ron, Tonks, James, the younger Remus, Sirius, and Severus all aimed their wands at Voldemort and along with Harry, Lily, Ginny and Hermione shouted the spell again.

They watched as a black cloud seeped from the body of the Dark Lord. Harry pointed his wand at the crystal that was sitting on the ground and shouted, "Trap and seal!" The crystal floated into the air and began to pull the cloud into its depths. Charlie and Tonks bound the unconscious Death Eaters and levitated the other bound Death Eaters out into the road.

Professor Snape grabbed the crystal from the air and put it in his robe pocket, "I need for the five of you," he motioned to Lily, James, Peter, and the younger Sirius and Remus, "to stay here and take credit for destroying him. The rest of us will go back to the castle and inform Dumbledore of his demise."

Lily stepped forward, "Why do we need to stay here?"

"Because someone has to take credit for destroying him, and the five of you are the perfect people to do it. Just don't tell them about us, or about the Stupefy Stickies that you used to knock out the Death Eaters," he explained. "In a day or two, we should be able to return to our own time. You will remember everything that happened, and will carry the knowledge of who we are and what we did to help with his downfall, but you must never tell anyone."

The younger Severus stepped forward, "We'll take care of it. Just make sure that you take advantage of what we've all done. Make the most of life from now on."

"Believe me, I will," he answered.

Chapter 33

The group, minus the marauders and Lily, headed toward the castle. Sirius looked around at them, "We're going to have to get ready to leave. Albus will want us back as soon as possible," he told them.

Severus looked over at Sirius, "We should be ready to go back today, at the latest tomorrow. The sooner we get this back to him, the better," he motioned toward the crystal in his robe pocket.

"Can we go back tomorrow?" Hermione asked. "I want to have the chance to say goodbye to everyone properly."

Remus smiled, "I'm sure that we can arrange that. We wouldn't make you leave without saying goodbye."

Severus smiled at the group of young Gryffindors, "Just make sure that you're all packed in the morning." He put his hand out and stopped Harry for just a minute, "You might want to write a letter to each of your parents. Tell them what ever you want, but you might want to mention Neville to them. I think that he would benefit from your parents being around, not to mention that his parents should have survived, now that Voldemort is gone."

"Thank you, sir. I will write to them, Remus, Sirius and Peter too. I'll be sure to mention Neville, and I would like it if they would continue their truce with you," Harry told him.

Severus laughed, "Harry, I'm pretty sure that they do."
**********************

Ron threw the last of his things into his trunk, "I can't believe that we destroyed him."

Harry tossed a book into his trunk, "It's all over, Ron. I'm just wondering what is going to be different when we get back." He looked over at his best friend, "Are we still going to be friends? Is Hogwarts going to be the same?"

Ron smiled at him, "I'm wondering if your parents had any more kids. Maybe they even bought a house near where my parents live so that we could be friends from the time we were little."

Harry smiled and clapped him on the back, "That would be brilliant. Are we going to forget what happened in the life that we came from?" he questioned.

"Why don't we go and ask Dumbledore?" Ron said. The two of them moved toward the portrait hole and headed toward his office.
********************

Classes were canceled for a week, the celebrations continued through the wizarding world for a week after that. The body of Voldemort was burned on Hogwarts grounds and the ashes sealed in a container, Severus Snape held the crystal and the container with the ashes. He was returning both to the Headmaster of the future, so that they could be thrown into the veil in the Department of Mysteries.

They were returning to their own time today, he had spent the past week wondering just what changes he had missed by coming back to help. He was sure that he would have an overflow of memories when he returned, but he was more concerned about the four students that he had come back to help. They were going to have the memories of new lives as soon as they returned. Harry in particular, his parents were never going to have to face Voldemort and they would still be alive. Being in this time, they had no new memories yet. They would be swamped by them as soon as they returned, he wanted to be prepared to assist the four of them. He had been brewing potions for days, he didn't want them to spend their first days back in the hospital wing.

He walked toward the Headmaster's office, to discuss their departure. He wanted to get back, but he wanted to be sure that everything was ready. He was hoping that the Headmaster of this time had everything prepared, so that they could return to their own time with out any problems.
**********************

There was a large group walking toward the Headmaster's office, the four females in the group were all sniffling and dabbing at their eyes. "I can't believe that you're going home," Lily told them. "I'm going to miss the two of you."

"We're going to miss you too, Lily," Hermione told her. They stood outside the headmaster's office hugging. "But you will remember us, the way we are now. Professor Dumbledore is sure that we will remember everything, I'm just glad that Harry may have the chance to grow up with you and James around."

"If we survive, we will be sure to search you out when you are very young, Hermione. That way you will have advantages over most muggleborn students, and Harry will be sure to have his best friends." She leaned in close to the two girls. "James and I have already discussed it, we're planning to buy a house in Ottery St. Catchpole. So that Harry can grow up near such a wonderful family. Ginny, I can never thank your family for all they have done for Harry. I plan to ask your parents to be Harry's guardians if anything would happen to us, I'm sure that he will be happiest with all of you."

Ginny squealed and hugged the other girl, "He hated going back to the muggles every summer, but he would be happier if you and James are there for him." She looked at the messy black head standing a few feet in front of them. "He has always missed having a family, I'm so happy that we have given him a chance to have his back.
*********************

Harry handed each of the Marauders a letter, "Don't read these until after we have gone back to our time. I'm happy that I got to spend time with all of you, it's something that I have always wanted." He hugged Lily and shook hands with the four marauders, but he leaned in when he was standing in front of Sirius, Remus and James. "The map you made is great, but be sure that you keep up with all of your inventions. I would like to get to see all of them, not just the one's that the Weasley twins find." They laughed and watched as Harry walked over toward the group waiting for Dumbledore to weave the spell that would send them back to their own time.

Lily ran over to where Harry was standing, "Harry, if we are around, I'll be waiting for you outside the Headmaster's office. As soon as you get back, I'll be there."

Harry smiled at her, "I'll be looking for you."

Chapter 34

Professor Albus Dumbledore started the spell that would send the group in front of him back to their own time. A colorful vortex surrounded them and quickly transported them into the future, and left the past to be re-written. He looked over at the six students that remained in his office, they all seemed unusually reserved. "Do not worry, Voldemort is gone and they are returning to a time of peace."

"Sir, I was wondering," James said. "Could I get you to introduce us to any Weasley's that are at the school right now. We want to be sure that if anything happens to us, Harry doesn't end up with Lily's muggle sister. We would also like for you to arrange for the six of us to look at houses near the Weasleys. If we are going to be alive during Harry's life, we want him to grow up near such a wonderful family."

He looked at the students, "I am sure that it can be arranged for you to purchase a home near the burrow."

Lily smiled, "Is that what their home is called?"

"Harry has always enjoyed visiting there, he thinks that the house is brilliant." He smiled at her, "It's a magical house, his first visit there was when he was about to start his second year. They insisted on him visiting every year after that, except for the beginning of his third year, he was staying in Diagon Alley that year. That was the year that Sirius escaped from Azkaban and everyone thought that he was going to kill Harry."

"I have a question," James said. "Harry told us about the Tri-Wizard tournament, who came to see him before the tasks?"

Dumbledore looked at the group, "From what Harry told me, the Weasleys came to see him. Specifically, Molly Weasley and her oldest son William." He looked down at the parchment on his desk, "Who is in the Gryffindor common room right now, his younger brother Charlie will be starting here at the beginning of the school year."

"What year is he in?" James asked, turning toward the door.

"He is a second year, Harry and his friends have told me that he is an excellent Curse Breaker in the future, when they left, he was working for Gringotts."

"I think that I'm going to go back to the common room. It's time for me to meet William Weasley, and start to get to know a part of that wonderful family, well besides the future versions of Charlie and Ginny," Lily told them. She turned toward the door and walked out.

"Can you arrange for us to look at houses during the summer, Headmaster?" James asked.

"I can assure you that I will contact Arthur Weasley and have him look into homes there himself," he assured the boy. "I will be sure to tell him that I would prefer for the home to be close to him, maybe even so that you can share the orchard for Quidditch."

James smiled at the Headmaster and headed toward the door. "I'm going to go back to the common room and read the letter Harry gave me." He walked out the door, followed by the rest of the group.
***********************

They appeared in their own time, standing in the Headmaster's office. Albus Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, waiting for them. "It is good to see all of you," he told them.

"We are glad to be back, Albus," Severus told him. He walked toward the older man's desk and pulled out the crystal and the container that contained the ashes of Voldemort's body, "Here is the crystal that we trapped his soul in, and his cremated body. He turned quickly and handed out vials of potion to each of the travelers. "Drink this, it will make it much easier for you to handle the swarms of memories that you are going to have. If you do not take this, you will most likely end up in the hospital wing for at least a week trying to process everything."

They each uncapped their vials and drank the potion. Harry closed his eyes and sat down on the floor, his mind was swirling with memories of his parents, the Weasleys, Hermione and to his surprise, Severus Snape. He saw memories of his trip to Diagon Alley before his first year, where his parents took him and Dudley to collect their supplies for their first year at Hogwarts. He opened his eyes and looked at the headmaster. "Sir, has Dudley been here since my first year?"

Albus looked at him, "Yes, Mr. Dursley has been here for as long as you have. When his parents found out that he was magical, they sent him to live with you and your parents. They didn't want him in their home, so your mother and father have raised him as their own child for fourteen years."

"What house is he in?" Harry asked.

The Headmaster smiled, "He was sorted into Hufflepuff, and his loyalty is the reason that he is one of the most well liked students in his house."

Ginny stepped forward, "Professor Dumbledore, I'm having trouble figuring out what is going on. My mind is a jumble of new things, are Harry's parents still alive?" The headmaster opened his mouth to answer when the door to his office flew open and Lily and James came running in.

"Harry!" his mother shouted, grabbing him in a bone crunching hug. "I have been waiting for this day for a long time." She pulled back and looked at him. "I know that for you it's just been a few minutes since I saw you, but I know that up until you got back here, you didn't have any memories of growing up with us."

Severus stepped toward her, "Lily, he still doesn't have all of his memories. It's just a jumble in his mind right now. It will take a few weeks for all of them to get sorted out."

She reached out and hugged him, "Severus, I am so happy to see you."

James clapped him on his back, "Your daughter has been driving me crazy asking when you would be back. It seems that she misses you."

Severus turned and stared at him, "My d-daughter?" He reached back and dropped down into the chair behind him.

Chapter 35: Epilogue

Harry lay in bed every night, sifting through the memories that were so new for him. With the changes they made, he and Ron had been friends since they were small. His parents had gotten permission from Professor Dumbledore to contact the Grangers while Hermione was an infant, and had guided her parents in raising her as a witch. Neville's parents were un-harmed, and he had been a frequent guest at Potter Manor. The most shocking thing to Harry was Severus Snape, or should he say Uncle Severus. For the past ten years, he had been working on a cure for Lycanthropy. Remus had volunteered to be the test subject for his cures, he had managed to get close. Now on the full moon, Remus not only got to keep his human mind, but the pain was completely gone from the transformation.

Uncle Sirius, he was another story. He had married and moved to a house near them, he had three children. Uncle Remus had been dating Sirius' cousin, Tonks since her seventh year at Hogwarts. They were getting married over the summer and moving into a cottage that was on the border of Potter Manor and Black House. Uncle Severus had married one of Lily's friends right after they had graduated, it was a double wedding, as James and Lily got married that day too. He had a family, a very large, very strange family. The Weasleys were still family to him, Molly never passed up a chance to have him over. During the summer, weekends had been for Quidditch. He remembered playing with his dad, Uncle Sirius, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, and Ron from the time he was old enough to chase the snitch.

The biggest change for him was his sister. She was born when he was four, and would be entering her third year on September first. She was amazing, small, with red hair and hazel eyes and she was the best student since Hermione. Everyone loved Mira, including George Weasley. He had been taken by her the minute that he saw her. Molly had made more trips to their house to collect George than she could count. He was around all of the time during the school year, when Harry's parents were teaching. They had been recruited by Professor Dumbledore to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts right after Harry had been born. His parents had taken turns teaching until Harry had turned eleven, and then they had moved to the castle during the school year.
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He had been back for four months, and this was the last trip to Hogsmeade until September. Ron and Ginny were staying at Potter Manor for part of the summer break, their parents were going to a conference in the United States. As head of Muggle Relations, Mr. Weasley was the key speaker at the conference. Fred and George, along with Sirius, Remus and Severus were creating for their joke shop during the break. Sirius was working with the Aurors during the school year, but had insisted on having the summer off to assist 'two of the best pranksters' he had ever seen. Harry's mother had insisted that the Ministry of Magic create a 'magical creatures' zoo, Charlie was in charge of the animals, but his favorites were the dragons. He was engaged to a witch that he had met during a trip to collect some of the harder to find magical creatures

Harry was looking forward to the summer, his parents had arranged a trip for Harry, Mira, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Dudley, Severus' three children Shayla, Nathan, and Derrick, Sirius' three children Mary, Alicia, and Jamie, and Peter's daughter Rose, they were taking them to Disney World in Florida. Harry's parents were coming, and Sirius' wife, Severus' wife, Remus and Tonks, and Peter and his wife. It would be an incredible trip into the Wizarding community of the United States. Hermione was looking at it as a learning experience, but the rest of them were looking forward to the fun of it.

Bill Weasley had promised to pop over for a few days, right after he had finished building the wards on the new Gringotts branch in Virginia, but said that he would have to leave right after that because the American Ministry wanted him to set up the protection on their newest school. He was very much in demand, and he thanked Lily every time he saw her. She had tutored him in Charms for years, and he credited her with his strength in them.

Percy Weasley was working in the misuse of muggle artifacts office, making sure that the muggle world was safe from shrinking keys and biting teapots. He had married Penelope Clearwater two years after he graduated, and they had a baby on the way. Molly and Lily loved to tell Harry about when Ginny was small. He had always insisted that he and Ron include her in everything that they did. She had been very upset when they went to Hogwarts, but Harry had made sure that he and Ron had owled her everyday. He now had two memories of when he asked Ginny to be his girlfriend, when they had gone back to the past, and when she had been in third year. He didn't prefer one memory over the other, he was just glad that he was still with her.

One of the best things about the changes they had made was that they were no longer bothered by Draco Malfoy. His father had been one of the Death Eaters that they had caught that day, his mother had married a Hufflepuff. She had one child, a boy that they named David, he was friends with Dudley, and not nearly as annoying as Draco had been.

He still had one year of school to go, but now he didn't have to worry about someone trying to kill him. He had realized the day that they returned, that the lightning bolt shaped scar was missing from his forehead. He was no longer the boy-who-lived, but a boy who lived two lives.

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